Settling Down in Brisbane - Part 1

It's been slightly more than two weeks since we arrived in Brisbane. We had done so much in the last two weeks - from house inspection to test driving various cars, it's been a busy time for us.

We are quite comfortable in our serviced apartment in Kangaroo Point during this transit period and using a rental car to get around was a breeze with the help of a GPS. It was a change for each one of us and it would take some time before we get used to a daily routine. After a few house inspections, DH decided that he preferred a townhouse over a big house and it was a contrary to what he used to say. Being a city folk for so long, he finds living in a stand alone house very quiet and maintaining a yard is just too much for him. God is good and He provided an available townhouse in Solito Carindale, who happened to be an area I was eyeing on. Months before the arrival, I had contacted the resident manager and she said that she would keep a lookout for me should there be a vacancy and she contacted me few weeks before our arrival on one.

DH liked the place and it is conveniently situated opposite Westfield Carindale, one of the bigger and nicer malls in Brisbane. It was quite fun inspecting houses and finding our way around suburbs with the GPS. Now comes the car. I was eyeing for a Volkswagen and we test drove the mazda CX7, the toyota Rav4, the Subaru Forrester and lastly the VW Tiguan. The Mazda CX7 impressed DH the most and the price was good too. In Malaysia, we would need to cough out RM260,000 for this car but in Brissy, we managed to get it at less than AUD$37K after all the stamp duties and insurance costs. Now we have to shop for a cheap car insurance when everyone returns to work.

Christmas here was a quiet one as everyone celebrates with their family and friends. We had a simple dinner of hot chicken from Coles, a simple salad and roasted potatoes. Though simple, it was meaningful as we dined together overlooking the Brisbane River. It's boxing day today and it's going to be packed in the malls and shops. We are without a car for the next few days cos the car rental companies had their cars all booked out. So we will be moving around in city ferries until our car is ready next week.

More Brissy updates coming soon as we settle down in our new haven.