50

This is the 50th time I use this medium to update an audience not solely based in the Netherlands anymore but all over the planet earth. That doesn't bring me in an extra jubilant mood, but it gives some time to reflect of all the things that happened over the course of the past eight months. I can barely remember departuring from Schiphol (Amsterdam) Airport. I have been to many places, met many new people and daily function in the role of employee of the public sector of Australia. An unforgettable experience which hopefully will last a little longer!

What happened the last week down under? I am having lots of fun with my new car, an MP3 player has been built in and I am fully mobile in the Nations Capital and far beyond. This Friday we drive to Sydney and stay there for the weekend. One of our friends got an apartment in Pitt St, downtown Sydney for this month, that will be great, Sydney is always great to visit.

Tomorrow evening I'll go to the Belgian Beer Bar together with a Dutch collegue from the Department, there is a "jongerenborrel" for the young Dutch people in Canberra. That will be the first time for me, I am curious what kind of Dutchmen live over here, probably a couple of students as well, maybe even from the University of Maastricht!

Sunday I will show a lot of patriotism since the Socceroos will play the Orange squad. I predicted at work with full confidence that we will win, what I believe we will. So on Monday I can collect a lunch and coffee from those poor bastards who really think that Hiddink's men stand a chance. And yes it will be a painful experience if the unthinkable happens.

So next updat probably will be early next week!

P*I*M*P* my ride

Finally I bought a car, and what a car "a beauty" (S. Irwin). A beast! 4 litre engine and 6 cillinders. Full options like:

• Central locking system, including remote
• Electrical windows
• Board computer
• Cruise Control
• Climate Control
• Fully adjustable chairs

And the name is Ford Fairmont, a subtype of the Falcon, an Australian made Ford. Pictures will be added later. I also bought a new radio CD/MP3 player so that I can listen to all my favourite songs!

It is disappointing however that the maximum speed limit is 110 KM/h :-)

Great Ocean Road - A photographed summary

Back in Canberra, after a flight in a DHC-8 Dash 8 plane, a small propeller plane carrying a shadow minister, some other passengers including me, but not my luggage. Soon after arriving on the airport my name was heard throughout the arrivals gate, my luggage is still in Melbourne because the airplane was overloaded... Thanks Qantas!

The Qantas airplane without my luggage

As the photo's hopefully show the trip was absolutely marvelous. From start to end we truly enjoyed it, and I wouldn't want to miss this characteristic part of Australia. On the flight back I have been thinking what was so typically Australian? True this scenery is unique in the world but the French Cote d'Azur also offers splendid views (although the area is much smaller). Maybe it was the friendliness of the people (locals) we met on the way. Always eager to share some good stories or help us on the way. Maybe it were the utes (for the Dutch audience, a ute is a pick up) with "farmers" in it and dogs on the back of the car, no matter whether they were driving on a small country road or the big Melbournian highways. Maybe not knowing how to drive on such big ways (there are only a few big highways around the metropolitan areas) is typical Ozzie, people use all four lanes to drive slowly, nobody seems to care to use the left lane. Talking about driving, I also drove half a lap on the Albert Park road, the streets are used for the F1, pretty nice area!

Most likely all these factors combined make this place such a special one... I even forgot to mention the animals that live over here, roos, Koala’s and Wombats..
But the scenery remains truly amazing!

Great Ocean Road - Port Fairy

What can you expect after such a splendid day as yesterday? First of all the meeting at the treehouse with K.oala did not take place, apparantly he took the weekend off and went surfing, something which is really great to do along the southcoast, great waves, cold water however due to the proximity to the artic.

We started today at the lighthouse, amazing views like almost everywhere else along the road but every time it is slighly different. On the way back we took a dirt road towards blanket bay, an empty bay (at least for today) with magnificent rock formations. Whereas yesterday we basically stopped every 5 mins to take pics and admire the scenery today there were less lookouts since the road went more inland.

And inland there were activities as well. We took a treewalk, 45 metre above the ground along bridges in a rainforest. Some trees still rose above the platforms, even above the watch tower. After that we had to race toward the Twelve Apostels, probably along with Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Sydney harbour one of the key images people have of Australia.

Amazing, we were there at sunset which made it even more spectacular. I hope the pics came out well!

Tomorrow we'll drive back over the freeway towards Melbourne where we quickly might go into the CBD and do some shopping (saw some great boots but the store was closed). After dropping Fiona off I have to drive to the airport and board the Qantas plane towards the nation's capital.

Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay

My English vocabulary is far from perfect but I am quite sure that there are no words to describe the Great Ocean Road Angelsea - Apollo Bay.

The weather this morning didn't look that promising rain, rain and rain, but gradually it became better and once we hit the best part of the road it stopped raining and the clouds offered a great contrast with the other part of the scenery. Scenery which consisted, but was not limited to: waterfall, cliffs, bays, mountains running into the sea, lighthouses, rainforest etc...

At the moment we stay at Apollo Bay is a brand new (6 months old) YHA hostel. Pretty neat! Yesterday I met the AIESEC grads from Melbourne that I got to know the last time I was here, Fiona decided to call in sick today and join me for the trip. With a near brand new Toyota Corolla, I reached the 10,000 KM mark, we are driving around until Sunday. We tries to reach the cape Ottway lighthouse for Sunset but the lighthouse itself was closed. On the way back we missed out appointment with our Koala friends because it was getting to dark. Better luck tomorrow. First we will start with a tree-top walk, a bridge crosses though the tree tops (hence the name) at 49 metres high and still some tree reach higher, should be fun!

Yesterday I attended the conference which proved to be really interesting. Different stakeholders of the northern suburbs of Melbourne where present (the topic was unemployment among Muslim people). I even could make some suggestions from expierence back home which they apparantly liked since they will use it. All stakeholders will meet again next month and try to tackle the specific issues. I am curious what the outcome will be.

As for now I'll head to a pub get some food and drinks!

Melbourne

In a couple of minutes I'll get a cab to the airport and fly to Melbourne where I'll attend a meeting tomorrow. We'll discuss issues related to Muslim youth is that particular area, an issue that became apparant after the London bombing of June last year. I look forward to it and think it is an interesting session to attend. Hopefully the output will be useful for our section as well.

Luckily enough I could take Friday off and decided to rent a car for the weekend so that I can drive along Great Ocean Road, what should be a magnificent experience. I hope I am still able to be surprised after the magnificent experience of New Zealand!

Catching up with the Melbourne grads as well. That what makes AIESEC such a great network, really a pity that it ceased to exist in Canberra.....

The weather doesn't look too good outside, glad I brought my umbrella....

Gemengde gevoelens

Vandaag had ik een tweede senaats-cursus, ditmaal over de budget processen. Het blijft interessant om te zien hoe politieke mechanismes werken, in het bijzonder diegene waar je zelf deel vanuit maakt.

Tijdens de thee pauze raakt ik aan de praat met een mede cursist van DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) en na wat over en weer gepraat vroeg ze of ik Nederlands was. Het Nederlandse "accent" is blijkbaar makkelijk te herkennen want ze is niet de eerste die het in een keer goed had. Hierna kwam het gesprek op Sander Thoenes, zoals wellicht de meesten zich nog kunnen herinneren (ik in ieder geval wel) was hij een journalist actief is Oost Timor en is daar vermoord. Destijds (1999) was deze vrouw daar ook gestationeerd en bevriend met hem. Zij heeft hem nadien overgebracht naar Darwin, vanwaar hij naar Nederland werd overgevlogen om te worden begraven.

Vreemd om over zo'n onderwerp te praten, ze waren duidelijk bevriend (haar zoontje heet Sander). Toen ik vroeg hoe hij om het leven is gekomen, assasinated of in een vuurgevecht vertelde ze me in iets te veel details hoe het een en ander gebeurde. Details zal ik besparen, beetje ongepast om dat ook op een weblog te plaatsen.

Toen ik terug was op kantoor heb ik toch maar even gezocht op Sander Thoenes, en op een memorial website terecht gekomen. Als je dat dan leest dan bedenk je je hoe mooi het leven is en hoe snel het allemaal afgelopen kan zijn (Klinkt sentimenteel, maar zo voelt het wel).