Living online

I just received the first online-shopping home-delivery order in my life.

Being that living here pretty much requires owning a car, sorting out larger amounts of groceries can prove to be quite tricky. When I go to the store, I'm pretty much limited by whatever can fit in my backpack, and even then I have to make sure I don't tip over on my bicycle.

A couple of people told me they do the same, especially because you don't have to deal with lines, people and whatnot. I piled up on milk, toilet paper, cleaning stuff, cans and all the stuff that takes up a lot of space. This way, next time I have to go get groceris, I can only get bread, veggies, fruit and other perishables.

Sounds good to me!

Aside from feeling pretty lazy, I have to admit I also feel quite satisfied.

Coles

I went to Coles yesterday, to stock up on some groceries. I needed some juice and nibbles, as the weekend was in full swing and the one thing I planned to waste it on was lying around and going through my hard drive's Torrents folder.

It was really busy, as it was almost closing time on a Saturday. The parking lot, already famous for the utmost insanity that goes on it during rush hour, is a Russian roulette for pedestrians like me. The only and unavoidable way through is dodging pensioners who don't even look around, crazy mums who don't give a fuck about anyone (because they have to run and feed their kids) and random, seemingly homeless, people who keep nicking trolleys.

I felt like I was on candid camera as I walked in and did what felt like twenty-four three-sixties. I went out of the store and back in three times in search of a basked, but I guess there were so many people that they were all taken. The downside is that these situations totally stupid me out and I'm lost within seconds.

Not knowing whether to just chuck stuff in my reusable bags or get the mere basics and carry them in my hands (or just run away), I was still circling the entrance like a goldfish in a circular jar-style aquarium. I finally came to my senses and went toward the cash registers, where I took one basket which was sitting on the side.

Bingo!

I grabbed some stuff as soon as I could and decided to leave the isles lying furthest away for another day. A better day.

The queues at the cash registered were already beginning to take a snake shape, so I went for one with only three people in it. Phew! Being all drawn into my own shopping, the tiny Einkaufszettel* that reminded me of all the things I needed to get and figuring out how I'd carry all that shit home, I raised my head and boy, did I have something to see.

Busy mums with three kids in their trolleys, romantic couples that basically can't wait to get home (but can't keep their romance to themselves), Tibetan monks, barefoot hipsters grabbing a refreshment after an evidently crazy night out), a nose-wiping boy at the cash register, probably totally fed up with having to repeat flybuys? and cashout?, and me.

Me, with my three bags, a French baguette sticking out of one and the gusts of wind pushing me from side to side at times. If I don't get blown away, I will have made it.

Next stop, LiquorLand!

*See the photo below, taken from the Internet.

Shopping photos

Oh, I actually do have some shopping photos.

I had to buy shoes for the field and after checking the ones in adventure stores (and costing 90-280 Australian dollars), I went with these.

Not bad for 25 bucks, eh?

Ordered these babies - getting them on Saturday

The next thing I was going for is this love of mine, but it turns out they've been sold out for a while now.

No wonder.

:heart:

Shopping in Oz

I don't intend to go into too much detail here, but check this out:

- hiking shoes

- trekking shoes

- slippers for around the house

- funny T-shirt

- four pairs of good woollen socks

- two hoodies

- one fleece jacket

- a rucksack

- two big chocolates

- a pair of trousers

- one shopping bag.

Total:

185 AUD.

An amount less than a pair of trekking shoes I was checking out.

No wonder it's a consumer world...

Shopping. Again.

My sister took me shopping. Yes, again.


What am I to do when I don't have a car? And especially when I'm not the one who can decide easily.


So I got a pair of shades (at last) after checking around forty pairs in four different shops, driving my friend, my sister and the saleswoman mad, and finally deciding for a pair of unknown Austrian HIS glasses. And they're green. :widegrin:


I also got some shirts (turning dweeby over here) and a pair of shoes for quite cheap. Now I need to get it all sorted and I'm ready for a round.


Around my squalor...

I                            and              the shoes.

TGIF

So I tried out my first pair of contacts ever today.


Being that hospitals trip me out big time, I was roaming around the hallway (and probably subconsciously avoiding the doctor's office) while the nurse called out my name for twenty times. By the time I got to the office, she could read "that's me" all over my face.


After spending a couple of minutes wondering how I can wait at the end of the hallway and me trying to find a valid reason for not being called out on the intercom once, we got on with the examination.


Luckily, my sight hasn't gotten any worse, so I'll be getting soft contacts, which are quite easy to use. I tried my first test pair and I have to say it seems OK. It's a bit itchy around the edges, but I tend to compare it to seeing one's frames when starting to wear new glasses.


The nurse probably figured I was totally spaced out by the fact of being in a hospital at all, so she gave me a complementary bottle of liquid - to keep me on the right track or something. I felt like being five again and getting a lollipop after a butt shot.


The tutoring after that didn't make my day any peachier. Nor did the rain as I was going away from there.


So I treated myself to shoes. Oh damn, there's that influence of mostly female reading population! All in all, it was the last pair and they were discounted, so I'd say I got a bargain.


It's shoes number two in the post before this one. The ankle ones, I'd say, although they're not really that deep.

You know you guys'll be getting a photo of the contacts as well? Mwahaha!

Now I'm finally home, I'll watch something made by BBC, hopefully doze off for a bit and then go to Slovenia for a party. And tomorrow's my good-bye and birthday party.


I sense a wicked weekend.

What's up?

There's nothing to write about. There's no energy to write anything with, in any case.


I've been running around for days now, dealing with some errands, fixing my teeth, finishing up the tutoring (although the kids are horrible), looking for some shopping goodies (although they're all too expensive) and simply trying to catch a breath.


I feel like switching my phone off and dozing off on my parents' terrace. Now that I think of it, it's probably them who'd be unhappy with a situation development like that, but all in all, it seems like a good plan.


There's not much to do but wait for some news from Australia. I'm even too reluctant to start packing or to even start considering what I'd take. First of all, I don't even own a suitcase. Not that I didn't look for any. I did. They're just either too ugly, too rigid or, naturally, too expensive. Someone told me that expensive cases get stolen a lot. Thanks for the paranoia.


I did find shades though! And I was thrilled to do so, I have to admit. I've been wearing specs for over ten years now and, aside from being immensely annoyed by them, not being able to wear shades along with them has turned me into a squinting monstrosity. I have therefore decided to go with contacts and shades.


As I said, I ran into a really huge variety of specs, some really good and of nice quality and not even that expensive. And some of them don't even make me look like an island-hopping Western redneck with a waterfall mullet. I say yay!


I'll have to go back and pick out a pair though, since it was almost closing time and I couldn't really decide. I'm just glad I found some good ones. Good bye, squinting days!


I also got some good deals on some trousers and some sorts of sweaters, so all in all it was a good day. (I can't believe I'm talking about shopping! Damn you, girls!)


My sister took me shopping (and bought some stuff for me) which is great, since I have no problem walking around in torn up and oversized clothes whatsoever. She's the one who usually says yes or no to things. I rarely see myself anyway.


Here's some shoes that are being pondered upon. I'm sure you girls won't mind. (I still can't believe I'm talking about shopping...)

I can't believe it was yesterday and not today though. I have a feeling like today has lasted for four hours, and not twenty-four.


I better hit the sack before midnight strikes. G'night!