El Fin del Mundo:

Hey, I've been there. Well, not around Cape Horn; I took a 12 hour bus ride between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas. I'd love to go back to Patagonia, though not so much to Ushuaia. Who's up for it?

Flowers and settling in:

I went to Floriade today, which is supposedly the biggest flower festival in the southern hemisphere. It is really pretty, mostly tulips and pansies, but some other stuff also. I also ate Italian food and tried on clothes.

I also bought some stuff for my bike: a water bottle/cage, a small air pump and a big one with a pressure gauge, bike shorts and a bright yellow vest. I still need lights in case I get stuck out a little late, a rear rack and panniers, a decent patch kit and one of those multipurpose tools. I'm going to the better bike store tomorrow.

I'm off to Sydney next weekend, then to Melbourne the weekend after. This week is actually really busy: a driving lesson on Monday, a concert (Michael Franti) on Tuesday, pub day with my office on Wednesday, and trivia on Friday. I'll only be able to bike into work on Monday and Thursday.

About half the time it's really great here. The cycling is great, I suddenly have more money than I've ever had, the work is good, and there is fun stuff to do here. The other half of the time? It's lonely, I have about 2 friends here, one of whom is about to be gone for 2 months, and the time difference makes it hard for me to even talk to my friends back home. Oh well. I think things are getting better, which is promising. Once I get a car, I'll be able to go horseback riding again, which I really miss. And be able to get out into the mountains and the desert. Hopefully soon...

Sweet:

I just learned that one can buy codeine in Australia with no prescription, provided it is mixed with another medication. I am never coming back.

In other news, my sinuses no longer feel like they are about to explode. Thank God.

In Canberra:

I am here. I have an apartment, a mobile phone, a driver license, a bank account, and a phone line. Hopefully I will have internet in two weeks (currently I am "borrowing" unsecured wireless). Cable seems to be a distant dream since the building wasn't wired properly for cable and they are trying to get the money to get the wiring done. That's all right. I can deal with 4 channels with crappy reception so long as I can get internet. *Fingers crossed on that.* I should find out tomorrow whether it for sure will work.

No pics yet though. Got to wait until I have an actual internet connection.