A day of Seconds & Thirds

As eluded to in my previous post, in addition to a day of Firsts, yesterday was a day of Seconds and Thirds. What do I mean by this? Allow me to outline a piece of my life in the past 3 years.

September 2005- Just moved to Shanghai. Need to furnish my new place. Go to IKEA.
September 2006 - Just moved to Hamilton. Need to furnish my new place. Go to IKEA.
September 2007 - Just moved to Sydney. Need to furnish my new place. Go to IKEA.

As I wandered around IKEA yesterday searching for standard apartment items I got a very strange feeling of familiarity. The first came from the fact that I was in IKEA. I have been to IKEAs all over the world and I can assure you that once you are inside those doors, it doesn't matter what country you are in, you just feel like you are in IKEA. I think IKEA bridges the gap between all world cultures and has created a sort of sad globalization of discount furniture. Interestingly enough, I was helping a Chinese couple shop yesterday and we were speaking Chinese in IKEA, in Sydney. Weird.

So, my yearly routine of going to IKEA doesn't stop at simply entering the building but continues on in the items I buy. For the past 3 years I have entered IKEA with the exact same intentions. To basically furnish my new apartment. I can't believe how many times I have bought the exact same products!!!

Office Waste Bin (Black Mesh) - 3 times (SH, HA, SY)
Fold out laundry bin - 3 times (SH, HA, SY)
$25 Frying Pan - 3 times (SH, HA, SY)
6 Pack of glasses - 3 times (SH, HA, SY)

Rectangular White Table - 2 times (HA, SY)
$49 Duvet cover - 2 times (SH, SY)
$25 Duck Pillow - 2 times (SH, SY)
$69 Duvet - 2 times (SH, SY)

Anyway, the list can go on. But you get the picture. You may say I am stupid for buying this stuff over and over again. I would tend to agree. Remind me to at least sell the stuff this time.

Too bad for IKEA all of their customers don't buy all their products 3x each.

A Day of Firsts... Seconds & Thirds!

Yesterday was a serious day of firsts for me in Australia. Let me precursor why by saying that this week's activities have been dedicated to getting myself "settled" in Sydney, by way of finding a place to live, finding furniture, getting internet, phone, and a car. Details of the Palace that I live in (or rather the dungeon where I reside) will be captured in a separate blog entry.

Yesterday, I bought my first large item on eBay.
First No. 1 - First large purchase on eBay ($200)

I bought a used Queen Size Bed (Don't worry the pictures looked ok). Little did I know that I was required to go and pick up this bed. And it happened to be my luck that it was located in the little suburb of Heathcote which is about as far away from Sydney CBD you can be and still be in Sydney (Its in the sticks). So, how was I to get this bed? I explored multiple options including moving guys and courier. In the end I decided to rent myself a Big ol Van and do the job myself. So here were the problems, I am in a massively busy city where the traffic and the driving is crazy and I am also totally unfamiliar. I am driving a rather large vehicle that I am also unfamiliar with. I am sitting and driving on the right side of the van. I am driving on the left hand side of the road. So a whole slew of firsts.

First no. 2 - First time renting a van
First no. 3 - First time driving in Sydney
First no. 4 - First time driving a right hand drive
First no.5 - First time driving on the left hand side of the road

It is absolutely like learning to drive all over again. I was forced to ignore all driving instinct and focus real hard and really use my mirrors because I kept ignoring the whole left part of the vehicle, which normally you dont worry about because that is where you are driving. Anyway, apart from a few wide left hand turns and tight right hand turns into honking taxi cabs, and getting lost a dozen times, the trip went well and I picked up my bed and returned the truck today without incident. It was actually really fun and challenging trying to maneuver through downtown Sydney in this big old van! And after a well it does become more like second nature again. Tonight I pick up my new car! A 1991 Toyota Corolla Hatchback! The left hand fun continues!!

First no.6 - My first Car!