I am here!

It is currently 8:18am on Tuesday morning, and I am in Australia! I arrived yesterday at around 11:30am into Sydney. I claimed my baggage very quickly, cleared customs and declared a few items at quarantine (food items to give my future flatmates). They didn't actually bother looking at them though, I just told them what I had brought (Rheo Thompson chocolate, maple syrup and Iniskillin icewine) and then I was good to go. I picked up my "info packet" at the University booth as well. I have yet to look at that. The guy was leaving when I finally remembered to pick up the package, so it was good I caught him before he left! I think they are just volunteer students from the universities that man the booth.

Then I got a cab to Manly. My cabbie was from Southeast Asia somewhere, and had been living in Sydney over twenty years. His accent was incredible because obviously he had an Australian twang but still a heavy Asian accent. It was so neat. The drive to Manly from the airport was gorgeous. We had great discussions about Sydney and what I was doing here, and how he loves the city and how I would love it too. We figured out the address of where I am staying, and then we proceeded to the Harbour Tunnel (as opposed to the famous Harbour Bridge..I will see that today when I take the Manly Ferry into the city) and then meandered through all of these tropical suburbs. It was very surreal. I think that word can aptly describe the time here so far. Surreal.

We arrived in Manly and discussed how we'd get my things up to the apartment. He had to double park and I ran over to make sure the key was in the mailbox hidden under some flyers as previously agreed (thankfully, it was!) so I motioned to him and he parked. Then we brought my things up, I thanked him profusely and I was in the apartment!

It was pretty hot out, for me. Not hot for Manly weather, though. I found my room, and dumped my stuff. My cell phone didn't work though, and I had anticipiated that it would, so that was unfortunate. I had to let my flatmate know (I shall now refer to him as "The Aussie") that I had arrived and was able to get into the apartment. Thankfully, Ben and Jerrys ice cream is below the apartment, and I could connect to their wireless to send a quick message that I'd arrived.

My first impression of the apartment was that it was so beachy!! And that could be because I now live in the beach for the next few weeks. You can hear the waves and you look out any window and there are beach views. Pleasant ocean breezes as well, so it's not too hot and there's no need for air conditioning! I took a shower and then decided to venture out into Manly.

At this point it is about 1:30pm. The Aussie would return home from work at around 4-4:30, so I had some hours to kill without sleeping. The key was to not sleep until as late as possible that evening, so I would get used to Australia time more easily. I decided to go for a walk to explore. Because if I stayed in the apartment I would for sure fall asleep.

Manly is a beach suburb of Sydney. Their motto is "Manly: Seven Miles from Sydney, A Hundred Miles from Care". I would say that is pretty accurate. Most people are wandering around in their bikinis and flip flops (thongs) and lying on the beach and running down the beach and walking down the beach and on their cruiser bikes down the beach. Surfing, too, of course! There's good surfing right outside my window!

I walked down one end of the beach, got to the edge, and then proceeded to walk all the way down to the other side, ending at Shelley Beach. As I walked by I saw a family of lizards/iguanas/not sure exactly so I took a picture, realizing that I really am not in Canada anymore!

Then around 4:30 I wandered back to the apartment. I heard a door close upstairs and there was The Aussie at the top of the stairs, in his boardshorts and towel ready to go for a swim. I found my bikini and was coerced into joining him, even thought at this point I just want to sleep! We walked down to the beach barefoot and he told me a few things about swimming there. Always swim between the flags, because that's where the lifeguards are patrolling. (Actually, this is clearly very important because the nice man from Sydney that I sat beside on the plane said the same thing: "I will offer you one piece of advice for your time here. And that is always swim between the flags."

Then The Aussie showed me what else to watch out for, namely blue bottle jellyfish. There were lots washed up on the shore that we had to avoid as we headed to the water. He said they sting but it doesn't do anything bad except hurt for about ten minutes. Then The Aussie decides that maybe we'll go to Shelley Beach instead because there for sure won't be any blue bottles there. As we're headed to Shelley Beach we hear a child screaming in the water. "Ten bucks says he just got stung" says The Aussie. Nevertheless I was happy to be headed to the other beach.

We head into the water when we arrive and it's absolutely glorious and refreshing and totally clear! I have never been in such clear water. There were big fish swimming around too. Right around us! They were touching my legs and I was getting all sqeamish but trying not to act too freaked out, for obvious reasons. I didn't want to be the wussy Canadian that can't handle some fins touching her legs! But then one touched The Aussie and he was just as bad as me about it, so I laughed and that made me feel better. He said most people don't care but he hates it! Good to know. Then we were sort of getting cold in the water, just chatting about this and that, so we went to dry off and warm up on the beach. (I know I shouldn't even be allowed to say that I was cold in 27 degree weather, but I guess the body acclimatizes quickly!)

We head back to the apartment and have showers. I honestly forgot that the ocean would be salty! I am used to swimming in freshwater, so when I went underwater I was quickly reminded that I am indeed swimming in the sea. At this point it's 5:30pm or so and I am fading. The Aussie is determined that I will stay awake until 8pm, so we head out to have some beers and mussels at a brewery. They were delicious! I'd never had mussels before. We walked around the wharf and The Aussie was showing me things and pointing things out and basically making me walk so I wouldn't sleep. Which in hindsight was a good call but I sure wanted to be in my bed sleeping at the time!

Oh yeah there's also one more flatmate (The Aussie 2, we'll call him) so I met him but he didn't come with us to dinner. He was watching the Pro Bowl on TV. I think. I was in the kitchen area and the boys were on the couches and they were chatting away about cricket and I could not follow the conversation. Then they began to talk about something other than cricket, and I couldn't follow that either. So I realized that it was their Australian accents, not the content! It's strange though; maybe they speak slower to me because I'm new. Fine with me! I'd much rather understand than not undertand!

I managed to stay up until 9pm, then I crashed. It took me awhile to fall asleep because of all the new noises (ocean waves, people talking as they walk on the beach, cockatoos) and because it was hot. But I got a good sleep and got up at about 5:30am when I heard The Aussie waking up early to head to work.

And now I am sitting in the living room enjoying the ocean views! I am going to go into the city today, by ferry. That should be beautiful. I plan on opening my bank account, getting a cell phone plan, and finding a fellow Canadian that is also starting law school. She's arriving this morning, and is staying in a residence on campus so it shouldn't be too hard to track her down. I wonder if jetlag will kick in again later..hopefully I can stay busy until evening again today just to be sure!