Wow, I can't believe today is already April First!!! Time has been flying and next week we will mark our second month in Australia.
On Wednesday we had a color technique class at work on ombre (when just the ends are lightened) and yesterday I got to try it out on a client. I was excited to try it and love how it turned out. Ombre is super popular in Australia right now. I know it's catching on slowly back home, but I think the beachy feel of it suits Oz more then Canada.
Last night we barbequed with Hamish and Michelle. Michelle's parents have just moved to the Gold Coast from New Zealand, but her Dad is originally from Winnipeg! It was nice to hear a Canadian accent. We drank on the balcony (I enjoyed my own 26 of passion pop- very nice and only $7 a bottle) and we had a Rihanna dance party (Michelle's fav). It was Earth hour from 8:30-9:30 pm, so we turned the lights out and sat outside saving the Earth. Later we came back down to our place and Joel shared the goodness of Sol beer with Hamish. Hamish normally drinks Toohey's, an Aussie beer, but Joel thinks its gross so wanted to culture Hamish in North America's finer beers.
This morning we met up with them again for a hangover breakfast at a little Italian restaurant down the street. Poor Hamish couldn't keep it down and Michelle thought that was a waste of $15 lol! After breakfast we chilled at the pool and enjoyed the sunshine. For anyone curious, fall here is still pretty warm, probably the equivalent of summer in Edmonton. It is a little cooler in the mornings and evening once the sun is down. The sun rises before six am and sets around six pm.
Tonight we're off to Robina Town Center for our first movie experience in Oz, The Hunger Games. I take back anytime I've complained about movie prices at home. One ticket is almost $20.
I thought I'd post a few pics and notes on some basic, day to day things we've been doing to paint a picture of of life here.
The hot tub (or spa in Australian) and pool. I've been hanging out here with a book on my days off, enjoying how quiet it is during a weekday afternoon. Joel and I can usually be found here most nights as well. For days that it's raining we just go inside to the indoor pool and spa. Our bed is super uncomfortable and we both wake up with sore necks and backs, so the hot tubs really are a Godsend.
On Wednesday we had a color technique class at work on ombre (when just the ends are lightened) and yesterday I got to try it out on a client. I was excited to try it and love how it turned out. Ombre is super popular in Australia right now. I know it's catching on slowly back home, but I think the beachy feel of it suits Oz more then Canada.
Last night we barbequed with Hamish and Michelle. Michelle's parents have just moved to the Gold Coast from New Zealand, but her Dad is originally from Winnipeg! It was nice to hear a Canadian accent. We drank on the balcony (I enjoyed my own 26 of passion pop- very nice and only $7 a bottle) and we had a Rihanna dance party (Michelle's fav). It was Earth hour from 8:30-9:30 pm, so we turned the lights out and sat outside saving the Earth. Later we came back down to our place and Joel shared the goodness of Sol beer with Hamish. Hamish normally drinks Toohey's, an Aussie beer, but Joel thinks its gross so wanted to culture Hamish in North America's finer beers.
This morning we met up with them again for a hangover breakfast at a little Italian restaurant down the street. Poor Hamish couldn't keep it down and Michelle thought that was a waste of $15 lol! After breakfast we chilled at the pool and enjoyed the sunshine. For anyone curious, fall here is still pretty warm, probably the equivalent of summer in Edmonton. It is a little cooler in the mornings and evening once the sun is down. The sun rises before six am and sets around six pm.
Tonight we're off to Robina Town Center for our first movie experience in Oz, The Hunger Games. I take back anytime I've complained about movie prices at home. One ticket is almost $20.
I thought I'd post a few pics and notes on some basic, day to day things we've been doing to paint a picture of of life here.
The hot tub (or spa in Australian) and pool. I've been hanging out here with a book on my days off, enjoying how quiet it is during a weekday afternoon. Joel and I can usually be found here most nights as well. For days that it's raining we just go inside to the indoor pool and spa. Our bed is super uncomfortable and we both wake up with sore necks and backs, so the hot tubs really are a Godsend.
Ice cream. Always a good idea. Our favorite places have been Cold Rock (kind of like Marble Slab), New Zealand Natural, and Sanctuary Cove Chocolates. I'm predictable and almost always get lemon sorbet, while Joel tests out more flavors. The average price for the two of us is usually $11 (single scoop for me, double for Joel).
Groceries. I changed my mind about prices being the same. They rape you. Our average shop is $150-170. This cart was a "small shop" for us and still cost almost $130. We usually shop at Cole's. There is no Walmart or Costco equivalent to buy in bulk. (Although Australia's first Costco is opening in the capital, Canberra). There is no marble cheese or sugary-good North American cereals. I've been missing cereals especially and am now dreaming about them.
There is construction going on all along the Gold Coast Highway, which we use daily. Progress is slow it seems. They are prepping for a new rapid transit system to be built, the first in Queensland. Lots of locals are not happy about this, but I think it'd be useful. In the meantime most sidewalks along the highway are closed and they have mazes of safe walkways set up for pedestrians.
Australian money. There are no pennies. When you pay for something in cash you round up or down. (When paying with debit or credit it is exact.) The coin denominations are five cents (which is the size of the Canadian dime), ten cents, twenty cents, fifty cents, which all get bigger in size as the value goes up, then a dollar coin which is smaller then the fifty cent piece and two dollars coin which is about the size of a ten cent coin but thicker.
The bills are like the new Canadian hundreds, plasticy feeling with a see through window. The size of the bill gets longer with value. They can also go through the laundry without getting destroyed.
And a big congrats going out to one of Joel's BFF's Andrew- he proposed to his girlfriend Janice yesterday and she said yes! He called at 6:45 this morning to tell us. We are so happy and excited for them! I also found out today that one of my clients from back home, Justine, got engaged recently too, so congrats to Justine and her sweetie as well!
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