Tuesday 4 December 2007

almost there...

Ah we're on the home stretch. We have had to move venues, for the last part of the conference, so tonight we will be at the Canberra Theatre. I feel sorry for the poor techies who have to completely bump out one venue and bump in to the next venue in 24 hours. But I'm sure it will all go well.

I've had fun with Andrew's camera - here are some pics of the main meetings at the National Convention Centre just so you can see what I've been working on this week!


Today's been a little more cruisy, as we didn't have a main meeting this morning. I was supposed to drive Cheryl to the bus stop this morning, as she was leaving at 9.00. Of course, I thought I knew where I was going and actually didn't so...she missed the bus. In fact, it was so close we saw the bus turning the corner as we ran into the bus depot. Grr. So I took her out for a coffee while I had breakfast (a most delicious mocha and blintzes with ricotta and sultana) and she had to hang around for a while waiting for the 12.30 bus. I did manage to get her there in time for that one, though, so that was good!

I then went and met Jackie at her workplace, we bought some delicious food from the Prime Minister's cafeteria (well the one in his building anyway, it's not his personal cafeteria) and went to eat in the Old Parliament House rose garden. It was so beautiful, flies notwithstanding (Canberra is not only the capital for the Australian people, it must be the capital of flies as well). We had a good catch-up, and just revelled in the lovely surrounds, the cool breeze and the dappled sun. She also brought me a bag of spectacular looking cherries that she picked on the weekend at Young.
The as I drove back, I found myself sitting at traffic lights opposite the impressive structure that is 'new' Parliament House. I could also see a number of people rolling down the grassed roof and wondered whether they were our students (wouldn't surprise me). How typically Australian! Although the security guards probably don't condone it and the average citizen probably wouldn't rate it as one of their favourite things to do, how lucky we are to live in a place where you can roll down the roof of Parliament House - imagine trying to even lie down on the lawn at the White House; you'd probably be shot!




No spider in my bed last night, you'll be pleased to know, and I've only got one more night here. Then it's home sweet home!

1 comment :

  1. Old Parliament House is lovely! I went there when they were having a Thea Proctor exhibition a couple of years ago and it was fantastic.

    Someone once told me that Parliament House was built the way it was so the government would never be “higher” than the rest of the populous. The girl who said this to me said with a smile she thought it was wonderful that you could jog over the top of it.

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