I’ve been Way Down Under for nearly a full week, and thus far, it’s been a real mixed bag of learning experiences. The good news though, I have finally found a place to live. It is on the lake, right off the bike path, and a nice bike ride into town. Granted, the price is steep, but the space is amazing and there is a lot to be said for having privacy. My roommates are a lovely couple, both of whom are contemporaries and athletic, so it’s pretty idyllic.
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| The view from my balcony at my new flat. I’m losing my Mountain Man street cred living somewhere so posh… |
One thing I’ve learned quickly: hitch-hiking is totally kosher, and you’ll usually get a ride within a few cars passing by. It isn’t just a fall-back plan for travel, it is almost more consistent than the public transit buses! I still need to procure some kind of motorized transportation though, as being dependent on others and/or pedal power is quite limiting; plenty of time work that out though.
No surprise, managing to eat correctly has proved to be the greatest challenge, and I think I’m still a ways away from having it all sorted out. Today’s experience of food shopping in a country running on the metric system, different monetary value, and normal [read: not American] portions meant I felt like I was spending a ton of money on two bags of groceries. I’ll get the hang of this eventually, I can feel it.
The day has now come to a close, and I’ve been forced to go out for dinner again (the gas for the grill wasn’t working). I’m sitting on a bar stool typing this out on my iPhone and all I can think about is how it feels like I’ve been here ages already, but at the same time, it feels like Day 1 – kind of odd. I just have to remember to give myself time to fully settle in and find my stride. So, with that in mind, the next step: find a job!