Diary for Dora The Explorer


Happy Days

2007-04-04 to 2007-05-09

Hello there everyone

Thought I would write a letter to you all as it’s been such a long time and many of you I haven’t spoken with for months. Sorry about that but with one thing and another the last few months have been pretty crazy & often weeks without internet access to update blog page. (www.getjealous.com – dora the explorer!) . So I stayed in Melbourne till the New Year working in ANZ bank & earning some cash after we spent out in Malaysia in October.

The New Year saw first job as a marine biologist on Lady Elliot Island off the Great Barrier Reef…talk about remote. For such a girl accustomed to internet, telephones, late bars and starbucks it was rather a culture shock! The marine life however was amazing – sharks, manta rays, turtles & dolphins. We used to work a 3 week on 8 day off roster so often we felt like Tom Hanks on Castaway…..the bar shut early & the pool table was always busy. I spent 3 months working here and then decided that I couldn’t stand the remoteness!!

A much needed holiday was needed in New Zealand so in March met mum in Christchurch for a tour of both islands. Beautiful islands- we had an absolute ball. It was one of the best holidays I have had. I skydived in Queenstown which was a complete adrenaline rush…but still prefer the water to the sky.

Just after we had arrived back from holiday I was all ready to leave Lady Elliot Island and return back to Melbourne to work back in finance to raise some funds when I broke my hand on the boat winch. Without going into too much detail they were crap about it, I had to have a wire in my hand for 3 weeks which was not fun & resulted in 3 plaster changes in Bundaberg, Brisbane and Melbourne. I am now out of plaster and in a splint & having physio in Melbourne but it’s been an absolutely terrible month for homesickness & missed you all.

My brief stint at Lady Elliot was a learning curve, I came away a wiser (if not broken!!) woman. Marine Biology is where I want to head though but over here in Australia they are two a penny which means that you have to raise the stakes a little. I have decided that self-employment is the only way forward in this field so I am currently studying a distance learning course of Small Business Management in the hope that by the end of the year I will be working for myself. The marine biologists I have met here have skills in diving / photography / conservation & consultancy …so it you can manage to combine a few of those and sell it to the market then you’re laughing. So to some extent LEI has given me plenty food for thought, with the added bonus of meeting some fantastically talented photographers & biologists.

So to pay for this course ANZ Bank calls for a few months temping…I know back to where I was so keen to escape from! This time is different as I know what my goals are for the next few months & year. I have been living with a mate who I befriended in ANZ before xmas but am soon to move into a shared place –haven’t decided where yet though & with whom!!!

Its cold here compared to Brisbane and when I shut my eyes long enough I could be back in London!!! I am not particularly happy about that but I guess that’s why Melbourne can have 4 seasons in one day. But all the same Pom’s don’t expect to be cold in Australia. This weekend has been great as Jon Roberts whom I went to uni with & lives in Sydney came down with his missus. My god I had forgotten now much Wrexham boys drink especially when the thought of relegation looms over them. Luckily for Jon they won 3-1 so when I met up with him yesterday before they want back he was a jubilant if not hung over chappy.

I hope to go cage diving possibly in July with the white sharks in Adelaide, as a marine biologist –as that what I am now!! we get on half price, maybe use us as bait?? Well I am now going to love you all & leave you as the weekend with welsh Jon has destroyed me as has the first day back to ANZ and the awful getting up in the morning. Why doesn’t that get any easier?!

Hope you are all well and enjoying the start of the summer! Lots of love to you all & even if I don’t speak to you all on a regular basis I think of you all constantly… I’ve had many laughs that way!

So the plans are to go traveling around august to WA, Northern Territory & SA for the remainder of my months. Hopefully then head over to South Africa the end of the year to play with sharks…Those who ‘say’ they are coming over – you know who you are!!!! Time is running out.

see you all soon ….maybe xmas for few weeks