Your Questions Answered... probably.
So what was Adelaide like then?
Well, it really chilled, much quieter than Melbourne. As one guy I met there said when I mentioned that Melburnians are pretty sniffy about Adelaide, dismissing it as a "big country town": "Well, we've got better wine, better beer, better food, better weather, better beaches, no traffic jams, cheaper rents, lower cost of living... yeah Melbourne's got it all hasn't it..."
He's right about most of that stuff, although I can't say that I really found the food better [but maybe that's more to do with me being a veggie]. I could live there, sure, but I'm a city boy through and through, and as beautiful and lush and green as it undoubtedly is, it was just that little bit too quiet for me.
The city centre is about 1 km square maybe a little more, pretty much surrounded by parkland, which made it a great place to just hang, to just be... I didn't really do very much of cultural interest; visited no art galleries or museums, not even any of the myriad of old churches [Adelaide has the proud epiphet: "City of Churches", though apparently known to many non-Adelaiders as "City of Corpses" after a particularly grisly series of murders over the years].
As I say, it's a nice place to relax and, given the level of pressure I've felt under of late, that was exactly what I needed. But next time I'd take Claud, as it can be a little lonely travelling alone and staying in a soulless 70s Stalinist tower block/hotel. Am I too old for a Backpacker's hostel? Well, I wasn't last year, so maybe I should consider that as an option if I decide to go away alone again. My older-person wisdom may be just what some of those young whippersnappers need, eh? Might stop 'em listening to that noise they call music... Hmm, maybe I am too old, after all.
Have you started your new job yet?
Tomorrow's the big day. At this point I'm feeling pretty relaxed about it; looking forward to it, but with some reservations of course. It wouldn't be me if I wasn't at least a bit worried about it... I know it's a different level of responsibility, looking after the mental health of 30-40 people, trying to keep them well and out of hospital. But I'm up for it, and I know I have the skills to cope with it. There that's about the most positive I ever get! Savour that moment.
Had the leaving do?
Yep, last night. Had been out to the pub the previous 3 nights which was probably something I'd not done since I was a student first time round. The guys [male and female] I've been working with are a lovely, lovely bunch of people. I could witter on about the ward politics [and often do, but this publicly-accessed site is not the place], but I really can't speak too highly of the staff.
They've made me soooo welcome, been so lovely, positive and encouraging towards me, and many have become good friends. I'll miss them all, although it's a strangely odd feeling to be leaving. I'll be working with many of the same patients, albeit in a different context, I'll still have contact with the ward on a regular basis. And I'll see many of them regularly socially - in fact I'm intending to start this week, going to see Tim Finn with Wendy and Dan.
Anyway... We went to a funky [but very loud - not good with my tinnitus] bar in the shopping mecca that is Chapel Street, Prahran [known as "Pran" locally], a load of people from work turned up to say goodbye to the three of us who have left over the past few weeks - Katie, Dan and myself [Dan shares his name with a well-known "author" - hence the poster design at the bottom of the page]. Then went on to another swish wine bar called "Red Vault", then on to "The Revellers Bar" which was pretty grungey and feral, but a good place to end the party for me [at about 2.30AM, although a little birdie tells me that some of the gang didn't get home till... ouch! 8AM!]. I was going to say that there was no major gossip to report but in the ensuing 5 ½ hours from when I headed home, who knows what may have occurred...
Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post here soon... I didn't take my own camera as I know that the mix of expensive goods and alcohol don't work well for me...
Well, it really chilled, much quieter than Melbourne. As one guy I met there said when I mentioned that Melburnians are pretty sniffy about Adelaide, dismissing it as a "big country town": "Well, we've got better wine, better beer, better food, better weather, better beaches, no traffic jams, cheaper rents, lower cost of living... yeah Melbourne's got it all hasn't it..."
He's right about most of that stuff, although I can't say that I really found the food better [but maybe that's more to do with me being a veggie]. I could live there, sure, but I'm a city boy through and through, and as beautiful and lush and green as it undoubtedly is, it was just that little bit too quiet for me.
The city centre is about 1 km square maybe a little more, pretty much surrounded by parkland, which made it a great place to just hang, to just be... I didn't really do very much of cultural interest; visited no art galleries or museums, not even any of the myriad of old churches [Adelaide has the proud epiphet: "City of Churches", though apparently known to many non-Adelaiders as "City of Corpses" after a particularly grisly series of murders over the years].
As I say, it's a nice place to relax and, given the level of pressure I've felt under of late, that was exactly what I needed. But next time I'd take Claud, as it can be a little lonely travelling alone and staying in a soulless 70s Stalinist tower block/hotel. Am I too old for a Backpacker's hostel? Well, I wasn't last year, so maybe I should consider that as an option if I decide to go away alone again. My older-person wisdom may be just what some of those young whippersnappers need, eh? Might stop 'em listening to that noise they call music... Hmm, maybe I am too old, after all.
Have you started your new job yet?
Tomorrow's the big day. At this point I'm feeling pretty relaxed about it; looking forward to it, but with some reservations of course. It wouldn't be me if I wasn't at least a bit worried about it... I know it's a different level of responsibility, looking after the mental health of 30-40 people, trying to keep them well and out of hospital. But I'm up for it, and I know I have the skills to cope with it. There that's about the most positive I ever get! Savour that moment.
Had the leaving do?
Yep, last night. Had been out to the pub the previous 3 nights which was probably something I'd not done since I was a student first time round. The guys [male and female] I've been working with are a lovely, lovely bunch of people. I could witter on about the ward politics [and often do, but this publicly-accessed site is not the place], but I really can't speak too highly of the staff.
They've made me soooo welcome, been so lovely, positive and encouraging towards me, and many have become good friends. I'll miss them all, although it's a strangely odd feeling to be leaving. I'll be working with many of the same patients, albeit in a different context, I'll still have contact with the ward on a regular basis. And I'll see many of them regularly socially - in fact I'm intending to start this week, going to see Tim Finn with Wendy and Dan.
Anyway... We went to a funky [but very loud - not good with my tinnitus] bar in the shopping mecca that is Chapel Street, Prahran [known as "Pran" locally], a load of people from work turned up to say goodbye to the three of us who have left over the past few weeks - Katie, Dan and myself [Dan shares his name with a well-known "author" - hence the poster design at the bottom of the page]. Then went on to another swish wine bar called "Red Vault", then on to "The Revellers Bar" which was pretty grungey and feral, but a good place to end the party for me [at about 2.30AM, although a little birdie tells me that some of the gang didn't get home till... ouch! 8AM!]. I was going to say that there was no major gossip to report but in the ensuing 5 ½ hours from when I headed home, who knows what may have occurred...
Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to post here soon... I didn't take my own camera as I know that the mix of expensive goods and alcohol don't work well for me...
posted by Ian at 4:42 pm
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