Winter in Canberra

Whereas Europe and elsewhere on the Northern Hemisphere Summer is welcomed we here down under have to deal with the Winter. Australia is known to be a pretty warm place, and one of the few areas, besides the mountains, where it really gets cold in the Australian National Capital, Canberra.

I have to admit Winters are much different here than I am used to in northern Europe. Whereas some days it will freeze overnight during the day it still is bright and sunny and temperature easily rises to 15 degrees. So I walk for lunch in a business shirt whereas sunnies are useful as well. This is much better than the dark and grey Winters back home.

Last weekend we made a daytrip to the mountains. We saw some beuatiful sights, even Kangaroos hopping across the road, but unfortunately it was raining, something which is pretty rare here in Canberra or Australia in general.

Last Friday when I rode to work I got my own rendez-vous with the Australian road user, a truck reversed its way onto the street, leaving a very narrow space for me between a parked car and the truck itself. And when the car opens its door.............

In two hours I'll be in Parliament house, where a former Malaysian politician will lecture us about Islam and Democracy, sounds interesting to me.

Talking about Parliamentary stuff, last week Peter Costello (Treasurer & Deputy Leader of the Australian Libeal Party, the ruling party at the moment) provoked a leadership crisis with the current PM, John Howard over a certain promise that mr. Howard would step down after one and a half term as PM. Something which didn't happen. Looks like the coming elections will be interesting to watch!