BLOG 11

Since I've got a job time flies… There's just not enough time to work, surf, practice yoga, go to the beach, play volleyball and tennis, hang out with friends ánd write my blog. Life here is not so bad… In one week I'll move in with a colleague of mine: Sonia, one of the managers (btw: she just quit). Her flatmate is going away for about a month. Exactly the time I want to stay in Manly for. Went to the travel agency last week to collect all kind of flyers and there are so many things I'd like to see!!! Going to try to work as much as I can, cause I do need some money for that. I might just travel up north (Byron Bay, Brisbane, Fraser Island,Great Barrier Reef, etc), then take a plain to New Zealand, stay there for a month, fly back to Melbourne or Adelaide, go to Alice Springs, do a bit of the Great Ocean Road maybe, visit Philip Island (Tasmania?) and back to Sydney… Something like that… Or the other way round (might be better, cause the south is going to be cold in autumn. Need to find a travel mate for the van and the fuel though: a surfer(girl) would be great…People in my room come and go. It was a girls room about 2 months ago, but last week I shared my room with 7 guys! Right now it's 50-50. Still spending time with Maria and some people that has been here for a longer period of time. Played tennis last week with Alex, Carwin, Junior and a French guy (left). And then another time with Alex. I really suck, but it's great fun! I also tried some other yoga: bicram yoga: a 1.5 our class in a 37 degrees room where you do 26 yoga poses (2 times each). Well, that's pretty heavy! Rob, a guy I met at yoga, took me there and I have to say it wasn't an amazing experience the first time, but I felt quite good afterwards. The second time Iwent with a friend from the hostel and she gave up after 30 minutes. I liked it much better the second time, much easier. I was going to go again this morning, but the surf was too good, so I went for a two hour surf instead.. Yesterday I went to do capoeira. Another guy I met at yoga, Adriano, does it every week and said I had to try it. It was really nice, but my legs are so sore today!! And I have to work tonight.. But it was a really good experience and I'm going to go again Thursday I think (before my yoga-for-surfers class). Work is nice. I work 5 shifts a week now, so that's a full-time job. Time flies though, when I'm at work, so it's not too bad. Last week, Gerard and Hilly, friends of my parents, were in Sydney and they came to Manly to hang out on the beach and had dinner at Jellyfish and the next day we had a really nice, touristic day in Sydney: shopping, Victoria Building, Sydney Tower, art Museum, Botanical gardens, coffee, lunch, dinner… it was amazing!! (Thanxxx!!!)I missed out on Sinterklaas (big time), but I've already had one Christmas party here (with work) and another one at my new home on Christmas day. Nothing left to say… I wish everybody a really nice Christmas and a happy and healthy new year, xxxx