Finally, last assignment submitted for the year. Looking forward to going home and sleeping for 12 hours straight.
 Three days left of work for 2013.
 I’m just so tired, I can’t even think.
 But tomorrow is a new day, going down to Brighton for a meeting with Tech.

Phoenix

Fist impression of Phoenix, I love it!!!! I will admit thought that as Phoenix never made it to its maximum temperature, I may be a little blind sighted here, but I really think I could so live here.

In the cab on the way to the hotel, I had this feeling of that was way to easy. Where is the normal stress that follows? And being back in the land of automatic flushing toilets, with automatic soap, water and paper towel, this is the life.

My first full day, I spent an hour trying to find the shopping centre.(arrrhh back to normal) by the end of the day though, I had worked out that my hotel was actually a whole 25 meters from the entrance to the Mall. (God bless American and the fact that the Airplane accepts American Express for on flight purchases)

I spend my afternoon sitting by the hotel pool under the palm tress de-stressing… …..perfect.

The Mall
With Sephoria, Footlocker, Macy’s, no forever21, but they had forlove21, The whole atmosphere really reminded me of QLD but it could have been the heat, mixed with the lack of crowds and then having illuminations (a candle shop which is also in QLD) with a lovely smell.

Though I will say I have n’t seen this many Crocs for sale since, Vienna. (not even in Oxford and they have a pretty impressive range)

The mall was heaven, minus the fact that the Pump shop doesn’t open till July. (I will be back)

Everyone was very friendly, by the end of the day I had decided as I was not a size 4 with Plastic surgery, fake Boobs and lips or a size 36 and was not due to my size forced to ride around in a disabled persons automated wheel chair that this may have been why everyone was so friendly in Phoenix. So much so that the next day while waiting to be picked up at 6 am for my tour of the Grand Canyon. (WoW amazing) A guy pulled up and told me to get in? I was a little confused

The tour was through www.openroadtours.com Once we picked everyone up it was off to Sedona, I was so glad I did a tour as I would have had no idea about the number and variations of Cacti (which I love) (I even ate some Prickly Pear Candy made from the Prickly Pear Cactus.) Or the number of animals and insects in Phoenix, pretty impressive with its Scorpions, deadly Lizard and Snakes. (Sedona , (well driving too it) not many tour companies actually go to, so I was glad with my very last minute research, that I got to experience it, its not to be missed) Maybe next time if Rich comes we will do the tour again and then on the second day see if we can do a raft tour down the river in the Grand Canyon. Not so keen on the Donkey rides down the Canyon.

The complexly different surroundings that you drive through Pine Forrest, dessert, real dessert and many more. Plus the fact that its Phoenix in summer and its hot, very hot and should be hotter, but yet you can see a mountain with snow on it? Like what the???

Maybe next time I can go skiing?

Also all the history about the Indians. And then finally the Grand Canyon. It really surprised me how cold it was. At the Canyon, I ended up wearing every long sleeve piece of clothing I had brought with me. (Which was n’t much) The huge never ending valleys, my Camera will never do it any justice. It really was beautiful. (is this my second, 7 Wonders of the world??)

There where two Indian guys on my tour and thought very naughty of me to stereo type I know, I thought I better talk to them in case I have to face them in the office on Tuesday. (After all, this entire trip is for me to meet up with my Tech team) Sure enough they did actually work in IT and had actually perversely worked on our Account but not currently. But they where impressed that I could say their names. ( I didn’t like to point out that given that I work with IT people all the time, Indian names are a piece of cake but I feel sorry for the poor European people I occasionally have to work with as I always stuff up theirs.)

I was also trying to think about Rich’s Uni assignment, what you would export?
….. I thought for awhile, well Starbucks, Mac’s and Boarders are everywhere already and after Phoenix so is Lush and Bunny Rabbits. (yes, they where everywhere. Kind of like the whole toad thing in Oxford.)
Where Rich and I could sigh up to volunteer to help toads in Oxford cross the road and not get hit by cars.
Well in Phoenix, I have never seen so many rabbits, and they are clearly smart enough to be car savvy, they are crossing the road, running around on hotel lawns. Out the font of the office just sitting there eating grass in groups of 6 – 8.
Apparently though they are actually native to America.

So after that and the fact that Zara is coming to Australia this year any way I’m thinking to suggest bringing H&M to Australia or Abocrbie & Finch or Brookstone. OK I have it, “Metro” bring the New York train system to Sydney. (even Vienna, Tokyo, Paris, Milan and Rome, Budapest have better system than Aus)

I ended up staying in Scottsdale and they even had this cute little trolley ride which you could go on www.scottsdaletrolly.com and took you on a tour of old Scottsdale, where I visited the Cowboy boot shops and bars right out of CowBoy and Indian Movies.

Another plus for the trip, was that I worked out how to eat in America. The first night I just ate a main, which I could n’t finish, the next night I cracked it just order two entries. The food was fantastic from the Mall food to the Belgium restaurant to the Restaurant at the top of the Mountain at the Hilton we where staying at.

While Americans keep complaining about the cost of fuel its 3.98 a gallon, (but how much is a gallon??) I will have to ask Mum how much it is back home.

I love my new boss as he’s based in the US, this was my first time meeting him. So most of the time its an email relationship, he just sticks it all in an email and then I end up writing back a Yes, no or maybe.

He was good enough to pick me up and take me to fab Sushi Restaurant for lunch, How does Phoenix have such great Sushi, Its been so long, (since Tokyo) that I have had good quality Sushi – Yum. (we take it for granted in Aus) He then drove me to the hotel to check in, on the way we stopped at a drive by & picked up Gin & Tonic and beer. And he tells me we are all going to meet at the pool for a swim and Drinks. This is the first time I’m meeting my boss and the rest of my team and no one at work has ever seen me in a Swim suite, even people I have worked with for the last 8 years and here on the first day, Mmmm not so into that, I don’t want to look at my tummy, so I don’t think anyone else does.

My Boss kept asking me if I wanted to drive, but I just had visions of when we where in Belgium and we where on bikes with rich leading the way round a conner and then onto the wrong side of the road. No thank you.

My new Director well over the phone I had n’t been so sure, but during dinner she asks the waiter do you have dogs? Great then can you please take the rest of my steak home for them. I love her already

When they told me I had randomly been selected for add ional security, I thought great just like QLD again they are going to do the swab for explosives, but by the time I made it too the gate, (only to find out that due to weather my flight was delayed by two hours ) I was like Ha, I live in London, I can’t leave the county with out getting felt up, that’s no add ional security that’s just every flight leaving the UK.

Oxford Life

Not much has changed at home. (Oxford) When people ask me what I have planed for the weekend, I always end up with a I’m not sure?? But then Friday night I went out to drinks with people from work, so by the time I got into Oxford it was 11pm, Rich had already been to Uni drinks, a Pub and then ended up at a dinner (all the colleges have dinners) to enjoy the open bar. So by the time I got in I meet him and his fellow Uni friends at the Kebab stand, it was time to go home.

Saturday morning I got up early and road my bike to Sainsbury’s to do the weekly shop which had n’t happened for two weeks while I was away. I’m sure while some of the other Oxford Wags (Wife’s and Girlfriends) think I’m crazy, I think at least it makes me exercise and I love having choice in what I buy at the supermarket, instead of only getting to chose from Coles express.

Rich and I had lunch and then he went off to Uni for a group meeting, I did a little cleaning and had a nap. We then went down to the boat Races to watch all the College’s compete and see who would cross the line first and who would bump.
We then went to basket ball, Richard to play and me to watch, after the game we then road home again.
I then went back to finishing the cleaning and Rich went to another Group meeting.
We then went to the Retreat with all the people from that group meeting with their partners for drinks, followed by this Indian Restraint called 4500 miles from Deil, which everyone keeps telling me is the best, but we found this other one in the centre of 0xford when my Parents where over, and the service there is always a thousand times better than what we got at 4500 miles form deil. Plus I love the food at the other place. By 11.30 we where kicked out of the Lamb and Flag (another oxford Pub) and Instead of ending up at the Kings Arms (its open till 1am, so you normally get kicked out about 1.20 am) where pushing our bikes home. Sunday morning both my Nana and Mum called which was nice.

Rich and I watched a movie about an Irish Guitarist, the movie was Ok, but the music in it was really great, I still have the song going though my head. I had a nap, and then got up to go to a class as I really need to do more exercise, the music was good but the teacher was so happy for 3.30 pm on a Sunday afternoon. By the time I picked up a few things at the small Sainsbury and road home, I then started on dinner.

Its now 6.03 am on a Monday morning and I’m glad that I’m writing this instead of trying to sleep as this bus driver has left the lights on the entire way from Oxford to London. In 25 mins I will be sitting at my desk and the day will begin.

New York - New York

Some how I managed to land in New York at 1 am, have the Cab driver work out I am an Australian and so I clearly, needed to see Heath Ledger’s location when he died, it was only the next block up from my hotel. End up on a train to Coney Island; buy a new (cheap) (left the camera at home) digital Camera, pick up breakfast and be in the office by 9.30 am.

Friday night we went out to a trendy bar in the China town area of Manhattan. While I have the wearing all black down pat, I am a long way off the size Zero Manhattan Women.
All my sex in the city has also paid off; I still know where all the funky places in Manhattan are to live eat and go out.
I was surprised by the swearing, I had been lead to believe that the US is very PC, but no….
I am going to go out on a limb and say UK, then US and then Aus in order of least conservative. For dressing and swearing in the office.

While this next part is very politically incorrect, I learn that American Black women never wash their hair. Every week they have it professionally straighten. or A number of them just shave all their hair off and wear a wig.
When it came up why they don’t just wear it naturally, the response was that one of the top constantly companies has a rule against it……
I had never thought about it, till this conversation, I just assumed they where all great at blow drying their hair straight.

On the plane I needed to get a landing form to fill in and the hostess did n’t give me one, so I asked again her response was but you’re not American, Correct, I am Australian, was my response????

The shopping surprised me, last time I had never been to the UK or Europe, but now every where has H&M, Miju, Gap, Esprit, Zara, Abercrombie and Finch.

So while Lush and Start bucks have made it to down under, I wonder how long before you get the exact same shops everywhere in the world, guess that’s why Japan and Amsterdam are so great! (though even Star Bucks has made it to Japan)

While I did n’t make it to shoe mania, I did make it to 34th and 6th.. I love to also walk down 8th West, I love the shoes.

The do something you have never done before is (1) walked down Canel st and (2) Went to Duffies. (not so great)

Still a big fan of Forever 21

Manhattan is still fabulously, but shopping in Manhattan, even when you are poor, on the pound is the only way to go.(not to say Rich is n’t going to take the Amex off me when he sees the bill)

One of the girls from the New York office is going to Oz for a month in April, so I got to educate her about how Entree in Australia is a US Appetiser.

The service even though everyone seemed to complain, was a 1000 times better than in the UK.

Somehow when you travel, while you’re becoming less Australian, e.g. losing the accent, having English Mannerisms, drinking tea. You are never so glad or so proud to be an Aussie : )

Guessing I should mention Miami, well the 27 degrees was great, the humidity not so much and the salted Taffy is in the suitcase.

Face Book

Karen is/has become a face book junkie.

Karen is also pondering the English vs. Australian philosophy to bike safety. E.g. the English approach where you aim for Car drivers not to hit you and so wear a dorky yellow vest. Vs the Australian, let the Car hit you then once you are flying through the air be grateful you are wearing a helmet.

Karen is thinking the combined approach might be best.

Karen has just read Stephs blog and thinks maybe she should have applied for that New York job after all……
(Its funny, but rude)

Karen is also sad because Stu has been made redundant and thinks he has had enough challengers this year, (Karen can write this because English people, don’t know what that word means) but Karen is glad he is well enough to come back to work so they can do lunch.

Karen needs to get over her sad face book addiction.

A Oxford Weekend

Last weekend was a typical Oxford weekend. Friday Night drinks at the Uni Bar, for once though we actually went home for dinner. ( I was still suffering from that Train crash feeling)
Saturday, I was starting to feel more like myself and attended the Oxford Said Women’s Network event. Saturday afternoon we managed to buy Rich a suit, very big achievement, not always the easiest thing to buy a 6 foot 5 guy a suit. .

Saturday night a Bop. (Just like Oxford calls the hat and gown Subfusc, they also have a name for a Party – Bop) I love to go to a party and chat to absolutely everyone and as the bulk of the people are either MBA students, their Partners with a few French exchange student’s in-between in was a really fun night. Though I was a little concerned about the weight limit on the balcony and amazed that the neighbours, did n’t complain with the huge number of people.

Sunday, not so exciting, but after convincing Rich that he had to lower the seat on his bike for me, that I may be tall but not that tall, I set off for the BIG Sainsbury’s. Nothing quite like doing the weekly shop(e.g. going to Coles or Woolworths) and riding the bike past a paddock (Mmm maybe it’s a field over here??) of Mooing Cows, also road over some streams as well but since I daily walk over three Bridges, just to get to the Bus stop. My ducks, Swans and Streams are unfortunately taken for Granted. I do appreciate how old and green Oxford is though and even though I may lack sleep, Oxford is no London.

Sleep

Oxford is starting to feel even more like home. (Not sure for Rich though, How can a Queenslander be at home in England?? ....but time will tell)

Though Rich is doing hours of study and I get to spend hours on the bus, there are still never enough hours in the day….

One of the things in the last two weeks, which comes to mind, would have to be watching the Rugby world cup with all the South Africans at the Rhodes University. Nothing quite like the atmosphere while drinking very cheap Vodka beside a Painting of Bob Hawke and Bill Clinton.

Last week I think the lack of sleep had caught up with me and I was feeling like I had been hit by a train but I still went out with the Oxford Wife’s for catch up during the week. I am so glad I went. While there is the Oxford Partners Club, they do things all the time but its always during the working week. But catching up with the wife’s and Girl Friends of the other MBA students, many who also either Bus, Train or drive to London everyday. Maybe its that united feeling of lack of sleep? But all the partners also from all over the world have had really interesting Career paths as well. Left me smiling all the way to Friday.

The Cat

When Richard said we had a cat, I though he was talking about my white rug, so I was rather surprised to learn that, we really did have a cat. (or did that Cat have humans?? being a dog person, I’m not sure I am experienced to say)

The window now stays almost closed, with a tiny gap – so the cat can’t stop in when ever it wants.

This Cat, its not stupid, onto the bed or if you not fast enough walks in the font door, like it owns the place, probably did before we moved in when the place was empty.

Dear English people,

Something us Aussies do really well is have this stuff called fly screen, it keeps out all the moths, mozzies and spiders - also cats.

Please think about investing in some.

Oxford life

I feel a little guilty about not coming down to London on the weekends, but with 16,000 students Oxford has a pretty good night life.

And what are we here for.... really?

So after work drinks on Friday night its back on the bus, home to Oxford.

By the time you attend the lunch, followed by catching up with the other MBA students at the pub on Saturday night, a stop in at the ice cream shop that’s open till midnight. (well something has to be the last coffee shop shuts at 8pm and it’s a Krispy Cream’s – not sure its actually counts as coffee) it really feels like the weekend just flies’ by.

Last weekend we also managed to squish in catching up with one of the girls from work who also lives in Oxford.

By the time Richard does his hours of Study and I run up to the shops and back again to get what I have forgotten. And then the staying on top of the washing…

Its back to work.

Oxford to Brighton

There is clearly something about Wednesday’s; maybe Wednesday should be my working from home day. I have slept in and am now on the 6am Bus out of Oxford.

Yesterday, was another lovely day down at Tech in Brighton. (Lovely because of the people, not the rain)

The time it took to get their though I could of gone to Kazakhstan and back, while still doing 8 plus hours of work.