Here I am, back in Australia. I had plans to write about the rest of my trip in Asia, but even the greatest of plans may not see an end. I will go as far as to say that I went to Bali for a night where I met my friend, the worm. But enough of him, for now my body is welcoming a new and more hideous illness, namely, chickenpox. My face resembling one giant blister, my job hunting plans have been put on hold in favour of activities involving far less human interaction. Am planning trips to some of Australia's forgotten wilderness in order to avoid the human eye for a couple of weeks - a beach house, my friend's farm & Australia's capital, Canberra (the latter being the most quiet and secluded of the three).
A brief rundown of events since returning to Sydney:
Was met at the airport by Colin & his sister, Claire. Drove to Claire's place for an emergency dose of vegemite on toast. Welcomed with presents and attacked by dogs at Colin's house. Welcomed by an unfathomably large pile of mail and shunned by my cat at my house. The next day was my welcome home party. Was fantastic to see my Aussie friends again, though a little overwhelming. Ate Aussie delicacies such as sausages and party pies and best of all, a giant chocholate mud cake, multiple pavlovas and an enormous tower of lamingtons covered in Australian flags (something I thought only the Danes did). At Tom's suggestion, I made everyone sing the Australian national anthem whilst I cut the cake. Between them all, they pretty much got all the words with minimal mistakes, so it wasn't too patriotically embarassing. Hilton was such a good sport about the whole Australia Day (now oficially renamed "Elena's Coming Home Day") affair, that he turned up adorned by a flannelette shirt, a realistic beer gut and an Australian flag T-shirt that he'd bargained with a Japanese salesman for. You can't get much more true blue Aussie than that.
Since the party, I've pretty much just been catching up with friends and cleaning my room. Have reformed since my days of junk hoarding - managed to throw out important items such as my childhood paper serviette collection, along with less important items such as my student bible.
And now, waiting, waiting, waiting.... waiting until I don't look like something that crawled out of a horror movie and can rejoin society.