how odd it felt yesterday, to be standing on Brighton's stony beach gazing out to sea, just a day after being in New Zealand within reach of practically everyone I know. The scene felt very strange and stormy because when I looked out to sea, I saw nothing (except the piers but they are very close to shore). There was no volcano in the harbour, and no islands in the distance. As if a big rain storm was hiding them. But no rain came, the islands just aren't there, despite Brighton being very familiar to me, some things are very different.

   If I walked through the right, or rather the wrong, places in Auckland I could see gangs of people walking their territory, but Brighton is bigger, meaner and the streets are places to be wary of. Jo, Jed and I walked to the seafront last night, and it made me think twice about walking back from Marko's wedding reception on Saturday night. It's probably only 25 mins walk, but I'll be alone and dressed smart. I don't want to have to run the whole way. Now I must get shopping. It appears that none of the real book shops around here cover Norway very well, so I am going virtual.

   Oh, yesterday I recognised a girl on the street who was handing out flyers. She was busy talking to someone else, and I couldn't remember her name but I know she was in one of my classes at Ringmer Community College seven years ago. I could say hi and then tell her I didn't know her name, so I walked past, thinking how small the world seems to me now.