Fondling tits

So it seems I am a terrible blogger – two whole weeks without feeling the need to divulge the goings on of my life! Well this time, happily, I can say that it’s not for lack of goings on. The last two weeks have been busy indeed and also quite brain draining. I think all this gallivanting around the place has left me out of shape for the bump and grind (and grind) of full time work.  So I’ve officially completed the end of my second week at work. And it’s already all hands on deck, full steam ahead. My new boss, Ben (Prof. Sheldon) is great – he’s friendly, approachable, clever and remarkably normal – but is also proving to be quite a taskmaster. So I’m actually quite busy - head down bum up - organizing data and thinking about analyses and stuff, as he seems to want meetings with me every 3 days! Ah well it’ll keep me honest ;)

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http://thetravelaffair.net/travel-affairs/fondling-tits/

Oxonians we become!

We’re in our new home in Oxford! And it’s pouring down with rain outside (who would have thought?), but at least it has given me the chance to put pen to paper, so to speak. My last few days in Israel were lovely and hot (it got up to 40oC at one point). Talia and I went shopping, swimming and ate even more humus and falafel and other generally delicious food. We also managed to fit in quick visits to some of the local towns around where Talia lives and even went for a sunset stroll at Caesaria. This is a beautiful ancient city that lies on the shores of the Mediterranean and was built around 20 BC by King Herod the Great (who as far as I can tell was only great at killing his family members and the odd rabbi or two). My memories from the last time I visited this site (as an 11yr old) are of the ruins themselves and scrambling through archways and the like. They don’t include all the high-end yuppy cafes and restaurants and pubs that are now nestled amongst the ancient ruins. Thankfully these have been very tastefully merged into the sandstone walls of the old city and it is all very beautiful indeed. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend a stroll down through the chariot racing arena to the amphitheater and back before sitting and sipping hot apple cinnamon cider in the seaside cafes while watching the sunset paint all the ruins in pink and purple as it melts into the sea. 

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http://thetravelaffair.net/travel-affairs/oxfordians-we-become/

Israeli Adventures

It’s been 8 years since I’ve last stepped foot in Israel which is long time. Almost enough time to forget how crazy, diverse and beautiful the holy land is. But in just 5 days here I have been amply reminded of all the variety of life in my homeland. It was almost midnight when I met Talia at Ben Gurion airport after the long flight from Seoul and the place was full of people. There were more people waiting for the train into Tel-Aviv than there would be at midday Saturday in the middle of Hobart (but ok that’s not saying much).It was on the train that the first reminder of life in Israel became immediately apparent when a group of soldiers took their seats next to us complete with machine guns and ammunition belts. I think I must be getting old but its really quite amazing to think that so much of the security of this country rests in the hands of baby faced teenagers who are probably more concerned about whether they’ll pick up on the one weekend off they get a month. Still they do look somewhat more responsible and clued in to the realities of life than 17 year old Aussie kids do - but maybe that’s just the uniforms.

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http://thetravelaffair.net/travel-affairs/israel-isreally-sababa-1/

The Journey Begins

So the journey has begun. I have departed the beloved homeland, and begun the voyage first to the spiritual heartland and then onwards to the fabled motherland.

And now having begun with so flowery an introduction I have to confess that the flight to Seoul was utterly dull. The highlights were undoubtedly the company of Bill Bryson’s comic genius (thanks David), the in-flight magazine’s article on the artistic merits of “Important Intangible Cultural Property #102” and being offered “scrub turkey” for lunch (I’m sure that’s what she said). At any rate I touched down in Seoul bored and numb from travel and was very efficiently rounded up and out of the airport with all the other ‘hotel transferers’.

read the rest of this post here: http://thetravelaffair.net/travel-affairs/the-journey-begins/