Sorry for the gap in posts - we now have an internet connection in our temporary flat, so normal service has been resumed!
So - where to start....well.....the flight was long.....no getting away from it - although flying time was 19 hours, we were on the go for around 48 hours from when we got up on Sunday morning till we went to bed in our new home on Tuesday. However, we were well fed and well entertained, and a little bit of sleeping was done between watching movies! Both the children were fine - George doesn't like the take off, but was fine when we took off for the second time at Bangkok, and Anna was ill on the descent into Thailand but fine coming into Sydney. Andrew and I were just tired.
Bangkok Airport is brand new and very nice, with plenty of shopping opportunities (hurrah!). We bought a digital camcorder and I will try to work out how to download video onto this blog at some stage. Andrew was impressed with the commitment to green building design shown in the way that not all Bangkok airport was air conditioned. Personally I thought it was bloody hot and would have welcomed a blast of cold air every now and again! It's a bit depressing when you've already been flying for 10 hours to be wandering around an airport knowing that shortly you will have to get on again for a further 8 hours, but we survived!
When we got to Sydney we got through customs and quarantine fairly quickly, with only a very short delay while they inspected Anna's riding boots for mud, and by 7am we were getting into a taxi with a friendly greek driver. He told us that he had come here for 2 years 47 years ago and never left - now he has Australian children and grandchildren. Everyone you meet here who is an immigrant is very positive about being here - and everyone you meet who is here seems to be very enthusiastic about your arrival!
There was a bit of a mix up about the collection of the key for our apartment initially but by shortly after 9am we were unpacking. There is a bit of a manana attitude here that I think we will have to get used to! I think this may be particularly challenging for Andrew, who is not really a manana sort of bloke! First impressions of the apartment block were not good and I felt a wave of uncertainty and depression about having left my beautiful home on Hordle Lane....however, once inside, it is very nice (although small) with good views of the city, the harbour and the harbour bridge. We will be fine here, and I've unpacked all the little bits like photos and books to make it look a little more familiar. Also, a number of the neighbours have already introduced themselves and they are all very friendly. And, of course, we also now have the internet, and the webcam and have already seen mum and dad and Grace and Bob, and spoken to Nugs (who wouldn't put on the webcam as she said she was naked - although I don't believe her) and Samantha. It does really help to make you feel that you are not so far away....
We decided to get the ferry over to Circular Quay to get some lunch with a view of the bridge and the opera house. The sun was shining, the view beautiful and we sipped Australian champagne - aaaahhh this is the life! It seems extraordinary that all this will be available to us not just when we are on holiday......but there is a twinge of sadness that we are not sharing it with friends and family.
The ferry is just 5 minutes away, and such a lovely way for Andrew to get to work everyday. I'm not sure it will feel like going to work!
We tried very hard to stay awake until bed time, but having fallen asleep twice whilst trying to write a postcard, I gave up at 4.30pm. Andrew and the children went to bed at 5pm, and George got up and started making Warhammer figures at 3am! We are still all a bit wrong - I am very tired in the evening, but waking up at about 2 or 3am and then finding it very hard to get back to sleep. I'm sure it will all be sorted out in time!
Please get in contact with me by email if you want to add us to a Skype account and take advantage of the opportunity to make video calls over the internet for free!
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