I am so far behind in reading scuba-se and checking my own mailbox that I
am doing a short 'n sweet post from the Sydney international airport.
Will be jetting off to Noumea in a couple of hours.  I've got a feeling the
first week of the trip I won't have email access being on a smaller
island .. but once I get back to the mainland for the SPUMS conference
being held during the 2nd week I should be able to hit the keyboard to tell
you a little about the first weeks worth of dives.  3rd week I will be in
NZ catching up with the rellies and best friends.

To say I've been looking forward to this holiday is an understatement.
Last weekend I was the victim of a violent bag snatch incident, which was a
real pain in the butt as I had to cancel all my shop & credit cards, cheque
books, etc.  Getting the more important cards replaced before I flew out
was like pulling out teeth and I count myself lucky that as I was a little
disorganised with farm duties after work I'd not yet put my passport or
plane tickets in to my handbag ... otherwise I'd would have had to fork out
more $ to get a replacement passport at short notice.  I am still licking
some of my wounds .. left hand is the worst, still bandaged up, so typing
is real slow coz I keep hitting the wrong keys.

Just spent the last 10 days out on my mate Woofie's animal farm looking
after all the 4-legged creatures and 5 fish aqariums while she, her husband
and a couple of friends enjoyed a well deserved holiday up at Coral Bay
with an overnight tagged on at Monkey Mia, two days at Kalbarri National
Park .. and yesterday they decided to stay away one day longer taking
photos at the Pinnacles in Cervantes.  Hopefully my cat has not run away
from the farm as the usual friendly faces were not there by the time I took
off for the airport late last night due to them staying away an extra night.

Hurriedly put together a powerpoint slide presentation of venemous
creatures this week to provide some light entertainment between guest
speakers at the SPUMS conference.  Was originally told they did not have
the time for it in the schedule but now they wanted something as a filler
as one of the guest presenters is giving a talk on marine stingers so also
busy sorting through slides for that ... looks like a bomb hit my lounge
room with boxes of slides all over the place atm.

Well, enough of me ... once I get on the plane I'll have another cat nap
and hopefully wake refreshed at the other end.
Viv