Two memorable sporting events this week

The first and it cannot go without a mention is that my beloved Spurs thumped the reigning Champions of Europe 3-1 in a classic night of European action at White Hart Lane. I know several people who were there including 2 of my brothers and all are still in shock that our team can have played so well. To have played Inter Milan off the park with a superb display of attacking football. My only upset was that I wasn't physically there to share in the passion and the excitement. Nothing in this world can really match this sort of event.

The other memorable moment is more personal and no doubt some would regard as being quite sad. I played my best round of golf since being here in Oz. i.e. in over two years. Was 8 over for 41 points and finished 2nd out of 95 starters. Worth a few dollars in the sweep, but don't tell Debi. This Thursday night got to the first Twilight golf of the summer season. 9 holes after work followed by a nice dinner with 80 other players. Got 18 points so exactly on handicap.

Just back from Jamie's Kanga Cricket on a Friday night, so the wine is now uncorked and off we go again for the weekend....

Aussie Rules

Nah, not really. Just that I got an invite to see the Adelaide Crows play Geelong in an Aussie Rules Footy Game here in Adelaide. My first Experience of a National Game found me in a Corporate Suite, with dinner and all drinks thrown in, sitting in leather seats viewing the game from behind the goal. Pretty spoilt I know, but I guess as good as any way to start my new relationship with their national game. There are 2 teams in the AFL here the Adelaide Crows and Adelaide Port Power. Most of my new office follow the Power, so when I chose the Crows and turned up at work this week, with a Crows scarf it wound them up something rotten....Jamie has also decided to support the Power, but I guess its more about their cooler name than 'owt else.

Went with my old EBOG chum Derek Finch, and surprisingly really enjoyed the game. 40,000 were watching so more than turns up at White Hart Lane, but the atmosphere, noise excitement and tension was not a patch on the beautiful game (English Football). Also noticed no trouble at all between the rival fans. Geelong (From Victoria state) slaughtered the Crows - yeah who cares I hear you all say...

Must mention the Pies at half time, another Aussie tradition, probably as good as pukka pies, but I reckon they would taste better out in the cold of the Stadium, rather than from the corporate ambience. Good, but not as tasty as some I've had at Underhill (Barnet FC) in the bleak mid winter, or from Simmonds the Bakers in Hatfield.

My handicap at Blackwood GC has dropped to 9 last week, but actually played to handicap this morning for only the 2nd time in over 6 months. Heard Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup so a good weekend all round.

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.

2 New Years Eve's

Festive Period

Sadly had to work over the Christmas / New Year period other than the bank holiday days. I can't complain as I had 6 months in the UK working 2.5 days a week on the Oak Room project with "serial entrepreneur" Bill Doughty, which was great fun. This was followed by 3 months on arrival in Oz, not strictly working, or earning, but taking some time out, organising the new Oz basics for living and looking for the next career move.

As mentioned on previous blogs, I started with Phil Hoffmann Travel at the start of December and of course haven't built up enough hours worked to be able to take any days off yet. As it happens it's been full on since I started. They work in very many similar ways to how we worked at Driveline, but I am being kept very busy learning about all the new suppliers of travel product here in Oz. Who the movers and shakers are and in particular with my main projects. To develop the main website, work on a Cruise product, reader offers and promoting sales on a national scale. A lot of Aussies take 2 -3 weeks off as its their main summer holidays and the kids are all off school, so the roads are really quiet and its not so easy to reach everyone you need to, to get things done.

New Years eve - OZ time

I was at work during the day, Debi Georgia and Jamie were chilling out by the pool. In the evening we all went round to a couple of friends who live very near us here in Craigburn Farm, who had an open house. Jamie found their XBOX so he was sorted. Georgia found their FOXTEL, (like Sky+) so she was dandy. That left Debi and I to fill our time, which of course was easy. Good company, copious amounts of wine and food with Paul and Lesley, David and Coleen, and other friends we've met from Blackwood Golf Club.

I seem to remember my brother Gary Skyping me after we'd got home. I think I'd crashed out (well it was 2.30 am here) and he has since commented how out of it, I looked. Well it ain't easy to look your best, being woken from a deep beauty sleep after several Coronas, a few litres of Sauvignan Blanc (from South Australia of course) and a dumping of good healthy home cooked nosebag.....

New Years eve - UK time

I'd left the PC on as mentioned above as I had organised with Nick Jarman (better known as Jugsy) to do a webcam link up via Skype. So it was that at 11pm UK we linked up. Jugsy took me on his laptop into his dining room and put me at a seat at their table. I could see Jugsy and Rachel, Chris and Caroline Boothby, Andy and Anne Clark, and Mark and Tracy Daley. The wierdest conversations followed, as I had now just woken up, with a beaut of a hangover and these guys were all on the way up with one hour to go before hitting their peak. It was great to feel like I was there in the room with them, but of course after the call, it only served to make me a little sad having just seen and spoken to some of your best friends half a world away. As it happens I'm probably glad I wasn't there as I have since heard they did the ABBA popstars karaoke stuff. Would have needed mufflers no doubt!!!

They asked to see Debi, who was absolutely dead to the world at the time, but to her credit, she made it over to the screen to make an appearance. Amazing that her hair managed to look perfect from leaving the Bed to appearing on the webcam. I don't know how you ladies manage it....

Below freezing v 26C

Sorry to labour this one, but we had heard of your freezing conditions back at home. The boys above had played Golf at Brocket Hall in -4 at the start, to go with several days below zero. This has reportedly been the coolest December in Adelaide for over 7 years, but it has been very warm over the festive break. This is the fire risk season here now, but we have had a lot of cool days and a decent amount of rain (for SA) so nothing to cause any concern. I doubt we'll ever see a white Christmas here.

Blackwood Golf Club and the Adelaide Redbacks (Cricket)

Played 2 rounds over the festive period, hitting 35 and 31 points. At his rate I will soon be dropping a shot to handicap, as have not yet played to my handicap since being here. Mainly down to putting. Am enjoying the course though, its a good challenge and is a green oasis in the Adelaide hills. All the fairways and of course greens and tees are watered using bore water as the water level and natural aquifers in this part of the hills is so high. In fact at one point on the 15th hole, water piles out of a tapped spring and its so good, it's cool and eminently drinkable.

Last night took Jamie along with Ray and his son Jack, Andrew and his son Lewis and their Father/grandfather (over from blighty for 6 weeks) and old EBOG Derek Finch to the Adelaide Oval for another 20/20 game versus New South Wales. They tonked the Redbacks with 9 balls to spare. What great format 20/20 is, full on entertainment with every delivery... Oh and the beers at the seat along with fantastic balmy weather made for a perfect night out.

Penny Akam

I was so sad to hear of the death of a very dear friend and colleague from the Travel Industry, Penny Akam from cancer just before Christmas. Some of you reading this blog, may also have known her as a beautiful lady, so full of fun and vitality. Always with a smile on her face and always happy to stop and talk to you for a while no matter what she was up to. We shared many happy days with Penny in the formative years of Driveline. Penny joined us on several Le Touquet bashes, and was present in Sun City when Debi and I met. We shared many drinks and laughs with Penny over many Travel Trade functions, be they ABTA, ITT, Irish Tourist Board Opens, trade dinners or just mates bashes like the marmite club and 2001 club. Penny was one in a million and I know having read the tributes to her from Trade friends on the Travel Weekly site, she was immensely popular, highly regarded and will be sorely missed. I join many others in thinking of her husband Mark and 2 sons Jake and Luke and other family members at this sad time. I wish I could have joined the 350 or so at the service to say goodbye properly.

Another piece of the jigsaw filled

What a great week it's been.

Blackwood Golf Club

Last Thursday I made the short trip up to Blackwood Golf Club at Cherry Gardens and played my first round there with a lovely Gent called Rod. He introduced himself to me the week before as I hung around the hallway looking very lost. He is the social secretary and he did a fantastic job making me feel welcome last week, and even more today as I played with him and his lovely wife, (the ladies Vice President!).

The course was in great nick, actually very green, with beautiful rolling tree lined fairways and very fast greens. Two things I noted whilst playing. It was a warm day circa 26c and the flies were really active, really hard to concentrate when putting or playing shots with these useless insects all over your face and body. The other was a constant buzzing , but away in the distance. It was bees/wasps doing what they do, but thankfully away in the distance. God knows if they came at us in a swarm, we'd have no chance. In the bar afterward, Debi Georgia and Jamie also joined us, as they are very relaxed and sociable and Thursdays are all about "twilight Golf" with a meal after if required. I met a few of the members (including several ex pats) who again went out of their way to welcome us, asking us to join them at their tables and join in the banter. Of Course G & J started acting up as it was obviously not their scene at 7pm on a Thursday night, so sadly we couldn't take up the invitation to stay for a dinner. Debi though was invited to take part in the Ladies "try Golf" - designed to get the Ladies out with a Pro and meeting other ladies, with the view to getting them all playing regularly and future members of the club. As first impressions go it's everything I would want from a Golf Club and very much in the mould of Brookmans Park, which I have to say I am missing big time.

Adelaide Christmas Pageant - Sat 9 Nov 08

Boring item this, for many but I could not write a piece this week, without giving it a mention as it was the official opening of the Christmas period - well here in Adelaide anyway. Over 180 floats in the procession in the City and over 400,000 lining the streets to watch it pass by. Quite an atmosphere. Kids are invited to chalk names and pictures on the streets before the procession arrives. There was an attempt on the Guinness World of Records for the longest Mexican Wave, not sure if it was successful. We all went in to town by train from Coromandel to Adelaide City with our new Geordie friends; Andrew and Ashley; and Lorraine, plus various kids. Debi is actually trying to fix Georgia up with Lorraine's son Jack as a good looking boy in her class!!! Some things never change... After the show we noticed loads of houses have put up their Christmas lights, weird as we still have 6 weeks to go...

New Job, a gentleman's agreement - Monday 11 Nov 08

Had a second meeting today with the travel Company in Glenelg by the coast today. We have shaken on a basic agreement, with a full contract and terms to follow, so I am absolutely delighted. Great company, people, office, location and a role to really get excited about. I won't reveal more until I have a signed contract in place and I have started with them. Don't wish to pre-empt anything. If it all goes to plan a real major piece of the big jigsaw has been filled. So much flows out of this as I have found it a real difficult process, all the job hunting, applications, interviews and soul searching. I must have applied for over 100 jobs, leading to just 8 interviews, 3 phone interviews and numerous kickbacks. I am so pleased this has come off . More details in due course.

Stressed about the house build.

We were concerned no-one at the company building our new house, knew anything about the retaining walls on our new plot. It's being built on quite a slope and split levels so there is quite a lot of earth to manage. Slightly important as the pool company were about to start their dig and create the pool shell. Anyhow a potential problem was nipped in the bud by a good round table meeting with all concerned, finding the way forward. "it pays to talk". They have hit rock on the site, so now await some rock breakers to come and do their worst. The concrete footings however will go down before Christmas, so a major part of the job will be (fingers crossed) completed by the year end. Of course its steaming hot here over Christmas and the schools take off about 8 weeks as their main Summer Holiday. Building companies and many other business's shut down for nigh on 3 weeks.

Debi's tan coming on

Not having to rely on St Tropez for the moment Debi has been making the most of the great weather recently, by breaking in our 2 new sunloungers. She is still telling me she doesn't know how she finds time in the day to do everything!! Yeah Right....

The new Barby

Had to be done. Surprised it's taken so long actually, but with the better weather comes the chance to spend more time outside especially in the early evenings. We had a 34c day last week, with several other days in the late 20's c. So we've invested a new barby, with wok burner and all. I suppose I'd better learn how to use the darn thing. Not my forte that - cooking...

Darn Flies

One other downside we've experienced here is the amount of flies about. So much so that if you're not careful a veritable swarm follows you about. They hound you from every direction. They were definitely not as bad as this last year when we were here. Now we know why all houses without exception have got fly screens, around all opening windows and doors. Maybe they'll die off as the weather gets hotter, let's hope so. What possible good do flies do anyway??? Answers on a postcard please.