Meh it was bound to happen..

Yep, all of a sudden it was Autumn. And just as suddenly I found myself sick with a cold. Coincidence? Perhaps. Actually I think I know the moment when the cold infiltrated my cell walls. I was on a late night walk around the streets of Montreal last Wednesday, and it was quite a cold night. We walked into a jazz bar to check it out (it was really cool, I think I've found my local jazz hangout of choice) and it was about 20 degrees warmer inside. The sudden change of temperature coupled with the distraction of the music tricked my immune system just long enough to let the virus inside, and the next morning all was confirmed.

Luckily I didn't have to go through the same experience here as I did when I first got sick in Sweden, and had to ride my bike through the icy autumn wind to the hospital as it had the only pharmacy open on a Sunday, only to find that their arsenal of cold & flu medication consisted of some lame herbal tablets. Getting the good stuff is easy here and I was soon filled with pseudoephedrine and painkillers and some echinacea for good measure.

I have started ausifying everyone at uni by making anzac biccies (with macadamia nuts) for them last week. Finding golden syrup in the supermarket took me a while - it wasn't in the same place as the honey, it was in the syrup section! I'm glad I at least figured that out eventually without having to ask someone. I've also sussed out the ingredients for vanilla slice so I'll be busting some of those out soon too. I didn't go poking through the cupboards of my soon-to-be-apartment when I checked it out, so I'm curious (and a little apprehensive) about the kitchen supplies. I did at least notice that it had an oven and fridge so that's a start I guess.

Oh I forgot to talk about the Tam Tams last time. They are held in the Parc du Mont-Royal (at the mountain that gives Montreal it's name) every Sunday during summer, and beyond, if the weather is good. It's not actually organised by anyone in particular, everyone just rocks up and has a good time. Tam-tams is the word for hand drums like djembes, and basically it's just lots of people playing drums and dancing and relaxing. We need something like this in Perth.