19 February, 2007
Tasmania
Tasmania is cool. On this short trip, we flew into Launceston (Lolly), picked up a hire car and drove to the east coast. The purpose was to see my man's folks who were down there for 3 weeks - yes, 3 weeks in little tassie!! I hadn't seen his folks since waving them off at Bangkok airport a few weeks ago. They had spent a week in Sydney before flying down to the apple isle.
It occurred that I take for granted how easy it is to see my parents when Mr D (my man) told me how happy he was that his parents were only an hour away as opposed to 24 hours away. It was then that I also felt guilty for not seeing my parents enough and that we should have more family holidays together - even if it is only for a weekend. I am working on this.
Well, our little weekend has given us a taste for more. Of note - the roaring wind and waves crashing on granite boulders covered with pink and orange lichen; the enormous stretches of vast white beaches; seeing Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park; feasting on fresh crayfish, pacific oysters, scallops in Bicheno/Freycinet (although no abalone - just an abalone farm); the pinot; the reisling; Lily the blind duck; the large number of roadkill; the drive through picturesque Elephant Pass (and the famous pancake restaurant - brandied apricots encased in a hot delicate crepe with cream and icecream...mmm, delicious!); jazz on the grounds of Clarendon; Evandale - a pretty little town where we missed the local market; the tiny towns and the very small population.
Next time I'd love to spend more time in Freycinet camping and then to Cradle Mountain for some walking. And of course, more time eating delicious fresh seafood and drinking pinot.
It occurred that I take for granted how easy it is to see my parents when Mr D (my man) told me how happy he was that his parents were only an hour away as opposed to 24 hours away. It was then that I also felt guilty for not seeing my parents enough and that we should have more family holidays together - even if it is only for a weekend. I am working on this.
Well, our little weekend has given us a taste for more. Of note - the roaring wind and waves crashing on granite boulders covered with pink and orange lichen; the enormous stretches of vast white beaches; seeing Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park; feasting on fresh crayfish, pacific oysters, scallops in Bicheno/Freycinet (although no abalone - just an abalone farm); the pinot; the reisling; Lily the blind duck; the large number of roadkill; the drive through picturesque Elephant Pass (and the famous pancake restaurant - brandied apricots encased in a hot delicate crepe with cream and icecream...mmm, delicious!); jazz on the grounds of Clarendon; Evandale - a pretty little town where we missed the local market; the tiny towns and the very small population.
Next time I'd love to spend more time in Freycinet camping and then to Cradle Mountain for some walking. And of course, more time eating delicious fresh seafood and drinking pinot.
09 February, 2007
ladies who lunch ('LWL')
I've noticed too many of them today. And they all look the same...........white trousers, perfect hair, makeup, pedicures, manicures, designer handbags and enormous sunglasses all chatting away over bowls of salads.
I witness this on most days however, as a full time student, I don't think I qualify as a lady who lunches. Normally, I surface from my study, blinking at the sunlight while I dash off to grab something quick and easy to appease my growling belly. I never look as glamorous as the LWL. I'm always dressed in daggy cargos, a t shirt and daggy uncombed hair shoved in a ponytail.
Today, my heavily pregnant friend and I decided to grab some lunch. As usual, the LWL brigade were in full force. Looking around at the cafe, we realised that there were NO men! Just a whole troup of females - some tables looked like exact replicas of each other. It was too stepford wives and it was spooky.
What do they do all day? Wouldn't you get bored? I wonder. Given the opportunity, would you become an LWL?
I witness this on most days however, as a full time student, I don't think I qualify as a lady who lunches. Normally, I surface from my study, blinking at the sunlight while I dash off to grab something quick and easy to appease my growling belly. I never look as glamorous as the LWL. I'm always dressed in daggy cargos, a t shirt and daggy uncombed hair shoved in a ponytail.
Today, my heavily pregnant friend and I decided to grab some lunch. As usual, the LWL brigade were in full force. Looking around at the cafe, we realised that there were NO men! Just a whole troup of females - some tables looked like exact replicas of each other. It was too stepford wives and it was spooky.
What do they do all day? Wouldn't you get bored? I wonder. Given the opportunity, would you become an LWL?
