Paradiso

This doesn't even seem fair to be out here while all my countrymen and living in their fair weather conditions, but I can't be too upset about it. For the past two days, I've spent a majority of my time outside, in the shade given to me from a generous tree, finishing one book and starting another. In between pages and chapters, I lie there thinking this is all surreal. Am I actually sitting in Australia with not a care but what happens next to Colin Angus, the first man to circumnavigate the world using only human power? His adventures that I read about only added to my feeling of adventure; here I read about a man that travelled from Vancouver to Alaska, then rowed across the Bering Strait. Biked across the most remote land in the world other than Antarctica in Eastern Russia, then across Europe from Moscow with his fiancée, who would then become the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean. This couple spent half a year at sea confined to a cabin and a rowing seat, with no other space to go on the row boat. Then the final leg from the Caribbean back to Vancouver in 720 days total, less than two years. If anyone has spare time with the coming reading week, I’d suggest picking up the book as its well worth it just for the adventures they experienced along the way, especially if you’re confined to your hometown and can’t get away for a bit of a break.

I officially moved into my dwelling for the next four and a half months,
22 Wakefield St, Apt. 201
Kent Town, SA, AUS 5067
The place will become more like home as soon as I can solve a small issue of my room smelling a little weird. I talked to the caretakers about it, and they said close the window and if the smell persists than come and tell them, but I think the fact is deniable that the smell’s not coming from the beautiful breezy outdoors. Its likely the old carpet, and nothing a spray won’t fix from some deodorizer. I picked up some sheets today and was going to make it to the grocers but may hold off on that one as I’m leaving for Melbourne on Thursday morning and buying any groceries doesn’t really seem like the smartest idea before going on a little trip. One of the girls I’ve met, Sara, took a trip a week before we all arrived with a company called Groovy Grape and she went up to Alice Springs on a week-long adventure trip. They pack you in a van or bus, and you stop along the way and do all sorts of stuff. So when she and Pam, the other Cdn, and Renae (Yank) were planning a trip to Melbourne, they found out the vans you can rent for pretty cheap only come standard. Of course, none of them can drive standard but figure to give me a call because thought I probably could (Thanks Ellen – how embarrassing is it when your girlfriend has to teach you how to drive standard). Well before they called me, they checked out the Great Ocean Road tour and decided that it was cheaper and included room and accommodation, so instead invited me along to that.

I reckon I’ll be busy enough with school and a job to do too much travelling around for the next four months when school starts at the beginning of March, so I looked at prices, and no one ever mentioned to me but flying domestic in Australia is dirt cheap. 800 km to Melbourne and I booked a flight back for less than $50 AUD. So we’re staying in Melbourne for a few days in a hostel, the four of us will split a four person room, and when I get back I’ll start searching for a job. How jealous do all you cold Canucks feel right now?

Through talking to my caretakers, I also found out that come July when schools finished and before Nash arrives near the beginning of August, I shouldn’t be hard pressed to find a job in the North where it’ll be warm and fruit picking season. They said there’s a lot of work for backpackers up in that part and the landscape is just incredible in the wet season. So that’s great news to me. I also found my bike and its currently getting all set up for when I come back from Melbourne. It’s a beautiful piece of machinery, top carbon bottom alloy frame that’ll definitely be taken 80 km south to a place called Victor Harbor, the best place to surf in South Australia, on the weekends. My class schedule (only on Wed, Thurs, Fri) is gonna be more than generous for weekend excursions to accessible places with comfortable beeches to sleep on (worried much mom?)

To make anyone feel better that thinks its all smiles and heaven down here, I did unfortunately wake up missing home this morning and I am not adjusting well to the heat what so ever, almost half the time searching for shade/water/solace from the sun, well only in peak hours or when I know I need to smell decently well in an hours time. Tomorrow, Henley Beach for swimming and fun in the sun.