I'm back - a bit longer than three weeks but...

Hi all, good to be back on here but I probably won't be as prevalent as I have been in the past.

The move went really well with only minor casualties with furniture and family members during the unpacking. We've moved into a smaller house so have some stuff in storage. Not a worry though as we're in a lovely outer suburb that seems quite peaceful but has all the services we need.

First week back at work last week. Was a bit of a shock travelling for an hour and a quarter on the train into the city but we're used to it already. So used to it, in fact, that we now catch an earlier (0600!), more comfortable train. Upon arriving at Flinders Street station, I walk two kilometres to the office. I could easily catch a train but would not get the exercise otherwise. The walk is in good surrounds though. I give a nod to the statue of Weary Dunlop that I pass every morning - he looks quite dapper, more statesman than life-saving POW doctor. I walk passed Victoria Barracks with the historic war rooms and two captured Howitzers out the front (one Turkish, 1917, Gaza, and the other German, 1918, Hindenburg Line outpost), then the Shrine of Rememberance comes into view on my left and, just before the office, I walk right passed a Boer War memorial.

The house in Perth still has not sold as the market has gone quiet waiting for the drop in stamp duty on house purchases that's coming in on July 1. Once that sells, we've decided to look for a few acres near where we are now as we like the commute (we slept on the train this morning) and the area.

Work itself is with the same company but different. Much quieter office and I'm one of two mining consultants that are working to build that side of things up again. Good people to work with too.

Have no idea where I am most of the time. Pretty tricky being in a city of 3-4 million and not knowing how t o find your way around. Still, it's an awesome city, rather colder than Perth but I enjoy the change in the weather - lots of fog this morning.

Kyt, the books made it largely uscathed. Only a couple of bent corners on a paperback or two so good result. I'm packing them next time though! Before leaving Perth, managed to pick up Russell Braddon's Naked Island and The Coastwatchers (author escapes me).

 

Welcome back Andy!

 

Glad to have you back!

But if you have to catch a 6.00 a.m. train, I won't blame you if you have less time to spend on forums in the evening!

Adrian

 

Thanks Owen and AR.

Yes, I am a bit more zombieish than usual in the evenings but what with the magazine doing well, I'll certainly be online. Just won't have it running in the background at work. 0600 train takes 15 minutes less as well!

 

Glad you are enjoying the brisk walk.

Will have to organise that coffee on St Kilda Road.

This is Melbourne City - Andy's new town:

http://www.premier-capital.com/eng/current/images/a_chevron_04.jpg

Cheers

Geoff

 

Cheers, Geoff. Coffee or 10 it is. Look forward to it.

With Geoff's pic, if you start at the yellow bit and head along St Kilda Rd to where it veers off. As it veers off, continue in a straight line and you can make out the Shrine. On the road, I think my building is hidden by the one with the red circle on it. We're around the corner a bit more but still look towards the city to see the Shrine. I'll endeavour to take a photo as the view is stunning.

Geoff, I just climbed 15 stories in the stairwell at lunch time...did not enjoy that!

 

Welcome back mate, and about bloody time!

Sounds like you've settled in nicely, and it does sound like the new place is quite agreeable. But walking 2 km?!! I manage that in a week, if I'm feeling energetic!!

Disgraceful - they wouldn't treat a Van Gogh like that :cry_smile:

Just trying to think which Coastwatchers book you got - there are a couple

 

The one by Eric Feldt.

 

Aha:

Feldt, Eric Augustas (1899 - 1968) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

 

Hi Andy, welcome bvack to land of the living ...... fill in the blank as necessary!

Glad to hear the move went well and that yout settling down and getting plenty of exercise. As well as passing those famous historical landmarks1


Sorry to hear about the books, still if the marjority got there safely!

 

I'm sorry, who are you?

 

Missed you too, Kitty. A little post tells me you finished uni recently. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Have you entered the land of employment?

Thanks Morse, it was only a couple of paperbacks but upon opening the boxes, it's never good to see things you've saved for etc piled on top of each other. We had a lamp broken and a canvas painting packed badly so it was scuffed slightly but, really, considering we've moved 3,500 km, we got off lightly. When we were having quotes for the removalists done, we were told the train that crosses the country had derailed and dumped some containers. So we got off very well!

 

adore you too Andy. And I've always been in seasonal part time employment in the tourism trade. hence the reason for uni. Now give me a job with your company dammit!

 

What are you like at rock licking or designing open cuts and schedules? You'd probably be pretty good as a drill and blast engineer given your penchant for destruction...

 

oh give me a couple of weeks to learn and I'll be fine. i can also tell the difference between igneous/metamorphic/sedimentary rocks, and I assume open cuts are the open cast scrapes chasing a mineral vein?

 

More or less. Now, if you just had a geology degree...

 

She has been looking on E-Bay to no avail.

 

Silly girl. Everyone knows you get them off Weeties boxes...

 

Everyone knows you get Driver Licences from Corn Flakes packets, what will they think of next?

 

Did geology and geomorphology in the first year of my degree. does that count?