but the simpson's are NEVER wrong....

since i've been here, there has been one question that i get asked over and over again by everyone back home - do the toilets really flush the other way? well, as much as i have learned from the family simpson over the years, it appears as though we've all been duped on this one. feast your eyes on this my friends, finally the truth can be revealed, and you'll be shocked at the reality of it...












....really, prepare yourself. it's not what you think....





















so now you know. stop asking! hehe

it's just like that guy on 'friends'....but closer.

since my arrival here, i've done my best to adjust to the 'aussie' way of life - here, it's not a green pepper, its a capsicum; it's not an elevator, it's a lift; don't call me on my cell, ring me by mobile; shoes? who needs shoes?!? (ok, i know, i'll ALWAYS need shoes). it's the little things, but i think i've adjusted well...i've stopped doing double takes at the groups of friends that go out all dressed alike (same shirt and skirt, just different colours) or the guys in the grocery stores with bare feet and just their boardies on. its a more laid back lifestyle....i get that.

however, there's a line that need not be crossed.

we have a neighbour. well, we have lots of neighbours, as we live in a hotel, but there's one neighbour in particular. he lives on the floor below us, here...



this neighbour is unlike the rest...he's, let's say, a little more free spirited. the way alot of australians feel about shoes, he has the same feelings for clothes. apparently he doesn't like them. regularly. it started out that he would come out onto the balcony with a shirt on, his ass hanging out, but the other 'bits' covered. i guess that wasn't daring enough for him, so he's taken to coming out bare ass naked. now this isn't something that happens at night, so the risk of him being spotted is minimal. no no. THAT doesn't get the adrenaline going i guess. middle of the afternoon, sun high in the sky, people going about their daily routine on the sidewalk below, japanese shutterbugs who randomly take pictures of anything, and he's standing on the balcony, with his bits in his hand. now, he's not 'getting himself off', he just plays with it. (sorry mom)

i know what some of you are thinking, 'where are the pictures of THAT!' well, the answer for that is simple....i don't have any.....yet! haha.

she sells seashells by the seashore....

well, not really, but we did go to the beach. i mean its so bloody close, we have no reason not to! but this time we brought the camera! hehe...

hi! remember me?

greetings and salutations all!
the computer is back after an eternity at 'campus computer' and it feels like all is well with the world once again.
i know everyone's been asking about my flight, and what it's like here, so......here ya go!!

first off, i'd just like to thank everyone who came to see me off at the airport, it meant so much to me to have you all there. it's moments like that that make you realise how loved you are. thank you.

the flight....oh the flight. toronto to vancouver wasn't so bad. 5 hours on a plane is bearable. i had never flown over the rockies before, and even though i wasn't sitting at window seat, i was able to peer over the people who were and get a glimpse...i definitely want a window seat next time. a) i'll get and even better view of the mountains and b) i won't make the people sitting by the window uncomfortable because they think i'm staring at them.
in vancouver, we had to get off the plane, collect all our luggage, go through u.s. customs, then put our luggage BACK ON the conveyor belt thingy to go back on the plane. probably the most pointless excercise the entire trip, but the american's didn't hastle me, and i got a starbucks - so it wasn't so bad.....yet.
they herded us on the next flight - new flight, new seat, and WAY more leg room. it was lovely...until the captain came on the p.a. to let us know that we were just a little delayed because they were waiting for a flight to come in from calgary. apparently in airport speak 'a little delayed' means and hour and a half. i was still giddy about travelling, so it didn't bother me too much...they loaded on the crew from calgary, and we were off to honolulu!
again, another 5 hours on the plane, not so bad. now i could lie and say that hawaii is beautiful, and a sight to behold as you're flying in...truth be told it was pitch black and again, i was not by a window. they did let us off the plane again and we were able to stretch our legs and wander around a bit...i figured it was a good opportunity for 'mike' to stretch a bit too...





so after a good hour of wandering around, it was back on the plane. let it be said that no matter how much leg room you have, those seats are are NOT comfortable if you're in them for 11 hours. if you have the cash to splurge on the seats that turn into beds.....DO IT!! somehow i managed to sleep for most of this leg of the trip...it still seemed to take forever. eventually we made it to the home-stretch, and about 45 minutes away from sydney, the sun started to rise. again, i wasn't sitting beside the window, but the lovely aussie boy sitting beside me was very accommodating...although he did look at little perplexed at my request...



flying into sydney was surreal. seeing the opera house and the harbour bridge, i had the stupid giddy smile on my face the whole time. finally back on land, and trying to navigate my way through the sydney airport, i was a little rushed because i had to get to the other terminal so that i could catch my flight up to the gold coast. (yay, more flying :|) to be completely honest, that flight was only an hour and 20 minutes, and i was still giddy (or goofy, you decide). getting off that plane and making my way to the terminal seemed to happen in slow motion. but once i made it through, there was a cup of coffee, a bouquet of gerbers, and dan with a smile on his face made it all worth it. we headed back to the apartment, and haven't killed each other yet, so i think it's going alright. it's nice to know that after 6 months we can fall right back into our uneventful lives. lol. it's nice to know that some things don't change. i think mike's enjoying the view though...

i'm here....

well, as most of you probably know, i've landed safe and sound. but can i just say that flight is a bitch!!
i know alot of you have been peeking in here hoping for an update, but with no computer, it's been hard to update this...hopefully a situation that will be rectified soon.
i just wanted to write a little something to keep you on the edges of your seats (who am i kidding?)
i'm here, i'm good, and there will be more (with pictures) later. love ya!!

p.s. just a few little notes: no shirt, no shoes, does NOT mean no service here, the birds are funny looking, i still haven't seen a kangaroo, a koala or a wallabee yet, i'm still searching tho, and finally, did you know that parrots fly around willy nilly here? it's crazy! saw my first pair today. (apparently they live in the palm trees...i'm still trying to adjust to the fact that i live in a place where there's palm trees. lol)

11 days

so less than 2 weeks until i hop on that plane and fly over the pond to the land of oz...it seems crazy to me that it's actually happening. i'm at the point where i've had to start saying good-bye to people, and it's been very surreal. i'm bidding my farewell to people and friends i've seen almost everyday for years now - those familiar faces that i'm leaving behind.
and with that, i'm realizing what all i'm leaving...besides my comfort zone. morning coffee and gossip sessions, quick little phone calls - 'love ya bitch', stupid little sarcastic remarks, and saying 'no' to people who can just look at me and tell me to fuck off. listening to tom jones and dancing around the store, or those times when 'rainy days and mondays' is all too appropriate. milestones grilled chicken salad with a dirty martini, random trips to wal-mart, date nights with the girls and the movie is really, really bad - we know it's gonna be horrible, but we go just for the popcorn. i'm leaving the people that, with one look, can know that it's just been a really bad day, and the only thing i need is a hug. the fact that one of my best friends in the world, who i can't breathe without, is going thru something so comletely awful right now and if everything comes falling down around her, i won't be here to help.
all these things have become painfully clear recently...australia seemed a million years away, and now it's a matter of days. yes i'm still excited to go, but i'm realizing now everything that's going to bring me home...

really, could i go any further away?

so apparently the australian government is a-ok with me spending some time over in their country. i hear the aussies are lovely. (ok, so i've had a couple people tell me they can be assholes, but i'm willing to take the chance)
my flight is booked - woohoo! 25 hours on a plane!! : i'm trying to make myself realise that this is really happening. is someone going to pinch me? no...seriously. this feels no where close to real. i have a feeling it won't feel real till i'm there about a month and finally grasp the concept that i'm not in canada anymore.
don't get me wrong, i'm incredibly excited - this is the opportunity of a lifetime. the fact that i get to be there with dan just makes it all the more sweet. i have no idea what the land down under holds for me, but i'm willing to find out. keep your fingers crossed! :)

cheers!