I Have Arrived!

So it is my first day in Australia! And I have no pictures to show for it! Who would have thought when moving to a foreign country one must consider that the plugs are different. Having traveled abroad previously I noticed this, I giggled at the fact that the foreign plugs were so cute, so different. Why did I not think to bring an outlet converter…oh well, the small things you learn in the first few hours of international travel?

I arrived to Australia via “V Australia” a sister company of Virgin America (I highly recommend this airline to anyone traveling to Australia). A hip stylish crew welcomes you with a quaffed facade and dance music playing just slightly above a “normal” level, making for conversations to feel more intimate and “cool,” some how. During the flight, at one point in time, I thought to myself, “am I cool enough for this flight?” It was a flight that took place in the evening, with various dimming lights to assist in passenger’s awareness to destination times. Outside my window it was pitch black, with nothing but sea below, all 15 hours, with the exception being the climactic landing-taking place as the sun spiked upward and began to rise.

After exiting the plane and moving through customs in under three minutes (!) I was greeted by humidity, heat, and a slew of bugs. A fly landed on me and I thought I was going to scream…I have been lead to believe that everything is out to get you here…It wants to bite you and kill you! Needles to say the Fly did not kill me…but I thought the cab driver was going too…

Some simple and random observations:

1) I feel that the “look” and “feel” of Australia is strangely akin to South America.

2) I am scared to death to order coffee…there is a whole vocabulary surrounding the subtle differences that I just don’t know. Plus, most of the café attendees are plainly put, dashingly attractive. All of them, not an ugly one in site, and I have yet to see some one that is “plumper” in “these” parts.

3) If I start to use the native slang words will Australians give me dirty looks? I mean I just don’t see myself ever saying, “good-day-mate” with an earnest look about me…

4) McDonalds is the only place for free Wi-fi on the block, this has something to do with “café culture” I am told, and it is referred to, McDonalds that is, as “Mackers”

5) The toilets REALLY flush the other direction!

Although I have only seen a handful of things I am really enjoying my self thus far. This weekend I will be spending time in Sydney with the grand and fabulous Suzanne Peck. A lovely friend and colleague from grad school, who knows what will happen! I will then be traveling to Canberra on Monday to meet up with Richard Whitleley and the ANU gang…More to come….

Till then,

“Cheers”