• Exomod Coffees, 615 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley 6050 - It's open 24-hours on Friday and Saturday nights, which is the main reason Blake and I started going there a couple of years back. It also serves the most consistently decent coffee out of any café I'm aware of. I'm not a big fan of the bright/modern interior, but I do like the art. I also like the passage to the toilet out the back... do not judge me!

• Leaf Tea Merchants, 60 Walcott Street, Mt Lawley WA 6050 - They actually don't serve coffee there, but I'll list it in this category anyway. The tea is fantastic, and served with love. I heard its owned by one of the owners of the Dome. The tea menu is extensive, and its a joy to browse and try something new. I love the Chai-Laté.

• Rosso Espresso, 89 St Georges Tce,Perth WA 6000 - This place really knows how to make a great coffee. I actually cant remember ever having being served a bad one. Decor is a bit like Exomod, but the location lets it down. Its geared towards to local take-away office crowd. Rosso... the colour of the ripe coffee cherry. The colour of love... the colour of passion...

• Luna Cinemas‎ Café, 155 Oxford St, Leederville WA 6007 - Good Coffee? Good lord no! I don't think I've ever had a decent up there.... but I do like the atmosphere there. I like Luna in general, so I guess that bleeds into my liking of the café, and my tolerance of the crap coffee :-)

• Bochelli's Espresso‎, Forrest Pl Perth WA 6000 - I once considered this place to have the best coffee in Perth. There was a ginger-haired man working there who was just fantastic. Then, one day, the ginger barista was gone, and so was the quality. Where is he now, I wonder. So why am I listing this place now? For the Cakes!!! Plus, it's a nice place to sit and watch the crowds.

• Infusion Coffees, Plaza Arcade, Perth WA 6000 - I used to avoid the place because I thought the place was too trendy for me. That's not really the case, I've found. The staff are great, and they make a great coffee. The only problem is that when they get busy, the quality drops like crazy. If you walk past, and its quiet in the shop, I recommend you buy a cup. If they are busy, just keep walking.

• The Moon, 2/ 323 William St Northbridge WA 6003 - A lot of people would probably put this place in the Restaurant or Bar section, but for me its always served its purpose as a café rather than anything else. The place is hit and miss in terms of service, and coffee. But what it lacks in those things, it makes up with atmosphere and opening hours. Its a great place to hang out and chat over a bottle of free water. Its a shame that they tend to play (in my view) crap music, a little bit too loud, most of the time.

• Whale and Ale, Cnr Ocean Keys Boulevard and Key Largo Drive, Clarkson WA 6030 - I'm really glad I've got this place as a neighbourhood pub/restaurant. The food is fantastic 95% of the time. The Chicken Mignon with Macadamia Nuts on Mash is one of my personal favourites... and the Guinness Chocolate Mud Cake is awesome. My only real issue is that you cant order drinks and food at the same time. Its bloody annoying having to line up at the counter for food, and then at the bar for drinks. This thought of it usually makes me decide not to have a drink with my meal, which I'm sure cant be good for business.

• Chatters, 1 Progress St, Morley WA 6062 - A great (mostly) Thai/Chinese restaurant, with great service and great food. Can I use the word great again? No. Since moving up to Clarkson, I have not been frequenting this place as much. But when I do make the trek, it's certainly worth while. That being said, when they changed owners about three years ago, the portions shrank considerably. Still a great place though. The Chicken with Cashew-nut is my personal favourite, though the Thai Green Curry ranks right up there as well.

• Fast Eddies. 454 Murray Street, Perth WA 6000 - One of the original 24-hour places in Perth (there are not many). My vote only goes to the Perth location. The other ones (i.e. Morley, Midland and Carousel) are completely incompetent most of the time. The Perth store appears to have its act together and actually delivers on its promise of 'fast' food. The service isn't bad either. I've spent hours in this place, chatting about nonsense at all hours of the night. The Apple Pie and Chicken & Avocado sandwich are standout menu items.

• Alfred's Kitchen, Cnr Meadow & James St, Guildford WA 6055 - Another late-nigh fast-food option. I am listing it mostly due to historical reasons. I've got great memories of sitting in front of the pit-fire, chatting to bums, bikers, truckers, lawyers, brides, doctors, jokers and assholes. Since the renovations a few years ago, the place does not feel as friendly as it used to. And I find myself taking-away, rather than sitting there to eat. The soup is always a treat, and the Cram-Burger is fantastic.

• Siena's Mt Lawley, 500 Beaufort St, Highgate WA 6003 - I'm not sure if the Mt Lawley and the Leedervile restaurant are actually connected these days. The Mt Lawley store has been re-branded, so perhaps they are separated now. I dislike the arrogant matradee in Leedervile, so I'd go to Mt Lawley if I had a choice. Siena's is a pretty good, great value Italian restaurant, with great pizza and pasta. Monday to Wednesday are pizza/pasta special days, and are great value.

• Levant Cuisine Restaurant, 139 Barrack St, Perth WA 6000 - My god. I was pretty much addicted to one menu item from this place. So much so that I was convinced that they actually put something into it to make you crave it... constantly. That item is the Chicken and Rice dish. At the height of my dependance on the stuff, I was going there four days a week. Only financial pressures made me see sense, and I eventually got it down to one or twice a week. There have been days (when doing overtime for work) where I would eat it for lunch and dinner. Its that good :-) 

• The Witch's Cauldron, 89 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA 6008 -  When Trace and I feel like a treat, we go to see the Witch. It's a little pricey, but its worth it from time to time. Service and atmosphere is great, as is the wine selection. The place is famous for its garlic prawns, and you'd be foolish to leave without trying them. Even if its just the entree.

• Sassellas Bar and Bistro, Upper Hay Street Level, City Carillon Arcade, Murray Street Mall, Perth WA 6000 - My god. This place really needs to update its website :-) Sassellas was one of my favourite 'special lunch' options when the immigration department was still located in the CBD. The food is very nice and comes out quick, and they've got a great selection of beers. If the weather is nice, I recommend sitting outside on the balcony, overlooking the mall/forest chase. I don't mention it a lot, but its one of my favourite places to have lunch/dinner at. Especially when its warm.

• Poppo, 137 Barrack St. Perth WA 6000 - It's located right next to the before-mentioned Levant. I used to feel guilty about walking past Levant to go to this place. Especially if I made eye-contact with the owner :-) I do love Poppo, though I only ever seem to order one thing - Dolsot Bibimbap. The decor is a bit plain, but all the food (that I've tried) is great. Prices are good too.

• Flipside Burger Bar, 239 Queen Victoria St, North Fremantle WA 6159 - I am struggling to justify to myself why I'm sitting here writing about this place.... when I could be in the car, on the way there, right now! I have not gone there in a few months - it is a bit out of the way after all. I tend to go there after visits to Freo.. and I tend to go to Freo during the warmer months. The burger are fantastic... the best in Perth. Yes. I liken it to Fergburger in Queenstown, NZ, but a fair bit healthier. I highly recommend this place, and always try to pop in when I'm in the area. It's all good. Even the vegi burgers (like the Kenny Burger) are fantastic.

• Masala Indian Restaurant, 2/ 70 Pensacola Terrace, Clarkson WA 6030 - Another local place. As far as Indian food goes, this place comes second only to Tracy's parents' cooking. Seriously. It's got a large, and very very clean buffet, with most kinds of curries. And they are all delicious. Its pretty decent value for money too, considering how good it is.

• Indian Ocean Bewhaus, Ocean Falls Boulevard, Mindarie WA 6030 - My favourite local bar. It's proximity certainly gives it extra points, but it does not need them to get onto my list. The counter meals are great. Some people disagree, but I think the pizzas are great. The Indi Burger is delicious, and I'm drooling just thinking about it. They brew their own beer there. I recommend the Pale Ale and the Pilsner, while the seasonal Indi Vanilla Milk Stout and Calypso Hibiscus Wheat Beer are .... interesting. I don't think much of their White Beer, but white beer has never been a favourite anyway. Its a pleasure to eat/drink there anytime of year.In summer, the marina provides a great sunny atmosphere outside, while in winter the couches in front of the fireplaces are very cosy and comfortable indeed. Also, playing Giant Jenga is a real treat, and never fails to draw a crowd of spectators. i do have a couple of issues though - Firstly, just like at the Whale and Ale, they make it hard to buy drinks and food in one transaction. Secondly, the kitchen closes at 21:00, even on weekends. Its just way too early. They should at least keep the pizza oven going until 22:00.

• Little Creatures, 40 Mews Road, Fremantle WA 6160 - For me it's hard to imagine Fremantle without this place. While other independent breweries have opened around Perth in the last 8 years or so, Little Creatures continues to hold it's own and is a great place for a beer and good food. It's always busy, and always has a great atmosphere. The staff are friendly, and service is fast. If you're not in the mood for a large, noisy beer hall, and want something a little more laid back, head up to the Creatures Loft where good beer and sofas await. I've spent many hours up there.

• Feral Brewing Company, 152 Haddrill Road, Baskerville WA 6056 - I rarely get out to this brewery. But when I do, I love it. The pizzas are great, and the beer is bloody good as well. Its also a great excuse to visit the Swan Valley, and perhaps duck into the Chocolate Factory :-)

• 43 Below, 43 Barracks Street, Perth WA 6000 - This place was known as Bar On Barrack for quite a few years, and The Alhambra Bar before that. It opened in the 1920's and stakes the claim of being the first bar in Perth to serve counter meals. I hate the new name, and the new signs at the front of the place. Luckily, the bar itself has been left untouched. I'm hoping that will continue to be the case. London, Antwerpen (Belgium) and Keszthely (Hungary) served to develop my love of underground bars, and that love is well served here. The before-mentioned counter meals are very tasty indeed, and very good value for money. They also have a large selection of beers on tap, also well priced. I've never managed to make it to their famed (and surprising) Super Mario Kart 64 evenings. I must get around to that one day. I think its on Tuesday nights.

• The Brass Monkey / Grapeskin Wine Bar, 209 William Street, Northbridge WA 6003 - I hate both of these places on busy nights. If I cant easily get a seat on a sofa, I just keep walking. When the numbers are right though, this place is a gem. Its a surprisingly big place, with a number of different bars, with different themes and atmospheres. Its not as big as The Deen, but bigger than you'd think. Ok.. maybe that's just my view :-) Either way, whatever section I end up, I always enjoy it. I've never ordered any food from there, but I've been told its decent. The Brass Monkey Stout is a pretty respectable beer brewed on-site.

• Grand Boulevard Tavern, 151 Grand Blvd (cnr Boas Ave), Joondalup WA 6027 - I'm not sure why, but I always get the impression that this is some manner of front for organised crime. I'm not sure why :-) But either way, the restaurant is fantastic, having served memorable and delicious meals to me on every occasion. It's a pretty cool establishment actually. The Beer Garden is comfortable. The sports bar is also likeable, with plenty of big screen TVs and sofas.

• The Boat, Mindarie Marina, Ocean Falls Boulevard, Mindarie WA 6030 - This is place is pretty much right next to the Indi (see above), and thus gets overlooked a fair bit (by me, at least). They've got a large selection of beers on tap, and a very good selection of bottled stuff as well. The food is overpriced, and nothing special... especially compared to the indi. It does have a good atmosphere though, and I do enjoy watching sport there from time to time. Sitting out on the deck on a warm summer's night is quite a treat. I have a soft-spot for marinas you see.

• It was on a Sunday night. I hate everything except coffee/tea and a sit-down on Sunday nights
• Door opened at 20:00 - Makan and I got there at 20:20, and listened to French Rockets and These Ship Wrecks. They both sounded pretty good and kept up entertained. The latter band was especially good.... though I didnt think much of the guys singing, and think they would probably work better as a instrumental rock band (or at least keep the singing in the background)
• There was a sizable time gap between the two support acts, which was tedious.
• Once These Ship Wrecks finished, it took a long time to clear the stage. Two guys then set up the stuff for Ratatat. Those two, once they were finished, then headed off stage, and we waited for a further 30 min until the show begun.
• During the wait, they were playing the most awful music over the PA. That music, in combination with a asshole crowd (at least were we were standing) created a pretty shitty atmosphere.
• Ratatat came onstage at 10:50. It turned out that they were the guys setting up the stage earlier - which lead me to wonder what they hell they had been doing backstage, other than simply leaving the audience waiting.
• The guitarist came walking on stage with a bottle of wine, which he drank from, and then used to play his guitar for a few seconds. He had long long hair and was head-banging a lot. I can only assume that they were simply sitting out the back drinking.
• We left after the third song. The atmosphere, the time spent waiting, the fact that it was a Sunday night and the long haired guy's arrogant stage presence really shat me off.
• Vodka and Redbull - $14 - WTF!!!!! and a tiny glass too. They didnt even hand over the leftover redbull can. Fuck you Capitol!

• Dylan Moran was great. I enjoyed the show far more than his previous one. I was glad that he moved away from the 'parenting and children' angle he used during his previous visit. We had much better seats this time too, being only about 15 rows from the stage. I went with Trace, Markus, Makan, Heidi, Marcus and Jen. Before the show I enjoyed some Guinness Pie. It was fantastic :-) After the show we enjoyed a visit to The Moon for the first time in many months. The coffee was 'decent', which surprised me. The chocolate pizza was... naughty.

• Trace and I Attended Daniel's Birthday dinner a couple of weeks ago. It was at a authentic Japanese Restaurant - It was nice, but it was a bit odd having everything (except the tea) served cold.

• Makan has been around a lot lately. Mostly to discuss his obsession with a lady from his work. These discussions normally take place at the Indi. Though a couple of nights ago we went to The Boat instead. The beer was not as nice, but the atmosphere was pleasing, and enjoyable. It was a change watching the AFL on the screens, rather than the usual Aqua-Docos they show at the Indi :-)

• Been playing a bit of GTA4. I like it, though the big open gameplay does annoy me a little at times. I've been courting Michelle. She likes me a lot and we keep each other satisfied in the bedroom. That is the point of the game, yes? I've only recently made it to the centre island, and was very happy to finally buy myself a new suit. Michelle didn't seem to like it though.. nor did she like my shoes. She expressed her dislike openly. I was surprised, since I though she'd like my new, cleaner image. She still with me though, so she's obviously not too displeased. She didn't seem overly excited about my new sports-car either. She's a simply girl that is intimidated by wealth, it seams. I've been a little worried for her, since the trouble with the yugos, but things appear to be under control at the moment. we are talking about a game, yes?

• Burn Zombie Burn has been entertaining me as well lately. Its a lot of simple fun. Though I wish there was more progression in the multiplayer mode. I don't get such a big thrill out of beating my previous scores... I want a little more purpose. Its quite frustrating that I have to unlock levels in single-player before they can be played in multiplayer.... this usually involves the other person sitting and waiting while I complete the single-player task (or vice versa). Calling All Cars has also been acquired, and will hopefully made a wonderful addition to the PS3 casual games.

• Makan and I are seeing Ratatat. Strangely, until very recently, I've had none of their music. I've only ever heard them in Blake's car and I loved what I heard. I think it will translate nicely to the stage. There will no doubt be plenty of dancing and a couple of drinks that night... though they are playing on a Sunday night, which is a bit of a shame. That being said, m˘m played on a Wednesday (or such) and it did not limit the fun.

• Matt and Kim were in Australia at the moment, but did not come to Perth. I'm displeased with them. I'm surprised that a small band like them can not bother taking a 5 hour flight to Perth. Their Australian Tour consisted of a show in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane only. How can you even call that an Australian Tour? Tickets were only $25. I want to see múm again.

• I recently bought the Yeah Yeah Yeahs new album Its Blitz!. Its Awesome! Seriously. Its been a long time since I've come across an album I've like this much, so quickly. Some tracks are fun, some tracks are sombre. I love the music style, though I am not skilled at describing such things. My favourite tracks are Zero, Skeletons and Little Shadows. Wonderful spacey tracks with plenty of atmosphere.

• Another recent addition is the new Peaches album I Feel Cream. Peaches has certainly come a long way. While her old stuff is quirky and raw, I also think its nasty and cheap. This new album is a lot more refined and sounds well produced. My favourite tracks are Talk to Me, Lose You and Mud. Yes, its very R&B. Yes, its quality is mostly centred around pounding bass-lines. You got a problem wi tha bro?

• Also, after seeing Destroy Everything You Touch by on RAGE last weekend, I've decided that I must investigate them further. Its an awesome song.

1. Bioshock
2. Fallout 3
3. GTA 4
4. Half-Life 2
5. God of War
6. Resident Evil 5

Friday afternoon was a little less casual than I wanted. Most of the people in the course had to rush off to the airport at different times to catch different flights. As such we didn’t really get a chance to say goodbye to everyone else, as people had to rush out the door… it felt a little strange that after having spent two weeks with this people, suddenly we ran out of time and couldn’t even say our goodbyes properly. That being said, I’m sure I’ll see most of them again – online or otherwise. 

Preacher arrived at the apartment (on the outskirts of the Valley) at about 19:00. He delighted me with a couple of new Scotches that I had not yet tried. And delightful they certainly were. In fact, they were a couple of the best scotches I’ve ever had, and while the names escape me for now (well, the spelling, at least), I will certainly follow them up.

The first night we enjoyed some wood fired pizza in the Valley. It was delicious. We didn’t stay out late and headed back to the unit.

On Saturday we headed over the to Castlemaine Brewery. It was surprisingly entertaining :-) The opening display and subsequent explanation of the history of the brewery reminded me of a educational theme-park ride that one might see on The Simpsons. And the voiceover sounded very much like something out of The 12^th Man. Glorious.

The tour was great, and the after tour drinks were decent enough. That being said, it has not lead me to change my view that they do not make particularly nice beer. I certainly shant buy it in the future. In contrast, the Heineken museum in Amsterdam completely converted me when I went, and I’ve been buying the stuff ever since.

On Saturday night (Valentines Day), Preacher had booked a dinner for two at a Japanese restaurant, overlooking the Story Bridge. We were met with slightly strange looks, at I’m sure everyone else was there for a romantic evening – and I guess we gave them little doubt that we were there for the same :-)

The main reason for going there was for its selection of scotches. After sampling four of them, it felt as though the best scotch was the stuff that was waiting for us at the unit. Preacher had clearly chosen well when be bought them.

We caught the ferry across the river and went to the story bridge hotel. While initially it just seemed like a ordinary pub type place, subsequent drinks turned the place into a magical sing-along party house, the likes of which I have not visited in a long time. We hollered along loudly to several gutsy Australian anthems until about 1am. At that point we walked across the bridge, though the Valley and to bed. It was a lot of fun, and I’m glad we bothered taking the trek across the river.

Today we went down to Southport and sad around chatting. We didn’t want to do anything overly interesting and enjoyed lazing about.

Now I am sitting at the Airport. Preacher departing at 17:00 and my flight is not until 19:25. I am more than ready to head home. I miss home. More importantly, I miss Tracy. I’ve been trying to change my flights all week, so that Trace and I could enjoy an anniversary dinner on the right day. Alas the change could not be made, and I’m rather annoyed that we wont be able to celebrate on the right day :-(

It’s been 12 years since we started going out. It’s been 12 fantastic years and I’m looking forward to spending the remaining years with her. I guess with that in mind, missing one dinner is not too much of an issue. Still it bothers me.

Trace has left the city. As I type this, she is taking off and returning home. I envy her.

On Thursday night we decided to have a lazy evening and went to the movies. The cinema is only a two minute walk away, which is pretty bloody handy. We watched Pride and Glory, which was decent enough, but not memorable.

Friday evening we went to the Sit Down Comedy Club - the food there was shockingly bad, and the drinks rather overpriced, but the acts were pretty good, with the exception of the first guy… he sucked mostly because he didn’t want no accept the fact that he was not funny. He seemed to be quite irritated that were not laughing at his jokes with greater enthusiasm.. he just wasn’t overly amusing, and the tension didn’t help.

Unbeknownst to us, the headline act was a guy we saw in Melbourne a few months ago. The first two or three jokes were the same, and our minds drew to sneaking out of the place. Luckily the act soon changed and kept us amused for the remainder of the evening.

On Saturday we strolled over the pedestrian bridge to Southbank. I was rather amazed by that place…. A fake beach. A number of pools, restaurants, city and river views. Lovely parks and boardwalk. It further cemented my view that this a great city to live in. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

The evening before, I had spent some time reading Lonely Planet, trying to establish the must-see sights that the city has to offer. I soon discovered that there are none. It sounds terrible, but I would say the same for Perth. Brisbane does not seem to be a wonderful place due to distinct sights and sounds, but it is fantastic due to the wonderful quality and character of its parts… whatever they are :-)

The city itself is full of high-rise apartment blocks. I love it. Its amazing how much energy residential buildings bring to a city centre. Perth is pretty much dead after 19:00 each night, but that is slowly starting to change. More and more people are starting to live in the city… in East and West Perth. They are currently building a couple of apartment blocks in the centre. I hope they are the first of many. (though I hope for the sake of our investment, that ‘many’ will not result in a drop in property prices).

I’m halfway though my course. All the assessments are due at the end of the week and I don’t think I’ll get too much time to relax. As much as I like the place, I would have loved to have left with Trace today… I feel strangely lonely here now.

With that said, I must stress that I am looking forward to Preacher’s arrival on Friday. Its great that we get a chance on a pretty regular basis, even though we live on separate sides of the country.

Scotch will be drunk. Delicious scotch. I just hope we can find a nice cozy bar that knows how to serve it.

I was hoping to stay at my current accommodation for an extra couple of days, but the guys at reception didn’t seems very interested in giving me a discount. A little strange, considering I’m booked in for 12 nights. I honestly thought they’d just let me stay for $110 a night or so… especially since (according to a poster downstairs) the company that owns the place is in receivership. I thought they would want all the rooms filled, but apparently not.

This means that I’ll be going my usual accommodation searches on wotif.com.au. I’m sure I’ll be able to find a nice place for much less than what I’d pay here. I am always tempted to go for the black-deals.. I’ve never been disappointed when taking a stab in the dark.

Its been strange not having internet access in my spare time. And I really cant be bothered paying mafia prices to the hotel for the privilege. I can almost connect to the Starbucks network from my balcony… it always seems to drop out once I try to load pages. I guess I’ll just have to pop down and enjoy one of their coffees… which I like. I just hate the company :-)

I’m sitting on the balcony, with the laptop on a little table. The doors are wide open, and I’m listening to Nick Cave (The Boatman’s Call). Its warm outside, but I’m drinking a hot coffee anyway. It just feels right. I like sitting here. I like the balcony. I like being able to see hundreds (thousands?) of dwellings just by looking up from the screen. In some ways I am a little like Blake. I sit and wonder what the people I see in their living rooms actually do for a living. I wonder if they’ve been living in their apartment for years, I wonder if they are living their dreams by living in the inner city? Or are they just like me? Just a temporary visitor, enjoying the atmosphere of a new place. I wonder if they look at me, sitting here typing on my laptop, wondering the same. The residents are obviously aware that the building opposite them has short-stay service apartments (I know I would be).

When I see people in the entrance hall, I wonder what they are here for. Are they here for a holiday? Work? Training? Are they here to meet up with a mistress, or man-friend? Are they in town for a funeral? A wedding? I wonder.

The view is quite strange from here. Everything is very built up, and there is actually only a little tiny area that I can see that is actually at street level. I can see parks, pools and picnic areas. But they are all in, or on top of other buildings and car-parks. Its interesting.

As I mentioned, there is on more week of this course to go. The last couple of days have been boring and slow, so I hope the pace will pick up over the coming days. I haven’t seen any of the other guys this weekend, which is a bit of a shame. That being said, I have no regrets about Trace coming over for a visit. I’m very glad she did, and I’m glad we got to discover this city together.

It’s been a few days now. A few days filled with learning, excitement and frustration.

The course is filled with plenty of interesting characters… characters which are certainly more interesting that the presenters. Don’t get me wrong – the presenters are very knowledgeable about their subject, but most of them are clearly not teachers.

Subject matter experts? Yes. Lecturers and mentors? God no.

Its amazing the difference that a little charisma makes to a persons learning ability. The Ethics guy on Tuesday is a good example. The subject was, of course, boring. But the lecturer managed to turn it into a fun day filled with discussion and debate.. and learning.

The guys that have been lecturing us on the Migration Act and Bridging Visas for the last couple of days are arrogant, condescending and smug. They are both old-school public servants from Canberra. Their heads are filled with knowledge, but not the will to share it properly. They seem to think that they are god’s gift to the Immigration Department… but the fact is that they are past their prime, but are desperately trying to remaining important. I don’t think they are bad guys, but they need to get off their high horses and pass on their knowledge in a productive manner.

Which brings me to the other people in the course. Most of the people are from Brisbane. There are a couple of people from Adelaide & Cairns, and one person each from Canberra and Hobart. Shockingly, they are mostly new. In fact, a couple of them started with immigration on the first day of the training. To me, this seems crazy. More specifically, I think it’s a waste of money and resources.

I was looking forward to meeting other people from other offices and discussing issues and procedures with them. Instead I have found myself in a room mostly filled with people that actually have no idea of what we do. It’s a shame, and its crazy.

That being said, I like most of the people I’ve met. And I’m sure I’ll be staying in touch with at least a couple of them. Sonja and Glynn specifically.

Tracy arrived on Yesterday afternoon. Its certainly nice to have her here, though this is certainly not a holiday for me, and I hope she manages to entertain herself while I’m at work. I thought I would have more energy and motivation to do things after work, but the course leaves me feeling drained at the end of each day. Nonetheless, we will certainly make the most of the next couple of days.

Brisbane is a nice city. I could quite easily live here. Though I say that without having seen suburbia, which is where we would be living realistically. Its easy to like a place when you’re staying in a rather lovely inner-city service apartment :-)

So here I find myself.. sitting in a serviced apartment, on the other side of the country. I’m watching the tennis… the final. And what a final it is. I’m firmly on Federer’s side, and its not just because he’s Swiss.

I’ve been looking forward to this phase 1 compliance course for quite a long time. Its been about 18 months since I first got wind of the fact that I would probably be attending this course… and here I am, on the eve of its commencement.

I caught a taxi from my place to my parents’ house. It was one of the first times that I’ve been in a Commodore taxi, rather than a falcon. And yes what…. If broke down :-) So Markus and I spend about 25mins in rather hot conditions waiting for a replacement cab to turn up. My dad dropped me off at the airport.

The flight over here was as pleasant as always. They showed two movies – Nights in Nathanthe(cant remember how to spell) and The Duchess. It seems a little strange to me that they would show two chick-flicks on a four hour flight… There were certainly more men on the plane than women.

I took the opportunity to start watching the Docos that Daniel had given to me. Who killed the electric car? And the Venus project. The former was a decently balanced documentary containing factual information that raised my eyebrows. It was not surprising with what it explained, but it does make you wonder about how greed gets in the way of progress.

The latter was pretty close to a cult documentary. I enjoyed the ideas contained within it. I enjoyed the guys vision of what the future could be like. He envisions a future where machines do all the work, and humans get the time and space to become what we are supposed to be. The problem with his vision (at least in the way that they were presented) is that the world is actually filled with smart and not-so-smart people whom could not possibly exist in the academic structure he tries to portray. We are not all philosophers and scientists. Some of us are lazy bums…. Where do those people fit into his system?

Watching it reminded me of two things – Communisms and Socialism. It honestly reminded me of Hitler’s vision for Germany - a superior culture of academics and artist.

The Taxi I caught from Brisbane airport ran out of LPG on the way to a petrol station. We had to push it for about 100m to the nearest station. Not a good day for cabs and I.. clearly.

So yes…. Here I sit. The accommodation is actually nicer that I was expecting. It’s a little one bedroom serviced apartment. There are a lot of Korean restaurants and mini-marts around, so I can only assume that this is the Korean part of town. I didn’t think Brisbane was big enough to actually have anything other than a Chinatown, but I was wrong.

I am slightly annoyed about the internet charges in the place though. They want $60… a crazy amount I am not willing to spend. I would love to have access here, but its just not a good way to spend my money. I will have to upload these entries using some other hotspot.

Trace is not here with me, which is a little off putting. But she’ll be here in a few days to keep me company and to explore the city with me. The course will keep me busy during the week, so I hope she won’t be bored while I am away.

The game is certainly a intense one. Federer has not managed to create any manner of definitive dominance. Both players have made some fantastic shots, while both have made terrible terrible mistakes. I was hoping to go to bed early tonight, but I don’t think I can while this battle is still going on. I will need to have a shower and shave between the next sets.

The TV here is a little funky. It took me a long time to turn it on, using some random instructions given to me by reception. Push the red button, push the buttons on the side. Then push the red button twice to make it go green. Then push a button on the remote. Etc etc. Its rather strange.

Anyway, I’m using this laptop on my lap… and my neathers are starting to feel a little.. strange… I always thought this was just a urban myth…. But I must take this thing off me before it doe some manner of permanent damage :-) Crazy times.