EPISODE 2: IT'S CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Poor injured piano! CERTAINLY IS. When your stuff in container has been delayed, and after 20 days of being resourceful with cooking utensils, yes, it feels like christmas morning when the container truck finally arrives at your doorstep and you open boxes and stuff that is familiar to you, ... But horrors! My digital piano, which I had to bring here and pay extra RM400 for passage had one leg broken. I was upset. Not the 1st time it's happened. The last move, the other leg got broken as well and it brought back bad memories, because the mover in KL refused to do anything about compensating it. The replacement came out of my own pocket. This time, I was praying so hard that it wud be ok, and still it happened again!!!???? Aussie movers are not very helpful. Time and labour is everything. They refuse to do more than what is expected. So, what KL movers promised, (thanks UTS!!!) that they wud set up whatever is taken down was not carried out here, because the movers here said it was too complicated, they didnt know where the parts fitted. But sigh.. anyway, after the guys left, here I am with this piano and alone in the house with the boxes. It was like finally sank in, you're here dude, dudette, for good. Your stuff's arrived. You are SO in australia so get on with it.... I suddenly felt like opening up the piano to play some songs and worship the Lord and thank Him for His goodness. I was also suddenly reminded also that this will be a place of worship and waiting upon Him for new songs and new direction.. how I do not know. It was also as if God was saying, look unless the instrument of worship is broken, I can't use it.. Now... I've gotta go unpack, lots of stuff to sort out. .. and when I do eventually get to that camera charger, will post some photos... and so to those who believe Christmas is an all year-celebration , here's wishing you a blessed christmas in July, because today & everyday, He is the reason for all seasons . No expiry date. Posted by Chris Ong at 5:16 PM

EPISODE 1: ARRIVAL

Well, finally here! We have landed in Gold Coast (GC thereafter) on June 21st, 2008, the exact date of our 11th anniversary, me and Samuel (Huan Seong). Feels kinda special starting off new life in new land on such a significant date, it is as if it was naturally pre-planned, but we both know it was not...just tried to land on a saturday to check in for time share and it ended up on this special day. Seems like wading through a dream which has finally become real.

Well, Neil Falcke, good ole Neil was there to meet us at the airport, so sorry he had to wait so long for us. Pleasant surprise because we weren't really expecting anyone to come, but Beryl probably contacted him to ask him to be there. So good tho' 'cause we then can rent our car (same ole white Toyota camry) from EAST COAST RENTALS nearby with no delay and our migration-size load of luggage could then be split up between two cars. Thanks Neil for being a blessing!

1st stop, Beryl's house. Mama Beryl welcomed us with her warm hugs and it felt so good to be with her again. She is a familiar and wonderful friend to us. After brunch, we then checked into Tiki village resort, nice place easily accessible to town centre at surfer's paradise. Weather felt cooling, pretty cold at nights about 11 celsius, daytime can still walk around in t-shirts if not too kia-soo.

In the next few weeks we were to learn a few new important things:-

• Laksa or noodle soup costs about A$10.00 here  (totally cannot swallow when I think about the RM3.50 version in SS2 hawker stalls with sotong some more). But it has become part of the aussie vocab, laksa. If anyone can import the Jln Segambut seafood laksa franchise here, I'm a definite daily devotee.

• At zebra crossings, cars really do slow down and stop for you to cross over

• A college does not just mean school for university students, it can also be for primary school kids like Jordan. My son goes to this 'terror' sounding school called Varsity College at 7 years old. 

• It is actually possible to live without TV, radio, broadband and microwave or a sofa. Our container is still stuck in customs, and we are learning to live very simply.

• Lamb fry is not fried lamb. It is actually lamb liver steak.

• Thai food is a hot fave cuisine here, literally.

• When the Australians tell you they will deliver or come next week, they usually mean Friday and late afternoon, never Monday and seldom before friday.

 

Thank God we found a nice place just to get Jordie to school in Varsity College which is a good school. The area is called Varsity Lakes and on the expensive side. Our rental is at a reasonable $370/wk and it is good ventilation, 3-room and nice view and neighbourhood. 

I must say the 'narrow place' for us this year (Elijah if you are reading this.....try not to laugh) has taken on new meaning in our garage for our home at Varsity Lakes. Any car bigger than a 2-door Hyundai Accent will be and continue to be constantly scratched or blemished as it passes thru' the garage door. 

Jordan loves the auto lock up garage door tho. He thinks it is cool and scrambles for the remote to open and close it every time. He also loves the garbage truck, look ma no hands... automated robot hand from truck reaches out, tips garbage in and plonks it down again, purrfect. No scruffy-looking garbage collector thumbing thru your discards.....