I’ve always been determined to insist that I don’t like receiving flowers. I mean, come on. You’re giving someone a present that, while it looks pretty to begin with, is actually dead, and will soon look that way. Flowers have absolutely no use at all, apart from looking pretty. And yeah, they do look pretty, but I can’t eat them, or drink them, so what should I do with them?
The changing faces of friendship
The Christmas just gone I spent a whole month in Australia. One. Whole. Month. Which should be enough time to catch up with everyone, shouldn’t it? Well it was, and it wasn’t. Juggling Christmas, with family commitments, holidays and going back to work, time seemed to get sucked away
I want to see everyone. I want to spend time with everyone. And not just time, but quality time. I want alone-time with my girlfriends, I want alone-time with all my friends together in a group, and I want additional catch ups with hubby there. Perhaps a week with every friend and family member would do it.
An Australia Day Party – Reliving the Count Down
In 2018 Australia Day fell on a Friday, so naturally it made sense to plan an Australia Day Party. But I didn’t end up celebrating on the Friday – not because of any political or cultural concerns – just because Friday isn’t a holiday in Austria, and Triple J’s Hottest 100 was moved to the Saturday. Which I’m totally on board for, by the way, but I don’t want to get into any raging debates about that!
Long Trips – Christmas in Australia – warmth, sunshine, family & friends
Returning after a holiday always leads to a multitude of questions: How was it? What did you do? And you answer: Yeah, it was awesome! We did heaps of cool stuff! But where do you go after that? How do you pick out just a few notables that that particular person might be interested in hearing about?
Well, I just spend a month in Australia. And it was awesome! And we did heaps of cool stuff! And if you really want to know more, keep reading!
Tim Tam Slam – an Aussie Ritual
Even though I now don’t try and push my Australian food on unsuspecting Austrians so forcefully, there is one thing that I think deserves a particular mention. Not just for its fabulous taste – best chocolate biscuit in the world, I tell you – but also for the special way us Aussies consume it.
The Tim Tam Slam is a great Aussie experience. Everyone who visits should try it out. No idea what I’m talking about? That’s what I thought! Read on to find out how it goes!
I always do my physio exercises – am I the only one?
Through various injuries over my life, I’ve spent a decent amount of time at the physios office.
After each session, one can expect to be given a daily exercise regime to work on whatever is causing the problem.
I ALWAYS abide.
I’m like a soldier being shouted at by his general. Yes Captain! I will obey your orders!
I feel tremendously guilty if I don’t have time and skip a day.
And it got me thinking. Am I the only one?
And do physios actually believe me?
The first morning
On my first morning in Oz I woke up at 6am following a fitful but exhaustive sleep, head clogged with Jetlag.
I contemplated closing my eyes again, before concluding that getting up was probably the quickest way to bring my brain back to functionality. So I wandered around the house in the quietness of early morning before trailing to the beach in my running gear.
I know it’s not the first thought most people would have, but it is what it is.
I’ll be home for Christmas – and excel gets a work out
Well, after 4 years it’s finally happening – we’re going to Oz for Christmas.
Although I can’t say I absolutely hate the warm coziness of being inside on Christmas Day while the weather outside freezes the landscape white – somehow it seems much more like the movies – but damn I’m looking forward to going back to the Aussie traditions of a Christmas morning swim, and it being too hot to roast inside. Better do it on the Barbie!
Austrian Road Rules – some cool, some quirky
I was at a wedding recently talking to an American who had moved to the UK and actually had to retake his driving test before he was allowed to drive there. And it got me thinking. Because in Austria, I was allowed to drive, on the wrong side of the road, in foreign language, with different road rules, immediately – no lessons or tests required!
The driving rules between Austria and Australia are similar in many way – ignoring the whole ‘driving on the other side of the road’ of course. Still, Austria has some quite interesting quirks when it comes to road rules and the way to drive.
Living in a house 1 year on – some reflections
We’ve come a long way baby – from the rubble of the renovation – to our beautiful almost-finished house.
an aussie in austria 