Hello everybody,

Yes I'm alive and well - I knew nothing about the tsunami until my mate Martin phoned me to check that I was still alive and well! Then I got some harrassed text messages from my mum and a phone call from my mate in Australia! The news coverage in indonesia was not substantial. I mean, it was on all the time but they don't have a big budget so we didn't get many pictures of what was really happening - just figures of numbers dead. NOt the same. I don't think I'll ever "see" this quite like you do. Bizarre really, as I'm in one of the worst hit countries.

It didn't affect where I was at all - the tsunami went the opposite direction. It's unbelievable sad though. They had a TV program called Indonesia crying and they just showed the same video footage over again.

It is heart warming how so many people want to help.

I'm in Lombok now for 2 weeks with my Mum on holiday. It's great to see her again as it's been over 2 years! WE're staying at a lovely hotel with a pool. Senggigi is a wierd area though. It's built for lots of tourists but there are hardly any tourists around.

Anyway, flores. In a lot of ways I like Flores a lot more than Gili Air. The place where I'm living is on top of a hill so it's quite cool with a beautiful view of the harbours. Run by 2 dutch ladies and their indonesian husbands. There are a group of guys who work there and we'll play cards (gambling! for small money) most evenings. It's nice to be with the boys again. They teach me bits of indoensian too. One of the couples has an 8 month old kid who I play with so am finally getting over my fear of small children!

The 2 new instructors turned up just b4 christmas so I have them to talk to as well. They're cool. We laugh quite a lot. The boss disappeared over xmas (again) - it was not a good end of year for them, which left me to train the new staff. Felt really awkard as I'm supposed to be on the same level as them but had to make all these decisions and keep everything going as the boss wasn't here. Appreciate that it's not their (the bosses or the new staff) fault but am fed up of it. Don't want the extra responsibility, certainly don't get anything for it - not even appreciation at the moment, so am quite over working here now.

The diving is incredibly and my ability has improved a lot. A couple of guests have told me that they think I'm one of the best divemasters they've ever had which is really nice. The currents here can be mental so guiding can be challenging but am more than up for it, which was good to find out. However, I wanted to work and settle down for a bit to have a break and to have friends and be, well, settled! That's not really happened. The days are really long here as well - starting between 5 and 7am, so I'm pretty tired too.

All and all, Reefseekers has been an excellant experience and I've learnt a lot but I'm ready to move on. There's just been too much stress. My 6 months is up in mid-March, I never really planned on staying beyond that and definitly won't now. I'll miss the people in Golo, they really are brilliant - it is a mini-home and mini-family type place. It's also going to be hard to find comparable dive sites! It's amazing how easy you get used to totally fantastic diving!

Christmas was lovely as I had an extra surprise - my mate Piers turned up! It was wicked to catch up with him about all of his travels and everything that's happening in our lives. We also went to see the Komodo dragons together. Unfortunatly they were not interested in eating this bright orange person : ) I'm used to him being loud, but think he was a (welcome) shock to the local people!

New Year was cool too. They bought a pig (dragged it squealing past my window). I didin't watch them slit it's throat but did watch them do all the rest of the preparation. It was quite fascianating - they cooked it on the spit. It was definitly the best pork I've ever eaten. I think you appreciate food much more when you have to make the effort. It was certainly fresh too!

The New years eve party was strange. after dinner we all sat around watching a bob marley tribute concert until about 11.30pm when they started getting fireworks ready (really very scary "how not to light fireworks" show but also very funny). Then at midnight, everyone and I mean EVERYONE went round kissing everyone else on the cheek. as this was dutch way, this meant 3 kisses per person! It went on forever. SOme indonesians didn't seem to understand what they were doing and would just rub their sweaty cheek against yours! Hilarious. Then the music was turned up and everyone started dancing and going mental. It now appears obvious that they only celebrate the new year when the new year has actually started! Rather than the backward way we do it at home!

Good night but had to go to bed early as was diving the next day.I'm on email for the next 2 weeks so please write to me and I will write back, then I'm back at Flores for 6 weeks before leaving the country.

Now due to communication blackout i've missed several people's birthdays and also ONE WEDDING! BECKY JAGO! I hope you had a brilliant day and are ecstatically happy in newly wedded bliss. Please write to me and tell me all about it. Can't wait to watch videos and all other things when I return to UK.

Current estimated return date is Sept05.

Nicola Bell, Martin Sheen, Paul Mullins - hope you all had great birthdays!!

I hope you're all well and happy,

lots of love
kathryn xx

PS. HAPPY NEW YEAR
PS. Could someone get paul morgan to email again, I'm not sure if I've got the right email address or not.