He says.... Dust everywhere!

Having left the antipodes more than a month ago, it has been a huge relief to finally arrive at our intended destination. Our flights were very uneventful, except for the fact that Turkish airlines decided to help us acclimatise to our new home by keeping the cabin temperature feverishly hot.

The first thing one notices about this place is the dust. Every nook and cranny is filled with a fine film of sand. Even with copious amounts of cleaning, I doubt we will ever be able to shake off all the dust until we are back in more familiar climes. Given our apartment has been vacant since May of 2013, there is dust everywhere.

The second thing is the sunshine. Having experienced the 'dark months' in Europe, I have enjoyed waking up each morning to sunlight streaming through our windows. Even though we are enjoying cooler winter temperatures, it has been nice to be able to sit out on one of our three verandahs and enjoy the morning sun with a cup of fresh coffee.

Apart from the dust and the sun there is the constant noise of our neighbourhood. There are salesmen selling vegetables or delivering water who travel up and down our street on donkey and cart. They yell undistinguishable messages through their megaphones or shout very loudly for everyone to hear at all times of the day.

There is the call to prayer, five times a day, from the four local mosques that remind us where we are living and help us to remember what time of day it is.

Living above our office, we also hear the comings and going of the staff.

She has landed like a duck in water. I think it has taken me a bit longer to find my bearings.

I have been a bit hesitant about driving on the wrong side of the road in a place I am very unfamiliar with, where I don't speak the language and in a car that is badly in need of a service. However, without the car, we are relatively stuck in our little neighbourhood.

Yesterday I took the bull by its metaphorical horns and took the little office car for a spin. She was the navigator. She is a very nervous passenger at the best of times. However, to her credit, she did very well not to get too upset at my driving. I am pleased to say I only ended up on the wrong side of the road on one occasion. She says I need to drive with more aggression. She never said that in Melbourne. I also have access to a Toyota Hilux, so I am looking forward to driving that rather than the little Hyundai!

We have discovered a number of local supermarkets and yesterday I drove to our city's only significant shopping mall. It was a bit strange being in a western mall, but we liked it and will probably go back again, several times! Next door, is one of only two five-star hotels in the city. I think we will be very grateful for the swimming pool there, once the warmer weather arrives.

I went to work for a half-day on Thursday afternoon. It was nice to meet the staff and to begin the process of putting faces to names. The ship has been without a captain for the past nine months. There are plenty of things that require my attention. I will need to think carefully about what to prioritise in my initial time here.

So, it is good to be here. I hope that as we settle in, we will begin to meet more people and begin to feel more at ease in our new environment. Moving continents is never easy at the best of times, so all things considered I feel we have had a very gentle landing. I am very grateful to have her with me as I navigate the local language, customs and traffic!. It's definitely been easier doing this move as a couple than as a single person. For that I feel very blessed.