so wots it like then

Canberra put on a beaut coupla days. Sparkling water on the LBurleyG ... sun beating down on xmas lights and avenues ... just lurvely. Only hello - how come noone here has heard of aircon? Noone in taxis, noone in busses, noone anywhere? Maybe Canberrans are trying to squeeze out some sweat for their short summer to last them out their loooong wintry winter.

Some other observations & things done and dusted in ole Cambs in the last 16 hours:

• "Kamberra" means 'a meeting place of tribes'.
• Today ricebag in Kamberra pulled out all the stops and managed to tick off all the boxes on her VERY challenging stuff-to-do list - and all by lunchtime no less.
• I had to courier some documents and I was using the 'Business Center" of the hotel, Mizuki was serving me and I asked her about shopping. Little Mizuki, no doubt of Tokyo-lights and Ginza-nights and much much finer things than Westfields and Woolies. She drew together her imMACulate eyes and Chanelled swan-neck into an arch and said with some disdain as she fiddled with her Mimco pacer, "there is NOWHERE to shop in Canberra". I took that literally. But now I know what she means - it's not Shinjuku baby. No Louis or Dolce, no Chloe or Marni honey. This is Australia, not Honkers and 'shopping' translates to some kind of windowless mass where McDonalds and Katies and Cotton On and Rivers breathe the same aircon recon air. It's certainly not 'shopping'. Alas. In Canbs it more like filling. Not topping.
• My reward for finishing all my tasks and having the afternoon free was a visit to the National Art Gallery - I NEVER get tired of this gallery!! What a privilege. Seeing Art (with the Capital A pleeeeeeeeeeese), Paintings, Scultpure, Installations, tapestry in a confined-space-again was pretty awesome. I do miss a little bit of european kulcha back in png-way-la. Blue Poles is always a showstopper. Bought some Michael Riley postcards and then bumped into an old art teacher of mine (a very VERY cool woman I gotta tell-ya) from school and we had a coffee together. Just Lovely.
• The current major exhibition is "Egyptian Antiques from the Lourve" ... which is a bit sad for me coz last time I saw these, I was actually at the Lourve with FJ almost a decade ago.
• I then ran off to the National Portrait Gallery at Old Parliament House - lovely. Totally mesmirizing Truth & Likeness Exhibition on there now.
• Strolled past the current Parliament House and gotta say I don't get sick of that building either. And taxied over the the Australian WarMmemorial.
• Then I even went on a little bit of a sight-see around this wide-road city. Saw the Mint and the old Deakin pool that I used to swim at for school way back in 1986 when tomorrow was never going to come and 50 cents on sundays actually bought a fistful of sugar at the corner shop.
• Last but not least, I made it back to La Perouse and past my old house and my old school. Spun me out a little. Not a lot has changed. Except me. I did. I changed. I made the taxi go back up the street and back down again. I thought 3 times was enough. Just.
• Even had time to catch the new James Bond flick (which was absolutely crap - and not even in a good way - sorry - no high-nosing, just telling it like Dr Phil - crappy story line and some embarrassing acting - although the blonde Bond is hothothot) and afterwards enjoyed a few glasses of very nice South Australian wine a la solo in Manuka - the 'chickity chic' - Manuka reckons its the Canberran Paddington but it don't even come close. More like a weakie weak double bay honey.
• Water was glinting off the Burley and I walked along the south side this morning, very early this morning.
• I also caught up with a Bear in Sydney a la phone and I have to say, love you!! And am very excitd with new developments.
• Oh yeah - and I found and bought my 2007 Moleskin diary. Massive phew.

So - what can we say? I been PRODUCTIVE! Very. I even got to Coles and stocked up on xmas lights which I am going to give my secretary for xmas. Shhhh. Don't tell her - it's a seclet.

So Canbs may have streets so wide they take 20 minutes to cross; no pubic transport to speak of; wall to wall to wall suits; everyone on mobile phones too busy to say hello; just always Somewhere Else, Physically Here. It's definitely a city where people are very busy going about the business of Getting Things Done. And me too. Tomorrow I leave. To get some more done in my little life.

Right now I am going to jump in the massive tub in my art deco bathroom, soak until I pass out and then crawl into my bed. And wake up in just a few winks at my 4.30am wake-up call. Youch!

xx