It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas! Or maybe not...

Fact of the day: Did you know that the daddy long-legged spider has one of the most potent poisons, but isn't deadly because it can't open its mouth big enough to puncture human skin? So, it can't do any harm trying to bite someone, but if you swallow one, expect to die.

So, I've since moved from Redcliffe to Springwood to live with Peter and his family for a bit, and I've been here for just over a week now. I don't have much to report, but I figured it was about time for an update.

Peter was in shock when he came to pick me up, as if he somehow expected me to still be the little 5-year old girl he remembered. He repeated "Lozza's all grown up!" about 8 times in the 5 minute drive home. He now has two sons: jono, who's 2, and benny, who's "actually 5 and a half! Which is actually older than 4!" They're absolutely adorable, but I'm definitely learning first-hand now what Peter must have gone through when he visit Canadia. Kids are a handful! On the bright side, I'm getting really good at playing "The Pirate King," and was even dubbed the Pirate Queen the other day. Score!

I've spent the last week kind of settling in, so I haven't been up to too much. We went hiking in a rainforest a few days past, and I walked around the Koala sanctuary that's about 4km away from here, but nothing else too exciting. I have a pretty sweet setup here, with my own room, bathroom, and phone (with my own number!) in the basement, so that's been great. I'm looking (but not too hard) for jobs in the area, but mostly, I've just been walking around a lot exploring the suburb. I've become accustomed to the ants and spiders, as they're regular visitors to my room, but Nigel the gecko scared me to pieces when I found his crawling aross my wall. So, I've definitely still got some adjusting to do!

I don't have anything terribly exciting for the remainder of my time in Brisbane, just a lot of relaxing, hopefully working, and hiking around the area. Hopefully I'll be saving up a decent amount of Moola for Sydney in february! WOO!

Anyway, that's all for now. Happy Holidays to everyone! I guess I'll be missing out on a white Christmas this year, but there's nothing like spending the day on the beach! Lots of love from Ozzy!

Chrismas Lights and Mystery Meat

Okay team, just a quick little blurb today, nothing incredibly riveting, but I felt I needed to share.

So, last night, we went to the street of Christmas lights. Apparently everybody knows about this block, where all the houses go "all out" with their christmas decorations, and thousands of people and tour busses etc. come to see it. However, this year, there were only about a handful of houses that did anything. It was really pretty, but definitely no "grinch house." I'm sure it looked a lot more impressive when every single house was glowing with the holiday colors, but I got the impression it was only a tad more awesome than any other street in Coquitlam. Your challenge, follower of Lauren's blog?: Get me a picture of the Grinch house, so I can brag about Canada's Christmas spirit!

Today, you would all be SO impressed with me. I went to a "Bush Tucker(food)" with Phip, becoming suddenly (and oddly) courageous for somebody who only recently started eating red meat again. I agreed to go, simply to say that I did it, but I was pleasantly surprised. I ate barbecued kangaroo, crocodile, possum and emu. The verdict? Not too shabby. The kangaroo shish kabab was a tad chewy, but could have been much worse, considering what I was expecting! The possum and emu tasted like grain-fed beef, and the crocodile, like chicken. Who knew?

Today was one HUGE step for me. I think I'm growing up! *tear*

Life Plans

Okay, so Australia officially kicks New Zealands butt! It's always so warm here, and I'm actually tanning!! Can you believe it!? My legs are on their way to being a normal skin tone, as opposed to their usual luminescence. This is all very exciting. I spent the day on the waterfront yesterday, carrying around my camera in true tourist form, and walked down the beach barefoot for about 6km listening to Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. Best day ever? I think so.

So I was thinking about what I want in the next year or two, and I've devised a few potential plans. Granted, everything depends on whether or not I figure out what I want from life career-wise and location-wise, so obviously these are very tentative. But for now, my mind is completely focused on traveling.

Plan numero uno: Hang out in Brisbane, with a job, for a couple months, then head down to Sydney and meet up with my friends, and work there for a couple months. Fly back to New Zealand in July, spend another month traveling around (probably the north island, although I'd like to see Queenstown!), then fly back to Canada mid-august.

My flights are currently arranged to suit this plan, but that can always change!

Plan numero dos: Work in Brisbane until February and get a place in the city, the drive down to Sydney in February with Elaine (if she comes back up to Brisbane for a bit! Otherwise, I'll take a bus down!). Work for 6 months in Sydney (as my visa won't let me work for longer than that), then make my way back up to Brisbane. Stay with the family friends again for a while, and really explore Australia, after having made a few bucks! See the outbacks, maybe get up to Alice Springs (I'm thinking possibly a bus tour?). In december, fly out to Ireland and meet Jessica there for New Years. Spend a few months in Europe, hit up Sweden!!! then eventually fly home in May to face reality.

Obviously, this plan is far more favourable

Plan numero tres: Do the Brisbane-Sydney thing, make some money and fly home in time for Christmas.

Adventurewise, this plan doesn't excite me very much.

I'm sure I'll have changed my mind completely by next week, but it's a start!