For the first time in a long time, I am alone tonight. I have not had a single night to myself in the past three weeks; I've been on the move the whole time save for the two nights back in Perth I was mugging for the exams. After having been surrounded by people the whole time, I'm really glad to just stay in and not do anything or talk to anyone, and it was only at Mass just now that I realised how weary I've become. Those precious quiet moments before Mass begins have become the spiritual highlights of my current existence. I get too caught up in the fun I'm having to evaluate my position, I have been swept up in the action that happens so fast I am not sure I realise just how soon I have to deal with these words: goodbye. I did not bring my Bible to Melbourne with me. But tonight, with DQ away at a 21st birthday rave, I will take some time out to do some much-needed thinking. So much has happened of late, there has been no constancy except for the feeling that confronts me when I kneel down in church. Always, ultimately, it comes back to me and Him. And I want to prepare myself for the next few weeks with this relationship at the forefront of it all.

posted by beautiful at 3:18 am

Greetings from Melbourne!

The crazy adventures began before I even touched down. Back in Adelaide, I was held up in the car just 30 seconds away from the airport terminal by a rabid little girl who decided to play hopscotch on the zebra crossing. I made it to the desk just before check-in closed, and my 3.5kg overweight suitcase was slapped with a 'Last Bag' tag. I don't even think the lady had time to make me pay excess charges because she shoved my boarding pass at me and sent me on my way. By the time I boarded the plane I was panting. 45 minutes later I was skidding down the runway feeling a little disoriented and breathless at the speed with which I'd gone from one place to the next. The wind was whipping my hair as I got off the plane and walked across the tarmac. It's a lovely 10 degrees here tonight. Standing right behind me at the arrival hall, DQ called to demand what was taking me so long. The last time I'd seen her was in February. The rest, as they say, is history.

I arrived 2 hours ago. Since then I've ingested a large packet of chips, two chocolate caramels from a natively South Australian chocolate purveyor (I love how some words wear their pretentiousness on their metaphoric sleeves) that can actually be found here in Victoria, and a slice of dark chocolate. I don't even like dark chocolate. My eating habits have spiralled out of control. On the agenda for the next few days: watching Little Britain, checking out Spiegeltent, possibly forcing DQ to drive me to the home of Brown Brothers, heading off to Tassie to inhale some of the world's freshest air, shopping which I never got to do the last time I was here and just catching up with an old friend--over coffee for her and tea for me. Life's getting more and more exciting by the minute. But I still can't wait to return to Perth.

My heartfelt thanks go to Sui, Torbs and Robyn for the wonderful week I've had hanging out, binge-eating and making mini documentaries. God bless. Say 'Germans'.

The inventory to date: an avocado and bacon sandwich, Thai food, chocolate shots, chocolate mousse, half a chocolate slab, an apple muffin, a chai latte, dim sum, a veal schnitzel, LOTS of sushi, five-spice duck with caviar, a rocky road cone, a ciabatta with fried pancetta and mushroom, poffertjes, rice with chicken and veg stirfy, black bean hor fun, panfried barramundi in lemon cream, a ham and cheese croissant. Let's not even talk about fluids. (I definitely want to go back to Perth now.)

posted by beautiful at 4:03 am

Coming to Adelaide has been such a bad idea. I was seriously deluded when I thought that my 3 weeks' hard-core travel before homecoming would be propitious to my weight-loss plans. Not only has my hard-core travel been confined to walking up and down Rundle St and in and out of its shops, but I have also been stuffing myself with rich food (chocolate, mango, avocado, chocolate, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, etc.) approximately every three hours. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time in the water when I'm back home. In some sick kind of way, I can't wait.

posted by beautiful at 6:18 pm