Besides which, I just snapped the frame of my computer glasses as I was trying to clean the lenses so you have to have some sympathy for me and my now-wonky eyesight.
What have I been doing? Well, having spent the last week in Melbourne I am now gladly home. While being away for so long in another city (particularly another Australian city with friends and family around and sort-of-working-but-not-really) was quite refreshing, I felt ready to come home. Besides which, it's cold down there.
L-R: Attacked by cockatoos at Grants Picnic Ground, Sherbrooke Forest; Hanging out the window of the Puffing Billy; Reflecting on Dali's lobster phone at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Last Tuesday was largely work. I had a morning meeting with Australian Made and then interviewed a project manager who worked in human resources at a hospital - very interesting guy , though I can see the article will be quite difficult to write trying to separate him from the project. I then attended the Future Leaders in Export launch, which involved some very boring bits followed by networking.
As a result of all that work I managed to score more work-related activity on Wednesday starting with a coffee with Mary Anne Edwards from the Australian International Marine Export Group and later an interview with Alistair Murray from Ronstan.
In between I managed to go to Melbourne Zoo, which was a very good zoo - top five material, in fact.
Anyway, Ronstan was located in Sandringham, quite a way from the city but a lovely beachside suburb. After the interview I sat on the beach watching the sunset (I was touched that Melbourne put on amazingly good weather while I was outdoors for most of the day). I then went and bought fish and chips to eat on the beach as dusk set in.
Then I felt guilty and ended up eating at a restaurant called Finz to consume some vegtables and a pot of tea to break down the oil. And of course I couldn't just order salad and a pot of tea, so I had chowder and a glass of dessert wine as well. Not surprisingly I couldn't move for the rest of the night.
On Thursday I managed to get to the MCG in the morning for a tour. I was the only one on a public tour (there were school groups) so it was just me and my guide Mark. I was very frank with Mark and told him I knew next to nothing about AFL (did you know they play on ovals?) as I was there for the cricket history.
Coming back from the sports precinct I dropped in at Cook's Cottage, which was quite nice, though tiny - just a cottage with a handful of rooms and a garden.
Made it to the project management special interest group lunch meeting on time and had a coffee with one of the chairmen of another PM group before trying my luck at a river cruise, which didn't go ahead because of the weather, so ended up eating a late lunch at Southgate.
In the evening had a couple of beers with Martin and Gary, two PMs who are also reliable contributors to the magazine, at the James Squire Brewhouse in Russell Street and then thoughyt about doing some work and dismissed the thought in favour of a dip in the Hotel Grand Chancellor's rooftop pool, which was lovely and warm.
I was there by myself for a while pretending to do laps (it was a 12m pool, so not conducive to real exercise) then a couple came along and we chatted for a bit until it was time to clear out at 11pm.
On Friday morning I managed to go on the river cruise, which was disappointingly quite boring, though the weather held out until I got to Federation Square for my coach tour. Coach tour was thus made quite miserable by the cold and the hard rain (and I had stupidly packed my jackets in my luggage and only had on a thin cotton cardigan) though it did take me out of the city.
In the evening met with Ness and Russ to go to the Young Egyptologists Conference opening night (plus drinks) and met with a couple of delegates.
Had a lot of fun on my excursion out to Belgrave and beyond on the Puffing Billy on Saturday morning. Visited the Model Railway at Emerald Lake and then hung out the side of the train on the return journey.
Made it to Caulfield in time for the last session of the conference, which is when Ness presented her paper. Then went down to Riverland and got pleasantly drunk with egyptologists.
Met with my cousin Mable in St Kilda for brunch on Sunday morning. Browsed the markets and spent a fair bit of time trawling the cafes and walking the pier/beach. Killed some time shopping at DFO as Ness had a nap, then Ness, Russ and I had a cocktail at Mai Tai, walked up Lygon Street and had Italian food and Papa Gino's, then stopped for a pint at the Squire Brewhouse on the way back.
So much drinking. My coffee, beer and wine consumption for the whole Melbourne trip (12 days, 11 nights) is probably more than the equivalent for each beverage category in a quarter. Doesn't stop there, either...
Yesterday I had an early (7:15am!) coffee meeting with AIPM president Bill Young, then went to the Salvador Dali Liquid Desire exhibition at the NGV, which was gratefully followed by high tea at the NGV Tea Room. Ness and Russ had gone to do Puffing Billy but in the afternoon I managed to bring together Mable and Ness to go bargain shopping in Fitzroy (just bought a vest, though saw lots of cool stuff).
Met with Re for a drink shortly afterwards. Re is a girl I met through volounteering with the Sydney Festival a few years ago and I'd bumped into her quite accidentally as I was about to check into the Vibe Savoy on Friday. Turns out she's moved to Melbourne so we had a chat at the Rooftop Bar before I went to meet Ness and Russ for dinner.
We were supposed to go to Movida but their bar was closed (restaurant was open but we hadn't made a booking) so I shepherded them to Kouzina at Southgate instead because I remembered they had a Monday special tasting menu - $20 for 10 items.
Then because it was Russell's birthday, we ended the night at a Gentlemen's Club in Elizabeth Street watching a series of girls wearing not very much gyrate around a pole. Kudos to Ness for allowing him that hour. Ness and I were the only non-working girls in the joint.
Today just wandered around Melbourne town showing a few interesting things to Ness and Russ before catching a plane home. Can't believe I have to go to work tomorrow.
1 comment:
The bird on your shoulder is looking at your cleavage!
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