When the parents don’t come to visit – thanks Covid

garden hut painting
This time last year

In a world without COVID-19, this past week would have been very different. On Thursday afternoon, a picture-perfect summer day, I would have picked my parents up and delivered them to our house for their (almost) yearly sojourn to Austria.

There would have been lots of hugs and probably a few tears. We might have had a BBQ on the back terrace, listening about how their trip had gone so far – a cruise from Prague to Berlin – possibly they would have had to deal with colds or other difficulties, but they would be in good spirits because they had finally arrived in Austria.

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My claim to fame – I am, in fact, related to the platypus

A lot of people like to brag about their claim to fame. Maybe their uncle once dated Claudia Schiffer… maybe their great-grandfather invented the cuckoo clock… perhaps a distant cousin on their mother’s side was in the team of scientists who discovered penicillin… whatever is is, you go ahead and brag about it.

I’m going to brag about mine now.

My claim to fame is… I’m related to the platypus.

What is a platypus, you ask? He’s this guy.

platypus Healesville Sanctuary
No… that’s me on the right… I’m talking about the guy on the left!

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Long Trips – Christmas in Australia – warmth, sunshine, family & friends

Australia - catching up with family Portsea PubReturning 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!

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An open letter to my friends and family – I’m sorry I won’t be there

Missing my friends
It’s hard to leave your besties behind

I’ve now been living in Austria for almost 4 years. Having a steady job, buying a house and finally feeling like I’m starting to get a slight grasp of the German language… well it’s a little bit scary.

Because it’s gotten to the point where I realise that this is somewhere I might be for a while. A few years, at the very least. The initial suitcase of clothes I brought over has been added to with various knick knacks and other belongings through each visit and each return trip home. My old bedroom in Australia is looking less and less like mine all the time.

And in facing this reality, I just want to say to my friends and family: I’m sorry I won’t be there. Because in the future, there will come a time, an event, a life occasion, a celebration, a sickness, a death… and I just won’t be able to be there.

 

 

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Short Trips – Vienna – it’s kind of like Melbourne, but really old

Vienna came second in the ‘most liveable city’ next to Melbourne the year I moved to Austria, so it seemed only fitting that we visit my parents for a weekend during their Eurotrip.

IMG_2793
Welcome to Vienna

Therefore, as far as I can tell these must be the requirements for most liveable city:

  • There’s people everywhere
  • The weather is unpredictable
  • It is extremely windy

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