Scaling the Down Under

As I conquer another hill to reach the grocery store, I am forced to wonder, did I transfer to the Alps or the beach country of Australia? One month here, and let us say all my norms have been shed. Firstly, I totally misjudged the weather. It is not always humid and hot. It is totally bizarre. One moment you can be sweating under the hot glare of UV radiation, another moment you can be shivering under the icy winds. The speed of the wind is also phenomenal, and having a bad hair day is the norm here. I also found out the key to Aussie fitness: an active lifestyle. I will never get around the fact that everyone here is always running. Like, how can you run with so many bags? I barely manage to climb up the hill to my lectures. It is truly inspiring when even an older woman overtakes you. Guess some of their active vibes rubbed off. I tried to run on the weekends. It was a humbling experience to be out of breath in just 5 minutes. But it is a start. Give me a few more months, and I will be there.

I have even tried swimming in the ocean. It is now on my ‘Things I love’ list. Swimming in the ocean is like swimming in an infinity pool. It is the feeling of tinniness in just a vast cosmos. All the dark blue waves bobbing you up and down make you feel disconnected from all the worries waiting back on land. You feel like you can float away to new adventures. I have not yet discovered any sea creatures. But isn't it magical the amount of sea life just grazing around me, hidden under multiple layers? The ocean, too, has its level of swimming. If you want to get thrashed by waves, swim in the late afternoon when the sun is about to set. If you like a cold and peaceful plunge, mornings are a great time. At night, the ocean is supposedly warm, but I have yet to experience swimming under the stars. Maybe I will try it out soon.

That reminds me of the nightlife in Sydney. Unlike the other big cities, Sydney goes to bed at 5 pm. Life slows down in the evenings. It is more of a morning town than a night town. Even popular tourist places slow down by 11 pm at the latest. I find this nature of Sydney funny. As I had always imagined, it is a cool teenager town, but it is more of a mature adult town where people must get to work in the morning.

The surroundings here are peaceful, and the chirping of birds is a constant presence throughout the day. Looks like the wildlife still stays close to the city. Though sadly, no kangaroos roam around the city streets. I always imagined wild kangaroos hopping alongside me as I walked to uni. Wouldn’t that be adorable?

I have also fallen in love with walking. Yes, I did take the public transport, and it was very disciplined and punctual. Like you are always reaching everywhere on time. But walking helps me romanticise the city more. I can explore everything at my own pace. I get the chance to see the sky change colours as the sun sets. If I were an artist, I would have sat down on the pavement and painted all the vivid colours on my canvas. As a writer, I will describe the scene to you in a classical literary style.

As I walk back after a long day, I look up at the sky, which is putting on a full-scale show. Like a dance performance, the colours take place in formation, prancing around to blend into fairy-like scenes. A lavender glow pierces through the sky, standing out like a dance lead in all her glow. Her dress sways across the horizon as she veers across the sky. Overtaking the orange and pink hues. That lavender then starts to darken as the night rolls in. The next act is of the million stars. Each twinkling with laughter as they make all the constellations for people to gaze at.

These scenes force me to take out my phone and snap a picture, and then I contemplate my poor photography skills, which surely do no justice to these vivid scenes.

 

My best photography

Reflecting on how I am keeping my spirits high in the Down Under. It gets a bit overwhelming trying to manage myself miles away from home. Homesickness is not a constant factor, but it comes in bittersweet moments. A global citizen means you are foreign to a new place and no longer of the old place. I do have one reason to feel engrossed, rather than dejected. The reason for my continuous and full-on engagement: lovely chores.

If they are casting for the Hunger Games show, I volunteer as a tribute. I am literally surviving. In a way, I am thriving with all the hacks I have come up with.

I have the first task of groceries. My pro tip is to get all your groceries in one day; it is tiring running to the store every day. Then I get all my gym gains by carrying the bags back home. A good playlist helps me on the way back. I honestly recommend Taylor’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, even though I am more of a girl at home, but sequins are forever, and everyone loves a dazzling moment.

Next chore is cooking and eating. For breakfast, I have become a typical American sitcom kid and have cereal; it is easy and wholesome. I add flavour to this meal by pairing it with the biscuits I brought from home. Either for lunch or Dinner, I have some takeout, or on most days, I grab ingredients. Then I get to invent. The microwave is my main companion in my inventions. Do you know that Maggie can be made in a microwave? I feel like a master chef who specialises in cooking without fire.

Cooking without fire special falafel roll

Next up is washing the tools I used for cooking. I find this easy; it is like you need to scrub, and you can keep dancing while doing so, which is therapeutic. Coming next are lovely laundry days. Oh, how I miss Mangla laundry and how they used to bleach away the colours from my clothes. Carrying a big bag down flights of stairs is not fun. I do not recommend throwing your bag down, because it can be hazardous to other residents.

Thankfully, no colour has been shed on my clothes yet, so it looks like I have found the correct settings for the machine. Next, I even vacuum my room. It is fun watching bits of dust being sucked in. Like the mesh windows, they can also be cleaned with a vacuum.

By the end of the day, I am tired, but as the time between my eyes grows heavy with sleep, thoughts of being on my own creep in. As I said, it is overwhelming. But then physical exhaustion takes over the sadness, and the next day I am all set for a new adventure.

I see many beautiful things daily, attend various events on campus, complete numerous assignments, interact with people, explore, and have fun. Being far from home does not seem daunting when you have so much to learn and explore.

I just learned that India and Australia were once part of Gondwana, which split into the world as we know it today. In a way, I just jumped onto another part of home.

Every day I learn something new about Down Under. Not just from my classes, but also from my experiences, which gives me a sense of joy. This feeling helps me overcome the times that become overwhelming. In the end, it is all about picking up your running shoes and chasing after your dreams, leaving your worries behind. As you flow with the wind, it shouts encouragement to you, giggling with you as you both race under a sky of brilliant shades at every moment of the day. 

Running in the Park