That's the first year already!!!
Trip Start
Feb 28, 2006
1
47
125
Trip End
Aug 20, 2008
Perth,
Australia
Thursday, March 1, 2007
I've had an amazing year, with a new job, new house, travels, new friends, car purchases, car sales (well, having two at the same time was a bit much!) new sports, minor (well mostly minor) injuries and so much more! It has been difficult being this far away from Mum and Dad (and of course the mad, mad dog that is Spencer) but we've managed to keep in touch as often as possible with phone calls, emails and even getting Dad set up on broadband so we could see each other on web cams! Not to mention squeezing in a couple of trips home to see them and two visits by Mum and Dad out here last year...
It's amazing how the time has flown since I arrived fresh-faced from -8 degrees snow-bound weather in Aberdeen to +38 degree sweltering heat here in Perth, although that's probably been helped by one of the first things we did when I arrived - went to the pub for a cold beer
America - Alcatraz Island...
! Heh, heh, heh... Yes, first stop the Flying Scotsman in Mount Lawley - second stop? Why the Queens Hotel of course! So, what's the best things I've achieved since coming down here? Hmmm... Not being arrested / deported? Maybe...
I guess the biggest, apart from the move across itself, would be the job here - moving from Project Management into Sales and Marketing was a bit daunting (as was the title I was given!), but with it being for a company that I'd worked for before, I found it a bit easier... I've even started to make some sales and considering the guy in the job before me sold nothing in the 12 months he was with the company, I'm definitely ahead of the game! Still struggle with those 'cold calls' though!
I've moved from rental accommodation in Maylands into my own place (still haven't paid that first mortgage cheque - worry about that in 15 days!), had a great time living down by the river in East Perth, and Dad especially loved the fact that it was a 5 minute walk from the golf course, but when it came time to buy, the 'right' (read: expensive!) house for me was in Leederville, one of the more upmarket, entertaining and happening suburbs just a couple of km North West of the CBD
America - Cool Subway People...
.I've joined an amazing group of friends at the UWA boot camp and gotten fitter than I've ever been - although every week still hurts my poor ageing body (or maybe I'm just getting lazy in my old age!) Joining a social squash ladder and getting motivated enough to either walk or cycle to work every day has also helped! The plus side of all this pain and exercise is I've lost over 35lbs (cue Biggest Loser music, 'fat pants' advert and Subway commercial... Well, maybe not! Heh, heh, heh... That spare tyre persists - maybe my body's just concerned that I'll take it back to chilly Scotland and I'll need the insulation... Hmmm...)
Who knows what the next year will hold? More travel I have no doubt, more exercise and maybe even a few new sports (kite surfing, eh Jason?), as well as more visitors from the UK I'm sure. Mum and Dad will be back in October, but maybe even before then, with Dad's new job taking him to Singapore - just a short flight down (or up) for us to catch up over a beer or two (and a nice healthy meal of course Mum!) There'll definitely be more stories, more parties and more photographs...
I've put some of my favourite snaps into this entry from the last year and from the 2 years before that of my travels to America, Singapore, Tioman Island and Australia, as well as my times back home with family and friends...
Enjoy!
