Ch-ch-ch-changes

Though home is familiar, even after an absence of six weeks, I became aware of differences upon arriving. I guess I had gotten used to traffic on the left side of the road, because driving home, I thought we were on the wrong side of the road. Fortunately, old habits kicked in very quickly, and I haven't had any problems when driving myself.

Language was another change; I rarely had opportunity to speak German while travelling, so had to get back into it - not a difficulty, just something of which I was conscious. Money is another difference; I've had to look at Euro coins more closely to be quite sure which are which. As I'd changed currencies several times, I never really became certain in handling them.

The change in season was something of which I was aware, but it still took me by surprise to see the leaves coloured and falling after having experienced spring in the southern hemisphere. The biggest change, though, and the one which is still causing me a bit of difficulty, is the time change. Sydney was eight hours ahead of central Europe, and on the day I arrived back here, daylight time had just ended, making that a nine hour difference. I get tired in the late afternoon and manage to make myself stay awake until early evening, when I drop into bed only to awaken sometime around 3:00 - 4:00 in the morning. Oh well, that will take care of itself within the next days...