Natalie and I arrived in Sydney last Monday and since Wednesday have been visiting family on the Gold Coast. It has been fun catching up with everyone.
Wednesday sees us back in Sydney with a highlight (among others) being a visit to Penrith for the NRL match vs Auckland on Saturday night.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Sunday, July 10, 2005
They failed
The events of Thursday by terrorists here in London can only be described as a failure.
It has not strengthened their cause, instead it has reinforced the spirit of freedom here in London. The claim of responsibility that has recently come through also shows defeat. The best that they can come up with is that they killed some people. Yep, that's what bombs do if people are too close. However, it has not stopped London residents getting on with their lives.
Apart from the media being everywhere here, the odd flyover by fighters and road closures, life is very much normal. Buses are running, people are shopping. Children are playing in the park at Russell Square, only a very short walk from the sealed off tube station. Why? Because the action brought about by these extremists has only proven their gullibility. Their leaders have told them that by carrying out such actions that it would scare the infidels into submission, help turn the world and the fight in the extremists' favour. How sorely they have been mislead.
This is no better shown than through the actions of the Scientologists who are to be found on several street corners locally. Whether you agree with them or believe that their religion has as much merit as a super-sized Maccas meal for someone with high cholesterol, the fact is this society allows the freedom for people to express their beliefs and share them openly with others.
My hope now is that Blair and Bush don't use this one incident to rally the troops for more Middle East stupidity. They need to rise above this and fight the good fight while ignoring easy point scoring against irrelevant targets, not matter how tempting it might be.
It has not strengthened their cause, instead it has reinforced the spirit of freedom here in London. The claim of responsibility that has recently come through also shows defeat. The best that they can come up with is that they killed some people. Yep, that's what bombs do if people are too close. However, it has not stopped London residents getting on with their lives.
Apart from the media being everywhere here, the odd flyover by fighters and road closures, life is very much normal. Buses are running, people are shopping. Children are playing in the park at Russell Square, only a very short walk from the sealed off tube station. Why? Because the action brought about by these extremists has only proven their gullibility. Their leaders have told them that by carrying out such actions that it would scare the infidels into submission, help turn the world and the fight in the extremists' favour. How sorely they have been mislead.
This is no better shown than through the actions of the Scientologists who are to be found on several street corners locally. Whether you agree with them or believe that their religion has as much merit as a super-sized Maccas meal for someone with high cholesterol, the fact is this society allows the freedom for people to express their beliefs and share them openly with others.
My hope now is that Blair and Bush don't use this one incident to rally the troops for more Middle East stupidity. They need to rise above this and fight the good fight while ignoring easy point scoring against irrelevant targets, not matter how tempting it might be.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
The Day After
Today has been a funny old day.
Things have been returning to normal in London, sort of. Euston station was fairly quiet but trains were travelling in and out as per the normal timetable.
There is a large media contingent around Euston station. Cherry-pickers, vans and camera crews are busy reporting on the scene though there is nothing to see since the police put up plastic sheeting hiding the scene of the mostly destroyed bus at Woburn Place/Tavistock Square.
For those who don't know, Natalie and I live within 5 or so minutes walk of Russell Square station (that is our tube station) and Tavistock Square is (or was) my route to Euston station in the morning for the new job. I caught a bus in the opposite direction to the bus that exploded yesterday about an hour and a half earlier.
The #30 doesn't normally travel through Tavistock Square, but I guess ing that due to road closures from the earlier bomb blasts it ended up in the square, and thankfully right outside the British Medical Association building where doctors were meeting inside for a conference.
Thankfully, all members of Goodenough College, where we are living have been accounted for. However, one of the staff members is missing. It is concerning.
I have contacted the Australian High Commission to let them know Natalie and I are fine.
Things have been returning to normal in London, sort of. Euston station was fairly quiet but trains were travelling in and out as per the normal timetable.
There is a large media contingent around Euston station. Cherry-pickers, vans and camera crews are busy reporting on the scene though there is nothing to see since the police put up plastic sheeting hiding the scene of the mostly destroyed bus at Woburn Place/Tavistock Square.
For those who don't know, Natalie and I live within 5 or so minutes walk of Russell Square station (that is our tube station) and Tavistock Square is (or was) my route to Euston station in the morning for the new job. I caught a bus in the opposite direction to the bus that exploded yesterday about an hour and a half earlier.
The #30 doesn't normally travel through Tavistock Square, but I guess ing that due to road closures from the earlier bomb blasts it ended up in the square, and thankfully right outside the British Medical Association building where doctors were meeting inside for a conference.
Thankfully, all members of Goodenough College, where we are living have been accounted for. However, one of the staff members is missing. It is concerning.
I have contacted the Australian High Commission to let them know Natalie and I are fine.
Friday, July 08, 2005
More from London
Well, it has been a huge day!
I think the whole city is in shock over the events. The bus bonb blast occurred in Tavistock Square - a place I now walk through every day to go to work. In fact, this morning I caught a bus from the square.
I am now working just outside of London these days. It only takes 45 minutes door-to-door usually. My trip home was exhausting, taking approximately four and a half hours.
All trains into London on my line were being terminated at Watford Junction. After speaking to staff at Watford Junction who told me that they weren't hopeful that trains were going to run at all today, I decided to find an alternative route home.
I got a bus from Watford Junction to Brent Cross Shopping Centre. There I stopped for lunch and a short break before heading south. Brent Cross is approximately 15 kms from our home, by car. I caught a bus at one stage for a kilometre or so.
My legs and feet are sore and tired but I am fine.
Getting to work might be interesting in the morning. I will have to take a long way around to Euston unless the police change where they blocked off. They have quite a large area around Russell Square and nearby Tavistock Square blocked off. And of course, just five or so block north of here is Kings Cross, which also has been closed off.
I think the whole city is in shock over the events. The bus bonb blast occurred in Tavistock Square - a place I now walk through every day to go to work. In fact, this morning I caught a bus from the square.
I am now working just outside of London these days. It only takes 45 minutes door-to-door usually. My trip home was exhausting, taking approximately four and a half hours.
All trains into London on my line were being terminated at Watford Junction. After speaking to staff at Watford Junction who told me that they weren't hopeful that trains were going to run at all today, I decided to find an alternative route home.
I got a bus from Watford Junction to Brent Cross Shopping Centre. There I stopped for lunch and a short break before heading south. Brent Cross is approximately 15 kms from our home, by car. I caught a bus at one stage for a kilometre or so.
My legs and feet are sore and tired but I am fine.
Getting to work might be interesting in the morning. I will have to take a long way around to Euston unless the police change where they blocked off. They have quite a large area around Russell Square and nearby Tavistock Square blocked off. And of course, just five or so block north of here is Kings Cross, which also has been closed off.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
We're OK
Just a quick note following the explosions in London this morning.
Natalie is safe in the north of the country and I was at work before things unfolded.
I work in the northern outskirts of London, so my only dilemma is whether I will be able to get home tonight.
Kate, Natalie's sister is also OK.
Natalie is safe in the north of the country and I was at work before things unfolded.
I work in the northern outskirts of London, so my only dilemma is whether I will be able to get home tonight.
Kate, Natalie's sister is also OK.
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