Industrial Action
Wherein our narrator takes the slow boat to
Sydney.
It's two days before Christmas, and, for some
reason the union of operators & engineers for Sydney's train system has
decided that this afternoon would be an appropriate time for an "industrial
action" (read: strike) against their govermental bosses, to protest the fact
tthat their new contract hasn't yet been ratified. So, when I got to Epping
station at 2"15 PM (the strike was meant to run from 10 AM to 2 PM, quite
civilized of them not to disrupt rush hour) I found the gates barred, and a
nicely written whiteboard note, indicating things wouldn't be back to normal
until 3:30.
Urgh. I need to pick up
the keys for my new apartment down at Mellow Realty this afternoon (funny, I
nearly wrote that as Mellow Reality) so I can MOVE INTO THE PLACE!!! But of
course that doesn't mean a thing to these fine folks - besides, I neglected to
tell them. Oh well. So here I am, stuck on a bus ride that seems intent to
take every possible twist and turn until, at some point in the distant future,
it arrives ath the Queen Victorial Building, downtown. Hopefully by then the
trains will be running, or I'll be hoofing it from Town Hall to my
home...
Today was my last formal day at
AFTRS until I return in late January. Whee! Peter and I worked very hard this
morning, outlining all the things I'll be doing upon my return to AFTRS - I'll
be busy and we both know that - and getting the sense that there is plenty for
me to do. There is, in fact, quite a bit to do, lots of teaching, plenty of
research, and, of course, lots of fun to be had in a summertime Sydney. Mardi
Gras, and more. Heheh. And god, by that time I may very well be a tan, fit
and toned 170 lbs. Won't that be a
sight?!?
Hmm. Only 8km till the City.
I wonder if we make any more detours? If not, we will get to Town Hall around
3:30, which will be about as good as I could hope for, under these
circumstances.
Posted: Tue - December
23, 2003 at 04:33 PM