Australia Adventure Begins -Jan. 16 & onward

Early on January 16th we left the hotel in Auckland and then drove to the Auckland airport to return our rental car. We barely got all the bags into the rental car - of course we had accumulated an extra bag on our New Zealand portion and had the three bags that we had each checked through Air Canada initially. Well, the airline would not consider it as a stopover, but as a separate international flight and told us that we were only allowed two bags each. In addition they told us that all our bags plus our cabin luggage were overweight - their restrictions are 42 pounds per bag, not 50 as AC allows. Our carry-ons all had to be weighed as well and were deemed too heavy. They were going to send us to Air Cargo to ship two of our bags, but it was closed on a Saturday. So, after much help from the check-in lady, the manager told us that it was our lucky day - they would allow all our bags onto the flight gratis - and then told us that the charge really would have come to $832!!!! We were much relieved! The whole check-in procedure took us over 1 1/2 hours!

And so the Australian adventure began in the early evening. At customs we were ushered to a special place because we had taken apples into the country. Apparently they are very strict about farm produce etc. We gladly gave them up - especially considering that we had purchased a wooden bowl in New Zealand and I had collected some beautiful sea shells from the beaches, and apparently they are not allowed into the country either. But the customs people were so intent on the apples, that they neglected to ask us anything else! Our first foray into the neighbourhood was later that same night. We found several little streets with lots of little shops, reminiscent of Toronto. Our first meal at the house was a pizza we picked up from one of the shops.

We spent the next day getting settled into our place and unpacking. Our house is very long and narrow, looking like an elongated trailer with all the rooms running off a long hallway. Our house is around 120 years old, very Victorian in looks with lattice-work on the outside. The family left us some food in the freezer, including frozen kangaroo meat! The husband is an artist, and so there are lovely modern paintings throughout the house. The one daughter who remained here in Australia has been very helpful, taking us grocery shopping and showing us the ropes around the house. Rick feels very comfortable living in this area, because we are close to the junction of Ormond and ALTONA Streets. It makes him feel like he is right at home back in the country days of his youth!

Monday dawned cold and windy and rainy - I guess we brought the cool weather with us from New Zealand! Certainly a far cry from the 44 degree weather that Melbourne experienced last week! After we gathered up our courage sufficiently, we ventured out to try our luck with the Melbourne train system. We headed to the famous Lygon Street, taking in a movie and a delicious Italian dinner. We met an Aboriginal digeradoo player and had an interesting conversation about the skills required to play the instrument. When he begins to play he exercises "circular breathing", breathing in and out continuously while playing, making one long low mournful continuous sound.

We felt so confident after our initial experience, that we decided to try and conquer the transportation system completely today. Wrong assumption - some wrong tram directions, some long walking to make amends, some falling on the road, and some confusion on switched trains via the homeward trek all led us to believe that we still have much to learn! But our first impressions of Melbourne are fantastic - we WILL adjust and acclimatize to everything! We ventured out to find Karin's work site, and indeed found Malvern Primary School after two train rides and an incorrect tram ride. It is in a very upscale neighbourhood. We walked the grounds and then met the vice-principal and a teacher who took us around the main building and showed me the music room which I will call home for the next 10 months. It was VERY thrilling! Initial pictures are attached!! The school yard is huge, to accommodate the over 700 students in the school.

In the afternoon we headed to the Queen Victoria Market and were amazed at the magnitude of the place with all its great bargains. It is a place which we will frequent often, I am sure! Thereafter we headed over to the central train station which is next to Federation Square, which seems to be the meeting place of the entire world! There we came upon a Hungry Jack's restaurant (really the Australian version of Burger King), a juggler and unicycle performer, a movie set with a model posing on the steps, and a huge outdoor screen where we could bask in the sunlight and enjoy tennis matches with Roger Federer and Leighton Hewitt ( they both won their respective matches). Yes, the Melbourne Open has begun and tennis fever has hit the city. Tomorrow Rick and I have ground passes to walk around the tennis grounds and watch some of the preliminary matches. We also got tickets to attend the men's semifinal match next weekend. On Thursday and Friday we have orientation meetings at St. Andrews Place with the Victorian Department of Education, by the Parliament train stop. And on the weekend we will entertain our first guest out here, Marianne Labun! So, life out here thus far is great!