It feels as if an incredible amount of time has past since I last updated. Last weekend was very busy as I mentioned but a lot of fun. After I finished my temp job on Friday I went and met my friends from Amsterdam at the Belgian Beer Garden, somewhere I have wanted to go for sometime. It was fantastic! Absolutely massive garden and really, really tasty bar food. I had a lamb hotdog that was so flavourful I could have happily eaten another! The beer selection though was not impressive. I think Belgos has spoiled me when it comes to Belgian bars with their immense selection. I am going to be returning in two weeks for a meet up with the ‘America Club’. Later that weekend I put on my glad rags for a night on the town. I thought considering my friend had her birthday at a cocktail bar the cocktail bar was not all that. Great atmosphere but when they only list two different kinds of wine and a couple of beers you are lead to believe the cocktail list is going to be long and diverse. Seven different kinds does not add up to long and diverse…None the less a great night!

It has been very muggy for the last couple of weeks so on Sunday my friend Hugh and I headed out to The Dandenong’s (a mountain range about an hour out of Melbourne) for some fresh air. It was remarkable how much cooler it was up there. It was very quaint with lots of little towns and the world’s biggest cuckoo clock. We were very tempted to climb the 1000 steps at Ferngully but opted against it as we had no water on us. I hope I get a chance to do them before I leave. In the evening I bought us very tasty gelato. I had probably some of the best mint chocolate chip I have come across.

On Monday I went and met the Buddington Sisters (the first family I spent Thanksgiving with in Melbourne) for Roo Night. There is a pub a few suburbs over that has a $12 special on Monday nights that include a fillet of Roo and a glass of red wine. It had been forever since I last saw them as Mere had her baby on New Years Eve (3 weeks early!)!!! I got to meet Felix on Monday! I honestly don’t think I have ever held such a young baby before. I adored every minute of it. Wednesday was johnlast.com and Jemma’s last night in Australia. We had modern Mexican food in St Kilda. When I say modern I should explain I had goat cheese and aubergine quesadillas. They were pretty tasty! It was so much fun having the two of them out here and I am sad to see them leave. Last night the other Buddington Sister and I had dinner at my place. She arrived in Australia a month after I did and unfortunately has had a next to impossible time finding work. Regretfully she is heading back to the US of A tomorrow. Very sad news indeed! I made us 24 hour marinated lamb ribs, corn and served watermelon. She treated me to a delectable cocktail around the corner. I know it is not the last time I see her!

This week I have been temping at a South African bank in the heart of the CBD. And when I say heart I mean it! They are on the 49th(out of 50) floor of a building on Collins Street with 360 degree views of the city. It has been overcast the last couple of days but hopefully it will clear when I am in next week so I can get some photographs. There are a couple of Miró paintings dotted throughout the office. When I got the role my recruiter made sure I was not scared of heights! It has been a great role so far with lots of variety and overall very friendly staff. They also have fantastic free food and beverages which we are all entitled to. Free breakfast, check! Free beverage with lunch, check! There is wine and beer in the fridge that I understand will be served later today. Will let you know! Melbourne is rather small sometimes! It is the first city I have ever lived in that I regularly run into people I know. I mention this because it turns out the gentleman I am covering for is the boyfriend of my friends, friends from Amsterdam (She is from Melbourne but has lived in The Netherlands for the last couple of years) that I met last week!! There I am at the Belgian Beer Garden gushing to my friends Talc and Hans that I got some great work lined up and he was right across from me! When I showed up this week to start work he walked up to me as I was engrossed in my novel and said “I knew it was you!!!” . Not many Swedish Americans in Melbourne called Kiki I guess! The only negative aspect of the role has been nothing to do with the company but my carelessness. All the temp jobs I have done out here have a two tap sink with hot and ice cold water. The taps are right next to each other and it is easy to press one whilst pressing the other. Unfortunately that is exactly what happened this morning. I was pouring myself a cold glass of water when I by mistake pressed the hot and in the process scolded my left pinkie. Three and a half hours later it still burns! I have been very well looked after but am still so frustrated at such a silly accident. I don’t think it is going to peel.

Another busy couple of weeks coming up so will have lots to share soon!

P/S For those of you who have not heard, I have been living in the third most livable city in the world for the last seven months!!

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