I have finally got a battery for my laptop and am up and running, I am at the local library writing this . It is a short tram ride away from my place. I decided to just get phone data and not extra as I am budgeting so hence the library will be my office. I have been getting out and about,I love Melbourne for its trams but the weather it is a standing joke for Melbournites as the temp can change in ten minutes. Two days ago we had the hottest day for a year it was 38 but then the next day was 23 and today is a glorious 31. At least I don’t have to wear layers of all my tropical climate clothes and socks .
I have caught up with one son, one niece, one sister and a few friends. I bought a tv and managed after much swearing to tune it in but am missing a few channels the one Master Chef Australia will be on so will have to persevere in my channel tuning.
Its been a pretty easy transition back to city life , this time I’m not working , so I think it will be easier than if I was thrown in to a hectic work lifestyle .I’m focusing on my novel and kids book about Fish Island. I am pretty set up in my little place , I just need a comfy cane chair so I can watch tv or read instead of being on my bed . I am used to the bed as it was my main source of seating in most of my accommodations but I need to up the anti and actually get a chair.
With the price of food , it is more expensive here but if you shop right and just get the bargains you can get some goodies. Especially at the market. I have gone to the South Melbourne market a few times and you can buy a bag of day old fruit or vegies for a dollar. But you do have to eat them or freeze them straight away. At the moment mangoes are 2 dollars each and very delicious , I love mangoes. The variety of vegan food is incredible as well as gluten free . After the little supermarkets in Kampot its quite overwhelming the choices . Especially cheese and meat.I am so happy I have a big fridge with a freezer as I can freeze things, its been a while. But sometimes you don’t realize what you have missed until you get it back again . I have called into my old work, it was great seeing the store and my friends but glad my working days are over now . I just have to get an agent for my novel as a soon as I am happy with it which is what I am going to focus on for the next few weeks . I am doing a bit of networking finding out how I go about submitting my manuscript. Yesterday I went into the city to try and change my US dollars I have been carrying around . the banks no longer change foreign currency whether its due to covid or just the way of the world I am not sure so I went to a money exchange and got ripped off of about 7 dollars but at least I have cash I can use. It is such a cashless society here, after Kampot and most of SEAsia every transaction was in cash but here cards rule and I like it.
I had a great new year around at my friends , many musicians were present and an impromptu concert was held with the neighbours yelling requests over the fence . It was a clear night a bit chilly but absolutely a fabulous way to spend New Year.
The photo of the birds and the man I took yesterday when I was waiting for the tram in the city, its outside the State Library and he was chanting to the pigeons .
Until next time , take care.
Rubber soles open roads 