Back from Down Under: entry #1

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

Back from what was an absolutely amazing, incredible, dare I say perfect, vacation? I'm not feeling like the brightest bulb at the moment because I'm still not adjusted to the time change. We left Sydney at 3pm on Sunday and arrived in Los Angeles at 10:30am the same day. Twilight Zone. My body doesn't know what to do. I wake up at 2am ravenous and then cannot keep the eyes open at noon. Hopefully, it will all work out by the weekend.

I plan on using the next few entries to discuss all the cool things we did in Oz. From seeing koalas and kangaroos on the side of the Great Ocean Road to the Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House to eating and drinking enough to keep a family of four satisfied to walking for hours without getting tired. For the most part, I was able to stay in the present moment and not worry or even consider anything happening back at home. It was so healing and I really do feel "back to normal."

But, my predominating blog theme of my hair did rear its ugly head on more than one occasion. Going through security at LAX wearing only a hat was tough because not one but, two security people asked me to remove my hat while squinting disbelievingly at my passport. I can't blame them because my hair was so short and my hairline so stark, with brown hair I looked like a cross between Eminem and a teletubby. Picture a drawn-on hair hat. Who knew I should've left it salt and pepper?

It isn't just that I hated feeling hideous but, that seeing that hair reminded me of the cancer. At least with a wig on, I looked more like myself.

Now, that issue is resolved because as of yesterday my hair is champagne blonde. A trainer at the gym told me that I look european. I think I look a bit like a newborn duck or chick but, I like it. A milestone day: I left the house without a wig or a hat and it felt so freeing!

After an overnight, 14 1/2 hour flight, we arrived in Sydney. The first few days, Todd and I stumbled around like a pair of drunken sailors. We were intent on staying up until at least 6pm that first day so we could adjust to the 17 hour time difference. We stayed in an area called the Rocks, which is an incredibly charming historical part of town, right on the harbor. We could see the iconic Sydney Opera House from our hotel room window. Although those first few days are blurry in my memory, I know that I loved Sydney!

Where else can you drink a bottle of wine entitle "Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch"?

Maybe that is why those first few days were blurry?