Mozzeenet

I’m loving my new IBM Thinkpad laptop which I have recently purchased and is fondly known as ‘Lappie’. Amit took a photo of me working on it when I went over to his house last weekend to do the updates using his broadband (thanks Amit).

It really does make things a lot easier. One of the interesting features is the fingerprint reader to log on! It’s not 100% reliable though - sometimes doesn’t recognise my prints. I have recorded the prints for two of my fingers. I can still also log on with user name and password.

I’ve also purchased Adobe Creative Suite which includes Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Acrobat and GoLive so I can edit photos and images easily as well as do web development stuff if needed. Amit helped me get the laptop set up with all the programs I need and settings. I was able to connect to the work network on Friday as easy as pie and have the choice to connect with wireless as well.

It’s really great to have such a useful tool and means I can do a lot more than before much more easily.

I find it difficult not to let disappointments get to me sometimes. I don’t know how some people manage to stay (what seems) interminably positive when life goes a bit haywire. It’s a gift which I was not born with and have struggled to develop. Even if I tell myself to look on the bright side when something is bothering me, sometimes I just can’t change my perspective.

I have learnt some techniques and tricks along the way to deal with those times when I am feeling pessimistic and being overly hard on myself and I thought I may as well share them. Here they are:

• Chinese massage
• Fresh juices - I own a Breville Juice fountain and have just recently got into fresh beet juice with carrot, celery and apple - it is delicious and I have discovered that it really peps me up
• Walking home after work - a friend has been walking home from work for years and she inspired me to try it. I walk from Central station to my home which takes about 50 minutes and it really helps to clear my head of the day’s events and widen my focus.
• Yoga
• Meditation - I learnt this in a community course. I haven’t been practising lately but it is really worthwhile.
• Listening to music
• Reading
• Cooking myself a delicious meal
• Meeting up with good friends
• Talking to friends or family
• Asking myself, what is the worst that can happen in this situation and is it really so bad?
• Reminding myself of my achievements, experiences and the other times when I have surmounted obstacles
• Asking myself on a world scale how significant this problem is
• Joining a community college course and learning a new skill
• Getting back to nature - walking in a park, by the beach or drinking a cup of tea in the garden
• Writing out some plans for how to tackle the problem and the future
• Challenging myself to do something difficult which I have always wanted to do
• Travel
• Looking at old photos
• Watching a good movie
• Remembering that life is much more difficult for some people as I saw when I lived in Cambodia and PNG
• Remembering that things happen when they’re meant to and when I’m ready for them

Now for the final installment of myself and Andrew’s road trip. The moonscape of Coober Pedy was interesting and it was a novelty to stay in a motel built into rock (it wasn’t quite underground but they market it as being so of course), did a bit of opal “noodling” (that’s what it’s called) but didn’t find anything. It’s a barren, isolated place.

Next was straight on up to the Northern Territory border where we turned left at the small town of Erldunda and headed off to Uluru or ‘The Rock’ as it’s fondly known. It’s something you see so often from childhood as an Australian that it’s hard to believe it’s the real thing when you’re there. The sunset viewing was impressive (no we didn’t make sunrise) - the colours change quickly in a matter of seconds into a bright orange hue. I kind of liked it when the sun went down as well and it was fading into the night. The Aboriginal cultural centre is very interesting also. We decided to respect the wishes of the locals not to climb Uluru. It is very steep and there have been deaths in past years, people having heart attacks and falling off. We were content to do a short walk along part of the base track.

We also went on a star gazing tour one night - gorgeous and very chilly. It was warmish during the day but very cold at night. Kata Tjuta or the Olgas were also very interesting, the unusual shapes and colours of these neighbouring rock formations. The aboriginal stories about how these landscapes were formed is fascinating. Did a short walk there too.

After the Rock, we had a night at King’s Canyon which I really enjoyed. We walked right round the rim of the canyon - 3 hours long and steep in the beginning. It was a great view over the plains from the top. There were quite a few people doing the same thing.

Final stop north was the city of Alice Springs. Just took it easy there, had a great dinner at Oscar’s restaurant on the main street both nights.

Then it was time to head back home via Adelaide. Not before an “interesting” stop in Glendambo though. Glendambo is a very small road stop half way between Coober Pedy and Port Augusta. We had driven for about 10 hours from Alice Springs to get as far as we could that day and it was already dark. We had noted that there was a motel there on the way up so we bowled up to reception ready to lay our heads down and sleep. But we had chosen the one day of the year when they were fully booked - it was the Elders employees field day! We couldn’t believe it. Now, we were in a difficult position. There were kangaroos on the road so we didn’t want to drive on to the next town - can be dangerous driving in this area at night. I asked if there was anywhere else we could stay and they hesitantly told me that there was a bunkhouse attached to the neighbouring BP station but that they wouldn’t recommend it!

We didn’t have much choice bar sleeping in the car. Not a good idea so we made our way over and inquired. The BP assistant was also hesitant but gave us the key to check it out. It was this ramshackle tin-pot shed with three rooms, fraying carpet, old faded curtains and bunk beds and the only bed linen they gave us was a bottom sheet. We had to take it so we got out all our jumpers and clothes and put them on top of ourselves and tried to get some sleep. It was freezing so basically we didn’t get any. At 3am we were both up checking the time and we went out to see if any of the road stops were open. Nope. The night dragged on for hours it seemed til finally at 6am we were already packed up and knocking on the door of the service station up the road when it opened, had a greasy breakfast and headed on out of there. Talk about the worst night’s sleep ever! But an experience all the same!

A couple of nights later and we were back safely in Melbourne. It was a brillant trip. See all the photos on my Flickr account. I’m proud to say that I’ve now seen this unique and amazing part of Australia!