I Have Arrived

Two weeks ago I spent three nights in New Brunswick, Canada with Conor, his two brothers, and a friend from graduate school. The boys competed in the World Pond Hockey Championship in the small town of Plaster Rock. I cheered them on from the opposite side of the snow wall - layered in warmth, beer in hand. Only fifteen days later, I sit in heat and humidity, slurping down glass after glass of cold water, wondering when the ninety degree weather will come to an end. What happened to temperatures below freezing and Canadian hockey stars?

After months of debating and only a few weeks of planning, I have finally arrived in Brisbane, QLD Australia. While it may be Monday where you are, it is Tuesday here - mostly sunny, with a chance of clouds.

Conor and I arrived in Brisbane this morning, March 3, 2009, 7:36am. After surviving the 14 hour plane ride from LAX, security and customs, and taxi ride from the airport to the apartment, I am ready to collapse, but first I must reapply my SPF 50.

It is sunny and warm. Birds of Paradise and palms line the walkways of our apartment complex. The view of downtown and the Brisbane River from our balcony is spectacular. The air-conditioned apartment feels amazing. Two weeks, four states, and three countries later, I have arrived.

I plan to jot notes daily over the course of the next 12-18 months, sharing my Australian adventures with anyone who might just take interest.

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned. Tomorrow's forecast up next.