Getting Things Done

After a marathon session yesterday, I got through processing all my photos. However, the Internet connection here has been down for most of two days. I get 5-10 minutes of a slow connection here and there, but that’s it. So today, I’m sitting on about 200 photos which I have to upload to Flickr. I’m feeling sort of ripped off that I had to pay for wireless here (and it costs more than using one of their computers. I don’t understand that one) and I haven’t been able to really use it the last three days.

Now I can now start, you know, going out and actually seeing Melbourne and posting some of the articles I’ve been sitting on for the last month.

I did get an automated reply from the Consulate. The automated reply took four days and told me it would take 5 business days to reply to my email. Clearly, there is no sort of incentive pay in the state department. For all I know, the date for an appointment is even further out. Factor in the email response time, and it take two weeks just to get an appointment to start the process of renewing a passport.

I took time in Melbourne to get this done. I really hope I don’t have to sit in a city for two weeks to wait for my passport somewhere else now.

Now I can look into replacing my bags. My current bag set up is horrible and something needs to be done.

I also need to start thinking of actually exploring Australia. Getting a car, mapping a real route, and having a plan.

3 thoughts on “Getting Things Done”

  1. Gary, stop thinking and get out there. I do love Melbourne. My sister Amy (you remember, the one who opened b.bottles with her teeth, though she’s moved beyond that now) live there for several years & i spent some time visiting her. Be sure to see the penguins at Phillips Island. The cemetery is interesting – odd area dedicated to Elvis Presley, really. Hire a driver for the day and do a Yarra valley wine tour. Ocean road is lovely.
    Get out there, do it. Rent a car to see Ocean road. Have a great time.

  2. If you are going to try and see a lot of Australia in one car, then the basic question is do you want to cross the Nullabor? If not, your basic pattern is an arc up north. If so, it can be a circle.

    If you are searching the net for help on this, as well as the normal tourist and backpacker sites, search for “grey nomads”. That’s the slang for retirees who pack up and spend months travelling around Australia. There are websites with recommended routes, stopping sites, travel times. You may not want to take as long as they do, but some of the info should still be useful.

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