secret: checking in

in february this year, i wrote a post about all the things i was looking forward to about australia.

i thought i'd check back in and measure my progress. and i think i nearly win at everything. congratulations me.

the list:

1. meat pies. check
2. cheese. check
3. family (is it bad that came in 3rd? oh well) check
4. magpies singing in the morning. check
5. getting a tan. slight fail. arrived in winter.
6. friends. 1/2 check. melbourne visit next week shall remedy the rest of the missing ones.
7. kate and phill's wedding. if i knew when that might be happening, i'd be rich and famous.
8. beaches. byron bay & noosa. check
9. tax included in prices, and (sorry to say it) no tipping required. hearty and enthusiastic check
10. $2 coins. i like the way they sound when they jingle together in my pocket. and plastic money! you can go swimming with that shit. haven't had a lot of money. only really had the chance to shake my head at the ridiculousness of the 50c piece. foolishness.

runners up to the top ten include beer (another hearty and enthusiastic check), mum's place at rockvale (check), bar etiquette on sydney road (next week), driving on the left hand side of the road (it's really the only side of the road i've driven on since i got here), no black ice (check) and good coffee (check check check check check).