Burbs to buzz

Arrrhhhh moving house ain’t easy. I am writing now from a chair that’s too high for my desk surrounded by piles of clothes, computer gear, papers, and empty boxes; frustrated that the internet connection I was waiting to be delivered was (after many-a phone calls) sitting at the post office; and even more frustrated so by the fact that the connection it is giving me is as slow as dial-up. I’m frustrated by trying to turn on the gas and every gas company telling me they don’t have service my apartment block and sending me on a wild goose chase. Then there are the mirrors and photographs falling off the wall due to stick-on hooks that claim to hold 1.5kg yet won’t hold 500g to save its life. Damn it.

All this being said I must say that I am so ridiculously happy it’s ridiculous. This morning I walked five minutes down the road and I was at Rushcutters Bay. The other night not far off midnight I walked five minutes in another direction to arrive at Double Bay Woolworths to get some detergent. Can’t to that in The Burbs. The block I’m in contains small studio flats which appear full of young good looking single men 🙂 Or maybe it’s just compared to the view I’m used to in the burbs. I didn’t realise how much I missed the city buzz.

Yesterday I returned to Frenchs Forest to pick up a few more boxes of books and what not. I walked along my daily route to my mum’s house and was surprised how alien it felt. Big empty roads. Big houses. Families. Elderly. It’s been less than a week but I feel at home in my new home already. People, music, shops, bars – life.

There’s even a pub on my corner that has Kirin on tap, my favourite Japanese beer, that brings back memories of sculling competitions against rugby boys (that more often than not I won!). Actually setting up house in this small studio brings back many memories of Japan, the only other place I signed a lease. My flat is about the same size as my Tokyo one, although the kitchen and bathroom are a bit bigger, and this time I have a small balcony. Unfortunately this one is missing tatami floors and the massive floor to ceiling storage space the Japanese design so well. Also this time the whole apartment is just for me: my photos on walls, my mess on the floor, my shampoos in the shower, my boxes of stuff to unpack (thanks to my Dad’s tetris packing skills) and my red click clack sofa bed (thanks to my Mum’s brilliant e-bay skills). It’s a new fresh start for me. I wonder what adventures 2010 will bring.

In the meantime Christmas is just a week away and in all amongst the craziness of the last few months and the move gift shopping has been the last thing on my mind. Thank goodness for late late late night shopping…