We actually made it!!!!

Yes!! We are here in the beautiful Gold Coast shores of eastern Australia!!! My apologies for not updating sooner but we didn't have an internet connection for the first 5 days and I have to travel down 19 floors for this one!! Makes you appreciate the computer room, doesn't it???
Our very long flight (30 + hours of travel) brought us to Sydney in the early mornign hours....around 6am. Sydney has a curfew and no planes can land before 6am!!How cool!! We ran through customs, with lots of bags, and then flew to the ACT (Australian Capitol Territory) of Canberra...pronounced Can-braa! It was in the 40's and COOOLD!! They are very strict on electricity waste and every plug in the hotel has a switch to turn it on! I actually checked to see if the water in the toliet swirls the other way...sad to report there are no swirls! Water comes floding in from 3 sides and then sucked away!! Same in the bathtub! The drain makes a scarey "sucking" sound and I swear you could lose a finger or a toe if you are not careful! They do an odd thing called a "half flush" or a "full flush" with the toliet...two different little buttons! You are supposed to conserve water where you can.....oh well :)
We spent long, cold days at the American Embassy learning all the noew rules and words! They have eucalyptus trees (gum trees) that drop limbs during a slight wind and kill the poor bloak standing under it!! It is appropriately call the Widow Maker...I swear, they had two deaths lastweek!!! The koala bears are called "Drop Bears" here because if you walk under one and it feels threatened....you will never see it by the way....it Drops on your head and slashes with 4 inch claws!!! Not so cute now, huh? Spiders are everywhere but mind they're own business and it is illegal to kill snakes!!! You can, however, kill the Australian symbols- the kangaroo and the emu- and eat them!! It's the only country in the world where they serve the mascots on a menu!! I have learned if you can cook it on a barbie (grill) you can kill it and eat it!! A little known fact about the countries symbols....the kangaroo and emu are facing each other on the Australian crest because neither animal can back up!! The lesson is Australians are always moving forwards, never in reverse! It is said here to "give it a go!" which means you should try everything, whether you succeed at it or not isn't the point! I kinda like that!
We arrived in the Gold Coast, state of Queensland, on Friday about noon.....to warm breezes, sunshine and very welcoming Australians! Our new friends, Joe and Janine, made the drive to the airport only to say "Welcome Mates" and pass off their numbers if we needed help! We were shown the area by John, the guy the Rob will be replacing here. They had an Army "Hail n Farewell" to welcome Robert and myself and say good bye to John that same night. We had an amazing time in the "mess" playing trivia and getting to know everyone! These are very kind, very happy people and you cannot help but smile and laugh with them for hours!! My cheeks and sides are completely sore!!!
Robert has a military car an is the only one of us brave enough to drive ont he left hand side of the road. I was sitting up front.....feeling like I need a steering wheel and pedals.....taking many deep breaths as we weaved through traffic yesterday! What fun!!! :0
We have been to the beach, which is right in front of the hotel....we have seen mountains, and they have "Shires" here not counties, and were just in Brisbane today at the Science museum!
I am learning new words and phrases....slipping into the accent....and am a huge fan of the "meat pies" that you can get on every corner!!! So yummy!!
Robert celebrated his birthday in 3 June and we surprised him with breakfast, cards from each of us and a German Chocolate birthday cake!! He was shocked that we found the time to arrange it all! We told him that we were an Army family and no mission was too great or small!!
The fashion here is.....well, interesting....and Andriah and I had some trouble shopping for basic shirts. We couldn't find any T shirts in the colors that Rob would actually wear, but we are on a mission and will prevail! He actually gets to wear sandles to the mess at work....he has never worn sandles! The phrase "no shirt, no shoes, no problem" has never been more true than here!! Kenny Chesney needs to travel down under and see how its really done! There is very little crime, no one is walking around with a gun, and you can take your kids to the theme park in the morning and pick them up later!!! Everyone just loves to find out where I am from as soon as I start talking!! It's hard to remember that I am the one with the accent now....one girl asked if I was speaking in a foreign language!! I told here "No, it's just South Georgia english" and she smiled!
Promise to catch up more often, thanks for all the support and comments on the site....keep them coming!
Here are a few terms to get you thinking: "a good feed" is a great place to eat, pub or restaurant. "Kiwi" is a term of endearment for a New Zelander...after their bird not the fruit! (made that mistake already) An "oldie" or "oldies" are your parents!! Holton just loves to use that one! "Fair dinkum" means right on or true blue....that salute with this a lot! And, lastly, a "brew" is coffee not beer! There coffee is black or white, and flat, short, tall or.....what I like to say....anything caffeinated with sugar and milk that I can drink, pleeeease!!! :)
To sum up, everything is good, we are all adjusting well and are enjoying the beauty around us! No worries, Mates!!!