h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm here! Don't ask me what the time is or what day it is - oh yeah it's Saturday, election day in Oz!
Flight was OK. Long (16 hr) second leg was not too bad as I had a spare seat next to me and could spreaad out a bit.
Loads of movies to watch which helped the time pass.
Landed at 6 am and got through customs and immigration without problem. I was taken straight to my office by the person who picked me up, so I got to see my work car - identical in virtually every respect (including colour) to Mrs Vestie's car so that was reassuring in a world of change.
I have now driven a bit and that was OK.

I opened a bank account and that was OK too.

Start work properly on Monday.

Oh, wonderful, Vestie.

Do they drive on the left side of the road?

Enjoy your new life Down Under!

Welcome! You've picked an interesting time to arrive.

(Bel: Yes, we drive on the left. )

Good to know you've arrived safely, Vestie

Have you found the pub yet?

Australians may drive on the left but nobody's telling me what side to drive on! But yesterday I FELT LIKE driving on the left, so I did.
I've been invited to an election night bash which I will be going to quite soon as the polls have now closed.
I haven't found the pub... yet
I went for a nice walk this morning and had breakfast outdoors in a cafe. Not bad for winter. The sun was shining and it was pleasantly warm.

Yes, well, Sydney's like that. It doesn't really get particularly cold, not by Canberra standards anyway.

I'm sorry to hear that you haven't found the pub. It's only a matter of time...

The election night bash was in a club with a bar! I had a schooner of New, twice. It tasted something like beer though so I was quite happy.

The election counting goes on a long time here. These transferrable votes must have legs. It was reminiscent of the recent UK elections though with a NOC outcome and people starting to chat to the independents and others to form a government.

W*rk starts tomorrow in earnest, though I have just had an email from UK friends in Sydney who are over visiting their daughter, so I will be meeting up with them for a meal and a drink some time this week before they fly back.

Yes, Toohey's New does taste *something* like beer. It does the job in an emergency.

How was w*rk?

W*rk was OK. I have "fringe benefits" - which don't exist in the UK. If you could see my hairline you would wonder how I could have fringe benefits, but it is some sort of tax concession. I think I can get my rent paid directly out of my salary and avoid paying tax on it.

People at work are nice and I have a lot of people I need to introduce myself to, so I will be doing a lot of travelling around locally.

I'm off to Mulgoa on the weekend to stay for a week.

I went and had supper with some brit friends who fly back to the UK tomorrow. It was nice to see them and their daughter and partner. Their daughter is a soccer ace and captains a ladies' soccer team which has just won their league and will be playing in a final next week.

All that sounds great.

I'm off towards the mountains for a week and don't know if I will have access to a computer.

Take notes and tell us all about it once you're back.

Oh, and be well.