Heat & hide

I have been in Australia for 6 full days now & the temperature outside has been climbing higher & higher each day. So today, knowing it would get up all the way to 35°C, I decided to stay in my lovely little room & spend my time otherwise than those previous 5 days.

What happened previously? Well well, wouldn’t you want to know?! But I guess you are in luck, because I am one of those who cannot keep it to themselves, one of those who just simply have to share. And so, I am going to tell you.

Day 1

I exchanged my money because currencies such as YEN, Euro & USD wouldn’t do much good to me here. I went to the bank with all that money & opened a bank account. Which was super easy & fast. AND, because I am here as a student, I don’t even have to pay any extra bank fees. How cool is the life of a student???!!!

Then I ordered my new iPhone (publicity much?) along with the yearly contract which was much much MUCH more difficult. Yes, Australia – this is your first black point. Or maybe we are spoiled in Europe & anybody can get a phone for as long as they want & it always will be advantageous to their needs & financial possibilities. No, I do NOT need 500min of talk time per month. I, nevertheless, am the queen of text messaging. No, I do NOT need the internet because honestly, there are so many restrictions to it that no matter how well you understand it, you will always get screwed & then hello tears when the phone bill comes with extra units to pay for!

And I also went to fetch my health insurance card. Let’s hope I never need to use it.

Administration is a bore to me & so I was very happy when my friend took me to Sorrento for a late lunch. No, not the one that is located south of Naples opposite the Isle of Capri. Sorrento is a township in Victoria. The one that is located on the shores of Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula. It is about 1h30 car ride south of Melbourne. From what I read, it is a largely upper class, seaside resort area. I dipped my feet in the sea. Yes, I live dangerously from time to time!

Did I say I live dangerously before I actually told you about my trip to Springvale’s IKEA store?  & after that grocery shopping in Fairfield? Yeah, I think I did. My first day was a long one. But exciting & calm at the same time.

Day 2

You all know my passion about food & markets. So it will come like NO SURPRISE at all when I will tell you that I went to Victoria’s Market & the Tea House in Melbourne.

And after that I was taken to my belated birthday gift. A brand new, gorgeous & very sexy red bicycle that was waiting for me impatiently in Brunswick!!!

Day 3

You know what? I’m blanking out here!

Am I Australian yet?

Day 4

AUSTRALIA DAY N°1

I was kidnapped to Phillip Island to celebrate the Australia Day with a bunch of very young & fun Australians. But before that happened, I lost 10g of my weight by cutting a piece of my left thumb off. Yes, that IS my secret of staying fit at my age!!!

Like the name indicates, the place I was kidnapped to is an island. It is about 140km south-southeast of Melbourne. It forms a natural breakwater for the shallow water of Western Port. The island is 26km long & 9km wide, it has 97km of coastline & is part of the Bass Coast Shire. (Thank you Google!) It is known for its wildlife – fairy penguins, wallabies & kangaroos but I didn’t see any of those. The day was about Australia & not about the animals this time!

Dim sum in Chinatown MEL

Day 5

AUSTRALIA DAY N°2

Program of the day? Took my bike for a ride. Enjoyed the greenery of Victoria’s Gardens, walked on the Softbank, had dinner in the Chinatown & watched the sunset at St Kilda.