Other places: Trip to Wollongong (and P.S., I'm back!)

Well hello there! That was a longer break than I intended. Which is to say, I didn't really plan on having a break from here, it just happened. What better to break the blogging ice-come-rut than a photo-laden post from my recent trip home to Wollongong for my best friend's wedding.

Since my last post in June, I have done approximately this many things:

• Travelled to Darwin three times
• Travelled to Cairns and Mission Beach for a wedding
• Almost finished a semester of Contract Law
• Drank at least 140 coffees
• Attended one rodeo, one camel race, one 'bust the budget' rally, one fete, one eco fair, one festival and the Alice Springs Show
• Rescued my phone from a coma
• Received one strange parcel from Turkey*
• Rescued/dealt with one wayward kelpie, on two occasions
• Failed miserably at ten pin bowling
• Read many books**
• Read all your blog posts, and probably didn't comment (sorry!)
• Got two head colds, one of them current, both of which I'm blaming on planes
• Blogged nil times
• Possibly purchased new shoes, a couple of times.

And now, about my trip home:

1. One of my favourite things to do is get a big fat dose of ocean air. The weather alternated between moody and overcast, and bright and sunny. This day was the former: perfect for a walk along the beach followed by breakfast.
2. The Continental Baths are the quintessential east coast saltwater pools. This day they were being refilled by the high tide, following routine maintenance.
3. Wollongong City Gallery: I used to work here, starting out as a volunteer gallery assistant and guide during my uni days, to regular casual work as a gallery assistant working on front of house and in the gift shop, along with work as a curatorial assistant. The building was the former council chambers and was designed to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth.
4. Mount Keira, through the grounds of the Botanic Gardens and Gleniffer Brae, an historic building that now houses the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. Terrible photo, but nostalgic place.
5. Lunch with a magazine and a sea breeze on the balcony at Lee and Me on Crown Street.
6. Family lunch at Burrawang Village Hotel in the Southern Highlands.
7. Beautiful flowers from my parents' next door neighbours' garden.
8. Gorgeous sunny Saturday afternoon at Bulli. We spotted a humpback whale and calf frolicking off the coast and watched, mesmerised, as they splashed and played.
9. Since I usually wear my Saltwater sandals in the desert, I thought it only fitting that they meet their namesake.
10. Many a coffee was consumed, this one from Diggies at North Beach.
11. Another beach stroll on another overcast day, with spots of rain.
12. The wedding was just perfect, a day bursting with love. I was honoured to be a bridesmaid and share in a very special day.
13. The earth turns red, which means I'm almost back in Alice Springs.
14. It's not a trip away without bringing back new reading material.

* False alarm! It wasn't a stranger trying to hack my life, just my mum buying a scarf on Etsy.

** Will post about things I've read!