A Brief Update

So here’s an update on what I’ve been up to since my arrival down under. This time I even have pictures!!!

January 26^th – Australia Day

Today ended up being a day of fruitless searches. We didn’t make it down to the Darling Harbour (just beside Circular Quay which hosts the Opera House), until 11am. One would think that this should be early enough to make the big festivities, but sadly… no. We had already missed the surfboard races, boat races, etc. We were left to wonder around looking for some entertainment and soaking up the atmosphere. There were lots of people about dressed from the everyday to the red, white and blue extreme! Not to mention those in Australia’s other official colours, green and gold. Odd, I agree.

As I mentioned before, the day of fruitless searches. The first involved a series of overhead flybys that google earth were doing. The flight plan had been published in the paper the day before so one would know where and when the plane would be throughout the day. In theory the picture quality was going to be good enough that you could pick yourself out of a crowd; as long as you were wearing something recognizable.

Ash was determined to be visible for the plane when it flew by Darling Harbour. This involved an intense operation of calls back and forth between us and his parents over near the opera house. Sadly, we missed it at Darling Harbour; the plane was over the Opera House ahead of the originally scheduled time. I have included a reconstruction of what this must have looked like!

We spent the rest of the day searching for a relocated ice cream shop that no one had ever been to. Our quest took us all the way to Chinatown, where decidedly they do not serve very much specialty ice cream.

With our needs gone unfulfilled but spirits uncrushed, we headed to a friend’s house to play some board games. And finally headed to one restaurant of the only Mexican restaurants in Sydney… Montezuma’s. The menu choices were good, but Aussified, and they say ba-JA instead of ba- HA. But hey, I would still go back.

Stick close, there is much more to come… just so little time to write it! But rest assured I will be back and near my comp in about 3 days… and notes are being kept on everything else I’ve done so far. I’ve included these and will definitely elaborate when I get a chance.

Now off to the Blue Mountains!

As a side note…. I also got my first sunburn! Just though I should throw that in for those who may be feeling a tad nippley.

Weekend - Fishing

- penguin in the harbour!

- Nothing caught

- Church at Hillsong that night

Jan 29^th to 30^th Night in the city

- stayed at the intercontinental with a view of the gardens

- out to see Kaidan at the opera house

- dinner at opera bar

- next day wondering through the city

- bats in Royal Botanical Gardens

- Lindt chocolate coffee shop

- good luck boar at Sydney hospital

- "Happy Feet" in the evening, oh my mister mumbles

Settling in...

My flights from New York to Dubai than Dubai to Sydney were great. I would definitely go that way around with emirates again. It felt much shorter than Air Canada. One of the best parts was the lighting. Now I know I have told a number of you about my excitement for the stars inset into the roof... but it was even better. They dim the cabin lights to slowly phase into night. Going through afternoon, dusk, evening, etc. Check out the lighting system. Not to mention the entertainment that definitely speaks for itself.

Finally arriving in Sydney was a great relief. I was so excited that I was shaking. Customs was quick and the luggage came even quicker. Finally seeing Ash was great; it was bizarre too, I hadn't seen him for so long. Now my new life can begin!

Sydney's been nice. Warm, a little too humid, but warmer than home :P I got a mild cold and been rather jet lagged for the past few days so we haven't done too much. I have however gotten a new mobile number, which I feel solidifies my presence here. Today we even bought dishware and a few other things for the apartment. Very productive!

Sadly I have no pictures as of yet, but they will be coming. Tomorrow is my first big day out meeting people and seeing the sights. It'll be Australia Day! We are even going to try to be near the Opera House when google takes a very high resolution picture. Aparently it will be of such high quality that you could easily find yourself. Please note, I will be standing under my infamous red McGill umbrella.

That's all for now, I'm off to battle the urge to sleep until at least 10pm.

Only one regret

After a long few weeks filled with too many good-byes, I have finally started my long journey.

Leaving my parents and grandmother at the airport was rather difficult. As with any big trip like this I have had to say goodbye to too many good people who have really been a part of my life. Understandably so though, saying goodbye to my close family was the most difficult of them all. Luckily I didn’t shed too many tears, and the momentum of this trip rushed me away to my new life.

The first leg of the journey has not been too difficult. In fact I learned a little about myself that I never knew. Most notably, that I am still prone to motion sickness; particularly while traveling in small commuter planes. I feel it may have had something to do with my severe lack of sleep from the night before, however these are only suspicions.

Strangely my BIG thought as the plane was finally taking off had nothing to do with the good people I left behind, or the statistics of the chance of crashing during take-off. My thoughts dwelled on a regret that I hadn’t anticipated. I never ate any snow during the last snowfall. It’s one of those luxuries that many of us probably take advantage of. Do you remember back when you were a child, diving into the pile of freshly fallen fluff? You always swallowed a little, and happily let the airy flakes of ice melt quickly on your tongue. Or if you were lucky enough, you could crunch a mouthful into a denser version of itself, before it too quickly melted away. The whole act itself being a carefree self indulgence that almost contained a somewhat sensuousness facet, shared in your own private bubble. I won’t be able to do this again for a long time. Even if I do encounter snow down under, I fear it just won’t be the same. When I was in the Antarctic the subtle difference I had never expected, was that the snow contains a different quality. I was more similar to Styrofoam or what one might expect from fake snow. Since many of you have grown up in a culture that knows the distinct difference between wet, sticky snow, dry, loose snow and the perfect combination of these that result in packing snow this may come as no surprise. As a matter of fact I later learned that, like almost everything else tangible in life, there is a scientific reason. The snowflakes there melt in slightly different shapes, resulting in a different settling pattern. The closest approximation I can think of is the difference in bonding structure between carbon molecules in a piece of coal versus a diamond. Admittedly the strength of bonds do not vary amongst snowflakes (that would just be silly), but they layer on each other ever so differently causing a strikingly different result. What if this is also true of Australian snow?! It exists, I know it does. What will I do if it’s second rate? I’ll let you know whenever I ever get the chance to discover.

Appropriately, as I sit here in JFK for my next flight, the song “Land Down Under” is playing. I think you are now sharing my moment of realization with me. The immensity of my journey is just now settling in. Every feeling associated with such a move is now rushing at me; fear, anxiety, impatience, happiness, sadness, and most of all excitement. Excitement to see Ash for the first time in months, and to start the next stage of my life in Melbourne.

As a side note, I want to make a big thanks to everyone who were able to come out over the past few weeks, and those who were unable to, but would have come if circumstances had allowed. That includes all the great people in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto Hamilton and Burlington – not to forget anywhere else as well. And to Lena for letting me enjoy my last night in North America chilling in Brooklyn. Going out in style I think.

I love you all and everyone will be greatly missed.

Booth love to all!