Melbourne, Australia

We got here Sunday morning. Okay, I forgot how much I love it here. Friendly people, nice weather, and a plethora of cafes, smoothies shops and healthy food! Trams, huge gardens, a river. Lovin' it. More importantly, Gilbert is lovin' it. He keeps saying, "I want to live here! Why didn't they send us here! Maybe I can campaign to move here when we're done." Oh my god, that would be a dream. Although we wouldn't be able to afford a maid like we can in KL.

We've had this trip planned for about a month-- Gilbert is here for work...to teach a class for two weeks. It's amazing how more and more he is a valuable commodity for the software that he uses and trains on for ExxonMobil. There are so many more users here than in KL, Gilbert doesn't know why KL got to have him for the region, vs. Melbourne.

Well, we accidentally ended up buying Business Class tickets. Gilbert gets to fly Business (he didn't know though), but when he asked to add his wife and child, they just automatically put us all in Business. We were stratching our heads trying to figure out why is the hee-haw we were paying so much. Shoot, my ticket cost me what my ticket had cost 10 years ago to go from CA to Melbourne-- a much longer flight!

Anyway, a couple of days before the trip he thought to look into it, and lo and behold: Business Class. Gilbert isn't really the sqeaky wheel type, so he just sort of accepted that we had an expensive trip. Oh well, we figured it would be great since we leave at midnight for the 7 hour flight. But let me tell you, I don't think I would ever pay for that again-- not on Malaysia Airlines. Yea, our seats mostly reclined-- but not entirely. Better than in coach, but it was just a few degrees short of fully flat, so I constantly felt like I was falling/sliding out of the chair. Gilbert suggested using the foot rest to stop myself from sliding, but then I felt like I was sleeping standing up. Don't your feet want to rest, too?

We kept having to move Miles back up, so that we wouldn't slip down far enough for the seat belt to strangle him. Thank god he fell asleep in his own chair with seat belt on (holding my hand) because I could not have spooned him this time, like I had on Cathay Pacific-- those were supremely wide seats!!!

It's winter here, and the coldest month, so usually about 50 degrees-- fantastic when you came from KL which is always hot and humid, no matter which month, or what time of day.

Miles and I have been hitting the sites-- the aquarium ( I was loving the sharks, etc. but he kept asking me if I wanted "to go back to our hotel"), botanic gardens-- and today we will ride the tram. Somewhere, anywhere.

So excited that I get to stock up on my Arbonne goodies while I'm here-- and fulfill some orders from folks in Malaysia that want stuff. Perfect timing that they should open the AUS market before I moved to the region :)

Gilbert says he needs to come back here once/year, but he'll campaign to come more often and even move here when we're done in KL.

I have some more to share, but y'all will have to wait a few more days for that, this has gotten too long anyway-- gotta run.

Must. Eat.