There is nothing worse than boredom OP, and is bound to leave you with too much time to think about home.

Can you think of an end date? E.g. we want to travel round Oz at somepoint for a year, so although I don't know when that is going to be - I have that idea as something to look forward to, not just thinking about a lot of working years ahead of me.

I think it takes 4 weeks to really get into things in all new jobs (or returns) - I had to have today off due to bad ankle and having to get it x-rayed - so I have only worked 8 days so far - and I know I don't feel settled yet - although I am enjoying it.

Do you know when you are likely to get onto a project? I also sympathies there as in your line of work (similar to what I have done in the past) the time between projects can be made to feel like 'wasted' time (even though in reality it isn't) and when you don't feel any value in what you are doing then it is hardest to reconcile with being at work as you know you are adding 'value' at home.