Our new hometown

Here we are, almost a month since arriving in Townsville.

We took a flight from Fiji to Brisbane, and then to Townsville. The kids again did awesome, including our long stay at the Brisbane airport. But once we got to the Townsville airport, both kids lost it, especially Jacob who had a massive meltdown while we waited for a large cab that could fit our things. I was trying to keep my cool until this horrible man ran and took the next large cab that we got in line for. That is when I wanted to join the kids in crying. It was late and we had been on airports and planes all day long.

The following day we headed over to the apartment to get our key and check out our new home. It is a nice fully furnished apartment on the second floor of a relatively new building. The one bummer is that we do not have a bath tub (oh how we quickly take for granted the things we have in the US), so I let Jacob play in the duck that I had purchased for Camilla. He loves it! Cute thing is that I have pictures of when he was a baby in a similar duck.

Anyways, we are within walking distance of pretty much everything: grocery store, library, town mall and most important, Justin's work, only a block and a half away. We have him home for lunch everyday. We are also within a small drive to the beach "The Strand", that has parks for kids, the water park (similar to the kiddie section at Roaring Springs, but free), and holds the first Friday of the month evening market.

There is not much to the town, but the one thing that has surprised us quite a bit is the cost of things. 5 bananas come close to $5 dollars!!!! So pretty much, I have been trying to keep to the budget that his company is giving us for groceries. We had to purchase a car since they do not lease cars like in the US and gas is super expensive, good thing that I walk everywhere with the kids in the stroller and use the car about 2 times a week at the most.

People are nice and helpful. At our first visit to the park I met this nice lady that gave me her number so I could go to a playdate with her at a local church. Slowly but surely we are settling in, including relaxing with the way things are done here. The one thing that drove me insane the first two weeks was the pace that people do things here. If it is not an emergency, then be prepared to wait. Our internet connection took 2 weeks after several calls and few tears (I needed to keep in touch with all of you!), and after a week, I am still waiting for the "Final Approval" from the property management office to order my cable. Might as well relax and enjoy the ride.

We have been trying to keep busy doing something fun every other day: library story and craft time, an art class, playdates, and walking to the grocery store to do our weeks shopping, church on Sundays and exploring the town on Saturdays.

One thing we sure have learned is to never take for granted what we have back home. You learn a lot being away from the comfort of home.