Ugg Boots

Being a shoe person.  One of the first memories I can remember is the " Ugg Boot"
I came to Australia from the UK where men and women wore " Dr Martens" 

Here in Australia  everyone including men were wearing these strange sheepskin
boots.  They were fluffy at the top and looked kinda cool with blue denim jeans. But, I  couldn't understand how these boots would keep clean or keep your feet dry?   I have since found they are extremely comfortable and even today are very popular with people from all walks of life.

Sweet smell of Rain

It was a wet mild day when we arrived in Tasmania.  I remember hearing the waves against the beach and the sound of rain on the road and the tin roofs of the houses.

The smell was sweet.  Rain and Eucalyptus.  It had a feeling of being tropical.  Nothing like I had ever experienced in the UK.

We arrived at our destination town in the late hours of the evening.  Plonked all of our bags into the
hotel room and sat listening to the rain....

What Now?  I said.

Arrival

I can still remember the day.  I was bleary eyed and could hardly place one foot in front of the other.  We arrived on a dark Monday morning in Australia, Melbourne Airport after a very long 24hour flight from the UK.  I remember stepping off the plane, like an astranaut would make his first step on the moon.

Walking on the moon

I then took a deep breath as I tried to take in what Australia was all about.  The sweet smell of  eucalyptus swept over me and I knew then that I would love Australia.  There was so much to learn and appreciate.

Tasmania

This year I have been in Tasmania for 30 years. 

My world changed when I was 17 years of age,  I knew everyone and everything around me.  As any teenager I was full of myself, king of the mountain, know it all.  I loved the feeling of  leaving secondary school, I was moving head long into adulthood. 

The world was my oyster..  I had just started college, friends, fun and boys were a plenty, new adventures lie just beyond the horizon ................

I still remember the day like it was yesterday, my Father arrived home from work and announced we were leaving our cute little semi-detached house in the middle of suburbia, England. 

My whole world was to turn upside down I was to emigrate to the other side of the world - TASMANIA

where is that I said " Africa? "