Our New Car - Hooray!

So we got our new car today (looks quite a bit like our old car - doesn't it!). It is even a manual - Cyp was a tad surprised. We bought it from Cyp's friends Shane and Liz. They drove it up from New South Wales - they are originally from Brisbane and are moving to Vancouver with their 15 month son - Shane got Uli's job (Uli is a friend/colleague of Cyp's that moved to Trinidad a year and a half ago to work down there). Shane jokes that we should have just swapped lives - they could have lived in our house, we could have lived in theirs... We could have swapped cars too. Too bad we already sold ours.

Anyway - Shane parked the car in the garage for us (we were both afraid of driving a standard) and we thought we could deal with trying to drive it and getting it registered another day. Well, that plan fell through. By noon I was ready to strangle Ellis (who kept yelling and poking Rowan who was trying to nap) so I decided I was going to put us all in the car and go and get it registered.

It took 5 minutes to buy insurance online ($560) and then I headed off to Sherwood to the Transport Office. I picked a suburb as I assumed they would have parking. So, I put in the car seats, got the GPS and off we set. I also figured a drive would be good for Rowan as he would get to sleep in air conditioned comfort and Ellis could play his leapster.

Ah - it was good to have a car again and fortunately, I could drive it. It was a little awkward shifting with my left hand, but I could do it and hills were ok too. I realized that the clutch/brake still works the same way. I just had to remember to put it in first gear.

Again, I was surprised by the Transport office. It looked like the Passport office back home, but seemed to work much more efficiently. I had no idea what I was doing but the lady behind the counter just took my money, handed me my plates and I was done.

Smart me had remembered to take a screwdriver and as I was changing the plates, the man parked beside me said:

"uh, do you mind if I borrow your screwdriver? I forgot mine."

"Sure." I said smugly. I was feeling pretty darn impressed with my driving, juggling two kids and remembering my screwdriver.

I then went and got Cyp at work. I realized at some point that I really didn't know what I had paid for. I had no invoice or anything - just plates. Weird. Turns out when I checked out online tonight that I paid duty (PST essentially), Third party insurance (if I run someone over), plate fee, registration fee and something else I can't remember. Funny I didn't get a breakdown at the Transport Office - just the plates. No stickers either - how do they know that the plates are valid? Hmm.

We decided to drive by our new home. There were some people there so I said to Cyp:

"should I get out and go see if they'll let me see the fridge space?"

We hummed and hawed bit, but then I went in and it turns out that the people were the owners - they also live next door. They seemed very friendly (Ted and Sue) and we got dimensions for the fridge space.

The house seems more run down that I remember, but I think it will look better with our stuff in it. The garden and trees are nice. We have a macadamia tree in our yard. It is an old house - so I shouldn't say run down. I should say character. Kinda like our old apartment (eh Keith).

I'm getting super excited - can't wait!!!!! Container arrives on Monday.

I'm off to get a fridge and washing machine tomorrow. We have been spending a lot lately. It costs a lot to move to Australia. Plus we have to get this place we're in cleaned - can't do it ourselves, not allowed, which is good I guess. Skinflint me will just have to pay.

Oops Rowan just woke up - gotta go