I HAVE ARRIVED

I am here in Melbourne - uneventful flight and it was quick! The only mishap was that there was nobody at the apartment to give me the key; no concierge to let me in etc. Thank goodness the taxi driver from Melbourne airport allowed me to use his phone to call the building manager. Building manager called the contact for my access to the apartment and the rest is history.

It has definately changed since 1986! More Asian population than I remember; only a handful of Black or Afro-Australians on the street. What is funny is this place reminds me of British California: the young Asian girls are walking around with hiked up dresses or skirts and stileto heels. California we see the young Hispanic girls dressed like that. I love their accents! I am going to really like it here even though I have problems understanding them when they speak fast.

I have taken photos of the downtown areas but haven't uploaded to this PC yet. I am conserving energy in the battery because I need to find an Olympic store that sells the battery charger adapter to Australian current. My portable converter set doesn't seem to work :( I have bought my first weekly tram/train transport ticket to ride the public rails throughout the city. I just have to remember what side of the street to stand in order to get on the tram that is going the direction I want. Damn the left-sided transporters here! Haven't been run over by crossing the street yet since I look in the right direction before crossing; just disoriented on the trams.

Here is the rundown of similarities:
-McDonalds EVERYWHERE! Yuk!
-Burger Kings everywhere as well but they are called "Hungry Jacks"
-Starbucks Coffee (of course)
-Virgin Records
-Cable cars everywhere for transport just like being in San Francisco
-Weather and ambient air is absolutely wonderful; just like being in Southern California
-Street performers (bought my first CD from a Japanese artist who plays honky tonk blues)
-People honk in their cars while driving impatiently

Subtle Differences:
-Getting used their currency and coins; paper currency all have different colors like other countries
-David Jones is their large department store (haven't had the time to shop there nor ambition)
-Showers do not exist in homes; they bathe with a half glass on the tub to shelter the floor from the shower head (just like the UK)
-Spelling of their words are taken from the British spelling e.g. Centre and colour
-They drive on the left side of the street with the steering column in the right side of the car
-Their local coffee shops sell instant coffee and not the bean/grounded coffee (YUK!)

I am sure I will come across more similarities and differences as time marches on. My priority is to get myself burried in the current project of work and find my own apartment and health care here in the great state of Victoria - Australia. Photos will follow once I have access to power to my battery charger.