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All through our last autumn and winter in Blighty we were bombarded with the “So, where the bloody hell are you?” ad by Tourism Australia. It wasn’t a fantastic ad – notable only in its use of the word ‘bloody’, which sent the Broadcasting Advertising Clearance Centre into conniptions. ‘Hell’ didn’t seem to bother them.
I think we had already planned to emigrate to Australia by the time this ad came out and even if we were still on the fence, it wouldn’t have had much of an effect. It was standard tourist office tripe – all primary colors and Great Barrier Reefs and outback bars and overdone accents – but I’ve got to give them credit for the tagline. We were moving to Australia not for Ayers Rock, but for the quality of life on offer.
All of this has absolutely nothing to do with what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about our new house. We’re moved in, in the sense that all of our stuff is there and it is as fantastic as I remember it being when we first visited. The lustre remains intact. It’s big and spacious with lots of wood and glass. It’s an Australian house – designed for outdoor living in a Mediterranean climate. It’s surrounded by greenery (more like brownery after a hot, dry summer) lending the illusion of seclusion despite being moments away from a major university.
And there’s an orange tree.
Now, I grew up in Florida prior to the collapse of the citrus industry there, so I’ve had some oranges in my time. But I’ve never had an orange like the one I pulled off the tree on moving day. It was pulsing with life, sweet as honey and bursting with an intoxicating liquor.
Moving day was one of those predictably beautiful Australian days. Vivid sunshine, 84°F with a light sea breeze fluttering up into the hills. Nothing out of the ordinary. But standing there looking over the Adelaide plains, sticky with orange pulp and slightly tipsy on citric spirit, I wondered to myself just why the bloody hell anyone would live somewhere other than right here.
Australia’s been good to me – financially, socially and personally – my little family is flourishing. The only niggling gripe that I had to chew on was our housing situation. The only thing keeping me from writing a post like this was the crushing feeling on my chest that I got everytime I got off the bus in Happy Valley every evening. Stuck in the faceless, endless southern suburbs I didn’t really see the point of having traveled round the world. In Happy Valley I could have been anywhere in the world, there was nothing except the accents and license plates to differentiate the place from Milton Keynes, Markham, Bangsar or Bellevue. In fact, I could very easily have been in the suburb in which I grew up. I was stuck with the feeling that, despire appearances to the contrary, I hadn’t gone very far in life.
Now, our new neighborhood is still a bit far from the city center and still doesn’t offer the sense of community that I covet. We’re still renters rather than owners. There’s a long upward trajectory yet to travel. But I can see Gulf Saint Vincent from my living room and hear rosellas and cockatoos in the gum trees. I can pick figs from my veranda and bananas over the fence. I can watch the moon rise over the sea and the lights of the city flicker silently and I feel utterly serene.
And I can pick an orange the like of which I’ve never tasted before on my way out the door in the morning. And right now, that’s about as close to perfect as I can imagine.
So, where the bloody hell are you?
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Bright Eyes’ “Lifted Or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground” is available from Amazon
Still no internet at the new dream house, so apologies if I’ve not been over to your corner of the internet. I kind of have to fit things in around work. I’ll catch up soon.
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Well this just further convinces me I need to end up in Australia eventually. Glad to hear the move went well. I bet the house is great.
Brittanys last blog post..Trial and Error with an Ice Cream Maker
I actually kind of loved that ad campaign, I have one of the print ads on my fridge, because I am not the bloody hell THERE!
flutters last blog post..10 irrefutable facts that you are old and your mind is slipping
And a BBQ on the verandah, too!
I always thought naming that faceless suburb “Happy Valley” was a cruel irony. Nonetheless, such a place filled the dreams of many. Perhaps Dr. O’C’s family moved to Oz with just such a spot in mind?
Your old house was, in fact, built by the SA Housing Trust, was it not? Designed expressly for immigrants who dreamed of lawns and driveways, rather than wood, glass and forest.
Your experience tells a story of a real generational change in values, symbols, and lifestyles. And if you think of yourself as a member of the O’C family, such a leap as you’ve just taken is natural for the second generation of immigrants.
BTW, you might be surprised at the sense of community you find, focussed on the university.
headbang8s last blog post..Signs in Soho
Oh, sure, just rub it in…
But wait, it’s spring here, the flowers are blooming, the weeds are out of control, the day length is rapidly increasing, and I have a good job. I guess I’m pretty happy here, too.
And, to top it all off, my orange tree looks like it will have blossoms this year. (Not sure what happened last year…)
Theresa Bs last blog post..Just Say No
Sounds wonderful AFM! I love the idea of picking citrus in the garden… On the other hand a country where the only non-venomous species are a few of the sheep…!
jams O’Donnells last blog post..WW – Warley Place
I love this post! Living in a comfortable house that you LIKE makes such a difference! Funny you should say that about the oranges, I also just ate the best orange of my life last week here! And being a Florida girl, I was quite surprised too. And just be sure the figs on the tree are the kind people are supposed to eat– we have an enormous fig tree in our backyard– but they are not for human consumption– apparently only for bats!
So glad to hear about you loving your house! With a preggers wife, adorable Z, and the new casa– sounds like you’re in a great place every which way.
Florida Girl In Sydneys last blog post..Date Night- Martinis and Dangerous Fried Rice
I liked those ads, but I’ve always wanted to vacation there, so of course they would appeal to me. You sound really good. I’d be terribly envious if I wasn’t happy for you.
Angels last blog post..Hate Me if You want to, but Love Me if You can
I Sarah a year or so ago if we could move to Aus. Apparently, that’s just a bit too far away from her family, so the plan got 86ed.
She said we could visit, so my current hope is that she’ll fall in love with it and want to stay.
Joes last blog post..All the News That’s Fit to Print
I lived in Phoenix, AZ for a time and everyone had a lemon tree in their back yard. The fragrance of lemons permeated the air. In the good way.
I wonder how I would fare without internet access? Probably not well. I don’t recall having a life prior to the internet being invented.
The Unbearable Banishments last blog post..gullibility check
Sounds idyllic. Best wishes in your new home. It’d be too hot for me, I suspect – and I’d miss the rainy, windswept moors.
Rols last blog post..Let Me Hear Your Body Talk, Your Body Talk…
The new house sounds so lovely. I’d like to see more pictures!
(Oh, and you know where I am. And where I’ll be in the not-so-distant, orangetreeless future.)
Where am I? Not anywhere nearly as nice as that sounds. Congratulations on the new place.
Funny you should ask, because I am in bloody hell.
The house sounds lovely. Can I come live with you?
courtneys last blog post..don’t read this
Ha! My house is much more secluded than yours. The closest neighbor is about half a mile away and they’re separated from my house by a stand of pines.
Of course, it’s also 90 miles from the nearest decent university, closer to 200 from the nearest good university and 45 from the nearest crappy 4-year college or 2-year junior college. I’d say you win.
I’d still prefer New Zealand over Australia. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Australia when I was over there for a week in ‘98, but I loved New Zealand even more when I was there the next week. I just prefer wet, cool, and green over hot, dry and brown any day. Even the hot, wet, and green around Cairnes is just too warm for my northern European blood. Plus, then I could say that my national rugby team kicks your national rugby team’s ass.
And glad you like the new house. It was odd riding around northeastern Australia at 18. I learned a lot about the architecture of the house I grew up in by visiting that part of Australia. Every house old than 50 years at the time looked just like my parents’ nearly 100-year-old house, and for the same reasons. Built off the ground with an open crawl space and with every room having an exterior door or window to help natural breezes cool the home. Makes for beautiful houses.
Jacobs last blog post..More Proof of Tabling
Actually, I should say that I preferred Aukland and Rotarua over Sydney and Cairnes. I didn’t see much of those countries outside of those two cities in Australia and the region between those two cities in New Zealand.
Jacobs last blog post..More Proof of Tabling
Someday, I’m going to Australia. It’s on the list. It’s in the top five of the list of Places I Must Go Before I Die Or I Will Die and I still haven’t gone.
But I also haven’t been to Madagascar, which is also in the top five, so we’ll see where I go first. It’s all up in the air.
pssst: I want an orange now, you bastard.
rassless last blog post..The City of New Orleans: The Perception of Cool
Glad to see the housing situation has improved. There is nothing more discouraging than a Domicile of Doom. Where the bloody hell am I? Hoping to follow in your footsteps within the next few months.
NATUIs last blog post..The Leap From Little Girl
hey, somebody’s got to live in the middle of nowhere pennsylvania, don’t they? so that’s where i am! : )
and like florida girl in sydney said–please don’t eat the figs until you check them out. unless of course you are a bat!
mjrcs last blog post..Upon Further Reflection
As someone who has lived in the lush tropics (and I am not talking about swampy but still scrubby north Florida), but who is now looking out his window at Mountains covered in fresh snow (last day of March dammit), all I can say to you and your oranges is: Bastard.
I am SO turning one of my friend’s on to your blog…she and her hubz want to emigrate there. She is one of “us” however, and I am going to have to require you change the title of this post immediately!
Can’t wait to see the house! We had a sensational orange tree at my original Happy Valley residence. I think it was a ‘Seville’. The skin was pale, almost yellow, but the flesh was as close to blood red as you can get without being a blood orange! And the sweetness!!!!! You can keep those tasetless old Navels.
See you soon?
arizaphales last blog post..OMGOMGOMGOMG: Alma Mater
Happy Valley? My, I didn’t realise how you were suffering. This sounds lovely, but mind you, you’re also closer to Westfield Marion. Don’t let their evil vibes suck you down the portal to hell.
kittys last blog post..streaming
When I was a kid in Mississippi, I had a ballet teacher, Miss Betty, who was British. One day she said bloody in front of us. She apologized profusely, ceremoniously washed her mouth out and begged us not to tell our parents. She acted as though she had dropped the f-bomb in front of us, and I guess in her English mind she had, but none of us understood what was the big deal about the word bloody.
Anywho, congrats on the new house. A new house, a new baby on the way and delicious oranges. Life is sweet for you, Free Man.
Cats last blog post..Jet Lagged
Wow. Pretty sweet. Makes me want an orange. Alas, all I have in the house are apples and bananas.
The sun just came out here, so at least we have that.
mickeys last blog post..Like Donny, I’m out of my element
We have lemon trees in our yard, they were all birthday presents from my hubs. Next on my list is a miniture fig and tangerine. Ahhh, the joys of picking fruit from your yard. I am growing veggies this year because I am told they’re pretty easy if you do your due diligence and because I figure out of your own yard is about as local as it gets.
chriss last blog post..What Do People Do During an Economic Depression?
So, ah, ahem, by the way(feet shuffling), is there a guest room?
chriss last blog post..What Do People Do During an Economic Depression?
Brittany – It would be a good choice. The Columbia – Australia route is a great one.
Flutter – Did they run it in the States as well?
Headbang – I don’t know if the Happy Valley house was a housing trust one or not. My parents would have loved Happy Valley – that’s what they were looking for when we were growing up. One of the things that I didn’t like about Happy Valley was that it reminded me of my childhood suburb.
I consider myself a first generation immigrant!
Theresa – Not rubbing, just reveling!
Jams – Only some of the sheep are venomous. Actually, you kind of get past the whole lethal fauna thing pretty quickly. I have yet to see a snake.
FGIS – You know the secret.
Angel – Come on down. You can stay in our spare room.
Joe – Y’all could stay in the spare room as well. Tyler can learn all sorts of bad habits from Zach.
TUB – The lack of internet access is getting a bit old, but hopefully we’ll get it resolved here pretty soon.
Rol – SOmetimes I miss the British rain.
Nichole – I know where you are and it’s where I just came from – hence my feeling of absolute elation!
SIS – Thanks.
Jacob – I’ve not been to NZ, but I hear that it’s fantastic. For the time being, the dry and sunny is great. Having lived in soggy places for most of my life, it’s a nice change. I think the problem with New Zealand would be the New Zealanders. Maybe my view has been clouded by my Australian partner’s typically anti-Kiwi view, but I’ve never met a New Zealander who seemed entirely sane.
Rassles – Australia would be a lot safer right now than Madagascar. If that matters.
NATUI – Good luck.
MJRC – I wish I was a bat.
Jamie – Hey, I’m going to miss snow.
Mongola – Good point on the title. I said the same thing last night. I think, in this context, cure refers only to the housing sitch.
Ariza – Yeah, let’s do something in the next week or so. It will give us a kick in the butt to finish unpacking!
Kitty – Trust me, Marion isn’t that much of a temptation for me.
Cat – Life is beautiful. The ‘bloody’ thing apparently is derived from the oath ‘God’s blood!” which, when the British were religious, was a big deal.
Mickey – That apple probably spent the last six months in a climate controlled warehouse as well. Yummy!
FF – What do you do with the lemons. And of course there’s a spare room, particularly for you. You guys should come over and maybe your girl and Zach will fall in love and then we can make them think that it wasn’t arranged.
Is it really so wonderful? Remember I live in Wisconsin and if you’ve seen Dogma you know what that means.
heathers last blog post..For Pity’s Sake
That sounds so tranquil…. so ideal…
I wish I had a “fruitful” life
Disturbed Strangers last blog post..Abandoned
Sounds like a great move! And I’m really impressed that you can manage such a nice post so soon after moving!
Jill/Twipply Skwoods last blog post..Dear Abby With a Belly Button Ring
It’s the same exact thing that’s keeping me from writing a similar post. You are getting closer to where you want to be. I don’t care if I get where I want to be, I just want to get a bit closer too. And I understand your feeling about the suburbs. The last thing I want is an American lifestyle, in Spain. If I wanted that, i would be there.
bluestreaks last blog post..Half-assery/sorry Rasslery and an update on the job front
That house looks amazing. Congrats on the great find!
Great post! You should work for the Australian tourist board – you sold me! Mind you, I think I would go in an instant anyway. It’s the wide open spaces and the weather that I hanker after more than anything.
It does indeed sound like your life is near perfect. I mean, how many people can claim they feel “utterly serene”? I’m so pleased that your life is coming together so well for you and your family.
Maureens last blog post..Did President Obama bow to King Abdullah? And does it matter if he did?