Firstly thank you to those who have rung, emailed and checked to see if I am still alive, lol. I am. It has been awhile, possibly a record, so will try and catch you all up with my great Oz adventure....
After the flurry with finishing all university papers that seemed to swamp my creative juices, I then had my CV updated and applied for a job in Geraldton. To date, as I dropped my CV in myself, they have received it but I have had not further contact. Other people have applied for jobs at the same school and have heard nothing either so am not feeling spectacularly left out.
I have been to ADELAIDE whilst I have been in blog wilderness, which is partly why I have been missing in action. But, what, you say, you have always managed to post whilst away before - and yes I have. However, due to certain amounts of partying for a whole week, thinking and writing ability were somewhat comprimised, lol.
Just for your information, getting anywhere from here when you do not have a vehicle of your own is worthy of an army manouver. I had a date for the party awhile back - this was the 50th birthday celebrations of one of our next door neighbours from Waiuku, which once I heard about it, cheekily wangled an invitation - as you do. So planning to get there - looked at a bus from Tardun to Perth, bus from Geraldton to Perth, train from Perth to Adelaide (takes something like three days and only leaves twice a week), flying from Geraldton to Perth and then Perth to Adelaide. This was complicated by the fact that the WM, the WMH and the DP were all in Queensland on a fact finding mission for a new learning centre, thus options to get off site were extremely limited. Fortunately, at the last moment, the Principal said he was going down on the Monday to Perth (a week before party) and I could catch a ride with him. Zoomed to computer and managed to book a flight at 6.30am on the Tues which arrived mid morning in Adelaide. Phew, it was probably easier to put man on the moon. At that stage all I booked for a return was the flight back to Perth to co-incide with departures with family from NZ several days after the party. Was frazzled by then and was prepared to hitch back if necessary, lol.
Was up at 6.30am on the Monday (had given KJ a good news/bad news ph call on the Sunday to say hi, yes I am coming, and oops, it has to be Tuesday to fit with rides, which he took very well) packing and doing last minute jobs to leave here after lunch for the 5 hour trip to Perth. Got away and did two side trips to Wandalgu (boys boarding) and Old Camp (where school began) to check on a few things and had a good trip down. Stopped at one point in the middle of nowhere on dusk as there was a huge full moon rising on one side of the road with a windmill in the foreground, and on the other side of the road, was the setting sun. I was so keen to get photos, as was the Principal, we leapt out of the car leaving hazard lights on and doors open, only to find car full of flipping mozzies on our return. Buggar!!!. Spent the rest of the trip trying to squash mozzies as they came anywhere near me, lol. A lesson well learned - will never leave car doors open on dusk again.
Moonrise and Sunset
Got to Perth about 9ish and got dropped off at the airport front door. It wasn't worth going to a motel for the few hours before flight, so armed with laptop to play games, and a good book, found an electrical plug and set myself up. Unfortuately they close the domestic airport lounge around 3am, so had to decamp to the International lounge, fortunately next door, found another plug and stayed there until 5.30am and time to check in and board plane.
I do not remember the flight attendants doing their safety talk, I was already asleep, and woke just in time for breakfast and landing. So 24 hours awake that segment.
KJ was at airport to pick me up and drove especially through Adelaide city so I could see something of it. I was surprised how dry it was expecting lush vegetation after WA. I loved the architecture of Adelaide, what I managed to see. Lots of gothic buildings mixed with more modern skyscrapers that feature in most cities. Adelaide was designed by the same bloke who designed Christchurch (South Island, NZ for those who are not kiwis/aussis) so has some spacious streets, a river running through and pretty much all in squares for roads. Lots of green in the city with parks and open spaces. This is all impressions as mostly seen by driving to and fro over the next 10 days.
KJ and family live in Enfield so that afternoon went to some of the local shops - went into sensory overload in Foodlands - which appeared like an Aladdins Cave of interesting foodstuffs. Within the mall that housed Foodlands was a delicatessian where we bought cheeses and stuffed peppers, and then a butchers for chops for the barbie, fruit and veg shop, and then asian shop in another block for some other ingredients. Mangoes $2 each woohoo- which was my favourite find. Back to KJ's where it was 'beer o'clock' and a continued catch up before rest of family got home from school and work.
My abode for the next 10 days was a caravan built by KJ's father in law, back in the day, nicknamed the Tardis. It was like something out of a Noddy book and just perfect - had power and all. Finally got to bed at around 1am Wed morning so was running on adrenalin I think by then. Needless to say, slept the sleep of the dead.
The Tardis
Wednesday was taken up with organisation for party, and then Thursday the troops arrived from NZ - three of KJ's sisters and a nephew (waves to Viv,Tim, Michelle, and Denise ) I do not think I stopped laughing the entire 10 days I was there and it was wonderful to catch up with everyone. So another shopping expedition for food and lots of food prep began for party. Friday did a trip into the Central Market in Adelaide - Alladins Cave Mk II. You have to love the diversity of people who make up cities and the food etc they bring with them. It reminded me a little of the markets in Suva with foodstuffs everywhere with smells and sights assaulting the senses. We had a coffee and a pastry tube filled with vanilla custard at one end and chocolate custard in the other for morning tea. I found quince jelly in a slab the size of a wedge of brie cheese (to actually go with cheese) for $2.50 when you ususally buy it in a small jar the size of an eye wash for about $9. Also bought some dutch cumin cheese, dukka, and turkish bread. The food stalls were interspersed with clothing stalls and aussi souveniers and the usual asian type goods found in such places. A stop at the bottle shop on the way home and we were stocked for the next 24 hours, lol. Got back and wandered out on the back lawn to find KJ's brother had arrived as a surprise from Tasmania, so the day and night continued with much catching up all round. (Blood was now running diluted with an amount of red wine, lol).
Everyone pitched in over the next 24 hours with food prep, setting up tables, chairs, putting up balloons etc and then Saturday night it all came together for a brilliant night. Note to those wanting to host a party for over 50 people (head count at this one was 64) a bain marie and a portable chiller fridge are wonderful additions. The chiller fridge especially was marvellous, as it held as much as three or four fridges - woohoo. One of the lovely thing about the party was everyone had a part in getting it ready with the kids all pitching in with cooking various dishes as well. Dinner was a bit of a continuous feast and did kitchen duty until it was all finished and then it was out to the shed (which is soundproofed) as KJ and his band ripped it up for the rest of the evening. I finally called it a night at 6.30am the following day .
KJ - with guitar and the doowop team lol.
Sunday was a slow day funnily enough and evolved into a Monty Python fest with a couple of DVD's back to back. More hilarity and fun watching another generation enjoying the timeless Monty Python humour.
Monday we set forth to buy the offical family birthday present as with careful and cunning questioning we ascertained that a new coffee machine would be icing on the cake for the birthday boy. What an interesting experience that proved to be. We went to a local shop first that rents and sells a range of products that you would find in a Bond and Bond or Noel Leeming. We lurched towards the coffee machines and saw the one that KJ wanted. The salesman was an interesting individual to say the least. Once he knew we wanted to buy a machine and not rent one, he voiced the opinion that they were all much of a muchness regarding reliablity. He was not interested in any discount for cash (even though we were going to purchase three items from the shop) and then said there was no box for the one we wanted to purchase it would just have to be taken as is off the shelf. Now, what he failed to realise was he was dealing with some serious shoppers, one could even say gold medallists in shopping all round. So with this less than enthusiastic and underwhelming display of salesmanship, we stalked out of the shop (think pursed lips and sucked in breaths, lol, then merciless character assassination once we got into the car, heh heh- theraputic of course). Then from the rediculous to the sublime - we went and found an outlet of the "Good Guys" ( think Bond and Bond again) - "where everyone gets a bargain", and bingo - I found a young lad behind the counter who came over and discussed the finer points of the brand we were looking at. So skillful was he, he set about and showed us the next one up in the range that we were looking at, that came with a free coffee grinder (worth $200). It was the one he was saving for himself, and one that several workmates had already got. Discussion about steam pressure etc and internal workings and the decision was made to go for that one, spending slightly more than planned though within budget and what a difference in approach. The general consensus was that we had been well sold, and there was also a discount on the special price that the machine was going for - our hardended shoppers heart's were overcome at being so well sold, lol. Nicknamed 'the beast' the machine did sterling service over the next few days as KJ road tested short blacks, cappucinos and latte`s.
The next few days zoomed past with more shopping as we found a mall the size of a small district to browse about, with a trip to the Museum on the afternoon before we left. Will follow up with the next installment hopefully tomorrow. I have promised that this will be ready to be read at breakfast Sydney time by dear friend (waves to Val, lol) who has emailed twice and rung to see that I am still above ground, lol. So come back y'all for the next installment. Cheers.
After the flurry with finishing all university papers that seemed to swamp my creative juices, I then had my CV updated and applied for a job in Geraldton. To date, as I dropped my CV in myself, they have received it but I have had not further contact. Other people have applied for jobs at the same school and have heard nothing either so am not feeling spectacularly left out.
I have been to ADELAIDE whilst I have been in blog wilderness, which is partly why I have been missing in action. But, what, you say, you have always managed to post whilst away before - and yes I have. However, due to certain amounts of partying for a whole week, thinking and writing ability were somewhat comprimised, lol.
Just for your information, getting anywhere from here when you do not have a vehicle of your own is worthy of an army manouver. I had a date for the party awhile back - this was the 50th birthday celebrations of one of our next door neighbours from Waiuku, which once I heard about it, cheekily wangled an invitation - as you do. So planning to get there - looked at a bus from Tardun to Perth, bus from Geraldton to Perth, train from Perth to Adelaide (takes something like three days and only leaves twice a week), flying from Geraldton to Perth and then Perth to Adelaide. This was complicated by the fact that the WM, the WMH and the DP were all in Queensland on a fact finding mission for a new learning centre, thus options to get off site were extremely limited. Fortunately, at the last moment, the Principal said he was going down on the Monday to Perth (a week before party) and I could catch a ride with him. Zoomed to computer and managed to book a flight at 6.30am on the Tues which arrived mid morning in Adelaide. Phew, it was probably easier to put man on the moon. At that stage all I booked for a return was the flight back to Perth to co-incide with departures with family from NZ several days after the party. Was frazzled by then and was prepared to hitch back if necessary, lol.
Was up at 6.30am on the Monday (had given KJ a good news/bad news ph call on the Sunday to say hi, yes I am coming, and oops, it has to be Tuesday to fit with rides, which he took very well) packing and doing last minute jobs to leave here after lunch for the 5 hour trip to Perth. Got away and did two side trips to Wandalgu (boys boarding) and Old Camp (where school began) to check on a few things and had a good trip down. Stopped at one point in the middle of nowhere on dusk as there was a huge full moon rising on one side of the road with a windmill in the foreground, and on the other side of the road, was the setting sun. I was so keen to get photos, as was the Principal, we leapt out of the car leaving hazard lights on and doors open, only to find car full of flipping mozzies on our return. Buggar!!!. Spent the rest of the trip trying to squash mozzies as they came anywhere near me, lol. A lesson well learned - will never leave car doors open on dusk again.
Moonrise and Sunset
Got to Perth about 9ish and got dropped off at the airport front door. It wasn't worth going to a motel for the few hours before flight, so armed with laptop to play games, and a good book, found an electrical plug and set myself up. Unfortuately they close the domestic airport lounge around 3am, so had to decamp to the International lounge, fortunately next door, found another plug and stayed there until 5.30am and time to check in and board plane.
I do not remember the flight attendants doing their safety talk, I was already asleep, and woke just in time for breakfast and landing. So 24 hours awake that segment.
KJ was at airport to pick me up and drove especially through Adelaide city so I could see something of it. I was surprised how dry it was expecting lush vegetation after WA. I loved the architecture of Adelaide, what I managed to see. Lots of gothic buildings mixed with more modern skyscrapers that feature in most cities. Adelaide was designed by the same bloke who designed Christchurch (South Island, NZ for those who are not kiwis/aussis) so has some spacious streets, a river running through and pretty much all in squares for roads. Lots of green in the city with parks and open spaces. This is all impressions as mostly seen by driving to and fro over the next 10 days.
KJ and family live in Enfield so that afternoon went to some of the local shops - went into sensory overload in Foodlands - which appeared like an Aladdins Cave of interesting foodstuffs. Within the mall that housed Foodlands was a delicatessian where we bought cheeses and stuffed peppers, and then a butchers for chops for the barbie, fruit and veg shop, and then asian shop in another block for some other ingredients. Mangoes $2 each woohoo- which was my favourite find. Back to KJ's where it was 'beer o'clock' and a continued catch up before rest of family got home from school and work.
My abode for the next 10 days was a caravan built by KJ's father in law, back in the day, nicknamed the Tardis. It was like something out of a Noddy book and just perfect - had power and all. Finally got to bed at around 1am Wed morning so was running on adrenalin I think by then. Needless to say, slept the sleep of the dead.
The Tardis
Wednesday was taken up with organisation for party, and then Thursday the troops arrived from NZ - three of KJ's sisters and a nephew (waves to Viv,Tim, Michelle, and Denise ) I do not think I stopped laughing the entire 10 days I was there and it was wonderful to catch up with everyone. So another shopping expedition for food and lots of food prep began for party. Friday did a trip into the Central Market in Adelaide - Alladins Cave Mk II. You have to love the diversity of people who make up cities and the food etc they bring with them. It reminded me a little of the markets in Suva with foodstuffs everywhere with smells and sights assaulting the senses. We had a coffee and a pastry tube filled with vanilla custard at one end and chocolate custard in the other for morning tea. I found quince jelly in a slab the size of a wedge of brie cheese (to actually go with cheese) for $2.50 when you ususally buy it in a small jar the size of an eye wash for about $9. Also bought some dutch cumin cheese, dukka, and turkish bread. The food stalls were interspersed with clothing stalls and aussi souveniers and the usual asian type goods found in such places. A stop at the bottle shop on the way home and we were stocked for the next 24 hours, lol. Got back and wandered out on the back lawn to find KJ's brother had arrived as a surprise from Tasmania, so the day and night continued with much catching up all round. (Blood was now running diluted with an amount of red wine, lol).
Everyone pitched in over the next 24 hours with food prep, setting up tables, chairs, putting up balloons etc and then Saturday night it all came together for a brilliant night. Note to those wanting to host a party for over 50 people (head count at this one was 64) a bain marie and a portable chiller fridge are wonderful additions. The chiller fridge especially was marvellous, as it held as much as three or four fridges - woohoo. One of the lovely thing about the party was everyone had a part in getting it ready with the kids all pitching in with cooking various dishes as well. Dinner was a bit of a continuous feast and did kitchen duty until it was all finished and then it was out to the shed (which is soundproofed) as KJ and his band ripped it up for the rest of the evening. I finally called it a night at 6.30am the following day .
KJ - with guitar and the doowop team lol.Sunday was a slow day funnily enough and evolved into a Monty Python fest with a couple of DVD's back to back. More hilarity and fun watching another generation enjoying the timeless Monty Python humour.
Monday we set forth to buy the offical family birthday present as with careful and cunning questioning we ascertained that a new coffee machine would be icing on the cake for the birthday boy. What an interesting experience that proved to be. We went to a local shop first that rents and sells a range of products that you would find in a Bond and Bond or Noel Leeming. We lurched towards the coffee machines and saw the one that KJ wanted. The salesman was an interesting individual to say the least. Once he knew we wanted to buy a machine and not rent one, he voiced the opinion that they were all much of a muchness regarding reliablity. He was not interested in any discount for cash (even though we were going to purchase three items from the shop) and then said there was no box for the one we wanted to purchase it would just have to be taken as is off the shelf. Now, what he failed to realise was he was dealing with some serious shoppers, one could even say gold medallists in shopping all round. So with this less than enthusiastic and underwhelming display of salesmanship, we stalked out of the shop (think pursed lips and sucked in breaths, lol, then merciless character assassination once we got into the car, heh heh- theraputic of course). Then from the rediculous to the sublime - we went and found an outlet of the "Good Guys" ( think Bond and Bond again) - "where everyone gets a bargain", and bingo - I found a young lad behind the counter who came over and discussed the finer points of the brand we were looking at. So skillful was he, he set about and showed us the next one up in the range that we were looking at, that came with a free coffee grinder (worth $200). It was the one he was saving for himself, and one that several workmates had already got. Discussion about steam pressure etc and internal workings and the decision was made to go for that one, spending slightly more than planned though within budget and what a difference in approach. The general consensus was that we had been well sold, and there was also a discount on the special price that the machine was going for - our hardended shoppers heart's were overcome at being so well sold, lol. Nicknamed 'the beast' the machine did sterling service over the next few days as KJ road tested short blacks, cappucinos and latte`s.
The next few days zoomed past with more shopping as we found a mall the size of a small district to browse about, with a trip to the Museum on the afternoon before we left. Will follow up with the next installment hopefully tomorrow. I have promised that this will be ready to be read at breakfast Sydney time by dear friend (waves to Val, lol) who has emailed twice and rung to see that I am still above ground, lol. So come back y'all for the next installment. Cheers.
News Flash: Stan has won Australian Idol - have to admit to watching this from the beginning and he was my pick. Another Kiwi taking it to the Aussies, lol.
