mykrocosm

Just back from Melbourne - we spent all of yesterday at the conference and then had the opportunity to explore a little, starting with a nice walk through the botanic gardens and along the river bank watching the college rowing teams set up for their races later that day. I then headed off for lunch with my brother and his fiancee at a great little place, then afterwards we returned to Federation Square to check out the Dutch Day festivities. Met up with the guys again at about 3pm and off to the airport.

So, that was Melbourne. I haven’t been there in ten years, not since that crazy weekend drive with a couple of uni friends to attend an all-night party somewhere in St Kilda. Since we drove back first thing in the morning and spent the rest of the day lost in the Grampians I didn’t actually get to see much of Melbourne itself.

Impressions of Melbourne? Well, I love to kick a Vic as much as the next crow-eater, and I can’t stand the jungle and jumble of concrete and overhead tram wires. But there’s no denying its a more active city than de ‘Laide - every where you turn you see joggers and dog-walkers out enjoying what fresh air there is.

I can’t say the shopping lives up to its reputation. After all, we live in an era of franchises and chain stores, and unless you’re into the high end couture, there’s plenty to choose from in Adelaide these days. The only thing we don’t have here is a Tiffany’s - and that’s probably a good thing!

Off to the ADUG Autumn Symposium this weekend. The fact that some employees were actually going to be in out the wild (if you can call Melbourne that) must have spurred somebody in HR into action - they printed us some business cards today. Only a couple dozen each, but they’re quite nice all the same. Now we just have to find people to nonchalantly give them to.