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drum roll please

The long awaited update to my blog - last updated 4 weeks ago! I suppose the saying is true that time flies when you are having fun. Some brief updates on my last 4 weeks (in order of how I think of them):
  • I found an acceptable apartment in St Kilda (near the beach) and bought a refrigerator (two strange things: I own a refrigerator but not a house and I'm taller than my refrigerator - it's so cute and efficient though).
  • I went back to SF for a week and got some much needed friend time.
  • Brendan came back with me to Oz.
  • We bought a washer, dryer, and futon (although the futon was purchased about 3 days ago, so there was a lot of floor sleeping time).
  • We had our stuff packed and shipped from SF while I was back and the latest update is that it is to arrive to Oz customs 22 Nov (that's a long ways off still!).
  • I've started playing rugby (crazy polite touch rugby, but still rugby - note that "tag" rugby means tackle but fortunately I did not learn that the hard way).
  • I've fallen in love with sticky date pudding.
  • We're currently still struggling to get internet in our apartment.
  • We've seen the penguins on Philip Island, which was fantastic!
  • We saw crazy waterfalls and flowers and trees and birds during a hike in the Yarra Ranges National Park. We also heard a bird that imitates other animals and sounds such as chainsaws as a defense mechanism; they sounded like monkeys when we got too close.
  • We saw small town Oz in a town called Koo Wee Rup along the coast.
  • I saw a wild kangaroo.
  • We've learned that New Zealand beer trumps Australian beer (iIm sorry to any Aussies reading this, but it's so true).
  • We flew to New Zealand for a long weekend (currently where I am blogging from) - so far we've driven 900km through New Zealand mountain and coastal roads, seen 2 glaciers, crossed 2 swinging bridges, crossed 100s of one-lane bridges, passed through dozens of small towns, seen pancake rocks, and snow-capped mountains, and turquoise rivers... pictures to follow for sure!

It's been a good 4 weeks. I've taken today (Monday) off of work since I get tomorrow off for Melbourne Cup Day. This will be my first holiday for a horse race ever! I'm excited. I'm also antsy for the election on Tuesday. Everyone go vote; the world is watching!

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