Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Hello everyone!

I thought I would deliver another update before I started getting fresh demands!

We are back into our same old routine, and fully recovered from our holiday. It's incredible how exhausting holidays can be.

Billy is on summer school holidays, so both kids at home all day everyday is creating a very noisy household. The average temperature here during the day at the moment is in the high 30's usually around 36 though. It's very warm! It's strange to think of Russia as being hot. I always associated it with snow, and minus 30 temps, without much thought to summer.

It has been a bit of a slow week really. Although Saturday night's adventure was quite exciting and loads of fun!

I was going to go to the circus, but thought dressing up and dancing the night away would be much more fun (and cheaper). I arranged to meet a few new Russian people at a club called "Club Che" which is yet another salsa club. I exchanged numbers with a few people and jumped on the bus to head to the train station.

Whilst sitting on the bus I realised my phone was not working, I'd forgotten to look at the map to see exactly where the club was (I knew which Metro station, but that was all) and in an effort to get my phone working again I turned my phone off. I of course forgot that I need a pin to turn my phone back on. A pin I don't know.

So in a moment of brilliance I thought "Oh well, instead of going home I'll just buy a new Sim card." After purchasing the new Sim card, in very bad Russian and very bad reciprocated English, it was only then that I realised I don't have access to anyone else's numbers, and no one knows my new number.

Sometimes I am truly concerned about the lack of thought that goes into some of the things I do.

I set off into the city anyway, not too disheartened by the events that had already unfolded.

I made it to Lubyanka metro station and was heading out of the exit when I heard some girls knocking on the glass booth of the sleeping security guard saying "umm excuse me, do you speak English......?" I turned around and exclaimed "I speak English!" And that is how I met my first Australians in Russia.

I was so excited, if we weren't on an unstable escalator I would have hugged them! The girls, Angela and Ashley (Such normal names!) where heading to a club called Propaganda. I showed them the way and discovered that they were on a tour, with more Australians. Everyone on the tour said that they were a bit over meeting Australians everywhere they go, but I was by far the most enthusiastic one they had met thus far. It was fabulous, I hang out with them for a few hours, but they all eventually dwindled away because of their busy tour scheduled the next day.

I did try to get into club Che to meet up with my Russian friends, but wasn't allowed in (face control can be nasty!)

I decided my night was not over yet, there was bound to be more alcohol waiting in a bar for me somewhere. I walked to Karma bar, but didn't quite make it to the door, when I was stopped. A group of guys were walking out and told me that it wasn't worth going to, but they knew of another really good place. They didn't seem like serial killers so I tagged along with them for the walk to "Papa's". They turned out to be a great bunch of people, they even introduced me to another Aussie, who works at the embassy. We got to Papa's to find a Christmas in July party, complete with fake snow all through the club. It was brilliant fun. When I finally thought it must be getting late and time for me to head home, I stepped outside to be greeted by blazing sunshine, and rouble hungry taxi drivers.

Definitely one of the best Saturday nights I've had in Moscow!

Meeting so many genuinely lovely people last night and making some new friends has certainly lifted my cloud of homesickness that I seem to be under a lot lately.

So another week begins, my goodness where did July go?

I hope all is well at home,

I'm missing everyone lots!

I'm off to continue watching the large fireworks display that is quite literally, next door. Grace has slept through so far, although how exactly I'm not sure.

However until I have more to report on, this is all for now.

Dasvidanya!

Two weeks in Malta

Hello all!

We flew back into Moscow at 4:30am this morning. Not such a fabulous time for a flight with two children aged three and under!

Considering how tired they were though, they did pretty well. However I'm jumping ahead!

Friday the 2nd, the kids and I were getting ready for a walk to the park before having dinner when Baba Sveta comes flying down the stairs with a piece of paper and speaking to me very quickly in Russian. I looked at Billy for a translation but he looked more confused then I did. Upon inspection of the piece of paper it turned out we were flying to Malta Friday night not Saturday night.

I would like to think it was a controlled chaos that broke out in our household after that, but others may use different words. We fed the kids, packed their suitcases, packed our own and headed to the airport. The next morning we were eating breakfast in Malta.

The island of Malta is smaller then the city of Moscow, it is tiny! Despite it's small size, I loved it! It was so normal.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Moscow isn't normal... it's just not my kind of normal.

In Malta they drive on the left hand side, and they don't drive like maniacs.

They all speak English! It was fabulous.

I also found Vegemite and Tim Tams, really, what more needs to be said?

The other fantastic thing was the heat. While the rest of the tourists seemed to be melting, Billy and I were loving it.

The kids and I went swimming nearly everyday and our resort had a fantastic kids club. We hung out there for a few hours most days. Grace was more then happy reclining on a deck chair next to me, with her sun glasses on. Admittedly her sunnies occasionally ended up being chewed on as she is teething, but generally she looked the part of a glamorous girl.

Malta doesn't have sandy beaches, just big rocks. Not like pebbles, actual huge rocks. I'll post pictures on facebook tonight and put the link up.

We did the touristy things, like harbour tours. I found myself with Baba sveta and billy on a Russian tour through Mdina... I found an English tour going in the opposite direction and was tempted to tag along with them but it was more fun oohing and ahhing with the Russian's, and pretending I knew what was going on.

The first week went by and week two began with a house call from a doctor for Billy who had a temperature of 40 and a stomach bug. He was sick for two days and despite my best efforts Grace got sick for two days as well. And what kind of nanny would I be if I didn't get it too?

So for the last two days in Malta I was either in bed or hugging the toilet bowl.

Despite our tummy bug, we had a great time.

The best night was the night of the world cup final. All of Malta was cheering for Spain. After dinner Billy and I headed out onto the streets to join the crowd. We wandered through the packed streets found a spot to see the big screen and cheered along with everyone else. For a three year old, that boy knows how to party! He clapped and yelled "Go Spain GO!" for a good hour.

As we all know though, all good things must come to an end. We headed to the airport with our sleepy, cranky baby and hyper billy. I decided to take Billy for a walk through the airport to use up some of his energy. We ended up playing "security guards" in a book store, using books as phones. Unfortunately the book shelves where only chest height, so everyone could see me talking into my "phone" and no one could see Billy!

As we were taking off, out of our window we could see a huge fireworks display which made for quite a send off. We finally settled down and were almost asleep just to be woken up again and given the most dreadful aeroplane food ever. If you ever fly Air Malta, take your own food!

So now we are home again, and will be back to our normal routine tomorrow.

I was excited to be coming back to Moscow, but was disappointed not to have that "yay I'm home" feeling. I guess I will only feel that when I land in Australia again.

I really loved Malta, but there was one thing not quite right with it, it wasn't quite paradise. It was bugging me that I couldn't figure out what it was that was letting Malta down. Once we got back here I realised straight away. Malta isn't green enough. There aren't enough trees! That is the sole thing I can fault Malta for.

Well I have washing and unpacking to do, and I must search for that packet of Tim Tams that I bought....

So until next time,

Dasvidanya!