An east village pub crawl filled with delicious beers, goat cheese and bacon stuffed dates, good jams blurred in the background evolved into my sobbing face on a friend’s shoulder in the far corner of Drop Off Service a month ago.

My favorite dive filled with the people I love, a late night bender rocking out to reminiscent 90s music, and a Sunday brunch with the work “fam” of Thai feast in a Brooklyn brownstone 3 weeks ago.

Day tripping far east on Long Island to sip enchanting brews in the sun at the Blue Point brewery, followed by a surprise guest appearance of Spontaneous Sally led us over the Brooklyn Bridge and into the quiet streets of Brooklyn Heights. Then hauling it all out, everything of meaningless value that I acquired in the past four years and beyond  and sold it, along with a bike with no seat
and flat tires, on my front stoop surrounded by laughs, sunshine, and hats hats hats, two weeks ago.

Tears of sadness, tears of excitement, tears of longing and of triumph – at a surprise party at my old stomping grounds on a painfully rainy afternoon. I stomped that ground every week that first year I arrived in Hoboken. Then it came time to say goodbye – and damnit it was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Just one week ago.

My bags fought a good fight. Jo Mama and I lugged them up the escalator, demanded attention from far from par customer service at check in. We stuffed Luvy into a suitcase and zipped him up tight. I’m too old to be seen with him around, but he made it. We cried and cried. Some last minute calls were made, and then I boarded a plan to LA five days ago.

Red Vines were my savor, red vines and sleep. I slept long enough to not realize what the heck I’m doing and befriended a few people along the way. It was the easiest long haul flight I’ve had to date. Then I arrived on Park Road in Brisbane three days ago.

Meandering, roaming, walking, not really thinking, stumbling to Paddington to consider a potential option for living. A work friend kindly met for my first drink, invited me over for risotto and banana bread to experience the awesomeness of Eurovision on a quiet, leafy street. A bit too quiet, too leafy…too dangerous killer bug-y?

Sunshine sunshine sunshine! Winter? Please! A ferry throughout the entire city, taking it all in, getting a glimpse of its character, its size. Its leafy suburbs in quant Queenslander cottages, and sky scraping wonders, and “the eye” like ferris wheel, yet rock climbing cliffs and sprawling green parks. Vaster then I imagined. Yet at night dark and calm. Another potential living area – Tenerife with its converted warehouse lofts sounding cool and sophisticated but with no local in sight it’s too far gone. Then a meander up to the Valley to see what it’s really all about. Only two days ago.

42 McDougal Street, a new home from 830 to 5. That half hour may just kill me. Welcoming greetings and faces made me feel at ease. A shiny new keyboard, a lighter laptop, and charming accents – these things will quickly do the trick. It’s a world of differences here yet it all is the same. Then a quick gander down the street, another leafy, silenced street to explore a 6 person share house – could be fun, could be baaddd news. There’s plenty of tanning space in the backyard, and apparently, just a plenty of spiders. Followed by another walk to Paddington to discover some not so potential flat mates, one day ago.

A trip to my first Queensland University, a successful presentation, a lot of Googling later on. No sadness, no over excitement, just trucking by trying to figure it all out. It’s dark and quiet here, it’s sprawling, it’s different – just different. People wear bike lights and helmets, ride skateboards, jog – its hilly like San Fran, its expensive like the places in New York I never frequented, people are friendly.

Another neighborhood checked off – West End. It’s all I hoped for and more. Cafes, chill bars, heaps of restaurants. It’s exactly what I want. But when you’re not in it all, again it’s dark and still. I’m starting to figure it all out. I’m trying at least. I’m still excited. I’m still looking forward to meeting friends, finding cool pubs, traveling all of this damn continent/country and beyond. Maybe that’s just how it goes around here – dark, and quiet. Drinkinglocal wine on my temporary housing couch. Today.

Heading off to explore more, tomorrow.

“Brissy”