If my job had a theme tune...

Dad in his office

My Dad worked for the New Zealand public service for most of his working life and used to laugh heartily at the spoof TV drama called Gliding On by Roger Hall. I suppose a lot of it rang true for him and I'd probably find it really funny today, but as a kid the humour escaped me.

Now, I imagine my worklife could somehow be transformed into a spoof comedy - whose workplace couldn't? And the theme tune for the week would have to be 'Teddy Bears' Picnic'. My workmates have had teddy bears sitting on their desks for a few weeks now. One of them, whose eyes are suspiciously close together has been staring at me for the duration. The bears have been causing Irma frustration because as a cataloguer it has been her job to sew tags to their bums. Even the sweetest nature would be frustrated by this exercise and even Irma has recently been known to exclaim, 'I hate those teddies!"

Earlier in the week I had a brief respite from the teddybear filled environment with a trip over to another campus library to learn the ropes on the floor. One of my first jobs was to learn where to collect the mail... and what should turn up with the postman at that very moment but a barrel full of bears. That same squinty eyed bear was then positioned in such a way as to be staring at me the whole time I was there. I could swear those bears are fitted with tracking devices. And that bear is definitely keeping two beady eyes on me...

The Nelson Toll Room, 1988

Portuguese Pieces

There's a Red Rooster restaurant near the end of our street with a huge billboard outside which has recently read 'Portuguese Pieces'. I feel a little uncomfortable with this. I can only assume the 'pieces' are pieces of rooster but in fact, what they haven't said means that people consuming these 'pieces' could be eating pieces of rat, fat or cat...? I wonder what their next marketing gimmick is. Perhaps I'll wait for Nigerian Nuggets, Limerick Lumps or Chinese Chunks.

Four Legs Good, Two Legs Bad.

Until I get a log on at my new place of work I'm stuck doing the jobs nobody else wants to do. So I've been listening to a lot of audio books as my hand mechanically goes through the motions. Photo on the scanner, photo off the scanner. Photo in the folder, photo darkened, photo lightened... If I don't get my log on soon I swear I'm going to go crazy and shoot someone but at least I can catch up on some literature that I somehow missed reading during my formative, enforced literature-reading years. (Otherwise known as high school.)

One of those books is Animal Farm by George Orwell. I'm not surprised it's on the English literature reading lists of many high schools; the themes are transparent and fly at you thick and fast. What I especially enjoyed about the audiobook version was the reader's rendition of the stupid sheep bleating 'Four legs good! Two legs bad!' in a high pitched sheep-like voice. I'm told I do a great rendition of a sheep myself, in which I take great pride. So it made me laugh every time.

Laughing at the scanner. I'm sure my new workmates think I've already gone mad...

Speaking of new workmates, I still haven't met all of them who work in the same building. A birthday card came across my desk today and I had no idea who the recipient was. I was told just to sign it anyway, as the guy has been away sick for the last two weeks (which is approximately when I started). So I did, with an ambiguous scrawl of a signature in case he wonders who the hell I am. Then, at morning tea, and in the poor fellow's absence, we all sat down and ate cake in his absence. At least when I finally do get to meet him I'll be able to put a face to the name!

Kayaking On The River Avon

The Continuing Apple Debate

I wish Australia would import Kiwi apples, for one reason and one selfish reason only. New Zealand apples taste really good!

Nursing home cat can sense death

I've no doubt that animals can sense things humans can't. Of course, some humans seem to have more of a sixth sense than others. When I was a kid I had a cat called Mistie. We were best mates, to the point where Mistie wouldn't sit on anyone else's lap, nor sleep on anyone else's bed (unfortunately for me, who would wake up squished in the corner, the cat stretched horizontally across the most comfy part.)

Then, when I was seventeen I went to Japan for 10 months and the cat sulked the whole time. But two weeks before I came home, Mum tells me she would sit in the front window just staring down the driveway. Mum is sure she knew when I was coming home. Sure enough, when I came home, Mistie couldn't quite believe it. She wanted to sit on my lap, but she wanted to just look at me as well, and would sit on the arm of the chair just looking at me.

After that I came and went from home and Mistie grew older. Eventually she only had half a tooth and started looking gaunt. Dad, always complaining about cats and always the big softie, would take her to the vet for a $60 'geriatric cocktail'. This seemed to be keeping her alive unnaturally, and each time I went back home she'd sunk further and further into senility until eventually she didn't recognise me at all.

Dad had to stop taking her to the vet for the geriatric cocktail and eventually she went to the vet and came home in a box. She's now buried under a rose bush, along with Smokey, the younger grey Tom, who she despised heartily all her life. Smokey actually died first; after several near brushes with death he was lucky to last as long as he did. Dad, who also dug Smokey's grave, is convinced that Mistie was smiling as he covered the box in dirt. Yes, cats definitely know what's going on. And they're not telling.

Uncle Laurie, Dad, Uncle Tony and Me

At Uncle Laurie's nursing home. Uncle Laurie spent most of his life working for the post office in Te Kuiti. Now he's in Christchurch with the rest of his family. Older family members remember when he could do a backflip at a party. Recent quote: "I think I'd have a bitta trouble doing that now."

Kaikoura

I love Kaikoura. I drive down that coast whenever I get the chance. (And always hoot in the tunnel.)

The KFC Walk-thru

Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, NZ

Now to the day to day Canberra stuff...

Once when I lived in a dormitory at university someone left a terse note on my door telling me my music was too loud. It was a Sunday morning and I'd forgotten it was the middle of summer and all the windows were open. I also felt momentarily annoyed that the note was written in English. That's because I was living in Japan, and the only native English speaker in the whole village. I thought that if someone wanted to leave a note that I should be treated equitably and the note should be written in Japanese; otherwise they should at least have the decency to talk to me face to face about it! However! I am generally a reasonable person and felt guilty that my music was louder than I thought it was, and that other people could hear it despite the empty rooms bordering mine.

Now the boot is on the other foot. The person who lives in the adjacent apartment listens to really loud music. It's not on a Sunday morning, however. It tends to be between midnight and four a.m. every weeknight.

So there are some decisions to make. One, I could suffer through it and go back to wearing the industrial strength earplugs that came in useful at the hostel last year when there were snorers in my room. Or the mattress could be transported to the living area, which hardly has any room, but at least then HIS living room wouldn't be separated by a single thin wall to our bedrooms. Or, I could knock on the door and ask him politely to turn his music down. Or impolitely. Or leave a note. Or call the noise control department of the police. Other possibilities last night when I was lying in bed trying to get to sleep last night included cranking our woofer up as high as it would go then pressing it and the stereo speakers against his wall before cranking it up full bore at six each morning, which is when we need to get up for work. My ideas also included banging angrily on the wall and throwing stones at his window, and I even began to wonder if I could fashion a sort of mechanical bird, battery powered and remote controlled, that sits right outside his bedroom window and chirps angrily all morning.

I'm sure any sane, reasonable people reading this are wondering why I don't just ask him nicely to turn the music off. First of all, the only reason I know it's a bloke is because I've heard him stomp heavily home in the middle of the night and I can hear that he's a lot bigger than I am. Also, I figure that if he were going to respond to reason he wouldn't be playing music that loudly at that hour of the night in the first place. He doesn't seem to have a car (well, there's none in the park) and for all I know it's actually a poltergeist living next door. Perhaps a more significant reason I don't want to go next door (especially in the middle of the night) is because the sort of music being played very clearly indicates that this person is either on drugs or, well, at least plain weird. Now, I don't like to sum someone up based solely upon the music* they play, but my opinion of this person was reinforced when I was woken not by music, the night before last, but a scream. Yes, a real human scream. And I'm a heavy sleeper... once I manage to get to sleep!

It's interesting to note that this person has had a change of neighbours on both sides (including us) and downstairs (today) within the space of a two weeks.

*The music last night was church organs interspersed with a woman wailing. Like Kate Bush cross-bred with a Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, actually.

Irene's house

My Favourite Motueka Street

The McVicars lived here. They used to take me whitebaiting on the Motueka River. I only remember catching a single whitebait - hardly enough for a pattie. In such times, it's conventional to make 'whitebait' patties out of grated potato, I believe.

Where I Lived When I Was Seven

It was a brand new house back then. Going back to Motueka these days is a completely different experience. I hardly recognised the main street. Hell, KFC has even opened there, and now there's The Warehouse, it's officially a town! Of course nothing stays the same. But I must be sentimental. I just wish Mot wouldn't change every time I go back there!

Maori Tree Carving at Marehau

Marehau Beach

The Best Gelato Shop in Nelson

Dunedin

We only spent one night in Dunedin. Dunedin reminds me of Wellington. I guess this is because it was built at around the same time. There's something about the tall, boxy houses looking out over a harbour, and narrow streets with jerky gutters and windy alleyways winding through the city. Dunedin is a student town. Many of my high school friends in Christchurch couldn't wait to get down there to uni. Because of the cold, and also because of the drafty houses students are obliged to live in, Dunedin students are called Scarfies. (There's a movie about them.) I, on the other hand, stayed in my home town to get a degree and therefore I've never lived in Dunedin. So I make do with the odd visit. This time we visited Olverston House - an old mansion that belonged to a rich Jewish immigrant family who ended up with no heirs and therefore donated it to the city. It was interesting to see that a super rich family of 100 years ago still had fewer creature comforts than the average middle income family of today.

Bluff

Where we ate fish and chips while watching the sunset

Where the bushes grow sideways


Where you can see Stewart Island, the bottom of NZ...

Other South Island Places

The Frost At Arrowtown

Arrowtown Gourmet Burgers

Highly recommended. Even the cheap one is good.

Tama

Tama, the gentle giant, also went for a walk in the park. Tama has since gone to a new home.

Mazz

This little fella was jumping at least a metre into the air barking at the top of his voice. So we took him for a walk in the park to knock some energy out of him.

Bugs

Cats at the RSPCA

The little orange one had only just arrived and in fact was rehomed while we were walking the dogs there. As for the other scary looking creature...

David in the kitchen

My brother's always eating. He's either painting houses or is at the gym, so don't leave any food about or it's down the hatch!

Portrait of a Puss

Did someone say there's a mouse around here somewhere?

Yeeees?

The cats are always trying to get inside the dishwasher to lick plates. "Hey Louis, you get in there while I keep watch!" Mum wondered why she couldn't shut the drawer properly. Just as well she checked because there was Louis at the back of the dirty plates, having a good lick. "Who needs a dishwasher, really?"

Budget Marshmallows

Must have got bored on the train. The budget marshmallows are good value, but they are super-powdery.

Dan's New Hat

Dan is wearing a hat made partially of merino and more importantly, of possum. It feels good to wear possum on your head. Well, at least it is in NZ, where they're ruining the plant and birdlife. Besides, possum and merino makes for super-light yet super-warm garments.

Damn! That water is blue.

Can't remember the name of this place. Near the hydro dam at Cromwell.

Cromwell

Snow on the way to Alexandra

Louis's Prosthetic Tail

It's actually a piece of possum fur. Louis likes it but Fleur loves it more.

Do You KNOW What You Look Like?

Yes, this thing provided hours of entertainment. This picture does my head in. It look especially foul with that thing on TV in the background, which was a nature show of some kind... I'll have to get one of those things.

Aaaarrrggghhh!

Let's Play A Game With Puss!

This is Dad's page magnifying glass, so he can read maps and the phone book.

What was that?!

Let's Play Possum!

Even though Dan's allergic to cats, especially Persian ones, Louis insisted they play with his possum tail. Of course, the kittens are too cute to say no.

Swat Bag

Louis and Fleur invented a new game. Strictly for kittens only.

Louis and Fleur also have several other favourite games. One is to pull all the washing hanging off the drying rack. Another is to chase a laser pointer as it darts around the room. Reflections from spoons, knives and watches also do the trick. Of course, just as they swat it, the dark fur of their paws means the light disappears. These two only recently got spayed and neutered. I wonder if next time I see them they'll be lazy old cats with saggy furry bellies who are too unmotivated and jaded to be bothered chasing the light!

Well, his breath could hardly smell worse...

Aah, the good old Christchurch Press!

Oh, hi, um I was just hoping to hitch a free spin dry...?

This old thing? I've had it for years, darling!

More Good Things About Home

Mum's pantry is always full. Griffins biscuits and Bluebird chips - can't get those in Oz. It really only struck me when I went back home that the food in NZ is different from that in Australia. I'd even forgotten about Toffee Pops! Oh well, I've eaten enough to do me at least another year in Oz!

Hokitika Town Centre

Cows Ahead

Shades of Blue and Green

Franz Josef Glacier

When I was a kid our family walked right up to it. Now, after a number of deaths from falling ice and debri, it's all roped off. The glacier seems a long way off from here, and to be honest, it looks perfectly safe down there. I suppose that's why people still jump the rope and get themselves killed. You'd think you could dodge a falling rock, wouldn't you? I suppose that's like saying you can just grip the seat during a car accident.

Before The Pie Was Munched

A Kiwi Pie

We had a pie at Franz Josef. It's official: After even Dan admitted it, Kiwi pies are better. (And cheaper.)

Dusty Road

Green Duvet

Well since I came over...

...and you're not gonna gimme a carrot, I'll just have a dump in front of you!

Icing Sugar Dusting

Take one mountain and dust lightly in icing sugar.

Canterbury Jersey

Ice/Grit

On particularly notorious stretches of black ice, trucks spread grit over the road to help tyres with their grip. The snowcapped mountains in the distance reminded me of puddings and I kept wishing the signs said Ice/Cream instead. I know I'm crazy. I didn't need cooling down!

Another Mountain View

The thing about the South Island that I miss most, without realising until I come home again, is the feeling I get from being constantly surrounded by mountains. Even the most mundane vista is likely to have a mountain backdrop. I suppose this affinity for your homeland is felt even more strongly by native people who seem to feel that connection to home wherever they venture. My ancestors, on the other hand, left their home country to spend Six Months in a Leaky Boat on the way to this place called Aotearoa and they never went home again.

Black Ice

Another thing to watch out for in New Zealand is the black ice on the roads, found most often in shady patches such as this. A good sign of it is white frost on the side of the road. Avoiding travel in the early morning is the best idea if you want to play safe, but in fact it never actually melts in the coldest part of winter. We were around for one skid off the road due to black ice. There are black ice related accidents every single day in winter in the South Island. I don't know how many people we peeved off driving at 80 around bends, but we lived to tell the tale...

A Classic Little Kiwi Town

Westie Cows

The West Coast is too wet to grow sheep, so you see lots of cows. I guess there's nothing worse than the smell of a wet sheep, and nothing quite as pathetic looking!

Where Illiterate Glow-Worms Go When They Die

I know, my jokes have reached a new low.

Ghost Signs

The signs are wearing sheets, for no apparent reason. They remind me of Hallowe'en.

One Lane Bridges

Something the tourist to NZ should be wary of is the large number of one-lane bridges. They creep up on you, and you need to have seen the sign way back to know who should give way to the oncoming traffic. Moreover, if you're not used to driving on the left, it would be easy to come off onto the right side of the road, and with the paucity of traffic to guide you, it may be too late to know you're on the WRONG side until you're greeted head on with a milk tanker. Large white arrows painted on the road before and after every single one lane bridge would be good, I thought, as I gazed out the window.

The Road Ahead

It's nice when you get the road ahead free of other cars. The vista looks much better. Of course every man and his dog wants this, and an annoying driving habit that I noticed in New Zealand was that of overtaking in order to sit right in front. Gone are the days when you can do 120km without getting caught. Most annoying was the car who sat on our tail, overtaking at the first opportunity, spotted a cop and slammed on his brakes right in front of us, thereafter being too spooked to go anything above 100 and therefore blocking OUR view! Annoying! (We pulled over for a cuppa.)

Kumara

The little yellow sign says Kumara, which is the Maori word for sweet potato. I guess that's like having a town called 'Sweet Potato'.

Road South from Greymouth

Springfield is in New Zealand.

With the release of The Simpsons movie, I hear the American Springfields have been vying for the dubious honour of the birthplace of Homer, Marg and co. Springfield can also be found just out of Christchurch, on the way to the West Coast, and this photo was taken from the train.

Awwwwh, ain't that cute!

The cat's pretty darn cute too, eh!

From The Car Window

Akaroa Hills

Akaroa Pier

The Akaroa Gaggle of Gulls

Akaroa from down at the water

Dad in the pier shelter

Sunny Hill, Still Water

Lighthouse in the distance

Sunk

Holiday Homes on the Akaroa Waterfront

Akaroa, Water and Sand

Akaroa is a little settlement, originally Maori, then French (sort of) and now a place just far enough from Christchurch for the city dwellers to feel they've got away from it all. A lot of the baches are owned by Christchurch people. Here, you can stay in a boutique bed and breakfast, hire a boat, eat fancy food and go swimming and walking. Well, maybe not swimming at this time of year. The art galleries in Akaroa are always enjoyable to look through too.

Akaroa Harbour

The Road to Banks Peninsula

I mean really, do I look like I care?

Freaky Eyes!

Louis

Mum and Dad have two persian kittens which came into the SPCA from Akaroa. Mum works at the SPCA so was able to bring this cute little fella home, along with his sister, Fleur. Akaroa was a French settlement, hence the names. The cats match my parents' furniture. The upside is that they look like 'designer cats'. The downside, at least from the cats' point of views, is that if they don't keep an ear open they'll get sat on. Of course, the cats always have the best seat of the house.

It used to be a volcano.

Camping Ground on the Peninsula

King of the Sign

I've always wondered what it would be like to have a bird's panoramic vision. It's hard to imagine being able to see 360 degrees with a mere twist of the neck. Mind you, I suppose if you're a bird you'd want to know everything about the surrounds. It's amazing how a seagull can almost smell a sandwich before it's out of the chilly bin. (Yes, I can call it a chilly-bin when it's in NZ. It transmogrifies into an 'Esky' once over the Tasman.)

Banks Peninsula

It was a cold, windy, overcast day; bad for touristy stuff but good for photos. My little point-and-shoot doesn't do this sort of stuff justice; all these decent photos are taken by Dan on his SLR. Of course, he wants a new camera as much as I do - they get so much better all the time.

Dan and Dad

This sheep must have been a used car salesman in a former life.

It was taking extreme interest in the cars. That blue one is the one we rented. It's almost identical to my old car, the trusty Toyota.

The Sheep

Can't go to New Zealand without taking photos of sheep!

West Coast Backpackers Accommodation

(where we didn't stay). But it would have been nice. Smoke was curling out of the chimney and it was right near a gentle river. We stayed in a Top Ten Holiday Park, which used to be better value than it is now. Now, for the extra you pay you might as well stay in a private motel.

My Gumboot

Wearing knee high gumboots while playing at the river is a wonderfully empowering feeling. Perhaps the leopard skin patterning adds to that feeling. I'd be scared of me.

Why The River Feels Cold

Coming Back Out Of The Bush

Don't ask.

Rocks On Riverbed

River Glare

Icy Cold River

Sunset Over Greymouth

Dan On The Shitter

With four hands... doh!

The Brown Nugget Hotel

This is right next to the Golden Nugget Hotel. I guess this is why I found it funny.

The Golden Nugget Hotel

For some reason, the name 'Golden Nugget' strikes me as hugely funny. I think here I was examining a sweet. We bought a ready mixture from the sweet store next door, but there are too many in a ready-mix that I don't really like. (I think that's how they get rid of the less popular sweets.)

Pretensions of Piano Playing

On reflection, that hat did look ridiculous.

Some Native Bird I Should Know The Name Of

The Shantytown Cat

I See Dead People...

Greywacke Macro

The Steam Engine

The Vintage Steam Train at Shantytown

You get a ride on it too, every half hour, if you so wish. It goes for five or ten minutes then the track suddenly comes to an abrupt stop and you can either ride it back or walk back yourself through the gold panning section. My gloves were too warm to take them off for the gold panning but if I thought I would find a nugget I would've been in like Flynn (who is..?)

Rocky Stream

Perhaps what makes NZ seem crisp and clean is the large number of rock-bed streams and rivers which make for clear water.

A Walk In The Woods

Gumboots are far and away the best footwear to wear on a South Island tourist trek around New Zealand in the middle of winter. That, and two pairs of woollen socks underneath to stop them moving around on the foot. While I was in Christchurch The Warehouse happened to have gumboots on special for half price. I had almost the whole family with me and, not being able to resist the amazing bargain, everyone came away with a pair of gumboots. I'm not sure what use my Mum is going to put to a pair of gumboots, leaving all gardening to Dad, but I'm sure enough enjoyment was derived from the thought of a bargain to completely forget about them now they're stuffed in some garage cupboard.

Headgear

I decided to start a new trend in headgear, motivated by the fact that 1, a cap doesn't keep ears warm and 2, you shouldn't really wear a Canterbury Crusaders cap when you're not in Canterbury.

View Over Shantytown

Shantytown is a replica gold mining town just out of Greymouth. I last went there when I was 14. It seemed to have become smaller.... Or maybe I just got bigger?

Live Here If You Don't Mind The Rain

Alluvial Plain

Mist In The Pass

Snowy Mountains Over The Canterbury Plains

From the Tranzalpine

The Tranzalpine is an old Steam Train which has been done up inside. If you like, you can go down to a 'viewing platform', where you can take photos. Dan took this one. I was too chicken to venture out onto the platform early on a frosty morning because everyone who re-emerged into the carriage came slinking back in pale and expressionless with chattering teeth. Dan was no exception. I can still enjoy the photos!

I Missed Those Mountains

Taken from the window of the Tranzalpine.

And Now For The NEW ZEALAND Trip...

The trip kind of went like this:

Week One: Flew into Christchurch, my hometown. Took the Tranzalpine (a steam train) to the West Coast and back mid-week. Rented a car on the other side and drove down to Franz Josef glacier. Visited Shantytown. Stayed in Greymouth. Showed Dan around Christchurch and surrounds, including the Peninsula; Akaroa, Lyttelton etc... Those places I always get a hankering for. (I think it's the Port Hills.)

Week Two/Three: Braved the Black Ice and drove down South from Christchurch, stopping at Timaru, Alexandra (where it was minus 8 degrees and the electricity went off), Arrowtown (where it was minus 16 degrees and a week-long hoar frost), Invercargill and Dunedin.

Week Three/Four: Went North, staying in Motueka (where I went to primary school) and Nelson (where I went to primary school and intermediate). The weather was beautiful.

In fact, the weather was perfect the whole time we were away. (Except in Christchurch, where it was overcast most days... Fortunately my parents have a new house, with modern heating. My enduring memories of Christchurch are forever etched in my memory as BLOODY COLD, however, as much of my life in Christchurch must have been spent with a snotty nose and cold toes. Mind you, I wasn't riding a bike around this last time, which may explain my different experience! Anyhow, the most settled weather in NZ is actually during the winter-time. So if you don't mind cold, and prefer fewer tourists, July isn't such a bad time to go. That said, we did manage to miss the severe flooding up North and the gale-force winds on the Picton to Nelson Highway. (Take that as a disclaimer.)

Canberra!

After a month in New Zealand and, yes, suffering internet withdrawals, we've moved to Canberra! It's now been about two weeks in the capital (NO, the capital is not Sydney...) of Australia and before my first impressions of my new home fade into nothingness I'll record some of them down here and look back and laugh at all the things I've since become accustomed to:

1. The birds are different. The territory bird is called the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo and they hang around in gangs on the sides of the roads eating things off the ground. Now I'm working for the public service I had a whole heap of guff to read about the state and apparently these native birds make a sound akin to a 'creaking door'. On the one hand this is a fairly accurate description; on the other hand, one could also write that they make a sound more like a semi-murdered banshee on her way to hell. Speaking of birds, there's an as-yet unidentfied bird who lives outside the window of the flat and makes the weirdest sound. I could swear it's kids outside with party poppers and horns.

2. The roads are wide and because Canberra is a planned city, it's all spread out. It doesn't take too long to get anywhere but you do 'a lot of clicks', as the Aussies say.

3. Like many other capitals, the Civic uniform is black.

4. And, like many other capitals, you don't often meet a native Canberran. Most I've met so far seem to have migrated here to work. Many leave on promotion to be closer to the sea. Others stay and are quite happy to keep Canberra a secret. The reputation of Canberra is the 'boring' capital of Australia, but if boring means low crime, great walking and bike trails, low population density and an absence of flashing lights then I'm more than happy with boring.

5. There are no in-ya-face billboards lining streets. Commercialism is contained inside designated shopping areas; elsewhere you'll see bushland and forest (currently without many leaves, being the middle of winter.)

6. Canberra consistently ranks as the coldest centre on the weather forecast. Hell, I come from the South Island of New Zealand, so what have I got to moan about? Feels just like home. We've even had the strong winds and strange cloud formations of Christchurch in the last few days.

7. Accommodation is hard to come by. Actually, we've got a flat in Queanbeyan, which is technically in New South Wales. But it's about twenty minutes' drive into work, which is in the CBD. Buying a new house is apparently like a rough game of netball between the Aussies and Kiwis. (Though the less said about netball the better, at present.) If you want to buy land, you go into a ballot. Lots of new businesses are opening here and the new employees need accommodation. Most flats seem over-priced and you're lucky to find one at all in the CBD, I'd say. Oh, and if you arrive in Canberra during the week it would pay to pre-book your motel. The weekends, on the other hand, are more likely to have vacancies as the motels are filled by people living in Melbourne and Sydney coming here to work during the week... and then buggering off.

8. Everyone with a Canberra address has a number plate beginning with Y. The drivers aren't quite as aggressive as those in Melbourne, but don't tend to let you in much. (Perhaps a feature of low-density populations.) It may not help that we're still riding around in a car with Vic number plates, which doesn't engender sympathy in any other state. (I used to think Aussies hassled Kiwis, but they hassle each other more!)

9. At a casual glance Canberra is more heavily white and Asian than cities like London and Melbourne. No surprise there though. In that way it's a bit more like Christchurch than Melbourne, with its heavy Italian and Greek influence. Fortunately, despite the fewer Italians, there seem to be a few good vege and meat markets around.

10. There are heaps of jobs here at the moment. And I'm now one of the 42% of people working here who are public servants.

11. The internet here is really fast. (Probably faster than my monitor's refresh rate.) Yay! It took a while to get it on though. A week... but half an hour for a phone connection.

So far I'm loving Canberra!