Sven's life in Oz

Let me start with heartfelt congratulations for Alex and Lisa who were married last Saturday. James and I were sorry we couldn’t make it but we thought of you both all weekend and were delighted to speak to you the morning after. Also, thanks to Facebook, we’ve been enjoying the photos and partying vicariously at the reception. Finally, happy birthday to Katie and a huge ‘Many Happy Returns’ for Ben who turns thirty today. We’ll have some drinks for you tonight.

So much has happened since I last wrote that I will have to summarise it rather than a day-by-day account or I shall be here forever. We are both enjoying ourselves immensely, but in true English style I shall start with the weather. It is still spring here and as a result the skies are changeable: yesterday was beautiful but in the evening it clouded over and this morning it hammered down. Still, I am sat out on the balcony on our newly delivered garden furniture whilst I write, so it is not all bad news. It’s the only furniture we have as the tanker with our stuff on it is still crawling past Sri Lanka, but it’s nice to have something to sit on and eat off at last. Customs say they may hang on to our stuff for longer as there is a backlog approaching Christmas, but we will certainly do our best to get it out as soon as possible; we are both starting to go a bit nuts without our belongings.

You can watch a BSL video letter home, or read on.

That said, everything else has been going amazingly well. Everyone told us we were a lucky pair and you all seem to have been right: everything, touch wood, has fallen into our laps. Firstly, we got the flat we were after (I’ve attached a couple of photos if you are curious). We moved in just over a week ago and bought some essentials (like a fridge, and a new mattress and bed frame) from various people on gumtree.com, with mixed results. The fridge is perfect and the matress is brand new, but the bed frame broke the minute James sat on it and we have had to prop it up with a pile of magazines left by the previous tenant. (I cursed him when we moved in but now I’m very grateful.)

Secondly, and with lightning speed, James got a job. We hadn’t even been here a week when James got an interview for a large insurance company as a management accountant (among others). They interviewed him on Wednesday, then called him back for a second interview on Thursday, and offered him the job on Friday. They were so keen in fact, that they rang his references on Friday night so that he could start Wednesday just gone. He seems very happy there (they’re having a long lunch today and drinks after work to welcome him) and tells me that the team he works with are all of a similar age and quite lovely. He’s also got a killer view of the harbour from the 14th floor, and a gym on the first floor, so all in all he couldn’t be happier.

My own job hunting is going somewhat slower but that’s to be expected: James was the one with the skills that got us the visa in the first place so we are not panicking yet. I am still plugging away applying for things, ringing agencies and generally getting myself known, and when it all gets too much for one day I potter around the house, load the dishwasher and generally keep myself busy. I’m thinking about taking up yoga, too – let’s face it, I’m never going to get to the gym so anything has to be better than nothing, right?

Aside from the work/home day-to-day stuff we are managing to get out and about, too. We had a nice walk around our suburb the other day (it’s outlet store heaven, I tell you) and on Monday we walked from Bondi to Coogee along the coastal path – Mel, Nicola, et al, you will LOVE it. When we are ready to move again we have decided that coastal is the way forward; we saw a great property with lovely views, but at $2m it’s a bit out of our league. Still, something to aim for, I guess.

This weekend we are planning to do nothing at all. If the weather is nice we will head to the beach and try to even out our farmer’s tans. We might also buy a tv, though we haven’t got our cable connected yet so I’m not sure what we will watch when we get it. It’s in the sale though – we ought to act fast. Pippa has invited us up to Newcastle for a weekend so we will try to do that in the next fortnight, and then we are almost up to Christmas – how time flies! Speaking of Christmas, please e-mail me your address, even if you think I have it already – we need to post cards early doors if they are stand a chance of arriving on time. I don’t know if I will have time to hand-make them this year (although with no job, you never know) so if you get a shop-bought one, don’t hate me: it’s the thought that counts.

Best dash, I have a haircut in an hour and I don’t want to be late. Love to all and thanks for all your e-mails – personal replies will be on their way over the weekend.