January 6th, 2017

January 6th, 2017


Affirmation: “I will practice gratitude, even in the midst of frustration and despair, so I can better see the positive possibilities around me.” 


Word of the Day: etiolate (v):

1. to cause to become weakened or sickly; drain of color or vigor.

2. to cause (a plant) to whiten or grow pale by excluding light.

3. (of plants) to whiten or grow pale through lack of light.

In Your Light

In your light I learn how to love.

In your beauty, how to make poems.

You dance inside my chest,

where no one sees you,

but sometimes I do,

and that light becomes this art.

_____

This will be a shorter post, but the length in no way reflects the joy and wondrousness of my first day in Australia.

I landed in Melbourne at about 9:30, went through customs and immigration, got my bags, and then switched terminals for my flight to Canberra (which is pronounced “can” and “bra”: “can-bra”).

Everyone I’ve met in Australia has been really kind and helpful. Sorry that was a random aside, but I did want to mention it.

Snacks - including a bag full of Australian ginger cookies a half gallon bag filled with trail mix (cheese, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chunks, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, walnuts, dried blueberries, and craisins) - to power my afternoon!

People said that the War Memorial Museum is a “must see” – and it definitely is – but I felt that the Parliament tour was equally impressive (maybe it was because we had a really great guide, as well).

After landing in Canberra, I got lunch and my rental car. I then drove to the Canberra Parliament (the new one), where I went on the Parliament tour until 2:40. I then rushed back to my car and made the 3 to 4 tour at the War Memorial Museum. I hung out checking out the different galleries after the tour before getting to my hotel at about 5 pm.

I showered, changed, unpacked, and ate dinner at the hotel and barely made it until 8:30 pm before crashing. Two days without sleep + travel will do that to you!