'Pinch Me' Moments

It seems that we have always been waiting to go and live in Australia and that we lived in limbo for such a long time, that now it's taking a wee while to sink in that we're actually here.

I have lots of 'pinch me, I must be dreaming' moments.

A few months ago I was watching a programme on tv about tourist spots in Oz. It was about a wildlife sanctuary and they were showing Cassowary birds. They're not the cutest looking birds I've ever seen!

Anyway, I was sitting watching the tv and thinking "they've got those birds in Australia". Then all of a sudden CLAAAANGGGG!!!!! the penny dropped - we are IN Australia! WE GET THOSE BIRDS HERE!!!

Here are some more pinch me moments: -

- Looking at the pile of shoes lying next to the front door and realising they're all thongs/flip flops and I own 6 pairs!

- Lying on my back on my sun bed floating around the pool (lucky me), looking up to the skies and watching some birds fly over. Then I realise they're PELICANS!

- Tears in my eyes when I heard the song 'Caledonia' - please don't play that at new year!

- Ordering Paul's birthday present (a full kilt outfit) from an ONLINE store in Edinburgh!

- Opening my wardrobe and wondering when I'll ever wear my jeans again.

- Cutting down the dead leaves from the palm trees round the pool.

- Going to the supermarket after tea time, enjoying the aircon then coming out to sauna temperatures!

- Realising, after the event, that it's too hot to walk 20 minutes to work at 8.30am.

- For the first time, Paul will have an ice cream birthday cake this week.

- Jumping in the car and driving 2 minutes down to the beach and it's empty - except on Sunday mornings for nipper training :-(

- Reading the newspaper and not knowing any of the people featured in the stories.

- Looking for somewhere in the shade to park the car.

- Walking around in bare feet all the time.

- Being woken up by the Kookaburra's laughing!

- Watching the electric storms (when it rains here it really chucks it down).

- Seeing our first Koala in the wild.

- Trying to plug in my hairdryer I brought with me from home without the adaptor.

- Paying under a dollar per litre for petrol.

- Asking for payments in pounds by mistake instead of dollars at work.

- Hearing Gordon Brown speaking on the news and thinking "He's awffie broad"!

- Having to leave my trolley packed with food outside the bottle shop because they're not allowed inside, then going out expecting it to be pinched and it's still there!!!!

- Being told "I love your accent".

- On hearing our accents people assume we're here on holiday and ask how long we're here for and the answer is FOREVER!!!

I'm sure there will be more to add to this list!