We're moving to Australia!

Yes. It's true. As many of you already know, in two years Gabriel and I will be moving to Australia, Melbourne to be exact. To those of you who know me well, this news of yet another big change should come as no surprise. I suffer from a gargantuan wanderlust.

As I look back over the last 15 years, I find that I have

• lived in 6 different cities
• packed and moved 10 times to 11 different houses or apartments
• had 10 different jobs (some twice)
• driven a moving van more than 5,000 miles
• had a lot of fun!!!

And so the saga continues. The decision to go to Melbourne was not years in the making...more like weeks...again, no surprise to those who know me. It started as casual chats with some of the Seattle Children's nurses from down under. Then, as so often has happened in my life, serendipity took hold, and suddenly I found myself being offered a position at Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. When does this position start? August of 2011...one month after I finish my fellowship here. Yup. Serendipity.

The position is a one year post for a senior registrar/fellow in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. After that, who knows? Gabriel and I can definitely see ourselves staying there if things work out. However, given my history, I think I'll let Moirai dictate what follows.

In looking at possible destinations, Melbourne seemed to suit us more. Sydney has been likened to San Diego and Melbourne to San Francisco, and we're definitely San Francisco types. Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, lies on the southeastern part of the mainland and is a coastal city. It has an oceanic climate not unlike that of Seattle, with plenty of rain and cloudy days. However, it has its share of hot summer days, most notably a temperature of 116F in February of this year. Its population is around 4 million, slightly more than Seattle's.