I’m writing this on my way from a whirlwind 5 days in Australia. It’s been great.
You probably have noticed that the most recent posts have been rather shabby, if not downright absent of any valuable content. Well, consider this post a proper catchup.
We flew in on Wednesday night, and besides sitting behind good friend Rhys, it was largely uneventful. Occi had a plane party, which was better than a meltdown, but tiring nonetheless. Little did we know, things would only get more exhausting.
Thursday evening was at a close school friend’s wine bar, Gilbee’s. James did a wonderful job hosting us, and at the 11th hour able to conjure up a delicious and outrageously good value dinner for 12. It really was the most wonderful way to kick things off and catch up with friends.
Friday was getting on top of a bit of work, then heading to the National Gallery to see the Yayoi Kasuma exhibition. I didn’t know much about her, but at 94 years of old, she keeps creating. I’m not always the greatest connoisseur of art exhibitions, but this one was excellent, enjoyable, and the perfect length of time. If you’re in town, do check it out, and absolutely book tickets ahead of time!
That night we celebrated the engagement of my sister and her fiancé, Ben. It was a special evening in every way, from the food, to the wine, to the speeches. Most of all, the company shone through, as we had residents from 4 different states converge for the night. Magic.
Saturday was another family affair, this time at my sister’s place who host a BBQ. It was casual dining at its finest; think long tables, lots of fresh salad, juicy meat, tasty vino and of course, the cheese. It will be hard to beat as meal of the year.
Finally, we got to Sunday, which featured a visit from one of my closest friends and his wife. This meal was in many ways similar to the one previous; tasty, relaxed, and sadly, way too brief.
Today was the most relaxed day by far, where we able to visit some work friends, pack our bags, and fly back to NZ.
It’s been a lot, and I was hoping Occi could catch some zzz on this flight, but she’s still soaking up every moment. Needless to say, this occasional would never have worked without the magnificent generosity of my two sisters, who fed and housed us, our friends who came to say hi, partially Lachy and Hanna who flew in from Tasmania for the occasion, Daniel and Felipe, my team at Innovera for their understanding, Tracy and Matt for DRIVING from Adelaide for the weekend, Deb and Johno for more sensibly flying, and above all, my darling wife for everything she does for this family.
All around, marvelous.