It was a strange feeling, walking into the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Queensland (UQ) for the first time. Déjà vu, it was so reminiscent of my visit to the same place at Strathclyde University a few years ago, and the day I walked through those doors almost exactly 39 years ago. … Continue reading A student again →

I am off to Brisbane for a week of intense work on my thesis. All the interviews are finished, and the online survey was closed off today. I’m staying in a small apartment by the river, in the middle of Brisbane and working at the University most days. The Masters has been a long haul, … Continue reading Brisbane for study time →

A cool, peaceful and calm time to go for a walk around my gas plant. A strange thing to enjoy, but we’re ok to walk around the outside in normal clothes in the evening and just, well, enjoy it. Or maybe I’m just very strange, that’s quite possible. The cover photo was the first evening … Continue reading Night time →

Salamanca market, scallop pies and a cool morning. Bagpipes playing in the park. Then a walk up a narrow track on Mount Wellington, watching rugby last night in a pretty historic area of Hobart. A fresh produce market today then another short walk on the mountain. Lunch at the Botanic Gardens, then home. Such a … Continue reading Markets & mountains →

A sunny cool day, a drive to the sombre and imposing Port Arthur. It’s beautiful here, with a green landscape and harbour that is breathtaking, but a convict penitentiary history of cruelty and deprivation that is impossible to escape. Added to that is the memory of the massacre just over 30 years ago, when 35 … Continue reading Port Arthur on a beautiful winter’s day →

A few crazy days of travelling; a last minute dash up to Varanus Island for a critical scope so an Uber ride, a plane, a helicopter, a boat to the platform, a boat to platform step which was challenging in moving seas, then the same in return. Then today a last minute flight to Hobart … Continue reading Travelling, travelling →

A lovely walk pre sunrise yesterday at the beach. Cool, calm and dogs having a great time.

My ethics approval finally came through, a few weeks ago, a salutary reminder to trust the process. For work, my job is officially moving to Brisbane without me, so I will be given redundancy when they’ve recruited for my position. Not full certainty, but at least I know what the next few months hold for … Continue reading Some certainty →

Reading for this thesis, working through the painstaking Ethics approval process, a wild and windy Perth weekend; it’s a big change of pace compared to my normal activity-focussed spare time. It’s necessary to remind myself that I have made this choice, to study and research. The hiking and kayaking and weekends away will still be … Continue reading A change in pace →

Well it's been a weekend of adrenaline, with Thursday go-karting with work people, Friday climbing Matagarup Bridge then zip lining back down to ground and a footy match which was close, well played and we won but only in the last quarter. Saturday and today have been much quieter, largely at home working on my … Continue reading Adrenaline weekend & transitions →