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Published: March 13th 2009
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Lifting off from Osaka airport was the nicest feeling...
Not only did it mean that I was officially on winter break - I could hardly have taken off had I not been - but it meant that finally, after around 8 months, I was heading home. Singapore airlines was lovely, they even had Christmas decorations up in the cabin, and for both legs of the trip, to Singapore, and to Perth, there was a space beside me.
I dislike being wedged in between people, especially since lately it seems like they're trying to squeeze all the space out of aeroplane seating. Put your seat back too far, and you might give someone a nosebleed. There was a person one seat away from me on each leg but that meant easy conversation occasionally, and space to move my elbows too!
The flights were both smooth, the landings decent. (Any landing you walk away from is great right?). The weather in Singapore was sublime. I was finally able to shake off the winter chill I had been feeling, and I even changed out of my sneakers into thongs! (*Note for Brits: NOT underwear).
Customs in Australia was a
bore, it always is, but you can't fault them for doing their jobs. It was more the waiting in line part that was annoying. The actual customs bit was a walk in the park. I even had some light entertainment in the form of my family and friends waving maniacally any time the arrivals doors opened to let anyone out. I sincerely wonder how long they'd been doing that before I actually noticed them.
Once it was my turn I hefted my suitcase up onto the counter, and when the man asked me what I had in there I told him about the chopsticks and gifts. Since they were all purchased in Japan and not of dangerous materials, he didn't even have a peek, and I was left to heft it back onto my trolley and go out to greet the 2am crowd.
It was hugs all around and kisses too, but no crying, which was a surprise. I was met by my parents, my boyfriend and two of my closest friends (the thrid of the bunch had left on a trip to England 3 days prior). One of the first things Maria said to me was 'Nikky!
Your ear!', pointing out the extra piercings I hadn't quite mentioned to said parents. It was then that I found out that my two girlies had come straight from the Alicia Keys concert, and that
one of them, not mentioning names, still had quite a bit of wine in her system.
What else are friends for, but to out you to your parents when you do something that you know you quite possibly shouldn't have? I felt like saying 'Ut-shay up-way about-way y-may ew-nay iercings-pay!' but the only one to understand would quite possibly have been my father. My parents just did their little 'well it's too late to do anything about it now' shrug, and we jabbered on, me just beaming at being near all of these people again.
On the drive home, my friends poked fun at my accent, I listened to the drawling Australian vowels issuing from their mouths, and squeezed the hand of my boyfriend, sitting quietly in the seat next to me. The girls begged off citing tiredness, I thanked them for the lift, and I got to see my old house, which was looking rather new. While I was away in Japan,
an interior paint job had been completed by Danilo and company, and it looks rather spiffy! The interior of the house is now a dark charcoal colour as opposed to the all around white, and my room has a beautiful mauvey purple wall, as well as having had the shelving moved around and a GIANT wooden desk moved in. I like it. I sat around chatting to my parents, feeling incongruously like I hadn't left at all, despite talking about my experiences in Japan. It felt really normal to come home, which made coming back to Japan harder than ever - more on that in a later blog. There were late night chats, and early morning ones too. Just because I was on holiday, didn't mean that their workdays came to a grinding halt - more's the pity, but suddenly Christmas rolled around and everyone was able to kick back for a while.
Christmas at my place is HUGE. My mum has always loved Christmas, so it's always been a big thing in our house. Growing up, I woke my brother up countless times at about 6am, no longer willing to wait. These days it's a bit different, and
my brother was the one who woke ME up, as I had only arrived home at about 3am after the traditional knees-up at Rosa's place. Rosa is the wonderful mother of Maria (ethay unkdray one way atway ethay airportway) who each year has tens of people flocking to her house to eat her wonderful cooking and get drunk. This year we got drunk AND sang karaoke, so she must have be SO pleased. There was also some spa-ing going on, as their house is set up for parties just like that. There is enough space for dining, dancing, and delectable cooking (a woodfired pizza oven and an argentinian barbecue are a valuable addition to ANY household).
I won't describe EVERYTHING I did, as most of it was just catching up and hanging out. I got to lunch with my dancing crew at Dim Sum, and we had a Kuerazo party (at Rosa's again, with a Paella that you could kill for) complete with spa time. I got so just hover around my parents, and see how their dynamic had changed while I have been over here....It's interesting, viewing your parents as separate entities. I mean, you grow up thinking
of them solely as MY PARENTS, and forget that they had their own lives before you came along, and to this day still do. Once you realise that their world does not revolve around you (some people never figure this out), you can look at them and see whole other facets of their personalities. I suppose i'm thinking about this a lot more now that i'm having my own adventure. My parents have lived in Kenya, in Iran, and a myriad other places....and surely must have experienced some of the challenges and emotions I myself have been going through. Interesting, huh?
Anyways, I got to see my loved ones, got to have CHRISTMAS AT HOME! and I was absolutely spoilt by attention from Danilo. I could use one of those nasty analogies like 'he hung around like a bad smell' but I won't. I was lucky to have him by my side, and miss his presence dearly now. (I know I know, where are the violins? Just deal with it ok? Homesickness comes with the territory. I'm allowed to be soppy ^_^). I also got to experience another great thing about Perth. SUMMER. Never again (we all know this
isn't true, just smile and nod) will I complain about the heat. When you live in -5 degrees, you can appreciate 35 degrees that much more.
Ah, summer, my long lost friend. The next blog talks about all my fun in the sun, down south with my peeps. Watch this space!
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