Mishaps

No one has said "G’day mate" to me – I’m slightly irritated. TV and movies teach Americans that everyone in Australia says "G’day mate". Not true.

Quick honeymoon rundown – we went to Fiji – it was mind blowingly perfect and gorgeous. See?

(I took those pictures, seriously)

But alas, we left and flew to Melbourne. Got here at 10ish on a Friday night - $60 cab ride to the meth lab which we will be calling 'home' for the next ten months.  **Note: It's not really a meth lab - it just reminds me of one.  I've actually never seen a meth lab but it's what I think would remind me of one if I had ever been in one.** Completely exhausted from traveling, I wasn't expecting to see a meth lab when I opened the door but can't really do much about it.

Anyway, so we get to the methlab and our belongings (carried in a mere 4 large suitcases and 4 small) are:

- clothes for 10 months (not as much as you'd think)

- The Office - all 6 released seasons

- Family Guy - all seasons
- movies

-  laptops

- shoes (i brought more than Hyatt -surprise)

- my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

- other various books

Notice there are no items in the BEDDING or BATHROOM TOWELS/SUPPLIES  categories?  Our first night we had to use the two paper-thin airplane blankets and our neck-pillows.  Not near as bad as it sounds but definitely funnier.

Saturday morning: shower time. But Brandi, you ask, how ever did you shower without towels and shampoo? My close friends know me as a kleptomaniac at heart. Therefore, we used the shampoo and conditioner I stole from Maria, the hotel maid's, cart.  Furthermore -- we enjoyed our single plush white towel that I lifted from the Sofitel in Fiji (also from Maria's cart).  Mission: cleanliness. Complete. Thank you, Maria.

Question: what do two American students who are fully reliant on cell phone use to tell time without phones or computers.

Answer: they don't.

Morning came when we woke up on our own which was about 7:30-- that's the earliest I've been up on a Saturday in a very long time. First thing on the agenda: find a timepiece.  Bought a snazzy clock at the $2 shop for guess how much?  $9 - ha. Gotcha

After feeling a little more in touch with reality we realized that since we had absolutely no food we had to go grocery shopping. Easier said than done. Australians eat much more fresh food than we do in America so there are a lot of fresh meat and produce markets. Very cool but takes many trips to several different stores to get everything on the list. We also discovered a Safeway (Woolworths type grocery store) - couldn't really buy everything we needed because almost everyone walks and carries their stuff instead of driving. Our seemingly 100 block walk (really only 12ish) back to the meth lab seemed to take forever. That was nothing compared to the walk back from the Target.

But more on that tomorrow - for now I leave you with a picture of my new best friends... Earl and Edwin.

Edwin, Earl and I have been spending quality time together seeing as I've walked about 20 miles (not km) in the past two days. My legs hate me.

Love you and miss you all in America -- we'll chat again soon.

Cheers (that's what the Aussies say) ;)

~ Buzzard ~