Happy Friday the 13th! I'm in California now, though nowhere near San Francisco, but the STA travel blogs library selection for California wasn't very broad. I arrived here on Saturday and have been staying with my friend Katelin in San Clemente, Orange County, for the past week. I have another week here before returning home, which is an exciting and scary prospect.

The rest of my time in Fiji was a mixture of activity and relaxation. I learnt to make jewellery out of palms and coconuts, visited a Fijian primary school, did some precarious rafting, took a dip in a mud pool (I hear it's good for the skin), but also found considerable time for sunbathing! It was great to see more of the main island, as most people just stay in Nadi then go to the islands, as I got a real sense of Fijian life and culture, which lying on the beach just doesn't give. However, as anyone who knows me could tell you, I'm not one to say no to lying around reading a book all day, so if I were to return I would be sure to find more time to spend on the paradisal islands with the company of a sun-lounger and a good book!

In California I have been able to spend a lot of time on the beach. Up until today I've been fortunate with the weather, which I must have brought with me from Fiji, since I've been told they've had a horrible summer here so far. Katelin's house and family are both gorgeous! I have been mercilessly teased for my accent, which I guess is only fair since everyone got excited when the American came to town last year!

On Wednesday, Emily arrived with Will as part of their nine week US road (and rail!) trip. It was so brilliant to spend some time with my sister as I hadn't seen her for five months and I won't see her for another six now. We went to the beach, did some shopping and ate lovely meals (mainly Mexican - as we're so near the border, I've eaten it every day!). Yesterday we took a day trip to San Diego, stopping off in La Jolla. I had such a brilliant day. We had lunch in La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya for those non Spanish speakers amongst you!) and saw the beautiful beach and the seals. Then in San Diego we met up with Sarah, a girl who will be joining me studying English at the college in Oxford I'm going to this year, which was really fun as it got me excited about uni; before now I've been mainly focussing on the travelling. We spent the evening at Belmont Park in Mission Bay, where we went on loads of rides, including a rollercoaster from 1925, and had dinner at a restaurant with an artificial wave for surfing!

I can't believe I'll be back home in little over a week. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze a few more memories in before I get home; after all it's my birthday next week! And after that I will be back in good old Bromley and hopefully telling some of you about my trip in person rather than through the medium of blogging!