Kon Vatskalis
| First name | Kon |
|---|---|
| Last name | Vatskalis |
| Country of Origin | Greece |
| Date of Birth | 4/4/1957 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1983 |
| Submitted by | Kon Vatskalis |
Story
[Reason for leaving homeland]
In 1981, I met Linda Cotton, an Australian girl who came to Athens for Christmas holidays. A few months later, in March 1982 we got married at Camden Town in London. We lived in Athens for nearly a year and in January 1983 we decided to move to Australia. Linda left first and I followed a week later.
[About the Journey]
In 1983 the trip to Australia was very different (and much shorter) than that of the early migrants. I recall the stop over in Dubai 2 o’ clock in the morning and then landing in Colombo, Sri Lanka next Morning. I also recall the humidity that hit me in the face when I went to disembark the plane. I then decided to stay in the airconditioned cabin, despite the long trip there. The Singapore airport was a highlight of the trip, the shops, the space the internal waterfall! I was very impressed.
[Impressions on Arrival]
I will never forget my arrival at the Perth airport early in a warm January morning. I stood on the landing of the stairs and smelled the scent of the lemon scented eucalyptus trees, felt the warm breeze and my first thought was “This is my home now. I like it”.
The next few days were like a dream. Everything was new, bright, vibrant and the space was”endless”. Coming here from Athens, Greece, where everything is busy, crowded and covered in grey from the smog the ambience of Perth and the colours of Fremantle were a welcome contrast.
And that was only the begining. From Perth to Port Hedland and now in Darwin (and having travelled around this big country) I can only say: Australia. What a place!