Destination: Townsville

I arrived in Townsville earlier than my mom and decided to grab a toastie (essentially a grilled cheese, but they have lots of different fillings) and a flat white (like a latte, but not haha) while waiting.  Once my mom arrived, with her thousand pound (duty free alcohol filled) carry on, we were on our way.  My friend and future house-mate Lindsay was our personal chauffeur that day, helping us lug our caravan of luggage. 

There had been some ongoing issues with moving in to our house.  Lindsay and Chris were supposed to move in weeks before any of us arrived...but that fell through.  Then they were supposed to move in the weekend before we arrived...but that fell through.  I then got a call when we were in Sydney that the house wouldn't be ready when my mom and I arrived and that we'd have to stay with Chris' family for a couple days.   They have a beautiful house with great views, but it was a bit of a bugger not being able to unpack.  I had things packed so strategically that there was no way of reaching them without unpacking everything.  And with 200lbs of luggage I did not want to do that!  One more thing to note: it was hot as hell!  It had been warm in Sydney, especially coming from a wintery Minnesota, but it was hot AND humid in Townsville.  I could not (and still can't) stop sweating.  After we got settled in (as much as we could) my mom, Lindsay, Chris, and I went to the Tavern (a popular pub near Uni, right on the Ross River) for a couple jugs of beer, calamari, and some catching up.  It was great!   


The next day Linday, my mom, and I went to the strand.  The strand is a long walking path that lines the beach in Townsville.  It's really a neat area with lots of bbqs, benches, beaches, shops, and restaurants.  We grabbed some gelato and started walking.  Unfortunately on this particular day it was hot as.  I literally though I was going to dehydrate due to the fact that I was sweating every last ounce of liquid out.  I wanted to jump in the water so bad but you cant this time of year.  The stingers will get you!  Quite ironic that in the hottest months of the year you cant swim in the ocean.  Ugh.  Anyway, after the strand it was off to campus for orientation.

Since I had studied here before I was hopeful that I could skip out on orientation (also because I didn't want to meet anyone after sweating my life away at the strand) but no, I had to do it.  It was fairly painless but it was definitely a lot of stuff I already knew.  The room was air conditioned so I guess I can't complain too much.  One of the staff brought her daughter, which ruined my streak of attention.  I couldn't focus during the one and only section I needed to because of this girls markers. They were the coolest things ever!  They clipped to each other on the side to form a circle.  I watched her make two circles and then fit one inside the other.  Then use her circular markers to color her unbelievably organized binder of coloring sheets.  She had tabs that divided what theme the coloring sheets were and a list of French vocabulary in the front.  Who is this girl?!  I am starting my masters and I'm not even half as organized as her.  Geez.  


And that is why I didn't know how to enroll in my classes.

The next couple days were filled with upsets.  We were meant to go to Magnetic Island (an island right off the coast of Townsville) on Monday but the weather didn't cooperate.  We were meant to move in on Tuesday, but the real estate agent pushed the move in date back AGAIN.  We were meant to go to the school toga party on Tuesday night, but since we were at Chris' parents still we couldn't.  It was not the way the week was supposed to go.  My poor mother traveled half way across the world to sit inside and watch me attempt to register for 2 days straight.  (All thanks to the marker girl)  


I'm being a bit dramatic, I'll admit.  We did get quite a lot accomplished.  I did a lot of shopping that I needed to do (bed sheets, hangers, bins, etc) and got some other important things done as well (setting up my bank account, turning in my rental application, etc.).  On Monday we had Lindsay drop us off at stockland shopping center where mom got some trinkets and other little things she was looking for and Tuesday mom and I spent an afternoon at the Reef HQ aquarium downtown.  We got to see a little added bonus at the Reef HQ, the turtle hospital behind scenes.  That was really neat!  After that we walked over to Palmer Street, the big restaurant street in town, and had the fisherman's basket at a little seafood joint.  We tried bug for the first time (which is like a lobster) and enjoyed a couple pure blondes (which is a delicious beer here in AU).  It was a lovely day after all!  Funny story: while my mom was up waiting for the food, this old guy sitting across the patio flagged me down and pointed to his arms.  I thought he was a lunatic at first and looked away, but he kept doing it.  I finally realized that he was trying to comment on my sunburn (from our day on the strand. whoops.) from 20 feet away.  Thanks a lot pal, like I hadn't noticed it was there!  No need to judge me and my delicate, northern skin. 

Wednesday arrived and we were FINALLY able to move in to the house.  About damn time!  It's a huge 6 bedroom house with a 3 car garage, pool room, two living rooms, a pool and spa, and beautiful creek out the back yard.  

The next two days were filled with moving and unpacking...and a dip or two in the pool!  My mom tried to fly out Thursday afternoon but every flight was booked.  AC/DC apparently had a concert in Sydney that weekend and was stuffing everything up.  Bugger. So, after quantas rejected us it was back to the house. That night we had a "family" meal of fish and chips and headed out to Uni Club for the semester kick off.  Poor mom stayed home alone, but she had some time to relax with a glass of wine.  It was great to be back at Uni club, such a blast from the past!  The next morning I took my mom to the airport bright and early for her looong day of travel.  in order to get to Sydney she had to fly Townsville-Mackay-Rockhampton-Gladstone-Brisbane-Sydney.  Yikes.  After all our adventures together it was time to say goodbye to my mom.  :(   I tried my best not to blubber in the airport, but was pretty unsuccessful....