Webcam shenanigans

You'll notice that the Magill Estate has been added to our list of favourite Adelaide places... no we didn't win the lottery, and no we didn't rob a bank! We met up with our friend Duane (a winemaker from Sydney, sorry Duane we just have to say that) on Friday night who is in Adelaide for work. We'd booked a little Italian restaurant but had no guilt in not turning up when Duane announced his business partner was in town and was going to take us out for dinner to the Magill Estate! Expensive food, expensive wine, fine company - and all of it paid for! What an enjoyable evening. Thanks Duane for your marvellous contacts as always...

Things generally going well. I'm starting to need to feel some warmth now, especially when I'm seeing folk in the UK wearing t-shirts and vests! Saying that, at least we have running water and are not knee deep in water like those back home in Gloucester. It has been very surreal to see all of the photos. Even more surreal that suddenly everyone I talk to here knows where Gloucester is and doesn't just presume I was born and bred in London!

I did get some warmth on Sunday afternoon as I sat in our little garden. I actually fell asleep it was so lovely! The sun on my face feeling that warm in mid winter was glorious!

Watch out when you're on the webcam with us - there's a new feature on skype where we can take your photo!

Good on Mum & Dad H for getting a new webcam - a much better picture I'm sure you'll agree!

Before-








After-








And an extra special 'good on ya' to Gran and Grandpa who have succumbed to the world wide web by purchasing a computer and having broadband installed! It's a joy to chat on the webcam, though all a little confusing (well done Dad P for your tutoring skills)-

A little slideshow for you all to celebrate our first 7 weeks in Adelaide!

Sorry to hear about the bad weather in the UK... it's lovely here! ;-)

Hurray it's the weekend! A tiring week...

What a week. I feel like it has been non-stop! I think the last few months of craziness have finally caught up with me!

Of course, it was Dans first week at work and from the sounds of things he has enjoyed it so far. I think it has been strange for him to get back into the working routine after a couple of months off, and getting to know a new organisation is always tiring. Still, the money is now rolling in!

So, Monday was his first day and I was starting a three day training course. I thought that three days of training would be a great break from work and I'd be able to just sit back and relax. Nope! It was pretty tiring stuff but nevertheless I learnt a lot which will help me at work. A tired Dan and Becks when we got home!

On Tuesday night, Dan had to work late as his organisation were hosting an event at Sky City. He seems to get drawn to that place! He finished at about 8.15pm and just missed the train home so I drove into the city to pick him up. It only took me about 20 minutes to get there, but took us well over an hour and a half to get home as when we stopped for petrol, the key fell off the key ring and got locked in the car! Good job we've joined the RAA - we went to Pizza Hut and in the time it took to eat a large pepperoni and a large hawaiwan pizza the friendly man was there to help. A very tired Dan and Becks when we got home!

On Wednesday I worked in the evening as I needed to attend a community meeting at Henley Beach. You'd think people don't have homes to go to - the meeting didn't end until 10.15pm! A tired Becks when I got home!

By Thursday, I felt like the week was never going to end! But, just when things were getting hard we enrolled on our Wine Introduction course and things suddenly perked up! The course is being run at the National Wine Centre in the City and it is a really impressive building. There is a group of about 20 of us on the 6 week course and they seem like a good crowd (well, we're on a good table of people who seem up for a laugh - there are some know-it-alls on the other tables I reckon!). Last night we started off by looking at faulty wine, which nearly put me off drinking wine all together - a cure for alcoholics should be to get them to try wine that is overly corked... We then moved on to two whites and two reds and by the end of the two hours I even found myself saying "Yes, I can smell a hint of ecalyptus" whilst turning to Dan who was saying "Yes, I can smell hay and cherrys"! Oh, we'll be a couple of pretentious rah's before we know it! A tired but happy Dan and Becks when we got home!

So now it's Friday and I managed to finish early at 12. Today was a Harry Potter dress up day at work. Not only did I win my heat in the broomstick race, and came second in the final (it was against my boss so I had to let her win really), I got to touch someones pet python that they had brought as a prop! This afternoon I've been down onto the beach and Semaphore Road and lost myself for a couple of hours taking photos. It's been a glorious day today and suddenly the busy week is a distant memory...

Becks x

Have you seen Dan & Becks?

Well, the blog strikes back again... here's another Dan & Becks spot...

"Hi Dan and Becks

Were you by any chance on the singapore flight from Heathrow on 3rd June at 22.15???? I ask cos i have just looked at your blog and im sure you were sitting a couple of rows behind us. I can remember yous as you both looked so happy even at the end of the 20 plus hour flight!!! Also i remember you having shorts and flip flops on!!! I overheard you talking to some aussie guy who was sitting in front of you saying you were going to Adelaide and i was itching to come over and say hello, now i wish i had.

Anyway we are so glad we went over for a look as we have 3 kids and decided at the last min we wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing. So glad you are settling in well. We are hoping to be out there in January for kids to start new school year.

Take care and good luck,

Nicola and Steve"

Monday Morning - it's tough, but someone's gotta do it

Pics of Adelaide

Henley Beach South - worth the wait -




















View from Harbour Town shopping centre towards the airport-














View from above Magill-

The Blog Bites Back!

Well, it's Saturday evening and we've spent the day nursing our delicate livers and sore heads with a dose of fresh air in the Adelaide Hills.

Last night being Friday night, we decided to head down to the Semaphore Palais for happy hour. $2.50 wine and beer is too hard to resist. On arrival we headed straight to the bar but within moments were tapped on the shoulder by someone saying 'Becks?'...

We were pleasantly surprised to have been recognised by the photos on this very blog by Carla and Andy, fellow brits who have also recently arrived here and have randomly ended up living practically opposite us (either that, or they really are stalking us...). We spent the evening with them and had a great time comparing stories and had a tour of the house they are staying in, including a go on the trampoline in the garden. Fun! Thanks for a fun night Carla and Andy... now stop stalking us! Just kidding.

So this morning I had an interesting trip to the hairdressers. I chose a trendy looking salon on Semaphore Road but came out looking like I live in hicksville, 200km south of Adelaide... Ok, my hairdresser was a lovely girl but had recently moved here from some small country town and proceeded to hack away at my hair and then spend half an hour ironing it with her pink hair straightners. After a quick brekky in Cafe Froot I whizzed home and redid my hair! The cut has turned out alright but I think I'll stick with Toni and Guy in future!

This arvo we drove up to a fab view point just above Magill. Lovely fresh air, views as far as the eye could see and our ears ached with how quiet it was! We then had a drive through the hills, stopping at various view points along the way.

And then THE BEST BIT... we went to Harbour Town shopping centre which I have decided is the best shopping centre in the southern hemisphere. Well, it's alright. So many shops and a great view of the city, airport and hills. We CAN'T wait 'til payday!

Fun fun fun.

New photos added, check them out here-

July 2007

Harry Procter

So off we went yesterday to watch Dans all time favourite character... harry potter! I wasn't really looking forward to is as I'm afraid I'm not a big harry fan but I actually ended up really enjoying it.

We watched it in the Gold Lounge at Reading Cinemas at West Lakes. I almost missed the end as I had to go to wee so badly after drinking a glass of red wine in the foyer, a complimentary coke, and half a bottle of red in the cinema... Also had a cheese board and complimentary pop corn. Very good.

Becks

A message for Jill & Adam...

All the best to Jill and Adam for their wedding and celebrations this weekend!

The un-edited message-

Eat, drink, eat, drink, eat, drink....

MMM, what fun we had yesterday. We went on the Grazing on Gouger tour which was lead by lovely Helen from Adelaide Food & Wine tours. We ate, we drank, we ate, we drank, we ate, we drank, and we ended up doing extra curricular afterwards at the casino. Dangerous.

Started out at the Hilton where we had some bubbly, oysters, glorious cheeses, dried fruits, olives... then we popped into Haigh's chocolates and had a couple of samples... then it was time for yum cha at a little place on Gouger Street accompanied by delicious chrysanthemum tea... then on to a place right in the market to have a delicious soupy noodley dish, calamari rings and a great beef dish greatly matched with a couple bottles of reisling/sauv blanc... then to an italian cafe for moreish pizza and a couple bottles of shiraz yum yum... then onto a cafe to end the tour with cake, double espresso poured over ice cream and several glasses of port... yummy yummy.

Highly recommended - will add the link on our favourites list!

We then went for a 'cleansing ale' as Helen termed it which consequently turned into several ales. This then led on to suddenly finding ourselves gathered around the roulette table at Sky City. We even had a quick go on the pokies (eek) but walked away empty handed.

A good day was had by all!

July 2007

Winter has arrived!

So, it's a dark and cold Wednesday evening in Adelaide during mid-winter. A severe weather warning has been issued. Stay indoors, secure loose items outdoors, beware of falling electricity pylons... Dan & Becks go for a drink after work to watch the storm arrive at the sea front. The waves are crashing over the pier (on what is normally a beautiful tranquil blue scene) and the sea level is over a metre higher than usual and therefore crashing over onto the esplanade.

So what do the aussies do? Go surfing! You can't really see much of them on the video I took but they were basically battling with the wind up the pier only to chuck themselves and their surfboards off at the end and surf in! Brrrrr....

When it rains, it really rains!

Sunday session! xxx

Right, it’s Sunday evening and I am very inebriated. Why? Well we celebrated my birthday today (it was on Wednesday so thanks all for asking!) with a BBQ on Bruno who did us proud. Will, Philly, Em and Mark came round and we had a nice feast of Steak and veg.

Well what a difference a day makes. Here we are sitting in our garden, temp about 15c, sunny and not a bomber in sight. I have to admit that I really feel for you all back in Britain, I know it is raining and some nutters decided to drive a car into an airport, but here it is lovely and nobody seems to have a beef (except me and the others, oo it was lovely). We actually came to the conclusion it is really unlucky on your part to be still in UK in the height of summer and having rain and coldness when here it is warmer than there and it is the middle of winter.

I am currently getting prepared for two interviews tomorrow, which is quite scary but Becks is in to her second week of work and loving it. The good news is that next weekend I am going to take up rowing and we are going on a food and beverage tour, so all should be good.

We had a blinder on Friday night, where each round was only $6 (that’s about £2.60 or a small glass of wine) at the Semaphore Palais. It was a good night followed by a lovely home grown pizza. We had a nice cigarette or two afterwards to celebrate the fact that you can no longer have one in the UK, ahhhh the bliss!

Anyway, keep in touch peeps and speak soon.