Jottings

So much for the good intentions of transcribing the holiday journal into the blog. It's not going to happen. Life is too full of other things at present. Latin classes, bridge club, lots of lunches and I've joined a gym. Trying out various classes - Boomer Dance (modified Zumba for oldies), Pilates, and Body Tone ( lots of stretching) as well as a more usual workout on the equipment on my own. Maybe I'll stay motivated this time and get the value from my membership.

Eion goes to Japan in about 2 weeks - he is spending time in Kyoto and Tokyo (seeing temples, of course!) But he is also walking the ancient imperial highway (what's left of it) between the two cities in a tour group, staying in traditional Japanese inns along the way. Because the custom is to bathe at night, and he didn't want the others to see his "bed hair" in the mornings, he has had a number 2 close head shave. Had to wear beanies for the first few weeks, because his head was cold!

Home and happy!

Well, we have been overseas for 8 weeks and are now home - jet lagged - but what a wonderful holiday we have had. I kept a journal about our daily activities and will post an edited version of it as a special page in this blog. People are asking "what was your favourite thing" but honestly there were so many fantastic sights, gorgeous scenery, interesting museums, beautiful churches and cathedrals, and so many "just fun" things we did that an answer is impossible. If Eion culls the 3,500 photos he took, I might be able to choose a select few to include in the blog.

Can't wait for tomorrow:

This time tomorrow, we should be in Business Class of a Singapore Airlines plane, just leaving Adelaide. Please let there be no last minute hitch that prevents us finally getting away on our UK and France adventure.

Getting excited # 2!

Now I'm getting excited again! All flights to Europe have been re-instated and we are due to fly from Adelaide to Singapore in 4 days, connecting through to London, with an overnight stay there before we catch a train to Edinburgh. We have added a week on at the end of our planned adventure but won't backtrack into Scotland - instead of making up the Glasgow and Skye bit of the original trip, we will go into Wales instead, and maybe visit Liverpool as well. This itinerary will bring us into Sydney on June 26th and we will probably spend the weekend with Josh and Jen before returning home on June 28th.

We've just had a great little holiday there - Josh enjoyed his birthday even tho' he was a wee bit hungover from celebrating with some friends the night before. Eion and I had a few "firsts" this time - our first visit to the Archibald Prize exhibition, our first tour of the Old Mint and the Hyde Park Barracks museums, our first walk along Manly beach, our first visit to Joshua's office tower - brilliant views from the 40th floor. And of course, we ate and drank too much - really loved lunch at Wagamama, and dinner at Cafe Sel et Poivre. The dogs were pleased to greet us when we arrived home - imagine what they'll be like when we come in the front door after 8 weeks in the UK and France!!

I hate volcanoes # 2

We have cancelled the first 10 days of our planned trip to the UK, because there is no likelihood of flights to London for the next few days. We will still go to Sydney tomorrow, not to connect through Singapore to London, but for a week's "holiday" with Josh and Jen. He turns 38 on Anzac Day.

We have rebooked to the UK on April 30th and if this flight actually occurs, we can start our tour from Edinburgh ( but will miss Glasgow and the drive through western Scotland to Skye). If this plan fails we will try to rebook for May 10th and pick up our trip from Dublin ( now missing all of Scotland and the driving through southwestern Ireland!!). But we do go on to Paris from Dublin, with the tour of the Somme battlefields and would still have our 3 weeks in London with day trips to Portsmouth, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge and York. So it could be quite an exciting holiday just not as comprehensive as we had hoped for.

However, if May 10th doesn't eventuate either, we will cancel the whole thing! We are quite miserable about all of this - who would have thought 18 months planning could be brought undone by a bloody volcano? And of course, we have already lost money - train fares, deposits on hire cars and accommodation etc - and as more bits of the trip are cancelled so we lose more money.

At least we have been waiting it out in our own home - not camped on the floor of an airport somewhere, but even so, it is very disappointing. A friend is stranded in Spain and although he has a bed, it is in a flea infested hostel, and it's raining so he's not really enjoying himself.

If we do ever get to Europe, our "animal sitters" are happy to extend their stay in our house, so that we can add on Scotland and Ireland to the end of the planned stay in London. We could theoretically continue the trip into July. But this is getting into high season and costs will rise. so we're not sure whether we will extend or not. C'est la vie!

I hate volcanoes!

I am getting so depressed about the prospect of having to cancel or seriously rearrange our holiday because of this bloody volcanic eruption in Iceland. Eion tried to rebook for 10 days time (which means missing the Glasgow and Skye portions of our itinerary) but the airlines won't accept any bookings for the next 2 weeks, and if we try to rearrange things for later than that, we miss all of Scotland and Ireland! So we're just going to sit tight till Monday and hope that the ash and pumice clouds disperse over the next 3 days. But I have a bad feeling that our holiday is stuffed!!! If we can at least get to Europe for the France and London sections of the trip, I suppose that's better than nothing, but it will be such a let down after all the planning that's gone into what should have been a 9 week tour. Eion says it will be hard to add the Scotland and Ireland "legs" after London because it will be high season and transport and accomodation will already be heavily booked, and costs will be much more than what we have budgeted for. Plus we will lose the money we have already committed to train travel, flights and accomodation for Scotland, Ireland and getting to Paris from Dublin. I am seriously miserable!

More chit chat:

The work with the Medical Board didn't eventuate - the doctor concerned failed to give a timetable that would allow me to conduct the review before we leave for overseas next week. But would you believe that a volcano has erupted in Iceland and all air traffic across Europe has been cancelled?? If we can't connect to London next Thursday all our plans for the first part of the trip (to Scotland) will be in a mess - volcanoes can continue to spit and spurt for days!!

Last night I tried Japanese drumming - good fun, but I'm afraid that my sense of beat has gone the same way as my eyesight - deterioration of old age! So I won't be signing up for proper lessons. And I managed to break a bit off one of the big drums ( it was ornamental only, thank goodness!)

Nepal # 4

Anne and I have been communicating via Facebook, and the other day went on line to chat together - after I had mastered the technique: boy, am I dumb sometimes when it comes to technology! She is very much in love with the country and the man who was instrumental in her decision to go there for a year. They have spent some time togther recently while school is on holidays but once she starts teaching it may be months before they can see each other again, as his home is quite a distance from her village. Although I am happy that she has found a spiritual home and a relationship which brings her much joy, I am also a bit sad, as I fear it is doomed in the long term - his family will expect him to marry a Nepalese woman before he is much older and I simply do not know if he can resist that social norm, or even if he truly wants to be with Anne over time.

She has set up her new accomodation and sent photos - she should be very comfortable by Nepalese standards. And school resumes in two days - I'm interested to hear how this goes, but knowing Anne she will be an amazingly good teacher and an asset to the school more generally with her organisational and human resource management skills.

Getting excited!

Only 7 days to go and Eion and I leave on our grand adventure. We fly (cheaply with Virgin) to Sydney first but then we travel Business Class in an A380 to Singapore, and on to London. We're away for 9 weeks altogether - trains and some driving rental cars, visiting Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, France and finishing up with 3 weeks in London which we will use as a base for some day trips or short overnight tours. Of course, Eion has a detailed itinerary for every step of the way, but he has included some "free" days when I can just "veg out". I know from previous overseas trips that I need to do nothing every now and again - I can't be a tourist every day and I do get "museumed out" or "templed out", or in Europe, probably "castled out"! As I've only had a 6 day visit to London mainly for business a few years ago, and Eion has never been there at all, we are both excited at the thought of all the history, culture and modern lifestyle we'll encounter.

We've had a busy last couple of weeks catching up with friends and family for a last social contact with them before we leave. We will keep in touch while we're away - I love writing and sending postcards and Eion has an iphone which will also allow us to email or use my Facebook wall to let folk know what we're up to.

Nepal # 3

Anne has moved into her own little apartment now. She has two main rooms, with a little kitchen and a western style toilet (very important!!) and an outside deck - she calls it a penthouse because it is on the third floor. She has decorated it herself, having bought fabrics for the bedspread, drapes etc. She has already christened the "beer swilling" deck. I hope she sends some photos of the place.

What a concert!

Last night I went to see Carole King and James Taylor in concert, "The Troubador Reunion" at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with one of my sisters. We caught the new tram on its new tracks to the Centre - a very comfortable trip. The concert was absolutely brilliant - a wonderful, superb performance from Carole and James. The back up singers and their band were sooooo good. Lots of bluesy, jazz infused versions of old favourites, and soft sweet ballads as well. Everyone downstairs was standing and grooving by the end. Lots of feet stamping, raucous applause for encores - from a mainly 50 and over crowd. Our children should see us like this! The worst thing about the show was that it had to end, but we got nearly two and a half hours of truly fantastic music. And today I have gone out and bought two CDs, one by Carole and the other by James, so I can relive some of it. I hope there will be a CD of the concert released at some stage.

Urbrae House.

Today Eion and I went on a tour of Urbrae House, an impressive 1890's mansion in the grounds of the Waite Institute. The house was the family home of Peter Waite who bequested all the land and buildings to the University of Adelaide on his death in 1922. I had no idea there was so much land on the Institute's grounds. Plus lots of other buildings which make up the campus, and the arboretum which is open to the public. The house is also available for weddings, parties and concerts. It is nestled right into the foothills with an underground living area (including a huge billiards room and ball room) as well as the grand ground floor rooms, some of which now function as fantastic museum areas, beautifully laid out with the history of the Waite family and mementoes of their family life. Fancy living in Adelaide for 60 years and only discovering this treasure now!!

My birthday! #2

Here are a few more photos from my birthday party.

My birthday!

Last night was simply amazing. My dear sister Cindy and my niece, Jenne put on the best birthday party I have ever had. My beloved son and gorgeous daughter in law arrived from Sydney and gave me a wonderful surprise, and I was surrounded by my very best friends and truly fabulous family. Cindy, Jenne and Lone had prepared delicious food; there was lots of great wine and my sort of music. Two more elephants to add to my collection, some lovely jewellery and a CD of the Cliff Richard and The Shadows Reunited 50th Anniversary concert, (which I'd seen in early February at the Entertainment Centre with all my sisters and thoroughly enjoyed) plus some very special bottles of wine, were all wonderful presents. Best of all was the terrific company and fun filled loving atmosphere. If this is what being 60 is all about, let there be more of it!!!

Just chit chat to update previous posts.

The final count in the state election is still to be completed but the Labor government will be returned with a reduced majority. The key figures say they have understood the electorate's dissatisfaction with their perceived arrogance and "pushy" non consultative style, but so far I see no evidence that they are going to change their behaviour!! It could be 4 more years of the same stuff that has been turning the people off, and then Labor will definitely lose the next election.

Have resolved the issues with MBSA about paying me, and am happy to do the next bit of work for them but I have to wait for the "main player" to produce a time line during which I can get involved. If it's not possible to do the work before 16th April, then it won't get done by me. Eion and I leave for our overseas holiday on April 20th and I want the few days beforehand to sort out all sorts of things (like making sure there is sufficient dog and cat food for the 9 weeks we are away!).

My friend in Nepal is now connecting with lots of her mates, and me, through Face Book as it's easier to write quick notes on it than composing new blogs. Fine by me - I love hearing from her any which way.

Nepal # 2

I have received a long and newsy email from my friend in Nepal. She tells us all about the conditions in which she is living ( appalling! but she is philosophical and accepting this will be the way of life for her for at least a year) and how she will soon move into some better accomodation which she will have to herself. At present she is living with a family in a few less than comfortable rooms. She has had a short time at her school but there are holidays now for a couple of weeks, and she starts her real teaching job in April. She thinks the head master will "use" her as an ally to bring about some improvements to the school and its curriculum and she is excited about this. She is still very much enamoured of a particular young man who played a large part in her decision to go to Nepal.

My birthday

Well, I'm recovering from a fairly boozy afternoon yesterday (my actual birthday). Had a great time with some dear friends, although the food was dreadful. The company, conversation and lots of wine were excellent. And I'm really looking forward to a party later this week when I can celebrate again with my family and several more old mates. I've decided that the number "60" doesn't matter at all - it's another birthday, and it's as simple as that. I was very spoiled with lots of cards and messages, gorgeous flowers and an utterly fabulous present of two glass elephants to add to my collection.

Maybe more work and definitely more fun!

The Medical Board has asked me to do a few days more work for them next week - we are having a few hassles about how I should be paid but if we can resolve this, I'll do the job for them. Tomorrow is the state election for South Australia - not really "fun", I suppose, but I do enjoy watching the count on TV and listening to the political pundits forecasting what they believe will happen. And this election is allegedly going to be close so the telecast and the unfolding of which party wins could be interesting.
More importantly, it is my 60th birthday on Sunday and we are going to lunch with some dear friends for a small celebration. And next Friday, one of my sisters is hosting a party for my birthday to which my family and several old mates are coming. So the next week will hold work challenges and good times.

Nepal # 1 vs Adelaide

Have heard from my friend in Nepal. She has just started her teaching job and is nervous about it. But so far she is still feeling as though she has a special connection to the country and the people, so she is excited and eager as well. Makes my life seem mundane - but I really am enjoying what I do. This week has mainly been spent lunching with friends who all have different interests and habits, so every meeting is different and the conversation ranges over an amazing variety of topics. Yesterday for example, I heard how the Chinese had influenced the virility and blooming properties of roses!

Lunch with friends

Eion and I have just spent a wonderful afternoon with some of my friends from high school. Barb and Drew know the most amazing ethnic bakeries, butcheries, deli's and grocers (all in the suburbs of Adelaide) and can put together a truly delicious meal. Plus Drew's knowledge of wine is mind blowing, so a lunch at their place is a real treat. Other guests included a buddy now living in Canberra (he and his partner came over for the Mahler concert) and a mate who is inspired to cause some embarassment to the current SA government over a particular issue. What an amazing conversation we had - ancient history, wine, buffalo wings, management theory, local politics, international travel and victoriana were just part of it.

Fringe # 4 2010 and Festival # 1

We saw our last Fringe show last night - Hannah Gadsby, a wonderful Australian comedienne, telling a bitter-sweet story about walking across England, the foibles of her fellow walkers, and her personal struggles with depression. Very funny and poignant; probably the highlight of the Fringe for me. Our one and only venture into the Adelaide Festival occurs tonight when we go to the Mahler 8 concert.We'll be in a corporate box, thanks to some wealthy friends who bought the box in an auction for a charity. Mind you, we're still going to pay for our tickets. The piece of work I have now finished for the Medical Board will offset the cost of the concert very nicely, and also help pay for some wines we've splurged on recently.

A bit of work and a bit of fun.

Have just done a day's work with the Medical Board - paper based research - and will need to spend some more time there next week to finish it. The $ are nice, but it's also interesting stuff and I really like the people in the office. Plus tomorrow we are going to visit some friends who have a shack on the Murray at a place called Murrawong between Murray Bridge and Mannum - we haven't been to the river since we "lost" Dad's shack. (That's Dad's place in the top photo and the page titled "On the River Murray" tells you a bit more about it). And we haven't seen these friends for about 3 years, so I'm really looking forward to catching up with all their news. The bottom photo is the view of the river from our friends' shack. There are a couple more photos of them and their place on the page "On the River Murray".

Fringe # 3 2010

Saw another great show last night - three women trained as percussionists at Elder Conservatory, now doing Japanese drumming. They even make their own drums! Lots of energy and fantastic rhythm. The venue was excellent - a cabaret at the Lions Centre. And we caught the tram from South Tce around to City West - our first trip beyond Victoria Square.

Fringe # 2 2010

Went to Joe Camilleri concert last night - just superb. But Sam Simmons ( comedian) was woeful! The Northern Lights along North Tce are brilliant. We've been having a great time at Fringe shows this year ( apart from Sam)and the Garden of Unearthly Delights was really pleasant last night - not too busy, cool weather, pretty lights, good food.

Getting started! And Fringe #1 2010

Well, this is about the fifth time I have tried to create a blog. I thought I had already started one, including some great photos and a narrative about my family, but I can't access that one any more. Maybe this time, I'll do the right things and actually end up with a blog that "works".

We've already been to a few things in The Fringe - a day of eating and drinking in Rymill Park, and two concerts. One was brilliant (I'd seen it last year and wanted to see it again) - the songs of Lulu, Sandie Shaw, Cilla Black, Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield - my kind of music from the 1960's. The other was pretty good but the vocals were a bit weak - 9 musicians and 4 vocalists playing Steely Dan stuff. Great music.