Amazing!

I am turning into one of those people who just goes on and on about how great everything is!  How annoying.  I just had my 31st birthday over the weekend, which was spent in Port Lincoln/Coffin Bay with Jeremy and some lovely friends.

Jeremy picked me up Friday evening at the airport and I couldn't help but notice the gift box on the passenger seat of the car.  I truly was not expecting anything as I had told him that I was buying myself a birthday present - a ticket to the musical 'Once' (which is one of my favourite movies, introduced to me by Jeremy just before we left for Australia).  It turned out to be a gorgeous sapphire necklace (with a diamond as well!)  I am not a huge jewelry person, but I love things that are meaningful and it was just very special.  I posted a photo on Facebook but it won't post here at the moment...I'm sure most people have already seen it anyway!

We went out for dinner at Peacock Gardens, the Chinese/Thai restaurant in town.  I couldn't help but notice that the woman next to us had a definite North American accent - I was thinking US.  We ended up talking with the two ladies for about half an hour...turns out one was from California...and the other woman was from SA and starting up a tour business.  I have her card, so who knows..we might meet up!  We also got together with Jeremy's friend Bianca, a midwife who is from Adelaide but is working in Port Lincoln.  She was beautiful and reminded me of my bestie Tracee and made me a bit homesick.

Saturday was my actual birthday and we did something super cool - swam with tuna!  My friend Maria and her new husband Shane were coming out to Port Lincoln for the long weekend and obviously we took this opportunity to meet up.  They are the most wonderful couple (Irish folk, not so surprising!)  Jeremy and Shane get along tremendously, and I think Maria and Shane are both fantastic, fun people :)  We got on the boat and sailed out to the 'tuna pontoon'.  We donned our wetsuits and hopped into the water with loads of tuna weighing around 80 kg.  The guides threw us little fish that we could feed to the tuna, and it was such a surreal experience to have an 80 kg fish swimming at you and grabbing the food out of your hand!  There may have been a slight amount of screaming as we got used to it (even Jeremy, who rarely startles, let out a couple of yelps...hehehe)  It was so cool.  I can't believe I haven't even written yet about our diving with great white sharks experience, but that probably deserves an entry of its own!

After the tuna swimming (which I think Jeremy really did like, despite claiming he would prefer to be having a nap) we went and got cleaned up before having Maria, Shane, Orla, and Dave over for board games.  I have already introduced Maria and Shane...but I don't think I mentioned that Maria works with me at Griffith Rehab Hospital as an Occupational Therapist.  Orla is a Physio who is currently working at Griffith who actually got her job through Maria.  Orla is also Irish and her boyfriend Dave is an Aussie who grew up on Kangaroo Island but works now as a train conductor based in Port Augusta.  Whew!  I think that's everyone.  Honestly, it was my dream birthday - surprise jewels, tuna swimming, getting to see Jeremy, friends over for board games, dinner at Sarin's (I tried oysters for the second time in my life...felt like it was an obligation being so close to Coffin Bay which is world famous for oysters...and I still don't get the big deal...sorry), a drink at the pub next door, and then back to Jeremy's place for more board games with fun and spirited people.

The next day, we ventured on to Coffin Bay which has some spectacular scenery and I met Jeremy's supervisor, his wife and their two kids but I think I might save that for another post...I need to get to bed!