I’m going
to be brutally honest here; I’ve got a nine-week school break coming up, and I
really would love to spend it somewhere totally alien. It would be awesome.
Spin the hypothetical travel bottle and plonk myself in a random country, scope
it out, then wait for Andrew to join me. Cool huh? That said, it’s been nearly
two years since I’ve been home, and I don’t want to appear ungrateful or
unloving to the many people I’m heading back to see. There are many things I’m
looking forward to when it comes to heading back to Australia for the long break,
so I thought I’d go through them, just for fun. They jump around between
Brisvegas, Sydney and Melbourne, sorry.
In no real
order, except for the first…
1.
First and foremost – friends and
family.
The main reason we’re heading back. It’s been a while, and we need to check y’all
are ok. Plus, we miss you. Special mentions for great hugs and everyone getting
the gifts that are going to fill half my luggage space. This one’s pretty
all-encompassing; probably equivalent to the rest of the list put together.
2. Being average. Totally and decidedly AVERAGE.
In Australia, I am run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-road, and completely average.
It will be nice to not have people follow me, try to take photos of me or
similar things because they haven’t seen their wives or children for two years,
or because I’m white. I’m just another Aussie. Andrew has been known to say
that if you bring your partner to Dubai, she instantly doubles in ‘hotness’
simply by comparison…
3.
Those turquoise blue bench tops and
cups of tea
Funny the markers
that you remember most about the home you grew up in. For me, it’s the pine bar
stools (yes, I know they’re gone), blue bench tops, and cups of tea from mugs
that have pictures of animals on the INSIDE.
Notably Tetley tea, brewed strong.
4.
The smell of grandparents’ houses
They both have
their own unique scents.
There’s something about it that reminds me of holidays, warmth and endless
Nescafe.
5. Markets.
I’m talking about
you South Melbourne Markets. I want divinely crafted coffee, pastries, cheese,
nuts, dried fruit and to wander nonchalantly through random kitchenware and
Bonds outlets…which leads me to...
6. Bonds underpants.
There is no
comparison. I’m still salvaging two pairs of those bikini briefs that I bought
in Brisbane sometime in 2007 or 2008. They never say die, always fit, and I
NEED MORE! I know Andrew intends to go on a Bonds-bender on arrival.
7. Breakfast culture.
I might be romanticizing
this, but I remember breakfasting being just supreme, particularly in
Melbourne. Be it wandering down Chapel St and Church St, generally wandering
through St Kilda finding awesome and quirky places, going to any of Pania’s
fantastic suggestions, the Tram Stop Café of Andrew’s and my first weekend
together, or the ever-awesome New York Tomato; I just MISS breakfast being a part of the social eating culture. No better
way to start a day.
8.
Going to my old gym
Probably
romanticising this one too, but hey, I fancy busting out a few kms on the
treadmill there, just because I can. It will probably cost my right arm to
enter the building, but I’ll do it a couple of times, at least.
9. Seven:am coffee.
Best coffee in Port
Melbourne.
This time I promise I will not pay out on Jason’s omelette.
10. Tim Tams, Caramello Koalas, Cherry Ripes, Choc ‘o Lait, Allens lollies,
Promite and the like.
Uniquely Australian
goodness. I’m sure there will be many other Aussie-only things I will gorge on
while I am home. I’m beginning to understand why there are so many
confectionary vendors in airports these days. I used to think it was weird, but
now I’m considering how all the space taken in my luggage for gifts can be
replaced by Tim Tams, hot chocolate and Caramello Koalas.
11. Steamed zucchini
Strange but true. I
need me some Australian zucchini and yellow squash action. I refuse to pay
US$14.00 a kilo for it. I’ve paid $10.00 for 100gm of baby spinach in
desperation, but I draw the line at zucchini. I’m going to maul a plateful of
it, hold the meat.
12. Juice-man on Elizabeth St.
If you know him,
you know why. I’m gonna smash one of those Bombay babies.
13.
Not needing a mortgage for a glass
of vino
Ever paid $80 for a
bottle of Oyster Bay Sav Blanc? I have.
That said, I did drink it at the Ritz-Carlton. Nevertheless, I’d like an
affordable but delightful Merlot with my meal, and to not have to go to a hotel
to have it.
14. The chance to be a tourist at home
I’m going to bust
out my giant camera and pretend to be a tourist at every opportunity possible.
I read the adventures of so many travellers desperate to get to Australia, or
basking in the glory of being there, and I need to soak up some of that
delight. I’m going to try and remove some of that familiarity and get in on the
tourist action.
15. Cheap and awesome Asian food
Asian goodness is notoriously expensive in this country. Can’t wait to get my
butt down to Victoria Street for Vietnamese awesomeness. I’m also going to
burst my bubble on butt-loads of sushi. Here, if you want some sushi train
action for dinner, say goodbye to $70. Hello sushi rolls.
16. My Brighton Beach students.
They say you’ll
always remember the first ones, and they’re unforgettable. Even my good kids
here in Dubai can’t compare to the happy memories of my little upstairs
classroom filled with smiling kids BUSTING to learn and impress. I can’t wait
to go back to my divine little school and see them grown up.
17. Driving
Even if I have to
scam my way into a rental car under the age of 25 (I think this can be done in
New Zealand), I WILL be driving, and I will be doing it in a country where the
traffic is actually predictable. First, I have to try and renew my driver’s
licence though. My plan to renew it for a short amount of time in order to force
me to leave the country for travel worked a little too well.
Well, there
it is. It’s no definitive. I’m sure I will think of more between now and the 8th
of July, but this is what’s on my mind for now...
As a side note; things I am not looking forward
to…
1. Freezing my butt off.
It may be a
blistering Summer here, but it will be the middle of Winter back home. In
Dubai, cold is anything under 17 degrees. That temperature is worthy of a
decent zip-up jumper or jacket, paired with boots and scarves. Two degrees is
incomprehensibly cold.
2. Expensive stuff.
Australia is
freakin’ expensive, compared to Dubai, Middle Eastern and Asian travels. I’m
going to blow my shopping bubble in India before I arrive, for the sake of my
credit card’s livelihood. I think transport is going to be the real killer.
3. Bogans.
Notably drunk ones.
It’s been a while since I’ve been amongst Aussie drunken rabble. Possibly a little
culture shock to come here. That said, I’m looking forward to a good pub band
and a boogie at Friday’s.
