This week has been strange sort with extremes of weather. We mainly stayed at home and looked for jobs and got used to the heat. Couple of days were sweltering hot and we just sat and sweated it out. It did wonders to my bones and muscles. The pain levels were very low and I was happy. WE decided not to put on the fan even to get acclimatised….. I think we did too good a job when we were cold after the temperature dropped to 15C. LOL serves us right for getting too happy in the heat.
This week there were two main events – Cyclone Yasi and Getting the driving license. Right from the beginning of the week the weather people were tracking this massive cyclone named Yasi. It was going to hit the north east coast of Queensland. There were hourly updates about the intensity and path of the cyclone. There were announcements asking people to evacuate. I think they were to go to shelters as not sure how far one could outrun this monster cyclone grade 5. There already had been floods due to torrential rains earlier in the January. The clean was just beginning for that when the people had to prepare for Yasi. Eventually on Thursday afternoon the announcements were for people to stop where ever they were and to take shelter. The time for evacuation was long past. The premier of Queensland was on TV often reassuring the people. You could see from the trees behind the presenters were beginning to sway as the wind picked up. Yasi’s eye was predicted to make landfall at about midnight. The rain started long before and winds were tearing everything up. The morning TV shows were broadcast live from Queensland. There were two major storm surges as there was high tide on Friday morning. People were been told to keep indoors as the danger was still not over. The tv presenters were saying how unsafe it was to go out. One could see metal sheets maybe someone’s roofs flying about in the background. However people were out wandering in the shorts and thongs (flip flops to the rest of the world), crazy I think. But the people do the strangest think like this woman who was playing in the storm surge.
Then, started the pictures of the devastation caused by Yasi. Australian newspaper The Age had a live blog of the storm. There are video clips of the cyclone online as well. So there was a lot of coverage of the big cyclone. The storm was down to category 3 after it had travelled inland for over 400 kms. It ended up meeting the depression in the middle of the country and this meant a tail flick of Yasi to cover the state of Victoria. Thursday evening saw the beginning of rain around our place. There was on and off rain all day Friday. However we had to go out for the second major even of the week – getting our driving license. We had to get out early so that we could find our way with 2 bus changes. We caught the 9 am 905 bus for 2 stops to Williamson Road. There we had to catch the 902 bus. This one came at 9 20 am and was to take us right to Burwood Highway. We went through many new places like Nunawading, Ringwood, Blackburn Station.
Once we got off the bus, the Lakeside Drive was a block down the road. The time from start to finish took just about an hour. This meant we were veryyyy verryyy early for the 11 30 am appointment. Just at the start of Lakeside drive is a restaurant and we stopped for a drink. Paul had coffee and I had some coke. The weather was muggy and overcast, though it had not rained while we had to walk. I had worn my shoes without socks as I did not want my feet to get wet but was too hot for socks. Now I have worn these shoes without socks before but for some reason today they decided to tear up the backs of my heels. The left heel was actually bleeding. Had to stop on the road and ask paul to stick some plasters on both heels. The VicRoads building was further down the Lakeside drive. There was a mini traffic jam of cars going into the car park and cars (I think all were going for driving tests). Inside we had to fill a form and got to counter 25. Since there was no one about when we finished we went up and presented our forms and identity papers. It was very straightforward. Had to read a line from the poster as part of our eye test. Paid fees to get 10 years license. Went to counter 24 and got our photos taken. Now the license with photo id will arrive in 7 days.
We were actually out by 11 45. Went to the main road and waited for a tram to take us towards Knox City. The tram stopped at Vermont South Shopping Centre. The bus came in a few minutes and took us to the Knox City a major shopping centre. Paul decided he definitely needs reading glasses so stopped at Amcal and got him a pair. Then went for lunch at the Phantom India, run by Punjabis. I had chole and roti and Paul had channa dal and roti. Some mango and strawberry lassi.. ( spelt lussi). We had a short wander around the fresh food market and the K-mart. Finally found a place where things were a reasonable price. Kettle for $9, 16 piece crockery for $16….Also found a soya free organic sourdough at the delicatissen’s which was nice.
Back to the bus stop to catch 901 to The Pines Shopping Centre. This time we saw a lot of Nunawading, there are many shops of furniture and beds, as well as other household goods plus camping, Got home and decided to have just sandwich and salad for dinner. Sat watching TV and there was not much on so went to bed early. By this time the rain had started in earnest. It was drumming all night very much like the Mumbai monsoon. By morning there were big puddles in the garden and the road had twin rivers running down the sides of the road. The news said that there was over a meter of water in some places in Melbourne and so flooding. Apparently people had to be rescued too but not all was bad news as reservoirs are well filled. I had the news page saved to creat a link but Paul in his wisdom switched off all the links when he got hold of the laptop while I was eating my sandwich and now I cannot find it. Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Even though this is not the right web link … you can see what I mean. All this meant a lazy weekend with just a quick trip to the shops to buy some milk and veggies and fruit.
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