Ever heard about Icehouse?

This weekend I bought a car. Will give me some more freedom and expand my territory. Unfortunately we had some issues with transferring the registration so will sort that tomorrow and pick it up. Pictures will come!

On Saturday night I also visited Eat Street. That's an event that takes place every weekend in a bit remote area at the river not far from the airport. Also they had moved it since I was last there so I jumped of the ferry at wrong terminal and had to walk 2 km's to get there...
Anyway, it's a cool place with lots of neon lights and maybe 100 different food stalls with representation of cousins from all over the world. Well, from Scandinavia there's only the swedish candy bar where you can buy swedish "lösviktsgodis", i.e. you pick your favourites and pay by weight.
There are also three different scenes with live music!

After a round among the delicious aromas from the various kitchens I decide to go for marinated, slow cooked lamb, served in a cone with sauce, vegetables and turkish bread. So yummy!

Preparing my dinner

The result!

And a little dessert...

There have been lots of great Australian music groups, especially in the 80´s and 90´s. We all remember Men at work, INXS, Hoodoo Gurus, Midnight Oil, John Farnham and of course Kylie.
And AC/DC has always been around.
But Icehouse?!
Last weekend I was watching a gala to support children with cancer on TV and this Icehouse band performed. I was knocked out. They were really great and they have been around since the 80's.
Just listen to this song, "Great Southern Land". A song doesn't get better. It's one of those that starts off quite anonymously and quiet but then just grows. So please listen to the full song. I guarantee it's worth it. It was first released in 1982 but this is a newer live version.

Cheers

Oh not that song.. wake me up when it's over...

Whatever happened to Karl and Lisa?

Today we're gonna look a bit into Australian celebrities. Things have changed while I've been away.
Let's start with TV.

Karl and Lisa

The most popular morning show, at least in Queensland, has for many years been channel 9's "Today Show". I watched it every day (and still do) when having breakfast before going to work. The Today how was hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson, a dynamic duo that successfully had run this program together for 10 years. Karl, the cheeky, good looking party guy who sometimes said things a bit thoughtless but always could hide it behind a charming smile and then Lisa, a bit older and more mature but very charming, They complemented each other in a great way. And then they had a third side kick, Sylvia Jeffreys, who presented news, weather etc. Ah Sylvia so cool, so beautiful, so charming, so sexy...

Sylvia Jeffreys

So I looked forward to watch the show again now two years later. But what! None of them are there anymore!! Replaced! It's not the same thing!!
So I have of course made some investigation and this is my take of what happened. It started with Lisa. She found out that she was only paid half of what Karl was, got pissed and claimed doubled salary. She got a no for answer and left more or less same day for another channel. Karl kept running the show with a new side kick but the number of viewers started to decline. Then, as the party boy he is, he left his wife for a younger woman. The audience kept declining. Finally, last year he married the new woman and arranged a super expensive party at some jet set destination in USA.
Then channel 9 got enough and kicked him out as his lifestyle was not corresponding to channel 9 basic values.

The new co-host, Allison Langdon

Fair enough, but for some reason they also kicked out his brother Peter, who was also working for the same channel and who had now married Sylvia Jeffreys... Did you get that one? So she decided to leave as well...
This was in the end of last year. And what has happened with the audience? Declining even faster.
So what does channel 9 do? Please sit down and take a deep breath now...


They beg on their bare knees for Karl to come back!!  😂😂😂
So next year Karl will return to the Today show.
With a new co-host, i.e not any of the three that hosts the show now.

Georgie Gardner

And the story doesn't end there. Those three are now two. Because about a week ago the third one, Georgie Gardner suddenly wasn't there one morning and the other poor two had to explain that she had left her job and wasn't coming back. Rumours say that she and Karl didn't get along....

Where is Georgie today? Deb and Tom explains

I was planning to also give you an update on Australian politicians , because also there things have changed but that will have to wait...

Cheers

The situation is beyond critical

Picture from ABC News

Today I have moved. From my 39th floor "in the middle of the city" apartment across the river to good old Kangaroo Point. 

View from 39th

39th another angle

So now instead I have the views over the city or shall we say the Bris Vegas skyline. Not too bad

Maybe you can see on the pictures, which are taken this morning, that it seems to be a bit misty. When I came to the new apartment I also thought it smelled a little bit peculiar. Then I realised it´s not from the apartment and it´s not mist outside. It´s the smoke from bushfires around!
Australia is currently literally on fire. This morning on TV there was extra news continously reporting from the fires and the fire fighters heroic fights to save property. So far 3 people have been reported dead and 150 properties have been completely destroyed. There are so many tragedies out there now.
Everybody knows that there are fires every year in Australia but according to the news these are the worst ever, at least in numbers at the same time.

The map above shows where it´s burning right now and the title of this post is a quote from New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian

Cheers

Catching up with old friends

Today's Sunday and I decided to spend a part of the day in the botanical garden to explore the beautiful nature and see if if could find some of my old friends.

And sure I did!

The first one was mr Ibis. He and his many friends are everywhere looking for some treats to pick up, preferably from some garbage bin. Probably the most common big bird in Brisbane

Then miss Turtle, who normally is quite shy, turned up to say hello before continuing her Sunday swimming exercise

The water dragons are usually everywhere, but where actually quite difficult to spot today. maybe it's still a little bit too cold for them. Anyway here is Lizzy.

And finally, dwelling in the murky water. I had to search for quite a while before I found him. Mr Eel, ruler of the pond. These eels are giant, more than one meter and look so special with clear blue eyes. Once we got contact he actually followed me for a while along the pond shore

Fig trees are cool!

And a sculpture always drags camera attention 😀

Cheers!

Back in Brisbane

I have now been back for a week in Brisbane or Brissie or Bris Vegas or whatever you prefer. In Sweden we say "beloved child has many names"  

I'm slowly starting to get my bearings again

Although most things look and work pretty much the same there certainly have been some updates. For example I'm currently staying in the building that is now the tallest in Brisbane, 270 meters. That building wasn't even there when I left two years ago.

My apartment is on floor 39.

Do you think that means one of the top floors? No no, I'm not even halfways to the top!

So yes, there have been quite a few new developments here that have changed the skyline a bit. And there are more to come. Several ongoing construction areas in the city. 

There is also a completely new entertaiment precinct by the river just under the iconic Story bridge. Looks really nice and I'm keen to try it out.

Not everything has developed as expected though. When I arrived I asked the taxi driver to go via Hamilton to see the new road that they were building there along the river. That was an ongoing project last time I was here and should have been finished long ago.

- No no no, I won't go that way. It's a complete mess. They had to redo the filling of the river. It's now worse than ever!, the driver said

It was great to see the guys in the office again. Almost like I hadn't been away. I even used my old desk the first day, lol. 

But they haven't really been doing burger Fridays since I left so I promise to be a catalyst for that becoming a tradition again!

My main challenge at the moment is to find an apartment for a longer term.  I inspected a few yesterday and will do so next weekend again. The one below was quite nice and, as you can see, popular. Will be a tough competition for that one.

See you next Sunday!

Cheers!

 

Yes, they have this crap here as well

 

But this is not crap! mmmm... Why don't we import those to Sweden?

This little feller still makes your tastebuds happy. I've been missing you, mate!

Curing jetlag in Bali

Can't really believe I've now been to Bali three times in three years. Who would have thought that? But this Indonesian island is very well positioned on the route to Australia and easy to reach by many airlines. Also there is close distance between the airport and many hotels which is convenient for a short stay, so Bali it was again.
It's a bit strange but every time I've come to Bali my first feeling has been "Oh what am I doing here, I should have gone somewhere else", but every time I've left my feeling has been "Don't wanna go, let me stay a few more days"
One funny thing that I've noticed is the different picture of Bali that people in Sweden and Australia in general have. For most Swedes, at least those who haven't been there it's a paradise Island with wonderful beaches, lush forests, rice fields, silence and slow lazy relaxed days. For the Aussies it's simply good surf and dirt cheap beer.
So let me then tell you the truth. I've now seen most of the famous beaches and can tell you they are ok but not in any way spectacular. You'll find better beaches in many destinations such as Thailand. Also Bali is very crowded, at least in the southern parts where most tourists stay. 4.2 million people live here! In combination with narrow roads, transporting is an issue and it takes like forever going anywhere. There are no public transports at all so taxi is your option unless you want to rent a scooter and go like the locals. I would never even consider driving a car myself here.
So what are some good things then? Yes, people are very friendly, always smiling. Food is good. As you know I always eat the local food wherever I go and many balinese dishes are something extra, although a bit spicy! There is also something special and authentic with the culture that makes Bali stand out. The temples and the stories about Garuda Wisnu and the other gods that can be seen in many performances of course but also the local music that you hear in all hotels, at all pools etc. It doesn't sound like anything else and you might first get crazy but after a while you are addicted!
Anyway, the idea to stay a few nights with lazy days to get rid of jetlag was good and can be recommended!

Cheers!

Fish market, Jimbaran

Fish harbour, Jimbaran

Jimbaran beach

Seafood dinner, Jimbaran

Sunset view from seafood dinner

Kuta beach, the most famous

Ku De Ta, yes this time I made it! Famous restaurant/beach club in Seminyak

Balinese dinner set at a more plain restaurant
(I was hungry so started eating before taking the picture...)

So here I am again! Brisbane, the lovliest city of Oz. And I'm more dizzy than ever LOL.
As you probably are guessing, I have decided to emigrate to Australia for another period.
This is going to be so fun!
Arrived in Brisbane yesterday to find that some things have changed but also that some things that were supposed to be finished have still not been. More about that in a later post.

I started the journey a week ago with the intention to get som holiday along the way but also to cure jetlag before starting work. Seems to have been a god investment. Fell asleep at midnight last night and woke up 8am this morning 😊

Jetlag was mainly cured in Bali and on the way there I made a short stopover in Qatar.

Qatar is a strange place, like the other little oil states in middle east. It feels artificial, like being in some sort of theme park. And actually that's not strange since almost everything has been built up in the last decades. 50 years ago Qatars main source of income was fishing.
E.g all streets are wide, often with many lanes and no real traffic issues. And this is of cource since the city was costructed from scrsatch that way and not by evolving from narrow lanes like in many other places.

I really wonder what will happen when Greta's mission is over and the demand for oil is gone. Will they go back to fishing?

And exchange their Ferraris back to camels.





Below are some pictures from Doha, Qatar. Tomorrow I will tell you more about Bali.

Since I travelled with Qatar airlines there was of course a Mecca pointer in their entertainment system!

Cheers!