Just a few interesting observations

A three hour commute (90 minutes each way) isn't such a drama in an actual city - it felt like a real barrier back in Victoria.

There don't seem to be Galahs, Cockatoos or Rosellas around here feasting on grasses and seeds,much. [EDIT: two Galahs spotted in the park foraging on the ground on the way home one night this week.] But there are plenty of Lorikeets, although they don't hang around to be friendly. Instead they flash past at warp speed, if you are lucky you see a flash of color. Mostly you just hear them, or catch a glimpse of colour in the gum trees.

There are also Kookaburras in the trees in the park and around the school and neighbourhood ! Millions more Crows too, and Ibis (Bin Chickens). I haven't seen any Ibis scavenging on the ground, but they look very elegant as they fly overhead morning and evening on their way to their hunting grounds.

People's gardens and parklands are a constant explosion of colour. So many trees and plants to learn the names of. Wattle, Bouganvillea, Silk trees, Eucalypts, Jacaranda, Poinciana, Frangipani (in way more colours than I thought there were)...Grass is green.

Wondering where I went

Well it has been about four weeks since I last posted about moving. So I guess some of you might be wondering where I went.

I’ll tell you.

Brisbane.

Definitely not somewhere that I ever thought I would live again, having left some thirty or so years ago. When I came back to Australia to study last year, I had a hunch that Bendigo might not be a long term home, but I kinda thought perhaps Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney might have been possibilities – even Newcastle at one time.

But, in my job searching research I began to think about Brizzy again. Lots of former colleagues now call Queensland home so it can’t be all bad, right ? I came up in July to have a bit of a look around, look at rentals, meet some recruiters, catch up with friends. It definitely seemed to be offering 100% more than Bendigo.

Not just workwise; it is nearer the coast, there is always something going on, there is a river or two and they even have way more water flowing in them than Bendigo Creek had in the whole time we were there.

Life got in the way a bit and my return was delayed.

But I’m here now, still job searching but with so many more possibilities. I like the new neighbourhood and I’m enjoying finding my way around again.

Public transport is amazing. You can get to anywhere easily but I think a car will be near the top of the list once there is an income. It’s been a while. Most of the boxes are unpacked too, although there isn’t quite as much storage as I had hoped.

There are jacarandas everywhere and other flowering trees and shrubs to learn the names of. There are even Kookaburras in the park – never even saw or heard one around Bendigo in all that time.

The most surprising and refreshing thing has been the rain. In the last two weeks there has been at least 200% more precipitation than there was in an entire year in Central Victoria.

So far, it feels so much more like a place I want to be.

I’m looking forward to joining groups, meeting people and reconnecting with friends. I have completed my Diploma, results for my final assignment are due this week. It has been a tough 12 months, but I’m still looking on the bright side.

But my primary focus right now is still getting work. Watch this space.