Monday, December 29, 2003
Sunburn on my back, sand in my hair, sea salt on my face... love it. Went surfing yesterday and caught two awesome waves to the shore. Next purchase is a surf board... maybe a graduation present on return to Oz. Sure ain't going to be much surfing in Scotland in the next few years I can tell you!
Went out for drinks tonight with two great gal pals, Mandy and Jules. Popped in to one of my old haunts the 'Grace Emily' ; just so laid back and grungy... one lass next to me asked if I wanted to toke on her joint; very sweet, but no thanks. Just a caring sharing bunch though ;)
I have some lovely friends here in Adelaide... I'm a very lucky girl.
Another thing that has hit me in being back in Adelaide is how pleasant and friendly every body seems to be. Greeted at the airport customs with a cheerful "g'day there" and a smile even! In the UK if the customs people smiled, they'd crack their face.. or yours! It really is a relaxed and generally happy vibe here.
Really nice to be home.
Went out for drinks tonight with two great gal pals, Mandy and Jules. Popped in to one of my old haunts the 'Grace Emily' ; just so laid back and grungy... one lass next to me asked if I wanted to toke on her joint; very sweet, but no thanks. Just a caring sharing bunch though ;)
I have some lovely friends here in Adelaide... I'm a very lucky girl.
Another thing that has hit me in being back in Adelaide is how pleasant and friendly every body seems to be. Greeted at the airport customs with a cheerful "g'day there" and a smile even! In the UK if the customs people smiled, they'd crack their face.. or yours! It really is a relaxed and generally happy vibe here.
Really nice to be home.
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Everybody sing along to the chorus of a little John Denver now... Homeward bound, I wish I was, homeward bound.... Home! Where my thoughts are straying. Home! Where my music's playing. Home where my love life's waiting silently for me... well actually none of those actually apply, but I am home in Adelaide... Sempahore Park, South Australia. It is so soul enriching to get my fill of parental cuddles again :))
Had a real Christmas dinner last night with Mum and Dad. Dear Mum organised that for us as I had missed out in England. I flew out Christmas Day from Heathrow, so I managed to squeeze a beautiful woodland run in (with one beautiful hangover), a quick breakkie before much champagne and merriment with the Beechers and Woods who sure know how to do Christmas in style! The rest of my Christmas was spent with a lunatic private car driver speeding me to the airport whilst grabbing my knee every few miles and 'hinting' like a sledge hammer that he was a free agent and could join me on my journey to Australia if I was game... eeeeuuuuwwwww. Managed a sandwich in the airport and a nice meal of beef in blackbean sauce for Christmas din dins.
Amazing, I was mountainbiking in the Scottish snow of Glentress Forest last weekend and this weekend I have been strolling along the longest stretch of sandy beach and plunging into the sea on a sunny 28C day. Got sun burned too :) Today it is forecast to be 37C and I am absconding with Mum's car to visit mate, Matt, and his fab beach house in Middleton. Proposing a beach run and some surfin'... dude!
I can't tell you how gorgeous Mum and Dad's beach front palace is. The sun glimmers off the sea waves, sparkling into the sun room and dancing along to join the fountain in the courtyard garden in the centre of the house. The front view looks out over the ocean and the back decking to the Adelaide Hills.
More of life on the seaside to come...
Had a real Christmas dinner last night with Mum and Dad. Dear Mum organised that for us as I had missed out in England. I flew out Christmas Day from Heathrow, so I managed to squeeze a beautiful woodland run in (with one beautiful hangover), a quick breakkie before much champagne and merriment with the Beechers and Woods who sure know how to do Christmas in style! The rest of my Christmas was spent with a lunatic private car driver speeding me to the airport whilst grabbing my knee every few miles and 'hinting' like a sledge hammer that he was a free agent and could join me on my journey to Australia if I was game... eeeeuuuuwwwww. Managed a sandwich in the airport and a nice meal of beef in blackbean sauce for Christmas din dins.
Amazing, I was mountainbiking in the Scottish snow of Glentress Forest last weekend and this weekend I have been strolling along the longest stretch of sandy beach and plunging into the sea on a sunny 28C day. Got sun burned too :) Today it is forecast to be 37C and I am absconding with Mum's car to visit mate, Matt, and his fab beach house in Middleton. Proposing a beach run and some surfin'... dude!
I can't tell you how gorgeous Mum and Dad's beach front palace is. The sun glimmers off the sea waves, sparkling into the sun room and dancing along to join the fountain in the courtyard garden in the centre of the house. The front view looks out over the ocean and the back decking to the Adelaide Hills.
More of life on the seaside to come...
Friday, December 19, 2003
First 'dry day' since my last entry came around on Wednesday 17th. The women's running group Christmas dinner was a hoot. I won the award for the runner least likely to run out of chat during a run. Hazel got the runner to give Alex (our trainer) the best snog! Dr. Kirsten Macdonald was awarded the runner least likely to take medical (or any) advice). etc. etc.
Thursday night was a bizarre farewell party for my mate, Julia. There was the weirdest mish mash of people, not withstanding the most bizarre being the host who was a 40 year old Hong Kongese chap who was brought up in Adelaide and told us all about his S&M fantasies... please! Oh, and Roger that 50 year old raving queen who was trying it on with Ben... OH PLEASE! But there was champagne and I enjoyed myself tremendously ;)
Friday night was mulled wine party #1 with a cool bunch of outdoorsy types.
Saturday morning I managed to get my lazy ass out of bed and run a couple of times around Arthur's Seat. It was even more enjoyable than usual due to all the lovely men in lycra warming up for the world cross country championships on the Sunday.
Saturday night I got 'all dolled up' to go out for a night on the town with Ben and Yvonne. They both came to mine for a few quiet wines before dinner and dancing. At 1:30am, we suddenly thought... hmmm, dinner and dancing hasn't happened yet. At 3am, we three were snoozing on my living room floor. Ben and I still got up a few hours later and met another mate, Chris, for one of the best mountain bike rides I've had perhaps ever. I was flying and actually got AIR over a couple of jumps! No falls. No swollen knees! Yippeeee! Sunday night Ben and I were trashed and comforted ourselves with movie food and a flick - Rancid Aluminium.... his choice I assure you.
Monday night I went with Jim to see 'Touching the Void', the story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. What an amazing testimony to the resilience of the human mind and body. We all went to the pub after, but I had to make a hasty exit to go for a long walk and absorb it. DO read the book or see the documentary if you get the chance!!
Tuesday I finally made it after months of absenteeism to the usual weekly beer night at the Guilford Arms with the mountainbiking crew. Had to laugh that I got chatting to a very cool Kiwi lass, Lara, who has been living in Edinburgh for the last 5 years (of course it involved staying on for a boy). After a while of chatting she asked me where abouts on the South Island I was from... honey, you have obviously been away from home far too long... I'm an Aussie, mate!
So, any way... tis just about Christmas upon us. Kind of makes people go a bit nutso really doesn't it!? 'Must catch up before Christmas'... the mad dash to squeeze absolutely every one you have ever met in your life (well in the same country) into a couple of days. Probably just as well I'll be spending most of Christmas in the air with the lovely lads and lassies from Singapore Airlines. I don't think my liver can stand too many more mulled wine parties! Number 3 tonight!!
Red wine is the devil... and ain't she sweet
Thursday night was a bizarre farewell party for my mate, Julia. There was the weirdest mish mash of people, not withstanding the most bizarre being the host who was a 40 year old Hong Kongese chap who was brought up in Adelaide and told us all about his S&M fantasies... please! Oh, and Roger that 50 year old raving queen who was trying it on with Ben... OH PLEASE! But there was champagne and I enjoyed myself tremendously ;)
Friday night was mulled wine party #1 with a cool bunch of outdoorsy types.
Saturday morning I managed to get my lazy ass out of bed and run a couple of times around Arthur's Seat. It was even more enjoyable than usual due to all the lovely men in lycra warming up for the world cross country championships on the Sunday.
Saturday night I got 'all dolled up' to go out for a night on the town with Ben and Yvonne. They both came to mine for a few quiet wines before dinner and dancing. At 1:30am, we suddenly thought... hmmm, dinner and dancing hasn't happened yet. At 3am, we three were snoozing on my living room floor. Ben and I still got up a few hours later and met another mate, Chris, for one of the best mountain bike rides I've had perhaps ever. I was flying and actually got AIR over a couple of jumps! No falls. No swollen knees! Yippeeee! Sunday night Ben and I were trashed and comforted ourselves with movie food and a flick - Rancid Aluminium.... his choice I assure you.
Monday night I went with Jim to see 'Touching the Void', the story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. What an amazing testimony to the resilience of the human mind and body. We all went to the pub after, but I had to make a hasty exit to go for a long walk and absorb it. DO read the book or see the documentary if you get the chance!!
Tuesday I finally made it after months of absenteeism to the usual weekly beer night at the Guilford Arms with the mountainbiking crew. Had to laugh that I got chatting to a very cool Kiwi lass, Lara, who has been living in Edinburgh for the last 5 years (of course it involved staying on for a boy). After a while of chatting she asked me where abouts on the South Island I was from... honey, you have obviously been away from home far too long... I'm an Aussie, mate!
So, any way... tis just about Christmas upon us. Kind of makes people go a bit nutso really doesn't it!? 'Must catch up before Christmas'... the mad dash to squeeze absolutely every one you have ever met in your life (well in the same country) into a couple of days. Probably just as well I'll be spending most of Christmas in the air with the lovely lads and lassies from Singapore Airlines. I don't think my liver can stand too many more mulled wine parties! Number 3 tonight!!
Red wine is the devil... and ain't she sweet
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
The only word I can utter right now is... YAHOOOOOOOO! Just had a 2.5 hour grilling presentation and discussion to a panel of four academics for my 1st year PhD review. Bloody hard yards, but ultimately a positive experience. Made me think... which is a good thing ;) Got some great feedback and big pats on the back from the two external examiners who were gob smacked at the amount of work involved. 1582 case notes to review and collect data from... + etc. etc.
So much to look forward to from here on in. Christmas dinner and drinkies with my lady running mates tonight, farewell party tomorrow night for Canadian chum, mulled wine party Friday night, clubbin' Saturday night with Ben, mountain biking Sunday... well, it's always good to be optimistic where exercise and alcohol are involved...
To London Monday 22nd to spend time with dear long-time friends, fly to Australia from London Christmas night. Christmas in the AIR! Excess of sun, surf and sand. Lots of quality Mummy and Daddy and Lil Lil time. Good mates, good wine, good times. Do still look forward to also return to Ed. via Singapore and London for a night each for skiing in Feb... then Rome marathon... then the Dolomites... etc. etc. etc. Oh yes... there is MORE.
Life is GRAND.
OK... Putting the out-of-the-office sign on the door. Written up my notes from the meeting, now I'm about to blow some of those brain cells I just used to do that!
TO THE BAR!
So much to look forward to from here on in. Christmas dinner and drinkies with my lady running mates tonight, farewell party tomorrow night for Canadian chum, mulled wine party Friday night, clubbin' Saturday night with Ben, mountain biking Sunday... well, it's always good to be optimistic where exercise and alcohol are involved...
To London Monday 22nd to spend time with dear long-time friends, fly to Australia from London Christmas night. Christmas in the AIR! Excess of sun, surf and sand. Lots of quality Mummy and Daddy and Lil Lil time. Good mates, good wine, good times. Do still look forward to also return to Ed. via Singapore and London for a night each for skiing in Feb... then Rome marathon... then the Dolomites... etc. etc. etc. Oh yes... there is MORE.
Life is GRAND.
OK... Putting the out-of-the-office sign on the door. Written up my notes from the meeting, now I'm about to blow some of those brain cells I just used to do that!
TO THE BAR!
Saturday, December 06, 2003
Totally random things...
Wednesday night I ran a 6.5 minute mile! Get out my way Paula Radcliffe (she's a fast English marathon runner!!)
Got up at 5:30am yesterday morning and met Kirsten for a gentle morning run. It was a good hour and 20 minutes as I ran around Arthur's Seat twice, once with her and another lap on my own. It is so gorgeous up there!! Not a soul around at that time of the morning. Amazing to look over Edinburgh as she sleeps.
Last night I met Kirsten and some of her medico mates for a quiet drink after work at Doctors . Planned to have a glass of wine and then head home to study. Hmm, got in about 3am and talked on the phone to Kazz in Canada until 4:30am. Not much study done consequently. Cleaned my mate's house though (been housesitting for Ben)!
I got a letter from the bank today that they've increased my credit to £1000. Fanplastic!
Wednesday night I ran a 6.5 minute mile! Get out my way Paula Radcliffe (she's a fast English marathon runner!!)
Got up at 5:30am yesterday morning and met Kirsten for a gentle morning run. It was a good hour and 20 minutes as I ran around Arthur's Seat twice, once with her and another lap on my own. It is so gorgeous up there!! Not a soul around at that time of the morning. Amazing to look over Edinburgh as she sleeps.
Last night I met Kirsten and some of her medico mates for a quiet drink after work at Doctors . Planned to have a glass of wine and then head home to study. Hmm, got in about 3am and talked on the phone to Kazz in Canada until 4:30am. Not much study done consequently. Cleaned my mate's house though (been housesitting for Ben)!
I got a letter from the bank today that they've increased my credit to £1000. Fanplastic!
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Something STRANGE happens to the people in Edinburgh when Winter comes. They tend to hibernate, and only the desperate and the CRAZIES tend to come out after dark. You will only tend to find the fitness fanatics, the desperate who have run out of food and drink supplies making the mad dash from car to shop and back to the car again, or the truly insane who think it's a bit bright out today.
The sun is setting just on 3pm now. By the time I hop on my treddly to ride home it is dark as pitch. I rode home tonight through the beautiful, but spooky-by-night Colinton Dell forest trail to the Union Canal. I not only use a bike light, but I also wear a head torch so I can see and people can see me. Very few people are out on their bikes and even fewer are on foot on these trails in winter. I love it! But there are some nutters I tell you. As I got on to the canal tonight, I rode passed one of the three guys I saw on the whole journey home and all I heard come out of his mouth was 'fu&*in' this and 'fu-+in' that. Infact I think that was the extent of his vocabulary. Should have stopped longer for a chit chat but feared for my life quite frankly.
The sun is setting just on 3pm now. By the time I hop on my treddly to ride home it is dark as pitch. I rode home tonight through the beautiful, but spooky-by-night Colinton Dell forest trail to the Union Canal. I not only use a bike light, but I also wear a head torch so I can see and people can see me. Very few people are out on their bikes and even fewer are on foot on these trails in winter. I love it! But there are some nutters I tell you. As I got on to the canal tonight, I rode passed one of the three guys I saw on the whole journey home and all I heard come out of his mouth was 'fu&*in' this and 'fu-+in' that. Infact I think that was the extent of his vocabulary. Should have stopped longer for a chit chat but feared for my life quite frankly.
