To country, to country to see me a 'roo. Home again, home again only saw...snow?
Really, Australia? Snow!?! Drought, what drought? This time (unlike most previous statements) I have proof! Weeell, I don't currently have proof, as it's on someone else's camera, but there is proof nonetheless. Had it not been ridiculously cold out, I would have made snow people of you all, my followers (there was that much of it!).
Let's start at the beginning....
Friday: 6pm
I feed my host a delicious dinner of microwaved soup. To be fair, it was delicious soup and I haven't yet mastered the gas-lit stove (it's just a house explosion waiting to happen with me on board). After the yumminess, we set off for the bush (40 min or so away). It's dark and rainy and foggy, so I can't see much, but he tells me we are headed for that ominous glow at the top of a distant mountain.
7pm-ish:
We are now the ominous glow on the mountain. Rainy. Freezing. Foggy. It's takes a lot of persuading to get me out of the delightfully warm car. I am finally coaxed out to a fantastic view of the valley and Melbourne CBD. So fantastic (sorry, no camera. shoot.). No matter, more beautiful vistas tomorrow.
7:30pm-ish:
Arrive at the home of my host, James, in the bush. Meet the parents time. Wonderful people! Absolutely nicest people ever (except, my mommy and daddy, of course.- what? it'll be Christmas soon, I need to start sucking up).
Mr H. was fantastically sarcastic, just like my fantastically and usually overly sarcastic dad (Miss you, Dad!). Mrs. H was such a sweet and crafty creature (just like you, mumsy! Miss you, too!!). She wanted to borrow my mittens so she could copy the pattern and knit herself a pair! How cute is that!? (BTW, thanks, Liz. They are yours. hahaha)
8pm:
Planet Earth time...which brings me to my first ever experience with Seventh Day Adventists, which my lovely hosts are. All I had ever heard about them is the vegetarianism (yay, them! I fit in already!) and that because of their aforementioned diet, they have one of the longest lifespans (or possibly the longest). Amazing and truly wonderful people!
*Explanation of what Planet Earth has to do with religion. They consider Saturday to be the Sabbath, so they don't watch TV (except for religious stuff and documentaries) on Friday night and Saturday. Fascinating!*
10pm:
Bed time. Lovely host was nice enough to give me the bed with the electric blanket. Booyah! Ahhhh, so warm. Slept like a baby. First time in OZ that I haven't had to sleep with 18 layers of socks and sweaters. That's progress.
7:30am-ish:
Roll out of bed and into the kitchen. "You just woke up, didn't you. You have that ' I just woke up' look on your face." haha. Thanks, Mr. H.
8am:
Eat yummy homemade Muesli (thanks, Mrs. H!), banana, and yogurt mixture. Good job, James. You adventies know me so well already! I love vegetarians.
8:30am:
Mr. H shows me pictures he took of the most beautiful and exotic birds I have ever seen. Parrots, Gallahs, Kookaburras (song above), Cockatoos...Best part? They were all from the trees outside his house. That's it, I'm moving here. So long, America, the bush is my home now!
9am:
Roll out of the house for a tour of the country. First stop- Seventh Day Adventist church. I don't know what I expected, but it looked like the inside of any Mormon chapel. So there you go, the secret is out. They are in cahoots.
10am:
Drive through the mountains and valley starts. It's absolutely breathtaking. Long winding roads through beautiful forests of giant gumtrees and other exotic sorts of flora and fauna. Stunning vistas of the valley below. Fog rolling through the trees. Rivers that roll over exotic ferns. The occasional ray of sunshine breaking through the fog. Stunning.
2pm:
After a treacherous climb and descent through the foggy then snowy then sunny then foggy mountains ( I felt like I was in one of those sped-up season videos), sadly, done. Back to the H's for lunch, more Planet Earth, and me gazing at the parrots that are feeding in the neighbor's yard. Lots of gazing at this.
4pm:
Home to the 'burbs to find that the people whose house I'm living in have finally arrived home. Haven't met them officially yet (they were knocked out from the plane journey, I assume). I will keep you posted on this.
Currently there is an insane hailstorm outside of my window. This country is very schizophrenic about it's weather. 'Is it winter, is it summer? Should we send down ten or twenty inches of rain, today? Hmm, twenty should suffice.'
Pictures of the bush coming soon!
P.S. Never did see a 'roo. :( story of my life.
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