Some of you,maybe most of you, will know that I will be coming back to Australia for a couple of weeks in January. This is so I can be a part of Jono and Sarah's wedding.
It is going to be great to catch up with everyone I know at the wedding, and hopefully Jono and Sarah still want me to MC.
The two weeks that I am in Australia are going to be HUGE. I fly into Australia in the first week of January, just a couple of days before the wedding on January 8. On January 13, I fly to the Gold Coast to visit Natalie's family. I return to Sydney on January 16. Fly out of Sydney for San Francisco on January 19. This is for another wedding on January 22 (Natalie might join me in San Francisco for this wedding, depending on the schedule). I fly back to London on January 23, arriving in London around lunchtime on January 24.
I hope to catch up with many of you while I am in Sydney. Let me know if you are going to be in town while I am there and I will try hard to see you all.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Skype
You may have heard of this program by now. Alot of IT press has covered it, but I downloaded before the press started early this month.
Skype is a tool, kind of like MSN Messenger, except that it allows you to place phone calls via the internet. When talking to another Skype user it is like holding a voice conversation like you can over Messenger, except with far better quality. However, the real advantage is that Skype allows a user to make cheap calls via the internet to any phone in the world.
For example, last month I bought EU10.00 credit. Each time I call home it costs me approximately AU$0.04 a minute. That's right folks! As long as the calls stay under five minutes it cheaper than making local calls in Australia!
I thoroughly recommend downloading and investigating Skype. See www.skype.com for more info.
Skype is a tool, kind of like MSN Messenger, except that it allows you to place phone calls via the internet. When talking to another Skype user it is like holding a voice conversation like you can over Messenger, except with far better quality. However, the real advantage is that Skype allows a user to make cheap calls via the internet to any phone in the world.
For example, last month I bought EU10.00 credit. Each time I call home it costs me approximately AU$0.04 a minute. That's right folks! As long as the calls stay under five minutes it cheaper than making local calls in Australia!
I thoroughly recommend downloading and investigating Skype. See www.skype.com for more info.
Stonehenge and Salisbury
Last Saturday saw Natalie and I visit Stonehenge and Salisbury. This was through an organised tour, run by a group within Goodenough College, where we are living.
Stonehenge was a little underwhelming from my point of view. It really is just a group of big rocks, which has been formed a circle. Yes, there are some interesting facts to consider regarding the significance of it all, but it must have been the drizzly weather which just made the scene seem dull and insignificant.
Salisbury was better. We had lunch with some friends in a great little pub up there before heading onto Salisbury Cathedral. This is one of the most awe inspiring buildings I have visited. Some of the artwork inside is amazing. Some shots from our trip are below.
Stonehenge was a little underwhelming from my point of view. It really is just a group of big rocks, which has been formed a circle. Yes, there are some interesting facts to consider regarding the significance of it all, but it must have been the drizzly weather which just made the scene seem dull and insignificant.
Salisbury was better. We had lunch with some friends in a great little pub up there before heading onto Salisbury Cathedral. This is one of the most awe inspiring buildings I have visited. Some of the artwork inside is amazing. Some shots from our trip are below.
Friday, October 22, 2004
We're going to the Producers!
Natalie and I are going to the London production of 'The Producers' in early December. I found out tonight that Nathan Lane, who was one of the original Broadway leads (he played Max), is opening here in London.
Mr Lane is an 11th hour replacement for Richard Dreyfuss. This change was only announced earlier this week. Apparently Dreyfuss has suffered an injury. An official statement related that Dreyfuss was suffering following surgery for a herniated disc earlier this year and a reoccurence of a shoulder injury.
Once I read the news this evening I had to book tickets.
Playing Leo is Lee Evans, who has starred in "There's Something About Mary" and "The Fifth Element". This is going to be fun!
Mr Lane is an 11th hour replacement for Richard Dreyfuss. This change was only announced earlier this week. Apparently Dreyfuss has suffered an injury. An official statement related that Dreyfuss was suffering following surgery for a herniated disc earlier this year and a reoccurence of a shoulder injury.
Once I read the news this evening I had to book tickets.
Playing Leo is Lee Evans, who has starred in "There's Something About Mary" and "The Fifth Element". This is going to be fun!
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Studying hard
Well, I am now well into my first term, with lectures and tutorials keeping me very busy. The MSc course I am now doing had a compulsory pre-sessional component in September, 3 weeks of intensive maths classes. Having survived exams for that section, I am now enjoying my studies more, but the course is challenging. I have also signed up to a few language classes run at the LSE, but have yet to convince Peter to try learning a language!!
Besides study, Peter and I have been managing to have a bit of exploring time in London - this past weekend we went to Surrey Quays, which was fun. It is slowly getting colder here, but we are adjusting (we think!!).
More info on our adventures coming soon...
Besides study, Peter and I have been managing to have a bit of exploring time in London - this past weekend we went to Surrey Quays, which was fun. It is slowly getting colder here, but we are adjusting (we think!!).
More info on our adventures coming soon...
Friday, October 15, 2004
My Job
I am underway in my job - now three days into things.
My first impressions are good. It is a nice office environment, if just a little quieter than Dialect and Chrispy's laugh.
I am going to be very busy while at work, though the hours are 9am- to 5:30pm. The office gets locked by security @ 6pm so everyone must be out of there by that time no matter what.
The train journey is a little long but more than bearable. It takes me about an hour or so to get to work each day. I have 15-20 mins on the tube and about 30 mins on the National Rail out to Chessington South - the end of the line. There is about 5 mins walk each end.
And speaking of journeys, next Monday I am making a trip up to Cardiff, Wales, for work. Yep, they are paying me to visit another city. I wont get too much time to do any sightseeing but it will be good to get out of the office and see a bit of the country. I hope to take a few pictures though which I should be able to post on this page later in the week.
My first impressions are good. It is a nice office environment, if just a little quieter than Dialect and Chrispy's laugh.
I am going to be very busy while at work, though the hours are 9am- to 5:30pm. The office gets locked by security @ 6pm so everyone must be out of there by that time no matter what.
The train journey is a little long but more than bearable. It takes me about an hour or so to get to work each day. I have 15-20 mins on the tube and about 30 mins on the National Rail out to Chessington South - the end of the line. There is about 5 mins walk each end.
And speaking of journeys, next Monday I am making a trip up to Cardiff, Wales, for work. Yep, they are paying me to visit another city. I wont get too much time to do any sightseeing but it will be good to get out of the office and see a bit of the country. I hope to take a few pictures though which I should be able to post on this page later in the week.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Sunday, October 10, 2004
A Job!
On Tuesday I will start a new job, my first here in the UK.
I will be working for a software company, Sunrise Software, on the south side of London, in a suburb called Chessington South. It is about an hour or so in travelling time away from home.
My role is a general marketing role, assisting the marketing manager. My contract is only short and is to the end of December. However, it will provide some welcome money for us and there is potential for me to continue with the role in the New Year if both the company and I like the situation.
The other great thing about this short role is that it gives me flexibility for what I do in the new year.
Sunrise develop and sell IT service management software for large corporations and government departments.
I will be working for a software company, Sunrise Software, on the south side of London, in a suburb called Chessington South. It is about an hour or so in travelling time away from home.
My role is a general marketing role, assisting the marketing manager. My contract is only short and is to the end of December. However, it will provide some welcome money for us and there is potential for me to continue with the role in the New Year if both the company and I like the situation.
The other great thing about this short role is that it gives me flexibility for what I do in the new year.
Sunrise develop and sell IT service management software for large corporations and government departments.
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Comments
Thanks to everyone who has posted comments, either via this website or via private email.
Some people have said that they had to 'sign-in' to comment. After you click on the 'make a comment' link you will be taken to another screen. On this page you are given the option to create a Blogger account. However, under the sign in button you will see a small link 'post anonymously'. This will allow you to post comments on this blog without having to create a Blogger account.
Some people have said that they had to 'sign-in' to comment. After you click on the 'make a comment' link you will be taken to another screen. On this page you are given the option to create a Blogger account. However, under the sign in button you will see a small link 'post anonymously'. This will allow you to post comments on this blog without having to create a Blogger account.
Friday, October 08, 2004
Death by Windows
Yes, I killed my computer the other night.
The terror that went through me as I feared I had lost all my data and my connection to the world, let alone the thought of having to reinstall everything.
Let this be a lesson to all those wishing to attack things with a sledgehammer approach on their computer. Know what you are doing first!
I was playing with the system registry, which I had done before with no unfortunate consequences. However, this time I had got it wrong.
Thank goodness I was able to get in and back up my most valuable data before doing a reinstallation of Windows and most of the other software I have. I am still not quite there, but as you can see, I can email and explore the internet again.
Thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback in the form of emails we have received.
Now that the computer is back up there will be more posts soon.
The terror that went through me as I feared I had lost all my data and my connection to the world, let alone the thought of having to reinstall everything.
Let this be a lesson to all those wishing to attack things with a sledgehammer approach on their computer. Know what you are doing first!
I was playing with the system registry, which I had done before with no unfortunate consequences. However, this time I had got it wrong.
Thank goodness I was able to get in and back up my most valuable data before doing a reinstallation of Windows and most of the other software I have. I am still not quite there, but as you can see, I can email and explore the internet again.
Thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback in the form of emails we have received.
Now that the computer is back up there will be more posts soon.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Green and Growing
One of the first things we did when we moved in was to buy a plant. There is nothing like adding a bit of healthy greenery to a new place help you feel at home.
Our choice of pot plant was a Calathea, which we purchased at the local supermarket for £1.79. And while our herbs which we subsequently bought have struggled the Calathea goes from strength to strength.
Not that you can see it in the picture below but at night the underside of the leaves turns a deep mauve.
Our choice of pot plant was a Calathea, which we purchased at the local supermarket for £1.79. And while our herbs which we subsequently bought have struggled the Calathea goes from strength to strength.
Not that you can see it in the picture below but at night the underside of the leaves turns a deep mauve.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Out and about on Saturday
Saturday, 2nd October: We couldn't pass up the opportunity to head outside on what appeared to be a beautiful day. First, we headed to Green Park. A little perturbed by the rain, we headed into a little coffee house near the Ritz hotel for some scrumptious coffee and hot chocolate. Meanwhile, the rain halted and we headed for a walk through Green Park, down to Buckingham palace. Then it was up to Hyde Park, and a quick tube ride later, to Harrods. Braving the crowds, we headed to the food court, sampling sumptuous cheeses and other delicacies along the way.
Leaving the rest of Harrods to a later visit, we walked through Knightsbridge before hopping on a bus to Piccadilly circus. Breaking for lunch, we then attempted to walk home via Oxford Circus. Alas, the Saturday shopping crowds became too much for us and we took a bus home, just in time to miss a second downpour.
More adventures coming soon!
Leaving the rest of Harrods to a later visit, we walked through Knightsbridge before hopping on a bus to Piccadilly circus. Breaking for lunch, we then attempted to walk home via Oxford Circus. Alas, the Saturday shopping crowds became too much for us and we took a bus home, just in time to miss a second downpour.
More adventures coming soon!
Monday, October 04, 2004
I'm Not Rozy's Brother!
Ah the joys of modern technology.
Here I am sitting in the flat in London minding my own business when I get a text message, and another one.
"Hey its tammie call me im optus"
Huh?
"Oi f** ya send me a message so i no u got my message"
What the?!
And it went on. My replies to try to get "tammie" to stop only resulted in more replies. I hate to think how much this has cost me. Seven messages in total from tammie, plus a few back from me. tammie's final message: "Is this rozys brother".
So tammie, wherever/whoever you are: No, I am not Rozy's brother.
But life here in London is pretty good. Another employment agency contacted me this afternoon to see if I was interested in a job they had going. I have my CV on a Jobs website so agencies can find it rather than me doing all the legwork. It has provided me with a few leads but not jobs I would be keen on at this stage.
I have two interviews this week. I feel that I should get one of the jobs on offer so hopefully within a week or so I will be working. I figured it would take me about eight weeks from the time I arrived until I started work. So far we have been here five weeks, so I pretty much on schedule.
Here I am sitting in the flat in London minding my own business when I get a text message, and another one.
"Hey its tammie call me im optus"
Huh?
"Oi f** ya send me a message so i no u got my message"
What the?!
And it went on. My replies to try to get "tammie" to stop only resulted in more replies. I hate to think how much this has cost me. Seven messages in total from tammie, plus a few back from me. tammie's final message: "Is this rozys brother".
So tammie, wherever/whoever you are: No, I am not Rozy's brother.
But life here in London is pretty good. Another employment agency contacted me this afternoon to see if I was interested in a job they had going. I have my CV on a Jobs website so agencies can find it rather than me doing all the legwork. It has provided me with a few leads but not jobs I would be keen on at this stage.
I have two interviews this week. I feel that I should get one of the jobs on offer so hopefully within a week or so I will be working. I figured it would take me about eight weeks from the time I arrived until I started work. So far we have been here five weeks, so I pretty much on schedule.
Have You Seen a Beer Cup Snake?
One of the great things I have done since arriving in London is go to the cricket at The Oval. Located in the South of London, it is famous for the gas works sitting behind it, as well as being one of the leading cricket grounds in the UK.
The recent ICC Champions Trophy tournament saw a number of games held there, including the Final and a pool game between Australia and New Zealand.
As a serious Australian cricket fan I could not miss out on such an opportunity. So, along with fellow unemployed, trailing spouse, and friend, Nick, I sat through a day of fun in the sun.
While the Aussies made sure of the entertainment on the field, the Aussie supporters made sure there was plenty to occupy the crowd and security. Never before have I seen beer cup snakes that grew to the lengths they did at The Oval. It appeared that the local security and police had no idea what they were watching. Piles of empty beer cups would pass in front of them, heading for the already long snakes and they would smile quizzically at it all. Here are some examples of the action.
The recent ICC Champions Trophy tournament saw a number of games held there, including the Final and a pool game between Australia and New Zealand.
As a serious Australian cricket fan I could not miss out on such an opportunity. So, along with fellow unemployed, trailing spouse, and friend, Nick, I sat through a day of fun in the sun.
While the Aussies made sure of the entertainment on the field, the Aussie supporters made sure there was plenty to occupy the crowd and security. Never before have I seen beer cup snakes that grew to the lengths they did at The Oval. It appeared that the local security and police had no idea what they were watching. Piles of empty beer cups would pass in front of them, heading for the already long snakes and they would smile quizzically at it all. Here are some examples of the action.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Home is Where the Heart is
Hello friends.
Well, we made it and have settled in well here in London town.
The last five weeks have been filled with a mixture of fun, surprises and frustration. We will tell you about them in due course.
Why the blog? Well, we figured it was the best way of sharing our experiences via word and picture without constantly bombarding you all with an unhealthy dose of ever-so-friendly spam!
By using a blog you can read about our adventures etc in your own time and at your own pace.
So the first question is where do we live and what does it look like?
Natalie and I live near Russell Square, in North West Central London. It is a handy 15-20 minute walk to the Australian Embassy, the London School of Economics, and under 30 minutes to Covent Garden and the West End.
We have a neat and comfortable, one bedroom flat, backing onto Grays Inn Road (See map).
In a future post we will show photos of our flat.
Well, we made it and have settled in well here in London town.
The last five weeks have been filled with a mixture of fun, surprises and frustration. We will tell you about them in due course.
Why the blog? Well, we figured it was the best way of sharing our experiences via word and picture without constantly bombarding you all with an unhealthy dose of ever-so-friendly spam!
By using a blog you can read about our adventures etc in your own time and at your own pace.
So the first question is where do we live and what does it look like?
Natalie and I live near Russell Square, in North West Central London. It is a handy 15-20 minute walk to the Australian Embassy, the London School of Economics, and under 30 minutes to Covent Garden and the West End.
We have a neat and comfortable, one bedroom flat, backing onto Grays Inn Road (See map).
In a future post we will show photos of our flat.
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