Broome

The good part of being only 2 hours east of Broome, means it's an easy trip into town for weekend visits.

Plus the beach is there so more incentive for several visits throughout the year, I can see frequenting there quite often. 

I went into Broome last weekend and it was so good to get to go to Target and a few other shops that we don't have here in Derby. Such a help to buy things that I either forgot to buy, need or can't buy here either.

The weather was of course very hot when I was there and I was quite disappointed that the temperature of the beach water was likened to that of a bath! I was so dying to jump in for a refreshing cool off, but ah not to be. Luckily a cold shower awaiting me when I returned to the room I was staying in for the weekend. The water at Town beach was a most beautiful blue colour and was just a stunning sight all around. I am very fond of Point Gantheaume, which was my first point of call upon arriving. Just amazing!!! Photos cannot do justice at all, you'll just have to visit for yourself! I would've preferred to spend more time walking around up there and exploring, but it was very very hot and I just needed to be in the cool air con and have a bit of a rest after the long drive.

If you've never heard of or used Air BnB, I highly recommend it. Was great to find a very cheap room to stay in. All I needed was a bed to sleep in and a shower to wash and it was perfect. With the long drive, open and unfenced roads, it is not advisable to drive back from dust onward, so an over night stay was what I needed.

The first 2 weeks

School has been a bit of a blur. So much to do and learn every single day. It is a complete sidestep from regular classroom teaching. I learn something new about the system or the kids or my planning every day.

I already have two home visits planned for in the next 2 weeks which will be really exciting to actually go and visit new places and to actually get to meet some of my students and work with them face to face as a posed to via the internet.

The whole internet system, I've found out, can be the most frustrating part of the whole process. Connection issues, microphone issues and typing issues are frequent and more often than not are completely out of our hands and we just have to find a way to work around it, which can be tricky at times.

The way our system works is that the children get their work in advance to complete as they would during a normal school week. So I have had a bit of a freak out trying to understand what they are working on and what was actually sent to them for the year from last year's teacher. I've also had to be conscious about planning for the term because anything I want to do on the air lessons that requires the students to have something specific like a worksheet needs to be planned well in advance to be sent out to the students. Some times mail will arrive to them in a few days, others in a few weeks. It all depends on the weather on whether or not mail planes can get to them Some have PO boxes in town here and can only get in every so often, so if that happens then it can take a while for things to reach them.

Weather is also another issue which creates problems with our technology, the slightest cloud coverage can knock people offline or just generally cause whole power outages. It's also why our travelling to see the kids can be restricted too. If the road is impassible then we simply cannot get out to see them.

The great part was having one of my students coming into town yesterday and getting to meet her. This was a massive 1 up in my planning and understanding of her learning which has been super helpful in terms of my future planning for her teaching and learning, which will benefit her immensely.

I am so interested to see how assemblies are run through our school when our first one of the year happens on Wednesday. It's so strange to picture how it works, but will be really cool at the same time. I already had a brainwave during the week of what I'm planning for my class to do for our assembly at some point in the year so hopefully that runs smoothly.

I have so much information swirling around in my head it's a bit overwhelming and a bit of a blur, but I know it will all start to make sense as the year continues.

So I arrived.... 2 and 1/2 weeks ago....

Well the day came for the 3am wake up call to catch the 5:55am fight, the only flight, into Derby.

I was wondering how small that plane might be that I would fly on and was rather relieved when walking out onto the tarmac to see, what I would call, a normal sized Virgin plane. Thank god!

All I could think about was how hot the air was going to be that would hit me upon walking off the plane. Would I perhaps be sitting next to one of my new colleagues, also new to the school, who I knew would be on the plane too? How was I to recognise my new boss at the airport as I had never even met him before?!

Was lucky to have an entire 3 seat row to myself on the plane, which provided me with a somewhat uncomfortable area to rest for about 20 minutes... even with that much space it just wasn't possible to get in a decent sleep.

And so the flight landed and out in the hot air I went to make my way into the very small airport.

I met my new colleagues and we made out way to one of the school cars for the 30 minute drive into town. It was rather just a blur of information he was telling us about the school, the town and his recent year off overseas. All I can remember was trees, green and red pindan (red dirt) everywhere!

I also found out I was fortunate enough to be with a mobile phone company who does not provide any coverage whatsoever in Derby! Fun times!!!

Got the house keys, found out where my car was to pick it up and went for a visit to the house.... Not quite what I was expecting, but it will just have to do. The day ended with knowing that my furniture and boxes would be arriving the next day.

When we don't have our things in town or delivered yet then we are placed into a hotel until they are delivered. So spent the rest of the night and the next day using the internet and my new, working, sim card to get in contact with my own phone company and the one that works here to actually get disconnected out of my nearly finishing contract and transferred onto the newer network instead... I am so sick of being kept on hold with these people! Very annoying, but we seemed to get there eventually!

It really is very hot up here! Was so good to get all my stuff delivered... Although the first few hours were spent scrubbing and cleaning floors, shelves and cupboards that should have actually been clean before I moved in! I refused to put out any of my things onto dirty shelves until I knew they were clean. Also made use of the wrapping paper from the boxes as covering for the shelves in the cupboard, so that helps a little.

Melbourne

It's been 11 years since I was last in Melbourne, my first ever visit to Australia. I have been hanging out for another trip there, with the bonus being able to see my Auntie again as she lives there.

Less than pleased to arrive at the airport to wait for my flight when the 12:30pm boarding time comes and goes, then the announce a half hour delay at 1pm, with 1:15pm boarding. 1:15pm comes and goes, and at 1:30pm the flight gets cancelled... Great, but I suppose I'd rather not fly on a plane with 'technical issues'. Flights get rescheduled and I'm told I'm on the 5:30pm.. seriously?! Get them to change me onto the next earliest possible which as 4pm. Rather annoyed to be losing some time out of my trip, but at least it's not too bad. I finally get on my flight and arrive in Melbourne, but they've stuck my bag on the later flight they'd originally put me on... ah well it did turn up eventually.... at 11pm.

I love this photo.

Ah so lovely to see my auntie again! Spent the weekend going around the city, the shops and the Zoo. And I managed to negotiate changing my flight back from to be later on in the evening free of charge! Result; not only gaining back a few more hours that I had lost, but being able to spend more time on our visit down to Phillip Island.

It was so much fun to go and visit the Phillip Island Wildlife Park again and feed the Kangaroos. I remember it so well from last time and is such a great experience.

This one was so cute!

Kangaroo Selfies

Sydney

Ah Sydney was lovely. On my first day there I made the rather silly decision to walk from the Central train station to my hotel. Google maps said 30 minutes or so... In the sticky humidity, with a suitcase, I'm sure it was longer and didn't feel fun!

Looking up to a very cloudy, overcast sky all I could think about was how disappointed I would be if the weather were to be the same the next day for my climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Alas, the weather was much less cloudy throughout the day and I lucked out big time for my Twilight climb. Climbing the Harbour Bridge was absolutely amazing and something I cannot wait to do again!

Walking from the main building underneath the bridge, whilst still being able to see the ground below, was perhaps the most unnerving part. Then the fun of climbing up several ladders to reach the main part of the climb. It was incredible to view the city from that height. The climb from there on was rather easy complete, but got windier as we made our way to the summit where the sun made its appearance.

I bumped into a colleague of mine, who happened to be staying on the same floor of the same hotel as me in Sydney. They'd planned on renting a car for the day and asked if I'd like to join them. Best decision, as it was a very hot and humid 34' day! It also meant that I'd see more of Sydney then I possibly would've done by myself. I've now literally seen and gotten photos of the Harbour Bridge from all different areas around the city. We viewed the city from Rose Bay, Watson's Bay and Balmain. Got to visit Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach, as well as driving past Bronte and Tamarama beaches. We also stopped by Botany Bay, which I wouldn't have even thought about visiting myself.

Coogee Beach

Botany Bay

I'm calling 2015 the Year of Australia

Why might I call it that you may ask?

Well.... after having spent nearly 7 years living in Australia, having come from Scotland where I was born, I'm getting the chance to explore more of the vast continent of Australia.

Wednesday 17th and Friday 18th December saw me being offered and therefore accepting a teaching position in Derby, WA. 2365km away from where I currently call home! Make that 25 hours by car or 2 hours 40 mins by plane (which is of course the route I'm taking to get there!)

Distance between here and there.

Now this all happened rather quickly, with no much time to process all the implications of moving this move or what may lie in store. You see the school I will be working at is a School of the Air, which is a completely foreign concept to me. I am basically going in blind and almost completely forgetting all the current teaching knowledge I've come to use over the last year and a half of teaching.

The students I have will not be right there in front of me per se, but will be seen to me via satellite computer. The whole thing is totally baffling to me right now from all angles, but all will become very clear when I arrive there at the end of January.

With all this happening so quickly, I had to quickly get forms flying left, right and centre to organise my house up there, as well as how I will get there as well as my car and personal items. Lucky for me that when you go country, especially this far out, in WA they pay to have you flown there (or fuel costs if you choose to drive), your accommodation, removal and transport of personal household items and your car (if you choose the flying option).

Having already had a trip to Sydney and Melbourne booked for the middle of January has been a bit of a challenge to work around in terms of choosing a date to have all my furniture removed before I go away. I am suddenly realising that I only have just over a week before all of my things are packed up and off on a truck. Cue mad dash to sort out what is staying here, what needs to be packed for Sydney, Melbourne and Derby and what is getting taking with the removal guy!

Intersperse that with the excitement, and of course cost, of furnishing a house! Still being young, and as a graduate teacher, I have not yet left home. This of course means that basically all I had to move with me was whatever was in my bedroom! I must admit it has been rather fun figuring out and buying exactly all the things I will need, especially as I can't just run down to the shops to buy certain items should I have forgotten to add them to the list before hand.

I think what I am most excited about is the freedom I'm about to get. Being fiercely independent and stubborn, I really love doing things my own way and by myself so having a house all to myself will be fantastic!

Another thing I am looking forward to is finally having the opportunity to travel around the top end of WA, and perhaps even into the NT. It's something I have been looking into doing over the last year or so, and being in northern WA, will definitely put me at a geographical advantage for reaching these destinations.

So again, why did I call it the year of Australia? Well it's simple. I am choosing to use my time away wisely to travel and see more of Australia. More of the country that I have come to call home, having been here for so long. And generally to visit so of the most beautiful places that naturally happen to be right here in Australia. 

I literally cannot wait to visit Sydney. I am kicking myself for not going when I visited Melbourne 11 years ago and my parents went! I'm so looking forward to climbing the Harbour Bridge and seeing the sights. And to continue my Australia adventure I'm hoping to visit some outback hotspots in WA and also to venture to see Uluru (Ayers Rock) during the school holidays throughout the year. Hopefully can make the most out of the time I have away from home and out in the bush.

This is what Google Images shows Derby looking like.... Never been so wouldn't know.