Hello and welcome to the first post of my Aussie adventure! I have been here for a week now, and although it has been a little hectic, I am feeling very settled in my new home. Here is a brief recap of the past week:
The trip over was quite long and tedious, especially the 15 hour leg from LAX to Sydney. No matter how many movies you watch (and I watched 5 movies), you come to a point when you really do think that you will never get off of that plane.
Upon arrival in Sydney, I faced a customs debacle, with 5 International flights arriving at the same time, and missed my flight to Perth. I thought that I was lucky to book an aisle seat on the next flight, leaving 2 hours later. However, after a 10 hour delay due to technical issues on 3, yes 3, Qantas planes, my 4th plane touched down in Perth at 9:30 pm. I was supposed to arrive at 11:15 am. Needless to say, after 44 hours of travel, I was in desperate need of a shower, a soft bed and a glass of wine.
I spent my first two days walking around the local shopping centers and supermarkets, and settling into my new home. I am living next door to the Wrens (Stephen, Aileen, Taryn, Caitlin and Shannon), my surrogate Aussie family (and my bosses), with Glenda, who has plenty of room, as her two daughters are living in Europe for a couple of years. We get along quite well, and I'd have to say that my favorite part of the day at home is standing in the kitchen, drinking coffee and eating toast before work. Also, Glenda has a 13 year old Jack Russell Terrier named Bella, who provides me with my fur fix and helps me from missing Gertie too much!
I began work at Challenge Marine last Thursday, and although there is a lot to catch up, new systems to learn and just some general settling in to do, I think that I am really going to like it. Challenge is a small dealership, and everyone is really nice! Plus, one of the advantages to living next to the boss is that I have to go where he goes on the way to work. On Friday, I got to ride along on a 44DA on the Indian Ocean for a Cummins test ride. I was VERY excited but I played it off as something I had done a million times!
My first weekend in Perth was a big one! Not only was it a long weekend for the Queen's Birthday, which is actually in June, but Western Australia chooses to celebrate it when there are no other public holidays. Hence, our day off on Monday.
Friday I hit the town with Taryn, Ryan (from work) and Amy (Stephen and Aileen's niece-in-law). We had a great time!
Saturday, the main event was the Grand Final, which is basically the Super Bowl for footy, or Aussie Rules Football. I went to a small gathering at Stephen and Aileen's friends' house. The food was great, the drinks were cold and the game was close, although I had no idea what was going on! In the end. Geelong beat St. Kilda 80-68, winning the Premiership for 2009.
Sunday I went with the Wrens to Mundaring State Park for a birthday picnic celebrating Stephen's "mum's" 84th birthday. The weather was perfect and the food (again) was great! The Wrens are so much fun to be around! I was hoping to post a couple of videos, but I have having some trouble, so I will try again later.
After the picnic, I headed to a Sunday Session in Cottesloe for a few and then back up to Perth. Later in the evening, I tried Vegemite for the first time, and I didn't hate it! It was quite salty though.
Monday was cloudy, cold and uneventful! It was just the relaxing day off I needed after my busy week!
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