Home sweet home.

Apparently the last post was a little dramatic - yes I am OK. Great even. Had to make that decision in a hurry and it was a little traumatic at the time, but I am definitely glad to be back in Melbourne. Thank you to everyone for kind words, advice and encouragement.

A perfect day with Cory in LA was truely a gift and actually made the 36+ hours of actual flying time almost bearable. (Though tip for next time: "window seat" in row 71(!) of a plane is not really a window seat, and not much fun either.)

Arrived in Melbourne to scorching heat, though thankfully the winds had changed and no smoke haze that I'd heard so much about. Perfect for a lazy afternoon at the Prahran Pool with D'man. Melbourne in Summer truely is great.

If you're in Melbourne, let's catch up. Got my rosters for next year and I start in Bendigo Jan 12. I'm actually quite excited. For those elsewhere - Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Chat soon.

travel woes and an expensive beer.

theft
Buenos Aires is dangerous - absolutely no problems on the streets (apart from the insane traffic) but in the hostel... Had a bunch of money stolen by another traveller while in the shower. Not sure I´ll be able to claim it back.... ouch.

missed connections
Who would have thought a bus in South America would actually leave on time or EARLY?! Assuming I had time to spare, I stayed for one last beer at hostel, thinking I needed the assistance to sleep on the 18 hour bus trip, after my taxi to the terminal managed to get lost, twice (intentionally?!), I arrived at the bus terminal on time, but the bus had departed. ouch. Apparently everyone else had also decided to go to the falls, so no space with any company for another week.

change of plans
Bus to Rio? Also near impossible, and a stupid distance to travel
Flight? Too expensive
Argentina? Uruguay? Possible of course, but not really where I want to be
So?

I´m coming home
Will never know if I made the right decision, but can´t simply hang around here with no cash and no plans. Also quite jealous of people sending me tales of Melbourne summer shenanigans and the thought of sorting my life out and registering before starting work in January is playing on me.

lessons
So I´ve spent a stack of money, and haven´t exactly acheived what i set out to do, but I´ve learnt a few things about myself, about life and of course, seen another small part of the world. Of course I also got to meet the wonderful Jen, catch up with old friends Josh, Ale and Maria and thank god I got to see Marie.

melbourne peeps
Back by the end of the week. Nos vemos.

apologies for the lack of photos. will rectify once I get to Rio.

Sitting down to eat dinner at 11.30pm at a Scandanavian Restaurant(!) with a veritble Hostel Euro-pudding for companions. Herring, Pickles, Caviar. Ah travel. Apparently the Irish call it ¨flash-packing¨.

Saturday today and it´s amazing how empty the streets are. the hostel is a block away from one of the main routes through the city - 10 (marked) lanes in EACH direction, and normally a nightmarish near-death froggie dash to survive. But today, I could almost have a picnic in the centre.

Heading off tomorrow night for the Iguazu falls up north on the border of Brazil, so might be difficult to contact for a few days. Overnight bus trip there, 2 nights at the falls (should be amazing) and then a 25 hour bus trip to Rio (should be less than amazing).

love to everyone,
O.

disculparme...

Why do people keep asking me for directions? Do I look like I even know where I am going? I did somehow manage to help the two southern lasses in Manhattan that asked me if I knew how to hail a cab. no kidding.

BA is great, but I'm ready to move on. I was toying with the idea of a day trip to the beaches over the river in Uraguay, but it's hot and sticky and raining. And the ferry leaves at 8am or something silly - certainly not compatible with the 11pm dinners and the very cheap beer.

Highlights? Amazing beef, great shopping and dancing at a hip local club modelled on the Sydney opera house with the dazzling lights of a Camel Cigarette disco 'ball' spinning above (Of course I did hatch a plan to leap off the balcony and steal it' but decided it wouldn't fit in my backpack....)

Here for another few days then heading off on a bus Sunday night to the Iguazu falls and on to Rio.

Arrivied in Buenos Aires after a relaxing 10 hour flight that came free with screaming baby in the row in front and middle aged Israeli woman with pea-sized bladder sitting next to me. Well rested I hit the streets and wandered the streets.

This is an amazing, bustling city. I think I will only manage to scrape the surface in my time here. Stumbled across this incredible art deco antique store - Gab, you would have wet your pants.

Hostel seems good and is right in the centre of the city. With a resident DJ and a bar that shuts at 6am probably let me catch up on much sleep.