Sometimes we have to have talks with ourselves on important matters and decisions. I had one such talk with myself this morning. My recruiter phoned to say the French engineering company I have done some temping for wanted to bring me in for five weeks work starting next week. This would mean I would have to forfeit seeing my cousin and her Kiwi whilst they were in New Zealand. Not an easy choice. After a long talk with myself I decided I should give up the trip and take the job. I reached this conclusion for a plethora of reasons. One I would be able to successfully pay my rent out here continuously in Australian dollars, two I would be able to enjoy Melbourne fully (try out all the restaurants I have been wanting to go to, take weekend trips around Victoria) and three I would have money in my British savings account for when I get home. Oh and of course the company is very reputable and will look ace on my CV! I assure you all it was no easy chat but these kind of talks never are. I am still going to try very hard to make it to New Zealand before my visa expires. I realised the other day I know three people in Wellington, who knew!

In other travel news my parents have booked their tickets out to see me!!!! It will be the longest gap we have ever been apart. I am so, so glad they are all set to go! And as an amazing added bonus my brother in NYC will be joining us for a portion of the trip!!!! Besides my brother in Sweden this will be our first family trip in years. And even more importantly the first proper holiday my parents have taken in who knows how long! For those of you who are curious the following has been planned. My parents will arrive on the last day of March after having spent two days in Singapore. My friends just did something similar and they said it helped heaps with the jetlag. Once they arrive we will get our rent a car and head straight out to the Great Ocean Road. We will spend a night in Lorne the foodie capital of the route. We will get back either on the evening of the 2nd or the 3rd. My brother arrives hopefully on the 3rd! We will try and do a wine tour of the Yarra Valley region, something I have not had a chance to do yet. We will then spent Easter together on the 4th one of my families favourite holidays. The lamb is going to be exceptional this year! On the 5th we all pack up to head up to the Great Barrier Reef for four days!! I am particularly thrilled about this portion of the holiday as I was not sure I was going to have a chance to make it up there before I left. We have been given advice to stay in Port Douglas about an hour out of Cairns. It looks magical. I truly can not think of a time when my family has ever taken a beach holiday together. I grew up on museums, cities, and countryside holidays. The trip will end with four days in Sydney. I could not be more possibly excited!! And the icing on the cake is one of my really good friends from college just booked her ticket out to see me for a week in April!!!

A friend from the book club is on her way over to have wine in my garden and then we are getting celebratory Thai food and cocktails! Saturday I am having a potluck dinner at my house. One guest has just informed me she is making caramel cupcakes with caramel buttercream and a chocolate cake! I suspect the night to be as equally tasty as my birthday picnic potluck! Hooray!


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