A summary of some kind.

So, again, apologies for my long absence from you all in this virtual medium. I know I said I woudln't try to cover the past few months.... but I lied..... here goes!

When I first arrived back, I was full of determination to find work, but the highly contagious byron-bay-lifestyle and the slow-season-lack-of-work meant it was a few weeks before I started working for accommodation, and at least a month before I started earning money.

My first job here was as daytime shuttle driver for the hostel I live at, replacing a friend who was going away for 6 weeks on an east coast adventure. Work started at 7am, my first trip up the the bus station at 7.20, and then a work day that combined driving, working, and lots of bus-station hijinx with drivers from other hostels as my co-conspirators. It was hard work - a day that lasted until 9pm, with a deceptive/useless 3hour break in the middle of the day. The end of the day usually saw me exhausted and incredibly grumpy; not one ounce of friendly disposition left for even my friends, let alone any guests. I'd eat a quick dinner and collapse in my room. It was 3days a week, so it left me plenty of time for other pursuits. Like a second job!

My other part time job saw me employed as a server at "Cardamon Pod", a restaurant run by Hare Krishnas! *Hare hare, hare krishna krishna rama, rama hare...* The food was delicious and much too greasy, mostly indian, and prepared in the Hare Krishna way. My coworkers were all lovely lovely people, some devotees, some not, like myself. Best of all, it got me out of the factory, and gave me a bit of supplemental income.

So i did this for a while, about 6 weeks. Enjoyed it massively, but started to feel overwhelmed as the town became more crowded with the high-season approaching. Luckily, Jimmy came back form his trip, putting me out of bus driver work, straight into reception work! Which is what I have been doing since then. Much better suited to my patient, bubbly personality, though I've earned much much less income since then. Oh well. I have to remind myself that I'm here to have interesting & varied experiences, not just to work and save money.

Working so much, however, has meant that I've had not alot of time for much else; no surfing, and much less musical practice than I'd hoped. But now I have a month of completely empty days to make up for it! I'm going to buy a surf board this week, and hope to fill my days surfing, biking, singing and playing my uke, cooking, lounging at the beach, and sleeping in occasionally.

Speaking of. Leisure calls.

all my love!! Definitely don't miss the cold and snow, but miss you all terribly.
xoxo

claire