OK BYE BYE .. again ....

In two days, after almost a year in Keene, I will be leaving.
The project has successfully completed, and it’s that time … where the consultant moves on….I never thought I’d be having a melancholy moment … but I am feeling a bit sad to leave my colleagues behind, and a relaxed/easy lifestyle, which reminds me a bit of Adelaide.

Don’t get me wrong … I am looking forward to experiences/challenges that lie ahead just around the corner …. (Not to mention 18 days in Spain, that start in Barcelona in 3 days time).I never thought of Keene as my home …as in my mind, my base was London … but in reality, I had been back in London less than 50days in total in the past year … so I guess, Keene was more of a base than London … which would explain the way I’m feeling.

SPAIN here I come

Well.... Im still pi$$ed at what happened yesterday ... but as anyone knows me ..... there are 2 questions that always need to be asked:

• What are the parameters?
• How do you turn this into a positive situation?

Well, the answer to the second question is simple ..... I already had flights to Barcelona booked for last weekend in September ... and since I am not expected to start the California project till last week of October ...Im taking 2 weeks off ... and will travel (ie. bum around) the Spanish coast for first half of October.... hey why not.
I think the weather is still warm ... and I may even hop onto some of the islands, and get a decent tan (maybe even all body one ... I heard the Spanish beaches are very liberal .. and as the saying goes .....When in Rome .... dont worry .. I will not be attaching those photos)

Now its always nice to have a Travel-Wingman ... and I think Sully after his spell in US has proven a worthy candidate ... and so I asked if he was interested .... of course he just arrived in London ..... but if he doesn't find a job in next week ... i think this is something that must happen.... Stay tuned!!!

I DO NOT F$£KING BELIEVE IT

Two hours after I booked my tickets described in previous posting, I received an email from my US bosses to advise that my project has changed, and that I will be based in California from end of October, onwards.....(no indication on duration of placement)
This will not change the dates I'm planning on being back in Australia ... but it means that I will be flying out of Los Angeles LAX (14 hour flight to Sydney) ... and means that the tickets I just booked are useless....There is no way I am flying back to London (approx 14 hour trip), and then another half way around the world.... it makes no sense.
I dont think I can cancel the tickets, so it only leaves the option of using them for another date! ... another headache ... especially if I cant get time off.

It just goes to show ... that even when you try to plan everything, some things just blind side you ..... and you feel helpless against situations beyond your control.

BACK TO OZ

I have just booked my flights back for Xmas

• arrive in Adelaide on morning of Wed 26th December
• Depart Adelaide afternoon, Sun 13th January

I'm amazed how expensive flights are from London to Australia for Xmas ... some reaching £1500plus.

The flights I chose are with Malaysian Airlines through KL, so the connection is excellent (only 3 hour layover), and ONLY 24 hour trip, but however I do miss out on some Xmas celebrations.

I wanted to be in Oz for 6-8 weeks, but could not get time off work .... so this is just a short trip .... enough to catch up with everyone, have few beers (or lots of Scotch, depending on how the lunches/nights pan out), see some of my friends' kids that are no longer babies.

I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone!

MONTREAL WITH SULLY

My friend Damian (aka Sully) decided to do some travelling of his own … and after a month in Honduras, crashed with me in Keene for couple of weeks.
I could see he caught the same travel bug which hit me a few years back, and he definitely looked a changed man … but then again, it had been a few years since we have seen each other.
Being my last few weeks in USA, I hired a red Mustang convirtable (for the the full Americana experience) and we decided to do a weekend road-trip to Montreal, Canada.
The drive through Vermont is very picturesque, and Montreal is definitely a contrast to what I experienced in US … with what I point to the French influence … in everything from food to fashion.

The following weekend, we headed off to Boston (from where he departed for London) … It was good to see him, and it is such a different experience having a good friend around to share experiences … although as you can imagine, it will take my liver a few weeks to recover.

KRK –> BOS –> Keene –> BOS –> London –> BOS (in 14 days)

After Krakow, I flew back to US to work for 7 days, and then back to London for long weekend…. Pretty crazy stuff flying across the Atlantic for 7 days work …. But it was a long weekend in US, and my UK company organised a function in Chetham which included golfcarting and some serious drinking that night … so who am I to refuse… It was good to meet some of my fellow consultants, who I have only recognised by email names … so this was first time in 11 months that I was able to interact on a social level

KRAKOW WITH MATE (The man-child weekend)

My parents were preparing to return to Australia .... so the last weekend in Poland, I planned to meet up with Mate in Krakow … so I caught a 7 hour train there on Friday, and he flew in from London.
I love the place, it always had a great feel, and I think he also really enjoyed the weekend there.
It actually worked in my favour being on US time (ie. My bodyclock is 5 hours behind) … as we didn’t get to bed till dawn …. There are photos .. but I need to get them off Mate … so will post as soon as the slacker sends them through to me!
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Ok .... April 2009 ... finally get photos from Máté ... can you believe it ... 18 months .... so here they are below:

Máté picks up random stranger (new best buddy Marek) on RyanAir flight...who takes us to a Sea-Sailors club!!!
WTF??? Krakow is 600km from the Baltic!!

Máté eats 2 plates (14) Lard sandwiches ... and then spends the next 3 days trying to work out why he is constipated!!!!
We got pretty drunk .... and he only remembered after looking back on these photos.

Someone thought they were going to get lucky that night with one of us!!!! I'll give you one guess who was chatting her up.

BELOW: Krakow is a very beautiful city.