Back to Oz

Flew back to Oz last Thursday at an ungodly hour of the morning. Well, the flight left at a reasonable hour, but I had to be at the airport for 7. Ugh.
Since I'd been in NZ, I hadn't had credit on my cellphone (rather, Jen's old cellphone that she loaned me for my trip), so first thing after I got through Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (I was disappointed they didn't scan me for swine flu!) I reloaded my credit. And no sooner had I done so than the phone rang; it was my mother. Since she can normally call me whenever she wants, it's been a little hard for her to have me out of reach by phone. So I spent my first hour back in Sydney sitting on a luggage cart talking to my mum. It's amazing what a difference cellphones make to travelling these days.

I spent the weekend with Jen, sleeping on her super comfy sofa, hanging out, and eating too much. Jen and her roommate, Lachy, had a work "do" (aka drinkfest) on the Friday, so I took it easy and started getting over my dislike of going to the movies by myself. I went to see The Proposal -- a typical rom-com, but a good way to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon.
I also, after much indecisiveness, booked my travels up the East Coast. The plan looks like this:
July 13-17, Byron Bay -- learn to surf
July 17-20, with Rupert, Shannon, & co
July 20-23, Noosa Heads, Canoe trip
July 23-24, Hervey Bay
July 25-27, Fraser Island, 4x4 trip
July 28-30, Airlie Beach
July 30-Aug 1, Whitsunday Islands, sailing aboard the British Defender
Aug 2-6, Mission Beach, sitting on the beach
Aug 6-7, Cairns
Aug 7-9, Scuba diving from a boat, Advanced PADI course
Aug 10, Cairns
Aug 11-13, Cape Tribulation, the Daintree
Aug 13-14, Port Douglas
Aug 14-18, Cairns
Aug 18, Fly backto Gold Coast
Aug 18-28, get back to Sydney
Aug 29, Canada!