Arrival

After 21.5 hours of flying I made it! It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Not fun but totally doable. I felt a contented daze from the jet lag and from finally making it to Australia after one year and four months of talking about it. This sleepy euphoria would stay with me for the rest of the day. I never felt like I was completely in the moment but enjoyed every minute of it.

I must have looked silly when landing in Melbourne. I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. A four month old baby sitting two rows ahead of me couldn’t stop staring and smiling back. haha Customs has a lot of scary signage but they couldn’t have been more harmless. One line stamped my passport (no questions...I just handed them my destination info on a small declaration card) and while in the second line (actual customs line which was pretty long...4 international Qantas flights arrived simultaneously) an official asked if I was bringing any food items into the country. Done! And he pointed me to the exit missing any real interview or questions. I felt special but so did everyone else.

The weather was a mix of sun & cloud and mild (about 20 C). Melbourne was kind to me for my arrival...apparently it was 40 C only a few days ago and it can flip back to that heat at any time (and it will). It's a bit of a change from Christmas in Winnipeg.

I took the express bus to Southern Cross Station downtown where my friend Narelle picked me up. I didn’t know if it would be awkward at all since I primarily know her through a working relationship back at UBC when she spent half a year in Vancouver. It wasn’t. It was great to see her again and comforting to know someone and have a ‘home’ even if for a short while to get sorted. She took me the long way around to her brother’s house (where we were picking up her boyfriend/partner, Greg) past St. Kilda’s beach. She was kind enough to let me call Roel and my parents briefly from the car. Thank you!

St. Kilda is a cool beach hangout area of the city that the yuppies are catching on to. It feels like a beach town (no high-rises, just cool two story buildings from about 1910-1930, inlcuding fully functional and buzzing fair with wooden roller coaster). The beach was beautiful and I fell in love with this area instantly. Oh and beach volleyball courts that I’ll definitely go back to check out!!

After meeting her bro and his wife we went for a beer back along the beach area and walked through a cafe and restaurant strectch oozing with character (Acland Street).

I thought all of Melbourne was younger (the city itself). I am very impressed with the character I’ve already found here. Imagine Vancouver’s Yaletown waterfront as a more laid-back beach town feel right in the heart of downtown...yeah, I can’t either. hehe

I was feeling very trippy after the drink seeing as though it was actually 16 hours earlier to my body and I hadn’t been eating too great on the plane. We walked it off and had a small tasty bite at an indian restaurant (cafeteria style service). We then headed on to Narelle & Greg’s friends' house. A warm and welcoming couple that offered us a freshly squeezed cup of carrot juice and some fruitcake. Narelle explained to me how this was regular when being welcomed in a home in Australia. After I bought it she had a good laugh. lol We all strolled through their yard and I was completely fascinated with their garden. They have many similar plants but with an Australian evolutionary twist.

I told Narelle that I felt like I was 5 years old again and asked too many questions about everything. They all seemed to be amused at my curiousity. My incessant questions would continue for the rest of the day..I hope their patience doesn’t wear thin.

A shot of my lovely hosts on our walk through St. Kilda:

After a quick stop-off at the local grocery store (fascinating in itself) we made it to their house in Upwey (30 mins east of downtown) in the Dandenong mountains (like a combination of very large rolling hills in the DR and the Okanagan). Except these mountains have kangaroos! However we failed to spot any today.

Greg (an actual chef) cooked us kangaroo steak (tasted just like beef to me), yams (with brilliant flavour cooked in OJ) and a fresh mango salsa. YUM!!! We had a bold red Austalian wine to go along with it. Thank you Greg for one of the best home cooked meals ever. I apologize if my description hasn’t done the food justice.

We relaxed after dinner and went for a short walk at dusk listening to the cockatoos (some kind of scary war cry of terror) and kookaburras (yes, they actually sound like hysterically laughing children just like Mr. Keyhayus taught us in Grade 5).

Bedtime. Goodnight my love, I miss you and wish you were here.

Completely spent I brush my teeth and lie down in bed. Asleep before I evennnnnn