In other news...

So it's official. I've entered a 10k run in December. An Australian December. 

Forgetting that December in Austrailia sees temperatures in the high 30s, I made the decision to do a 10k run for breast cancer with a friend. This was evidently after a bottle (or two) of wine.

Nonetheless I am embracing this drunken promise and am throwing myself into training for this great cause. As said in a post earlier in the year, I used to be just under two stone heavier than what I am now. So this is a great way of keeping fat Liz at bay. 

With just under three weeks to go until race day, I'm off the booze, eating clean and living at the gym -though, this on top of working seems to be taking it's toll (see below) and the promise of free food at work is always a bit difficult to resist. But I know it will be all worth it when i (hopefully) cross that finish line. 

Beautiful Melbourne

My housemates and I decided to spend a couple of our days off work being tourists and discovering more of Melbourne. Exploring places can often be skimmed over when setting up home in a new city. It's very easy to just work, save money and forget the main reason why I decided to come to Austrailia: to see new things!

We visited a few laneways in the city, one of Melbournes most popular 'attractions'. Hidden within lots of different parts of the city, these lanes are covered in amazing artwork and graffiti and make for some wicked photos.

Having only been here for just over a month, I am already feeling like I could live here for a long time to come. Melbourne is so different to Ho Chi Minh City, and I love that. Not because I hated Saigon at all, just because I am getting such a wide range of experiences. Flying over to Melbourne, a man sat next to me on the plane said that I couldn't have picked two more different cities to set up new lives in. And he was so right. 

We also took a little visit to Melbourne State Library. It's an amazing building and it made Billy, Connor and I all weirdly miss Uni and writing essays. Well, all for about a good 2 minutes. 

As I've said previously, the food in this city has left me in coeliac heaven. I can walk into any restaurant and be greated with an abundance of gluten free options. I no longer have to decide on what I want by what I can't have on the menu. Because of this I've just had to spend $85 (makwar) on a months gym membership. 

Living in Melbourne I've also been able to meet up with people I haven't seen in years. So many people that I've lost touch with in England and living in Vietnam, have moved here! I've seen my friend Emily who I lived with in second year a few times, which has been so lovely.