Something clever about bull sharks
So now I live in Brisbane. We arrived last Friday. Google suggested that the trip would take 15 hours. What Google needs is a checkable box titled, “I am a moron.” That way the algorithm can account for the fact that the driver will miss no fewer than 6 exits along the trip, including the exit necessary to avoid driving straight through Sydney during rush hour, to come up with an actual driving time of 19 hours. I have not been so frustrated on a road trip for a long, long time.
Brisbane is an interesting place. We’d heard that people here were more laid-back than in Canberra. Coming from the U.S. to Canberra, we were wondering how people could be more laid-back without a shot of botulin, but now I see what they mean. The people in reception of our hotel are so laid-back that they don’t work weekends, and on weekdays they’re gone by 3:30PM. At least three property managers were so laid-back that they didn’t show up at the inspection time that they announced on their website. One in particularly takes the cake for laid-backedness. Mariana called to confirm an inspection, and the person confirmed the appointment, just to call back and cancel after Mariana made the 20 minute hike to the apartment. Mariana’s reaction, most ironically, was not very laid-back at all.
We finally did land an apartment-we’re signing the lease tonight. It’s in Chinatown. I’m looking forward to being in the middle of everything, and living in a dynamic area to boot. It’s also a ~25 minute walk to work, so we can continue not owning a car. So far, so good.
Other bonuses: the Brisbane River cuts through Brisbane (who knew?), and there’s a public transportation service in the form of a boat called the TCat that zips from stop to stop. It’s a fine way to get from place to place. An added bonus is that bull sharks are often seen in the river! Queensland also hosts three of the four most venomous snakes on the planet, though I’m unlikely to find them downtown. I will keep a lookout for the white-crowned something-or-other (I can’t remember the full common name, though I guess “snake” would be a good guess for the rest of it), which can be found throughout the city.
My typical day has been working some or all of the day (I’ve been ducking out early to go to inspection times, the success of which are subject to the laid-backedness of the property manager), then going home and watching the Olympics. Australia takes its Olympics very, very seriously. Other TV shows are starting to appear during prime time now only because the swimming events are over. While there was swimming, the only thing on TV was Olympic coverage, or the news (which included Olympic coverage). The coverage and commercials are a startling display of emotional propaganda. I’m pretty sure that if the Olympics lasted another 3 weeks, I would be totally brainwashed.
Obligatory tangent accomplished, I will sign off.
Brisbane is an interesting place. We’d heard that people here were more laid-back than in Canberra. Coming from the U.S. to Canberra, we were wondering how people could be more laid-back without a shot of botulin, but now I see what they mean. The people in reception of our hotel are so laid-back that they don’t work weekends, and on weekdays they’re gone by 3:30PM. At least three property managers were so laid-back that they didn’t show up at the inspection time that they announced on their website. One in particularly takes the cake for laid-backedness. Mariana called to confirm an inspection, and the person confirmed the appointment, just to call back and cancel after Mariana made the 20 minute hike to the apartment. Mariana’s reaction, most ironically, was not very laid-back at all.
We finally did land an apartment-we’re signing the lease tonight. It’s in Chinatown. I’m looking forward to being in the middle of everything, and living in a dynamic area to boot. It’s also a ~25 minute walk to work, so we can continue not owning a car. So far, so good.
Other bonuses: the Brisbane River cuts through Brisbane (who knew?), and there’s a public transportation service in the form of a boat called the TCat that zips from stop to stop. It’s a fine way to get from place to place. An added bonus is that bull sharks are often seen in the river! Queensland also hosts three of the four most venomous snakes on the planet, though I’m unlikely to find them downtown. I will keep a lookout for the white-crowned something-or-other (I can’t remember the full common name, though I guess “snake” would be a good guess for the rest of it), which can be found throughout the city.
My typical day has been working some or all of the day (I’ve been ducking out early to go to inspection times, the success of which are subject to the laid-backedness of the property manager), then going home and watching the Olympics. Australia takes its Olympics very, very seriously. Other TV shows are starting to appear during prime time now only because the swimming events are over. While there was swimming, the only thing on TV was Olympic coverage, or the news (which included Olympic coverage). The coverage and commercials are a startling display of emotional propaganda. I’m pretty sure that if the Olympics lasted another 3 weeks, I would be totally brainwashed.
Obligatory tangent accomplished, I will sign off.