The Parcel Cometh

(karen)
Before we left home we put together a box of goodies for our stint in Sydney. This included things like clean clothes to wear while working at the University, sneakers for pick-up ultimate games, guide books for Sydney and the East Coast, and a laptop computer for Steve to do research. We had Steve's parents send the box a month before we were due to arrive to ensure that there was plenty of time for our junk to take the big overseas voyage.

When we arrived in Sydney on April 12 we were mildly concerned that the box had not shown up yet. Don't worry, we told ourselves, it'll be here any day. So we waited. And waited. And waited. Steve managed to borrow a computer from one of the professors so he was able to stay busy, however all his research materials were on a CD in the box. So instead of doing new research he spent his time re-programming. We got a pool membership instead of playing ultimate. We bought new guide books.

And then just as we had given up all hope and were preparing to leave Sydney, the box magically appeared! Resurrected from customs purgatory nine and a half weeks after it was bid adieu at the Sacramento post office. It's a bittersweet reunion as we are more than happy to get our belongings back that we had given up for dead, but at the same time we have to figure out what to do with 25lb of stuff that will be little more than a burden for the next leg of our trip. Our original plan was to ship everything back when we were done using it in Sydney, but at this point I'm not giving the post office another cent.

But in the meantime we've joyfully welcomed the newcomers. Hello favourite pair of jeans! How're you going leather belt? We went to dinner last night decked out in our new found finery and felt like a million bucks. I can't explain how satisfying it is after five months to have a new outfit to wear. Simple pleasures, yes, but it brought a smile to our faces.