Week One Complete

Has it really only been a week? I feel like Ive been here for months already and Ali says I still have hardly seen the Gold Coast! Basically, Ali and I live in Helensvale "the Bush" and Jess who lives in Burleigh Heads (Burleigh) lives on the beach. All of this being just south of Brisbane. Surfers Paradise (Surfers) is bit toursity but has heaps* of cool cafes and is the home of the largest hotel on the coast, Q1. Ali took me from the first beach on the Goldy, Main Beach and then we went South and visited Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh, Nobby beach, the Aussie Miami beach, Currumbin, and finally Coolangatta. And despite the overcast weather, I STILL managed to get burnt. Go me.
In other news, the Australian Open has finally found its 2010 champions; Congrats to Serena Williams and Roger Federer. (Can anyone beat him?) Can't wait for the next sporting events to begin... the Winter Olympics!

My Observations:

New Vocab: Fort Night= Two Weeks, lolly= candy, romper= jumpsuit, flippy floppies= thongs, katsup = tomato sauce, The letter Z= Zed, A guys girlfriend = Mrs., gas station = pertol station
2. Everything here is accompanied by Sweet Chilli Sauce ( next best thing to Hot Sauce)
3. The internet is capped therefore at the end of the month it is extremely slow...but it's Feb 1st. YES.
4. Everyone hang dries their laundry; driers are last resort.
5. Everyone uses Spray deodorant.
6. Because everything is so expensive here, the dollar menu at Mackas isnt a dollar menu, it's the Value Picks menu where everything is like $3 and under.
7. Alot of sentences are followed by hey or as. Example: "I probably shouldnt wear pants in this heat hey?" or "That person is white as!" (Implying their lack of tan)

Last but certainly not least, LADY GAGA is coming to Brissy March 26th! Round 2 here I come.

Til next time,
Love your favorite Sheila,
E

Finally arrived!

After hoppin off the plane at LAX with my jeans and my cardigan, my 14 hour flight to Sydney was a bit longer than anticipated. American Airlines was real smart playing all the movies while everyone was sleeping. The weirdest part about the whole thing... never being present on January 23, 2010. I entirely skipped that whole day. Going through customs was a breeze and my flight to Brizzy was short and sweet; just an hour long. I walked out to Ali and Jess waiting in the terminal... FINALLY REUNITED again!
Day 1. First stop, Yatala for a good ol traditional meat pie with some hot ranga sauce. Delish. After getting settled in at Ali's, we went out to Brizzy to a bar called Normanby with a bunch of her friends.
Day 2. Relax all day in the pool and purchase myself a cell phone wahoo! Thanks Optus Prepaid. Then, out to Coolangatta (Cooly) to Neverland with Jess. Very successful night. The weirdest part is looking out Jess' balcony and seeing mountains to the left and endless beach to my right.
Day 3. AUSTRALIA DAY!!!!!! Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oy Oy OY! Caught a glimpse of the Hurley Burleigh Surf Competition then went to BBQ at Ryans where everyone makes fun of my "accent".
Day 4. Layed out by the pool in the 95 degree weather and got burnt to a crisp and I was only out there for an HOUR! In desperate need of an aloe bath.

My Observations:
1. New Vocab! Everything is shortened. Brisbane= Brizzy, Coolangatta= Cooly, Thank you= Ta, Air Conditioning = Air Con, College= Uni, McDonalds= Mackas, Sunglasses= Sunnys, Bathing Suit= Togs, Board Shorts= Boardies, Trashy= Bogan, Tank Top= Singlet ( more to come as a learn it all)
2. Hungry Jacks = Burger King
3. Everyone asks me to "say something" and when I say "yall" everyone stops and stares.
4. Everything is really expensive! A tube of mascara at Kmart is $18.50 Australian Dollars. Two mixed drinks at the bar is about the same as mascara. CrAZy.
5. Australians dress extremely trendy. So I'm doing more shopping today to fit the criteria.

Until next time...
Love,
Your favorite Sheila
E

Packing for 6 months = Death.

Just a little over 24 hours before I leave and I don't think it's hit me yet.
Today's To-Do List:

1. Clean out car. (Finding lots of old treasures.)
2. Forward my mailing address.
3. PACK
4. Go to target for the essentials.
5. Get a converter cord for my electronics.
6. Pio Pio for my last supper. Sangria Pitchers yes.

I'm so excited to get there... but the traveling part; not so much.
Orlando (5pm Jan 22nd) --> LA (celebrity hunt on my 3 hour layover)
LA --> Sydney
Sydney --> Brisbane (10:35 am Jan 24th)

I arrive just in time for Australia Day January 26th! Can't wait mates!

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