Adventures abroad

Melbourne. I really love Melbourne.

I attended the KM Australia conference last week in rainy wintery conditions at the Melbourne Convention Centre. I stayed at the Medina Apartments as usual - very nice, reasonably priced and central. I really like apartments as you always have more room and more options to cater for yourself (not that I did that this trip).

View from the apartment window about 7am

The conference was good, I will talk about what I have learned in another post, however there were two highlights for me.

I caught up with Jo a friend from Uni days, who now lives in Lake Macquarie. We had a good chat and then went to dinner with her husband Peter who came to visit Melbourne.

The conference had a least 6 international speakers, which is too many in my opinion, and some were better than others. However one night we went out for dinner with three of the speakers, plus the convener and others from the Victorian KM Round Table group. We went to Longrain in Little Bourke Street. We had a banquet at the restaurant. The food was divine, many courses, even desert that I liked. I talked to Gene from Alberta, Canada who has a lot to say about social tagging - so much so that he has written a book on it. Jeff from New York, USA who gave a master class on web 2.0 on the last day and was an excellent teacher. I sat next to Thomas from Switzerland, who spoke excellent English and has nearly finished his PHD (September) then he plans to travel to the UK or the US for work - he specialises in social network analysis. He is torn between continuing to be an academic (more freedom to choose what he works on) and joining a research organisation (less choice about what he works on and when).

The theme for me recently has been learning learning and learning - which is great as I need this stimulation. With that in mind you might want to look at this blog that talks about how learning is changing Internet time

I really like this quote from the above blog - which explains why I like working where I do!!

Workers need to be able to assess new situations, learn in real time, and improvise solutions. That’s an entirely new learning agenda, for it means putting enough trust in workers to give them the wheel.

Half way through July

Well July is challenge month for us Global Corporate Challenge walkers and I thought I should report our stats - although I am not sure that we are doing as well as we were in the begining. Also a quick look at where in the world I am now (no not Canberra).

My Steps on Friday =12,391
Sole Sistaz Team average steps = 11,021
My average steps = 10,572

this means that my average is increasing, but not really enough.


I am currently in Orebro in Sweeden, it is about 14 degrees - good for walking.
Orebro is a lovely little village that sits on the Swedish plains surrounded by vast forests. Surprisingly, for a village in central Sweden where temperatures can be 'less than tropical' the town has an open-air museum and Northern Europe's largest water fun park (competition may be a bit thin on the ground for this honour around these parts). However, the city park has been voted Sweden's most beautiful and considering how beautiful the rest of the country is, that's saying something.

Sweden is a country that sits somewhere between a capitalist country and a socialist state. The Swedes enjoy many tax funded benefits including; fully funded childcare, parental leave, a ceiling on health care costs, tax-funded education (all levels including university), retirement pensions and tax-funded dental care. Parents are also entitled to a total of 480 days partly paid leave between birth and a child's eighth birthday, with 60 days reserved specifically for each parent, in effect providing the father with two so-called "daddy-months.” On the other side of the coin Sweden is one of the highest taxed nations on earth (to pay for all the services) and is home to Ericsson, Electrolux, Husqvarna, IKEA, SAAB, Skandia, Tetra Pak and Volvo – companies who have often put the cap back into capitalism. So Sweden is beautiful, expensive, caring and known for quality companies...an interesting mix.

POPULATION
98,237

LOCAL DISHES
Meat-stuffed cabbage rolls, accompanied by cream and lingonberry preserves. Please note that you can get lingonberry preserves at IKEA in Sydney.

Now all I need is a translator - where is Sussie when I need her?

Sunday in Sydney

On Saturday we went to Sydney to drop MLR off at Grandma and Grandpa’s – also known as G’ma and G’pa for a week as it is school holidays.

We had lunch at Bruno’s Truffles, a choclotier in Mawson, a suburb close by. We ran into someone I used to work in a library with, at Bruno's. Her children were with her in laws, there is a trend here. The food was delicious, however we prefer the Italian eatery next door. More about that some other time.

We hit the road and drove straight through to Sydney, getting to G’ma and G’pa’s in reasonable time. We had a lovely tea with honey bean beef and a spinach pie for the vegetarian.

On Sunday our family of four headed into the centre of Sydney – where World Youth Day/Week was already impacting on getting around. Traffic diversions and road closures made it more congested for some. We had no problems and easily parked in one of the multi storey car parks in Darling Harbour.

As we walked through to Darling Harbour we saw lots of pilgrims, some Nuns and other groups, some of them religious and some not.

More preparations for the expected influx

This is one of the statues at the entrance to the Chinese Gardens.

MLR in Darling Harbour, behind the fountain and with a snowman



Here is the Imax theatre with the black and yellow squares at Darling Harbour, I cannot work out what the other building in the foreground is? - I really like it because of the angles, however I could not find a name or company sign on the building.

We had lunch in Darling Harbour (this is an area of Sydney that has recently been rejuvenated and is now a great attraction for tourists and out of town people alike). The restaurant was called the Adria Ryebar and Grill, in Darling Harbour. It has a spectacular view over the harbour to a local hotel.

After lunch we caught the monorail to Paddy’s Market , which sells everything from clothes and toys to fruit and meat.

Here is the monorail approaching our stop. Across the streets of Sydney, suspended in the air.

Here is the monorail arriving at our station.
Once we had travelled across town on the monorail, we stomped towards Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookshop.



The store plan. Even though this store is only on one level, it is hard to work out where stuff is, and they have a surprising array of stuff that is not books or comics.

AJR loves this store because they have a lot of Manga and Anime – his favourite. This shop also stocks this sort of paperback cheaper than anything we can buy in Canberra. One of his all time favourite authors and film directors is Tim Burton who wrote the book that AJR is currently holding. AJR has been looking for this title for a long while.

After going to Kinokuniya, we walked on to the new Apple concept store – the first built in Australia.

The view from the road shows three levels of apple mania!! I was also pleased to see that the NAIDOC week flags were flying outside.

The latest iPhone was released last Friday and there is a lot of interest in everything Apple Mac. The first computer I used at work was an Apple, so I am a bit of a fan. The store in Sydney sells everything that Apple makes. Here are the kids testing out the Imac's.

Even though it was 4.45pm on a Sunday when we entered the store, there were serious crowds everywhere.

There were queues going out the front door, with people waiting to purchase or order iPhones. iPhones were released in Australia last Friday. People have been using iPhones in Australia for a while, but they were bought on the Internet and had to be hacked to work in Australia.

We started up the stairs to escape the crowds and find a little space – the stairs are glass and are a bit disconcerting.


AJR and MLR were able to find a table each and play Mac Games!!

MLR's Apple art

The store was well worth the visit, even though we did not buy anything there. As we left the Mac Store I became aware of the “Strand Arcade" and the “Centrepoint Tower”, which were across the road from the Mac Store and I could not resist these two pictures of the old and the new residing side by side.

Haigh's - now we do not need to go to either Adelaide (where Haigh's is based) or Melbourne to get my favourite chocolate.

After we finished in the City, we drove to a suburb near G'ma and G’pa, Sutherland and had Thai for tea. We arrived back at Heathcote at 8.30, where we watched Dr Who and chatted. It turned out that G’ma and G'pa had eaten in the Newtown branch of the same chain Thai restaurant for lunch.

On Monday we left MLR with her grandparents and set off home to Millie and work. I had Tuesday and Wednesday off and spent some quality time with AJR. We saw the animae movie of Batman together (except when I went to sleep) and we had a lovely Japanese lunch at Wagga mamma an Australian Japanese chain restaurant that we first ate at in London at Tower Bridge. Thursday I went to a one-day library conference and today I was back at work.

MLR comes home tomorrow with G’ma and G’pa and we are looking forward to a lovely tea. Sunday MLR has a birthday party to attend on the other side of town. I am off to Melbourne on Sunday evening for a few days of conferences, back on Wednesday evening for a work dinner to welcome the new board.

I really enjoyed my Sunday in Sydney.

Quatorze Juliet

It should be noted that today is Quatorze Juliet, Bastille Day or July 14th - the French National Day - so I should really be in France not Ireland, however at least I am closer than usual by being in the northern hemisphere. This national day celebrates a time when the common people rose up against the monarchy to argue for a constitution - when discussions failed the people decided to storm the Bastille (a place where many prisoners had been held on the say so of the monarch without any right of appeal) on the 14th of July 1789, to demand a constitution.

On the 21 May 1880, Benjamin Raspail proposed a law to have "the Republic choose the 14 July as a yearly national holiday". The Assembly voted and approved, favouring 14 July against 4 August (honouring the end of the feudal system on 4 August 1789). The law was made official on 6 July 1880, and the Ministry of the Interior recommended to prefects that the day should be "celebrated with all the brilliance that the local resources allow". Indeed, the celebrations of the new holiday in 1880 were particularly magnificent.

Current day celebrations are held all over France, with the largest being in Paris on the Champs Elysee. The president used to give an interview to members of the press, discussing the situation of the country, recent events and projects for the future. Nicolas Sarkozy, elected president in 2007, has chosen not to give it. The President also holds a garden party at the Palais de l'Elysée.

Bastille Day falls during the Tour de France and is traditionally a day on which French riders try to take a stage victory for France, working harder than they might otherwise.

Article 17 of the Constitution of France gives the President the authority to pardon offenders, and since 1991 the President has pardoned many petty offenders (mainly traffic offences) on 14 July. In 2007, President Sarkozy declined to continue the practice.

Happy 8th birthday James.

Day 55

You will be pleased to know that on day 55 of the Global Corporate Challenge I am now in Ireland. This is exciting for me as I have not been to Ireland since I was about 9. Currently we are in Ballinasloe in County Galway, located on the river Suck! The river Suck runs for nearly 80 kilometres and is the main tributary for the Shannon River.

The Ballinasloe Fair is one of the oldest horse fairs in Europe; bathed in history it dates back to the 1700's. Today the ever popular fair is still held, along with a festival that attracts up to 100,000 visitors from all over the world. The town also boasts a successful summer festival called An tSúca Fiain.

POPULATION: 6,614

LOCAL DISHES
Colcannon is a food made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt, and pepper. I can tell you that I have made this dish and I was not impressed with it - not sure if it is because I am not a big fan of cabbage or if it is that there are no onions and garlic.

WEATHER: is cloudy and 17 - perfect for walking. Monday I managed 10,094 steps. While this is low I am pleased with it as I was in a car or travelling for 4 hours.

Weekend Steps

Steps at Heathcote

Steps for Saturday = 8355 - bit low as we were in the car for a large part of the day travelling.

Steps for Sunday = 14,140

Here are my current statistics:

Totals

• Steps 564,096
  
• Daily Average 10,643
  
• Distance (KM's) 361
  
• Daily Average 7
  

A poem by MLR

Friday steps

Steps = 10109

I am really pleased with this effort as I was not able to go for a walk today.

Update

Global Corporate Challenge Statistics for the weekend

Saturday =17292
Sunday =8821

Ooops, must do better.

Coffee anyone

PC and I walked to our favourite newsagent to invest in our retirement plans (lotto ticket) and then looked for somewhere for PC to have lunch - I had already eated my stuffed capsicum and had a cup of green tea, while watching the National Press Club presentation on the draft climate change review by Ross Garnaut.

We ended up at the round house, officially called Bible House in Garema Place, which once used to sell lots of Christian "stuff". I came here last week with DT for lunch, as I wanted to eat somewhere different from Cafe Essen.



As I have mentioned elsewhere the weather in Canberra is cold, and today it is unusually overcast and grey (no rain of course). We wanted to eat indoors - only the foolhardy and smokers sit outside at this time of year. Bible House is now a cafe called Bardeli's, with second hand books around the wall that you can purchase, to go with your coffee and food. The food is cheap and basic, but good. PC had a ham, cheese and tomato toastie with tea and I had a capuccino.

The waiters and waitresses appear to be learning their trade, so we wonder if it might be training place for either Christians or new immigrants.
Mondo.

Challenge for this week....

I have decided that I need to have more than 10,000 steps each day from Thursday through to next wednesday.

Thursday's steps = 10,067

Phew just made it!

Ice ice baby

As I left the house today at a very respectable 10.25 am (due to the fact that I was taking MLR to the doctors) I found this on my car!

Now do you believe that it is cold?


You will be pleased to know that MLR is ok - she has antibiotics and she has returned to school for party food and a disco (guess it is the second last day before the holidays).

Hello Winter

Yes is seems that winter has really arrived in this neck of the woods - the wind chill factor is about -2 at the moment, so while the sun shines and the sky is bright blue, the wind just goes straight through most of my clothes, leaving me feeling just slightly warmer than a frozen icicle.

Today's steps = 14,237
Rode the bike for 5k

Today on my GCC travels I am in Milwaukee, the weather here is cooler than we have had for a while, they are predicting mid 20's tomorrow, so I am pretty happy. Whenever I think of Milwaukee I always think of Laverne and Shirley. At the start of each episode, Laverne and Shirley are seen skipping down the street, arm in arm, reciting a popular Yiddish chant: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight! Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" I am sure I have read somewhere that Penny Marshall (Laverne) sang this song as a child and suggested it for the opening credits. The show was a spin off from Happy Days.

Back to the present day Milwaukee.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin has two very big claims to fame. Firstly, it is known as a beer town. At one stage in its history, it was the largest beer-producing city in the world. Today it is still home to America's second largest beer producer - Miller.

Secondly Milwaukee is home to an icon that makes many drool, tremble or run for their lives (sometimes all three at once) – The Harley Davidson Motor Company. Harley's first bike was made in 1901 and they have always produced big, loud bikes with attitude. Which is probably why bike gangs love them so much (notably the Hell's Angels). It was Hollywood in the 50s, 60s and 70s who chose to make Harley's the bikes for bad guys and rebels (The Wild One, Easy Rider). This silver screen image attracted the bad boys to the brand and became a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can take a walk through the Harley Museum and pick yourself up a belt buckle, after all 5% of the company's revenue comes from licensing of merchandise of the image not the selling of bikes. I hope to visit the museum while I am here.

Sad farewell

On Monday we farwelled five out of the seven staff in the Knowledge for Natural Resource Management team that I work in (commonly known as the K4NRM team). We went to a local cafe for a morning tea/finish up meeting.

Now it seems there are just piles of files on my desk and a huge workload!!!

Back to the Sole Sistaz efforts and in particular my stats. This is my end of financial year report:

Currently I am in Orem (I was in Salt Lake City yesterday), so in full mormon territory - one of Orem's claims to fame is that Marie Osmond lives here!

Mondo's stats;

• Walked 411, 593 steps.
• Daily average 10,290 steps
• Distance 263 km
• Daily average 7 km

In Land and Water Australia (LWA) Sole Sistaz Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) Team are leading the way with an average of just over 100 steps over the second placed LWA GCC team Hamba Mandla.
**Note to self, stop using acronyms and stop using the word "now".