Wanted down under!

This is for all the guys back home who have asked me recently how life is suiting down under, by the way it is excellent getting all the message from the UK especially as the family are still in the Midlands.

So, I am working for a large consultancy led ICT business centred in Macquarie Park [Optus], a real tech hub here in Australia. We are surrounded by like minded organisations including; Avaya, Microsoft, Citrix, Partners such as the Ethan Group, CSC to name but a few. The role is sales focused around the Cisco HCS CCE product set, I am still bleeding into Design but that will change. The offices are amazing, chaps in Luton you won't mind me saying slightly different to ONI PLC (you do have a great DC though!) Macquarie is also where there is a major University hub, several stations and a very smart shopping centre. Again, the similarities with Luton are there laid bare!

Home is North of Sydney, Mona vale about 30 Kilometres North of the offices and probably the same into the CBD. The lifestyle is very laid back, it is beachside, very friendly and extremely good for the mind. I live opposite Pittwater with its park and inlet, about 800 metres from the beach. Families have outdoor breakfasts, parties, people stand-up paddle, fish and chase sand crabs on a weekend. I have no furniture other than a blow up bed, TV, kettle and....no, that's it! I have no car, I have no direct debits, life is pretty simple!

Sydney, when I arrived I took the ferry from Circular Quay, through the harbour onto Manly, a Journey I had watched many times on a tourist video on Youtube, and then I get to do it, that first time we tracked a school of dolphin! The city itself is fabulous, clean, full of life, hot, great food, coffee and beer. I am saving the major sights for when the family come over. I am still amazed when I cross the harbour bridge mind you. I do feel compelled to nudge someone and whisper, look!

Each weekend I do something different, my headline picture was from last weekend WSW v the Roar, astonishing, I will say no more on that, those in Sydney will understand. I paddle, swim at midnight, kayak, get involved in marches, go to dinner with strangers, present at conferences, walk, ride, run, golf, watch rugby, drink with people I don't know, when you come this far it feels appropriate to reinvent! My old pal once said to me, wonder if he will read this...."you know the problem is, wherever you go, when you look in the mirror or turnaround it is always you that is there" I get it, but sometimes circumstances are such, that that does not matter, that person that turns around may turn out to be pretty good company!

So wanted down under, wanted wherever, give it go, you never know you may just end up somewhere fabulous.