I could say that I hadn’t been homesick for 11 months. But when you’re really tired and everything just gets to you, you just want your old friends beside you. The other night I was really graving for usual remedy: my friend’s couch, pots of tea and The Holiday. That’s been a remedy for so many things past years. Whether it’s been a broken heart, sad news in the family or just a really bad week that remedy has been making things better. I think the tiredness just got me feeling miserable. Normal teasing from a friend just got me crying. So it really wasn’t my night yesterday. Got into bed just after 9pm and put a movie on and curled up. Eventually fell asleep though and felt better the next day.  

 

I don't miss the snow but I do miss all those people to spend time with.

I went to the corner shop the other day and order lunch (was too busy working to make anything!) for myself, well it was kind of really late breakfast – 1.30pm! :D Said I would go and pick it up in a while. I returned to the hostel to do some paper work before driving the next shuttle. And as I was almost ready to go and pick up my toast for lunch I got it delivered straight into the reception – how nice is that! Couldn’t really imagine the same happening in Finland or in a big city here. Living in a smaller place has its own advances. :)

When you know that you have less than a month left on your visa it makes you worry and think what to do if the plans don’t come true. It’s stressful to just wait and do nothing. The knowledge that there’s nothing anyone can do to make things move quicker doesn’t help either. I’ve gone through in my head the scenario of not getting a visa to stay. Going back to Finland is not an option. All you back in Finland don’t think I don’t miss you, I do. But I’m not ready to come back yet. At the moment my life is here in Australia and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. As funny as it may sound since I come from a country with cold winters and often cool summers I feel that I’m home in this country of extreme heat and the tropical climate. I’ve dreamt of staying here so it’s going to be a huge disappointment if I don’t get to stay.

Very hot weather has been beating many areas in the country. I’m happy I’m living in a coastal town, not in the inland! The temperature has risen to +47 degrees in some areas. It’s hard to even think how hot that must be. Our hottest so far in this heat wave has been +33 degrees, so far off from the top temperatures. And even Aussies are saying it’s too hot! And it really is. All the clothes just stick to your skin and you just sweat doing nothing! But I must say that I way rather take this heat than -15 degrees – no question. Don’t miss the cold temperatures at all.

 

The other day I went for dolphin cruise, just to do something different on my day off. And I must say it was nice. Can’t really complain when the sun is shining, nice sea breeze is keeping you cool enough and the view is beautiful. We did find a few dolphins but how hard it was to try to take a picture! But seeing Fraser Island’s west coast was great, empty beautiful beach and turquoise water – picturesque view.

"I always knew looking back on the tears would make me laugh,
but I never knew looking back on the laughs would make me cry."
- Unknown -

When you’re used to work during the New Year celebrations behind the bar it doesn’t feel bad to work just for the morning on the New Year Eve. At least I knew I could actually enjoy the evening and spend it in good company. I knew it wouldn’t be a wild night out cos I had the morning shift the next morning but still an evening off. And giving my colleague a chance to go out and have fun and then have to stay at the hostel myself didn’t bother me either. Maybe not quite the kind of New Year celebrations as I might have thought it to be on the other side of the world but it was great.

It did feel a bit funny to be swimming in the ocean and sitting on the beach on New Year Eve. But it felt great. I hadn’t been swimming almost for a month so it was great to just sit in the water and talk with a friend you haven’t seen for a while. Sitting on the beach talking one minute and then next minute just sitting without talking watching the world go by in comfortable silence. It’s funny how with some people you can be without seeing for months and just pick up from where you left. It feels like you had met just yesterday, no awkwardness at all, just comfortable time together.

The rain was unwanted on New Year Eve but nothing much you can do about the Mother Nature. Luckily the rain didn’t last the whole night. It did delay the dinner cos didn’t really want to get wet but we made it in the end. Never thought I could miss the fireworks on New Year but seemingly it’s possible! :D Well, they did have a funny time to have the fireworks: 9pm! We were still having dinner and the trees blocked the view. Well, maybe better next year!
Back in Finland the shops close at 6pm on New Year Eve and are closed on New Year’s Day. Didn’t happen quite like that here! The shops were open normally on New Year Eve, supermarkets open until 9pm. New Year’s Day felt like any other day cos most of the shops seemed to be open. Maybe with a bit shorter opening hours but still they were open. Not normal at all.

A friend of mine was eating a ham and cheese toast yesterday and it smelled really good. Since I haven’t had any red meat for fifteen years it was a bit funny to even want to taste it. Even funnier was to realise that it actually tasted really good! I had to go and get my own and test if I can really eat it all and still think that it tastes good. It did. I’m not saying that the one toast will make me eat meat but I guess I might be able to taste at least from time to time. No matter what some people might wish for, I think chicken and fish is still going to be mostly on my shopping list, not meat. So sorry for those who cook dinners with me – still no cooking meat.
I didn’t really think of making any new year’s resolution but thanks to my tasting of ham toast my friend decided it for me: if you have a chance you’ll try it. I’ll try to but I might fail badly. Well I guess only the time will show how it goes.

I wish all the best for this New Year for all my friends and family around the world.  Hope to see many of you later this year. ♥

"Don't be dismayed by goodbyes.
A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.
And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."
- Richard Bach -