Sunday 1800 ish. I think

Made it.

After 3, no make that 4, weeks where I’ve been so busy I’ve not had much time to really think about being anxious or excited.

Left Peterborough on Monday after 4 days camping out in a strangely echoing house, desperately trying to resist putting a big sign saying “PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS HOUSE” on the front door. Oh, and I got the job to come back to. Minor worry that was, the interview.

Anyway. Terrorists threat notwithstanding, there were no problems getting to Heathrow aside from what you’d expect at 6o’clock on a Thursday pm. No queue to speak at in passport control either, and a completely eventless flight. No TV, but that didn’t matter as I slept most of it. Then 4 hours to kill in KL airport, which has a very strange, large fishbowl-affair filled with trees in the middle. And a handy hotel with showers. But very slow internet connection on the free terminals so I really didn’t know if anyone was meeting me. The second flight was notable for a working TV which didn’t improve the selection of films though, even if they were available before Aussie release date. Oh, and ice cream for pud, even if it wasn’t proper chocolateon the Magnum.

Immigration was no problem, guess they really must be desperate for medical staff. I finally got to check emails at Adelaide, no reply so I’d to find my way into town. After coffee, of course.

So I got a taxi to the hospital, booked into the accommodation where I was expected, paid the deposit on the house and booked out of the hospital. Shortest stay ever which was probably a good thing – I’ve been in similar but not quite as bad as that. Not exactly a des res. Heating was like a sauna and there wasn’t no pillow on the bed – which was a complete blindside. And welcome to the Emergency Department – there was a drunk being chucked out at 0830 when I arrived. Still at least they have security staff to chuck people out.

I walked into town which was bizarrely quiet for a Saturday morning. The letting agents will not accept credit cards for rent, so I have to find A$1740 bond and A$ 580 rent. Obviously I’m too asleep to remember that I’ve changed the PIN on the account with the money in so that’s that card resting peacefully in the great ATM in the sky, which leaves me to try and take it off the credit card. 4 attempts and 3 cash machines later I’m laden to the eyebrows with A$50 notes, trying to be polite to the beggars and drunks hanging around the cash machines hopefully. Aaarrgh.

So to the house, which I’ll describe later when I’m a little more awake. Spent an hour yesterday in the shopping centre opposite the house, which really does have everything you could want including a greengrocer. There are some differences I’ve noticed immediately. Food’s definitely not cheap. Actually, nothing is cheap, and it’s quite hard not to look for immediately familiar brands, but to go for local stuff which hasn’t been shipped half-way around the world. And when I asked for paracetamol in the pharmacy I got offered 100. Do I look that bad?