Soaking up the sun

A recent visit to the beach where I--dare I say it??--actually spent time in the sun.

The weather as of late has taken a turn for the better. It went above 20 on the thermometer last week, and hit 25 this Saturday (thus the beach pic). Gorgeous! 

The days just seem to roll into one another here, and before I know it, it's the weekend. Maybe it's because I have such a basic schedule to work around during the day: activities in the morning, come home for lunch, put H down for his nap for two hours (at least), play around with him in the afternoon... Then I'm relieved of my position at 5:30.

I've gotten used to things around here, although something will throw me for a loop on occasion. Now it's no longer the roads and round-abouts, but sometimes it's my new phone number (still trying to remember), the expense of a medium sized coffee(!), looking up measurements for ingredients through the metric system, leaving the apartment sans toddler... Little things like that. Plus the fact that cafes aren't open in our area on Sundays. (Hrrrmm.) 

Speaking of ingredients, a few weeks ago I proposed a weekly cooking challenge, where we each had to cook a meal during week as part of a challenge. I was first up, and my challenge was... Lasagna!
I was slightly apprehensive at first, because, let's face it--who cooks a better lasagna than your mother?

But in the end, I'm pleased to say that it was a hit. I would have taken a picture to show off my crowning achievement, but it was too delicious to live. If you're curious as to recipe I tried, go here.

Below are some shots I've taken over the past week and a bit...

Probably the closest I'll ever get to one of these guys/girls.

The other big thing I've noticed since staying here is that I've never seen any road kill. Not in the city streets, nor the outer areas like along highways. The closest I've seen to anything was a dead parrot on one of those islands in the middle of the street, and that one probably just crapped out from old age. Having said that, it's nice not to see any poor dead things along the sides of the road, but it's still a bit weird. (But maybe that's only because I come from a place where raccoons are forever prowling the streets in search of food.)

Out and about

Early morning latte with a side of toddler.

 If you want to get to know a new city, walking helps considerably... Said everyone ever, of course. So that's what I've been doing this past week, and will be doing for the next few months: walking all over the place. And bit by bit, I'm getting more used to way things are done here in Perth. I couldn't get over all of the round-abouts, but I'm better adjusted now. (Even when the pedestrians don't have the right of way *scoffs*)

Perth on a Sunday morning.

Ah, the silence.

 The good thing is that everything is within reasonable walking distance. I can go to the park, get coffee, the library, shop, get coffee... I have yet to find one bad cappuccino/flat white in the coffee shops I've visited.

Clearly I'm already a fan.

Getting to know the locals...

The other thing I'm getting used to is living around a one-year-old. There are pets, and then there are toddlers. Toddlers are funny, because it's that stage when they are discovering everything (and the stage where you have to start watching their every move like a hawk). You point something out, and they will notice it. Sometimes they will laugh, and other times they will cry. If you can manage to go a day without making them cry in some way, mission accomplished. But they will, inevitably, cry.

A vineyard we visited for quality wine tasting

This week I've began the task of nephew watching. I'll be taking him out the library and park, and to a toddler-centric gym where he can crawl around and climb on mats. 

In other news, there was a shooting in our neighbourhood on Monday morning. I'm here one week and the crime rate is already soaring in Perth. (Normally it's zilch.)  I feel like I brought a piece of dirty Toronto with me. 

Also, I finally got Instagram! When I don't have my SLR on me, my phone is what I'll be using instead, and it's more than likely one of those photos will end up on the gram'. 

Day 1: Dublin Airport

If movie screens on the back of chairs existed in the 1980s, they wouldn't even be having a conversation.

When life gives you layovers, I give you... A new blog post. 

I've been sitting in the Dublin airport since 10 this morning, and won't be leaving for Dubai til about 10:30 tonight. I'm tired yes, but the internet is what has been keeping me going.

 Funny how things can quickly turn over in a matter of hours; my flight to Dublin was originally supposed to be at 5:30 yesterday afternoon, but then we got a phone call saying that the first leg of my flight was indefinitely delayed.

One thing led to another, and after hours of waiting/phone calls to confirm where in the heck the plane was... It was scheduled to come in around 8:30.

So, while I may have missed my connecting flight to Abu Dhabi today and later to Perth, I managed to get a row to myself on the way over here. What a glorious feeling. Made even more enjoyable by watching When Harry Met Sally.

I've heard nothing but lilting Irish/British accents since last night, which is a favourable switch from your average North American drawl. 

I feel like I should have had a Guiness by now. 

Image from here

Intro

Ain't that the truth.

(I'm terrible at writing intros, so I'm just going to jump right in.)

Next week I will be heading off to Australia for four months! I'm starting this blog as a way to write about my adventures, discover the Aussie way of life, and post many, many pictures. Some of which may include food. 

Rather than hitting it off in the outback and wrestling with kangaroos (as one does when visiting Australia), I will hitting up the west coast in the city of Perth, where I will be hanging with my sister, her husband and year old son. My duties, while I'm there, will be to:

1. Get re-acquainted the aforementioned one-year-old
2. Get him walking like a champ
3. Play any one of these games (my favourite would definitely/obviously be no. 5, but I'll save that one for [much] later.)
4. Explore as much of Perth as possible
5. Take pictures
6. Update often
7. Find weird bugs (then back the hell away) 
8. Meet a Hemsworth brother
9. Eat

Things I will not do:

1. Trek through the outback (sorry to disappoint)
2. Wrestle a kangaroo 
3. Meet a Hemsworth brother (sadly)

This week is reserved for getting last minute items and getting my suitcase packed for a four month stay. I haven't been bitten by the travelitis bug yet (yes, there is such a thing), but that may change as my flight date approaches. It's so weird how fast it's come up.

Nothing beats a change of scenery much like Australia. Once I get past the 20+ hour plane ride (give or a take a few hours) I should be fine. 

Hanging Rock, aka Mount Diogenese, is a geological formation in Central Victoria. It was the inspiration for an eerie book, later turned into an eerie movie in 1975.  I definitely won't get around to visiting it, but it's just another thing that seems so very mysterious... And very Australian. 

Until next week...!!!

Top image from here