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Enjoying our new living space for 2014

Summer in January

Summer holidays in January – rarely together in a sentence unless it is January and you are wishing it was summer holidays. While we were enjoying our new space in Coonabarabran, we also recognize that it is summer holidays and this is the significantly longer period of time off from school so we better make the best of it.

Road Trip

We planned a road trip to Melbourne and Canberra to see the countryside and these two significant cities. While we had the route generally plotted out, we decided to be reasonably spontaneous. The benefit is that we weren’t really held to a schedule and could poke along, or go further than we originally planned. The downside is that we often scrambled last minute for accommodations and could easily spend a frustrating hour on the mobile looking for something reasonably priced with good reviews.

Melbourne was suffering a heat wave when we were there. Temps hovering around +42 so we were indoors or in the car most of the time. The Australia Open was on at the time and we had a hard enough time walking in that kind of heat let alone play world class tennis. Unbelievable how those athletes can perform in such heat. We made use of the annual passes we purchased in Sydney to visit the Melbourne Aquarium then drive around the city.

Winnipeg is a pretty multicultural city with a good selection of ethnic restaurants. Melbourne, from what we saw, was like Winnipeg on steroids. It wasn’t unusual to have 5 restaurants in a row from five different continents, or at least, different ethnic origins. A new dream of mine is to spend a year in Melbourne and try out a different restaurant each night. Given the price of food here, it probably isn’t going to happen.

Popped out to Philip Island to see the Penguin Parade. My thoughts about a cozy intimate experience with these exotic birds were shattered when we pulled into the enormous parking lot with tons of tour buses and swarms of people moving toward the ornate interpretive center. We moved past the gift shops and snack bars down the boardwalk to the bleachers set up beside the water and waited for the penguins to arrive. No photos allowed but this YouTube video basically shows what we saw.

It was afterward when most people had left that the real experience began. We got up close and walked up the boardwalk beside one particular penguin – Carlen tells of the experience in his blog, so I’ll leave it at that. I must say, when all was said and done, it WAS a worthwhile experience and I did come away feeling like I did have that intimate experience with those amazing little birds.

Great Ocean Highway

Amazing sights but a nerve-wracking drive in the “hearse”. Stopped at Seafarers’ Getaway (-38.729447,143.698486) and LOVED it – smaller facility overlooking a great sand beach, two bedrooms with a living room and kitchenette. Laundry right next door so we put a load through while we sat on the patio watching the waves. Had a little wade at the beach even though it was pretty windy and a little rainy. Glad we did as a pod of dolphins were cresting above the water just out from us for a minute or two. Just a bunch of dorsal fins, really, but it was still pretty amazing to see and contributed to the whole, “holy cow, we are in Australia!” emotion. It’s also much cooler here, very comfortable and completely livable. Hoping to get out onto the beach for an hour before we have to check out thankful that the temperatures are above zero and the water is in liquid state.

We made a few stops along the trip: one at SOMETHING for a walk through the rain forest. Spectacularly large trees with complex root systems you can stand inside, enormous ferns and small palms. Another stop was at the Cape Otway Lighthouse Drive where we saw about a dozen koalas here and there sitting in the trees enjoying a nap or a snack.

Great Alpine Highway

Drove the Great Alpine Highway after backtracking back to Melbourne and on through to Eden, a coastal town we’re stopping in before heading to Canberra. It is a much wider road and the twists and turns much more manageable than the Ocean Highway. The scenery was no less spectacular. The enormous trees perched on high red banks looked positively ethereal enveloped in mist and back-lit with the sun. There were low clouds in the valleys and the rain made the air fresh and delicious: imagine cedar (they weren’t cedars, but the smell was similar), bergamot, and eucalyptus carried on a cool but humid breeze.

Social Media

One of the apps we are using is 4square; users check-in to places and can then search nearby attractions, restaurants, and accommodations. Many times you can see reviews, patron’s photos, and recommendations. We’re also using it as a way to keep track of where we have been and what we have seen along the way. The GPS also tracks our route, so I’m thinking at some point in the future we can mash-up our photos, the 4Square data, and the GPS track into a Google Map to supplement our own written records and memories of the trip. Also appreciating Facebook to connect with people back home and with our exchange partners to see how they’re enjoying the Winnipeg winter. Twitter has been good for connecting with the Aussies in my professional learning network.

Reflections on Place and Time

Feeling a little guilt/envy about missing out on the coldest winter in a long time back home. I do love severe weather and the challenges it brings. Always a bit of an adventure. Always enjoyed early Canadian prairie literature like Settlers of the Marsh. Easy to sympathize but hard to comprehend the struggles of carving out a life and a living from the raw climate and uncut prairie. Am anxious to learn more about early Australian settlers and their experiences.

Thinking about school too – as a student my course in Education Policy began a couple of days ago so I’ve been studying the syllabus and getting my head wrapped around the course obligations for the next 16 weeks. As a teacher, I’m a couple weeks away from spending a bunch of time in the classroom getting oriented and prepared for the coming term. As enjoyable as this experience has been so far, the deep learning is ahead.

This isn’t a spectacular fun update, just a response to a couple of people wanting to know some prices for things. While we were at Woolworth today we snapped a few photos of pretty standard grocery items that we would find back home. If you’re not interested in grocery prices, you needn’t read any further!

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Newcastle Hotel

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Our home for a couple of days after we left Sydney for Coonabarabran.

Arrived late Tuesday afternoon at our home-for-a-year, a large home with a fabulous porch off the back looking over a beautiful yard with more varieties of plants, shrubs, and trees than I’m used to seeing. We puttered around getting oriented and unpacked after two weeks living out of the suitcases. Even managed to get a couple loads of laundry hung on the line to dry. Our exchange partner’s parents were here to greet us and passed along a roaster chicken and a beautiful salad which is exactly what we needed.

The 6 hour drive inland was great; rolled through a few little towns each with their own large two story brick structure with a large wooden veranda and covered deck on the front. We’ve had visits from our partner’s folks, one of my colleagues, and the neighbour. Really feeling welcome and comfortable in our new space.

It’s also been fun to see what our exchange partners are up to back in the North American deep freeze with the snow and ice. All reports are that they are enjoying themselves and have even started on an outdoor skating rink! Great fun!

While the setting is new to us, there are times, like when we’re washing the dishes, or folding laundry, that it seems like life as usual, however, there are lots of little things that remind us we are somewhere else:

• left hand drive, though that is feeling more and more natural every day
• colour of the soil – bright rich red, rather like Prince Edward Island
• electric outlets – different plug, each with its’ own power switch
• light switches – up is off, down is on
• accents – though they too are less noticeable the longer we’re here
• Australian flags
• plants – everywhere you look, particularly in people’s yards, there are a tremendous variety of plants, some with enormous leaves, and a ton that are flowering though many have passed their prime. Spring will be gorgeous here!
• coffee – expensive and small. We’re here for new experiences and to immerse ourselves in Australian life, but we are both itching for an enormous cup of drip coffee!
• evaporative cooling systems – brilliant idea!
•  bird calls – noisy cockatoos and the monkey-like chatter of the kookaburra are quite unique
• prices – gas is hovering around the $1.60/L mark and groceries are quite pricey; even wine is much more expensive than I expected though there are some bargains available.
• sizes – containers in the grocery store are quite small compared to what’s available in Canada, though we’re used to buying bulk at Costco so our perceptions may be a little skewed
• lamb – it’s everywhere, and it’s reasonably cheap… LOVE IT!
• kangaroos – more dead than alive at this point, the roads are littered with the poor things

Shooting Pool

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Thursday, 2 January 2014

Our flight from Beijing to Sydney left in the evening and we landed early morning in Australia met at the airport by the lovely Moores who put us up and helped us get oriented to our new situation. Very grateful for their care and hospitality! After picking us up at the airport and getting our gear unloaded they took us for a drive to Palm Beach (the one in Sydney, not California) where we indulged in some fish and chips (and shrimp and scallops!) then a quick swim. Carlen enjoyed playing in the waves and dodging the kelp. We had an early night after all our travels and experiences.

Friday, 3 January 2014

We planned a short first time left-hand-drive to the train station and venture to Sydney Harbour. First stop was the shopping centre to get the mobile phone sorted and had a bite to eat. Lots of fresh food shops with a huge variety of seafood. With all the choices we ended up having a McDonalds breakfast – couldn’t resist having the Aussie Brekkie Roll.

Felt confident enough to drive right in to the Harbour and eventually found a parkade but the ticket gate and prices weren’t posted until you wound your way into the building a fair bit. We were shocked to see the rates were $15 for the first 30 minutes and scaled up from there. Our planned 3 hour stay would cost $70 in parking alone. We thought about backing out but another vehicle had pulled up behind us so we sucked it up and committed to the parking.

Making our way out it was a thrill to see the bridge and glimpse the Opera House in real life rather than in photos or video. The docked cruise ship, crowds of people, water, boats, birds, the humid warm air, and the hot hot sun assured us we were well and truly feet-on-the-ground in Australia. The only think nagging at us was the parking bill accumulating with every passing second. We were determined not to let it hinder our experience.

First stop was the Sydney Aquarium. Along the way we stopped to listen to someone playing the didgeridoo.  At the Aquarium we stood in line for about $22.50… I mean 45 minutes. We decided to purchase an annual pass which also gives us access to other attractions in Australia. The Aquarium is a great space with lots to see though it was quite crowded when we went and was a little frustrating in some of the smaller exhibit spaces. Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves and saw some pretty amazing creatures.

Hurrying back to the parkade we braced ourselves for the parking bill. While the gate was processing the card I noticed there was a 2.8% surcharge for credit card payments. Yuck. When the receipt popped out the only value I saw was $5 and assumed it was probably the surcharge but, on closer inspection, turns out that was the total cost of our three hour stay! Yippeee! Back at the Moore’s we had a nice supper, played some pool, and then off to sleep.

Saturday, 4 January 2014

Our second full day we decided not to tempt the parking gods and took the train back to the harbour. Another busy day with many people and lots of street performers. More didgeridoo players, human statues, artists, and performers. Ended up watching one who juggled dangerous things balanced on the top of a bicycle sitting on a three meter pole. After that we strolled around the Opera House then found a place for a sit down lunch. Nothing is cheap there, but it was delicious.

Outside the Opera House is an installation called Architects of Air: Exxopolis. It is an enormous hand-sewn air-filled structure (think of a balloon you can walk inside) with pure coloured light panels. The geometry is amazing and the effects of the primary light colours on your eyes is neat to experience. Alicia sat and recovered from the walking while Carlen and I explored that interesting space.

Later we made our way around to The Rocks strolling through the market stalls. So many neat crafty things to look at none of which we purchased thank goodness! It was quite a long walk but we eventually found ourselves back near the Aquarium. We made use of our annual passes to visit the Wax Museum and the Australian Wildlife places. Knowing we could come back any time allowed us to zip through and focus on what we wanted as opposed to feeling like we had to take in every single exhibit and read every sign along the way.

The wax models at Madame Tussaud’s are amazingly lifelike – Alicia commented more than once how freaky it felt. Most of the models there are Australian celebrities, some familiar and some not. A couple of times I’d glance at one and was startled when it moved realizing it was just another tourist who had been standing still for a while.

Back at Moore’s, Carlen had a swim while we visited. After supper we visited late into the evening talking about music, the weather, books, and telling stories. A nice way to wrap up another full day.

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Early morning getting our gear rounded up and packed away. Enjoying seeing pictures from our exchange partners back in Canada managing the cold and snow. Also appreciating that our friends and colleagues are offering a warm welcome to them in the middle of the cold snap.

Had a nice visit with an old (as in “time known”, not as in “aged”) friend and his family – commented on how it had been more than a decade since we had been in the same space at the same time yet our time together was a comfortable, fun, and an easy visit. Loved their amazing home space, their precious daughters, and the finely BBQd sausages and lamb. Even Alicia liked the lamb, and, for those of you that know her that was quite a compliment! Carlen said as we were leaving Allan and Gillian’s that he had only met two Australian families (Moore’s and Kreuiter’s) and they are both “awesome… cool people!” We heartily agree!

Leaving the Kreuiter’s we headed off to Newcastle and are now settled in at a hotel for a couple of nights before the journey inland to our home for a year in Coonabarabran. Thanks to everyone for your comments here and on Facebook. We love how easy it is to stay connected even though we’re so far away.

NSW towns post record-breaking temps

Eight hinterland NSW towns have baked through their hottest day on record.

The Bureau of Meteorology says records were broken across northern and central inland regions of the state on Friday.

In Walgett, residents sweltered through temperatures not experienced anywhere in the state for more than 70 years.

There the mercury reached a record 49.1 degrees Celsius – the highest temperature posted anywhere in NSW since 1939, when 50C was recorded in Wilcannia.

Other NSW records set on Friday include 47.8C in Mungindi and Narrabri and 47.6C in Coonamble.

In Moree temperatures climbed to 47.3C, smashing the previous record of 46.1C set in 1932.

Tamworth, Coonabarabran and Mudgee also hit their highest-ever temperatures on Friday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The bureau says further records could be revealed on Saturday, when official maximum temperatures are transmitted from additional climate monitoring stations.

Nine News National

Winnipeg deep freeze as cold as uninhabited planet

Manitoba Museum reports Winnipeg’s temperature as cold as surface of Mars

It’s so cold that one airline has decided not to fly in or out of Winnipeg.

According to the Curiosity Rover, Mars reached a maximum temperature of -29 C on Tuesday, a temperature Winnipeg only reached shortly before 3 p.m.

The deep freeze over much of Southern Manitoba prompted extreme wind chill warnings in the area and most of the north.

In Winnipeg, the daytime high temperature for Tuesday was only expected to reach –31 C, but the windchill made it feel more like –40 to –50. That means exposed skin can freeze in less than five minutes.

On Monday, it got as warm as –28 C.

In the northern half of the province, in places like Thompson, Nelson House, Lynn Lake, Leaf Rapids and Churchill, the wind chills on Tuesday made it feel like –48 to –53.

The entire province was under an extreme wind chill warning on Monday, but it was later lifted in the central portion of Manitoba as well as the southwest and southeast corners.

CBC News