Business travels

Last week I sort of kind of implied that I am unlucky and deserve symphathy-points for being here (Australia, if you haven't been paying attention) on a business trip, rather than for the long-hoped vacation. Poor me. What a horrible destiny it is to be here.

...admiring flowers in the parks...

Surely, there is always work to do, weekday or weekend. But I gathered what little I had and took it as an excuse to see around Melbourne: I am travelling with a colleague who has not had that many chances to travel the world. And also, who doesn't have a driver's licence. So he couldn't really do that much alone, could he?

As a sidenote: here on the other side of the world they drive on the other side of the road. I had only done that for about 30 kms or so before Friday, and that was 2005 or 2006 in a smallish town in U.K., so it's not like I am expert driving on the left. Some people said it's no big deal, then again my friend who lived in U.K. for about three years didn't drive there at all. So it might be a big deal. But I like to drive. Plus the factory we need to be going as of tomorrow is a loooong way from the city (they have cow pastures right next to it) and we need to get there by some means. How hard can it be, anyway? A person I don't appreciate too highly commented that driving in the U.K. was so easy for him. Not that I am competitive or anything, but if he can do it, well so can I. And actually: it has been easy [knocking vigorously on wood].

Only issue is that they are quite strict with the speed limits here. But that of course is not a problem for me, as my friends migth know. Not a problem at all. Nope. Not the least bit. Actually, I have never had a ticket. Oops! I thought I could still do April fools. Sorry.

Anyway, this weekend I have been to see Healesville Sanctuary, which hosts a league of Australian species, like koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, and echida.

...feeding carrots to this guy :o) So cute!

This little girl was a lively one for a koala:

On Sunday we drove through the Great Ocean Road, which is a road by the sea (I know I know, you never would have guessed!) with cute small villages, some of the best surf beaches in Australia (so they say), some lighthouses, beautiful parrots and the twelve Apostles, i.e. 12 limestone formations in the sea.

Two of the twelve apostles. And me. I'm on the right.

Split Point Lighthouse

A parrot in Apollo Bay

There were also gorgeous blue and red colored parrots flying in

some of the places we stopped, but I couldn't get a shot of them.

So, compared to other people's business travels... [Deep sigh] Ooh. Poor, poor me.

Seriously: I consider myself pretty lucky.