One Month Ago...

One month ago today, we embarked on our journey to The Alice.  In these first four weeks, I've already learned so much.

The desert in springtime is breathtakingly beautiful.  It rained for 11 of the first 12 days we were here and it is raining again today.  The Todd River has now flowed twice since our arrival (one more time and we are locals!). Rain in the desert is not usually so common, but it makes the outback come alive.  There are wildflowers everywhere and it is actually green.  

I thought I would use this first post to recap what I've learned so far.  I'll create a few other posts to post some pictures and explain a few of these things. 

1. Very few people actually say, "G'day Mate." They say G'day and they say Mate, just not usually together.
2. Ants. Better learn to love them, they are EVERYWHERE. Big ones, small ones, black ones, red ones.  I swear there are at least a million ants for every resident of Alice Springs.
3. Driving stickshift left-handed, while driving on the left side of the road requires a special level of attention. I still try to grab the door when trying to grab the stick shift.
4. Living in the desert is like living at the beach, just without the water.

5. Hungry Jacks is Burger King.  Although, the Aussies aren't very familiar with "have it your way." They are more inclined to take it how it comes.
6. The radio station loves Tom Jones - good thing, so do I!
7. Having the Aussie Dollar at a 2 year high makes things really expensive.
8. Having Fairy Martins live on the house is loud, messy and still kinda cool.  Even though, I really don't like birds.

9. Faucets are not "righty tighty - lefty loosey."  They go whichever way the plumber decided when they installed them.  Consistency is not key here!
10. Toilet water doesn't swirl in the opposite direction.
11. The Australian Wave is very real and I'm getting very good at it.  And, I thought the ants were everywhere, the flies are worse.