Half Over Down Under

Dragon fruit, kiwi berries and passion fruit  for lunch

Mid-term: change to winter uniform

We have hit the half-way point in our Adventure Down Under.  We left home in December with a vague idea of what we wanted to see and do.  Our plan was to explore a foreign terrain, taste new flavors, get involved in different types of school and work, and create memories as a family.  Mid-term grades:  A's across the board.  We are achieving our goals and tasting flavors we never expected!  

The Aboriginal sculpture walk

One of our objectives was to learn more about the Aboriginal people, who are now only about 2% of the total population.  Most surviving communities are in the mining regions of the country and in the desolate Outback.  Welfare efforts are well intentioned and there is an overt effort by white Australians to apologize for years of horrendous mistreatment; there is a national“Sorry Day” and public meetings start with a statement of gratitude to the Aboriginal tribe on whose land the meeting is held. 

Each painting tells a story

A taste of autumn at the apple fest

We love the fact that there are so many things to see close to Melbourne. We have taken day trips to the Dandenong mountains, the Mornington peninsula and to the rolling vineyards of the Yarra Valley. We spend most Saturdays near Melbourne going to farmer's markets and the girls’school sports competitions.  

Audrey has quickly moved up to the #1 spot on the tennis team which is pretty impressive here in the hometown of the Australian Open.  Nina is doing great on the volleyball team, and next season she may

The Grand Prix took over our neighborhood

try "netball", which is one of many new sports we are getting exposed to.  Speaking of sports, Mike braved the piercing scream of the Formula One engines at The Grand Prix.   

Melbourne is so exciting, we hardly hear about news from afar. Australians are tuned in to the crisis in Japan but so far we have not seen an impact on the economy.  In fact, the Australian dollar is at an all time high.  It’s quite a novelty to be in a country where the people seem so confident about their jobs, house prices, education and retirement.  Mining is the main industry and the demand for iron ore, coal and yes, uranium, is keeping the economy growing and thriving.  

Edible Southern Cross Train Station in Jello

Melbourne hosted a huge food and wine festival and we went to as many events as we could stomach.  One of our favorite dinners featured all sorts of jiggly foods which looked better than it sounded (and tasted).  

We will head to Singapore and Indonesia for Easter (fall) break.  We went to the travel clinic and got "heaps" of shots and emergency meds in case we encounter something too gelatinous  for our systems.