Notes on a few trips

29062007971 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . As temperatures plummet to 19 degrees, the coats come out... Ok it was a bit breezy...

28062007950 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . After a long flight one needs coffee, muffins and fruit toast... Oh and some water to keep the fluids up...

As I prepare for flying to Australia on Tuesday evening, I have been taking care of the essentials: Packing noise cancelling headphones Burning DVDs to iPOD Trying to pack only one USB cable... Hmmm I'm sure I will have forgotten something... Oh passport... Spare money from last trip... Thank heavens for electronic tickets...

Coming up to the tenth hour and flying somewhere over Eastern Europe I have given up on reading and watched an episode of Kath & Kim and saw the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" again. I actually slept through some of the final scenes which I thought improved the film as I just don't buy anyone walking away from the job just when they got the hang of it and just after they slept with that blonde Aussie actor... The best part of the flight is that there are only 80 people on board and everyone has plenty of space on the 747... Obviously a good time to fly... And I am making the most of the free internet service. It is going to be withdrawn at the end of the year as Boeing says there is no market for it at the high prices they were charging for the punters to use it. Now that isn't rocket science...

I should be trying to get some sleep. Instead I am using my PDA to update My blog while flying over the Indian Ocean with the plane bobbing up and down. I have also read the first few chapters of the Latham Diaries which I picked up in paperback before leaving Oz. Have made mental note to write more like Latham... He May have been a bad leader but he does have a way with words. Bit depressing that Beazley is still the Labor leader too but it probably doesn't matter since they have no chance getting elected next year... Oh the fun things to do on the flight to London... Only ten more hours to go...

Taking a break in between flights I have set up in a lounge and decided to post my thoughts following a few cups of coffee from a Nescafe machine... The machine makes interesting coffee. If you select the milk option it gives a frothy brew that tastes a bit like coffee and a bit like it has been infused with the goodness of monkey spunk. Nevertheless if it is the only thing on offer monkey spunk coffee is the way to go... The coffee combined with the compression stockings I just put on (I couldn't be bothered putting them on the first leg of the flight as it was only seven hours) gives one a sense of invincibility no matter how misplaced... The flight from Brisbane provided a few laughs including a fat Singapore man still in the loo as the plane was about to take off. The flight attendant was about to haul him out but he managed to waddle out and back to his seat just as the plane lifted off... I found it a hilarious sight and laughed out loud. So did the two very Australian ladies...

Day 15: Scenes from Emporium Brisbane Tuesday 14:09 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . One last lunch before flying out tonight... Depot in the Emporium precinct in Brisbane is great for lunch... And the staff are friendly (although the one in the background seems to be giving a bit of 'tude... I could have done with more sleep having been up into the wee hours of the morning with a drip in my arm... Then again my friends were expecting me to make a call into accident and emergency this trip and it had become a running joke, so I couldn't let them down...

Day 14: Scenes from Sydney Opera House Monday 15:49 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Cocktails McDonalds style at the Sydney Opera House... There is a designated section where you have to pick them up... As for the cocktails... They were rubbish as they weren't made with crushed ice... The guy made a mojito as if he was serving a soft drink. The drinks got better later in the day at the top of Australia Square at Orbit bar with AP, D and C... Great views too...

Day 14: Scenes from Sydney Circular Quay Monday 14:41 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A fine wine and a view of the harbour for lunch... Pity about the fish and chips at Doyles being a bit on the scarce side... Although what was provided was great, I wondered whether they had run out of chips and fish by 2pm and if Sydneysiders don't know the concept of a late lunch??

Day 13: Scenes from Brunswick St Sunday/Monday 00:47 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Monday morning and all is quiet... And a bit of a blur...

Day 12: Scenes from the kitchen Saturday 21:14 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Meat-o-rama

Day 12: Scenes from Wellington Point Saturday 12:11 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Boy on ladder with Calvins showing...

Day 10: Scenes from New Farm Thursday 17:57 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Crap design 101: Queenslander meets abattoir...

Day 10: Scenes from UQ Thursday 16:51 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A boy in a candyman's store...

Day 9: Scenes from Ann Street Wednesday 22:05 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Not a lot happening out there tonight in the Valley...

Day 9: Scenes from a Pizzeria Nundah Wednesday 19:26 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Waiting to take away...

Day 8: Scenes from Noosa Tuesday 13:30 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . No trip to South East Queensland is complete without visiting Noosa (pronounced Nooo-sarh for those in the know), even if it is just for lunch. Lunch was fish and chips with a tomato and goats cheese side salad at Season restaurant . We were told that it was pronounced Seasaahn but that was just a wind up. The wait staff call it Saysun love...

Day 8: Scenes from Hastings Street Noosa 14:31 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Coffee on Hastings Street is always a sensible thing to do. You never know who you will run into... Ex-colleagues, men with their shirts off, the possibilities are endless. Oh and Crocs in all different colours were popular with the punters, but this guy was wearing thongs (flip flops as they are called everywhere else)...

Day 8: Scenes from Noosa Beach Tuesday 14:14 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . All that sun, surf and sand...

Day 7: Scenes from the street in New Farm Monday 21:47 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . One of the drawbacks of living on the corner of a busy street (this photo is from a Monday night so it is less busy) is that when eating on the verandah the passers by want to talk to you... Such as the chap in a beanie and the bottle of XXXX tonight who asked if we were having herbal cigarettes. I think he wanted to bum one. We actually were having rib eye fillet off the bone which is a little different, but maybe he couldn't see the steak knives from the road...