Happy holidays

Good morning,

 

I apologise in advance for this "spam-like" email but I wanted to send everyone an email and wish them a happy holiday season and all the best in 2008.  I'll be celebrating Xmas in Nelson, NZ and then over to Sydney, Aus for New Year's with Jocelyn and Julia. 

 

For those interested in Episode 2 of my NZ trip, please read below, otherwise, please have a safe holiday and enjoy the weather should you be in Canada and experiencing the lovely snow :)  

 

We drove to Milford Sound bright and early.  Leaving Te Anau, the weather looked like it might be sunny but as soon as we passed over the mountain pass to the western side of the southern Alps, it was raining.  I did a 2.5hr hike with an Irish girl without a raincoat and got absolutely soaked.  It was a great bit of exercise though :)  We drove the extra couple of kilometers to Milford Sound.  We boarded a boat and traversed the 16km of the Sound out into the open ocean water.  En route, we saw both dusky and pesky dolphins and on the way back, we saw a school of bluenose dolphins very close to the ship.  I got a photo of one but we'll see how it looks on the big screen when I get home.  The Sound was beautiful, particulary because of all of the rain - there were cascades everywhere :-)

 

From there I left Te Anau and headed up to Queenstown which is known as the "adrenaline capital of NZ"; you can do any crazy sport you've ever wanted to try.  I arrived and oddly, wasn't compelled to do anything the first day so I wandered around, tramped (that's hiked in NZ speak) the pennisula and just relaxed.  It was perfect.  The following day, I visited the Kiwi and wildlife conservation center in the morning.  For those who don't know, the kiwi is a noctural, endangered bird that can't fly.  It can only be found in NZ and is the reason that it's inhabitants are called kiwis.  I got to see some at the conservation site, watched the Maoris perform and traditional show (I saw the hakka Peter :).  From there, I headed off to do some canyonning.  This involves zipping on a zip line over the canyons, rappelling down into the pools, sliding over rock waterfalls into pools and just all round good fun.  I had a great time though I didn't jump off the 20m high cliff - it looked a little too high for me ;)  In the later afternoon I headed up the gondala for a view of Queenstown and a luge ride.  It was similar to riding in a go-cart without the power - it was strictly powered by the gradient downwards and loads of fun!!

 

I have since arrived in Wanaka (only here for one night) with the express purpose of skydiving!!  Yes, this morning I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane at 12,000ft and free-fell for 45 secs.  It was an awesome experience and the scenery around me was fantastic to look at!!  I'd do it again in an instant.  I've been tramping around local tracks in Wanaka this afternoon and will head off to Franz Joseph tomorrow morning.  I will be heading further north for further adventures as the next week and a bit progress before heading back to Aus. 

 

Again, I'd like to wish you all a great holiday season with your loved ones and all the best in 2008!!  I'll be thinking of all of you as I chill in 30 degree weather in Nelson on the big day ;)  I'm missing shortbread cookies, turkey and homemade butter tarts :(  They don't even know what a buttertart is in Aus...!!

 

Hugs and warm thoughts to all :)

 

Sarah

 

Mom & Dad - I'll get a calling card and will call each of you.  I'll call Dad on Xmas eve night to chat (unless I can Skype but I won't know until later on the 24th as I'm white water kayaking in the AM).  Either way, I'll call first, around 8pm your time which will be 2am for me - ouch!!  I'll also try and call Granny when you and Gail are there after dinner - we'll see how much credit I have left ;)  Mom, I'll call you in the early afternoon on Xmas day as it's a more reasonable time for me - I'm thinking around 4pm your time.  Hopefully these times work for you both... 

New Zealand - the first episode :)

Good day!!

 

I knew that I was in New Zealand when I landed and next to my landing strip was a flock of 100+ sheep grazing in the sun!!  Welcome to the land of 80 million sheep and 4 million inhabitants :) 

 

I landed in Christchurch and in true Sarah travelling style got on a bus the next day for somewhere else :)  (I'll figure out if Christchurch is worth the visit at the end ;)  I headed south on a bus to Dunedin, travelling along the eastern coast.  The scenery was beautiful and I had trouble keeping my eyes shut for even a moment during the journey.  Dunedin involved seeing Royal Albatross, yellow-eyed penguins (nearing extinction), an upclose encounter with sea lions, fur seals, a local brewery, the steepest street in the world (at 1: 2.86m - yes, that's 2.86m up for every 1m of asphalt) and a lovely train ride through the Taieri gorge. 

 

From Christchurch, I got on the "Bottombus" which travels the southern end of south island or the bottom :)  through the Catlins district.   We stopped for some beautiful, scenic stops, saw a petrified forest, I sheared a sheep, made jewellery, checked out some local producers and hoped for a dolphin sighting which didn't occur with an overnight in Invercargill.

 

I've since arrived in Te Anau, at a lovely backpackers, just outside of town.  Te Anau is picturesque beyond words (it reminds me of Lake Louise, though I've never actually been there), with its lake surrounded by mountains, some still snowcapped.  I've arrived here to see both Doubtful and Milford Sounds (which aren't sounds at all but fiords) before heading off to Queenstown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjord for more on fiords).  Today I travelled to Doubtful Sound, through this beautiful overpass and then into the actual sound, paddling around in a sea kayak and marvelling at the steep rocky cliffs lined with trees and mosses.  Doubtful Sound gets around 8m of rain a year which is one heck of a lot of rain but it allows moss and lichens to grow on the sides of the mountain which then supports the trees.  It was a beautiful place which I am convinced will forever be etched in my memory.  I took some photos, however I know already that they will not be able to capture the beauty nor the sheer magnitude of the place. 

 

Tomorrow I head off to Milford Sound, which is the most visited of the sounds in Fiordland and then to Queenstown which is the adventure/adrenaline capital of New Zealand (and maybe the world!!).  I have completely booked out my travels as it seems that things book up substantially over the holiday season, particularly with Xmas.  I'm not completely convinced that I like travelling all booked but I felt compelled to book everything for fear of missing out.  And for those curious, I can you that I'm scheduled to do some daredevil events but I won't share which yet ;)

 

I hope you are all well - thinking of you over this holiday season :)

Hugs,

S

 

P.S.  For those who have a clue about my camera and lens, I dropped them both today on the boat in Doubtful Sound.  I didn't expect any damage until I opened the case to see that I'd cracked the filter.  Thankfully it was the filter and not the lens - $70 to replace instead of much more ;) 

Heading off to Niuw Zillund :)

I have been exceptionally busy the last few weeks as work has finished up and I've been attempting to prepare for my holidays ;)  I know, I know, according to many of you, I'm already on holiays but I have been working for the last 5 mths and feel that I deserve a holiday ;)  Before I head off, here is a quick summary of my adventures over the last few weeks ;)

I attended my corporate ball on Friday night a few weeks ago which was fantastic!!  The food was lovely, it was an open bar and they had a live band which was brilliant!!  I wore my new lovely red dress and had copious compliments - I'm still amazed at what a bargain it was!!  My cabbie on the way home was hysterical, I asked to be dropped off on Nicholson St and he asked if he could drop me on Brunswick St instead, a block away, because it was more convenient for him!!  I was amazed that he even asked and then he seemed annoyed when I declined?! 

The next morning, I headed up to Montsalvat which is an artist commune just north of the city to take some photos.  The grounds were lovely, some great photos were taken and horrible food eaten.  Came home, changed and went out for dinner, dancing and drinks with the ladies - it was Julia's first night out in the city and we had a great time!!  Sunday involved brunch with some friends and then a bbq at Albert Park lake which was fantastic with some other friends.  It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and I had a lovely time lounging in the sun :)  

I fell sick again - too much partying ;(  I had my signature cough, but also a runny nose and no voice which hampered my plans during the week.  I told Shane, my housemate, that I wouldn't be home for dinner any night, only to be home every night because I was so sick and couldn't go out ;(  That said, I still managed to go camping for the weekend to Wilson's Prom with a couple of friends.  Wilson's Promontory is about 250km southeast of Melbourne on the coast.  (I've been told it's the southern most point on the mainland.)  Anyhow, left Friday night and got stuck in "peak hour" traffic which was quick compared to driving past Oshawa on a long weekend.  From there, we arrived at the park, pitched our tents and chilled.  Saturday involved a great breakfast, a 10km walk along the coastline and an afternoon nap - how I love this kind of camping sometimes ;)  The weather was tolerable, the scenery beautiful and I had a great time!!  No swimming though, the water was freezing and it was overcast :(  (Photos posted on Flickr)

From that weekend, I came to the realization that I was leaving in two weeks.  As such, I've been out socializing, saying good byes and Merry Xmas's to peeps before heading off....what a surprise...out again :)  I've been having a great time with bbqs, drinks by the Yarra river, dinners and movies, etc...  It's been a bit of a whirlwind adventure to say the least!!  A couple of new experiences:  A "gold" class movie with Rasa which involved table service, food & alcohol in your recliner seats...very nice ;)  A ladies' night of bar hopping in the city; getting lost "because I'm trying to be a local and got on a tram going in the wrong direction" LOL :)  Oh, and a surprise that you'll all get to see when next you see a photo of me :)

For anyone curious as to what I've been doing at work for the last 5 mths (my contract ended today), here's a quick summary:  I've managed the production of 41 annual reports for all of their funds; managed the re-writing and production of 2 long form PDSs (prospectus) and 13 short form PDSs; managed the creation of 9 application forms and three withdrawal offers, as well as a collection of web changes.  It's been a good variety of stuff which all needed to get done by end of year due to a brand change and new anti-money laundering legislation....it's been fun and occasionally stressful but over for me ;) 

I will post while I'm away in NZ about my actual travels...it'll probably be more interesting for most of you at home than my day to day living ;)

Hope you're all doing well!!
S

P.S.  I had my first biking "accident" a few weeks back ;-)  I was cycling between a stopped lorrie and a stopped tram, balanced rather carefully.  I made it through the tiny space and then had to pass a red car on the left to pull up to the red light.  I had just past his sideview mirrow when, for no apparent reason, my hands decided to slam on the brakes and I fell over onto his bonnet (hood) :-)  It was most embarassing but he was quite good natured about the whole thing and told me to have a good day :) 

P.P.S.  For anyone expecting an Xmas card from me, please be informed that they'll be mailed at the start of February this year as Jocelyn will be bringing them home from Aus and they'll be mailed in Canada.  You'll notice that they're not your typical Xmas cards when you get them either....a self promotion this year - let me know what you think :)

Random discovery...truly!!

I forgot to include this really mind blowing tidbit on my update yesterday ;)

When in Vietnam last fall, I took an overnight bus from Hoi An to Nha Trang.  On the bus were two English girls who sat behind me and an English guy who sat next to me.  The two girls were travelling with the guy and we chatted at a rest stop (as you do when you're travelling :)  Anyhow, David and I went on a boat cruise the next day and the two girls whom he was travelling with, Laura and Hannah didn't come as they were sick.  On Caufield Cup day, I met Hannah, the same Hannah that I'd met on a bus in Vietnam almost a year previously!!  How random is that?!  She realized the connection when we met up the next time...I can't believe that a year later, we'd run into one another again in a totally different country, where neither of us are actually from!!  Makes you realize how small the world really is ;)

S

Five months and counting... ;)

For those of you keeping track back home, I've officially been in Australia for 5 months on Wednesday!!  I can't believe that time has flown by that quickly!! 

I went to Adelaide/Broken Hill at the end of October for a long weekend.  Took a plane to Adelaide where Justin picked me up and we toured around Adelaide, checking out an abandoned mansion, the markets and then a drain!!  I've officially decided that I'm not crazy into drains - they're all pretty at the start and then end up as big concrete tunnels underground!!  From there we drove to this tiny town about 300km from Adelaide and camped out at an abandoned mine.  We had a full moon to light up the desert and it was a spectacular starry night - really beautiful!!  I got a really great photo of a tower, lit up by the moon with the stars in behind.  ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/decouvert2001/)  The next morning, I woke to see my first wild kangaroo ;)  I tried to sneak up on him and take a close up but he wasn't keen on getting to close to me :(  From Yunta, we headed over to Broken Hill which is a mining town in Victoria.  We had a tour around there, did a bit of exploring and headed home on the Sunday.  It was an enjoyable trip and now I can say I've seen another part of Aus ;)

The week after Adelaide was a bit nutty, out every night during the week, trivia, dinners and then out to see a buddy's band (He was really awesome to watch ;)  The weekend arrived and Saturday involved a catch up with mother, a visit to some friends photo exhibition and then out with the ladies for a night on the town.  We had a great time out dancing and drinking.  I then brunched and wandered around in the freezing cold and rain taking photos - I'm not convinced that wet weather is the ideal time for taking photos ;)  From there, I worked the Monday and then all of Melbourne closed down for Melbourne Cup day.  That's right, they have a public holiday for a horse race!!  I headed over to friend's place for my first official Aussie bbq (minus the eskie which is a cooler).  We had fresh fish, sausages and lots of champers (champagne) - it was a lovely day!!  Unfortunately, my horses didn't place or win ;(  I ended up sick from my silly wander about on Sunday and thus holed up at home with a fever on Wed/Thurs ;( 

This past weekend has been nuts!!  I was out for dinner and drinks on Friday night, woke early on Saturday to go to Emirite's Day (another horse racing event) with a guy from work.  I hadn't intended on going but the person he was supposed to go with bailed last minute so I felt compelled to go again :)  I called a horse race (but didn't put money on it) and my horse won - odds were 61 to 1 - it would have been a great pay out ;)  I came home, removed the frock and headed out to meet up with Sue (Joc - we painted the town red on Saturday night but I'll let her tell you the stories ;)  We had dinner with some of my friends and then headed into the CBD (downtown) for drinks and dancing.  It was a lovely evening and Sue kept marvelling about how alive Melbourne seemed (and making fun of my supposed Aussie accent - seems I have acquired a bit of their speech patterns :)   I rose and had brunch the next day before heading out to a bbq at Albert Park.  I got home late last night and am amazingly happy to be at home tonight - having a quiet night in ;)

For all those curious about work, etc... - My contract is up on 7 December and since I haven't been applying for work, oddly, I don't have a job lined up.  As such, I've decided to go off travelling for the month of December before returning back to Aus on 31 December for New Year's in Sydney with Joc.  At the moment, I'm leaning towards New Zealand, south island but I'm not completely certain yet.  Wherever I end up, I'll take heaps of photos and will keep you all in touch ;)

Must be off!!!

Hugs and kisses to all and I hope you're enjoying the cooler weather/snow!!  It's getting hot here!!
S

Busy like a bee..... ;)

I've been crazy busy with things since my return from Sydney and I will be away in Adelaide this coming weekend so I thought I'd give everyone a quick update with the highlights :) 

I returned from Sydney and had a quiet night Wednesday, only to be dragged out Thursday and Friday night to local bars.  Saturday involved a 80km bike ride to a suburb called Lilydale, where they had a tulip festival on.  The weather was crap; grey, overcast and cold but it was a challenging cycle with huge hills and I was completely wiped out at the end of it.  I had a quiet night in and then, on Sunday, I organised a picnic.  I'd planned one a few weekends before but the weather was crap and I cancelled it.  Anyhow, this time around, the weather was perfect (about 26 degrees), sunny with a light breeze, perfect for hanging out at a park, relaxing, drinking champagne and eating.  I had a good turn out and was pretty happy with the entire event ;)

This past week has been absolutely nuts ;)  Tuesday I was out at a cultural event - Melbourne has an art festival on at present and I went with a friend and watch a tabla, a cello and a violinist play.  It was really well done and the singer had a fantastic voice.  Wednesday involved meeting up with a couple of photographers, Thursday I had dinner out with Ashley and Friday night, I had to get my bike fixed and a hat purchased ;)  I was off to the races, quite literally, on Saturday morning.  It's Spring Carnival here at the moment and so there's a month long horse racing festival.  Most everyone gets really dressed up; the men in suits and the ladies in fancy dresses with hats or fascinators to go and drink overpriced champagne and watch the horses race.  It's quite the event!!  Anyhow, I went with a group of friends and we had a smashing good time.  I bet on my first race and won 5 times my bet which was quite exciting.  Unfortunately, I didn't win any of my other bets but it was still fun to watch and cheer on your favourites.  I came home, changed and had a carb-filled dinner with a friend. 

Why would I be carb-loading?!   Well, silly me registered for a charity cycled called "Around the Bay" which offers four different route options; a 250km, a 210km, a 100km and a 50km.  I decided to opt in for the 100km cycle from Sorrento up to Melbourne.  (For those trying to imagine how far 100km is, it's like driving from Yonge & Bloor to Port Hope).  This involved rising at 4:30am and cycling down to the CBD where revellers from the night before were still going strong.  I caught a bus to Sorrento at 5:15am and we started out route around 8:30am.  It was a pretty good ride for the first 50km but then it started to get quite warm (35 degrees) and we had a nasty head wind for the rest of the trip into the CBD.  I'm tired as I didn't sleep the night before (worried I'd sleep through the alarm) and my head just wouldn't stop chattering to me.  If I have a piece of advice for anyone looking to do a comparable event, I'd suggest training more than once and I'd also suggest not drinking champagne at the races for most of the afternoon the day before.  I handled it all well but the situation was far from ideal ;) 

I'm heading off to bed shortly - must catch up on my sleep!!

Miss everyone back home!!
Hugs,
S

A whirlwind adventure in Sydney ;)

As some of you know, I just got back from a weekend away in Sydney with a friend :)  It was an action-packed, yet relaxing four days!!

On Saturday morning the weather was fantastic and we walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  There were some fantastic views to be had from all directions!!  We wandered around on the other side, checking out the city, relaxing and just enjoying the 30 degree weather (it's been a year since my body has experienced that kind of heat).  We walked back over, checked out Circular Quay, watched some buskers, listened to a native playing a diggery doo (a wooden instrument that's been hollowed out).  The whole quay has a similar feel as Queen's Quay in summer, yet more relaxed.  We strolled down to the Opera House however the weather turned cold and so we didn't stay out long.  Saturday night, we headed over to Manly by ferry for dinner with a contact that Carol hooked me up with (Thanks Carol - we had a great time out with Belinda and her friends).  I had the best ostrich ever and then we headed to a local bar to watch Australia vs England (England won) and have a few drinks!!  It was a great time though most Aussies were a bit surly at having lost to the U.K. 

We went to Darling Harbour and the Chinese Gardens on Sunday for a bit.  There was a fantastic photo exhibit in the harbour about environmental impacts, etc.. that was educational and beautiful at the same time.  From there, we headed over to Bondi beach for a wander along the ocean.  The weather was pretty crap but we did a great walk along the coast from Bondi to somewhere near Bronte (it started raining so we turned around).  We met up with my friend's cousin for dinner and drinks somewhere around King's Cross.  

Monday involved a trip over to Taronga zoo, which I can actually say that I enjoyed more than the last time I was at Toronto Zoo.  The animals seemed a little closer and they had lots of local animals which I've never spent much time observing when I've been to our zoo.  In addition, the views of the city from the zoo itself were fantastic.  We had an absolutely crap dinner at an Italian place near our hotel and then met up with a former colleague of my friend's at a really cool bar.  We had a couple of drinks, they talked shop a bit and I just chilled. 

On Tuesday we went back to Bondi as I wanted to see it when it was pretty and blue.  I wandered the beach and finally got up enough courage to go into the ocean - it was surprisingly warm once you got used to it (Anthony, it didn't compare at all to my dip in Superior that late August day!!)   My casper white body had a quick dip, I lounged in the sun for a bit, we had fish and chips by the sea and then hurried back to the CBD as I wanted to take some photos of the Opera House when the sky was bluer and sunny. 

It was a great weekend away and I got to see many of the main tourist attractions however I think the best part was how I felt when I came home; rested, relaxed and content...holidays are great ;)  I'm gonna try and post some photos tonight or tomorrow night on Flickr for those who are interested in having a look-see at  http://www.flickr.com/photos/decouvert2001/

Hugs to you all :)
S

BTW - For anyone who noticed, I did say "home" when referring to Melbourne.   It's nice to know that I'm feeling settled enough that I feel like I'm coming home.  That said, not to worry, it doesn't mean that I've decided to stay, just that I'm comfy here ;)

P.S.  Rachel - Thanks a bunch again for sending the book - it really came in handy and had some great comments from Dean!! 

Sports and other things...

It was Grand Finals weekend (comparable to Stanley Cup playoffs) but for Australian Football or footie!!  There was a parade on Friday afternoon and then Saturday, the day of the big game, every bar was packed and people were out at bbqs, all ready to watch Geelong (a Victorian team) face off against Port Adelaide (a Adelaidian team).  I "tipped" or bet with some people from the office, seems that I was the only one going for Port Adelaide, despite the fact that the last time the two teams played, they won by a landslide!!  Anyhow, as fate would have it, it was a crap game, with the final score being more than 100 point spread betweeen the two teams, in favour of Geelong.  After half time, I gave up watching the game and watched the people in the pub instead!!  It was just such a ridiculous win!!  That said, every Geelong supporter was dancing in the street for the entire evening as they, like the Leafs, hadn't won the "finals" in over 30 years!! 

In addition to the Grand Finals, there was, of course, the rugby game between Australia and Canada.  Though I can't say that I watched the game, I can say that I won this "tip", having bet that Canada would lose by 30 points.  As everyone who knows me knows, I'm patriotic but I was assured, by a number of people, that there was no way were "actually" going to win so I, unfortunately, had to bet against them ;(  Seems it was a crap game as well, for anyone who watched it....however, I did win a fish and chip dinner on St Kilda ;)

As promised, I did a touristy thing last weekend and went on "Puffing Billy" an old train that runs along its original tracks, built in the 20s.  It's in the Danenong region with lots of beautiful scenery,wineries and "mountains".  The train trip was pitiful, (it might have been more enjoyable if I was 8 and/or if I had kids), however I do think that I'll go back to the area with the bike and cycle around as it's a peaceful area with lots of hiking trails and national/state parks.  We drove back along the "tourist" road and managed a stop or two at a look out.  All in, it was a nice day out of Melbourne.

In addition to my tourist venture, I had three friends with birthdays last weekend which meant going out Friday and drinking way too much at a bar ;)  Then there was a house party, filled with a lot of Kiwis on Saturday night.  I also met up with some French speaking people (was great to realize that I haven't lost it yet), some photographers and had a few dinners with some friends.  It's been crazy busy and now, in addition to my burgeoning social life, I'm going to have to manage to find the time to start looking for work again :(  Hopefully, I'll manage to find something interesting and different in record time...

Must be off...I have to plan my weekend in Sydney tonight before I can head off to bed as this week doesn't look like it'll allow for much time at home during the evenings :(  Rachel, thanks again for sending the book down - I'm convinced that it'll help with my planning and Joc, I'll pass it off to you when we meet up for New Year's ;) 

Miss everyone back home and I'll post again sometime next week after I get back from Syndey!!

Hugs,
S

Going once, going twice, sold!!

In my last update, I forgot to mention my experience at an auction!!  The Aussies have taken multiple offers for the sale of a property to a new level!!  They organize a live auction - about 50-100 people stand outside, some just along to watch the auction, others to bid on a generally overpriced house.  The real estate agent stands there, encouraging the audience to reach deep into their pockets and buy the current gem for about10-25% more than the asking price.  There's quite a lot of pomp and circumstance and eventually the price is finally decided. My first experience, the price slowed at about $670K, only to get a measley $2,500 bid and then suddenly, $50K later, it sold for $835K!!   You can see the emotion on the people's face as the bidding goes on - it's all very exciting when you're not the one trying to purchase a house!! 

For all those looking at home to purchase a house, be happy that you don't have to go through an auction experience!!

S

It's spring in Australia ;)

It's funny how when you travel, you tend to always be busy *seeing* new things but when you move somewhere, somehow, you end up being busy *living*.  I remember my plane ride back from my year in Vancouver, listening to people talk about everything they did in three weeks, much of which, I never got around to seeing/doing.  As such, I've decided to make a conscious effort to get out and do *touristy* things over the next little while.   That said, the last few weeks have been entirely filled with *living* things ;) 

The weather is finally changing here and you can feel that spring is about to be sprung!!  There's lovely spring smells everywhere and it's around 20-25 degrees and sunny during the day ;)  I've been out cycling a few times, along the bay to Sandringham (about 60km) (very comparable with the Martin Goodman trail), along the Yarra River and just out and about.  I'm loving cycling to work and my quads are finally getting used to the 7km cycle each way – it's taking me about 25 minutes each way.  In addition, I've been playing soccer on Wednesday nights with people from the office.  It's completely recreational pick up which is good because I've discovered that I'm not particularly good ;-)

Last weekend was a fairly busy one; dinner and the Bourne Ultimatum on Friday night with some friends.   Saturday involved a walk about with some photographers before heading to a bar aptly named "Rooftop Bar" which happens to be on a roof ;-) where cocktails were consumed while we socialized and enjoyed the weather.  From there, I headed off for a cultural event – a play about World War I and a romantic love affair.  Sunday involved a bit of shopping and then dinner out with a friend. 

This past week has been a bit of a crazy one!!  I missed trivia on Tuesday because of I forgot my bike lock at the office but it ended up being a bit fortuitous as I was out for dinner on Wednesday and Thursday, bar hoped through some great pubs on Friday and then was out for drinks, dinner & dancing with some friends on Saturday night.  Today has been a bit of a low key day with a cycle and a quiet evening so that I'll be refreshed for work tomorrow ;-)

All in, life is going well here in Melbourne!! 

Thinking of all of you ;-)

Sarah

Miscellaneous commentary: 

• Two of my favourite yoghurt flavours that we don't get at home:  Mango & peach, mango & passion fruit
• Tim Tams are coming to Canada – they're delicious!!  Two cookies, enrobed in chocolate with a filling in between.  I've only had the caramel ones but I've been told that almost all of the flavours are amazing!! 
• If they're alone in a taxi, Aussie's ride in the front seat instead of in the back. 

One sixth of my time in Oz...

I've gotten a couple of snide comments from some of you about how I haven't updated my blog in awhile...my excuse, I didn't have internet for the last week ;)  Truly, I'm really touched that many of you have visited my blog and are wanting to keep up to date with what I'm up to down under - thank you :)  I've attempted to keep a bit of a better recollection of my comings and goings so that I can actually write some interesting tidbits to keep you all interested..hope you enjoy!!

I went on a culinary tour of Melbourne with a buddy.  (Anne-Marie - you were on my mind the entire day as we went from fancy boutique shop to fancy boutique shop...lots of yummy foods :)  We started out about a 10 min walk from my place where I purchased this beautiful cheese, enrobed in a wine musk from France for a measley $128.90/kilogram.  I didn't know cheese could be so pricey....either way, it was delicious ;)  From there, we headed down to the South Melbourne market where a gentleman has been making tasty dim sim's for a hundred years (give or take, of course).  I bought some more cheese, some bread and we headed over to Ackland St for desserts.  I was drawn into a bottle shop (read LCBO) and found Moosehead beer (and some Quebec company as well).  I bought a precious beer and brought it home, to be savoured only on a special occasion ;-)  Later that evening, I went out for dinner and then drinks with some friends.  We ended up at a very cool little bar in the CBD (central business district).  (I've been given a great present - the best 52 bars in Melbourne so now I have to try one out a week...it's a heavy cross but one I'm willing to bear ;)

On the Sunday I went to see another footie game.  This time, I had second row seats, right behind the goal posts and there's no net to stop the ball from heading out into the crowd!!  Luckily, I wasn't forced to show the players up by catching/throwing the ball around :)  I had a great time cheering on the westcoast team and watching the crowd...only wish that there'd been more action down at our end of the pitch/field/whatever you call it ;)  Those gents have some pretty huge quads!!

I had my regular trivia night last Tuesday, only it wasn't regular at all!!  I'd missed the week previous and it seems that the team had won the pot, about $250!!  We seemed to have horseshoes up our butts as I got up playing rooftop and flats and won a jug (not a pitcher but a jug) of beer and then someone else won another one and then we won the pot *again*!!  All in, we took $350 from the pub, plus the two jugs of beer!!  It was an exciting evening....

I've been out a few times taking photos with people from a Melbourne photography group http://www.flickr.com/photos/decouvert2001/ (I had a minor obsession with colours the day after drinking too much at a party) and then had a great time at a local pub.  I was out for an evening wander and drink last week - can't say I took a shot worth keeping but I had some great dumplings with the group afterwards ;)  And as many of your know, I love having my photo taken so this one is particularly appropriate from another afternoon out...  http://www.flickr.com/photos/tk_van/1016334482/in/set-72157600012993250/.

I took the plunge this weekend and bought myself a fancy, swank new Norco bicycle.  I'm planning on cycling to and from the office every day (they have showers in the office).  It's about 30 min commute which means that I'll be saving a whole 10 mins each way by cycling AND I'll be getting great legs (We'll see if they turn into great legs like a certain cyclist/colleague back home has...:-)   I cycled with a friend along St. Kilda beach and then went for a wander around the outdoor markets with him and his dog.  I must confess, we (aka the dog) was the hit of the day...she's a little tiny italian greyhound and we couldn't walk anywhere without someone stopping to talk to us or try and pet her!!  Jeez!!

There's more on the go but those are definitely my highlights for the last three weeks!! I don't want to turn this into a 1000 page novel just yet ;)

Miss you all!!

Hugs,
Sarah

Go carting, working and skiing, oh my ;)

I must confess that it's hard to remember what I've been up to for the last three weeks (in fact, it's hard to remember what I did last week) so please bear with me and I apologize in advance for the disjointed thoughts :)

The new team at the office and I went go karting two weeks ago.  It seems the team won $1,000 dollars in a talent contest a few months ago and they'd planned a team building event; go karting and dinner out afterwards.  I can't say that I finished in the top three but I had a great time racing around the track at 45-50km/hr.  We had dinner at a local restaurant near the office.  It seems that meals cooked in the claypots are the "thing" at this restaurant and so we all had claypot dinners...very yummy ;)  A cab ride home that night; I was the first at the office the next day ;)  Work, in general, has been going okay.  A lot more bureaucracy than I'm used to and a lot more wasted time chasing after people but I'm enjoying it and I'm working with some nice people.  The happy thing is that I get paid to go there, on a weekly basis, which is awesome!!  For those in the industry, AUM is shortened to FUM (Funds under management) and they actually say it as if it was a word...makes me laugh ;) 

The weather is slowly turning here and I've been happy with the lovely sunny days that happen to pop up periodically (imagine spring in Toronto, intermingled with more rain and grayness then in characteristic of Toronto).  I spent a day at the beach last Sunday, relaxing, people watching and enjoying the peacefulness of being near the water.  I even put my toes in the ocean, despite the lack of freezing here, it was damn cold ;)  You get these great sandwiches (and meat pies) at these cute little bakeries which make fantastic snacks!!  I'm not sure but I think that I've put on a few pounds since I arrived....

Two buddies and I went up skiing this past weekend to a place called Mt. Buller.  It's about 240km out of Melbourne, which, based on the speed limits, takes an arduous three and a quarter hours to traverse.  Upon arrival, we boarded up and took to the slopes or "the snow" as Aussie's call it.  I questionned on Friday why they called it "the snow" which invoked the question "What else you'd call it?!"....of course, when I explained that we had snow right outside our doors in winter, the individual realized that "going to the snow" would seem like a silly saying in such circumstances :-)  The conditions were comparable with Blue Mountain in mid-late March but I had a great time skiing with the gents.  It's funny how we appreciate things more when it's not readily available...  I may even go again which is hysterical as most who know me know that I'm definitely *not* an avid skier or boarder :)  Nicole - it felt odd being on the slopes without your lovely mauze ensemble that I always borrow ;)

The crew with whom I've hooked up with for trivia is really great!!!  They're a lot of fun and they're smart - we've come in second the last two weeks which involves winning pitchers of beer...not something that I'd ever complain about ;)  Generally, it has nothing to do with me or my efforts but I'm still happy to come along and drink and socialize :)  I'm out almost every night of the week, (don't worry Dad, I'm making a point of having at least one night in to relax and sleep well to avoid my "smokers" cough), meeting new people or connecting with those I have met previously which is great....as I've mentioned before, I feel very settled here in my short time frame ;) 

Some great Aussie expressions:
pash - a passionate kiss (Gene had to clarify after providing the definition for a pash, according to him, you don't pash your grandmother or your mother ;)
How'r u going? - A short form of "How are you doing?"...most interestingly, the correct response is "Going fine"
Ta - thanks (oddly, this annoys me slightly)
DFO - direct factory outlet...I think it's funny that "outlet" wasn't short enough for them
The "G" which is short for MCG which is short for the Melbourne Cricket Ground....as short as it can be ;)
root - to have sex...  Peter was telling me about how he howled when he came to Canada and found "Roots"...

Ash and I are discussing going to Tasmania for a week or two after my contract is over in October (he needs a holiday) and it seems like I should have one too ;)  Anyhow, I'll keep you posted if I end up there in a few weeks.

Miss you all back home ;)

Sarah

Anne-Marie - I've been meaning to e-mail you about their "grilled cheese sandwiches" :)  They butter the inside of the bread and then put it in a "griller" which effectively squishes the bread and melts the cheese at the same time.  Then, when it's appropriately squished, they offer to butter the outside for you and wrap it up in a bag.  I'm missing Piazza Manna...odd what you miss ;)  I was also missing ice cream up and until a few days ago when I bought some.  It was almost two months without it....withdrawal was getting bad :) 

Four weeks under my belt!!

Good day mates!!

Somehow I've been in Australia for four weeks...I'm not sure where the time has gone but it definitely has!!

I had my job interview almost two weeks ago, which went amazingly well, followed by the co-ordination of reference checks in Canada and then the offer of employment. As of last Monday, I am an employee of Australian Unity, an insurance and investment provider about 40 mins by tram from my apartment. My actual title is Product Analyst but from what I can gather, I'll be managing a number of different projects, two of which seem to be fairly high profile, so it'll be good exposure and experience.

I have just finished my first week and I can say that there are a couple of cultural differences in the office environment ;-)

1. In Outlook, the calendar starts on Mondays instead of Sundays so I scheduled a couple of meetings on the wrong date :)
2. We have a fruit box delivered twice a week which is a lovely perk!!
3. We stop work on Fridays at 3:30pm so that we can sit around and drink wine/beer/pop, eat chips and chat. A very nice way to end the week in my opinion, though Tug, I know you didn't like it in NL.
4. Meetings are scheduled in the office or, more often, at the local cofffee house. A nice touch for those who drink coffee!

In addition to these work oddities, I have a couple of other differences:

1. Instead of Burger King, they have Hungry Jack's. It literally looks identical except for the name, same Whoppers, etc...it's just called Hungry Jack's :)
2. All of their bank machines do not allow deposits...I tried about 7 machines before I finally found one that would allow me to put money into the machine!!
3. When you buy your first house, you can get a grant from the government for $12,000 which doesn't need to be repaid. Very cool!!
4. They have assigned seating at some movie theatres...how weird?!
5. I'm in love with Aussie meat pies!! I've had about 6 different kinds since I arrived, lamb & rosemary, thai chicken, steak & mushroom, steak, morroccan lamb, the options continue...it's amazing the variety!! They're about $3.50, filling and very tasty!!
6. Melbournians consider themselves the "best dressed" and most conservative individuals in Australia however, compared to Toronto, they have a much more trendy, individualistic manner of dress. It's almost like constantly walking down Queen W before it became corporate, everyone's just trendy in their own way. I stick out because I'm so "normally" dressed.

Other than work, I've been included in a trivia night group (though I've discovered that my head isn't filled with good Aussie trivia) which meets on Tuesday nights at a local pub, I've been out trying a couple of new Melbourne pubs/bars, met up with a couple of photographers for a shoot that got rained out (we drank instead), have dined on Lygon St and seen my first movie in Australia. Life is become a bit more normal now that I have a job but I'm enjoying myself.

I'll write again later but I'm not convinced that my posts will be as exciting as when I'm travelling but it does make things easier than having to write 18 e-mails repeating the same things :-)

Miss you all!
Sarah

BTW, for those curious about the roomie: His name is Shane, he's from NZ and he's 34 years old. He works as a mechanic and thus far, we're getting along really well. He's very relaxed and generally pretty quiet which is great!!

Random update

I'd love to say that this update will have a coherent thought or trend throughout but I'm not convinced that it will ;)

On Friday, I did the walking tour of Melbourne (suggested to me by Sean as he does them in Toronto).  I ended up with an elderly gentleman who'd lived in Melbourne for 50 years, immigrating from Libya.  I think what was most interesting about the tour was his knowledge of "heritage" buildings and how the builders had gotten around the by-laws and built new, modern buildings around or on top of the heritage sites.  An example would be a photo I posted last week with an old building preserved inside of a shopping mall or a few recent discoveries where they added another building but kept the facade (you only notice the addition by standing back)...it's all very clever engineering/development.  After my tour, I returned home to discover that I had a job interview (for those who have heard me complaining, I no longer am....I HAVE A JOB INTERVIEW ON MONDAY :)  I am very excited about the prospect of working again and will keep you all posted as to how the interview goes ;) 

Friday evening consisted of a live "footie" game with Ash, Tina and some of their friends between the "Bombers" and the "Demons" (both Melbourne teams).  I can't explain the rules completely but I get the general idea of the game - it's a rough sport in which you have to kick the ball between three posts and there are only two people on the bench at a time.  Either way, it was an exciting event with the first quarter going to the Bombers, the second and third quarters to the Demons and the last quarter a "whoever wants it more" quarter where eventually, with a minute to spare, the Bombers scored the winning goal and the crowd went wild!!  Most interestingly, was the rivalry between the two teams (and the spectators) as well as the emotion displayed by those "true" fans....I had a great time!!  It was an energy filled game and I think that fans were as emotionally drained as the players on the way home ;)

I was supposed to rise early on Saturday to do the "Great Ocean Rd" drive along the coast with Fei and a couple of other keen photographers but everyone bailed except Fei so we decided to sleep in until 6am ;)  The drive along the coast was phenomenal (photos posted on Flickr) and it was great to have the opportunity to stop at locations for as long as we wanted to.  I had a number of firsts along the 400km journey:

1.  I got to drive on the wrong side of the road in Fei's car.  A bit weird as all of the gadgets (windshield wipers, turning signals, etc... ) are also on the wrong side of the car.  I kept turning on the windshield wipers when I wanted to put on my flicker.... ;-)
2.  I got to see my first koala in the wild.  He's on Flickr...I was most excited :)
3.  I ate kangaroo for the first tiime - for those who haven't had it, it's more gamey than beef or ostrich but quite tasty.  I'd eat it again. 
4.  I fell in love with Aussie road signs!!  My favourites are below:
           a)  "Don't sleep and drive"
           b)  "Slow!  Stock crossing"
           c)  "Tired?  Take a powernap"
           d)  "Max 107km/h" - this is actually followed!!  I was speeding past cars going 110km/h and Fei made me slow down every time we went under a bridge as there could be cameras!!  Aussies are the slowest, most law abiding citizens when it comes to driving and speed limits.  I couldn't believe it, no one went a stitch over the limit - it felt so weird actually trying to go 100km/hour.  They don't get caught speeding by police, instead it's by cameras and you never know when you'll be photographed which is why everyone's so careful....
           e) "Aussie road - drive on the left hand side" - they literally had a photo/sign after every tourist stop (and some extras for good measure), ensuring that you knew to drive on the left hand side of the road, not just in pictoral but it words as well.  It was quite cute ;)

Today, being Canada Day and all, I have prepared for the interview (I can't believe the amount of time that I have spent on preparing for this), processed/loaded my photos and met a group of friends for a games night.  Things are settling into place in a happy way...now I only have to wait until August for the weather to turn and things to be sunnier ;) 

I hope that all is well back home, that everyone had a great long weekend and I'll speak with you soon!!

Sarah

BTW, it seems that we're missing out on a great automobile back home, the Ute, from what I can gather,it's similar to a pick up truck yet with a car on the front instead of a truck...I haven't seen one yet, just learned about it ;) 

More cool differences...

I've noticed a couple of others and have decided just to post these as they come to mind:

1.  They've abolished the penny (1c piece).  Everything is rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents.  New Zealand has actually gotten rid of both the penny and the nickle; their smallest coin is a dime.  I wonder when Canada and the USA will go down that road.  My NZ roommates point is, "What can you buy for a nickle anymore?" which has some weight ;)
2.  Their change is ridiculous in size - the 50c piece is larger and thicker than our twoonies, the 20c piece isn't much smaller and then you end up with these tiny but thick $1 and $2 pieces.  For anyone who complains about the change in Canada, Australia is not the place to come; they don't have more, it's just thicker and bigger than ours.
3.  Shane (roomie) & I went grocery shopping yesterday.  There are so many brands and new items to try....even their tuna/salmon comes in sliced or flaked so I'll be spending the next year "discovering" food & brands ;)
4.  It's amazing the amount of North America television they get - watched Law & Order and House last night ;)
5.  I love the two flush options in the loo - half a tank or a full tank of water depending upon need.  We should implement something similar....
6.  Their baby carrots are hysterical...they're just smaller carrots.  I wonder if this was a miscommunication issue or if it was intentional...either way, it's funny :)

Sarah

Same, same but different....

I've been in Australia for 11 days now and I feel like I've done tons and yet, nothing at all ;)  My goal has been to alternate, one day looking for work/apartment, etc.. and one day out site seeing because otherwise I fear that I may go stir crazy...

For a quick summary of the practicalities:  I have acquired myself a new cell phone (or mobile as I've been told I must call it) which actually sends text message (I'm in love :-).  I have found myself an apartment with a guy from NZ.  It has a shared pool and I've been told it's in a great part of town.  I move in tonight after a quick stop at IKEA for a cheap ass mattress.  (The bed frame will have to wait until I have a job ;)  I have a couple of meetings with head hunters scheduled this week which I'm quasi-excited about as I'm getting slightly bored with myself.  My one big oops has been applying for jobs with a CV using Microsoft 2007; they don't seem to have it down here and no one can open my CV ;(  All in all, I feel like it's all coming together fairly well; it's empowering ;)

I have been out and about exploring and am finding Melbourne amazingly easy to navigate (though I must confess to using google maps a lot).  I'm in love with their transit system compared to ours... :-)  The major difference is that Melbourne is all about its suburbs in a way that Toronto isn't ;)  A small two block by two block area can have it's own name and culture which is kind of interesting.  The one flaw, I've discovered is that you can have the same address is two different suburbs, so you have to know where you're going :)  I've done Brunswick St (very similar to Queen West about 10 years ago when it was less mainstream/corporate), Chapel St (very like Bloor West Village - high end shopping and sophistication), Lygon St (very like College St with great restaurants and a strong Italian influence), Queen Victoria Market (very like St. Lawrence Market but with clothing in the back area), the City Center (very like our downtown)...all same, same but different ;)  I have yet to get to the beach as it's too damn cold and I need to look for a bike as they seem to have a myriad of paths (Ash has offered me an old one of his); I'm missing my regular cycles....

In addition to my aimless wanderings where I'm attempting to get myself oriented and get a feel for the areas, I've also been out socially a bit.  Ash took me out to meet his girl's field hockey team (he coaches) which was fun.  From there, I met up with a bunch of artists through a photography meet up group on Wednesday night for drinks.  I had a great time and it was cool to meet a bunch of artists.  I made a friend (with an interest in photography) named Nicole (isn't it a great name Nickki ;) and I spent Saturday afternoon with her before going to a night photo group.  We wandered around downtown Melbourne, taking photos of trains, chatting and eating.  Sunday, I met up with the "cave clan" (Sean - you should be so proud that it only took me 10 days :) and we watched a community charity football game outside (great fun!!).  The players were absolute crap and the commentators were hysterical.  We went from there to explore a local drain (yes, that's storm drain exploration).  It was a huge cavern with little to no light and lots of grafitti.  We took a couple of photos until we were discovered by a security guard.  We took off down a storm drain, finally shimmy our way out through a tunnel about the 1 foot in diameter.  Quite the adventure!!  I got home, energized and excited from the adventures ;)

Anyone interested in checking out my photos, they can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/decouvert2001/.  I've posted a few today and I will post a couple of the apartment once I move in tomorrow. 

(My apologies for those on Facebook as there's an occasional bit of repetition ;) 

Notable differences...

Just wanted to comment on some initial observations/differences:

1.  A 24 of pop (Coke or Sprite) is about $16 in Australia and their dollar is close to par...glad I'm not a pop drinker!!
2.  It's freezing cold here and damp like Vancouver in the winter - I had to buy a hat, scarf and mittens yesterday ;(
3.  They have 8 or 10 digit phone numbers.
4.  Tax is included in the posted price - aka a cd priced at $14.95 will actually cost $14.95...taxes included...weird but I like it!!
5.  Books and toothpaste are crazy expensive....a used, yellowing book was $10 at the used bookstore and a small tube (75ml of toothpaste is $4.00).  Security at Sydney airport confiscated my tube from home, BEFORE I had a chance to use it; (
6.  Their vegetables taste substantially better than ours :)
7.  The linguistic differences amaze me...I hadn't expected so many AND I'm having issues with the accent ;(
8.  I was educated on their version of football yesterday, it's a mix between soccer, rugby, lacross and football with barely any rules!!  Was fun to watch ;)

That's all for now ;)
Sarah

Arrival ;)

Good morning,

I promised many of you an e-mail upon arrival so that you knew that I'd arrived safely in the land downunder. 

My flight from Toronto to LAX was a bit different, there was a poor, elderly Armenian gentlement who couldn't speak English.  He ended up taking ill on the plane, passed out for a bit and they (a doctor and two nurses who were passengers) ended up setting him up with intraveneous, paddles at the ready, etc.. all in the aisle of the plane.  I'd expected an emergency landing but we plodded on to LA.  My second and quasi third flights were uneventful in comparison.  (Unfortunately, I missed a sunrise in Sydney was it was overcast)

I'm jet lagged but I think I'm not overly grumpy (Ashley isn't available to confirm or deny this ;-)  We drove around Melbourne and I now have a rough idea of where I'll be getting lost over the next few days/weeks ;)  It looks a lot like Canada..."same, same, but different" applies the world over.  I've included the address to my blog as I don't plan on sending group e-mails regularly, that said, if someone would prefer an email instead of having to check the blog, please let me know as I can do both ;)  I'm figuring that I'll do an update every two weeks or so... http://slawstravels.blogspot.com/

Take care!
Sarah