Two weeks of Sydney

It’s been exactly two weeks since we gently shook our deep roots out of Melbourne’s soil and replanted ourselves in Sydney’s more northerly potting mix.

This time has been somewhat crazy, with both of us settling into new offices for our old jobs, and the hurried unpacking of boxes punctuating the moments in between all our other activities.

But it’s been long enough to start finding our feet, and for our feet to start finding a rhythm, so I thought I’d share a few of the things I’ve learned in the last two weeks.

* I don’t own enough short-sleeve shirts or shorts. The humidity is unexpectedly relentless, and I’m told we can expect it to last until February. A walk to the shop on the next block necessitates a shower and a new shirt afterwards.

This humidity is broken, however, by an almost daily thunderstorm that strikes around 5pm, right as I’m riding or running home from work.

* There is a wholesale butcher across from my work that sells grass-fed beef, whole lambs, etc. at 40% off what you’d pay at the butcher. The Sydney Fish Markets sell seafood we’ve never even heard of in Melbourne (do you know how many varieties of calamari there are?). The Leichhardt deli, 5 minutes from our house, sells Italian sausages, Greek cheeses, German breads, Spanish spices… This is a food-lover’s paradise.

* On the other hand, it’s hard to find a supermarket. In the inner suburbs, the equivalent of Melbourne’s Brunswick, Carlton, Fitzroy, etc., your options are limited to tiny IGAs and small convenience stores. Supermarket shopping takes planning, foresight and transport.

* Speaking of transport, we’ve realized we’re quite in love with the sound and sight of airplanes. They descend near our house, and as we watch them from our balcony we imagine which overseas places we have and haven’t visited they’re taking people to.

* Spiders. There are them. Big ones too. And big inside-our-house ones. They even crawl into your clothes while they’re on the line. Whenever Jessica, our cat, looks across the room sharply at something, I assume she’s spotted a spider the size of a dinner plate that’s coming to web me.

* The drinking culture here is very different to Melbourne’s. While we have found some lovely (newish) little bars- the result of changing licensing laws in NSW- the majority fall into two categories:

Big pubs that serve food. These can be really funky and cool, but don’t tell them you’re “just going to have a quick drink.” You must have, by law it seems, “the intention to dine.”

Pokies venues. These? These are all like “Come in! Drink! Stay! (Gamble!).”

* Many Sydney-siders are amusingly ignorant of Melbourne. Sure, we’ve been called ‘Mexicans’, and had our weather mocked a few times (yeah? Does Melbourne have DAILY THUNDERSTORMS, Sydney? Yeah…), but I’ve heard some unexpected gems;

“Melbourne’s just a big country town though, right?”
“Do you have broadband in Melbourne?”
“How are getting used to having to deal with traffic on the way to work?”
“NRL is better than AFL.”
Hilarious!

* A ‘middy’, ‘pint’, ‘schooner’, ‘pot’ and ‘skiddy’ are all potential options for having beer in, but only three options will be available at any one time. Choose wisely, lest ye be scorned.

* Having a convertible in Sydney is infinitely more worthwhile than having one in Melbourne. Unless it’s 5pm, obviously.

* I married an utterly extraordinary person. This isn’t new information, obviously, but this adventure (as we’re choosing to view it) is reinforcing on a daily basis how much we like exploring new horizons, how limitless our compatibility is and just how wonderfully, regardless of challenge or environment, our lives are together.

On that moist note, I’ll sign off. I promise I’ll update you all again soon, but for now, I’ve got to go change my shirt.