Eating out in Sydney

Catching up with people generally involves eating and/or drinking. The past week has seem me catching up with Enisa & Trond, most of my family and Matt.

I last saw Enisa and Trond when I visited them in Oslo last year. However in search of warmer climes they have since moved back to Sydney. On Thursday Trond cooked up a lovely Lasagna and Enisa slaved away in the.... err..... bought delicious chocolate muffins. It was a very relaxing evening. Although after cooking dinner Trond had to do some work on a project hes involved in back in Oslo... no rest for the chef.

On Friday I also cooked Duck Ragu for my aunt and uncle. The meal normally takes 6 hours, but because I had a 4 hour lunch with Jamie who I met in Vietnam, the reduction was hastened, slightly compromising the meal as far as I was concerned, but all I received were compliments. Even when its not at its best its still delicious.



The following day I headed to the outer suburbs of Sydney - I think it was still Sydney... for another Aunts 50th. A very enjoyable evening catching up with family members, also met a local polish priest who asked where my husband was (I think it had something to do with the comment from my family about never having a job but spending the past 12 months traveling, which leads to the obvious conclusion that I have a husband bankrolling me) and even after finding out I didn't have a husband, asked when I was going to have children.... a little strange for a priest, but.... this is a guy who took a position because he mistakenly thought his supervisor offered him a post in Austria, which would be very close to home for him, only to find himself in Canberra...

The following day involved a visit to the local plod shop to see if we could use their breathalyser to see if/when someone - not myself - was fit to drive home. They wouldn't oblige.

That evening Matt and I went out to dinner at Rise in The Cross. This is an amazing restaurant, 7 delicious courses.... ummmm.... well worth a visit. This was a very civilised evening for Matt and I, a normal evening generally involves us both consuming copious amounts of alcohol and very little food.... We then ventured out to the Victoria room for some delightful post dinner drinks. A lovely evening indeed.

So the last two days has seem me cut back on drinking and eat lovely simple (but very spicy) salads and stir fries - I still cant believe how much fruit and vegetables cost over here... the price difference is incredible. And dont let me start on the quality of seafood. Sydney is normally wonderful for fresh seafood, but the first prawns I had (at a restaurant) must have been frozen and defrosted numerous times....

And cos I know I have been lazy with photos here are a few I took at my grandparents place.

Grand generation

I visited my grandparents - Boppa and Nanna - today, I have seen them 5 times since I have been home - yes I am luckily they are still with me so I am spending quite a bit of time with them. Generally the evening is quiet but I can sometimes get Boppa talking - like when no one else is around and he thinks he has to entertain me. So he tells me stories of his past.... being swindled in Bangkok, working to support his family since he was 13.5, fighting in the war, buying his first factory at 30ish with absolutely no money, traveling the world with his job, having difficulties in Lebanon because he had previously been to Israel (I understand all about the Middle East airport interrogations...), rising up to own a few factories, while being a father of 6.... he is a very interesting character and gorgeous at that.

He is so proud of me which is so sweet, he wants me to get a job just so he can brag to his mates at the club.... last time I was over I mentioned I had printed my thesis and now just needed to bind, submit and graduate. He asked if he could come to my graduation. My mother has (finally) headed over to Edinburgh to see Brendan and Sophie, so she wouldn't be able to make the next graduation (she suggested I put it off until the next one, but that would be in November and then its likely I wouldn't be there so neither of us could go....) therefor I have an extra seat or two... so I had decided I would ask both my grandparents along. I hadn't yet asked as I didn't have a date... so Boppa beat me to it. Nanna said I should have told him to shut up and wait to be asked.

If I ever want to graduate

as a doctor.... instead of the near-enough-to Doctor that has been ok for the last 9 months... I have to graduate. And in order to graduate I must submit the corrected version of my thesis. In order to submit it I must make the corrections, have my supervisor sign off on the corrections, print 7 copies, get them bound, have the head of school approve the corrections and then I can take it to the faculty office. they never make any part of the whole procedure easy...

I have made the corrections, Arthur has signed off on them, so that leaves me currently at printing. I have borrowed Joss' swipe card, keys, desk and network connection (thanks Joss). To save a few trees and decrease the physical size of my thesis, I am printing it double-sided. This causes a few problems because the printers I am using only print on one side. So to print on both sides I need to print the even pages, turn the printed pages over and print on the second side. The first side is easy to print, the second not so easy. I have to change the paper then run upstairs and press print before someone else gets in. Also I have to print one copy on archival paper - not that anyone is going to read it in 100 years, but thats the rules.... dont know why they don’t just get an electronic copy but anyway.... I spent 2 hours today finding the printers, they had moved servers since I was last here a year ago, but I am finally set to go. I printed a test page, and now only need to wait for the majority of people to have left the building.... so I’m waiting and blogging....

Well that was a few day ago...

Monday I couldn’t connect to the network. Tuesday - the printer ran out of toner, the other printer gave a lovely ink splatter look, I thought it was quite attractive but I dont think it goes so well on a thesis.... The toner changed on Thursday however the printer with the new toner gave me a few pages before telling me that the toner waste cartridge was full... I then tried the other printer and while it no longer gave the interesting splatter patterns but its toner was low and printed the colour pictures very badly....

Saturday - I found the toner waste hadnt been emptied, so I downloaded the manual. I couldnt find a new waste container so I disposed of some of the waste toner cartridge... sorry Jen... but the info sheet I printed off the web didn’t indicate it was harmful and I really needed to print it. So on Saturday I finally finished printing... I was so happy I could have yelled... but I think I would have scared all the other scientist in the building...they might have thought terrorists were attacking... maybe not but you never know....

I think it is done...

please

I would be so happy to be done with this wretched thing....

Bog Blog

This is a lovely bathroom, large, bright, has a bath…. Everything someone could want in a bathroom. It doesn’t for instance have a TV or a Fridge or a computer or even a phone, but as you only spend a short amount of time in there it really doesn’t matter…..

Until you are locked inside. I know this because one morning after my aunt and uncle left for work I entered this bathroom only to find myself locked in. I had been warned that the door locked when shut from the inside and could only be opened from the outside. However, I like to shut the door when I use a bathroom. I had accidently shut the door on two previous occasions and even though there were people at home I had managed to free myself within seconds.

On this particular day Gosia and I had arranged that she would have lunch with two girlfriends who didn’t know I was home and I would turn up in the middle of lunch to surprise them. However after showering I realised I had once again shut the door. After 10 min of trying the door I knew I was in a little bit of trouble, but no doubt it would be a great story when I made it to lunch. I spent the next hour trying to remember how MacGyver had easily opened locked doors with a bobbypin, a piece of cardboard or even less. Unfortunately I am not MacGyver and after an hour of struggling and at times kicking the door, I realised I was in quite a bit of trouble. There are no windows in this particular bathroom, but natural light is provided by a skylight. This however was not an escape option as I wasn't able to reach it. I could have tried climbing on the shower frame and leaning out a fair distance in the hope of being able to push the skylight out but I decided the chances of me succeeding were very slim but the chance of me falling and breaking my neck very high. At this point I realised I was stuck. I could hear my phone ringing – Gosia was obviously wondering where I was, but could do nothing about it so I had a bath. When the bath went cold I had another shower…. At one point I thought I would go crazy just sitting around waiting – there were no books or even magazines in this particular bathroom, but to my immense relief (its all relative) there was a shower radio so I was able to listen to music. This also provided me with a much appreciated time tracking device. Finally I was able to determine approximately how much longer I was likely to be trapped for. I was pretty sure my aunt and uncle were coming home that evening and guessed at (or rather hoped) what time they would be home. Just before 6pm, approximately 8 hours after I became trapped I was released. My uncle took swift measures to ensure it never happened again and quickly brought me one glass and then another, of red wine, while I responded to the 12 missed calls on my phone.

An interesting day…. I had a lot of time to think…. Would prefer to go without either….

I had a little accident

when I was in Thailand and unfortunately the healing of my wounds did not go smoothly. I immediately put myself on anitbiotics - over the counter drugs which require a prescription in most countries dont in Thailand..... another friend at usyd studies the Manuka honey and all of its wound healing and antibacterial properties - shes quite famous..... does lots of interviews like this and this anyway you get the idea....

Even with these precautions I seem to have I picked up an infection. OK so it might be my fault cos the antibotics ran out when I got back to Australia, I didnt get any more and an infection probably developed before I started using the honey but thats beside the point.

So on Tuesday I visited a doctor - the medical kind - he decided to put me back on antibiotics - the same kind I had myself on and also give me a tetanus shot as it was 7 years since my last. Now while Im a fan of getting free vaccinations I really hate tetanus shots, they ache for days and as it had been a few weeks since the accident I really would have thought I would have developed some symptoms, but I had it anyway....

So with a very sore arm and my foot bandaged in cling wrap (well that isnt quite true, it was actual dressing, but covered with a clear plastic material which looks a lot like cling wrap....) I went home on the orders to keep my foot higher than my hip as much as possible.

Thankfully I had some work to do which kept me off my feet, but I dont think its getting any better... might have to head back on Monday morning. At least I know they wont give me another tetanus shot!

Sunny and 36 degrees

one day, raining and 20 the next....

To my own astonishment I somehow find myself back in Sydney.

For my last day on Samui Dennis arranged a boat trip to the south of the island, lunch at a friends resort, massages, swimming and general relaxation. It was a prefect farewell (if the plan was to make me miss the island incredibly).

I then flew to Sydney to be greeted by cold wet weather but wonderful family and friends. Few people knew I was returning, partly because I was in denial and partly because I like to surprise people. My Sister and Mother were first on that list, a quick drive to Young and then Wagga – a long day but a lovely night. I then headed to Wollongong for Marie and Johns wedding – absolutely fantastic evening. Back to Sydney – where I caught up with more friends and family. A number of people have said they are glad to have a drinking partner back. Some things never change.

It has been wonderful to come home and see everyone (and I look forward to seeing those I haven’t yet caught up with). I am also very happy to be back in a country that makes fantastic wines that don’t cost a fortune. Im just a little concerned about the weather, after 18 months of summer I am a little unsettled about facing a winter, but at least it is a Sydney winter!

Thank you to everyone who has made this last year so amazing, I had an incredible time, have made some wonderful new friends and seen old friends in exciting new place, Thank you all!

xx

Leaving Bang Rak, if you look carefully you can see Maria and Tonys place
- one of the white houses on the hill above the pier

Leaving Samui behind

Nicky and Pan

Tony and Maria

Ohm and Dennis

Tony and Dennis after lunch

Pan and Ohm in the pool

Pan looking gorgeous