Things are settled back down now here, it was a bit annoying while I had no job, but that was only for a week and I've found a new job now! I had the best week off hanging out with friends from work while we were unemployed, and got to explore a lot more of Melbourne. Hopefully with this new job I'll be able to save more money for the rest of my travels! I was so unprepared for how expensive Australia is- from working at the Edgy for a month I earned double what I brought out with me...I definitely wasn't prepared!

So now I can work some days and still have time to explore and go to new places, and it's getting really hot here on some days! It's weird hearing adverts for summer, it's December and people are finishing school for the year! It feels weird to think I should be wrapped up in loads of layers by the fire, but I'm in a skirt about to head off down to the beach...but I love summer so I'm not going to complain about avoiding the cold! I've been invited to a barbecue with a load of friends on Christmas Eve and I am so excited, one of the things I wanted to do in Australia was have a barbecue on Christmas and who better to spend it with than some amazing people from work. I'm spending Christmas Day with a family friend who I've known since I was 8, it's always been a big family event for us and I didn't feel right spending it with just a friend and their family that I don't know- although so many people have offered!

I spent the weekend hanging out with Drew, who I live with, as Gemma was away working. We went exploring in this national park and ended up climbing a mountain (there were 445 steps, ugh) and it was so amazing. The view from the top was incredible, you could see the high-rise buildings so far in the distance, and all the way down to the coast. It's such a huge country, I haven't even left Melbourne yet and I've done so much. Yesterday we went to his family's Christmas party, and it was lovely to meet some of the family. Nearly everyone invited me over for Christmas (Gemma and Drew head back to England for Christmas so I'm living alone and puppy-sitting!) and I've got loads of emergency contacts and places to go hang out now! It's going to be sad leaving these people in January, I never thought I'd find as many amazing friends as I have, and although I'm excited to carry on travelling it's going to be hard leaving them knowing I might not ever see them again. I'd love to come back and visit again when I'm older though- maybe another adventure after university....?

For now though, I'm enjoying days working and days off spent on the beach or up a mountain with a friend or the dogs. I really am so lucky to have everything here, and I've done it alone 10,000 miles from home.

Yay!