The day is August 5, Thursday almost 11 AM; I sit in the main library at The Australian National University, struggling to remember what has passed these last few days.
On Monday at 12:30, the CountryLink leaves Sydney for Canberra. The ride down to Canberra (pronounced "Canbra") passes first through old run-down parts of Sydney before opening into suburbs, and an hour or more later into flat lands and slowly rolling hills. Reminds me of California's central valley, but with a winter look. The trees appear to be pine and Eucalyptus, but I can't tell for sure; some appear to be very different from any I have seen before. Many trees are bare. The temperature is in the 50's and was near zero the night before.
After a bit, the rolling hills turn into Sierra-like foothills with farms along the rails, full with sheep and cattle. A Kangaroo or two hop down the dirt roads, going somewhere; can't tell the motivations. And I see someone on horseback minding the ranch. Suddenly, off in the distance, I spy the Telstra Tower on Black Mountain. ANU is at its base; so I know Canberra is near. I am looking south.
David is waiting at the station and drives me around the city showing me the sites. He drives a small white Australian car with the wheel on the right side. Cars are all moving on the "wrong" side of the street. Can I get use to the unexpected behavior of the traffic? Everything is a mirror image of American roads.
The ride is shortly over and we are in Phillip, a small suburb on the other side of the City Centre from the train station. Lucy, a tortoiseshell, like my cat back home, greets us at the door. His condo is pleasant enough and comfortable. I'm put in the guest room.
David is 70; his wife died two years ago and he has moved here from a much larger house in the northern suburbs. She was a pretty woman. He takes me to dinner at the Southern Cross Club, an establishment full of slot machines and gaming tables. This is his regular hangout for dinner, and I have to sign in as a guest. I'll talk food another time, since it deserves its own post. I may need to acquire these tastes. He suggests I pay the $3/year membership fee, so that I can get in anytime I want for dinner.
On Tuesday, David walks me over to the mall at Woden Centre, a couple of blocks from the house. We shop for some things he needs and I search out various cell phone plans. I can get a nice Android for a two year commitment of $50/mo. That's a second tier plan. The Apples are $80/mo. On top of any plan I can get International calling for an additional $20/mo. Those I call back home pay nothing as long as I dial them. All of thee plans assume a max number of minutes, of course, then the payment shoots through the roof.
One day people will learn to how to price cell phones as a necessary commodity instead of a way to get rich fast.
Prices for everything seem to be quite a bit high. I saw a clump of flowers going for $45. Mind you the exchange rate is about .93 USD to 1 AUD right now, so think about these as USD and you won't be far wrong. Clothes are a bit higher, but shoes? I found ordinary shoes for $200 and $300. The "Payless" shoes weren't much cheaper and nothing near what one would pay at Payless in the states.
The mall had all the regular stores: a Woolworth's (!), sport shops, women's fashions, men's stores, bakeries and patiseries, a Hungry Jack's instead of Jack in the Box, of course a MacDonald's and all those Mexican, Chinese and Thai fast foods spots. There are high fashion stores and discount clothiers, but on average the prices do appear to be a bit higher than Marin County.
We head off for ANU in the afternoon and drive the campus looking for parking. The building and layout remind me of UC Berkeley, but the buildings are low, no more than 4 stories. Walking about I am reminded of Sproul Plaza at UCB. The engineering building is not too far off the beaten path and after circulating around the new construction, I find my advisor's office. She is in a meeting with her group of students and her faculty partner. I introduce myself and we all talk for a few minutes, then I let them finish their work.
Evening meal is again at The Southern Cross but Catherine joins us, a close friend of David's wife. I buy them each a glass of wine and we celebrate the world travelers, since David leaves the next day, Wednesday, for Thailand, London and San Diego, CA. His son, Paul, picks him up in the early morning and I am left alone.
I spend Wednesday finding computer access and working on XET needs with Bill and Kurt for most of the day, but get out in later afternoon to explore more of the mall, have a late lunch and find the bus interchange. Woden, it seems, is one of the major centres for bus connections, something like the San Rafael bus interchange. Supposedly I can take a bus down to the City Centre exchange from here. I spend the evening pouring over the Canberra map, looking for bike trails, since David says I can use his bike for the next month to get around. I discover it is about a 4 mile ride into the ANU, not bad, and there are bike lanes and paths the whole way.
Today Thursday, I am off to the Woden interchange and run into a fellow bus rider to the City. He's actually a New Zealander, here now for four years and planning to acquire Australian citizenship. Apparently there are many more work opportunities here than in New Zealand. He informs me that I need to get a "Ten tripper"; this is a ticket that allows me to ride the bus for 10 round trips at half the price.
Now I await a noon appointment with the admissions people to let them know that I am ready to commence study and research.
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