This Spuds for you.

I want you to go into your closet.  I want you to pick out a bunch of clothing that doesn't match and is from several decades ago (note, if you need to go borrow some clothes from like your dad, that would be acceptable.)  Then put them on.  Congrats, you're a hipster.  I literally do feel like I'm living in an H&M catalogue, which is hysterical seeing as there ARE NO H&M'S IN THIS COUNTRY.  I have yet to get some really great pictures of hipsters, but here's a good teaser:

Note the hat, and extremely unflattering pants, and flats. I could do a whole blog on how they dress here.

This however, has invented several new games to play: "Hipster or Crazy" or "Hipster or Asian".  I do what I can to stay amused. 

Australians also have a funny way about them, where they like to inform you of all the things that can kill you.  This is not just me that's noticed this, this is confirmed from another non-native, one of Clint and Kendra's friends from New Zealand.  I don't know if they think it's funny or if they're just not trying to cry themselves to sleep.  (re:my bedtime)  But literally, there are SO MANY THINGS that can actually kill you here and they invent more.  Case in point: Drop Bears.  Drop bears are supposedly koala like animals that drop of of trees and eat you.  Because they are carnivorous.  They think this is SOOOOOO hysterical that the Australian Museum even pretends they are real.  (note the map to the right please------>bear face.)  And thanks, Australia Museum, this did give me pause for a second to consider if they actually WERE real. 

Moving on, for everyone who has ever lived a pedestrian lifestyle, let me tell you, it sucks.  I'm sorry.  There's no other way to describe it then, 'it sucks.'  Hey, it's raining out today, oh wait, I need food?  I HAVE TO WALK TO THE STORE.  oh, it's 95 degrees out today.  I want ice cream.  I HAVE TO WALK TO THE STORE.  And although I'm trilled with all this recent weight loss, I still really miss my car.  But it does make it easier to rationalize mcdonalds apple pies (count: 2).   But, on these many walks to the store and back, I have met a friend!  Hurray!  My first friend in Australia that I just met!  Yay, it's a cat.

whaaaa?

Isn't he the CUTEST??

Yeah, we get it Devon, you miss your cats.  So much so that you're befriending street cats.  (but he's really cute and he's tiny and he looks like my sisters old cat Spudsy.)  Would it be awkward if I stole this cat?  Probably.

Annnnyyhhhooowww, we've been exploring the area lately thanks to C & K.  We've gone to the Yarra Valley for a quick winery tour, gone to the zoo (and I was horribly sick, so I need a re-do on that one) and gone to the beach!  So rest in the knowledge that I'm not just walking around the streets of Brunswick snuggling cats.  (even if that's my preferred activity)   

Let's start with Yarra Valley.  I'm assuming it looks a lot like California wine country.  That being said, I want to get re-married here.  And one of the finest parts of this winery/wine tasting  at Yearing Station?  IT'S FREE.  Yum.

This is what it would look like, DEAL WITH IT.

Mmmmmm Tasty Free Wine!

There was also Chandon Moet, but you had to pay there, and quite frankly it wasn't as good.  They had a sparkling shiraz, which although interesting in theory, was wayyyyy to sweet.  Therefore, they don't get pictures on my blog.  So there.

The next day we went to the Melbourne Zoo.  You'd think I'd be REALLY excited about this and post like a million pictures, but I felt a little bit like I was going to die.  It was really hot, my stomach was aching, so mostly, I spent time on benches, sitting down.  I then took like a million hour nap when we got home, because I was pretty sure I was dying.

Some zoo highlights:

The butt of a wombat.

Echidna!  All claws and cute

I AM THE TINIEST TURTLE!

And now for your viewing pleasure:

That's correct.  PLATYPUSARY.

 

Platypus' swimming are pretty awesome.  also, pretty tiny.  I thought they'd be bigger.  But they're so tiny.  Not quite as tiny as the world tiniest turtle above (seriously that thing was smaller than my palm) but they're like the size of a kitten.  An aquatic, egg laying, venomous kitten.  Mull on that one.

The next weekend (when I was feeling less like death warmed over) we went to the beach!  I agreed to the beach because 1) it was like 6 million degrees here (I'm fairly sure that's an accurate Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion) and 2) there are supposedly no salt water crocodiles in the water (but there ARE blue ringed octopi which will kill you pretty much instantly.  joy.)

So to the beach we went.  Now you're thinking, awww, cool, beach like misquamaquet.  They have like vendors and life guards and crap.  Well, not here in Melbourne.

On second thought, maybe I don't need vendors.

Yeah, so that place is ridiculously good looking.  RIDICULOUS.  Honestly, what place on Earth looks like this???  Oh just the place that I live, no big deal.

I DID go in the water, (murderous octopi notwithstanding) which makes it TWO oceans I've been in.  And I can easily get three here, because I swam in the Southern Ocean.  I'm fairly certain that it's actually the Pacific Ocean, but Clint is pretty adamant that it's not, and he grew up here, so I guess I'm limited in how much I can argue.   At one point Shawn and I decided to take a walk on the beach, towards some rocks, because I thought we'd get some cool pictures.  Then the tide started coming in, and I freaked out juuuuuusssstttt a little bit.   

The beach.

Weird looking rock.

Hi there.  The tide is coming in and I'm freaking out.

Beach Super Hero.

OH!  and excitingly, we finally got a picture of our backyard possums!  (by "we" I mean I made Shawn go out there because I am scared of mosquitoes)  It's a momma and baby.

LOOK AT THEIR FLUFFY TAILS!!!!!!!

Shawn is starting school tomorrow and I've applied for 5 whole jobs.  Maybe I'll even get one, gasp!  Welp.  That's all for now!