Greg's cultural faux pas #1

Well, it was bound to happen. I'm pleased it took over three weeks before it did. It turns out that the British pronunciation of 'Router' (as in broadband modem), where the 'ou' is pronounced as if saying 'oooo!' is dangerously close to the Australian slang 'root', which means, well, I'm sure you can guess. :P Thankfully at work they are forgiving and patient with my odd British ways, so I got away with it... this time :)

I have kept quiet when they refer to engineers as "Ginger Beers", but I chuckle every time!

Flatshares

*** Wanted ***
* Home required for slightly bewildered software developer.
* Will MHEG for food.
* Can converse with other people, animals and objects on demand!
* Answers to many names, but will respond favourably to "Greg".
* Requires frequent watering with tea.
* House-trained (for the most part), but can tidy up after himself if needs be.
* Will not eat your cheese (may consume berry-based beers).

Can you help house a poor Interactive TV software developer? Fresh from the fields of the BBC, he requires careful nurturing, the occasional cuddle but mostly tea. And maybe internet access.

Now I know how Tim from Spaced (Channel 4, 1999) felt. But I don't even have the big alien bear costume :/

Late night laundry

It was 11pm. I was in the WakeUp laundry room, er, doing my laundry. In walked a girl wanting to do the same. Got chatting, as you can only do at 11pm; she told me she was from Stoke on Trent and worked for the Conservative party. Then followed a somewhat full and frank 1hr discussion on the state of politics in the UK, Private Eye and what MPs get up to when not in the commons. Interesting enough, but at midnight when our drying had finished, I was wide awake thinking politics and unable to sleep :/ Confuzzlement!

Goths, Parramatta and Rugby

I discovered a rather large Goth Shoppe yesterday. I commend all Goths in Australasia for a) coping with the heat; and b) keeping such pale completions. I've been slapping on high-factor sun cream and cower indoors... and I'm still turning a pleasant honey colour*.

Thank goodness we won the Rugby again; the Aussies were rather hoping we had lost (photographic proof to follow later).

Took the ferry to Parramatta (as far downstream from Sydney as the ferries/seacats go). I only went along for the ride, so didn't stay there long (about an hour) before heading back. I saw the Olympic village in the distance and generally took in the sights of the 50min trip each way :) It seemed a rather sleepy town, but I did notice a Wagamammas, so it must be a good place to be :)

Yesterday I was filled with grumble at a (possible SA) chap who tried to get my attention in a restaurant by shouting "Oi! Pom! Pom!" Thankfully I was deep in a newspaper, so didn't realise he was talking to me until he gave up... Had I realised, I'd have been less than friendly... I don't mind being called such things - the chaps at work and occasionally at the hostel use the term, and I quite like it - it was the arrogance in the way he jeered it at me that filled me with grrr. :/

No word from the flatshare chap. I shall start looking for another property (as I probably should have been doing anyway).

* Unfortunately my hair is tending to blond, thus resulting in a somewhat contrasting look :P

Lazy Moths

Today has been a lazy day, which is both good and bad. Good in that there was nothing that needed doing, bad that I probably could have been doing something interesting.

It's times like these when I cast my mind back; back to a week ago, when I first found the Broadway shopping centre. My first view was in the food court, where a group of people were busy signing away. Presuming that they were locals rather than British tourists, Auslan does seem to have close ties with BSL. Obviously not wanting to be rude and listen in to their conversation (plus the fact that my signing is pants), I could only catch the occasional snippets, but the general "shape" of the signing seemed familiar. Maybe I'll try to say hello next week :)

In other news, the moths seem to be departing. Did I mention the moths? Sydney has had a plague of them for the past two weeks. Hundreds of the buggers, most of which are dazed, fattened and confused, keen to fall asleep on your nice warm skin, or maybe on the side of your Ute. But now the numbers are dwindling.

The potential landlord of the flatshare has postponed meeting the other tenant until tomorrow (Sunday). I suspect he's having second thoughts after I asked for an addition to the contract to allow me to give one month's notice after two months there, rather than having to adhere to the full term. So I've extended my stay at WakeUp... again :/

The chatty ex-dorm'er took the train to a farm somewhere today, allowing him to stay an extra year on his Working Holiday Visa (The Aussy government have trouble finding farm labour, so they give incentives such as an extra year's stay for working X-many-weeks on a farm.) Australia's nice, but with all the creepy-crawlies and things that will eat/kill/sting/bite/snuffle you in wilds, it's a big price to pay!

Now, it is time to go to the bar and have something to eat. Another lazy day tomorrow; hopefully will find something useful to do.

Photos Uploaded!

The first batch of photos can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/floongle/sets/72157602377366230/

:)

Beaches, Banks and Bananas

Yesterday (Thursday) I had my first proper lay-in since I've been here. 10:30am was a welcome surprise :) I did some banking (NAB sent my ATM card to the wrong address :/) and then mooched around.

Then went on the ferry to Shelly Cove, near Manly beach, where I had a late-afternoon sunbathe and a swim in the sea; I even did a bit of tentative* snorkeling. I was hoping to see some fish; I saw one fish. It was grey. It had the look of a North Sea Cod about it :/ Maybe I chose the wrong time of day :) Sitting on the beach in the late-afternoon reading my book, I only realised how late it was when I wondered why I couldn't read my book in the darkness!

The day before, I visited a share-accommodation apartment which seemed quite nice. I hope to meet the other sharer on Saturday. Based on that, I shall make my decision :)

In other news, I've been watching the level of stuffed toys in the grab-machine at the arcade that I pass by some days. As soon as they refill it, the stuffed penguin shall be mine! :D

In other other news, my half-day on Wednesday went well; lots of Java to read and understand. TiVo uses a suite of widgets called "Bananas". Trying to explain that I wanted to use bananas to my boss led to some confusion; Like the USA, but thankfully slightly less so, we are divided by a common language! :D Discovered that I am an "Australian Resident for Tax Porpoises" which is grand :)

* To get to Shelly Cove, you have to walk past Manly beach. As I wandered past, the lifeguard PA system was telling people to get out of the sea as Blue Jellyfish were coming into shore. The lifeguards at Shelly Cove (1/2 a mile along the coastline) weren't saying the same thing, but I was still somewhat paranoid!