Hello. My name is Dan Holtby and i'm just reaching the end of my final year at the University of Sheffield. When i'm not at university i live in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire in the UK. In the blissful period that lies between my final exams and graduation i'll be jetting off on an antipodal adventure to meet up with my former housemates.

I've been inspired by my housemates to create this journal of my time there. There's sure to be plenty of pictures for those of you who can't be bothered to read it and i'll try to keep the boring touristy information to a minimum. Please understand that on occasions i may feel the need to enlighten you upon my time spent experiencing new cultures, new ways of looking at and doing things. However, the primary purpose of this journal will always be to record the top notch banter and general good times that is sure to be had down under.

Of course i encourage anyone and everyone to leave your own comments on my blogs be they helpful advice, news from back home or simply your own confused rantings. I must ask however that you keep it tasteful. Actually i don't mind if you swear, just put a little asterisk in place of some of the letters then you can say whatever the £*$! you want.

So that's it. Upon my return i hope that the sum of all my experiences will have made me a little wiser and given me plenty of fond memories to look back on for when i'm launched, head first into the real world of jobs and mortgages and stuff. Failing that, i'll always have this journal to remind me of those carefree days when anything was possible and life was worth living.

Join me won't you.

Ok it's a year later and this time I'm off to the Antennas and Propagation International Symposium in Hawaii on my own... alone! The conference is just for a week but since the department was paying to fly me out there, I thought I'd get my money's worth and spend a bit more time exploring the magic that is Hawaii. Like I said there's no one going with me so this time it's gonna be all about meeting new people and creating some new and orignal banter. Are you as excited as me? You will be... you will be!

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