Struggling

I'm struggling this week with being back in Istanbul. My time at home went to fast and I wish we were still there. The weather here is cold and gloomy. Melbourne is warm and summery.

With that in mind though, I should be thankful for my health, holidays, family and belongings.

Many of my fellow Victorians have lost their lives and their everything - homes, children, possessions and livelihoods - in the worst natural disaster in Australian history.

Bush fires have ravaged and destroyed parts of Victoria this week which has left the country in shock and disbelief.

It seems that the world is also watching and many countries, including our less wealthy Asian neighbours have donated millions of dollars to help those affected. Corporate Australia has agreed to donate in excess of $12 million and a telethon raised in excess of $60 million. President Obama offered his help in whatever way possible and has offered to send a team of experts from the US to assist. The PM has taken calls of support from other global leaders, including Turkish PM Erdoğan.

I saw this today in The Age online, Honour your Valentine with a bushfire donation. I think it is a perfect way to support those in need at this time and to also be thankful for all we have.

On the countdown!

We are heading home in one week to have our 'second' wedding in Melbourne and to catch up with family and friends over a long needed break in the sunshine.

During the summer here in August I was in Melbourne, so I unfortunately missed out on a warm summer holiday. So this is my chance to feel the sun on my skin (with SPF 30+ of course!), enjoy some time with family and friends and relax and take in the time away from Istanbul and the winter!

We will have two days in Singapore on the way back. It's my first time staying there and I'm not too sure what I should put on the Top 10 List of things to do and see. So if you have any suggestions, please drop me a line and let me know. Husband has been there before, but he's done it all before, and given I'm a keen shopper and up for a bargain, some tips from those who have been before would be helpful!

Things I miss.....

Being far away from the Motherland makes me realise all the things we take for granted in what is described as the lucky country. It goes without saying that I miss family and friends the most, but I wanted to list those small things that I miss most on a day to day level that we don't really think about until we don't have them, and of course, some of my favourites things that I long for.

So here is my top 20 list of things I miss.

1. Silence. Melbourne, or it's suburbs, is far more quiet than Istanbul.

2. Lack of traffic. There is no such thing as a traffic jam in Melbourne. If you think there is, you haven't been here yet.

3. Easy to find organic produce and health food and a huge range of organic/free range foods and products. I could create a list within this list.

4. Proper coffee. Italian lattes, with soy milk.

5. Cruising in my own wheels with the music up.

6. Being able to park your car in your own driveway and not have to drive around in the late hours to find a space next to a bus shelter 50 metres from your front door.

7. The ease at which you can move around the city; by car, tram, train, bus, by bike in a specified bicycle lane, or on foot without risking braking your ankle on the poorly constructed footpath.

8. Minimal overcrowding in most places.

9. People know how to form a queue and stay in it. Here, people don't hesitate to jump a line no matter who or where you are and think nothing of it.

10. Lack of red tape/bureaucracy/corruption in day to day living.

11. The air.

12. The cost of a membership to a gym being so affordable and not considered a luxury.

13. Political stability and a fairly stable dollar (ok, maybe not right now).

14. Multiculturalism and diversity.

15. Respect for the environment.

16. The Tofu shop.

17. Little Collins Street.

18. The price of petrol.

19. Recycling everything.

20. BBQ's in your own backyard.