Our homestead

Here's a glimpse of living conditions here in Oz.

Only kind of crack house-ish.

As we struggled to find an apartment in an area that has a chronic housing shortage, we spent much of our time in the youth hostel on Cronulla Beach.  Here is Clark sitting atop our bunk bed.  Truly a romantic place to stay on a wedding anniversary (which we did.  WE HAD LITTLE CHOICE).

 After nine grueling, nightmarish days of thinking we may be homeless for months, we got approved for an apartment!Check that beauty out!

Laundry is extremely expensive to do here.  $4.50 to wash a load and $5.00 to dry.  So we set up a little clothesline outside on our balcony to help offset costs.

And we bought a clothes rack as well.

We bought our twin mattresses at a pool store.  We've shoved the mattresses together on the floor and yes, our bedroom truly resembles a bedroom you'd find in a crack house.  No box spring or frame, just mattress and floor. And sheets.

 Interestingly, apartment units in Australia do not come with refrigerators!  So we splurged and got ourselves a massive one.  

The first item placed in our fridge? Sunkist orange soda, generously given to us by the cashier girl at our favorite pizza place down in Cronulla.  She loved our accents and welcomed us to the country with a free 1.25liter bottle of soda! We see her at least weekly.

Our mini stove/oven.

Australian staples. These food items were found in the first hotel we stayed in here in Caringbah.  We didn't know Weet-Bix was a cereal so we spread Vegemite all over the Weet-Bix.  Big mistake.  Vegemite tastes like bullion and Weet-Bix is similar to shredded wheat. Not a great combo.  Weet-Bix has become my favorite breakfast food.  Not just because it keeps me regular but because it's filling (TMI??).  We haven't become accustomed to Vegemite yet.  Ne'er shall I say will we ever.

So we stayed in some sketchy hotels when we first arrived.  The worst hotel was so bad, we didn't even take pictures.  We were so upset by our circumstances we wanted to die of frustration (well, maybe I did).  This is the bathroom of our first accommodation, the Taren Point Hotel.  Classy bathroom.  Loving the chipped paint and multi colored tiles.

I hope this gives y'alls an idea of what living conditions are like for us nowadays.  Really, it's not bad.  Life is good.  We have a roof over our head and even though we had to bug bomb three times, I feel safe at night.  Just hoping we never see a Huntsman spider in our place!