Day Eighty Nine

Spent some of the day at Oxfam today, was helping them tag all the pictures of teams on the Trailwalker event, pretty mundane, but I guess some poor African child is benefiting from it!

I'm going back in on Friday to help them out with event wrap up etc.

Apart from that not much else to report really. It wont be long til we are back in blighty, well 2 weeks to be precise so we'll start to organise meet ups with people!

Day Eighty Eight

Two fat Ladies ..... Eighty Eight

A day at home mainly apart from some food shopping out. We did housey stuff, Kate did some sewing, taking up our bedroom curtains. I sorted a few bits out. We had our regular postal delivery from UK with updates from folks. Nice to hear all the news and check out pictures.

Not much else to report really. Oxfam phoned me and asked me to go in tomorrow to help out which I'm happy to do.

A funny video Alvin sent me, the Aussies will find this amusing!

It may need to play through once and buffer up properly, suggest you watch it a second time if its stuttering

Day Eighty Seven

A quiet day around the house, not really very much to report. Did some food shopping this morning, looked at a few jobs, emailed the people I interviewed with on Friday to say I wasn't interested.

Had a massive thunderstorm early this evening, fork lightning everywhere, rivers running down the street. Still it filled our rainwater tank up a bit I'm sure.

Had a long call with folks on Skype, talked them through Adelaide pics (on facebook).

Chilled out this evening.

Day Eighty Six

Another great day in Adelaide, we got up and headed out to the hills. There was a great view over the city from up on high. We then drove to Harndorf (not sure spelling is correct!) which is a German settlement, had a quick lunch, then back to grab our stuff and to the airport.

Chris and Hanna saw us off (thanks for great weekend) and before we knew it we were back in Sydney. We had Poh from Masterchef on our plane, some D list celeb over here but everyone seemed to be falling over themselves to speak to her...yawn. Got picked up by Carol, had some dinner and its bed time! Below are few highlight snaps form weekend, full set will be on facebook during tomorrow.

Oh and I found this cool link on t'internet, great to think this was 10 mins from my folks house...

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/blackbushe.html


Overlooking Adelaide


Beach Sunset 1

Beach Sunset 2

The Tap Inn

Day Eighty Five

Saturday in Adelaide

A busy day today, we got up had brekkie and then went to the Haighs Chocolate Factory, we did a tour and hit the shop.

http://haighschocolates.com.au/

After that we dropped Hannah and Kate at the Bridal shop for dress fittings (Kate will be Hannah's bridesmaid in March). Chris and I went shopping for hard disc to copy a load of stuff they have so we can take it back to Sydney.

We then went to the Tap Inn for lunch, a golf themed pub. Was very good

http://www.tapinn.com.au/

We came back to the house to check in for flights and then we drove out to Glenelg beach to watch the sunset.

A trip home, grabbed some food and then the others hit the Spa in the garden. A movie and bed.

I'll add pics here tomorrow when we get back to Sydney.

Day Eighty Four

Friday...

Got up and packed for Adelaide and then wondered into town for the job interview. It's funny you can tell people who have no experience of interviewing people and I had two people like this interviewing me. Were not listening to what I had to say rather jumping straight to next question.

Had to do some practical stuff too.

Will give it some thought over weekend as to whether I want this role, my gut says its not right (of course it hasn't been offered yet!).

Got picked up by Kate and Bill and We drove to the airport. We have flown to Adelaide to see Chris and Hannah and celebrate Chris's birthday.

I'm amazed that you can check in for a flight (domestic), then anyone can wonder air side and effectively get in a plane. they do not check photo ID against boarding cards, so anyone could be on any plane...not like Europe. guess that's the Aussie way but I'm sure it will come back to bite them.

Met Chris and Hannah at Airport and went to their house. Its great. We then went out for dinner in town here

http://www.mapo.com.au/

We ate far too much but the food was superb!

Adelaide is a very low rise city and generally very flat..

Came home and chilled out before bed.

Day Eighty Three

A fairly uneventful day. We did a load of housework and then hit the shops briefly. I did speak to that company about event management contract job and have an interview in the morning. It's only a 7 week contract and I did mention I would be away some of the time but they still want to see me so could be a good sign. Fingers Crossed.

We went over to Willoughby this evening after a Skype call with my folks. Had a Thai takeaway which was all good.

The weather has gone a bit pants here, rained most of the day. It's funny I was reading BBC website, in particular this...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8183365.stm

It seems there more coverage in UK about it, not heard any mention of it in the media over here, of course I may have just missed it. Incidentally, not been anywhere near the Opera House yet!

Blog updates may be a bit intermittent over next few days.

Day Eighty Two

Wednesday Wednesday....

We had a good trip into the city today, took the tram which only 5 stops later, less than 10 minutes drops us on the north side of Darling Harbour by the bridge. A quick walk over and you are at the QVB.

We shopped for new bedding, we've been hunting down some specific stuff which is end of line. A few department stores later and we struck lucky and fund all the bits we wanted. Cost us 450 dollars but that was reduced from over 800...result.

Prior to shopping I sent a CV in for a contract event management job i was tipped off about by the Oxfam gang. I just made closing date and hopefully I can interview thus week. it's advertised as starting next week so lets see. !3 days in UK might be a problem!

Ah and one other nightmare, some bugger had dinged our car, much like the 206 in London someone had put a knock in it an driven off...Mighty annoying, still thats third time its happened to me/us this year so hopefully thats it.

Had superb swordfish from fish market for dinner.

Day Eighty One

Today I went back into Oxfam Office to see the team and go for a celebration lunch and debrief the event. It was good, although it was a fully vegetarian meal at a Japanese place. It was good but I know I'm not a veggie!

We put together the spare bed in our spare room trying to get that room sorted as we have guests staying in 4 weeks time.

Came home from Oxfam and waited for Kate who was out. We had some dinner and dint get much else done. The days seem to fly by despite being unemployed!

I have just knocked up a plylist in Itunes of some of favourite tunes if anyones interested. (This list changes over time, some are current, some come and go to the top list!)

One Day Like This Elbow
Rule the World (Radio Edit) Take That
Make You Feel My Love Adele
You Are My Sister Antony & The Johnsons
Topaz The B-52's
Concrete Sky [Acoustic] Beth Orton
Wonderful Life Black
Warning Sign Coldplay
Closer Corrs
Perfect Blue Buildings Counting Crows
the blewers daughter Damien Rice
Life on Mars? David Bowie
Chocolate Girl Deacon Blue
Warwick Avenue Duffy
Today Tomorrow Sometime Never Echobelly
Munich Editors
Song For Guy (Single Version) Elton John
Suspicious Minds Elvis Presley
Safer Gabriella Cilmi
You Look So Fine Garbage
Who Said This Was The End? Gene
Another Man's Cause Levellers
Nothing Else Matters Metallica
You Can't Uneat the Apple My Life Story
Dream Catch Me Newton Faulkner
The Master Plan Oasis
The Circle Ocean Colour Scene
Porcelain Gods Paul Weller
Dear Mr. President Pink
Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) Pink Floyd
Kings Of Medicine Placebo
Roads Portishead
Find the River R.E.M.
No Surprises Radiohead
Golden Touch Razorlight
Parallel Universe Red Hot Chili Peppers
Angels Robbie Williams
Mary Scissor Sisters
La Ritournelle Sébastien Tellier
Diamond Road Sheryl Crow
1979 Smashing Pumpkins
Chasing Cars Snow Patrol
Maybe Tomorrow Stereophonics
When I'm Thinking About You The Sundays
Underdog (Save Me) Turin Brakes
Walk On U2
Ultraviolet (Light My Way) U2
One Tree Hill U2
Cries Too Hard The Whitlams
Simple Philosophy Will Young
Fisherman's Blues [Live] The Wonder Stuff
In the Waiting Line Zero 7

Day Eighty

Another chilled out day, got up and dis half an hour on the Wii. We went over to North Sydney and went shopping in Chatswood Chase and Westfield. Had a salad for lunch over there. looking for bedding at moment, seen some stuff we like just need to find all of it in stock.

Came home and had a video call with Hazel. Also had a call with Chris and Hannah. We may stay in Adelaide a day longer after the weekend.

Not much to report, we've realised it's 3 weeks tomorrow when we fly back to blighty, don't know where the time has gone!

Day Seventy Nine

A quiet day at home not doing much at all. We went to the shops to grab some lunch and food for rest of week. This afternoon we just hung out around the house, had a good video call with folks and this evening we have been vegging in front of TV.

We are both pretty tired, from events and late nights.

Day Seventy Eight

**I've updated previous 2 days posts with photos**

A bit of a lay in after previous 2 days early starts. Bill and carol arrived to help us get our new bed upstairs/over the balcony. A bit of shoving got the mattress up the stairs, and then we winched the base over the balcony and thankfully it went in just (was worried about the angles myself). See pics below.

I then had to shoot off to coordinate one of the checkpoints in the trailwalker event. I had Kate, Bill and Carol come and visit to help out. There wasn't much for them ot do as all the volunteers had shown up, plus the event was winding down at that checkpoint by then.

We had our last team through at about 6pm, so I got the tear down underway and we were all done by 6.30. Had all our gear collected and I went back to event control.

Other checkpoints and the finish had more fun, it's been very windy here today and the marquees near the coast effectively took off, collapsed and have been written off.

I went to visit the finish after I was done at event control and there wasn't much left there. A shame really as walkers didn't get much fanfare as a result, but crowds were cheering everyone on.

Tomorrow is a catch up cal with family which will be good, not spoken tot hem for a week with all this running around. Plus we need to go and invest in queen size bedding for the new bed!

Day Seventy Seven

A slightly later start today, picked up another Oxfam person (also an ex UKer) from the Parkway Hotel and headed to our checkpoint (7) to start the build.

Our gear had already been delivered from Oxfam HQ and our power and lighting was in place.

The marquee contractors were late so that put us a bit behind, anyway they showed up and started their build. I'm intrigued to the visas some of their crew are on as hardly any of them could speak English so they cannot be on skilled migrant visas etc, guess I'll just have to wonder.

As marquees were finished, the IT team set up and I spent time wiring everything up to generator etc.

Had some lunch and spent rest of day getting everything ready for volunteer team who started showing up at about 3.30.

Got them all up and running and the first team of runners flew through at 17.40. You can track the event here

http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/nsw/results

checked in at next checkpoint a This is based on the system the event uses to track runners. After a certain time if they haven'tprocedure for searching for them kicks in.

Finished up at about 7pm, swung by the control centre briefly and came back to meet Kate in Willoughby.

I'll add more pics tomorrow when at home but in meantime for interest the photos here continue to be updated throughout the event...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/oxfamtrailwalkersydney2009/pool/

I was climbing up the start gantry you can see yesterday wiring up speakers...I was loving it!

Checkpoint 7 which I built today...

Day Seventy Six

A very long day...

I was awake at 6am and out of the hotel by 7.20 and on my way to the start to build the infrastructure for Trailwalker event start. The start is in Brooklyn here

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&q=maps+brooklyn+nsw&ie=UTF8&split=0&ei=0GqWSofaD4z06gP0nY24CQ&ll=-33.548383,151.229661&spn=0.00321,0.004823&t=h&z=18

We effectively took over the car park with marquees and other stuff. I'll add pics here over weekend, the camera is buried in car at moment and it's too late to think about it.

We were running well to schedule until we had some problems with start gantry, a long story but sorted it eventually.

After lunch we drove south to French's Forest to build the event control. Basically fitting an office infrastructure in a scout hut in about 3 hours. It all went quite well.

Left there late and met Kate at Willoughby where we have had dinner and now we are heading home to sleep.

Our new bed was also delivered to Glebe today.

I'm knackered...

More tomorrow, I'm responsible for building checkpoint 7 here

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=davidson+park+nsw&sll=-33.548383,151.229661&sspn=0.00321,0.004823&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.769311,151.20374&spn=0.006404,0.009645&t=h&z=17

More marquees etc, although an earlier start at 9.30.

The Start...

Day Seventy Five

A day mainly at home before heading into Oxfam office for pre event brief. Did a lot of running about in office for last minute stuff, had briefings etc and then drove north to the Bluegum hotels. Had a few drinks in bar and then hit the sack in readiness for events of Thursday.

Day Seventy Four

Got up and hit the Wii for half hour, still trying to keep at it!

Had a light lunch and then in the afternoon I went to meet with a recruitment agent on market Street. Kate dropped me off. Meeting went very well. It came out of the exercise of mailing 34 agents last week.

Basically I think the agency was set up by Brits, the main contact is from England and the guy I met for 40 mins or so was from Scotland. He seemed very positive and we explored lots of avenues, form event management to telecoms. They started in telco sector so have lots of contacts.

They are now looking around for me, they know our plans for UK visit etc so will factor that in. came away feeling quite upbeat!

Had a lovely dinner at home and then watched a load of TV. Tuesdays are the best night for telly here it seems with back to back stuff all evening. Having said that as I sit here and type Kate is engrossed in some American girlie telly!

Tomorrow I start work on Trailwalker event, staying overnight further North and an early start for all day work on Thursday. There's unlikely to be a blog update tomorrow night as a result!

Day Seventy Three

Oh before I forget

Come on England! Well done the Ashes boys!


A fairly quiet day today, just hanging around the house, doing soem job research and not much else.

We unpacked the last of the general boxes, so only 5 left but all full with CD's and DVDs awaiting shelves.

I put a hook up on the balconly so we can winch the bed over when it arrives Thursday, will do winching on Saturday I think.

Got a great delivery of update form folks today, great to read whats happening in blighty.

Tomorrow I meet a recruitment agent and we plan to cook lasagne for dinner!

Day Seventy Two

A quiet day, got up late as I watched the ashes late. As I write this England are 5 wickets away from winning.

Went to Willoughby to watch the AFL, had a nice lunch in the sun in the garden. it's winter here but still perfectly warm enough to sit outside and eat.

Had a good Skype call with folks and then sister. Updated them with all the news.

As I say I'm watching cricket here, its 12.20am, i should go to bed soon but cricket is great!

Day Seventy One

A day mainly around the house, we did a load of Wii Fit before going out to Glebe Markets and then Broadway shopping centre. Bought another lamp for the bedroom and a few bits for kitchen.

Came home and washed the car, watched the ashes highlights from yesterday and mostly this evening have been watching live action from day 3. looks like England have it. Might have to hang the George Cross flag out tomorrow!

Below is a picture I took of the power pole that can be seen from our kitchen. I thought it made an interesting pic.

Tomorrow is more shopping and watching AFL in Willoughby.

Day Seventy

Oh the life of the unemployed....

We did a few things around the house before grabbing some lunch up at the AB. I then went into Oxfam to finish off a few bits that were outstanding. Kate did a few bits at the post office.

I came home and then we decided we should get out of the house this evening and ended up going to Luna Park. Hit a few rides, then had a drink and snack in the bar there before coming home. there's a few pics below.

Have a good weekend all!