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.

House guest

We have had a house guest for the past couple of days. He'll stay with us until Friday, while his family, our friends, enjoy the sunshine in Thailand. Good for them. Since we decided not to join the masses who escape the city (Chinese) or the country (mainly expats) for the Chinese New Year (actually I did my very best that we would join the escaping masses) I welcomed the opportunity to have a dog for a short while. Since we miss our Ida-dog a lot.

Here is our guest. His name is Aatu. I also call him Aapo, Aadolf, Arppa, Asko, and hyttynen. With love.

But he is not quite the kind of dog I'm used to. Firstly, he has no fur. Except in the head and some in the end of his tail. But basically he is bald, so he needs clothes. For the past few days the weather was quite cold (about -3 - -5) and the wind was freezing, so it was an effort to get him to go around the building three times a day. When I took his sweater and prepared to get him dressed for a "walk", he run to the couch and hid behind J.

Where as our dog rarely, if ever, takes more than 5 seconds to get to the door if someone even implys she could be going out. No matter what is the time or what she was doing. Well, except if she's eating. And she does not were clothes, except occasionally to protect her from dirt and mud if it rains. And that's not because she wants to, but because I don't want to wash her three or four times a day. And "going out" means going out: you know, half an hour minimum, up to several hours. Not 5 minutes.

I have not got used the tiny teeny bones our guest has. They are like thin sticks. And there are no muscles! To speak of, anyway.

Did I mention he needs body lotion?

Aadolf also does not obey. I don't think he knows many commands, or then it just that we are not his people. But he knows, is when he's called for a meal. I like a dog with a healthy appetite.

He is the same breed as "the ugliest dog in the world", but still quite cute.

What he does best, is sleeping. When ever possible, he comes to your lap, or on to your chest, or burrows into your armpit. And he sleeps. Preferably under a blanket. Definately not alone. As long as there is someone to crawl close to, that's what he does. I am not sure he should be classified as dog. He definately does not comply with my definition of "dog". But that's ok, there are as many tastes as there are... breeds, I guess.

Did I mention that first three times we came back from outside he bumped into a glass door.

Our babe. We miss her.