Decided to take a break from bathering on about the trip. I've gotten over all those colds and stomach aches, but they are now replaced with more pressing issues. The other day at work I was leaning over the side of the tractor tray and somehow bruised something just below my ribcage. I assume it is a bruise because I get a sharp pain whenever I put pressure on it, which is quite easy to do. Anything from sneezing to raking things a certian way or doing anything that involves turning. I would have it a guess that it will make ten pin bowling a litte awkward.
Speaking of which tomorrow is our last game of the year. A sort of fun night. The competition is over for the year and Whatever (the team I am in) had a lot of fun participating if you know what I mean. Guess we can't win every year. Didn't even make it into the finals. Never mind I'm sure 2009 will bring great surprises and high scores will be forthcoming.
Any-who, today I hurt myself (yes, yet again!) in a most improbable way. I was clearing some dirt from the side of a hole while a grave was being dug when the bucket of the JCB (digger they use for digging graves) connected with the tip of my shovel causing the handle to fly and smack me under the chin, leaving a rather nasty graze. Felt a bit dizzy for sometime after and my jaw still seems a bit tender.
Seem to be in the wars a bit these days. Oh well, it could always be worse, as they say, whoever "they" are. I was once told that only "Them" know who "They" are.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
General Catch up 6 Melbourne CBD
Melbourne City is a lot like Wellington in so much as the climate is not too hot and not too cold. It has a funny moist thing that falls from the sky called rain, which does not often feature some of the more arid outback towns of Australia (where the soil is a sprightly red).
Another major difference that makes Melbourne unique is that trams are still in existence and frequently used as a major form of public transportation. I like trams. They are quieter than busses and can get around the city with little fuss because the tram tracks are in the middle of the road, allowing traffic to flow without having to be stuck behind stupid busses that take all day to get no- where.
Since both trams and other traffic share the same roads, except for a few streets reserved for trams only (and some, which allow other traffic at specific times) special laws have been included in the road code dealing associated with cars and trams. One of the most unusual is the Hook Turn A procedure for crossing the tram tracks if you are turning right (to do this you first have to get in the left lane- click on Hook Turn for further details.
I found this maneuver a little confusing and weird at the beginning but after awhile it seemed to make some sort of sense. From what I can see, Hook Turns seem to allow the traffic to flow a little faster.
Despite the trams and an amazing abundance of yellow taxis, which seem to swarm all over the place traffic on a whole still seems constantly congested, as do pedestrian all-day rush hour.
One of the hassles I encountered during my stay there was the fact that most streets did not give the option of being able to make some sort of U-Turn, or at least without a great deal of effort. If you make an error it is not always that easy to correct it. Some of streets do not allow traffic to cross the tram tracks so you are forced to travel some distance before being able to return in the opposite direction to amend an error.
For example…
After picking up my cellphone from AAT Kings I had time so I went for a walk around and happened upon a fairly nice looking hotel called the Victoria Hotel. I decided it would be a nice place to stay for my final night in Melbourne. It had a parking building a few hundred meters up the road from it.
I checked in then went back to the car, which was parked near Lincoln Square, toward the top of Swanson Street (north of Flinders Street Station- you may need a map). The Victoria Hotel is situated about halfway down Little Collins Street, which is one way.
The streets of Melbourne CBD are set in a grin like pattern 9 streets heading East-West intercepting the 9 streets heading North-South so at times it can be a little tricky to remain coordinated as to which direction you are travelling.
Now the idea was to find a way back to Little Collins Street and arrive at a junction that would lead to the Carpark, which as I say was on a one way road. If I picked the wrong intersection I would end up down from the car park with no way of going back up again. Just to complicate things the section of Swanson Street I needed to bring me onto the Russel/ little Collins intersection was set aside for trams only. Vehicles were not allowed to enter.
Things just seemed to go from bad to worse and soon I found myself lost. Being on my own I did not have the luxury of being able to consult the map whilst driving and there were not all that many places to pull over. Most parking spots were either occupied or had “No Stopping” signs on them. By the time I had found one I was usually miles off course. The constant slow of traffic did not help.
Finally I gave up and went for a bit of a walkabout, giving me a better understanding of the optimum route. Anyhow I got back there in the end and enjoyed my stay at the Victoria.
There are plenty of restaurants and cafés selling a variety of local and ethic-food. Then of course as with most cities there is a wide choice of fast food outlets such as McDonalds, Red Rooster and Wendys.
It is great place for a holiday and I’ll probably go back there either sometime so watch this space. Who knows what the next few years may bring?
Another major difference that makes Melbourne unique is that trams are still in existence and frequently used as a major form of public transportation. I like trams. They are quieter than busses and can get around the city with little fuss because the tram tracks are in the middle of the road, allowing traffic to flow without having to be stuck behind stupid busses that take all day to get no- where.
Since both trams and other traffic share the same roads, except for a few streets reserved for trams only (and some, which allow other traffic at specific times) special laws have been included in the road code dealing associated with cars and trams. One of the most unusual is the Hook Turn A procedure for crossing the tram tracks if you are turning right (to do this you first have to get in the left lane- click on Hook Turn for further details.
I found this maneuver a little confusing and weird at the beginning but after awhile it seemed to make some sort of sense. From what I can see, Hook Turns seem to allow the traffic to flow a little faster.
Despite the trams and an amazing abundance of yellow taxis, which seem to swarm all over the place traffic on a whole still seems constantly congested, as do pedestrian all-day rush hour.
One of the hassles I encountered during my stay there was the fact that most streets did not give the option of being able to make some sort of U-Turn, or at least without a great deal of effort. If you make an error it is not always that easy to correct it. Some of streets do not allow traffic to cross the tram tracks so you are forced to travel some distance before being able to return in the opposite direction to amend an error.
For example…
After picking up my cellphone from AAT Kings I had time so I went for a walk around and happened upon a fairly nice looking hotel called the Victoria Hotel. I decided it would be a nice place to stay for my final night in Melbourne. It had a parking building a few hundred meters up the road from it.
I checked in then went back to the car, which was parked near Lincoln Square, toward the top of Swanson Street (north of Flinders Street Station- you may need a map). The Victoria Hotel is situated about halfway down Little Collins Street, which is one way.
The streets of Melbourne CBD are set in a grin like pattern 9 streets heading East-West intercepting the 9 streets heading North-South so at times it can be a little tricky to remain coordinated as to which direction you are travelling.
Now the idea was to find a way back to Little Collins Street and arrive at a junction that would lead to the Carpark, which as I say was on a one way road. If I picked the wrong intersection I would end up down from the car park with no way of going back up again. Just to complicate things the section of Swanson Street I needed to bring me onto the Russel/ little Collins intersection was set aside for trams only. Vehicles were not allowed to enter.
Things just seemed to go from bad to worse and soon I found myself lost. Being on my own I did not have the luxury of being able to consult the map whilst driving and there were not all that many places to pull over. Most parking spots were either occupied or had “No Stopping” signs on them. By the time I had found one I was usually miles off course. The constant slow of traffic did not help.
Finally I gave up and went for a bit of a walkabout, giving me a better understanding of the optimum route. Anyhow I got back there in the end and enjoyed my stay at the Victoria.
There are plenty of restaurants and cafés selling a variety of local and ethic-food. Then of course as with most cities there is a wide choice of fast food outlets such as McDonalds, Red Rooster and Wendys.
It is great place for a holiday and I’ll probably go back there either sometime so watch this space. Who knows what the next few years may bring?
Monday, November 03, 2008
Blog spring cleaning
You may have noticed that this blog looks slightly different, that's because I decided it was time to change the layout etc. There is a chance you not have noticed any difference if you seldom ever visit this blog which is probably more likely.
Either way I would appreciate any comments/feedback about what you think of the new look "blackwellblog presents".
Either way I would appreciate any comments/feedback about what you think of the new look "blackwellblog presents".
General Catchup 5 - sick on leave
Despite the interesting holiday I do not think I would like a repeat of October, health-wise that is.
I had been feeling a bit poorly on and off for a few weeks prior to the trip and felt really bad on Wednesday the 1st October. It seemed a repeat of my previous visit back in 2004 when I was also sick before leaving.
The best way to describe it would be likening it to being hungover without the pleasure of having had a good time the night before. It was not alcohol related.
I felt over tired and unsettled in the gut. My appetite was not the best either.
This seemed to go away the day before I left and on the Friday was at the stage of being cleared up(though I still felt a bit uneasy in the guts, a sort of empty unsettled type of sensation).
It stayed at a reasonable level for the next few days and by the time I was in Melbourne I was sure that it had past altogether. But this was not the case.
A day or two before heading back to Sydney it reared its ugly head and I went back to being a bit under the weather from then on. The following Thrusday proved to be the worst day. Felt myserable but was glad of the fresh air at Bronte which picked me up a tad.
My first week back at work did not go as well as I had thought and this sickness thingy got the better of me so I ended up going to the after hours clinic to get everything checked out. They took blood tests and an ECG scan; both turned out negative and I was in the clear. The doctor perscribed something to ease the stomach, which helped ease the pain a bit.
Just as I thought I was in the clear I caught a fairly bad cold which got the old nose leaking like a tap. Also developed a cough which kept me awake for a night or two but it all seems to have come to an end and I'm now pretty much back to good health, save the odd cough or two. Still could be worse as they say.
I had been feeling a bit poorly on and off for a few weeks prior to the trip and felt really bad on Wednesday the 1st October. It seemed a repeat of my previous visit back in 2004 when I was also sick before leaving.
The best way to describe it would be likening it to being hungover without the pleasure of having had a good time the night before. It was not alcohol related.
I felt over tired and unsettled in the gut. My appetite was not the best either.
This seemed to go away the day before I left and on the Friday was at the stage of being cleared up(though I still felt a bit uneasy in the guts, a sort of empty unsettled type of sensation).
It stayed at a reasonable level for the next few days and by the time I was in Melbourne I was sure that it had past altogether. But this was not the case.
A day or two before heading back to Sydney it reared its ugly head and I went back to being a bit under the weather from then on. The following Thrusday proved to be the worst day. Felt myserable but was glad of the fresh air at Bronte which picked me up a tad.
My first week back at work did not go as well as I had thought and this sickness thingy got the better of me so I ended up going to the after hours clinic to get everything checked out. They took blood tests and an ECG scan; both turned out negative and I was in the clear. The doctor perscribed something to ease the stomach, which helped ease the pain a bit.
Just as I thought I was in the clear I caught a fairly bad cold which got the old nose leaking like a tap. Also developed a cough which kept me awake for a night or two but it all seems to have come to an end and I'm now pretty much back to good health, save the odd cough or two. Still could be worse as they say.
Monday, October 27, 2008
A slight break from the trip
Thought I would break this account up a little with something other than the trip, though still in keeping with the present Australian motif of this blog. It's a little poem I wrote not too long ago.
(Either an Acrostic Septet Magnum Opus or
an accosted September magnificent Octopus
you decide which)
Images of Uluru
Images of Uluru, transgression of a dingo
Visions of a commune, ocker hippie lingo
Shrouded diamond cosmos, half a cheesy-moon
Incense and a guitar, lighter burns a spoon
Outback canine bogeyman, trotting in the dark
Nabbed a tiny bubba, without a yelp or bark
Stigma of a red-rock and Alice of the springs.
(Either an Acrostic Septet Magnum Opus or
an accosted September magnificent Octopus
you decide which)
Images of Uluru
Images of Uluru, transgression of a dingo
Visions of a commune, ocker hippie lingo
Shrouded diamond cosmos, half a cheesy-moon
Incense and a guitar, lighter burns a spoon
Outback canine bogeyman, trotting in the dark
Nabbed a tiny bubba, without a yelp or bark
Stigma of a red-rock and Alice of the springs.
General Catchup 4 Lost and Found = Cellphone
After returning from the Great Ocean Road tour (Details to be posted soon) I realized that my cellphone was missing. I searched high and low for it and was upset to say the least that two things could have gone missing in such a short period of time. First the camera (see General Catchup 4 Lost and Found =camera saga)now this.
I contacted the tour operator (AAT Kings) but they had not seen any sign of it. Clutching at straws I rang the cellphone number from the landline in my room, just incase it had fallen behind something or was hidden in one of my bags but alas there was silence.
There was still a slight chance that it may ring the next morning, as I had set it's alarm to sound just after 6:30am, to wake me early for the tour but there was not a peep out of it the following morning.
Later that same morning I rang the tour company again. They informed me that one had handed it in but they would ask the driver when he got to work. Unfortunately he wasn't due back until later in the day, which wasn't much help as I had to check out of the Enterprise Hotel before 10am. To complicate things once I checked out, with no cellphone, it would make contacting me a bit tricky. I gave them my number at the Enterprise all the same, had a shower and went downstairs to have breakfast. :(
There was allot of things on the cellphone I was not too pleased about losing. Giving it one last try I asked at reception if anyone had handed in a cellphone (there was a very slim chance that I may have dropped it somewhere around the hotel)and bingo-bango they told me the tour company had just rang saying that they had found the cellphone!
I was ultra relieved to say the very least and picked it up from AAT Kings, in Swanston Street, later than morning making me a very happy camper indeed! :)
I contacted the tour operator (AAT Kings) but they had not seen any sign of it. Clutching at straws I rang the cellphone number from the landline in my room, just incase it had fallen behind something or was hidden in one of my bags but alas there was silence.
There was still a slight chance that it may ring the next morning, as I had set it's alarm to sound just after 6:30am, to wake me early for the tour but there was not a peep out of it the following morning.
Later that same morning I rang the tour company again. They informed me that one had handed it in but they would ask the driver when he got to work. Unfortunately he wasn't due back until later in the day, which wasn't much help as I had to check out of the Enterprise Hotel before 10am. To complicate things once I checked out, with no cellphone, it would make contacting me a bit tricky. I gave them my number at the Enterprise all the same, had a shower and went downstairs to have breakfast. :(
There was allot of things on the cellphone I was not too pleased about losing. Giving it one last try I asked at reception if anyone had handed in a cellphone (there was a very slim chance that I may have dropped it somewhere around the hotel)and bingo-bango they told me the tour company had just rang saying that they had found the cellphone!
I was ultra relieved to say the very least and picked it up from AAT Kings, in Swanston Street, later than morning making me a very happy camper indeed! :)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
General Catchup 4 Lost and Found =camera saga
There were a number of near misses and a couple of misplacements that put a bit of a dark cloud over the otherwise fine holiday.
The first of these happened a few days into my trip down to Melbourne. I flew down there on Tuesday 7th October and stayed there until Saturday 11th October. Part of the reason for going down there was to do a day tour of the Great Ocean Road, which winds its way down the bottom of Australia and ends up in Adelaide, if you are willing to drive that far.
Anyway the tour had somehow been booked for the wrong day, so to kill time I decided to go on a train journey, just to see a bit of the outer regions of Melbourne. I purchased a Zone one and Two ticket and ended up taking the Hurstbridge train to a place called Diamond Creek.
Had lunch in Diamond Creek and went for a walk around Nillumbik Park. Took a few photos of the birds along and a family ducks (bathing in the Park’s pond) along the way. After a brief look around the local shopping center I caught the train back to Flinders Street Station.
On my way back to the Enterprise Hotel, where I was staying I suddenly realized that I no longer had my camera. I rang the railway station from my room but the lost and found had closed for the night. I never saw it again. Somewhere someone has claimed a free digital camera. May your fowls turn into emu’s and kick your fowl-house down!
Anyway I ended up purchasing a new Fujifilm 9 mega-pixal digital camera which proved to be better than the original 6 mega-pixal model. But I ended up leaving that behind when I visited my relations in South Windsor (See Visiting the Blackwell Blacksmith).
The first of these happened a few days into my trip down to Melbourne. I flew down there on Tuesday 7th October and stayed there until Saturday 11th October. Part of the reason for going down there was to do a day tour of the Great Ocean Road, which winds its way down the bottom of Australia and ends up in Adelaide, if you are willing to drive that far.
Anyway the tour had somehow been booked for the wrong day, so to kill time I decided to go on a train journey, just to see a bit of the outer regions of Melbourne. I purchased a Zone one and Two ticket and ended up taking the Hurstbridge train to a place called Diamond Creek.
Had lunch in Diamond Creek and went for a walk around Nillumbik Park. Took a few photos of the birds along and a family ducks (bathing in the Park’s pond) along the way. After a brief look around the local shopping center I caught the train back to Flinders Street Station.
On my way back to the Enterprise Hotel, where I was staying I suddenly realized that I no longer had my camera. I rang the railway station from my room but the lost and found had closed for the night. I never saw it again. Somewhere someone has claimed a free digital camera. May your fowls turn into emu’s and kick your fowl-house down!
Anyway I ended up purchasing a new Fujifilm 9 mega-pixal digital camera which proved to be better than the original 6 mega-pixal model. But I ended up leaving that behind when I visited my relations in South Windsor (See Visiting the Blackwell Blacksmith).
General Catchup 3 - Meeting the Guinea Pigs
Meeting the Guinea Pigs
(Ammended from Wiggley not Wiggles, sorry about that my most beloved of Guinea pigs!)
The following day I was introduced to Juliana and her two beloved Guinea Pigs, Wiggley and Ginger. You can read all about them on their own special blog: www.Ponderingsofaguineapig.blogspot.
Ginger has a fluffy ginger coat and seems quite proper in his manner, while Wiggley (not Wiggles), who is white with a few dark patches here and there, seems more rough and ready. A fair-dincum Australian with an in your face attitude. He tends to shy away from attention but seems to get a bit out of sorts when he is not the center of it.
They were very cute and fury to touch. Both are of a healthy size and eat healthily. The mere sight of lettuce or anything eatable makes them squeak with joy as is clearly shown on the aforementioned blog.
Wiggley and Ginger are quite out going are often chauffeured to Potts point in TEG (See TEG post for more details). Meeting them was one of the highlights of the trip. I took some pictures of them but are unable to upload them as I left my camera behind (See Lost and Found post)
(Ammended from Wiggley not Wiggles, sorry about that my most beloved of Guinea pigs!)
The following day I was introduced to Juliana and her two beloved Guinea Pigs, Wiggley and Ginger. You can read all about them on their own special blog: www.Ponderingsofaguineapig.blogspot.
Ginger has a fluffy ginger coat and seems quite proper in his manner, while Wiggley (not Wiggles), who is white with a few dark patches here and there, seems more rough and ready. A fair-dincum Australian with an in your face attitude. He tends to shy away from attention but seems to get a bit out of sorts when he is not the center of it.
They were very cute and fury to touch. Both are of a healthy size and eat healthily. The mere sight of lettuce or anything eatable makes them squeak with joy as is clearly shown on the aforementioned blog.
Wiggley and Ginger are quite out going are often chauffeured to Potts point in TEG (See TEG post for more details). Meeting them was one of the highlights of the trip. I took some pictures of them but are unable to upload them as I left my camera behind (See Lost and Found post)
General Catchup Two
I had been planning to go over to Australia for sometime, partly to attend a cousins' reunion, but mostly because I needed a break from everything and I wanted to catch up with my brother and see his new place in Potts Point, Sydney. The reunion was called off due to the passing away of my Uncle Jim (he lived in Lithgow- Blue Mountains, NSW) but I still went over there all the same.
I caught the 4:50pm Qantas flight on 3rd October 2008 and landed in Mascot airport around 5:20pm (Australian time). Steve met me there and took me back to his unit in Potts Point
The place is compact but has enough room for one person to live comfortably. It is one of about 30 or so units in a five story brick in a building. Quite central to everything you can think off. Kings Cross Station is about five minutes walk from there (depending on your walking speed of course) and the bus stop's even closer. It is also handy to a supermarket, dry cleaners, two video rental shops and not far from the highway that takes Steve to his Editing job at CCH - in North Ryde.
Most of the buildings in Sydney are made of brick or at least stone, which probably wouldn't work too well in Wellington with its propensity for earthquakes (lots of places in Wellington sit right on top of one fault-line or the other).
I settled in and had a few drinks that night with Steve and one of his Friends named Vincent. Good person who never seems stuck for something to say. You could almost go as far as to say he is quite well spoken.
I caught the 4:50pm Qantas flight on 3rd October 2008 and landed in Mascot airport around 5:20pm (Australian time). Steve met me there and took me back to his unit in Potts Point
The place is compact but has enough room for one person to live comfortably. It is one of about 30 or so units in a five story brick in a building. Quite central to everything you can think off. Kings Cross Station is about five minutes walk from there (depending on your walking speed of course) and the bus stop's even closer. It is also handy to a supermarket, dry cleaners, two video rental shops and not far from the highway that takes Steve to his Editing job at CCH - in North Ryde.
Most of the buildings in Sydney are made of brick or at least stone, which probably wouldn't work too well in Wellington with its propensity for earthquakes (lots of places in Wellington sit right on top of one fault-line or the other).
I settled in and had a few drinks that night with Steve and one of his Friends named Vincent. Good person who never seems stuck for something to say. You could almost go as far as to say he is quite well spoken.
general catch up one
Well I've done it again: started, farted tripped and fell. I was trying to keep up with this blog but for one reason or another ended up putting it on the back burner.
So, I guess a bit of a catch up is in order.
Not much has been going on with my writing lately, just the usual wee stories etc, on editred.com. You can have a look and read them if you wish.
Outside turning another year older, now well past the big 4 0 though not quite half a ton yet, the most significant thing that has happened to me of late is my recent trip to Australia.
I was going to account each day but that would take awhile and probably prove to be a bit on the tedious side for reading, which is sort of not in keeping with the whole idea of blogging. Instead I'll just give you a series of accounts recording the highlights of the trip.
So, I guess a bit of a catch up is in order.
Not much has been going on with my writing lately, just the usual wee stories etc, on editred.com. You can have a look and read them if you wish.
Outside turning another year older, now well past the big 4 0 though not quite half a ton yet, the most significant thing that has happened to me of late is my recent trip to Australia.
I was going to account each day but that would take awhile and probably prove to be a bit on the tedious side for reading, which is sort of not in keeping with the whole idea of blogging. Instead I'll just give you a series of accounts recording the highlights of the trip.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Haste ye not-Tritina Poetry
Arise Sir lazy-bones and don thy garb with haste
Brush ye fangs attend ye wig and swiftly to thy burden
Master awaits, time is scant, forsake thy break of fast
Oppressive toil for pittance paid, least thou surly fast
Workdays dawdle slothfully while weekends fly with haste
Escort thy in pile to thou out, keep stolid in thy burden
Oh shrilling rooster of the morn, prompter of my burden
Still the dark, sun reposed, me-thinks that thou art fast
Dare not stir me from thou sleep, ‘tis no time for haste
Haste ye not to thou burden by alarm clocks that art fast
Brush ye fangs attend ye wig and swiftly to thy burden
Master awaits, time is scant, forsake thy break of fast
Oppressive toil for pittance paid, least thou surly fast
Workdays dawdle slothfully while weekends fly with haste
Escort thy in pile to thou out, keep stolid in thy burden
Oh shrilling rooster of the morn, prompter of my burden
Still the dark, sun reposed, me-thinks that thou art fast
Dare not stir me from thou sleep, ‘tis no time for haste
Haste ye not to thou burden by alarm clocks that art fast
catch up
Well so much for my good intentions of keeping this blog up to date. It's been well over a year since I went near it.
I'm still doing tenpin bolwing each Wednesday. Our team "Whatever" came first in the "Wednesday Nighters League". The centre in Petone has closed down and moved a few hundred meters or so up he road into a flash new bowling centre called "Strike". Good name aye!
I've been out with the TTC, and recently lead a tramp to Fields Hutt in Otaki Forks: start of the Southern Crossing. They still have a slide show each week.
A for writing I have done a few short-short stories (or wee stories) for Editred
(check out mynamelez on the editred.com site.)
That's about all I can think off for now. I'll blog the rest another time.
I'm still doing tenpin bolwing each Wednesday. Our team "Whatever" came first in the "Wednesday Nighters League". The centre in Petone has closed down and moved a few hundred meters or so up he road into a flash new bowling centre called "Strike". Good name aye!
I've been out with the TTC, and recently lead a tramp to Fields Hutt in Otaki Forks: start of the Southern Crossing. They still have a slide show each week.
A for writing I have done a few short-short stories (or wee stories) for Editred
(check out mynamelez on the editred.com site.)
That's about all I can think off for now. I'll blog the rest another time.
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