We are moved in!

August 13, 2011:

Amy is the secondary on call this weekend - she had to go in last night at 2am and then again at 8am this morning.  "Typically" the secondary on call rarely has to go in, but that is not the case this weekend!  We will hopefully go to the beach with Tim, Liz, and some of the other interns today.  For anybody interested you can google map or google earth 'coogee beach' to see where we live.  There is a great foot path that follows the coast from Bondi Beach south to Maroubra Beach.  The path takes you past steep cliffs overlooking the water and into each of the coves - usually sandy beaches.  Along the path just north of us is Gordon's Bay, a reserve that is well protected from the break and is supposed to offer good snorkeling and shallow diving.

Last week we signed a lease on our first apartment for the killer price of $480/week...:(  Very expensive, but everything is expensive here.  Bananas are currently $15AUD/kilo! We have a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a fair sized living area and a balcony facing a quiet street.  We also have a laundry room connected to the kitchen.  Internal laundry is a big advantage because many places have shared laundry or no laundry at all.  Now we just have to find a washing machine on gumtree (the aussie version of craigslist)! 

We have been staying with Tim and Liz because we don't have sheets or much other furniture; plus its nice to have company around and to be in the loop.  We have electricity connected at our place and 'mobile' internet.  One of the wireless companies has this device (about the size of a cell phone) which serves as a hot spot. I picked up one of these pre-paid devices and we have a monthly plan that allows for 3GB of data.  It is portable and we have internet wherever there is coverage.  I actually checked my email on the bus yesterday!  This was a far cheaper option when compared to a cable or dsl connection for our apartment.

Yesterday I went to the city to take a work site safety course.  It was a boring six hour class that taught us how to not injure or kill ourselves and what to do if that happens. The instructor was pretty entertaining given the content of the course.  He shared hilarious stories of the stupid things people have done - I never believed somebody could drink an entire glass of bleach.  Most employers require this "white card" certification for all their employees.  I have received a few call backs from employers and I have a trial work day next week with a fancy landscaping/gardening company.  There is work, but it has been a bit frustrating based on our location and it would be nice to find a job that I enjoy.  With public transport, it can be difficult getting to work or taking a job that requires 30-60 minutes on a bus or train.  My aspirations of become a trinket salesman may become a reality :) j/k


August 22, 2011:

We we are finally situated in our new place.  There are so many things that we couldn't justify bringing with us (kitchen items, etc) that we have been slowly purchasing.  There are a couple of stores that sell cheap 'Made in China" stuff that we have been shopping at.  Tonight we actually made a meal with our own pots and pans!

Yesterday we purchased a washing machine from an ad on Gumtree.  It cost us $220, but its a good machine and we should be able to sell it when we leave and get most of our money back.  Some people have clothes dryers here, but most people just hang their clothes on lines or racks.  We picked up a rack that is set up on our balcony.

I looked at a car on Saturday - a real "deal of the day", but by the time Amy and I talked it over (she was at work), the Germans sold it.  It was a sweet Ford Falcon wagon hahah!  It was all set up for campers and came with all the goodies including a surf board - oh well...

We did end up purchasing a car today.  It's a green 4-door Hyundaiu Excel (1998). Not set up like the Falcon, but it will get good fuel mileage and serve our needs.  It cost $1900, but again, if we use it for a year or so, we should be able to sell it and get most our investment back.  Car ownership is strange here.  Every car must have "rego" (registration) which means it has been inspected by a mechanic and determined to be safe and road worthy.  That inspection costs money and you end up with a "pink slip".  Registration can then be done after a pink slip is obtained.  Fortunately for us, the Excel has a pink slip good through August 2012 and registration is paid for through February 2012 - that saves us some cost.  Insurance is affordable at $37/month for both of us.  It will be nice to have a car when we want to get out of town for the weekend, to pick something up across town, or for me getting across town before the buses run in the morning.

I did end up getting a job.  It's a landscaping/garden maintenance position with Peter Fudge Gardens (www.peterfudgegardens.com.au).  I like work well enough and the starting pay is pretty good.  Right now it is part time, but things will really pick up in the next month or so when we move into spring.

More to come soon, including pictures. 

Hope all is well and much love!