Initially I started the blog as a way of letting off steam, a cathartic release from the stresses and struggles of everyday life in England. But I have to say that I haven't often felt the need to release any stress since moving to Australia. There have been stresses, don't worry about that! But there are only so many times I can write about how great it is to live in this country before it gets repetitive. In fact for many of you that read my blogs I would wager it is already. And thus, the Writer's Block strikes. What is there for me to say?
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| It's normal to carry an alligator around on Sundays. |
I could write about the end of our cricket season, but outside of my cricket circle who would be interested? In fact, even inside of the cricket circle, who would be interested? Many a match report have made their way to the MUCC website via this keyboard already, why blog about it? Perhaps the Ashes pain is still too raw!
What about the Reptile Park? I've only mentioned snakes, alligators, crocs, etc a thousand times already. I've already filled my Facebook profile with pictures, references and many a post about how great the Reptile Park is and the people are. I suppose one related thing of note is that my previous blog entry about a course I did last year in handling venomous snakes has been used by the man who runs the courses on his own website. Indeed if you visit www.jmvenomoussnakes.com.au you will be greeted by one picture of my headless body about to remove a snake from a bag, and another of my face alongside John Mostyn as he talks me through restraining a snake.
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| The view from Sydney Tower... Not bad, is it? |
How about planespotting? Well, back in April I was lucky enough to have an airside tour of Sydney Airport and got up close and personal with the airport tarmac, fired the water cannon from an Airport Fire Engine and won a tour of the control tower. A fantastic day for me and a few friends, and new friends were also made. But I'm not sure I could have written a whole blog about it. And I did try to.
And what of work? The new job started in January and required (and still requires) a quick adaptation, steep learning curve and a lot of concentration. I had my yearly appraisal this week and came out of it pleasantly surprised and encouraged by what my boss had to say. The company I work for is a family business with a big emphasis on leaving work at work and switching off when you get home, and with that in mind I don't feel the need to blog about it.
So what does all this mean? It means I have a regular life and a routine. Everything I do now has become normal and means I'd be writing the same thing all the time. Things you already know about me, like cricket, Formula 1, reptiles, photography, aviation... What can I tell you that is new and exciting to you? All of it is fantastic from my point of view and don't get me wrong, the excitement of parts of what I do haven't died down. In the last few weeks I have been trained on handling Tegu's (an Argentinian lizard) and begun training on a Green Anaconda, which grows to be the world's largest snake. There's a great example of Writer's Block because of all the things I could have chosen to tell you about, once again it circled around to the Reptile Park and animals.
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| Normality includes Burmese Pythons. |
I guess this post is more a blog just for the sake of it. We went to Victoria for Easter and had a great time with family and adopted family down there. Other than that, we haven't been away... That was our first trip since Hervey Bay last year. But the need for me to write just isn't there anymore in the way it used to be and I don't want this blog to become predictable. Perhaps the creativity and inspiration that has helped me write my better posts will come to me again soon. What I can say, though, is that what I deem to be a normal life in Australia has far exceeded anything I ever thought before I left Devon and that I cannot wait for the rest of my family to see this place that I am now proud to call home.
