Saturday, August 21, 2010

it's election time

And no doubt it will run much more smoothly than the lame attempts still going on in Nepal where there have been 4 or 5 (I have lost count as well as interest) with no outcome.
today in Australia we get to choose between Tony Abbott (Mr Rabbit) and Julia Gillard, who someone once said had a voice that sounds like you imagine the font Wingdings would. If that makes sense.
So off I went this morning to do a spot of shopping followed by voting. Couldn't get anywhere near a parking spot for the shops, so headed off to another suburb to do what I had to there, but on the way saw a polling place. So I pulled over and went in only to find that there were about 100 people queued up to get in. Back into the car I got and did my Leichhardt shopping, before heading back to try for a second time to get the groceries. Waited and waited till I finally got a spot. The shops were almost deserted so I don't know who took all the parking spots - probably the cafe society of Summer Hill. How sad. I finally voted at the church across from the fruit shop where there were only 3 people in front of me. Since I live in a safe Labor seat it probably makes no difference after all the trouble I went to anyway!
Go Julia!
What else has been happening? Well I have a ticket to the UK thanks to Robin's dad so I'm off next month to enjoy autumn in London and surrounds. No idea what exactly the programme is, but I do have permission to go sightseeing in Harrods..Looks like we will also stay in Covent Garden as Robin is probably doing 2 talks for World Expeditions - if you're going to be in London on the 22nd or so check them out. I believe it will be at Stanfords Travel Book shop.
I now only have 2 more weeks of work so I need to make the most of it and try not spend all the money I earn as it could be some time before I get another job as we STILL don't know what our plans are after the UK trip. Oh and I went to a zumba class last week with someone from work. How hilarious! I didn't bother with the bits of exercise where you kneel on the hard floor (with my knees a very poor idea) but I had a rather good time wiggling around and making a goose of myself. Sadly one needs to wear shoes that skid a bit to do zumba properly, but of course I am such a klutz that I only buy shoes with super non skid soles, so I spent a lot of time jerking across the floor. Someone suggested good old 'Jiffies' (remember them from Phys Ed back in the old days?) but I have no idea where  I would find a pair. Anyway it's back for another go on Monday and I'll see if I am any better at it then...it was all too confusing last week.
And just to cheer you all up, here's a picture of the view I get every morning on the train, taken with my NEW Panasonic Lumix  LX3 with a Leica lens and more menus than a Michelin restaurant. And yes, I LOVE it!
good old Sydney harbour

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