Hello everyone! Well it's been an exciting first week in Gizo! Settling into 'Solomon Time' even more so than in Honiara. The smaller pacific islands are very laid back, nothing starts on time and no one is in a hurry for anything...can be a little annoying when you're ordering food, etc., but you just need to get used to it! Have been in the hospital all days apart from Thursday. Skivved off with all the other students bar one who gallantly offered to go into outpatients alone! The rest of us headed out to a couple of dive and snorkelling sites in the surrounding islands. I wasn't diving as am too much of a chicken, but the others did in the morning while I snorkelled! The weather was fantastic as it has been very thundery all week. We had a great lunch : BBQ Mahi Mahi fish and rice on the beach, followed by bananas and biscuits - ah bliss. Then headed off to Jaru, this beautiful island where we all snorkelled to Grand Central Station - yes, where they based the same place in 'Finding Nemo'. It was amazing, really beautiful and you could get very close to the coral and the fish weren't bothered at all - apart from a couple of 'nemo' Clown Fish bashing me away from their coral area! Saw some sharks and jelly fish - euugh!! But made it back in one piece with the most sunburnt backs of legs ever! Spent most of Friday at the hospital (as felt guilty!). The hospital has been really great, am seeing such random cases - from TB to arthritis. It's a bit of a test of knowledge and 'thinking on your feet' ability. Was desperately trying to take in as much as possible as Emma and Jackie (the pros and my new wantocks!) are leaving on Tuesday and this was their last day! I must of asked Emma about 20 times what antibiotics they had and how many times per day they had to be taken! Have seen SO much TB. Keep developing a psychosomatic cough after seeing each patient also (you know what i'm like!). Had to do a TB review on Friday - how the hell do you do that?? I asked myself! But you just manage somehow...bit of sputum and a chest xray and Bob's your uncle! Was taken to PT's - the local Yacht club and Friday night hang out place! It's minging, but the only place to go on a Friday night. Danced with the locals, drank gin and sang some local songs - just like a night at the Horseshoe! Bit of a bad head the next morning though...had to go fishing and sunbathing - what a chore! But it didn't feel good at 8am in 30degree heat on a boat - ugh! Had a great day though, went to another desert island and snorkelled and swam and sunbathed (noticing a general trend yet?!). Last night went to the RAMSIs (Regional Australian Mission to the Solomon Islands) house. They're police from Oz based out here since the riots in April. They treated us to some of their food parcels from home - BBQ steak and sausages! Not entirely ethical, but don't judge me, you'd have done the same if you had nothing but fish for a month! We headed home early to watch a DVD. My laptop has turned out to be a godsend (thanks Ollie!) as there is a DVD rental place in Gizo Town. Not so much Blockbuster as a shack with a few dodgy DVD copies in it, with a 50% hit rate as to whether they'll work at all! But still it's nice to watch movies again - Makes me feel at home! Today wasn't as great weather, but headed out to Kenndy Island (pictured above), which was beautiful snorkelling. Had lunch at Fatboys on the way back - lovely bar/restaurant in the middle of the ocean! Nice fish and chips! Going to have to tone down the amount of food i'm eating here - going for a run or exercising in any shape or form is a big no-no in this heat! Anyway, think i've gone on long enough.... Hope everyone is well - thanks again for all your messages. Can't believe there's only 3 weeks to go! Big up my wantocks! Love Lise xxx