Date: 15 April 04 Adventures of Gamblegirl: I'm home!!! I can't believe that it's been a WEEK since I have been home. Where has time gone? Firstly, let me just wish everyone a happy Easter. Hope that you ate a lot of choc eggs and hot cross buns. It's hard to believe that I am home. It feels well kinda weird! I am not totally sure what to make of it. It feels like everything has changed but it hasn't. Which probably means that I have changed, but I haven't. Plane ride home was okay. Suffered from no jet lag at all. Was perfectly fine. From Heathrow to Singapore, it was 17 hours and slept 11 of them. Then from Singapore to Melbourne it was 7 hours and slept 4 of them so was nice and wide awake when I got in about 4:15. More Mazza and Jon looked like they needed another few hours sleep but me was perfectly fine. I'm one of those people that when collecting luggage, it's always the last one out. Usually the custom lines are like half back down the airport and it's another couple of hours before I can actually well- LEAVE!!! But for once, I think the luggage gods liked me because there they were. And the sniffer dog had no interest in them which is even better :) It's funny seeing Melbourne now that I have been away for so long. There's obviously been some development that's for sure. I was walking down the bottom half of Burke Street and didn't recognise any of the new shops. Can't wait to discover the Docklands, Federation Square and other places. Since being away I have more of an incentive to discover more of Victoria (and Australia). That Great Ocean Road is looking mighty appealing. Might even tackle that. So a couple of things that I have noticed since being back:- - It's bloody hot. Okay yesterday was as hot as it got mid summer for England and I am not coping with this heat. Isn't it WINTER almost? What's with that? - Brown is not an attractive colour for grass. I want English green grass back. - Manners and consideration still exist here (and why do I feel like a nana saying that?) - I still find myself doing the following: - standing on the right side of the esculator, waiting for the train doors to open automatically, getting irritated that I now have to work to a train time table, reach for the plastic bags when doing my shopping. - There is only one footy and it is AFL and since seeing my Sainters, I LOVE EVEN MORE. Welcome as I become a footy zealot. - And why couldn't have I thrown my name in the ring of those that have had an affair with Becks. Wouldn't that have made a great tabloid story - BECKS AFFAIR WITH BECS!! - The constant sound of the Aussie accent is freaking me out a bit. I am still half expecting to here, so your not from around here are you? I got so used to the English one that well, am having a little problem re-adjusting. Likewise with customer service while shopping. So what have I learnt whilst being away. I have learnt that Australia is a bloody good country, Melbourne in particular is a special place and my most favourite city. We have everything that is good in Europe and have made it our own. I think that I have changed. I don't put up with as much "crap" now and don't stress out over little things as much as what I used to. I think in a way I grew up as well and while this sounds bad, became more positively selfish (yes I know it doesn't make sense, but think of it like, I should be doing more stuff for myself because I want to and not do things because others don't). And that I have a great support team which I never really fully appreciated before but bloody well do now!! Am back working (yipee, woo hoo, am over excited!) and glad to have my feet on the ground. Until next adventure Gamblegirl