Arrived in London/Oxford

Well, I'm here. I'm in Oxford. Not sure what to say except that I had no problems with the trip, the landing or the meeting, customs anything. in fact, the whole flying stuff has gone surprisingly easily. Customs in both Singapore and London were as simple as walking up to a desk, chatting with someone, and then collecting my bags and walking out of the airport. I was really surprised at Changi airport that there was no checks of my baggage. However, I suspect they were all x-rayed etc behind the scenes and found nothing to worry about. I did get tested for gun powder at Perth airport before I left.

This was particularly funny as Friday at work, we had poppers (you know the things you pull the string and they explode and throw out streamers), and someone was teasing me that I was going to get stopped at the airport for having gun powder on my hands. So to have the random test done the day after we were giggling about it at work was quite funny. I had to keep a straight face so I didn't look suspicious.

Had a coughing fit when I met up with M&K at Heathrow. So instead of lots and lots of hugs, we had water, cough medicine, and pats on the back until I could stop coughing. Change of temperature something set me off, cause I've been fine since. It's still not as bad as the other day when I just couldn't stop coughing and kept losing my breath.

M&K drove to London so we drove back in their Mercedes Benz. I do love saying that. It's an old one and didn't cost all that much apparently. Lovely car. Similar colour to mine at home. Reminds me of "The Beast" a very old merc that friends of mine were given, yes, given, back in about 1968 and we drove for a while around Europe until it died. It was a car that a traveller they knew had bought, very cheaply, and wasn't worth the time and energy to sell so they acquired it until the poor old thing totally died.

Drive was uneventful except that K took a wrong turn somewhere but didn't seem to make much difference. Was fun to watch the traffic on the M4 (I think) going into London at a standstill while we were moving quite nicely. By this time it was about 8:30 in the morning so everyone was going to be late for work.

It is now later in the day. We've been out for lunch at a place called the Jam Factory which really threw me cause I was expecting jam and stuff and it turned out to be a nice little cafe, with lovely food, but no jam. Apparently the building used to be a marmalade factory which is where the name came from. We also had a bit of a walk around Oxford, I've no idea where we went, but M got his hair cut while K and I browsed the markets and then we all came home.

I've had a nana nap and a shower. Still can't find things, but did find a power board and adaptor so Lara the laptop is now plugged in and charging. I've also had a chance to visit some of the blogs and realise that for some reason I ended up with an extra picture in my last blog. No idea how I did it. K is out at the physio and M is asleep and has been since before my nana nap. He's pretty tired today as well. The cats are ignoring me. when I went up for my nap, Safi was on my bed, and as soon as she realised that I was going to curl up there, she disappeared. I spotted Azi on the stairs at one stage, but as soon as she spotted me, she too disappeared. Wonder how my fur kids are going? Hope they are okay.

Just remembered to change the time on Lara so it's still Tuesday here instead of Wednesday like it told me it was. Didn't realise that computers could be wrong.

No photos this time. Too tired. More will come probably tomorrow as I start to become Oxfordised in my little walks and stuff. M&K are both back to work tomorrow and Friday we are off to Birmingham for Miniatura and apparently I have been booked for the following weekend to go to Cornwall for the weekend. I do love not having to make any plans, all done for me !!

Cheers

Madeleine

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Singapore

Impressions of Singapore. Clean, friendly, helpful, hot and muggy, lovely hospital.

I spent one night in my hostel. Remember I said it was either the best decision of my life or the worst decision of my life. The people were lovely and friendly. I met up with a young Swiss man, with an American accent, who offered me some tiger balm for my cough at, I think, about 3 a.m. The lovely staff who were quite happy to go to the shop and get me some Chinese medicine which did help the cough and the breathlessness.

However 3 flights of stairs, dark, dingy sleeping dorms where you couldn't see a thing, showers that were clean enough, but where do i put my clothes to keep them dry while I shower. I never did work that out. I don't think I will come back to this place again.

I arrived Saturday afternoon. Good flight. I slept most of the way between coughing. Got picked up by the hostel no problem except that I didn't see him at the airport. I was one of those people who had a sign with their name on it at the airport, and I missed seeing him first time around. Bugger!!

Hostel. Realised I was 3 floor up, and just how dark the dorm area was, and just how difficult it was to locate anything in the dark.

 

That's the street where the hostel is.

This is the hostel. I'm right up on the top floor.

 

Wandered out for a wander. Down Victoria Street for a while, stopped and looked at a few things. Had a feed at the Irish Sandwich shop. I must admit, a sandwich shop, called the "Irish Sandwich shop" served by Asians, is quite an interesting experience. However, they were nice sandwiches and settled my stomach. Still not feeling the greatest and the last thing I wanted to eat was Asian food.

 

I realised that Victoria Street was very wide with lots of traffic and I was going to have difficulties crossing. Just near the sandwich shop was an over pass, with escalators to take you over the road.

There was only one problem !!

So I had to go back and across !!

By the time I got back to the hostel and  hung around for a while I could feel myself getting more and more tired. I think I went to bed at about 6 p.m. Other than waking up coughing, I slept right through until the next morning. At one stage during the night I woke up feeling quite breathless and then feeling quite anxious knowing I had 3 long flights of stairs to get down (or up as the case may be).

 

Here's some little birds on the sign across the road from the hostel.

 

Sunday. Still coughing and after lots of too-ing and fro-ing and indecisiveness, I took the advice of the women at the hostel and took myself down to Raffles Hospital. Figured all I needed was some antibiotics. Very lovely people. Young doctor in the ED figured my oxygen saturation was too low and that I needed to be admitted, and really didn't think i would be on my flight Monday night. Bugger. By this stage I was too breathless to really care one way or the other. Coughing was getting worse and achieving less. Just that constant, cough, cough, cough.

Anyway, I am well covered by my travel insurance and I've been in touch with the go-between who helps sort everything out for you. they were lovely. A woman in Brisbane, who spoke perfect English, helped to navigate all the little hurdles and let me know that everything would be covered by my insurance.  However there was a little hiccup this afternoon when the accounts department rang me up and said I would have to pay cash.

So Sunday night, instead of sleeping 3 floors up, in a dingy, dark hostel, I spent the night in a 5 star hospital, with good food, great staff, lousy television, no Lara the laptop. I slept the day and night away. Couldn't stay awake for any length of time. When the Doc came to visit he reckoned the doc in the ED sort of overreacted a bit and that I probably didn't need to be admitted, but hey, I got to rest easy. On antibiotics, got me  a puffer to open up the airways, and will be on my plane tonight. They will boot me out of here later this p.m. I'm okay to come and go a bit if I want to, but really don't have the energy to go out in the muggy heat.

View from my hospital room

ACROSS

DOWN

F1 races are apparently finished. I could hear the cars screaming around from the hostel in the middle of the night. Don't know why they decided to make it a night race. but hey, you get that.

Anyway, battery is running down and I don't know I there is enough to publish this or not. If not, then you will get it after I get to the UK.

 

Cheers

Madeleine

Monday, 29 September 2008

The trip

Well I'm here. Totally buggered. Was up all last night. Dozed in my big black comfy chair, but didn't actually go to bed. Two reasons for this. the first being that the  sheets had been washed, but also becoz I don't wake up well. I stay awake better than I wake up.

Ally was quite whimpery last night which is most unusual for her. I think she knew something was happening. She finally settled down.

 

Taxi duly arrived at the time it was supposed to. So this is me almost ready to go and this is me  ready to go at about 4 a.m.

The smaller suitcase has the clothes for Singapore which is much hotter than Oxford will be. So I figured that I could keep the clothes separate and then I only have to worry about the small case. A bit of a load, but hey, I am going for 4 months. Believe it or not, the big one has my red coat in the front zip section. Couldn't close it with the coat inside so I stuffed it into the front compartment.

Got to the airport so early, they hadn't even opened up the ticket office yet. According to the info on the Perth International Airport web page, they recommended you get there 3 hours early. So I did. Always the good girl. Then discovered that they weren't starting to put people through until less than 2 hours before the flight was due to take off. So I was one of the first in line to get my stuff checked through. Which was kewl cause it was all done and I could just relax and get on with reading or whatever, people watching etc.

Took some photos of the airplane - duh! - of course, this is Madeleine. She will take photos of everything she possibly can !!

This is Perth International Airport at 4 a.m. A bit different from some other airports I've been in at that time of the a.m.

And here's my plane.

Madeleine

Saturday, 27 September 2008

Last update !!

Well, I leave at some unearthly hour on Saturday morning. This is the final push towards the trip that I've been planning for so long.

Latest updates:

I had a visitor yesterday. The guy who had agreed to mind my house and then backed out. He was from the agency who reckoned they couldn't find anyone. He was totally puzzled. Had no idea what had happened. He reckoned he hadn't backed out from the sit. He reckoned he had agreed to do it and was quite prepared to. I told him that I had someone, that I had been told by the agency that he was no longer interested, and that they didn't think they could find anyone, so I had. I must admit, I prefer the couple that I have. They are really nice people.

Yesterday I was off work sick. Would you believe? I rarely get sick, and yesterday I thought I was going to die. So I dosed myself up on Vitamin C, echinacea, and olive leaf extract and am definitely better today. Still not 100% but at least functioning. A friend brought me some dinner which was great. There is enough left over for tonight's dinner. Friday we are having an extended lunch at work and usually there is plenty of food so I can grab some for Friday's dinner. Then all I have to do is to finish up the packing. Have decided I'm not going to bed Friday night. Might doze in my chair, but I am so not a morning person that I would rather stay up and then sleep during the flight.

This morning I had a visit from the couple who will be minding the house while I'm away. Ally adores the man, she actually exposed her belly to him, something she rarely does. They lost their old dawg on their trip so will enjoy my fur kids. Also, seem like very practical people who will deal with whatever happens during the next 4 months.

Packing of course is well on the way. My Singapore bag is pretty much done and now I'm just trying to fit everything for the UK into my big suitcase.

Feeling incredibly hyped up. Still need to do a final vacuum and wash the floors, but the kitchen is all clean and more or less tidy.

My next update may be from the airport. Who knows what will happen in the next week.

Cheers

Madeleine

Thursday, 25 September 2008

Packing

I've started putting things in suitcases. I've decided I'll have the small one for Singapore and the bigger one for the UK. So first things that go in are the requests from my DIS in Oxford.

KJB and my son are not married. They've been together for 12 years and don't see the point in changing something that is working well. Many years ago, we were working out our relationship, and technically she's not my daughter in law, cause they aren't married. So she's my daughter in sin -  my DIS. I guess this just shows the level of the humour in the family. And KJB has the same sense of humour. Poor girl !! Not only does she have to put up with my son, but his mother as well.

Anyway, back to packing. Before I even start with my stuff, I have:

• 3 potato peelers
• 2 tubes of special toothpaste
• Christmas presents from KJB's mother
• A cookbook for my son
• 4 packs of fun sized Cherry Ripe
• 4 double coated Tim Tams
• 3 dark Tim Tams
• 1 Tim Tam Crush Toffee Nut - not sure if KJB has tried them so thought I would throw in a pack cause I like them
• KJB's birthday present from her mother (Birthday was in April).

Now, I think the clothes will all have to go into the smaller case. There's no room left !!

However, when I come back, I will have an empty suitcase !! Yah, right !!

BTW It was colder in Perth last night and today than in Oxford !!

Madeleine

Monday, 22 September 2008

Anxiety

Well, I'm not sure if I've done something totally stupid. I leave in 7 days. I was looking for my reservation for accommodation in Singapore, and would you believe it - I can't find it !!

I've searched my hard drive. The last email I had from them was to say that my reservation had been received, and they would send confirmation in the next couple of days. I never followed it up. Bugger !!

i've checked my credit card statements, and I can't find any payment from Summer Tavern. And there's a big race happening that weekend.

I've sent them an email to check my reservations - something I was planning on doing anyway - but now even more urgent. Bugger !!

I don't think I've ever planned a trip where so many things went pear shaped.

Madeleine

Saturday, 20 September 2008

At Last

At last things are starting to feel as if I might actually get everything together.

This has been a totally long week even though it's not been a week.

Friday evening I got a phone call from the House Sitting Agency to say that they were terribly sorry, but they were not going to be able to find a sitter for me. You've got to be kidding. I leave in 2 weeks (less now), and they are saying they can't help me.

Saturday, a friend was having a party, so I decided that I would spend the day helping her get organised. she was happy to have the company and help. Kept my mind off what had happened and kept me from worrying. During the party, talking to people, I discovered another agency in Perth, plus a Plan B AND a Plan C.

Sunday, I rang the agency about 8:30 a.m. 10 minutes later they rang me back, and about 2 hours later, they came out to talk to me. By that evening they had found a possibility. If only I had found them first. They are the only agency that has shown any sign of professionalism.

I'm exhausted. Yesterday I worked my normal day (8:30 - 4:30) and then worked again from 6:30 till after 9:30. Work is pretty full on right now and everyone is flat out. So every gap I get without a client is filled up very quickly with all sorts of miscellaneous tasks.

However, yesterday the workmen came to finish off the bathroom, and today it is finished. Just need to wait for paint to dry. One tick off my list.

Today, I got a pay rise, back paid to the end of July, which means my worry about money is gone. Another tick off my list.

Today I met some house sitters who want to live in my house while I'm away and who Ally really liked. Another tick off my list.

Today, a friend of mine's son agreed to come over and clean up the back patio and garden for me. He's bored and needs something to do. He has done everything he can at his mother's house. At least that's the story I've been told. I suspect there is more he could do to help, but she's a good friend, and this is what friends do. This is about the last tick on my to do list.

I am so tired tonight I can barely think. For the first time in my life, I am actually looking forward to getting on an airplane, the door closing, and the world stopping for however many hours the flight is to Singapore.

I'm not a control freak. I don't need everything organised down to the last meal. I do need to know that the important things are organised - like the care of my fur kids while I'm away. This is done.

I have10 days to go and I think now I will actually make it.

I am really, really pleased with my friends. People have offered to mind Ally, others to come in and feed the cats if needed, offered to help with the work around the house and lots of general support. So I'm lucky. No, I'm not lucky. I'm smart to pick some great mates.

So look out England, Madeleine will be invading you soon.

Madeleine

Wednesday, 17 September 2008

Couldn't resist

I couldn't resist posting these two. I've very pleased with the way they turned out.

Just showing off a bit.

Cheers

Madeleine

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Visitor

I had a very unusual visitor this afternoon. I was organising dinner when I looked out my (clean at last) window, and in my garden I saw:

Not particularly unusual. Lots of magpies come to visit my garden. They like Ally's biscuits.

Then I saw:

A bit more unusual. I don't often get crows in my garden. So that was a bit kewl.

Then I noticed this little fellow:

By the time I got outside, he/she spotted me and hopped onto the fence.

Then he decided to come back:

 

Now this is totally unusual. This is the Sacred Ibis. We have them all over the area. But I've never seen one in my garden before. I took heaps of pictures before he finally flew off. Ally was not impressed with being locked in the house and as soon as he/she left, she was out there checking out HER garden to make sure everything was still fine.

Madeleine

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Ongoing Saga

Well, there's been another little episode in my pre-trip planning.

I got a phone call yesterday, from the house sitting agency. She had someone who was interested in minding my house while I was away.

HUH?

I thought I already had one.

So I rang them back and discovered that James, the guy I thought was coming, had backed out. No reason was given. I didn't ask.

So tomorrow I get to meet Steve and see if he likes my house enough to live in it for 4 months.

We will see what happens tomorrow.

Madeleine

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

19 Days

Phew. Only 19 days left. Getting excited, but nervous about all the things that aren't done as well as the idea of flying. But hey, you get that.

I love travelling, but I hate flying. A bit of a dichotomy I reckon.

Over the weekend a friend and I cleaned out the spare room that she was using, even to washing the curtains. Room looks good. My new credit card has arrived so that's in order. Still waiting for the guy to come and finish the bathroom. He reckons it will be done before I leave, but I'm starting to wonder. I have to email the place I'm staying in Singapore to make sure my bookings are still all okay. Just a reassurance for myself. What else needs doing.

I've started putting things in a case ready to go. Some people make lists. I physically put things in the case so I don't forget. Not clothes yet, but some of the bits and pieces I want to remember.

I've decided that I'm not going to bed on the Friday night. My plane leaves at 7:30 in the morning, which means I will have to be at the airport by about 4 or 5 a.m. and i would rather stay up, sleep on the plane, than try to sleep early and then wake up for the really early start. I'm a night person rather than a morning person, so that plan seems to feel more comfortable to me.

I'm quite excited about taking Lara (the laptop) on the trip with me. It's going to be soo kewl to travel with my digital camera and Lara. I will be able to tell heaps of people at once what I've been up to.

And don't forget to click on the free mammogram icon and give some woman a free mammogram.

Cheers guys

Madeleine

Monday, 8 September 2008

Presentations

Kazza has been on at me to tell the stories of my presentations at University. So here goes.

The first one I had to do was for Introduction to Sociology and I chose deviance as my topic. I figured I probably knew quite a bit about it. Because I hated the thought of standing (or sitting) in front of the class and talking at them, I devised a questionnaire with about 5 or 6 questions. The point of the exercise, and I admit it was totally fixed, was to prove that everyone in the room was "deviant" in some way. I handed out the questionnaire, and when everyone had finished answering it, I told them that anyone who answered yes to any of the questions, could be considered "deviant". Needless to say I deliberately picked the questions to slant the answers in the direction I wanted to go. Some of the questions included (if I remember correctly): Are you a mature age student? (I knew the average age of the class was 35, and this was in the late 1980s). Are you a single mother? Are you gay? I've forgotten the rest of the questions.

It worked incredibly well. I didn't have to say another word as the class did the rest and we had the greatest discussion about deviance.

The second was was for Social Policy in Social Work, an incredibly boring subject. I don't remember what my topic was. I devised a scenario where the individuals in the class were a group of residents who had been asked by their local government to a meeting to discuss a local  issue and give their views on it. The issue just happened to be the topic I was to present on.

I gave each person in the class a role, gender, and a few bits of information about themselves, including their stance on the issue and they had to argue, for or against. I gave out the roles to the different people and I deliberately gave them roles that they might not be comfortable with. So the slightly homophobic man, became a lesbian university professor. I also had a "greenie" and the guy who played the "greenie" was beautiful, all he wanted to do was to sit under a Karri tree and commune with nature. I was actually much more nervous with this one than the last. It worked reasonably well, but if I remember rightly I think I needed to have spent more time explaining what I was after. However, good discussion ensued and I have no idea what mark I got for the presentation.

There now, happy Kazza.

Madeleine

Thursday, 4 September 2008

Television

Well it's done. I've not said anything before for two reasons. The first was to keep my anxiety levels at a manageable level and the second was that I wasn't sure if it would happen or not.

My new nickname at work is The Movie Star !!

This morning Channel 7 came out and filmed one of my groups. I had a microphone tucked into my pants (by a good looking young man) with the receiver attached to my shirt. We had a camera man and a sound man - pretty good for a women's centre.

Channel 7 news is doing a 2 part series on Post Natal Depression and somehow they got onto our agency and found out that we run therapy groups for women with post natal depression and asked if they could come out and film some of our group.

I put it to the women a couple of weeks ago, I think, for me, partially hoping they would say no. I've never been on television. I've never been involved in anything like this before. So the whole idea was totally frightening. When we first mentioned it to the women, the first response was - no way, it's a great idea, needs to be done, but not my face, I'm not speaking on camera etc, etc.

A week later, we talked about it again. The women had had time to process the possibility, and were much more interested. Many were still saying, not my face, I'm not going to say anything, but they were much happier with the idea. And this was not an expose, but a feel good, information story, about ordinary women, mothers, who felt they were crazy and to let other women know that in fact, what they were feeling was quite normal. That many women suffer from post natal depression, and there is help available, and there is life after post natal depression.

Another week went by, more talk, permission forms organised, and a date set for the filming. It has been an interesting process, the negotiation, the planning, and the wondering what to expect. One of the other counsellors has television background and another staff member has been involved in television in another capacity (as an activist) so they were able to fill in some information about the process and what was likely to happen.

Today, the film crew came out and didn't these women perform beautifully. some refused to speak on camera, and that was fine. There was no pressure. In fact, I was pleased that they felt comfortable enough both with me and the group to set the boundaries. One woman we asked to leave, as she had been stalked and we didn't want to risk her being recognised. I really believed she would be one of the more vocal women and I think she was a bit disappointed. One woman refused to even stay in the room, and left, with, hopefully the knowledge that we all very much respect her decision. Of the others, three did not want to have their faces shown, and the camera man was very respectful and filmed the back of their heads only. Two of the women agreed to speak about what it was like for them personally. They described what post natal depression felt like for them. I hope that bit is shown. They were both very eloquent.

I was asked to simply run the group the way I normally do. So I did. For me, I was quite interested to realise that although I was nervous, that I didn't get tongue tied, forget what I wanted to say, or do anything else that I do when terrified. I wasn't. That surprised me. I guess that says how far I have progressed professionally. From the teenager, in high school, who literally froze in my first ever presentation, and couldn't remember anything that I had studied; to the university student who found all sorts of (very inventive, I must admit) ways of getting out of giving presentations. I found it so terrifying to speak in front of a group.

We did our bit, the crew did their bit and I suspect we will see about 10 seconds of our group.

It's an interesting dichotomy. The anxiety about being on television, what will people think, I have exposed myself on national television and the narcissistic desire to see oneself on television. Part of me hopes that we get lots of coverage; part of me hopes we get less than the 10 seconds we expect.

I was told I did very well. In fact, the organiser sounded quite surprised. I have had compliments from the other facilitator who was in the room at the time. I don't remember much about what I said, or did. I do remember having a crack at the media for their representation of "The Good Mother" and how she should be. I do remember watching my language. I remember the organiser stopping the filming and asking me to do something, I've forgotten what, and me doing it.

I think I'm pleased with how I handled it. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I think I should be feeling something - pleasure, pride, like I did a good job, or didn't do a good job - something. But right now I feel nothing. I think I may have a crash later in the week once I have processed the whole happening. I do believe I should be feeling something - good or bad - I should be feeling something.

So Australian readers, keep an eye out on Channel 7 news over the next couple of weeks, and you might just see me on television.

 

Cheers

Madeleine

Tuesday, 2 September 2008