Hi everyone, hope everything is going well back at home.

We're still having a great time. Work is definitely starting to get busier now and we're enjoying it more. Everyone here is really nice too, we've been going out with them quite a lot, mainly to the pub. We've fallen into sort of a routine on working days: We'll work, then go swimming/sunbathing/cycling/some other outdoor activity, then we'll spend the evenings with our friends from work.

So much for people coming to see the camper! We've had no-one view it yet. The 2 people who were meant to see in last Tuesday both cancelled. Hopefully we'll have some more interest in him soon. Was nice to catch up with Irene on Monday and stay over.

On Thursday James picked up our bikes we won in the auction at the bike hire shop. They are the old ones that they don't use anymore but are in really good condition. We need to buy some helmets today though because it's compulsory to wear them over here. The island police will give you a $50 on the spot fine for not wearing one.

On Thursday evening after work me and James went for a cycle to Strickland Bay on the island. It took us 25 minutes each way and was a really nice bay, it is the main surfing beach on the island but there was very little surf there when we went.

Our bosses Jim and Samala invited us to go snorkelling with them last week, and we eventually got chance on Saturday when Jim asked James to finish an hour early so we could all cycle out to Little Salmon Bay on the southern tip of the island. It's totally enclosed from the ocean by shallow coral reef, there's no way the big nasties can get in so it's a haven for all the tropical fish. Unfortunately James forgot to take the waterproof camera, but we'll go back another time for photos as it's so beautiful. After Little Salmon we moved on to "The Basin" another coral reef on the north of the island not too far from the main settlement. James and Jim went snorkelling there while me and Samala sunbathed on the beach. James brought me back a cool shell that he picked up from the bottom of a deep hole in the reef.

We had a staff meeting on Sunday evening which was pretty dull but we got paid for it. They've banned alcohol in the house for a week as Saturday night had left a lot of people much the worse for wear and a few had turned up to work drunk!

Of course the pub is now getting a lot more business! We went for a walk the next afternoon and on our way past the pub two of our workmates, Megan and Oakey, who were sitting in the beer garden called us over. It turned out to be a really good afternoon and Jim, Samala, and a new girl (another) Sarah joined us. We now have five Sarah's working with us so we've had to give them other names. We have "Mum" (the house 'mum'), "Snarah", "Blondie" "new Sarah" and "commuter Sarah" who works Saturdays only and comes across on the ferry.

Yesterday was pretty chilled out, we had a day off and had breakfast at Dome, then went down to the beach with "Mum". James went snorkelling again later on with Snarah and Blondie, while I spent most of the day watching crazy TV shows with a guy from work, Aaron, and a mate of his, Brendan, who works at the Tearooms next door to Dome.

We're having a great time over here, and looking forward to our first antipodean Christmas now. It's only around the corner!

All our love to everyone shivering in the cold J

Laura and James xXx