which will bring us back to 0

Back from Canberra to Brisbane, and more hanging out with Chris, Anjum, Mick, Paul, Julz, Anthony, Celia, and others. Tough life.

On Thursday I gave my spiel at QUT to a small but interested (well, half of them were) crowd. I was happy to get some feedback from Keith, Michael & Kerry, and the discussion we had afterwards was really stimulating. Its nice to come and talk to people with a shared vision and common understanding (delusion? relative....) of the field I'm working in. It also Kerry & Michael are settling in well at QUT and working on various funding ideas that might make a return possible for me at some point in the future near or medium-term.

After the chat I drove back to T'ba for one last time (this trip) with Dad. We went for a game of golf on Friday afternoon out at Borneo Barracks. Last time I was back 15 months ago we squeezed in 3 games, and its a shame there wasn't time for more this time around. I really enjoy the ambiance hanging out on the golf course with Dad, and although I played like a mangy dog, the few good shots I managed were really worthwhile.

That done, it was back to Brisbane for a farewell bbq/pissup for Chris, who's heading back to CH this week, all things going well viz-a-viz visas. Beer, punch, whiskey, calva and wigs all chimed in to make it a memorable night. There are awesome photos on Chris' camera, Mick's phone, and Anthony's computer, and even one or two passable ones on my camera, which might find their way onto this forum at the upcoming flood when my return to Rennes prompts a reconciliation. The day after said party was a slow one, shall we say, not least of all for Chris, who was beyond the aid even of bacon and coffee until well into the afternoon.

Which brings us to today. I catch a plane in a handful of hours, and Australia is once again antipodean to me, probably until I have a PhD. Its kind of sad leaving - I know so many people here, and have so much in common with them, be it from having hung out together for so long or just come up in the same sort of surrounds. The conversations move faster, the comedy comes more easily, and its just a different vibe to the social milieu I have in Rennes. Now, as Chris has so often protested, if only we can get some more good jobs and European women over to Australia, it'd all be beer and skittles. For the moment I'll just have to settle for baguettes and a European summer.