B - LOGged On!

Well it's been a looooong wait but we finally have our internet connection at home. Things are a little different down under! We're still trying to figure out the cheapest way to make phone calls (local and international), and it seems getting a 'mobile' could cost upwards of 40 cents for each connection plus about 1 cent per second! I told Martin I didn't think we needed to get a cell phone right now. Maybe wait till we win the lottery!

We'll be posting some photos very soon . . . just as soon as we find the camera cable. I know it's in one of these suitcases waiting to be unpacked . . . .

Yes, we're still unpacking suitcases but we're whittling away at it and as of last Thursday, we also have our container goods. Seems there were no problems at all with any of the things we brought down (bikes, boats, non-perishable food items, kids toys, etc.) There were a number of things we had been led to believe might be confiscated but everything came through. Now we just have to figure out where to put all this stuff!

The kids had their first full week of school this past week and they all seem to have settled in just fine. After the second day I didn't hear any more complaints about the uniforms they have to wear. They're very casual (navy pants and polo shirts), but the colours are specific to the school so I've had to spend a fortune re-outfitting them!

We're finding the cost of food is quite a bit more expensive than we're used to. Some things are cheaper (like lamb!), but most produce is expensive (of course we're in the 'off' season right now), and dining out is significantly more expensive (local muffin stop at the mall charges $7.00 for coffee & a muffin!!) Of course there are some very interesting things at the grocery (like kangaroo meat!), and we're having to adapt to not having some of our favourite products available (like certain breakfast cereals and good coffee!), but it's all part of the adventure.

As soon as we can get some pictures posted, you'll see what I mean about our beautiful location here. The house is surrounded by eucalyptus trees, flowering shrubs and the most interesting sounding birds. So far I can identify the magpies and the sulphur-crested cockatoos but there are so many others I have yet to learn about. Our view is spectacular - we look out towards the harbour and catch all the beautiful sunsets. The property is very private so we tend to leave the curtains open to enjoy the view day and night.

Every one I've come in contact with so far has been extremely friendly and helpful. A perfect example is the call I made to the local equivalent of the motor vehicle branch. Purchasing and registering the car in Sydney but living in Hobart meant we had to have certain inspections and paperwork in place within a certain period of time. I was expecting to be put through my paces with automated systems, multiple transfers to various departments and the usual bureaucratic efficiencies I've experienced in Canada. Instead what I got was this; first number dialed, answered by the only person I needed to talk to. Not only did she explain what I needed to do, but she also provided me with the names and phone numbers of several local vehicle inspection agencies along with what I could expect to pay. By the end of the call she had also given me (without my soliciting this information), the name of her Canadian neighbour who is a physiotherapist and where she works on specific days! I mean we're talking friendly!

Yesterday we went for a short bike ride down near the beach below our house. There's a lovely, relatively flat walking/cycling path all along that leads to a playground area but along the way we saw a pod of dolphins playing just off shore. We watched them for quite a while as they were travelling in the same direction we were. Ethan was certain they must be sharks because of their dorsal fins but we assured him they were dolphins (sharks don't swim in pods!)

So check back soon . . . we'll get some visuals going!