Well this afternoon I am flying back to Winnipeg, which will actually be a welcome return. It has been absolutely AWESOME spending time in Calgary, spending time with Jen and Adam, but in a strange sort of way it is time to get back to some sort of familiarity, and I have to say that Winnipeg is the closest thing that I have in Canada to that!!
I went to a South African restaurant with Jen, Adam and a couple of their friends last night. It is called Jabulani (which means celebrate or something like that). It was soooo great, I had a starter with biltong and driewors, then had boerewors and pap/sadza, all the meantime sipping on a Castle... Very nostalgic time for me! So much so that on the way we managed to find a liquor store which stocked Castle, and I bought a 6-pack to take back with me to Winnipeg!
Its gonna be weird getting back to my appartment, I will have laundry to do that I left, I wont have any food in the house, I will have to vacuum etc etc... I sound far too domesticated don't I!!!
Got so many things to sort out when I get back too, like sorting out a savings account so that I can facilitate savings for when I get back to Zim... Also got the bills to pay, and just sorting out the work on that side!! Its all good tho!!
Friday, July 29, 2005
Friday, July 22, 2005
London bombings
I'm sure most of you got my email "Roll Call" the other week to find out if you were affected by the blasts at all. I was very concerned as I know a LOT of people who are in the UK and in London specifically. Luckily no-one that I know was actually affected at all.
The latest couple of bombs that were found on busses are a worry tho. It just shows how vulnerable society is to these sort of threats. Even with the whole city still at a heightened state of emergency these bombs found their way onto the busses.
I heard on the news last night (I was listening to some American channel) that people travelling by the underground and busses may encounter similar precautions as the ones in airports to check baggage etc. I shudder to think what sort of chaos would prevail if everyone had to be checked before jumping on public transport... Everyone would have to leave an hour earlier everyday just to compensate for these checks!!
Its crazy, but it may actually be necessary. Not sure what the end impact of these bombings is going to be, but one thing is for sure, it is definitely raising the temperature in a pressure cooker which is already steaming...
The latest couple of bombs that were found on busses are a worry tho. It just shows how vulnerable society is to these sort of threats. Even with the whole city still at a heightened state of emergency these bombs found their way onto the busses.
I heard on the news last night (I was listening to some American channel) that people travelling by the underground and busses may encounter similar precautions as the ones in airports to check baggage etc. I shudder to think what sort of chaos would prevail if everyone had to be checked before jumping on public transport... Everyone would have to leave an hour earlier everyday just to compensate for these checks!!
Its crazy, but it may actually be necessary. Not sure what the end impact of these bombings is going to be, but one thing is for sure, it is definitely raising the temperature in a pressure cooker which is already steaming...
(I thought I had updated this... my bad)
Well I've been in Calgary since my last post and nothing all that exciting has happened, I have been working hard, and its been a little bit difficult. Trying to do things the way that they do things in EY Canada is a little bit of a mind-twist for me! Just remember that I only really know the way things worked in Zimbabwe, and that was probably not quite right but it was the best that we could have done. Then I had like 6 (six) months where I basically did nothing to do with IT audit, and now i'm in full swing with everything in a different way! I just hope that what I am doing is adequate!
I saw Adam and Jen last weekend which was kewl, we jst caught some flicks and chilled, was good to just be able to relax and chat to someone for a bit! I went to church with Jen on Sunday, we found some church relatively near her and that was good coz she hadn't really been going much. So yeah all good on that front!
This weekend I probably will go shopping for some clothes, coz that seems to be what people do here... Not so sure if I am all enthusiastic about it - but gonna do it none-the-less!! May also catch a movie and chill in one of the parks around here... Its a beautiful city, really beautiful, the guys are mostly the cowboy type, which can get a little annoying, but c'est la vie!
I'm kind of looking forward to going back to Winnipeg in a strange kind of way as it is the closest thing I have to a home at the moment!
I saw Adam and Jen last weekend which was kewl, we jst caught some flicks and chilled, was good to just be able to relax and chat to someone for a bit! I went to church with Jen on Sunday, we found some church relatively near her and that was good coz she hadn't really been going much. So yeah all good on that front!
This weekend I probably will go shopping for some clothes, coz that seems to be what people do here... Not so sure if I am all enthusiastic about it - but gonna do it none-the-less!! May also catch a movie and chill in one of the parks around here... Its a beautiful city, really beautiful, the guys are mostly the cowboy type, which can get a little annoying, but c'est la vie!
I'm kind of looking forward to going back to Winnipeg in a strange kind of way as it is the closest thing I have to a home at the moment!
Monday, July 11, 2005
Stampede weekend
Well this past weekend I spent in Calgary, and it was pretty good. On Friday the whole of the downtown area closes down and there is a parade which goes through the middle of the town with floats and everything. Actually pretty good, I was a bit skeptical initially as I did not think that just watching some floats go by would be worth the time!
Then I went to one of the malls with Jen and Adam (Jen's one of my friends from Zim and Adam is her other half). It was fun, they bought some roller blades and we jst had some fun going around the mall. We then went and watched "The Fantastic Four", as it was new on the circuit. I am not a movie critic and will not pretend to be one. Put it this way - it way entertaining enough that you can veg and watch it.
I went back to my hotel after that - and as I was getting out of the cab I saw some EY people from Winnipeg outside the hotel as well. They were here for training, and they invited me to join them for dinner, which I did and then I went out with them afterwards. A group of us went to the stampede grounds to the one stage and bar there called "Nashville North". It wasnt bad at all if you dont mind country music. Needless to say we had a number of beverages each and by about four in the morning we were ready to leave. On the way out some people stopped at one of the rides, which for some reason was still operating. So me, in my wise, brave state decided to go on the ride. It is basically a massive beam hinged in the middle with baskets on either side. At the top I would estimate that you are about 80ft up. All this "ride" basically does is spins you round at some massive Gs. I went on that and, surprisingly, was fine afterwards.
The next day was pretty much a recovery day as you can imagine. Yesterday, Sunday, I went out again with Jen, Adam and Randy (Randy is Jen & Adam's friend). We went to the stampede grouds and looked around and they went on some rides, and it was a pretty good time. After that we went back to Jen's appartment and watched a DVD - "the Life Aquatic" and it was pretty good, even though the first 20 minutes were very confusing and not all that compelling. (and here I was saying I am not a movie critic!!!)
My section at EY in Calgary are all visiting the Stampede today, just now actually, as a group. Should be fun, but not going to go on any rides or go overboard I dont think. We will have to see though!
Then I went to one of the malls with Jen and Adam (Jen's one of my friends from Zim and Adam is her other half). It was fun, they bought some roller blades and we jst had some fun going around the mall. We then went and watched "The Fantastic Four", as it was new on the circuit. I am not a movie critic and will not pretend to be one. Put it this way - it way entertaining enough that you can veg and watch it.
I went back to my hotel after that - and as I was getting out of the cab I saw some EY people from Winnipeg outside the hotel as well. They were here for training, and they invited me to join them for dinner, which I did and then I went out with them afterwards. A group of us went to the stampede grounds to the one stage and bar there called "Nashville North". It wasnt bad at all if you dont mind country music. Needless to say we had a number of beverages each and by about four in the morning we were ready to leave. On the way out some people stopped at one of the rides, which for some reason was still operating. So me, in my wise, brave state decided to go on the ride. It is basically a massive beam hinged in the middle with baskets on either side. At the top I would estimate that you are about 80ft up. All this "ride" basically does is spins you round at some massive Gs. I went on that and, surprisingly, was fine afterwards.
The next day was pretty much a recovery day as you can imagine. Yesterday, Sunday, I went out again with Jen, Adam and Randy (Randy is Jen & Adam's friend). We went to the stampede grouds and looked around and they went on some rides, and it was a pretty good time. After that we went back to Jen's appartment and watched a DVD - "the Life Aquatic" and it was pretty good, even though the first 20 minutes were very confusing and not all that compelling. (and here I was saying I am not a movie critic!!!)
My section at EY in Calgary are all visiting the Stampede today, just now actually, as a group. Should be fun, but not going to go on any rides or go overboard I dont think. We will have to see though!
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Typed in Winnipeg Airport, on my way to Calgary
Well, I am typing this while sitting in the airport waiting for my flight as it has been delayed! No internet access that I have found yet, so jst cracked open my laptop and thought I had better update my blog. By the way in case you dont realise why I am in the airport I am going to Calgary for about 4 weeks for work. Doing a SOX audit for a major Cable and Comms company there. I will also be there for Stampede (which I explained in another blog post). I was being told different things for the past couple of weeks as to whether I would or wouldnt be going to the Stampede - and well now I am - got my ticket in hand - my room at the Sheraton (yeah yeah I know I am totally spoilt) reserved and I am there!!!
Let me think - what has happened since I last updated this - well we have had Canada day this past Friday (1 July)! Was pretty kewl - everyone here is so patriotic!! Well it seems like that anyways! The main street just near me (Osborne Road) was closed off for a couple of days and there was just a massive street party going on for all hours (yeah I could hear it all going on at about 3 in the morning - but it was not keeping me awake - couldnt sleep for some reason) So I went to that the one night - and yeah everyone seemed to be having a great time - they had bands playing at different points down the street and yeah a good time was just had by all!
Oh right - the night before Canada Day I went to a Karaoke evening with Peg, her daughter, Unity, and Peg's best friend and fiance. Yeah I was not keen to do any songs as my last experience was in the Bull & Bush in Botswana and it was nothing I want to be reminded of. I did end up helping both Unity and Peg out with their songs so I did get up on the stage and it wasnt that bad - so next time I go to a Karaoke evening I will probably get up and sing!
This past Saturday I spent helping Peg (my relocation agent - but more jst a mate here) move into her new appartment (which jst happens to be in the same building as me!!!) So that was a very tiring day, but we got it done - still the main work is still ahead of her with unpacking all the boxes etc!!
Let me think - what has happened since I last updated this - well we have had Canada day this past Friday (1 July)! Was pretty kewl - everyone here is so patriotic!! Well it seems like that anyways! The main street just near me (Osborne Road) was closed off for a couple of days and there was just a massive street party going on for all hours (yeah I could hear it all going on at about 3 in the morning - but it was not keeping me awake - couldnt sleep for some reason) So I went to that the one night - and yeah everyone seemed to be having a great time - they had bands playing at different points down the street and yeah a good time was just had by all!
Oh right - the night before Canada Day I went to a Karaoke evening with Peg, her daughter, Unity, and Peg's best friend and fiance. Yeah I was not keen to do any songs as my last experience was in the Bull & Bush in Botswana and it was nothing I want to be reminded of. I did end up helping both Unity and Peg out with their songs so I did get up on the stage and it wasnt that bad - so next time I go to a Karaoke evening I will probably get up and sing!
This past Saturday I spent helping Peg (my relocation agent - but more jst a mate here) move into her new appartment (which jst happens to be in the same building as me!!!) So that was a very tiring day, but we got it done - still the main work is still ahead of her with unpacking all the boxes etc!!
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