Dear All, Thought it was about that time again, to give you an update on life here in Sydney! Well, seven weeks into 'living' in our Bondi pad.........and everything is still BRILLIANT! Cant remember where i left off last time, but think it was just after the incident that we now never talk about.......ha ha.......since then things can only get better, and they have! It seems like ages ago that Cath, Paul and I sat in our house, hoping we would meet friends, hoping that more than the three of us would pass through our door, and the past six weeks have seen just that happen.......in fact we have not had the house to ourselves in......well......AGES!!! We have made a great bunch of friends out here, from all over the place including New Zealand and Australia, but of course being with two Irish we still attract them too!!! We've had numerous evening and day activities take place in recent weeks, including some brilliant Tuesday nights in Sydneys infamous Irish Bar- Scruffy Murphys. Is always a brilliant night with live bands and cheesy music......... Two weekends ago we all raised ourselves from our beds on a Sunday morning and took part in a Sydney charity walk. The Seven Bridge Walk......where, ironically, you walk over the seven bridges around Sydney over the distance of 22km.......we had great weather for it, and had a ball aswell, even if i did end up getting blisters and walking the thing in flip flops- whoops! That evening was also especially brilliant as i made my way to Erskinville for a reunion with my India buddies Molly, Pauline, John and Ayesha.....and also Pauline's husband John!!! Was so lovely to see them 10 months on from when we first met in Delhi......was a real catch up session on whose seen who, and where we've all been and where we are heading, so Pauline and John get ready for a visitor in the coming months!!!!! And then....the highlight of recent weeks......just getting over Mummy Moriarty's visit.......and low and behold the arrival of Miss Juliet Condy, one of my best buddies from Uni!!! I was pleased to see her for many reasons, but by far the biggest one was that she came bearing gifts of ENGLISH CHOCOLATE!!!!! The chocolate over here just is not the same as home, and she came with three Ripples and english chocolate hob nobs, care of Mumsie Moriarty, and oh how we were pleased to see them.......and of course Jules!!! Had a brillaint few days, going out, going to the beach, and she brought the sun out too for four days solid........ The International Motor Show was on at Darling Harbour, and i dragged Jules and Cath along to admire the beautiful car displays........even though they weren't even half as interested as i was......so thanks girls....... We were ladies who lunched, as the girls came and met me for lunch during work, and we sipped G&Ts by the harbour of an evening.....oh the life...... The week of her visit was topped off with a BRILLIANT night on Saturday when we visited Minus 5 Bar in Circular Quay. Also joined by a visit from Eamon, Cath & Pauls cousin........so really has been a full house......... The whole bar is made of ice....chairs tables, glasses......random sculptures.....everything! They kit you out with big coats, boots, gloves as you sip cocktails from your ice glass.....brilliant night, where we finished off the evening in the favourite haunt of ours 'Lowenbrau' the German Bar in The Rocks.......where we danced til dawn............. Jules left on Monday morning for surf camp......boooo hoooo......but now the countdown of FOUR WEEKS AND FIVE DAYS until my favourite little bro arrives.......hope Sydney is ready for TWO Moriarty's.......am so excited about seeing him after a year........but sure the feeling will run thin when i see your ugly mug Jim Bob!!!!!!! Lots of pictures which i am going to load on this week............... www.ellenmoriarty.com so check out the site in a few days for a full update in pictures...... Work is going really well, im dead happy here, the people, work, place is all brilliant and getting up is never a chore when you have a view of the Harbour every day.......... However.....time is now passing way too quickly.......approaching a year being away, and in nine months i am home.......scary thought, so every day i wake up in these new, yet familiar, surroundings, and make the most of every situation that comes my way, i am appreciating my family and friends more than ever.....but am trying to work out how it is possible to combine the people i love with the city i am falling in love with..........just don't think its possible.........we'll see. Love to you all. Me xx