You Great Galah

English viewers of Home & Away will no doubt be familiar with the exclamation: "You Great Galah" which often spews forth from legendary character Alf Stewart. Today we were blessed with the company of a pair of great Galah's sitting on the exchange wire leading to our property.



This is one of the pair getting a bit shirty with our little cat Margot, often the subject of attention from the native fauna.

Antipodean Update

Well since I last blogged - not long after returning from India - a fair bit has happened.

I ended up in hospital - my first experience of the Oz health system. I had my Gall Bladderremoved, so I am not quite the man I used to be.

It was actually a fairly minor op, all done by keyhole surgery and all I have to show for it is a reconstructed belly button and some triangular entry points!

Beyond that we survived a harsh Brisbane winter - it went down to about 8 degrees at night - and we had to have the duvet out for 5 months. It has been packed away now as Spring takes hold and leads us on the march through to Summer.

On that note it is expected that Summer will be a hot stinky one. Temperatures for today are expected to be up to 31 degrees reaching a high of 33 tomorrow before a possible thunderstorm kicks in and reduces temperatures to the mid-low 20's. The temperatures are OK, it is when the humidity kicks in that it will become a bit unpleasant.

In the winter we had our first royal visit - Em's folks. It was lovely to see them and it afforded us the opportunity to show them around Brisbane a bit and hopefully a chance for them to see why we like it here so much. We also took a long weekend break up to the Whitsunday's, spending 3 nights on Hamilton Island and then two nights on Airlie Beach. It was the first time I had been up there and I can clearly see why it is raved about so much.

We said goodbye to the old folks in mid-September and the weekend after they departed, Em and I went away for a weekend down to an area known as the Scenic Rim. This was in honour of Em's birthday. It was a beautiful relaxing weekend and the place where we stayed also made its own wines - which were surprisingly good. Anyway, in true Big Brother style here are its best bits.

One real change in lifestyle for me has been the purchase of a bike and the fact that I now cycle in to work. I have been cycling for around three weeks. What makes it a great ride is that it is flat and also for the most part avoids roads. There is a cycle path that runs the length of the majestic Brisbane River from Toowong into the city - called the Bicentennial Bikeway. I have yet to experience cycling in the rain, which may - to use a pun - put a dampener on things, but for now I am thoroughly enjoying my rides.

Yesterday I took the opportunity to go out for a ride in the glorious weather. I went out West toward the University of Queensland campus and across the 'Green Bridge', through West End and into the City via the South Bank and the 'Goodwill Bridge'.

One of the many things I love about Brisbane is the installation of a range of public art works. Civic and commercial bodies alike have commissioned works - predominantly sculpture - which lie in various locations around Brisbane. I have longed for a while to take the time to capture some of these works and during my cycle ride yesterday, took such an opportunity.

I share some of the photos here:

You Know You Live in Australia When.....

On your way in to work you notice a group of folks standing around a flower bed in the Botanical Gardens.

Being a nosy fellow I decide to join them and realise the object of their interest is a Python in the early throes of constricting a Possum. Alas I didn't have my camera with me.

You've gotta love it!

Better late than never.....

It has been some time.

Since the last post, I have been on a fantastic trip to India, with our good friends the Darkins'. It does seem such a long time ago now, well we have been back about 6-7 weeks, and it took an age to get over. India is rather infectious and I think the Doris and I have planned return itineraries multiple times over.

I am not quite sure that the small selection of images really does justice to the place. Well it will have to do for now.

Not long after returning from India, J of the W came over on a visit and we paid the H a little visit ourselves over in NZ. I had a top time catching up with both of them having been away from the UK for over a year. It was the first time I had spent any length of time (if a long weekend constitutes that?) in the North Island. I certainly saw it in a different light compared to the two days (Rotorua, Auckland) from when I was there two years ago. I have resolved to take the Doris at some point although I may have difficulty getting her over to Wellington having heard many horror stories about landing there.....

What else is there....well, those of you who know me well may be surprised to learn that I undertook some exercise. I represented my company in the Corporate Games. I played football (that's a game where a round ball is primarily kicked with the foot, with 11 opponents on each side).

The Doris and I have also found our cooking mojo, getting into cooking and resuming our visits to the farmers' market. We shall be there this weekend, affording the Doris an opportunity to be on the front deck of the City Cat, a place she loves very much.

The World's Greatest Shave

Yesterday, Friday 14th March, I was one of an estimated 100,000 participants in the 'World's Greatest Shave'.

This fundraising event sees people volunteer to either have their head shaved or to have their hair coloured as a means of supporting, raising awareness and raising money to support the Lukaemia Foundation. The foundation both provides support and care to those with Lukaemia whilst also researching cures for this illness.

I myself have a personal interest in this illness as I lost my mother to a form of Lukaemia 8 years ago.

With the help and support of friends and colleagues, plus a little baking and selling the produce on my part, have managed to raise nearly $1,000 for this cause.

Sporting Nadir.....

Well having moved to Australia has seen me engage in watching greater quantities of live sporting events. However that does not mean that I am entirely successful in my viewing: Saturday: Queensland Reds vs Stormers, loss and quite a convincing one too. The scoreline reflects how lucky QR were in preventing it from being higher. Sunday AM: Watch recorded coverage of England vs Scotland at Murrayfield. A loss to the auld enemy and to boot England had no idea and Johnny Wilkinson (the rugby player, not the bro-in-laws cat) seemed to lack inspirational qualities even if he did surpass Neil Jenkins test points record. Monday AM: West Ham v Spurs. I dread to think given that the Hammers are coming into the game on the back of two 4-0 defeats (Chelski and the Scouse). England v NZ in cricket: NZ win by 189 runs and England skittle for 110 in their second innings. Woeful. And to think that some of us were going to go and see it. That's surely a $1,000 saved? Jeez, I am depressed just writing about it. Nuff from me.

Top Five Places in Brisbane

Having just enjoyed the lovely riverside walk from Toowong into Town, and prompted by a conversation between the wife and I, I felt compelled to share my top five spots in Brissy:

1. Front or back of the City Cat (wife will disagree and be adamant that the front rocks);
2. The Jade Buddha terrace;
3. Boardwalk Bistro;
4. Suncorp stadium cheering on the Roar/ the Reds or recently the Feds (aka the Police); and finally
5. My little deck on a nice day; coffee, pastry and paper in hand.

Mad as a March Hair

Yes, definitely a hair and not a hare. very tenuous title but chosen to reflect that, for me, today is 1st March. Officially summer is now over and we are in Autumn! The hair reference is due to the fact that on March 14th I shall be shaving my head for charity - Leukaemia Foundation. So February left us and the 29th saw me have to work an extra day for no further reward - bah. Also in February, since my last blog, a big group of us went on a boat trip out to the islands in the bay and undertook snorkelling and other aquatic activities. It was a great day and the particular boat we were on was full of history being a former Sydney to Hobart winner, taking line honours in 1958 and 1959. She was called Solo. With Feb passed and March with us, my attention is now firmly on my forthcoming Darkinsons holiday to India. I am very excited about this amazing experience. I am anticipating it being such a cultural awakening with many sights, sounds and smells assaulting my senses. Cannot wait. Other news, the Wakely has actually booked some flights to Oz so April will also be an exciting time. Just got to try and see if we can factor in a trip to NZ to see the H-Meister.

Roaring Myself Hoarse

So since Australia Day weekend, very little has happened. Suffered the indignity of keeping myself relatively isolated from the news last Sunday to enable me to watch the England Wales six nations match without knowing the result - with hindsight there was just too much riding on it for Wales not to have won (not won at Twix in 20 years, England expected to walk all over them etc). Maybe that is just the opportunity to have spent a week reflecting on the game. So on to Italy, where I will be attempting again to stay clear of the web and news until I go round to a colleagues house at 6.30am (before work) to watch a re-run. Here's hoping. Friday just gone (8th February) saw myself in attendance at Suncorp Stadium for the second leg semi-final of the A-League with Queensland Roar taking on the Sydney Jets. The first leg resulted in a 0-0 draw so the Roar had to win or let a 0-0 draw go to penalties. As a pre match warm up eleven of us met up at the Caxton hotel and sank a few jugs of Coopers. whist in the boozer a tropical downpour hit and we learned that this had delayed KO by about 40 mins. Eventually we headed to the stadium, took our seats and awaited the match to start. And start it did. The Roar came out of the blocks in a fast and furious manner and at around the 12 minute mark, Reinaldo scored a cracker. I think it is fair to say that Sydney's fate was sealed in the 20th minute when they had a man dismissed for a professional foul, leaving them down to ten for the best part of 70 minutes. The beer had kicked in (for me anyway) so we set about trying to teach the rather quiet home crowd how to create some atmosphere. Simple standards like "1-0. 1-0, 1-0" were supplemented with "Frank Farina's Orange Army" and this gem (in my humble anyway) aimed at the small Sydney contingent "You're going home on a Jetstar aeroplane". Not sure how well it was received, but I am a little hoarse this weekend and can only really speak in the lower ranges. SO yesterday was pretty much a write-off. the week ahead sees the Super-14s kick off and I have taken a Reds season ticket. The Reds by all accounts are not the greatest side and I believe last year were on the end of same baseball style scorelines. There are some notables in the Reds line-up: Berrick Barnes, Chris Latham and Rodzilla to note. Let's see what the relatively short holds in store. More to follow.

Life's a Beach

Well if 2007 and my first nine months in Australia represented little in the way of exploration - Hervey Bay, Toowomba and Melbourne and Sydney trips with work excepted - then Em and I were determined to ensure that 2008 offered a contrast to and have made a pact this will be a year of discovery. So this fine Australia day long weekend saw some firsts. Well for a start it was my first Australia Day in Australia. This was celebrated at the Story Bridge Hotel where they held the 27th annual cockie races! This was a an event not to be missed in my eyes and I was glad when Em agreed to come along to this, as did a colleague. The races themselves actually are little more than a fringe element of what is essentially an excuse to get thoroughly twatted, and by jove we did. As two of her majesty's loyal subjects (Em wasn't drinking) my colleague and I saw to that we would show our respects to the Australian national day and join in the merriment. It wasn't all just beer and cockroaches, there were also some boobs! Some Aussie girls saw fit to share with the general public their mammaries, some good , some bad but nonetheless they were shared. There's only so much boob and beer two men can take (by this time Em and had left to go to somewhere a little more sober lady friendly with another friend - female - who had shown up) and so my colleague and I decided to move on to where Em was. However, due to said excessive consumption of some of Australia's finest I don't recall too much of this point. Sunday, well that wasn't really worth writing about as I just recovered around the house due to the previous days efforts. As Australia Day itself fell on a Saturday, we were granted Monday 28th January as a public holiday. This day shall be marked in the annals of Robinson history as it was our first proper foray to a beach. We have been to Mooloolaba and to Sunshine Beach, the former was just a sojourn whilst on the way to Hervey and was in Winter and the latter was where we spent Christmas and experienced generally poor weather. This outing was one where I actually lay on the beach and even swam in the sea! The location for this momentous occasion was Bribie Island, about 50 miles/ 80 KMs north of Brisbane. This trip has instilled in me a desire to go more often and to really seek out some nice beaches (it was OK, the water was warm but could do with being a little bluer for my liking!). All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable weekend all round.

Sue Lawley, Sue Lawley, Sue Lawley.....

There a number of ways in which this blog could have been titled. Notwithstanding the fact that this is my first blog of the year, it is being penned at something approaching midnight to capture the feeling of just having seen the Police perform live. This is a band that: a) still doesn't like each other; or b) has no need to undertake any costume changes; or c) is just so damned tight that they can just come on and play for an hour barely needing to interact with the crowd. They were awesome. Sting may now sport a greying beard that makes it look like he has just finished a stint as Santa at the local shopping centre, albeit a well toned Santa - must be all that tantric loving - Andy Summers, now 65 has lost the bleach blonde hair of his youth but still knows how to drive that Police sound and Stewart Copeland may now need to sport jeps but still bangs the drum as hard as he always did. I don't necessarily feel I need to say much more at this point. My feet and legs ache slightly from the dancing plus the walk home and my ears are ringing slightly. Happy days and good times.