Ch-ch-ch-ch-ciao

Arrived in Venice on Sunday and it feels like I've been here for months already. Was promptly whipped off by some mates for spritz at a little red bar in Castello, where i'm now staying. From thereonin it's been a plethora of little shindigs: coffee with cream pastries, then pizza or panini at lunch, prosseco (like champagne) or spritz amporol for afternoon tea, venetian bar nibblies and then pasta for dinner. Mmmmm.

Wondered around in awe for the first couple of days trying to figure out if i was in EuroDisney. Venice is uncannily beautiful and charming that expect everything's papier mache. At least in EuroDisney there's less French people. The city is so charming and romantic – all these little bridges (ponts), campos (squares), crsuty buildings, leaning towers, winged lions au-go-go, velvet wallpaper, crystal chandeliers in faded palazzos, tacky mask shops, apartments with long gothic windows draped in bustle curtains and scary elvin doorknobs. It's insane. Ridiculous even.

I didn't realise how bloody confusing it is to get around here though! After a few boozies i did get lost for two hours the other night – and that was with a map. How humiliating. I've developed some golden rules for finding your way:

1. Just because it's a big street, doesn't make it a main street.

2. Campo hoping is method in madness

3. Don't orientate using landmarks such as 'old white church' or 'coloured glove shop' instead use 'triple umbrella light globe at left of blue unicorn with whirligig rainbow tail' or 'stucco lion holds 3 rose baskets in teeth below Atlas supporting chick with spear with big calves'

So i'm getting there.

My apartment is very cute now i've purged all the vestiges of the last grandma who was living there. I've thrown her shauls on the windows and and now i've got hot water (yes, no showers for four days) so am feeling human again. Even in the city of water, having to turn all the taps on to build pressure for a hot shower gives me drought guilts.

The work here is great. So far, super easy. The Australian staff are living it up and enjoying the place and the locals are too terrific – they keep us on our toes, show us all the places to go and laugh at our accents and bad Italian. Having local knowledge is a godsend and draws your appreciation for the place no end. I only use San Marco as a thoroughfare if you get my drift.

Had an aqua alto yesterday – high water. The lagoon sweeps through with a high tide which breaks above the canals and gets the boats stuck under the bridges. Everyone has to wear boots to wade through some parts and you need to walk on special planks whipped out at the last minute. Air raid sirens start going off and it all seems very dramatic for a few puddles. Even half submerged, Venice is gorgeous.

Kym is staying with me for the weekend which is nice. Last night we went out with some of the gang to the old Salt Refactory which has been converted into a night club but the local communist party???? Anyway, there are these amazing, ancient vaulted ceilings with ferals serving Becks, 6 foot Ukrainians chain-smoking and old boats propped against the walls instead of seats are all too cool for school.

Off to a Palazza over the otherside of town now by Vaparetto (the ferries around the canals and between the island). Unlike Veneitians who seem to be able to sit waiting on floating stops that ride heavy freshwater swells like Tokyo in earthquakes, I've been having the serious wobbles. Coupled with only a few hours sleep it could make me a little vommy.

Very, very happy.