I'm a person who does not enjoy shopping. But buying has been pretty much the only thing I've done for the past week. I walk into a store with a task list and pretty much just buy the least expensive item I can find. I don't comparison shop much. I just need it to last a year.
I've noticed that there are wide price variations between stores. It's as if no one is trying to keep tabs on the competition. This makes the price game harder for unsuspecting foreigners like myself. I have no idea what a normal price is, so I just do the best I can at the store I'm in. Then I find myself at another store the next day and see one item at half the price of the store the day before. Half. Not on sale, just regular price. You really just have to know which store to get which things. It will take some learning.
Point Cook is a pretty small suburb. But no matter where you live, there is bound to be a grocery store nearby. I have three different grocery stores all within a mile. One is just half a mile a way. It's super convenient. And all stores have sort of a mini-mall surrounding them so when you walk in there are a number of small shops all around. Maybe a deli or bakery, dollar store, salon, bank, etc. most of the places have wifi so in the coming weeks I'll probably be hanging out there more as my buying frenzy comes to a close (More on the continuing saga of no wifi later.) The first store I tried to shop at was Target. I had trouble locating the front door. And when I walked in I found myself in a mall. I had to walk past about 20 store front and turn a couple of corners before I actually got to Target. It was a little disappointing compared to Target at home. It wasn't "Super Target" with groceries. It was smallish and had mostly clothing (about 20% of that was lingerie). There is a small electronics area, small health and beauty section, and decently sized home linen section. And some candy and toys.
After a week of living in a bed and breakfast, we were ready to set up our own house. It was overwhelming the things we didn't have. I was trying to stick to just the basics because we are only here for a year and I don't want to have more than we will really need. But still, we need an iron, and ironing board. We need a microwave and a few pots, pans, and bakeware. We need a vacuum to care for the carpets. And a mop. And a broom. And cleaning rags. And mixing bowls. And shampoo and lotion and cups and plates and dish soap. We have luggage but it's not super useful for storing clothes day-to-day. So we need coat hangers and some plastic bins to hold our socks and underwear. We haven't bought dressers because coat hangers are cheaper. And then there is the need for food. And stuff to store the food in so it doesn't get bugs.
I mean. This quickly became crazy. The kids have gotten bored while I spend my days canvassing the town for the cheapest solutions.
All of the stores here have carts ("trolleys") with what I call four wheel drive. All four wheels rotate so you can slide them forward and side to side easily. But turning around to the next aisle is kind of a funny looking dance as you have to get behind the cart so it doesn't keep sliding sideways.
We also need to buy a washing machine. Dryers are optional since a lot of people hang their clothing out to dry. (We found these of an online site called Gumtree!). Fortunately someone from church gave us a refrigerator. Really a huge blessing! We couldn't get it until Saturday night and then...I made ANOTHER trip to the store for all the food basics. I was So. Extremely. Exhausted after the past week. Signing the house lease. Buying a car. Furniture. Home basics. Cleaning the new house. Moving from bed and breakfast to new house. Spending a day in the city at Ikea. Getting refrigerator. And now I was buying all the little things like butter, oil, flour, spices, rice, baking soda, and such. My cart was so loaded. It was really hard to turn those aisles! But in all of this, I was delighted to find whole wheat flour at a good price, black beans, and even black-eyed peas! I got a few fun things for the kids to make them smile: chocolate chips and a brownie mix. It worked.
This past week I haven't slept much that I know of. First it was jetlag. Then I was sick with a cold. Then I had no bed because someone said they are giving us one but we can't get it for a week. Sleeping on the floor is not comfy at all. It wasn't working at all. So when I hut that grocery store Saturday night I was beyond tired. And I still had no dinner for the kids. It took over an hour to find everything. The last item was eggs. I didn't think they'd be so hard. But here "cage free" eggs are the main egg. If you are a heartless, animal-hating person (or you are like me and just can't standing to spend $6/dozen) then you buy "cage eggs." There are a million varieties of cage free eggs. I had to ask for cage eggs. The guys couldn't find them. Finally I followed another woman and found the only kind they had for $2.79. Really, the cage-free stuff was 95% of the egg offerings. I took my loot home and made a potato dinner. Cleaned up. Went to bed.
I took a Sunday afternoon nap on Maddie's mattress and it felt so good. That night Allen took the cushions off our chairs and made a little "bed" for me. It felt great except that he was still on the floor. After a few minutes, I figured out that we could lay all the cushions in a big long line and we could slept at opposite ends, letting our feet, which don't take up much space, share the same middle section. It seemed to work great for me. Allen, sorta. He said he couldn't sleep because of weird dreams. But dreams means sleep happened so I'm gonna count it as an improvement.
I have never been more glad for the Sabbath day. I really didn't have to go buy anything. I really could rest from all that labor and be with the kids for awhile. I made black beans. I made homemade tortillas. We made cookies. Which means cookie dough. It was just right!
Now here's some real fun. In all my running around, I stopped by the hardware store whenever I was nearby and raided their paint chips. Then I let Maddie arrange a design and install it on the wall of our living room. Here is the finished product:
Super cool, huh? It will look even better when I get the chairs covered. And we need a lamp. But I won't rush it. I will relish the time to sit still and work with a needle and thread for a change.
Now that our shopping is mostly done, we get to pick up OUR car tomorrow. So we can shop in our own car. Except I never want to shop again. And now I'm finding out about all these free and trade Facebook groups around Point Cook where I could have gotten some of these things. Oh well. I still need a baking pan, a large pot, bikes for the kids, and dressers. Maybe dressers. We have a living room and low tables so we can sit on the floor to eat. We're good. I'm not buying anything else!!
Monday, August 10, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Our Cottage
When we first arrived we weren't able to move into our house yet because some other people were still living in it. I know. Rude. But until then, we stayed in the most adorable cottage. It wasn't cheap, but it was one of the few places big enough for all of us and it had a kitchen which saved us money so we didn't have to eat all of our meals out.
Here's a quick video I was able to upload while at the grocery store snagging some wifi:
I'm unable to embed the video at the moment so I'll just have to share the link.
http://youtu.be/x3GDFETH8t8
It is run by a very kind couple who brought us fresh lemons and grapefruit from their own trees right on the property. She also helped me locate a few resources in town and taught me a little about the train system here. Very nice people. I loved her immediately because her name is Mim. I just HAD to get a picture with Mam.
Here's a quick video I was able to upload while at the grocery store snagging some wifi:
I'm unable to embed the video at the moment so I'll just have to share the link.
http://youtu.be/x3GDFETH8t8
It is run by a very kind couple who brought us fresh lemons and grapefruit from their own trees right on the property. She also helped me locate a few resources in town and taught me a little about the train system here. Very nice people. I loved her immediately because her name is Mim. I just HAD to get a picture with Mam.
New Words
We're picking up some new vocabulary.
Here's a quick run-down for the first few days.
AMERICAN : AUSSIE
elevator lift
cart trolley
stroller pram
Minivan people mover
Truck ute
diapers nappies
huggies pull-ups nappy pants (I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this)
drinking fountain water machine (actually, this was odd, it was my first time at church and someone else asked where it was. I didn't get a chance to tell them I didn't know my way around either and certainly had never heard of a water machine. They found it quickly on their own.)
And when there is a lot of something there are "heaps" of them.
But my favorite new word was this. All over the airport, instead of telling you where the exits are, they just have large signs that say this:
Here's a quick run-down for the first few days.
AMERICAN : AUSSIE
elevator lift
cart trolley
stroller pram
Minivan people mover
Truck ute
diapers nappies
huggies pull-ups nappy pants (I couldn't stop laughing when I saw this)
drinking fountain water machine (actually, this was odd, it was my first time at church and someone else asked where it was. I didn't get a chance to tell them I didn't know my way around either and certainly had never heard of a water machine. They found it quickly on their own.)
And when there is a lot of something there are "heaps" of them.
But my favorite new word was this. All over the airport, instead of telling you where the exits are, they just have large signs that say this:
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
I don't have to tell anyone to go to bed
Melbourne time is 16 hours ahead of Utah time. I find it easier to count 8 hours behind and add a day. After that LOOOOONG travel time, I thought no one would care that it was off schedule. We got in later in the evening and went to bed. I figured that would help everyone reset. But it's still takes some adjusting. Everyone here is usually in bed by 8:30. Last night about 8:30 Henry said, "I tired. Wanna lay down." So he did.
Henry finally slept all the way through the night last night. If I weren't sick I might sleep too. The other night when I went to the store the clerk noticed my accent and asked how long I had been here. I said 2 days and she said, "Oh! You look tired." Lovely honesty. But it's true. I am.
I got to explore the grocery store a little on my own. Which means I DROVE there. By myself. On the left side of the road, from the right side of the car. I just pretended I was teaching a Zumba class and flipped my left and right directions in my head. But I think the Aussie's have a hard time with it too, because they have lots of little "KEEP LEFT" signs near the medians. It looks like they need some reminding too. I realized after a while that part of the problem is that they don't have any yellow dividing lines in the road. They are all white. The only yellow line I saw was at the airport and it was a one way road. Not helpful at all.
I have to keep reminding myself to KEEP LEFT, but also to LOOK RIGHT for traffic. I almost had an accident today. Gah. It's so unnerving.
Karly said I was pretty good at it. The thing I need to work on is keeping the speed limit. Apparently here when they say "limit" they really do mean it. They have speed cameras everywhere and if you go .1km over the limit you will get a speeding ticket mailed to your house. In the states we see open road and we rush to fill it, but here you see open road and you just have to chill out and stay slow. It feels different. You have to relax and remind yourself, I'm not getting somewhere, I'm driving. It's a good idea that they are so serious about their driving speed, but I already have so many things I'm concentrating on with driving here. I wish there was a cruise control I could set that would stop you from going over speed. I don't want any tickets.
Henry finally slept all the way through the night last night. If I weren't sick I might sleep too. The other night when I went to the store the clerk noticed my accent and asked how long I had been here. I said 2 days and she said, "Oh! You look tired." Lovely honesty. But it's true. I am.
I got to explore the grocery store a little on my own. Which means I DROVE there. By myself. On the left side of the road, from the right side of the car. I just pretended I was teaching a Zumba class and flipped my left and right directions in my head. But I think the Aussie's have a hard time with it too, because they have lots of little "KEEP LEFT" signs near the medians. It looks like they need some reminding too. I realized after a while that part of the problem is that they don't have any yellow dividing lines in the road. They are all white. The only yellow line I saw was at the airport and it was a one way road. Not helpful at all.
I have to keep reminding myself to KEEP LEFT, but also to LOOK RIGHT for traffic. I almost had an accident today. Gah. It's so unnerving.
Karly said I was pretty good at it. The thing I need to work on is keeping the speed limit. Apparently here when they say "limit" they really do mean it. They have speed cameras everywhere and if you go .1km over the limit you will get a speeding ticket mailed to your house. In the states we see open road and we rush to fill it, but here you see open road and you just have to chill out and stay slow. It feels different. You have to relax and remind yourself, I'm not getting somewhere, I'm driving. It's a good idea that they are so serious about their driving speed, but I already have so many things I'm concentrating on with driving here. I wish there was a cruise control I could set that would stop you from going over speed. I don't want any tickets.
We are currently in the process for buying a car. I feel like I'm a target to being taken advantage of because I'm a foreigner. I don't know what the market is like and I don't know anything about the registration process or what is customary haggling with dealers. We have a few options we are happy about, and the current exchange rate makes it much better to swallow the price. We are trying to calculate what it will cost for one year of driving since we will be able to sell it in a year. So maybe a more expensive car upfront that has a higher resell value would end up costing the same as a less-expensive car with lower resell value. That's what we are leaning toward. After the entire process is complete I'll post the details in one post so it can be a little primer for foreigners in the future.
After leaving the last car lot, I was stopped in my tracks with this tree that was just on the side of the road. Check out the blossoms!
We move into our house on Friday. I haven't even SEEN it yet. I get to see it for the first time on Thursday morning at 9am. It will be a quick look and then I'll head off to IKEA to pick out some beds and basic furnishings. Why there? Well, I don't have the luxury of a car yet to transport used furniture from random places in the city and IKEA delivers. I had a really hard time finding a secondhand store (took three trips to a neighboring city to finally find one). The first attempt was Salvos (Salvation Army). It turns out they are just an outlet store for random goods, kind of like Big Lots in Utah. So that was a waste. Then I looked up another store online and headed to the address. They didn't exist there but I did find a used car dealership at the address and a possible car. The last time I just had to ask local people where one was. It's called Vinnie's, and it's run by St. Vincent de Paul Society. I found a couple of chairs that are rather gaudy, but in good condition and comfortable.
I also found some stretchy fabric that I hope to use to throw over them. I got a couple of coffee tables, one for inside and one to use as a sturdy bench for the patio. And they had a cool little bar stool that swivels for only $10. I always can calculate 25% off in my head because of the exchange rate. Nice. They had some kitchenware but not as much as DI. I wasn't able to get much more than a silverware organizer and a couple of serving spoons. I bought the furniture and talked them into holding it for me until Saturday when I can borrow a truck (called a "ute").
After leaving the last car lot, I was stopped in my tracks with this tree that was just on the side of the road. Check out the blossoms!
It wasn't in a highly manicured area or part of some beautifully intentional landscaping. Notice the ugly piece of astroturf in the background. It just, grows there. Amazing. I am going to be taking a LOT of pictures of plant life here. They are all very pretty. There seems to be an underlying yellowish electricity to the green leaves. And it's WINTER here. Basically it's the equivalent to February in the Northern Hemisphere. It's only going to get more amazing.
We move into our house on Friday. I haven't even SEEN it yet. I get to see it for the first time on Thursday morning at 9am. It will be a quick look and then I'll head off to IKEA to pick out some beds and basic furnishings. Why there? Well, I don't have the luxury of a car yet to transport used furniture from random places in the city and IKEA delivers. I had a really hard time finding a secondhand store (took three trips to a neighboring city to finally find one). The first attempt was Salvos (Salvation Army). It turns out they are just an outlet store for random goods, kind of like Big Lots in Utah. So that was a waste. Then I looked up another store online and headed to the address. They didn't exist there but I did find a used car dealership at the address and a possible car. The last time I just had to ask local people where one was. It's called Vinnie's, and it's run by St. Vincent de Paul Society. I found a couple of chairs that are rather gaudy, but in good condition and comfortable.
I also found some stretchy fabric that I hope to use to throw over them. I got a couple of coffee tables, one for inside and one to use as a sturdy bench for the patio. And they had a cool little bar stool that swivels for only $10. I always can calculate 25% off in my head because of the exchange rate. Nice. They had some kitchenware but not as much as DI. I wasn't able to get much more than a silverware organizer and a couple of serving spoons. I bought the furniture and talked them into holding it for me until Saturday when I can borrow a truck (called a "ute").
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Day Three, In which I had salsa on my eggs
Yay, today we got our phones to work. I mean OUR phones from the States. We were able to buy some pay-as-you go SIM cars at 7-Eleven, register them online, and pop them into our phones. Viola. Phone service. And the price is great. For $44.90 we get unlimited talk and text and 5GB of data per month. With the current exchange rate that works out to be $32.77 per month. And no contracts. Wonderful. I just have to be careful not to message US phone numbers because that is not covered in the unlimited text! I'll be using Facebook Messenger or email to stay in touch with friends and family.
At the grocery store, you only get a shopping car (trolley) with a coin deposit. When you return the cart, you get your coin back. So there aren't carts lost in the parking lot and employees driving long trains of them back into the store. People use a trolley and then actually bring it back. It's a great system.
I wandered through the grocery store last night just trying to get my bearings a bit, looking for what was familiar and what was different. And trying to gauge costs. As I wandered I heard "Video Killed the Radio Star" playing over the speakers. Huh.
Here there are lots of different cultures represented so there is quite a bit of variety found in the grocery stores. I had been warned there wasn't much Mexican food, but I found a little section of it at the store and I was thrilled! I bought some Old El Paso Thick and Chunky Chipotle Salsa. I don't even remember how much it cost because there was no way I wasn't buying it. I also found tortillas and tortilla chips. In the Indian cooking section I found lots of the spices I was worried I wouldn't be able to buy here, and they were good prices, and they were large bags. No problem there. I didn't find whole wheat flour in the baking aisle, but I did find it in the Indian cooking section in a large bag for a good price. We're set.
I didn't find coconut milk at the first two stores I went to and I surprised because I thought that was a staple food in asian cooking. I did find oat milk, and since it's the only milk alternative I haven't tried yet, I thought I'd give it a go. All the others mess with my digestive system. So far so good.
Other goodies I found were cheap Ramen noodles, pasta sauce, and oats at a good low price. Actually I think they are cheaper than in the States. And the Nutella is cheaper here! There are also a variety of world sugars. They have different sugars from our the world with different underlying flavors. I got Coconut Blossom Sugar from Indonesia. It says it has tones of caramel and butterscotch. Yum! Across from the milk was pine bark chips. Like the kind you put on your flowerbeds. Of course, pine bark can be found in the dairy section.
What I have noticed at each store is that they don't seem to heat the building at all. I am not that cold walking about outside as I mentally am prepared for the cold and I keep moving briskly, but inside I expect to be warm. After shopping slowly for 30 minutes I realize my fingers and nose are cold and I'm shivering a bit. I wonder why they don't take action to make me want to stay in their store longer. The homes also seem a bit cold and drafty. I'm not sure they are aware of the advances in technology that can make the indoors more comfortable.
My assessment is that I'll be okay with the assortment of food there is here. The basic food staples are not much more expensive and in some cases are less expensive. When you get into prepared and processed foods it gets crazy expensive, but that's not how I cook anyway.
At the grocery store, you only get a shopping car (trolley) with a coin deposit. When you return the cart, you get your coin back. So there aren't carts lost in the parking lot and employees driving long trains of them back into the store. People use a trolley and then actually bring it back. It's a great system.
I wandered through the grocery store last night just trying to get my bearings a bit, looking for what was familiar and what was different. And trying to gauge costs. As I wandered I heard "Video Killed the Radio Star" playing over the speakers. Huh.
Here there are lots of different cultures represented so there is quite a bit of variety found in the grocery stores. I had been warned there wasn't much Mexican food, but I found a little section of it at the store and I was thrilled! I bought some Old El Paso Thick and Chunky Chipotle Salsa. I don't even remember how much it cost because there was no way I wasn't buying it. I also found tortillas and tortilla chips. In the Indian cooking section I found lots of the spices I was worried I wouldn't be able to buy here, and they were good prices, and they were large bags. No problem there. I didn't find whole wheat flour in the baking aisle, but I did find it in the Indian cooking section in a large bag for a good price. We're set.
I didn't find coconut milk at the first two stores I went to and I surprised because I thought that was a staple food in asian cooking. I did find oat milk, and since it's the only milk alternative I haven't tried yet, I thought I'd give it a go. All the others mess with my digestive system. So far so good.
Other goodies I found were cheap Ramen noodles, pasta sauce, and oats at a good low price. Actually I think they are cheaper than in the States. And the Nutella is cheaper here! There are also a variety of world sugars. They have different sugars from our the world with different underlying flavors. I got Coconut Blossom Sugar from Indonesia. It says it has tones of caramel and butterscotch. Yum! Across from the milk was pine bark chips. Like the kind you put on your flowerbeds. Of course, pine bark can be found in the dairy section.
What I have noticed at each store is that they don't seem to heat the building at all. I am not that cold walking about outside as I mentally am prepared for the cold and I keep moving briskly, but inside I expect to be warm. After shopping slowly for 30 minutes I realize my fingers and nose are cold and I'm shivering a bit. I wonder why they don't take action to make me want to stay in their store longer. The homes also seem a bit cold and drafty. I'm not sure they are aware of the advances in technology that can make the indoors more comfortable.
My assessment is that I'll be okay with the assortment of food there is here. The basic food staples are not much more expensive and in some cases are less expensive. When you get into prepared and processed foods it gets crazy expensive, but that's not how I cook anyway.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Sunday, day of rest
It felt good to go to church. It was different but familiar, and full of friendly faces. I loved that the organ player played faster than normal, and that the prayers were said slower, with more thought.
It's winter here. The weather is breezy and chilly, but not at all frigid. I think the high was 56 degrees (13°C). Not warm but not that cold. One man felt we had come at the wrong time because it was winter. He was apologizing for the cold temperatures. Other people familiar with Utah weather had warned me that it got quite cold here. I asked if this weather typical. He said, "eh...it gets warmer." Rock and roll! I think I can handle it!
Everyone took care to put their arms around my children and help them find the right classes. What really impressed me is that not only did the parents introduce their children, but their children also took the opportunity to reach out and be truly friendly and kind. My kids felt loved and completely comfortable.
Just towards the end of church a little girl snuck into the adult women's meeting and found her mum. She had sweet blond hair and a sophisticated accent. She went to her mother and with the most cheerful expression said, "The savior loves me! The savior loves AWL of us!" It felt like a scene from A Christmas Carol. She was a darling.
Later that night we had dinner with someone from church who had also invited another family. There were kids the same age and gender for all of the kids (except Henry, but Henry is loved by all ages) and they all (awl) had a blast. There was a ton of food and no rush to get the evening over. We talked like old friends and they helped give us headstarts on some of the tasks we have before us, like finding a car, getting the kids registered in school, getting phones set up. These are big deals and we're so glad to have help. These people will be my family for the next year and I love them already. We actually all knelt in prayer together before we parted ways and it felt so good. (If you don't know about my church you should look into it. I have instant friends and supporters no matter where I am.)
The wifi in the bed and breakfast we are staying is abysmal. We thought maybe it was just the place we were staying but we hear it's slow and unreliable everywhere. Macdonalds (Maccas) is just a short walk away, so for the small price of warm french fries we can have good reliable wifi for a bit. We needed it especially when we had no phones (we do now!) and need to search for a car to buy and where local shops are. We also were very happy to sit for a few minutes after church and absorb some wifi in the building. Our entire church has the same wifi password worldwide, so we can always have access no matter where we are. (There's an analogy in there somewhere. I'll work on it.)
I've begged the rental agency to let us move in two days early. I only managed to get one day early. It is SO unpleasant still living out of 21 suitcases. I wish so badly we could hang things up in the closets and put things away in the kitchen. Just a few more days.
What we really need next is a car. But We feel like we can make it without a car except for the need to get to church each Sunday. So maybe we won't rush it. Our family will help us get there for now.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Leaving the house, Flying with a toddler, Driving with 28 pieces of luggage
Moving day! We packed up early and spent the morning cleaning the last minute details: mopping the floor, vacuuming, washing the sinks. I had remembered a few things I hadn't told the renters so I actually went around filming short videos I can send them later. I'm crazy like that. Friends stopped by to say goodbye. I melted to tears when I saw this, knowing it would be the last time for these two for quite a while.
Karly snapped a picture of me saying goodbye to my window well for a year. It really is my favorite spot and I will miss it.
Left the house about 1pm Utah time. Arrived and checked in and none of our bags were overweight. Woo hoo! We were able to drive our own car up to the airport with my brother bringing the luggage in his truck. Then my sister-in-law drove the van back to our friends who will sell it for us. That worked out so well.
We moved our flight out of Salt Lake up so we could have more time in LA to make the connecting flight to Sydney. We only had 40 minutes originally and felt it was risky to switch terminals in such a short time. Turned out we only were one gate over from our arrival gate, so it would have been fine. We had about 3+ hours in LAX. I had some thank you notes I wanted to mail and wrote them during the layover. Tried to find a post box with no luck. So I had to stand near the security exit and beg a stranger to take them to the outside and mail them for me. I felt like a panhandler because so many people wouldn't even look me in the eye worried they'd get asked for their loose change. One kind woman was willing to listen to me and realized it was no big deal at all. We'll see if they make it to their recipients.
Henry loved the plane flights. He is all about every kind of moving vehicle and truck. But I wasn't sure how he'd respond to the sensation of actually being on a plane moving so fast and lifting off the ground. He seemed to be an old pro. During the landing when his ears started to feel the pressure he just grimaced and said, "my ears feel weird." As soon as we landed in LA he shouted, "We did it!" and asked if we could do it again. "Go up high!" He entertained himself quite happily in the terminal and made some friends.
We boarded the flight to Sydney late because of some mechanical issues. Then we didn't leave until over an hour late because they were waiting on some people with connecting flights. (Why don't flights ever wait for ME?) Each seat on the plane had pillows, blankets, eyeshades, earplugs, and a TV screen with free movies, music, and games. Henry had fun with a game and watched Sesame Street and Happy Feet. Everyone else was happy with a movie but I knew Henry would never let me pay attention to a movie for the entire time. And if he slept I tried to sleep. At some point when I couldn't fall asleep (I also didn't feel I could take the ZZZQuil because I didn't want to be so zonked that I didn't hear Henry if he needed something) I watched a couple of TEDTalks. I'll share more about one of them on another post.
The flight was long but not unbearable. Henry only got sick of it in the last hour. My ankles actually got swollen. I looked like I was pregnant. I tried to walk around occasionally. It didn't really make a difference.
Maximum speed I noticed during the trip was 578mph!
Here are our first views of Aussie land. It looks like a movie!
So we arrived in Sydney late. We only had 40 minutes to make our connecting flight to Melbourne. We thought this would be fine until we realized we had to go through customs here and not at our final destination. That was a big hassle because we had to retrieve ALL of our checked bags from baggage claim, and then cart them through customs. Allen and I were frantically filling out the customs forms as we were landing, which is probably the real reason why Henry was less happy because I couldn't pay attention to his needs. They also didn't bring the stroller I had gate-checked to the gate, so I had to carry Henry along with some carry-on luggage that doesn't roll. I wasn't so happy about that.
The flight attendants seemed unaware of what the procedure for customs was. They felt there was a minor process we had to go through here and then a more stringent one in Melbourne. Still I was nervous about it because I had several items I was unsure about. And they were in multiple pieces of luggage. I had spices I had mixed myself, spices I had dehydrated myself, some peppers I had dehydrated myself, peanut butter, and trail mix (with nuts and dried fruit). Everyone was telling me they would reject everything. I was pretty sure they were going to reject all but the peanut butter. And I was worried about forgetting to declare something and getting fined $300. Turns out we wait through long lines, pushing carts with our luggage that are nearly impossible to steer, and then we stand patiently while a dog sniffs our luggage. Then she says, "you're good." And that was it. They didn't like the fresh grapes and snow peas THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT in Millie's bag. Thankfully, we had declared enough already because of the trail mix so we didn't get fined. And seriously, they had just served us things on the plane that would have been against the rules. You'd think they might say something like, "This is your flight attendant, please don't try to smuggle any leftovers out of the plane or you'll get a whopping fine that will take the fun out of your stay."
But, we were "good."
Then we realized, we were DONE with customs because we were directed to the domestic transfer to Virgin Airlines. I was so happy I got to bring my spices!
But we only had 12 minutes to make our connecting flight. Didn't happen.
We found a nice woman at the check-in at Virgin Airlines that realized we couldn't all get on the next flight together so we had to wait until 4pm for the next flight. It was 8am. So, we thought we'd rent a car and go see the sights in Sydney. But she told us to take the train up to the Opera House. Allen really wanted to see it so I was thrilled to get it checked off the list right away. She gave us $300 in meal vouches for the day. AND she knew we didn't want to haul all our carry-on luggage around the city so she offered to check ALL of our carry-ons, including the two guitars, for no charge. She was an angel! The kids were pretty happy to sit calmly and order anything they wanted.
We headed down to the train to buy tickets. The guy at the ticket counter rang me up and asked for $92.80. I swallowed hard, thought about getting this checked off the list and not having to spend a load of money to come back to Sydney and paid the fare. Then he said he accidentally only gave me one-way tickets so he corrected it and asked for another $78.20. I was in shock. Shock. This was not a long train ride. It took about 15 minutes and was probably not more than 5-10 miles away.
Welcome to Australia.
I had a pleasant conversation ("convo") the entire trip with a woman on the train who helped me get off on the right stop. We felt like friends in no time.
I've been warned that the ozone is very thin over Australia and we need to be sure to wear sunscreen and hats. It was a very nice warm day, considering they are in winter, and it was lunch hour. Here I was on my first day in Australia and I have no sunscreen on my face except for what I put on in moisturizer and makeup over 24 hours ago.
Also, Karly realized at some point that we were walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk. We defaulted to walking on the right side, but we had to switch to the left to keep the flow. Silly me. I didn't even think of that.
We got to see the Opera House! We also so the hugest cruise ship I've ever seen. There were several planes flying over the bay and helicopters about every 90 seconds. Henry was loving it.
But were were all tired so we didn't spend long on our $150 train excursion. We headed back to finish off those $300 meal vouchers and just rest for a bit.
We had to go through security again. But it's more relaxed than the States. You don't need a boarding pass to go through. And the security people were actually nice. They saw me with a stroller and right away took me to the front of the line. When they could see I had a family in other parts of the line they retrieved the rest of them and brought them up too. They helped us get bins for our carryons and laptops and weren't in a rush at all. And all the other people whom we zipped ahead of didn't get upset either.
There are some ways the Aussies are different in their demeanor. I think so far I would sum it up as "conscientious." They pay attention and treat you like a person, not a job or a chore or someone to pretend to be nice to because they are supposed to. They see your need and willingly fill it. They couldn't be more kind and I love them.
Our last flight from Sydney to Melbourne was a smaller plane. We boarded it from the tarmac. Henry got to walk on the tarmac and actually SEE the plane we would be flying on! I was so thrilled for him! He was SO excited. And it was only 71 minutes flight. He again told me his ears felt weird but we soon survived it. Again they didn't return my stroller to the gate so I had to carry Henry. Which made me slower than the rest. Allen walked with us and our kids, who have never flown before and have never been to Australia before, just zoomed ahead and followed the signs to find baggage claim. Allen and I were impressed with their courage! I'm always nervous about going the wrong way! By the time we got there they had already retrieved several pieces of luggage. GO KIDS!
Allen headed off to get the rental van. We sat patiently knowing it was going to take a couple of trips to get all the luggage to our hotel. But the van is amazing. It has so much space. It was tight but we actually got it all in ONE TRIP. Which is such a blessing because driving on the left side of the road is very unnerving. Allen hated it. It's a good thing it was at night and there was less traffic. Leo was helping in navigate in the front. Allen told him to remind him every now and then what the speed limit was and to "stay left." It really is hard.
Girls were giggly in the back for awhile. I had to tell them not to talk so Allen could hear GPS. It was hard to understand the pronunciation. And he didn't need any distraction. After about 5 minutes I noticed there were very quiet. I checked to make sure they weren't too stressed. They were completely asleep. I couldn't even see their heads.
We finally arrived at this adorable cottage. We tried to find shampoo so we could wash up. Tomorrow was Sunday so we had to head to a grocery store to get some basics. Again, nerve-wracking and very unpleasant. Many stores we were led to by the GPS were closed. Finally found one. I had been wearing shoes for 43 hours in a row. It was terrible.
Retired to bed at about 11pm local time, 7am Orem time. I was up at 4am unable to sleep. So I typed this!
Karly snapped a picture of me saying goodbye to my window well for a year. It really is my favorite spot and I will miss it.
Left the house about 1pm Utah time. Arrived and checked in and none of our bags were overweight. Woo hoo! We were able to drive our own car up to the airport with my brother bringing the luggage in his truck. Then my sister-in-law drove the van back to our friends who will sell it for us. That worked out so well.
We moved our flight out of Salt Lake up so we could have more time in LA to make the connecting flight to Sydney. We only had 40 minutes originally and felt it was risky to switch terminals in such a short time. Turned out we only were one gate over from our arrival gate, so it would have been fine. We had about 3+ hours in LAX. I had some thank you notes I wanted to mail and wrote them during the layover. Tried to find a post box with no luck. So I had to stand near the security exit and beg a stranger to take them to the outside and mail them for me. I felt like a panhandler because so many people wouldn't even look me in the eye worried they'd get asked for their loose change. One kind woman was willing to listen to me and realized it was no big deal at all. We'll see if they make it to their recipients.
Henry loved the plane flights. He is all about every kind of moving vehicle and truck. But I wasn't sure how he'd respond to the sensation of actually being on a plane moving so fast and lifting off the ground. He seemed to be an old pro. During the landing when his ears started to feel the pressure he just grimaced and said, "my ears feel weird." As soon as we landed in LA he shouted, "We did it!" and asked if we could do it again. "Go up high!" He entertained himself quite happily in the terminal and made some friends.
We boarded the flight to Sydney late because of some mechanical issues. Then we didn't leave until over an hour late because they were waiting on some people with connecting flights. (Why don't flights ever wait for ME?) Each seat on the plane had pillows, blankets, eyeshades, earplugs, and a TV screen with free movies, music, and games. Henry had fun with a game and watched Sesame Street and Happy Feet. Everyone else was happy with a movie but I knew Henry would never let me pay attention to a movie for the entire time. And if he slept I tried to sleep. At some point when I couldn't fall asleep (I also didn't feel I could take the ZZZQuil because I didn't want to be so zonked that I didn't hear Henry if he needed something) I watched a couple of TEDTalks. I'll share more about one of them on another post.
The flight was long but not unbearable. Henry only got sick of it in the last hour. My ankles actually got swollen. I looked like I was pregnant. I tried to walk around occasionally. It didn't really make a difference.
Maximum speed I noticed during the trip was 578mph!
Here are our first views of Aussie land. It looks like a movie!
So we arrived in Sydney late. We only had 40 minutes to make our connecting flight to Melbourne. We thought this would be fine until we realized we had to go through customs here and not at our final destination. That was a big hassle because we had to retrieve ALL of our checked bags from baggage claim, and then cart them through customs. Allen and I were frantically filling out the customs forms as we were landing, which is probably the real reason why Henry was less happy because I couldn't pay attention to his needs. They also didn't bring the stroller I had gate-checked to the gate, so I had to carry Henry along with some carry-on luggage that doesn't roll. I wasn't so happy about that.
The flight attendants seemed unaware of what the procedure for customs was. They felt there was a minor process we had to go through here and then a more stringent one in Melbourne. Still I was nervous about it because I had several items I was unsure about. And they were in multiple pieces of luggage. I had spices I had mixed myself, spices I had dehydrated myself, some peppers I had dehydrated myself, peanut butter, and trail mix (with nuts and dried fruit). Everyone was telling me they would reject everything. I was pretty sure they were going to reject all but the peanut butter. And I was worried about forgetting to declare something and getting fined $300. Turns out we wait through long lines, pushing carts with our luggage that are nearly impossible to steer, and then we stand patiently while a dog sniffs our luggage. Then she says, "you're good." And that was it. They didn't like the fresh grapes and snow peas THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT in Millie's bag. Thankfully, we had declared enough already because of the trail mix so we didn't get fined. And seriously, they had just served us things on the plane that would have been against the rules. You'd think they might say something like, "This is your flight attendant, please don't try to smuggle any leftovers out of the plane or you'll get a whopping fine that will take the fun out of your stay."
But, we were "good."
Then we realized, we were DONE with customs because we were directed to the domestic transfer to Virgin Airlines. I was so happy I got to bring my spices!
But we only had 12 minutes to make our connecting flight. Didn't happen.
We found a nice woman at the check-in at Virgin Airlines that realized we couldn't all get on the next flight together so we had to wait until 4pm for the next flight. It was 8am. So, we thought we'd rent a car and go see the sights in Sydney. But she told us to take the train up to the Opera House. Allen really wanted to see it so I was thrilled to get it checked off the list right away. She gave us $300 in meal vouches for the day. AND she knew we didn't want to haul all our carry-on luggage around the city so she offered to check ALL of our carry-ons, including the two guitars, for no charge. She was an angel! The kids were pretty happy to sit calmly and order anything they wanted.
We headed down to the train to buy tickets. The guy at the ticket counter rang me up and asked for $92.80. I swallowed hard, thought about getting this checked off the list and not having to spend a load of money to come back to Sydney and paid the fare. Then he said he accidentally only gave me one-way tickets so he corrected it and asked for another $78.20. I was in shock. Shock. This was not a long train ride. It took about 15 minutes and was probably not more than 5-10 miles away.
Welcome to Australia.
I had a pleasant conversation ("convo") the entire trip with a woman on the train who helped me get off on the right stop. We felt like friends in no time.
I've been warned that the ozone is very thin over Australia and we need to be sure to wear sunscreen and hats. It was a very nice warm day, considering they are in winter, and it was lunch hour. Here I was on my first day in Australia and I have no sunscreen on my face except for what I put on in moisturizer and makeup over 24 hours ago.
Also, Karly realized at some point that we were walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk. We defaulted to walking on the right side, but we had to switch to the left to keep the flow. Silly me. I didn't even think of that.
We got to see the Opera House! We also so the hugest cruise ship I've ever seen. There were several planes flying over the bay and helicopters about every 90 seconds. Henry was loving it.
But were were all tired so we didn't spend long on our $150 train excursion. We headed back to finish off those $300 meal vouchers and just rest for a bit.
We had to go through security again. But it's more relaxed than the States. You don't need a boarding pass to go through. And the security people were actually nice. They saw me with a stroller and right away took me to the front of the line. When they could see I had a family in other parts of the line they retrieved the rest of them and brought them up too. They helped us get bins for our carryons and laptops and weren't in a rush at all. And all the other people whom we zipped ahead of didn't get upset either.
There are some ways the Aussies are different in their demeanor. I think so far I would sum it up as "conscientious." They pay attention and treat you like a person, not a job or a chore or someone to pretend to be nice to because they are supposed to. They see your need and willingly fill it. They couldn't be more kind and I love them.
Our last flight from Sydney to Melbourne was a smaller plane. We boarded it from the tarmac. Henry got to walk on the tarmac and actually SEE the plane we would be flying on! I was so thrilled for him! He was SO excited. And it was only 71 minutes flight. He again told me his ears felt weird but we soon survived it. Again they didn't return my stroller to the gate so I had to carry Henry. Which made me slower than the rest. Allen walked with us and our kids, who have never flown before and have never been to Australia before, just zoomed ahead and followed the signs to find baggage claim. Allen and I were impressed with their courage! I'm always nervous about going the wrong way! By the time we got there they had already retrieved several pieces of luggage. GO KIDS!
Allen headed off to get the rental van. We sat patiently knowing it was going to take a couple of trips to get all the luggage to our hotel. But the van is amazing. It has so much space. It was tight but we actually got it all in ONE TRIP. Which is such a blessing because driving on the left side of the road is very unnerving. Allen hated it. It's a good thing it was at night and there was less traffic. Leo was helping in navigate in the front. Allen told him to remind him every now and then what the speed limit was and to "stay left." It really is hard.
Girls were giggly in the back for awhile. I had to tell them not to talk so Allen could hear GPS. It was hard to understand the pronunciation. And he didn't need any distraction. After about 5 minutes I noticed there were very quiet. I checked to make sure they weren't too stressed. They were completely asleep. I couldn't even see their heads.
We finally arrived at this adorable cottage. We tried to find shampoo so we could wash up. Tomorrow was Sunday so we had to head to a grocery store to get some basics. Again, nerve-wracking and very unpleasant. Many stores we were led to by the GPS were closed. Finally found one. I had been wearing shoes for 43 hours in a row. It was terrible.
Retired to bed at about 11pm local time, 7am Orem time. I was up at 4am unable to sleep. So I typed this!
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