The Land That Time Forgot...Again

The other thing I forgot to mention is the state of technology here, especially that of telecommunications.  I've whined before about the crappy mobile phone plans and the outrageous costs but it doesn't stop there.  We finally received our PVR from our Internet provider.  After setting it up we noticed that we still only had the basic cable despite signing up for the next plan up.  After calling the company they finally informed us that we are 8km from the main switch and as a result our internet speed isn't fast enough to handle the streaming TV for anything but basic cable, and as a result they didn't enable it.  They were supposed to check the speed before ever sending the PVR box to us.  In the meantime, it probably cost us about $10 just talking to them on the phone.  The state of technology here is about 5-10 years behind Canada.  Who knew that Calgary, Alberta was 'cutting edge'?

The Land That Time Forgot

In certain ways Australia is ahead of the world.  For instance...

- it is mandatory for 9% of salaries to go to a Superannuation fund, or as it's known back home, a RSP;
- the transportation system is state of the art;
- their policies on water conservation and recycling are very progressive;
- etc.

However, in many other ways Australia, or at least Western Australia, is way behind the curve.  Yesterday, we went to get our Australian drivers licences.  We are allowed to drive on our Alberta licences for 3 months.  Fortunately, we also got International Drivers Licenses which we can use for a year.  Unfortunately, you have to be 18 years old to get an International Drivers License.

We brought with us the documents required based on the list the moving company printed from the government website and provided to us.  We had our passports, Australian ATM cards, tenancy agreement & Canadian drivers licences.  When we stepped into the department of transportation it was like stepping back in time.  Imagine something close to the "Simpson" DMV where Patty and Selma work.  If you're one of those freaks that don't watch the Simpsons then let me describe it by saying it was a dozen zombies/employees sitting at their wickets calling numbers out, staring straight ahead with a blank stare and dead eyes and doing as little as possible to actually resolve anything. 

In any case, once our number was called we presented all of the documents to the living dead lady sitting at wicket 11.  She told us that the document requirements had changed in August.  Of course, why would the professional relocation company be aware of any sort of change 3 months ago?  So, we were still missing a couple of documents to get our WA drivers licences:

1) A Visa label in our passports:  The Federal Dept. of Immigration recently decided that they were going to go paperless and all immigration/visa data would be kept electronically.  However, at the same time the Federal Dept. of Transportation decided that one of their new requirements was a paper copy of the Visa in our passports.  So, in order to get this we just have to go to the one office in Greater Perth between the hours of 9am-4pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.  So, I will likely have to take time off work to get a copy of a piece of paper that already exists in the federal governments electronic, paper-free database;

2) A Proof of Age Card:  In order to get a Proof of Age card all you need is a passport, an ATM card and about $30 each.  So, in order to get our licences we need a passport, ATM, Visa label (from #1 above) and Proof of Age card.  But to get a Proof of Age card we need to get two of the documents we needed for the passport.  They may need to rename the Dept. of Transportation to the "Redundant Department of Redundancy".  We tried to explain this to the walking corpse at wicket 11 but she just had a blank stare, as expected.  The whole experience left me feeling a little bit like Marty McFly after my Delorean landed in 1957 (Back to the Future reference).

Then we tried to confirm that Zaren and Cyrus could legally drive in Australia.  The minimum driving age in 'The Land That Time Forgot' is 17 years old.  However, the boys already got their Canadian licences and are 16.  Before we left Canada, we called the Dept. of Transportation and spoke to Zombie Bob.  He informed us that since the boys have a Canadian licence that they are able to get a license to drive in Australia.  However, 'The Undead at Wicket 11' informed us that they must be 17 years old to drive legally in Australia despite the fact they have a license from one of the 'recognized' countries on their list.  Don't get me wrong, we are in no hurry for the boys to drive here, however, we do want them to start practicing.  In any case, we explained the conversation we had with Zombie Bob of her very department.  She then asked us to have a seat while she conferred with some of her moaning, swaying, flesh-rotting colleagues.  After a short 10 minute interlude where they discussed our situation and possibly consumed the soul of the guy over at wicket 8, she called us over and confirmed that yes, indeed, the boys could drive on their Canadian licences for 3 months only and then when they are 17 in August they can go through the same soul-sucking exercise and get a Western Australian drivers licence.  The impromptu caucus of the 'Committee on Crushing Canadians and Consuming Carcusses' had spoken.  So, as of February Zaren and Cyrus can not legally drive in Australia.   At that point we ran out of the building before they decided to check Clause 8, Section 4, Sub-section 17, Paragragh 2, Bullet 12 and discovered some other piece of paper that was required.

Lastly, we finally tried the new snorkel gear that Santa brought us for Christmanuka.  We went to 'our' beach where on both sides of the sandy, swimming area there are rocky outcrops.  As soon as I stuck my face in the water I could see literally thousands of fish, and they weren't concerned about us and often would swim right beside us or below us, within arms reach.  The further out we went the more fish and more types of fish we saw.  We even saw some sting rays before we even put our masks in the water.  They swam right by us as we were getting our equipment on and then we went to find them. The deepest we went was about 5 feet of water.  Keva, in particular, really enjoyed snorkelling.  It's really remarkable that we can walk to our beach, go snorkelling, go play in the waves, have a swim and walk home and the whole thing takes us an hour.  I've always loved snorkelling despite my discomfort with water in general.  There is something about floating effortlessly on top of a different world and experiencing a unique, colourful, vibrant, serene world below you. It's like visiting the land that time forgot, minus the soul crushing beaurocrats.

Weekday Update

Hope everyone had a nice, restful, relaxing holiday time.  For the first time in 16 years we didn't have any family gatherings over the holidays.  Normally, we would have 3-4 get togethers at different homes (including ours) on different days.  This year we only went to our friends Kylie & Kenny's home on Boxing Day.  Despite not having to deal with as much time juggling as we normally would, we definately felt a void this holiday season and we miss our friends and family very much.

In order to fill the void of friends and family we've been spending a lot of time at the beach.  We've been trying to go every morning.  The water has been amazing and the weather has been fantastic.  Unfortunately, our beach is starting to wash away a little bit and is exposing some rocks underneath.  It is still usable and enjoyable but it may not be for much longer.  Fortunately, there is a lot of coastline and beaches in this area but we may be forced to drive to get there.

One of the things that most concerned us about living near and playing in the ocean was our swimming abilities.  We can all swim but we swim like Canadians.  Being in the water is a way of life here and Aussie's grow up in the water.  They take their swimming seriously.  So, we've enrolled the kids in swim lessons.  As it turns out the lessons are taking place at the outdoor pool at their school.  Today was the first lesson and all three of them started at 8am.  They were not pleased at having been woken up at 7:15am but they managed nonetheless.  They are a little bit behind the other kids but they should catch up fairly quickly.  They've already learned a few strokes they didn't know.  Nad and I are also planning to take swim lessons primarily to increase our strength and endurance in the water.  We thought we'd spare the kids the embarassment of going in the same lessons as them.

Swimming outdoors at 8am may seem a bit early and cold by Canadian standards.  However, when they got in the pool this morning it was 28c.  The kids were complaining that they were cold.  They are fitting right in here.  The high today is forecast for 37c and tomorrow is forecast to be 38c.  These are typical summer days here.  The low 30's we've been experiencing are considered cool here for this time of year.  In January or February they expect it to get up to the low to mid 40s.  Thank you air conditioning!

Besides the regular hazards that come with living near and playing in the ocean (rip tides, sharks, jellyfish, me in a swimsuit...) there are also some other unexpected negative consequences.   Our camera got sand in it and the zoom feature no longer works.  So, we'll either have to get it repaired or get a new camera.  The bad news is that it means we won't be able to post or send many pictures.  The good news is that we won't be able to post or send many pictures of me in a swimsuit.

If anyone needs to get a hold of us we can be reached at mnklamer@live.ca.  We are also available for Skype and/or Facetime.  Our Skype name is "klamerfamily".  We are currently 15 hours ahead so 2pm in Calgary is 5am in Perth.

Finally, today (in Canada) is my sisters birthday.  She is now and forever will be older than me and yet somehow remains perpetually in her 40s.  Same with my mom.  The women in my family have some weird genes .  Congrats Pupirichka!  Hope you have a great day.

Mike's Top 10 Signs that you live in Perth, Australia, Part 4

#10
People get confused when they aren't charged $18.99/kg for picking bananas from a tree in their yard.

#9
It rains 1.2 cm in a month and the top news story is about the 'inclement' weather.

#8
A hockey fight is considered savage and vicious.  An Australian Rules Football fight is considered noble and manly.

#7
A local swimming competition is held every year where the competitors coat themselves in seal grease and swim from Perth to Rottnest Island.  From a concept borrowed from Pamplona, Spain, this is known as the "Swimming of the Sharks".  The winner is decided based on the competitor with the most remaining limbs.  Unfortunately, there has been a winner declared yet in the 27 year history of the race, although a provisional winner was named in 1992 when his left leg washed ashore.

#6
It's considered rude to tip, not thank your bus driver, or go more than two minutes without swearing.

#5
There are lots of unique and interesting animals like kangaroos, crocs, sharks, parrots, Kualas, snakes, lizards, insects and others.  Australians love their indigineous wildlife.  They're delicious.

#4
People are fiercely and proudly patriotic.  They just can't remember for which country.

#3
The money is plastic and there are no pennies.  It only makes logical sense.  The sizes of the coins, from largest to smallest are: 50c, 20c, $1, $2, 10c, 5c.  It only makes logical sense...

#2
You can tell that a significant cultural event is taking place based on the number of cars parked on the lawn.

#1
You wonder how your friend knows of your sexual prowess when you are referred to as "best mate".

Twas the Day before Christmas

Twas the day before Christmass, a beer in my reach,
Not a Klamer was stirring, except at the beach.



The stockings were placed on the piano where it's safer,
In hopes that the fat guy wouldn't notice they were paper.



The children were nestled all snug in their butt grooves,
While chat rooms in Facebook updated their news.



And mamma in her swimmers, and I with no hair,
Had just settled our brains for a little sea air.



When out in the bush there arose such a shock,
I looked to the trees to see the birds flock.



Away to the fences I crept without a word,
Looked into the hole and saw a baby bird.

 

The moon on the crest of the newly cleaned tub,
Gave the feeling of calmness like a backrub.



When, what do my wondering eyes save,
But Nad and two kids catching a wave.



Now Nadia! now, Cyrus! now, Keva and Zaren!
We don't have snow but for presents we're rarin'



To the foot of the palm plant, not really a tree.
But the cost was so small it was practically free!



As dry ginger bread that before the kids sat,
When they meet with my belly turn straight to fat.



So out of the house for dinner we were banished
With a cloud of dust and flying elbows it vanished.



blah, blah, blah
skip to the end...

...But I heard his exclaim, as I chased him away,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a g'day!"


Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Awesome Agnostica and g'day!

Mike's Top 10 Signs that you live in Perth, Australia, Part 3

#10
People from Sydney that come west to Perth for employment opportunities are referred to as "Eastern creeps and bums".

#9
"Sexist" is the term used to describe a "Sheila" that denies her bloke marital relations.

#8
Retail stores have extended their holiday shopping hours to 11:00am-2:30pm Tuesday through Thursday.

#7
Australian physicists hold that the "Theory of Relativity" is known as the measurement of the amount of time you are quoted for a service versus the actual time it takes to complete the service in direct reverse proportional relation to how important it is to you multiplied by a factor of the quality of the current surf conditions.

#6
At the beach people wait for the slowest and fattest person to enter the water first.

#5
There are 4 distinct seasons: Spring, Melanoma, Construction & Reconstruction.

#4
Aboriginals are treated with dignity and respect.  They are given vast tracks of unusable land, addictive narcotics and infectious diseases.  In return, all they have to do is promise to stay out of view.

#3
The most popular 'local' sports team is Manchester United.

#2
Women are considered equal to men in all facets except intelligence and ability.

#1
The top rated television show is "So You Think You Can Sheer a Sheep?"

Mike's Top 10 Signs that you live in Perth, Australia, Part 2

#10
If you wash your hands after using the toilet you may be referred to as being "posh".

#9
The right of passage to adulthood is considered to be the first time you successfully jaywalk by yourself.

#8
Everyone pretends to understand the rules of cricket.

#7
In a local online news article regarding the enormous cost of living and it's impact on families unable to provide food for their children, several reader comments include outrage over the "extra tax" that is added to the purchase price of a new luxury vehicle (true story).

#6
The spiders hunt the lizards.

#5
Australia's national spy agency is primarily used by the Prime Minister to send secret "I Heart U" notes to Barack Obama.

#4
The top 3 national industries are manufacturers of sunscreen, insect repellent and hangover medication.

#3
People on the beach tell you that they can't wait to go to Bali for a little R&R.

#2
The only accent you don't hear anywhere is Australian.

#1
"Global Warming" is what people call a bald guy going outside without a hat.

Mike's Top 10 Signs that you live in Perth, Australia- Part 1

#10
The term "vegetarian" refers to someone who only eats animals that eat plants.

#9
People look at you funny when you say "no doot aboot it, eh?" and respond with "at's da blatha bout mate?"

#8
Sweater and portable heater sales skyrocket whenever the temperature drops below 25C.

#7
You see a giant swarm of flies carry off a hog and realize that the expression "when pigs fly" has a different connotation here.

#6
You are given Australian residency status as soon as you start complaining about all of the immigrants.

#5
When people say that they're going out for 'a' beer what they really mean is 'a' keg of beer.

#4
The level of swimming certifications, from highest to lowest, are: Life Saver, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Junior, Novice & Canadian.

#3
Country folk refer to Ronald Reagan as that "damn pinko, leftist commie."

#2
The stock market rises and falls daily based upon which side the Chinese Premier parts his hair.

#1
Your 13 year old daughter has been offered a lucrative position with a mining company.

It's the little things

We finally got a proper coffee maker after living here for seven weeks.  Frankly, I'm not sure how Nadia survived.  I am drinking my first cup right now and I'll admit it is much better than the instant crap I've been drinking.  Hopefully, our sea freight will arrive soon and life in Australia will seem a little less like an extended vacation and a little more like life.  Don't get me wrong, a little adventure is good but the creature comforts are, well, comfortable.  We have enough discomfort with so many other facets of life here that a few familiar things from home can only help.

We certainly appreciate all of the emails and never get tired of hearing from friends and family.  In fact, it's the greatest comfort that we receive, even more than a proper cup of coffee.

Danger from above, danger from below, danger in the food court

When we told people that we were moving to Australia one of the more common questions was "what about the snakes and spiders and crocodiles and sharks and jellyfish and sharks and..."  We assured whoever it was asking that Australians say the same thing about Canada and bears, cougars, wolves, etc.  Make no mistake:  Australia is significantly more creepy and crawly and bitey and venomey than Canada. 

Exhibit A:

http://www.perthnow.com.au/four-beaches-close-after-shark-sightings/story-fn6o0xxk-1226225804666

"Brighton, Trigg, Scarborough and Watermans beaches were closed to the public after the Surf Life Saving WA chopper spotted two 2.5m sharks early this morning and a third 3.5m shark at about 10am.

Two sharks had been lingering between the popular swimming spots but have since left the area, allowing surf life savers to re-open the beaches.

SLSWA could not determine the species of each shark today*, but all were spotted between 50m and 75m off shore.

As many as eight sharks were spotted off Scarborough and the South-West coast on Sunday, forcing the closure of a number of busy beaches."

The reason I highlighted Watermans above is because that's our beach where we live.  I have always been uncomfortable with sharks but I was just starting to get over it.  Back to square one.

(*edit- The sharks were identified later in the day.  The two "smaller" sharks were Tigers.  The bigger one was a Pointer aka Great White.  We're gonna need a bigger boat.)

Okay, so we'll stay out of the water and just enjoy some quiet summer evenings at home in the backyard.  Not so fast.  On Sunday, we found this little bugger:

This is a Red Back Spider in our backyard.  They look like Black Widows and are just as dangerous.  As a matter of fact, after the Funnel Web spider, which only lives on the East coast, this is probably the most dangerous spider in Australia.  Even so, it is only deadly to the very young and the very old, however, it has a painful bite and can make you quite sick.  When we discovered it we had a friend over and she exclaimed "Wow, that's a big one!"  Fantastic...  It's moved on to spider heaven.  Hopefully, it's thousands of children aren't currently plotting their revenge.

Lastly and most frightening... Zaren and Cyrus have entered the workforce.  They both got a job at a bagel & coffee shop at the mall.  In fact, they gave them identical shifts.  However, we're not sure if it will last beyond the Xmas break since they will be in school and the malls are closed at 5 everyday except Thursday.

Surfs Up!

Since the internet was down and we still only have basic cable (that is like...so 1980's) our usual babysitting tools weren't available to us.  So, we put the kids into surfing lessons.  The lessons ran from Monday-Thursday.  The kids had a lot of fun and caught on quite quickly.  So surf boards are now on the wish list.  Here's some of the action photos:

Here's a shot of Nadia and Keva braving the 'spa' in our backyard.  We're not sure if it's filtered and if so what kind of filtration it uses.  We haven't turned the heat on the spa for obvious reasons so this is currently being used as a mini-pool.  However, with the ocean so close we're doing all of our swimming there.

About a  two minute drive from our house is the Aquarium of Western Australia.  We took 1/2 a day to visit.  It's pretty good but it's not Sea World.  They have lots of fish, particularly from this part of the country, and a couple baby Salt Water Crocs.  They also have a display called the "ship wreck cove" or something similar, wherein you stand on a moving carpet and it takes you through a circular tube surrounded by water.  Inside the display there are lots of different fish, sting rays, turtles and a couple different species of sharks.  For a fee you can go snorkelling or scuba diving inside the display.

 Cyrus & Zaren looking chill in the tube.

A scuba diver in the display with a shark in the background.   This arrangement has a couple of advantages for the aquarium: 1) They get a little extra incom from these activities; and 2) it keeps the sharks well fed at no additional cost. 

Nadia and Cyrus watching a shark swim by.  Keva hamming it up for the camera in the foreground.

Also, we finally got the kids fully registered in their new school and they picked all of their classes.  It's a very different system here.  For example, in year 11 & 12 there is only one mandatory course: English.  The rest, including math and sciences, are optional.  There are also a bunch of different streams the kids can choose from including University, TAFE (techinical school), apprenticeship (no, YOU'RE fired!) and others.  They basically have to choose what they want to do after secondary school when they go into year 11.  It has it's advantages and disadvantages.

Lastly, Zaren and Cyrus had a job interview at a coffee and bagel shop.  The interview consisted of them working for 2 hours for free.  We're supposed to hear back from them today to see if they're hired but it sounded positive.

Sunrise, Sunset...but mostly Sunset

One of the perks of living two blocks from the ocean is that we get to experience some really wonderful sunsets.  Here is a small representation.  Unfortunately, the pictures don't really do it justice.

Back in the Saddle

As of today we finally got the internet hooked up in our new home.  That is the subject of another blog for another day.  For now, it's time to catch up on some good stuff.  Tomorrow will be two weeks since we've lived here.  There's been lots to share in the last two weeks- here's a small part.

Our very first house guest and he wasn't even invited.  This is a little Gecko that we found in one of the closets.  We've found 3 more since.  They are completely harmless, about the size of my thumb and they eat bugs.  Regardless, I jumped like a little girl when it twitched.  We've since had a much bigger visitor.  More on that later.

This is Cyrus looking at our backyard from the kitchen/living room.  The backyard has a lower level that has a covered eating area while the upper level has a grassy area with treas and plants and a hot tub.  Yes, I said a hot tub.  A pool would be nice but apparently the owners of this property have never experienced cold weather if they think they need a 'spa' in this climate. 

The kitchen:  the location for all future parties despite the rest of the home having a very habital 2000 sq.ft. 

Crashed in the living room.  This is how the kids spend a lot of their time.  We had to convince Nadia to sit still for a moment to capture it on film. 

 The view of the backyard from the master bedroom. 

Some of the neighbours:  we live next to a nature reserve which is a haven for birds.  One of the common birds is this particular species of Cockatoo (Oz parrot).  A couple days ago I counted 17 of them foraging in an empty home lot.  Speaking of neighbours, the day after we moved in we were invited to that annual block Xmas party across the street.  We got to meet some of our human neighbours and we had a chance to get a little history of the area.  We were told that the suburb of Watermans Bay, where we reside, is the smallest suburb in the city.  It comprises 8 square blocks!

Zaren and Cyrus walking to the beach from our home.  It's literally a 5 minute walk.  Woot! 

 More of the view of the walk to the beach.  Double woot!

On the right is the road we cross to get to the beach.  On the left is 'our' beach.  Apparently it gets washed away from time to time and turns into exposed rock.  Fortunately, there is about 1 billion kilometers of beach front around here.  Give or take. 

 Enjoying our first dinner in our new home. 

The view from the other side.

 The boys are greeting another visitor but this time outside the house.

Upon closer inspection the visitor is a short-tailed skink warming itself on our patio.  They are fairly common (we saw one at the beach our first week in Oz) and harmless.  However, if you try to pick one up they have a nasty bite, or so I've been told by one of the locals.  I'm taking their word for it.

Hey, remember us?

We're okay but experiencing some issues getting the Internet hooked up. Hopefully we'll be back up and running in a few days. I'm posting this from nads phone so it's likely costing a fortune. Argh!

Moving Day

Today we are moving to our new home in the suburb of Waterman's Bay.  We are renting it for 11 months so that when we go shopping for a new rental (or buy depending on the new tax laws) we will have more to choose from on the market because of the time of year.  On the one hand we are very much looking forward to moving but on the other hand we've grown accustomed to where we are to some extent.  So, here's a pros and cons list of moving:

Pros:
-walking distance to the beach
-walking distance to a bushland reserve
-quiet: we won't need ear plugs to sleep at night
-nice residential area where we don't have to be concerned about going out at night
-has it's own garage so we don't have to share with other tenants and worry about who's parking where when
-close to lots of activities for the kids
-has 4 bedrooms (more or less)
-has a BBQ and great outdoor area: we can finally grill some food
-lots of room inside for everyone to get a break from each other
-close to the school

Cons:
-have to take a bus and train to work which will take an hour- previously I took a free bus that took me 20 minutes (once a buy a bike I'll probably ride it to the train station, but we'll see)
-not as many restaurant and entertainment choices
-not as much character in the neighbourhood
-further distance to grocery shopping
-losing central air conditioning and replacing it with 1 upstairs main room and 1 downstairs main room AC unit and ceiling fans in 3/4 bedrooms
-we won't get serenaded every night by drunks and every morning by crows
-currently using rental furniture until our sea freight shows up, likely in early January- so the place is kinda empty in certain places and not homey yet
-WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!!!

Within the next hour or so we will no longer have any internet access until possibly Thursday, when our phone/internet/cable gets hooked up.  So, see you then.

A Day in the Life

Hello, It's been awhile since I added my two cents. I wanted to give an overview to a day in the life for me and the kids.  Mike being at work makes it easy enough to picture what his day is like but for the kids and I it is a bit different.  Everyday, I usually have lots of things that I need to figure out and take care of. I have a similar list to before we left home except it is in reverse order.  At the end of the day I don't know where the time has gone and I can't figure out why I haven't accomplished more. Every day is usually very busy, running to the store to pick up something else we realize we need, going to the bank to apply for new services, or try to figure out what we need, credit cards, etc.  Searching for a car and house was time consuming to say the least and all the bits and bobs that go with that, insurance, registration, bla. bla, bla, you get the idea. I always have tons of new things I need to figure out, and lots of paper work to fill out.  The registration packages for the school (x3) is like writing a novel.  Figuring out everything here,like how internet is sold, is just that little bit different that it takes quite a bit of time to sort it all.   So, I spend about half of everyday managing that kind of junk. Also everyday, I try to find something for the kids and I to do, whether it's just a trip to the beach or a walk around the neighbourhood we are staying in.  It's definately a priority to get out and do something everyday.  For instance, the other day we went for coffee and a trip in to town to the apple store.  Doesn't sound like much, but it's a nice way to explore to city and get to know where we live. The kids like to do things like that and it keeps them from going stir crazy We also spend quite a bit of time with best friend Kylie. If we are going to the beach or to kings park we will often invite her or we get invited for a swim or a shopping trip or, like today, a swim in her pool and lunch!  Can't wait, 33 degrees today.  She has just gone above and beyond to help us settle in.  I'm so thankful to have found such a fast friend and such a good, thoughful person to boot.  She has taken a lot of time out of her very busy life with friends and family and with young kids to incorporate us into her life. All in all we are very busy and pretty happy with our life thus far.  We are trying to keep a bit of holiday atmosphere  just so we don't get bogged down with stuff.  There can be a lot of it just because there are so many little mundane things to do and the kids don't have many options just now. 
     We are too late to register in school this year.  We only got an address with 10 days of school left so unfortunately we will have to wait until the new year starts to begin school.  The kids are pretty disappointed.  They were looking forward to having something to do and hoping to meet some people.  However, now that we know what community we are living in I can start registering them in some community events, like the surf club and gymnastics for Keva. Having an address will really change things for us.  One of the big lures for us with this house, and why we were willing to pay a premium, is it's proximity to alot of things to do.  We are two blocks from the beach, but we are also two blocks from the bike path, we have a nature reserve across the street, golf course nearby and the Hillaries Marina a 3 minute bike ride away.  That is what we were really looking for.  Access to an active lifestyle right outside our door. Moving day is tomorrow!! Believe it or not I will miss our current location.  It is just fantastic to be able to walk downtown or walk around these neighbourhoods and grab great bubble tea in china town and walk to the grocery store or the art gallery.  I won't miss the drunks or the screaming at all hours but it has been a great way to get to know the city and a great experience.
     Driving on the "wrong " side of the road was a fairly easy transition.  After the third time driving or so most of the white knuckling was over.  With two exceptions. First, every time I get into the car I get in on the wrong side to drive away.  Very embarrasing when I'm by myself at the gas station or the store.  I have to pretend I'm getting something out from under the seat! Secondly, when I am driving in parking lots with no other cars around, I always end up drifting to the other side and get confused when I have to turn into a lane.  Traffic is good, it keeps you going in the right direction! GPS is alsao a lifesaver.  You don't have to worry about where you are or where you have to go, you can just concentrate on driving and following directions.  I know the quadrant we are living in and the quadrant we are moving into a little bit now and often don't need the GPS foor directions.  It does notify you of speed cameras and red light cameras so it will always come in handy.  It also tells you where gas stations are and restaurants(even which type of food) and points of interest.  I just love it and will never go without a GPS again, not ever.  Amazing device.It has definately been a team effort, the kids are reading the signs and repeat what the GPS has told me.  It's been a lot of fun.  The boys are anxious to try , but I'm still a little tentative about it.  The roads are thinner and I always feel like I have cars coming at me all the time.  You have to be quick and have quick reflexes.  It's very much like what you see on TV with European driving. I always feel like it's zippy, thats the best way to describe it. Plus, I LOVE our new car and have a fierce protectivness towards it.  We may have to look into a junker for the boys!
     I hope this helps those who were wondering what our day to day looks like.

All Wired Up

Yesterday we signed up with an internet, home phone and TV provider for our new home.  We chose the cheapest plan for now which is 10GB of usage during the day and 10GB of usage during the night with free calls anywhere to Australia, cheap international calls and the basic TV package.  All this for the very reasonable sum of a pint of blood, a quart of stem cells and Zaren.  We'll likely increase to a more robust plan within 15 minutes of hooking it up as we'll have someone on the laptop, someone on the iPad and 3 other someone's on their iPods at all times.  Unfortunately, the kids aren't in school, haven't really met anyone yet and don't have much to do so they are spending a lot of time on the computer and TV.  Hopefully when we get to the new place they can walk down the street and hang out at the beach.

Unfortunately it will probably take until Thursday (Wednesday in the Great White North) for it all to get hooked up.  WA (Western Australia) is commonly known as "wait awhile", and this is only one example.  The plan we chose (ADSL) runs through the phone lines. We were initially going to go with the cable (naked DSL) but that would have taken 2-3 weeks to get access!  So, starting on Saturday morning (Friday night in the Southern Arctic) we will be likely out of reach by email, Skype, etc.

We've still got a couple days of "free" internet left but if we don't reply or write or call or send flowers... it's us, not you.  See you on the other side!

Death & Taxes...but mostly Taxes

Not too long ago I wrote how wonderful it was that we would be eligible for LAFHA (living away from home allowance) and that it would make our lives in the money pit, aka Australia, much more affrordable.  For those that have forgotten that post or lost interest after the 4th syllable, here it is:

http://theklamersofoz.blogspot.com/2011/11/death-taxes.html

Just yesterday, the Australian federal government announced the following:

"...the government will crack down on misuse of the living-away-from-home allowance tax exemption by highly-paid executives and foreign workers..."

Source:  http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/business-old/treasurer-wayne-swan-finds-115-billion-in-new-savings/story-e6frg2qu-1226209022079

Nobody told me that I was a "highly paid executive" although as a "foreign worker" I am guilty as charged.

The timing is bad.  We just rented a home based on the LAFHA scenario's and we can't back out of the lease now without losing a lot of money.  Fortunately, the proposed cuts don't go into effect until July 2012 but that still means there could be a potential for paying a very large rent for 5 months (July - November).  We assumed the rent only because of the tax breaks.  We'll see what happens.  There could be a push back from businesses when they have even more trouble recruiting overseas workers because of the new LAFHA rules.  Otherwise, I may have to speak to my employer about other possible remuneration options.

I thought it would take longer for me to hate the Australian government but their timing is impecable.

One out of Four Ain't Bad

So, it looks like all of the conditions for us to move into the Hope Street home have been approved.  We are signing the paperwork on Friday and also moving in on Friday.  Our sea freight has been delayed and likely won't show up until early-mid January so the relocation company is providing us with temporary furniture.

Since the house is now almost out of the way we are trying to take care of a couple other little things.  So yesterday afternoon Nadia picked me up from work early so that we could sort them out.

1) Our new (to us) car is missing a seat belt latch in the back seat so it is currently only a 6-seater.  Not a big deal in the short term and we were aware of it when we bought it.  However, the dealership didn't have any and had to order one in from Hyundai.  Yesterday it arrived.  So, Nadia got me from work and then we went to have it fixed.  We brought it over and it took about 15 minutes.  We had to rush off to our next appointment that started at 4pm.

2) We were then off to get the kids swimming level evaluated at a local pool.  We need to know what level of swimming to put them in here primarily so that they can be safe in the ocean.  There are rip tides here that, if you're not careful, can be very dangerous.  If you know what you're doing they aren't that bad.  Either way, we want the kids to be safe in the ocean.  The boys were evaluated at about the same level as an average 11 year old here.  Oh yeah, I bet if an Australian came to Canada for a curling evaluation that they'd only be able to drink at a 13 years old level.  Keva was probably at a 9 year old level.  In any case, we'll probably put them in some short term private lessons to get them up to speed.  As were were leaving we tried the new seatbelt and it didn't work.

3) We were then off to the mall to get mobile phones for Nadia and I.  The malls close at 5:30 on Tuesdays so we didn't have much time.  After sorting through the different companies and confusing plans we finally made a decision.  We arrived at about 5pm but unfortunately, in our rush we didn't bring passports, a bank statement or any other ID that's required to get a mobile phone plan.

4) By that time we were hungry.  We starting driving home but found this very nice little Italian take-out place called "Tony's Spaghetti Take out" or something.  It was fabulous.  As we finished eating we were about to head home when we noticed the sun about to set.  We were a minute from the beach so we drove down and witnessed our first Australian sunset.  It was gorgeous (and windy and cold).  On a 40 degree day it would be a perfect way to wind down.  Unfortunately, we didn't have the camera with us but because of where we'll be living, this will be the first of many.

Today, Nadia is going back to the dealership to let them know that they installed the wrong seatbelt clip and then she's going to the mall to pick up our phones.  At least the paperwork was started so it should be quick.  Now we have to pick an internet, TV and home phone provider.  The mobile phone plans are simple compared to these plans.

I can't wait to move and try to get settled.  Living as we have been has been a little like camping:  we are living out of bags/suitcases, the neighbours are rowdy and we have to go grocery shopping every day.  I used to like camping until now.

Location, Location, Location

Yesterday we looked at 3 homes to rent:

1) Hope Street
1 1/2 blocks from the beach. Large, modern, bright, open home.  Very nice outdoor space with a big back yard and a hot tub???  Advertised as 4 large bedroom when in fact it was 3 large bedroom and 1 small study.  Close to the school.  Did I mention it's 1 1/2 blocks from the beach?

2) Sandover Drive
Very nice neighbourhood and across the street from a golf course.  Salt water pool.  4 bedrooms.  The home itself looks like someone drank a huge bottle of the late 1970's and threw up everywhere.  Very dark inside and not very good space.  I was afraid to touch anything and couldn't wait to get out.  Brand new listing so no pictures available.

3) Jodrell Road
Not as nice a neighbourhood and a little newer so it didn't have many trees in the area, although, it was very close to a pond and path area.  Well maintained.  4 bedroom.  Fairly modern.  A little small inside.  Almost no outdoor space however.

Because we are being evicted from our current accomodation by this Saturday we are forced to make a choice.  So, #2 is out because it's a #2.  That leaves 1 & 3.  We decided to put in an offer for...drum roll... #1 Hope Street!  We will use the study as a 4th bedroom, otherwise the house is very good.  We're going to put in a bit of cheeky offer because it was misadvertised.  We should see within the next two days.

The Lords are the Flies

Today we made our first trip outside of the city of Perth.  We headed East into what is commonly called the "Perth Hills" but has another 'real' name.  We drove into a very nice small town and then explored the area a little bit.  We managed to see some real Australian wilderness today and a few new creatures that call it home.  But make no mistake, the ruler in these parts are the flies.  They are smaller than the flies in Canada and they don't buzz until they're in your ear.  They are also relentless and the only reprieve is to go indoors and have a good cry about it.  Fortunately, they are only really a problem in the summer or when a wind from the East comes through.  However, every afternoon in the summer the Fremantle Doctor wind from the West blows them back inland.  Since we went inland today we found the motherload.  In between running from our car to a place and back to our car we managed to see a few sights:

 The view of the bush just east of Perth in the hills.  It's our first real glimpse of the Australian wilderness even though it's pretty tame.

On our way to the town and park.  On the right, behind the fence is a horse eating grass.  On the left outside the fence is a kangaroo eating grass.  One is wild, one is not.  They are both hungry.  That is all.

 

Picnicing in the bush.  We didn't want to stay still for too long to give the flies an opportunity to plan our kidnapping.

 Another of the parrots that live in the area.  I love parrots.  These particular parrots were all over this area looking for picnic left-overs.

 We finally saw a Kookaburra.  It was directly over us at our picnic table and looked to be checking out our lunch.  They are famous for their call but this one wasn't talking.

 Some of the local flora in the area.  As it's early summer here many of the plants are no longer flowering but some are.  One of them that is really amazing and currently flowering is the local lilac.  The lilacs here are trees rather than bushes and they are huge and they look like an explosion of purple and they smell just as nice as the lilacs in Canada

 Here we are following in the footsteps of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia:  After a tough day in the bush we headed to the local french cafe for crepes, coffee & milkshakes.

 This is a view of the city from the hills.  It was a little smoky today due to a fire south of the city.  The fire was actually a prescribed burn that went out of control and destroyed several homes in the Margaret River area about two hours south.

Here you'll find Nadia scheming about our future forrest home in the hills.  Some of the homes in this area were huge and had an amazing view of the city.  The only downside is that they are about 40 minutes away from the CBD and nowhere near the beach.  But there is a lake nearby and in this part of Australia there is nothing that likes to eat you in the lakes. 

While we were enjoying the view of the city this eagle was watching for food.  This picture doesn't really do it justice as it was very large with a huge wingspan.

Tomorrow we are going into 3 homes.  If we don't find anything we are in trouble as we need to be out of our apartment on December 3.  So, basically we are almost forced to pick one of the three.  That being said, we are hopeful that one of them will be okay.  If not, we may have to see if we can get a 6 month lease rather than a 1 year lease and then find another home at a better time of year for the market.  This is literally the worst time of year to try to find rental property because of the holiday season.  One month from now there will be plenty on the market but it will be too late for us by then.  Anyways, fingers crossed and hopefully I'll have good news to report shortly.