(An aside on our toliet: Some of your would think it's super cool! In that, I know there are some guy friends of ours out there that are proud of their bodily functions and frequent rateyourpoop.com, but I'm not naming names. You would be insanely jealous. On the good old American Standard there is one handle to flush right? One standard flush. Get this, we have TWO buttons, a tsunami of a flush and a baby flush.)
2. 9 out of the top 10 deadly species in the world live in our backyard, or where we swim, etc. You get the idea. A woman I met at a barbie (bbq) has me so insanely frightening of finding a redback spider (poisionous) in my shoe, that I spray them before I put them on ~ that can't be good for the feet.
3. DJ Joel was right about Nambour. All of you were no trading (shopping) on Sundays? Nothing is open after 7pm ever. The entire town is one big upwards hill. I stepped in a dead tree frog walking up that damn big hill from the shops. Right now, I have a gorgeous view out my window of the Blackall Range (I think) and the Feed Store!
4. Australian Princess is my new super-secret reality TV obsession. As many of you know, I was head over heels for a TV show back in the States called Beauty and The Geek. I think I've discovered an international conspiracy: There is a he/she out there who just jumps from country to country trying to win reality TV shows. Check it out the photos. Eerie, ay?
5. Sawyer from LOST wasn't crazy; a chirping, croaking tree frog while you are trying to sleep will drive you mad. We have this one behind our unit that is equivalent to the sound you here back home when a outdoor pet cat gets attacked by a racoon. You know you know the sound. It's terrible.
6. They don't make dryer sheets in Australia. That makes us sad.
7. For a tropical climate, apartments with air conditioning are few and far between. It's a novelty. And, no of course the windows are all almost floor to ceiling to accentuate the views, sigh, so no window A/C units fit. But, I really can't complain =)
8. I never really had such a profound appreciation for inexpensive medications, groceries & herbal supplements when I was stateside. Now, when we left I saw a CVS flyer with buy one, get one Centrum 300 pill vitamin bottles for $10.00. I was in the Chemist today and the small 100 pill bottle was almost $34.95. That's about $28.00 USD. Tylenol, Advil, NyQuil, all these things you take for granted are SO expensive, even the native Aussie brands.
9. Jon's contribution: Just because there is an ATM machine doesn’t mean you can get money out. Just because a store accepts Mastercard or Visa (and you have plenty of funds in the account) doesn’t mean you can buy stuff. Our credit cards work one in 5 times at best and in one in 10 ATMs. We have to walk 3 miles to an ATM to get money out to take the bus, only to walk back those 3 miles to the bus stop right in front of our unit. Life’s funny that way, isn’t it?
10. Probably the most important thing I have learned: I am the luckiest woman in the world. I have a wonderful, loving, caring man who loves me as much as I love him. We are living in absolute paradise (yes, even Nambour is nice.) We are surrounded by people who are extending themselves to us beyond anything we could have ever believed. Life is a bit slower paced here, but that's a good thing. It has given me the time to stop and smell the roses, or tropical flowers =) The act of leaving the States allowed me to heal some old wounds and regain my life, but I still hold all of you back home very close in my heart. Moving made me realize what is important and what everyone in my life has meant to me. I love you all! And I miss you terribly!
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