Rotary Club, KG and the General

Last Wednesday I was invited along to the Rotary Club of Adelaide. My first ever Rotary club meeting anywhere. Just never had the opportunity to get involved. This club meets weekly, every Wednesday and the lunch is just a prompt 1 hour. Being held right in the city centre means they get a lot of business people attending. The fact the venue is also quite prestigious is an added bonus. In the picture here are my new boss the Phil Hoffmann Travel CEO Peter Williams and Marketing Manager Joanne McLaren.

It was held in a hospitality suite on the 5th Floor of the Sir Donald Bradman stand of the Adelaide Oval. The view out the windows is quite spectacular. Guess it beats a sandwich at the desk, and always for a good charitable cause.

Just before this we had attended a quick meeting with a revolutionary new Internet TV sports show, on live Mon - Fri 3-6pm. We are just confirmed as one of the main sponsors and it will be very exciting to see this launch next week, and be a part of a new medium in sports broadcasting in Oz let alone South Australia. KG is a bit of a sporting icon here a bit like our own David Coleman or John Motson. We are of course looking at all sorts of ways to help their show, but also bring a new audience and clientele to our website. Check it out - www.KGandthegeneral.com.au

The Coopers KI Cup

The title of this blog will mean nothing to most of you. For me it was my first real taste of corporate hospitality down under. Let me start with the title. Coopers is THE best South Australian family owned Brewery. I have found their Coopers Pale Ale to be my favorite beer over here.

KI stands for Kangaroo Island - famous for its beaches, unspoilt scenery and abundant animal life. Put the two together and you have a festival of horse racing and excellent entertainment. We were picked up in the city by coach and then caught a ferry over to KI. There were 6 races in all and we were hosted by Sealink in their own hospitality tent, with beer, wine or fizzy on tap all day. Needless to say I was down on the betting front, but way ahead in the beer stakes. Met many new trade contacts and had a great day all round. My thanks to great hosts Sealink. Must be an offshoot of the old English Sealink ferry company I used to work with years ago

I travelled with the Directors PA Dee who knew the format and had arranged for us to fly home in a 30 seater plane, just 20 mins rather than the coach, ferry, coach return of circa 3 hours. We just took in one day but the whole racing festival was over 4 days with street parties and live bands. Maybe next year eh!

Bush Fires in Victoria

I got a few Skype messages today asking if we were OK, or anywhere near the terrible Bush Fires in Victoria. Mercifully we are over 10 hours drive from the afflicted area, but it rams home the seriousness of the combination of drought conditions, extreme heat and hot winds, all of which we have experienced here in recent weeks. The hottest spell in many years.

The pictures we've seen on telly are devastating, I can't imagine what those poor people are going through. At work today, my company Phil Hoffmann Travel announced they would divert $1,600 meant for an office party into funds for the afflicted. All staff have also volunteered to give blood, with the burns victims in mind. I wanted to give blood too, but am unable as I am a Brit in Oz, and only Nationals, can donate. It's like I'm quaranteened, or a mudblood like Hermione Granger in Harry Potter. On Friday, we'll have a casual day, when staff have to contribute a few dollars to the relief funds in return for a sausage sizzle at lunch time. (A controlled BBQ!)

Strict bans are in place here too. The Grass, bush and trees are all tinder dry and the Fire Brigade and CFS are regularly patrolling areas, as the risk of arson in particular is so great. We are living in a "semi risk" area so have to be aware of a 10 point plan to protect the home and people. Sirens do sound in this area whenever a fire brigade is called out locally. We are then meant to seek more information on local radio, telly or at info centres.

Summer Holiday is over!

Might sound weird to any of you reading this from the UK, but yes the kids only returned to school last Monday after 6 weeks off for the summer holidays. If you ask Debi, I think she would say it's not a minute too soon. I think Debi has really been feeling the heat, over 40 for several days, it being too hot to do anything outdoors and having them and Charlie traipsing about her feet all day.

<<<<< Charlie meets the locals...

The heat here is of course the absolute reverse of the UK right now. As it happened every day this week, Georgia and Jamie have been taken off to a local swimming pool by the school in a coach. Surprisingly enough, Both Georgia and Jamie are in their respective top swimming groups. Who said these Aussies are born in the pool and are Olympic Champions in the making!! Debi is very proud of all those hours spent sweltering at Potters Bar Pool, whilst G&J did their widths/lengths and got hammered by the instructors.

Not sure when the Aussie Summer is actually over, but I guess we'll soon be moving into Autumn. All the fields are burnt brown, not much greenery around other than the hardy Gum Trees and other Perennial trees I know not the names of. I hear reports of forest and bush fires in Victoria (Melbourne) and massive floods in Queensland (Cairns). Boy we could do with some of that excess water here in South Australia. Oh for a very long pipeline, any investors out there?

Debi's try Golf
With the kids being back at school, Debi has started her "try Golf" at Blackwood Golf Club. They only did introductory putting and a few swings and hits at the end of the session, but it was over 40c so I guess it was just "a warm up" session. Four of these sessions and all the ladies will get let loose on the rest of us poor souls...Debi says she did enjoy it, but most of the ladies were a lot older than her (she still thinks she is a young chick). She did comment on the water running down the back of her legs while trying to learn golf, or shall we say sweat. But she will get out there next week regardless and give it her best. Will she take it up? Not sure, maybe if it was 6 holes, a lot of banter and a glass of wine or few?

Remember getting told off by a teacher at primary school?
Jamie admitted he had to report to the head teachers office this week. Supposedly he and his mate Lewis, had picked up a stick each (supposedly to build a cubby house ....) and before they could drop them were sent to the heads office for a show down Stick gathering is not allowed, and Jamie got a "row" in his words. The following day the punishment was no outdoors playtime. The Twig gathering is not allowed, as pre-christmas a girl got struck by a twig (sorry branch) and some blood was drawn.

First milestone at work
We launched the new Phil Hoffmann Travel Website at work. I was drafted in to help get this delivered, so many late nights recently, a bit of push and shove, a whole lot of tweaking and voila last Wednesday the new site is launched, featuring 6 various online booking engines - Flights (Domestic Oz & International), Holiday Packages from Oz, a Dynamic Holiday Package engine, 2 Hotel booking engines, (Oz Domestic & International) and a Cruise link. Soon to come will be Insurance, Car Hire and online contributions to the PHT (Phil Hoffmann Travel) Honeymoon and Special Occasion Gift Registry. (Now anyone out there wanting to contribute to my special occasion later this year (50th) - don't you go trying to make a donation to my holiday fund.....)
If you work in the trade and have any interest in seeing the site and what PHT do, here are the site details http://www.pht.com.au/ . Not the finished article by a long shot, but then Rome wasn't built in a day.

First Aussie Travel Trade Show
Well my first anyway. It is on this weekend, at the Adelaide Convention Centre. I have to say I was mightily impressed with all the work that has gone in recently to this big public Holiday show. To then see it all come together on the day was very impressive. All staff have to attend this weekend, but as I'm not front line sales staff, nor had the opportunity yet to show what I can do in presenting skills, I was lucky to have a free "roaming" role. As incognito I was able to get around various other competitor stands to see and experience what they are all up to. I was also able to put in practice my networking skills, honed to perfection over many years at various salubrious and many up market UK Travel Trade Events. Indeed it was great to be back in this field, as it is definitely one of the perks of any job. One just has to stay as long as possible in the bar, and talk to as many people as possible. Someone's got to do the job.... Indeed at the after show drinks, our Cruise Manager Christa, noticing I'd been to the bar more than a few times, mentioned that I surely wasn't driving home. No indeed I said. Luckily enough, or by remarkable foresight from an experienced networker, the Adelaide train station was just 5 mins walk away with a direct train home every hour. Some things never change....

Of Mice and Men
Some of you will remember the epic story of Debi at our Brookmans Park rental before we came here. Basically, I was out for the night, and late on Debi was in bed and heard a lot of crashing an banging from downstairs. It didn't stop and she feared an intruder was in the house. To cut the long story short, she called the Police, who turned up at 2am, 5 squad cars lights flashing. Circled the house, broke their way in and found nothing. Debi came down sheepishly. They heard the noise again - coming from the hall cupboard, bang, bang . A brave officer opened the hall cupboard door slowly...... there was the culprit. A little mouse, trapped in mouse trap by his ear, trying to shake it off and wrapping trap against a pipe!!!

Well we have mice again, they've been keeping us company these last few days. If it was possums, they have to stay as they are now protected, although they can do as much damage to the wiring as mice and rats. The pest control officer came out and we have now got his card as I'm sure we will need to call him back out - for either of ; Snakes, Mice, Rats, Redback Spiders and all sorts of other creepy crawlies they get about here. Every night Debi and Georgia check in their beds and outside, I have to say I'm starting to too, just checking the pillows or cushions before settling down for a read, relax or bevvy.

Snippets
Charlie has now swam in the pool. Debi felt he should get in and be shown how to swim around and find his way to the steps, in case he feel in anytime and we weren't around. He did great and I'm sure we now have not seen the last of him in the pool....
Talking of which the pool is absolutely steaming. It is seriously like a hot bath, as the solar panels have been full on, with weather continually over 35 and mostly over 40c these past couple of weeks. It's a strange feeling swimming in a bath, almost being warmer in than out.

Workout Aussie style, sauvignan blanc in one hand and a weight in the other >>>>>>>>

Broadband ADSL at last.
Just got this running today with Telstra (Big Pond). The wireless router I got from Optus has been useless, only 50% uptime and painfully slow when you have a connection. Here is an example of Adelaide being a little bit of a backwater. Now I have to work my way out of the Optus contract as they clearly have not delivered a service. It's great to be surfing and flying around again. Don't take some things in the UK for granted my friends. They are about 18 months behind here in online matters.

Australia Day 27 Jan 09

Wow, this is what all the hype about Summers in Oz has all been about. We get a Bank Holiday Monday, and the temperature racks up to a 38c belter. As I write this it's now Thursday and following on from Monday we've had 3 days well over 40c hitting 45c yesterday. It looks like we are going to get more than a week with temperatures over 40c. This is a record for Australia, since records began. Reports of Rail tracks buckling and power blackouts as aircon and other systems fail to cope in the searing heat. At school, (they went back on Tuesday) the kids are not allowed out to play at lunch as health & safety says its too hot for them to be outdoors. I'm reliably informed that manual workers in particular in factories or on production lines, have to down tools and go home when it gets over 38c. I guess that's mixed feelings for them. They get time off, paid, but actually what else can you do. Well I guess there's the beach!!

I drove down the beach front after work on the way home tonight, and it was mobbed. Well, mobbed by Oz standards. All parking was taken on the front, but if you looked on the beach there was loads of space. Cooler in the sea for sure than out of it. However reports of Shark sightings in the shallows here recently make you think twice about going too far out... Of course I did stop in the Seacliff Hotel for a swift pint of Coopers Pale Ale....

Back to Australia Day, many Brits including some new friends of ours Lorraine and Ray, were sworn in as new Australian citizens, in ceremonies all over the country. Didn't realise it was quite as formal as that. Mayors all over Oz led services and presentations. Numerous parties were formed after that, we ourselves went up to Belair National Park for picnics, beers, wine, tennis and ice creams amongst the Gum Trees. It was sweltering and we couldn't wait to get home and dive in our pool. Must have spent 2 hours at least, my incredible bulk submerged, beer in hand.

On the same day, Lance Armstrong was featuring in the Tour Down Under held here in Adelaide (not a big cycling fan so didn't take it in), The Aussies lost at the Adelaide Oval in a 1 dayer to S Africa, and Andy Murray went out of the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne.

On the Friday night, prior to the Australia day, Debi and I hosted, (well Debi as ever did all the work, I just poured and drank the wine) a lovely couple Paul and Lesley for dinner. We met these two originally at Blackwood Golf Club and we had a great evening, drinking until about 4.30 am, the time (and wine) just flew (or is that Flowed??). They are Brits, but have been here well over 10 years and absolutely love it, which is most encouraging for the challenges that still await us.

Took me over 30 years in the UK

To some who have had the opportunity to take the mickey out of my attempts in the UK to get my name on the board at Brookmans Park. Just let me mention I scooped a pot at a Blackwood Park Golf Club, competition last Sunday. It was a club event, followed by a themed dinner. We had organised babysitters so Debi could come along for the evening activities and meet a few of the people I'd met at the club. They had been asking after her for ages. They couldn't understand why we left the ladies at home. This is a very (mixed) social Golf Club and Debi is starting a group course of lessons in February, to get herself back in the swing - so to speak.

Anyhow, back to more important matters. I ended up scooping the top prize for the male competitors. (Sam Patel - eat your heart out). Not only did I win a mini bottle of champagne (well, fizzy Jacobs Creek - nearest you get) and a few chocolate eggs (the theme was champagne and Chicken - chocolate eggs get it? thankfully other prizes were actual chickens to be won, so I reckon I got off lightly with my 1/4 bottle of fizzy), but also won a really nice silver salver which will get engraved and keep for a year. The first time I've beaten my handicap playing here in 3 months. Things are looking up. Supposedly one of the (senior ladies) on seeing me for the first time 3 months ago remarked to one of my new mates - wow is he single.... You can now see why I need Debi to join, otherwise I might not be safe at the club..... The things I do to keep up the British end.

Summer is Here

Well it's finally arrived. We had a 43c day last week (109F). It actually didn't feel too bad, as I went from the relative cool of the house in the morning, drove to work in my air conditioned car, worked all day in an air conditioned office and went home again with air con in the car. I did however venture out at lunchtime to see what all the fuss was about and walked down to the beach to check out the "sights". Guys I'm sure you get my drift. Ladies - I never said (or saw) a thing... It was hot, very hot, but it was a dry heat as I've mentioned before and actually quite bearable. I'm sure if you were sitting roasting on the beach or working outdoors I'm sure it would have been uncomfortable.

In the evening it was magnificent. While the kids mucked about indoors, Debi and I sat out by the pool, with wine and just talked and hung out well past midnight, topless (easy guys - well I was anyway) and enjoying basking in the warmth. This was truly what it has all been about. Unbelievably, the very next day it swung back to the low 20's. I'm amazed at how different one day can be from the next. One big item missing is rain. It just hardly ever rains here, which is actually a major problem as many areas are experiencing major drought and water restrictions. We can only water plants on a Wednesday or Sunday after 6 for a couple of hours. Actually think its even numbered houses on a Weds and odd numbers on a Sunday or something like that - Debi will know - she's the boss.

This week we are back up in the late 20's , Monday it got to 32c. I went for a run on the Beach on the way home form work. From Somerton to Brighton Jetty and back, 1 mile each way. Won't tell you how long it takes me, just let it be said some people could probably power walk faster. Never was built for running. I leave more dents in the sand after my bulk has passed through than the shells on the Normandy Beaches at D Day.

Debi and the kids have been to the Adelaide Museum today, seemingly having a good time and tonight the kids are on a sleep over with friends. Debi is just out with Charlie at his dog class. He's a bright spark you know, fluent in 3 things already. Nicking anything in sight, (particular fondness to Debi's knickers and designer shoes, anyone's sunglasses, the bog brush), keeping us up at night and barking at top volume when the kids are in the pool. As its so nice and warm again this evening we can't decide on another chill out by the pool in our own space, or actually taking the chance to nip out for a bite somewhere. There are a few decent restaurants nearby, but not buckets of choice unless you venture 15 mins or so down to the city suburbs or the city itself. Certainly haven't yet found any Curry houses to come even remotely near to the quality of the Methi or the Raj in BP. We are missing our weekly fix, although I have to say Debi does do a real mean curry. Way better than the Indian restaurants we've tried here. I remember an old saying "why go down the road for a cup of tea when there's half a hundred weight at home". Might have been referring to a different circumstance, but I'm sure it can be applied...

Just now back from our meal out. We took in the Rimini Cafe Restaurant, a mediterranean style affair. You have to pick your table, choose what you want, remember it (if you've ever eaten out with Debi - you'll understand what a challenge it is to remember the order and get it right) and then go to a counter and order all your food and drink, and pay for it up front. Madness. Wine is surprisingly not all that cheap so actually at restaurants you have the wierd sight of people bringing their own (BYO - y for your) wine out for their dinner. Of course I always forget, so we always pay the going rate...

When we got home, the kids were out, it was peacful and quiet, what did we do? Cracked open another wine and settled down to the evening news of Barack Obama's inauguration, 5,000 job losses in Oz, the Australian Tennis Open, and on flicking the channels, a piece of old home - "there's bin a murrderrr" - TAGGART, marvellous stuff.... Actually just finished off with a little (just a little) Malt Whisky. Debi had a Baileys. What do we say now - "JUST ONE FOR THE ROAD"...