
Monday, August 31, 2009
nearly there

coming home - really
I am on my way. Now that I am back in Frankfurt I can actually get t-mobile coverage. Warning, if you plan to actually leave the airport in Frankfurt and move around the countryside, DO NOT pay T-mobile for internet. I have been huddling on streetcorners, hugging phone booths, doing anything I could to fire off the odd email and skype my family. It has been poor at best.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
on to Dresden
onwards and upwards
Thursday, August 20, 2009
come on home

Tuesday, August 18, 2009
absolutely fabulous darling
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Vancouver with clear skies
So how does Vancouver rate? I couldn't live there. I spent a fair time walking and on public transport and I was threatened, re-routed (a pipe bomb scare) and weirded out by junkies and violent drunks. I like public transport too much to give it up.
Victoria
See, I am not bludging, I really did work all day and it was very interesting, I have a lot to digest and notes to organise and plans to make. I'll be doing some things differently because of what I learned here. I am figuring out that the people are the basis of the system, and everything else needs to work around them. Radical stuff.
I wouldn't mind having a China Town (or an Indonesian, Malay, Indian etc Town) in Townsville. With a name like Townsville maybe we should start collecting them.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
travelogue
Auckland airport and I had some shopping to do. Drive the economy a bit. Then I looked for an internet kiosk. I just wanted to let Boab know I was OK. There was a small kiosk with 3 computers provided by Samsung, and a line up. So I cued patiently, waiting for a go, got there after a long wait and fired up the mail. It wouldn't work, wrong browser (opera). I tried to find my blog, and got somebody else's. Rattled by the shuffling in the cue behind me I gave up. Sorry mate.
Then onto the plane for 12 hours of sitting around. I watched a bad movie and dozed. I was in the normal cheap seats where even I could get leg cramps from a lack of room, but Air NZ does have fantastic service, nice wine, good food and cozy blankets. I still had an empty seat next door and a friendly Newfie to talk to, so it wasn't too bad.
Vancouver at last and the usual customs shuffle. To the hotel eventually to find it a bit of a dump, but clean. I had to change rooms to get a working phone so I could finally call home. Then a hot shower and a pact to stay awake until at least 9pm.
I had a hard choice, but I went for the albacore tuna and a glass of BC pinot noir. I was served an excellent starter of warm, crusty and yeasty rolls (3 of them!- I ate one.) and a superb tapinade of olives and preserved lemon. A few sips of excellent wine and the main arrives. Perfect seared white tuna sliced and arranged on a rosti of potatoes and celeriac, topped with the tiniest green beans cooked to perfection, and the tuna smoky from the grill and still raw in the middle.
Back on the bus for the long trip back to the dive and now it is after 9pm on Friday and isn’t it interesting the sort of people who ride buses. A real cultural experience.
I arrived safe and sound and had a restless night, sleeping through the day. Them I made my way to Vancouver Island on the ferry.
It was cold and windy but I had the gear for it and I enjoyed the top deck.
My friend Di picked me up at the terminal and we had a fun afternoon of a pub lunch, shopping and tea drinking, a nice meal. I should go to bed but (unlike my usual form) I am wide awake at nearly 11pm.
update: I have caved and bought a EeePC so I can get some work done and blog.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
listening to my wheels
25 days til I ride my bike again. The only things I will miss worse are my boys. *sigh*.
Great circle route map courtesy 'Great Circle Mapper'. If they have a trainer set up on the plane and I pedal the whole way can I claim that mileage?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Happy Birthday BoaB
