Well G'day! Its been....quite a while since i've written on here! In all fairness I pretty much forgot about it so it needs some SERIOUS updating!!! Ok...lets get to it!

First off, MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!!!! I've already said it to some of you on Facebook but not all of you follow on me on there! For starters, just a quick update on whats happenin with me in at the moment - proper updates to follow!

Well I got the best Xmas present EVER this year...my 4 year sponsorship visa!!! Granted right on Xmas Day! Imagine my hungover little face as im draggin myself through the day at work on Boxing Day, drudging thru my email when i read...blahblah blah..."Congratulations Andy, your 457 visa has been granted!" I practically fell of my chair!!! So thats it, im secure over here now for AT LEAST 4 years but after only 2 I can apply for permanent residency.

For a brief update then, since I came back to Perth in June, just after spending my birthday on the sheep station with an awesome Pirate Party, I got settled into my new job as a Travel Consultant for backpackers - really fun, fast paced industry selling travel all over Oz, New Zealand and Fiji to like-minded travellers! Speaking of NZ, i was then sent on a freebie trip over there in Sept for 11 days which was absolutely amazing! I need to go back there at some point again as I only travelled South Island. Since then I have travelled the West Coast of Oz in early November...again on another freebie trip...its a hard life! This time though I spent 10 days with Katie Duffin, a friend from uni who I booked onto the same trip.

Back from Broome and with some mates hooked ourselves an AWESOME apartment in East Perth. We're talkin 3 bedroom, nice big lounge and balcony over-looking the swimming pool, hot tub, gym and sauna! A much better lifestyle than the last 5 months in a hostel!

Xmas then arrived - pretty quickly - and we had an amazing, AMAZING time!!! Had friends stay over Xmas Eve including Raine, again another friend from Uni, and the Xmas Day headed over to Des place where we all had a BBQ and Pool party before setting off for the Beach! What??? Its gotta be done!! Perfect weather - about 28 degreesand clear blue skies! Later it was back to my place where we partied it up hard til 4am! Well 4am was the point that I passed out anyway! LOL! It was to work the next day (not til 12pm) and then back home where the party was STILL goin!!!Back down to the pool, beers in hand again, another BBQ...long night of partyin again before...back to work again on Sat! CARNAGE!

Next stop was NYE where a huge group of us headed to the races at Gloucester Park. I have to say there is NOTHING better than spending NYE outside in the sun and heat in a vest top and shorts! We had harness racing all afternoon and evening, bands later and then a 20 MINUTE firework display starting at 11.45pm! The firework finale was absolutely SPECTACULAR and im sure could be a challenger for the Sydney ones! I will try to upload the video on here. The fireworks are pretty much the last thing i remember from that night...sorry Raine, I still dont remember all the way home dancing and singing to "Singing in the Rain" and swinging around every lamp-post!

So it was a pretty full-on week between Xmas and NY and TRIED to detox for a few days after...NAAAAA! Work has been pretty hectic since we got back after New Year which is good! Start making some big bucks again soon! This coming weekend a group of us are heading off again for a weekend getaway to Margaret River - south of Perth! So that pretty much brings you up-to-date with the here and now. I'll get blogs on for NZ and West Coast soon!...and i still need to write all about Indonesia! Now THERES some stories!