Another Year 2011
With inexorable inevitability, it's that time again when you realise that you are another year older but you are not sure where it went or what you have to show for it. And then of course that Christmas thing has crept up on you unawares, again. Even though you know it happens every year, it somehow manages to be a surprise every time. Maybe that really is the enduring charm of Christmas, how many other things can happen over and over and still be a surprise! :) Anyway, to those of you who haven't had a card yet, it's in the post! Honest.
Work has continued at the same manic place, rushing here and there around the ASEAN region. I acquired a new boss in January, based in Melbourne but at least he was in the same country! Not seen much of him, he's always rushing around too, so mostly he has left me alone to get on with my training. We've had a few run ins over my (perceived) lack of corporate commitment. I run around, do the job professionally, get good reviews and they want me to love them as well? There is a name for that and my days in a sexy little black number are well behind me!
To their credit work have insisted that I take more holiday - I had built up quite a bit, so in September I took 3 weeks off to coincide with overseas visitors. To back track slightly ...
Wiwat's brother's daughter, Ni, has been staying in our spare room for almost 2 years whilst studying here in Australia. She is a qualified accountant, and was working for one of the big accounting companies when the G.F.C. happened. They encouraged staff to go do other things as they had insufficient work, so Ni came here to improve her English and do a Masters in Finance at Macquarie University. She graduated in September so her family came to
visit for three weeks.
The first week they were here, I was teaching in Singapore, so Wiwat got to take them around and show them the sights of Sydney. Neither of Ni's parents had been here before so it was all new for them.
The second week I hired an 8-seater Hyundai iMax which sounds like yet another trendy Apple device but is actually a small mini-bus! Hadn't driven for two years so th
at was fun challenge. We all drove down to Canberra and stayed two nights so we could go to Floriade - the Canberra Spring flower festival. Not the best day, we kept having to hide from periodic showers but the flower displays are magnificent. It was so good in fact, I encouraged the Queen to pop in herself when she was here two weeks later!
Next stop Cowra to visit their fabulous Japanese Garden. Cowra had Japanese prisoners of war during WWII and the garden was created starting in 1971 and is the largest in Australia.
The same day we drove on to Mudgee to stay with Fiona and Vanessa (Fion
a is a fellow emigrant from the UK, Vanessa is from NZ). They own two guest cottages, we stayed in one of them,
and a lot of land, so they also have alpacas, sheep, and ducks and are busy landscaping and rescuing the gardens from years of drought. There is a link to their blog at the top right of this one (see Links section).
Mudgee is yet another wine growing area, so a bit of tasting was called for. However none of Wiwat's family drink, so I couldn't indulge as much as I would like - and anyway I was driving. Spitting it out all the time was soul destroying!
Finally we headed off to the Blue Mountains and stayed in a nice little guest house in Leura run by a lady from Great Yarmouth (which is in Norfolk in the UK - most of my family are also from Norfolk).
Leura is a sweet little town, up on the Blue Mountains plateau close to well-known attractions like Leura Falls and the Three Sisters. Leura Mall, the main street, is full of cutsie little shops, cafes and restaurants.
We were very lucky the first day because it was fabulously glorious weather and the view was amazing. The following day was wet and cloudy and there was no view at all! The gum trees in the mist do look incredible.
Ni's graduation was
the following week at Macquarie University which is in the northern part of Sydney. Well out of the city it has a large campus with a lot of open area and a large lake - perfect for those essential graduation snapshots! Wiwat's cousin Daeng and her kids Max and Sammy joined us and so did Ni's cousin who had flown in from Thailand especially - we picked her up at the airport when dropping of the mini-bus after our week away.
Wiwat had an opportunity to show some pictures at a small Art show in Dubbo, courtesy of my friend Michele's father.
In the end, he decided to do some pictures specifically and here are a couple of them. As you can see there is a certain theme!
This has become a much longer entry than I anticipated, so enough for now. Wiwat and I wish you a fabulous Crimble and all the very best for the year ahead.
Work has continued at the same manic place, rushing here and there around the ASEAN region. I acquired a new boss in January, based in Melbourne but at least he was in the same country! Not seen much of him, he's always rushing around too, so mostly he has left me alone to get on with my training. We've had a few run ins over my (perceived) lack of corporate commitment. I run around, do the job professionally, get good reviews and they want me to love them as well? There is a name for that and my days in a sexy little black number are well behind me!
To their credit work have insisted that I take more holiday - I had built up quite a bit, so in September I took 3 weeks off to coincide with overseas visitors. To back track slightly ...
Wiwat's brother's daughter, Ni, has been staying in our spare room for almost 2 years whilst studying here in Australia. She is a qualified accountant, and was working for one of the big accounting companies when the G.F.C. happened. They encouraged staff to go do other things as they had insufficient work, so Ni came here to improve her English and do a Masters in Finance at Macquarie University. She graduated in September so her family came to
visit for three weeks.The first week they were here, I was teaching in Singapore, so Wiwat got to take them around and show them the sights of Sydney. Neither of Ni's parents had been here before so it was all new for them.
The second week I hired an 8-seater Hyundai iMax which sounds like yet another trendy Apple device but is actually a small mini-bus! Hadn't driven for two years so th
at was fun challenge. We all drove down to Canberra and stayed two nights so we could go to Floriade - the Canberra Spring flower festival. Not the best day, we kept having to hide from periodic showers but the flower displays are magnificent. It was so good in fact, I encouraged the Queen to pop in herself when she was here two weeks later!Next stop Cowra to visit their fabulous Japanese Garden. Cowra had Japanese prisoners of war during WWII and the garden was created starting in 1971 and is the largest in Australia.
 |  |
The same day we drove on to Mudgee to stay with Fiona and Vanessa (Fion
a is a fellow emigrant from the UK, Vanessa is from NZ). They own two guest cottages, we stayed in one of them,and a lot of land, so they also have alpacas, sheep, and ducks and are busy landscaping and rescuing the gardens from years of drought. There is a link to their blog at the top right of this one (see Links section).
 |  |
Mudgee is yet another wine growing area, so a bit of tasting was called for. However none of Wiwat's family drink, so I couldn't indulge as much as I would like - and anyway I was driving. Spitting it out all the time was soul destroying!
Finally we headed off to the Blue Mountains and stayed in a nice little guest house in Leura run by a lady from Great Yarmouth (which is in Norfolk in the UK - most of my family are also from Norfolk).
Leura is a sweet little town, up on the Blue Mountains plateau close to well-known attractions like Leura Falls and the Three Sisters. Leura Mall, the main street, is full of cutsie little shops, cafes and restaurants.
We were very lucky the first day because it was fabulously glorious weather and the view was amazing. The following day was wet and cloudy and there was no view at all! The gum trees in the mist do look incredible.
Ni's graduation was
the following week at Macquarie University which is in the northern part of Sydney. Well out of the city it has a large campus with a lot of open area and a large lake - perfect for those essential graduation snapshots! Wiwat's cousin Daeng and her kids Max and Sammy joined us and so did Ni's cousin who had flown in from Thailand especially - we picked her up at the airport when dropping of the mini-bus after our week away.Wiwat had an opportunity to show some pictures at a small Art show in Dubbo, courtesy of my friend Michele's father.
 |  |
This has become a much longer entry than I anticipated, so enough for now. Wiwat and I wish you a fabulous Crimble and all the very best for the year ahead.
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1:37 pm
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