Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Prius Test Drive

Today we took a Toyota Prius for a test drive. I was pressed against the dashboard with my knees when sitting in the passenger seat. Not made for tall people.

It's a nice looking car but very plasticky. I could live with that but the console in between the seats was a bit flimsy and it was in the way of clicking in your seat belt.

Nicole driving us in to the Adelaide hills. The car drives nicely and the controls are OK. Driving up the hills required some extra umpf and the petrol engine was revving like mad. Made us feel somewhat uncomfortable. Because it's an automatic, going downhill requires a lot of breaking. After 15 minutes my leg was hurting so much (because of the little leg room) that we swapped the car at the first occasion. Nic drove the rest back to the dealer and that's it. No Prius unfortunately.

We were disappointed. Clearly our expectations were too high.

The birdies are doing fine. They're cleaning themselves all day. Quite frankly, I'd do the same if my bed was made out of shit for 50%...

Late afternoon I drove Nicole to a pub where she was meeting two frinds to go see a basketball game. She was invited and apparently has really cool tickets. I drove home. Alone, for the first time :-)

PS: It was 37C today and mostly cloudy.

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Rundle Lantern

Looking up during lunch.

This old fella comes to feed the pigeons in the park sometimes.

He brings two bags of bread and makes lots of friends.

After work we had drinks at The Historian pub close by.

From left to right my colleagues Mark, Dave and Justin.

From left to right my colleagues Justin, Dale, Melvin and Mohit. Dale will be working in Singapore for 5-6 weeks.

While walking to restaurant Lemongrass where I was meeting Nicole for dinner (Grilled Barramundi fish with vegetables and rice) I passed the display where tonight's light show would be held.

Nicole on the right and the kitchen entry on the left.

After seven o'clock we walked down to the light show and waited.

They tried entertaining the waiting crowd with funny walking beings.

Then there were some speeches in which all the 5 million people who were somehow involved in creating this show were mentioned in a biblical manner. It was therefore also just as thrilling as that part of the bible. If you don't know what I'm talking about you're a bad, bad christian! ;-P

More people gathered.

It got dark....

And then it started. This display will be on every night from about 7 pm till midnight if I'm not mistaken. I think it's great. Better then the crap advertising screen at Rembrand square in A'dam. This thing has Las Vegas proportions.





















Very nice.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

The doves

Meet mama dove.

And her little babies. Within one week they grew so much that on Monday you couldn't even see them unless you climbed a ladder, now they're sticking out, looking down at us. I hope they'll make it.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Jack High

The fountain was working again!

This is my late grandpa's watch. It's a nice watch. It works on movement of my arm, it doesn't require a battery. Good stuff.

During lunch, the people around me were very focussed on their mobile phones. Maybe they were sending each other sms's.

Today was lawn bowl day again. The street where the club is is called Jack High Lane. "Jack High" is a bowls term used for bowls that are further from the mat than the jack. For more lawn bowl terms look here.

Our team, the "Bowls squad". We look like such dick heads in this photo.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Signs

My plant seems to love it at work. It keeps growing new leaves. Today was the end of my six month probation period. No one came to sack me so I guess I'm allowed to stay, which makes me happy.

I had lunch at Cafe Fressssshhhhhhh with Mark. It was sunny and warm outside. A lot of people go out for lunch but not many of my colleagues do.

I take a different bus home these days. I get off at Prospect road and walk about 20 minutes. I was swea - ty when I came home today.

Along the way I started making photo's of signs. Most of them don't require any comment.



An African deli with a iced coffee flag. I love it.

Get your exotic pets here (or not).

WTF?

Dutch or Belgian?



Aren't we all professional?

?







I spotted these three shop spaces being for sale and am now considering investment possibilities.