The view from my "office"

[puppysparkes]

re: The view from my "office"

Over to Moreton island for a bit of whale spotting. 12 spotted altogether. 6 mothers and 6 calves.



Back at YBAF

 

[irv]

re: The view from my "office"

MrsTMA (who took the pic) is pleased you noticed the extra legs!

So they don't have two extra legs over there, thought it must of been in the gene pool

 

[love_the_life]

re: The view from my "office"

MrsTMA (who took the pic) is pleased you noticed the extra legs!

end wee cafff

Och, that's nay a wee 'un,hen. 'Tis haflin.

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

So the weekend office-

.

And the people were on this office to see the creatures that had just disappeared.

.

The spit,GC.

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

The view from this morning's mobile office,beautiful one day.....

.

.

Believe it or not there were 2 disappearing objects in that picture.MCY.

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

The same office continued on to ADL-

.

.

Catering wasn't great but I couldn't turn down a tart.
Then the wet and green state-

.

.

.

And finally Australia's switched off city-

.

.

 

[Pushka]

re: The view from my "office"

The same office continued on to ADL-
......
Catering wasn't great but I couldn't turn down a tart.
Then the wet and green state-
......
And finally Australia's switched off city-

Its a beautiful day today and yesterday was 30c

 

[OATEK]

re: The view from my "office"

Dolls Point where the Georges River meets Botany bay.

 

[Steady]

re: The view from my "office"

A Tamar Valley office or two - more a view of, then from....

 

[Deleted member 29185]

re: The view from my "office"

Believe it or not there were 2 disappearing objects in that picture.

Better them than you!

What I fail to understand, is why your seat is aft of the wing! :shock: I thought that was only luggage back there!

 

[TheRealTMA]

re: The view from my "office"

Amusing office stories....

Next stop on way north for the North Coast 500, picked up the Jaguar XF (got upgrade to the S - whee) and headed North via the highland chocolatier to Fonab Castle Hotel in Pitlochry. North to Inverness. Nice town to walk along the river, not much else to do.


Then continued north to The Torridon hotel - 40 miles north then some 10 miles of single track road. Fun. The views and the hotel were very good.


Oh have I mentioned that we are keeping the 'Crowded House' tradition of always take the weather with you. Fabulous weather - clear sunny days around 12-17C.


We decided to do a day trip to Applecross from the Torridon. This involves the highest road in Scotland - a single track road of some 15 miles over the Bealach-Na Ba pass. We've been on some difficult roads but MrsTMA describes this as the scariest road she's ever been on. But we survived. After a light lunch of Cullen Skink and local langoustines ( they call them Loch prawns) we came back the coast road, partial single track.


Returning to The Torridon, since it was only about 3 pm we decided to see the other side of loch Torridon - another single track road. All was fine and we turned around and started to head back. To be greeted half way by the local postman's van who just didn't respect the single track passing protocol so forcing us off the road onto a very sharp shoulder. Result- torn sidewall of lhs tyre! What fun watching the dash tyre pressure display warning appear quickly heading to 0.

Now I haven't changed a tyre in over 40 years but being on a single track road in the middle of nowhere with no cell coverage there was no choice. MrsTMA was more concerned about my having a heart attack but no matter we got out the temporary tyre and changed it. Took some understanding that one of the nuts was a locking nut and needed the special socket attachment hidden in the boot next to the jack. That done, we headed back down the single track road to Torridon and the hotel.


Rang Avis and after several somewhat useless conversations we discussed the issue with the hotel and they suggested a number of options, some going north towards Ullapool and some south. I decided that given the 80kph limitation on the temporary spare and after discussion with Avis I decided that it would be better to head towards Dingwall tyres who had the tyre we needed. If something else happened we would be closer to pickup services rather than going north. Proved to be the correct choice.


Got to Dingwall Tyres and they started to change the tyre and asked where was the socket for unlocking the lock nut. NFI I replied. Sigh... They suggested it would be quicker to drive back to find it than try to get the locking wheel nut off. However, in the end they found a tool to undo the locking nut.


So now a dilemma. One wheel changed, now only four wheel nuts (adequate) but no tool to undo any of the other wheels if we had another issue going north. After discussions seemed the best idea to go back to where we had changed the wheel originally to see if we could find the locking socket. So, back the 50 miles to The Torridon and the single track road. Found the point where we had changed the tyre. No socket! (Some idiot probably left it attached to the wheel when he drove off.)


Rang Avis and Jaguar in Inverness with the problem. As useful as 'cough on a bull' came to mind. Jaguar woman was somewhat clueless and said it takes 10 days to get a new set of locking nuts and socket (turns out to be bull but...). We decided we could not risk going north with no ability to change a tyre. Only choice to get the remaining nuts removed and replaced with standard wheel nuts.


So back the 50 miles to Dingwall Tyres to get them to remove the remaining three locking nuts then back to Inverness to Jaguar to get new standard wheel nuts. Spare parts fellow said they could get new set of locking nuts overnight but we didn't have time. Fitted the new standards wheel nuts and started to look around Inverness for somewhere to stay. MrsTMA wasn't keen on us driving the 2.10 hrs north to Lochinver. So we gaily went to several hotels and guest houses in Inverness at 5 pm to find a room. All the good ones were booked out ( on a Tuesday night in October?), some were terrible and some smelled of pork being cooked by the landlady. Why anyone turns up to a place and hopes to find somewhere nice to stay on spec has always been beyond me, as it was on this occasion.


So, in the end we decided that since we'd already paid for hotel in Lochinver we'd make the 2 hr journey north.


It's good that the sunset is late so most of the journey was in dusk light and I could sit on 70-75 mph for most of the way. Amusingly we has a VW Polo driver sit on our tail for a long way until he decided that 75 was too slow for him and he just had to pass that Jaguar. He must have had his foot through the floor at that rare suggest.


So after a 300 mile drive day we arrived at hotel around 8pm navigating sheep and deer on the road.

The joys of office travel.

 

[love_the_life]

re: The view from my "office"

Dingwall, that's where my gggrandfather came from, gggrandmother from Tain. Quite liked Inverness and was very moved by Culloden - bitter place.

Those single track roads can be hairy! Sounds like a day to forget.

 

[JohnM]

re: The view from my "office"

The stuff of dinner party conversations for years to come.... Straightforward travel is, simply, insufficient fun .

I still dine out on my experience with the very intimidating Argentinian Policia officer who tried (unsuccessfully) to shake me down for not having the headlights on my car on during the day, as is mandated. "I am sorry sir, I do not understand what you are saying." says me. Luckily his English was non-existent; my loss of any suggestion of (my very rudimentary) Espanol, however, was merely temporary - an El Stupido Australiano is simply too hard to deal with :mrgreen:.

Amusing office stories....

Next stop on way north for the North Coast 500, picked up the Jaguar XF (got upgrade to the S - whee) and headed North via the highland chocolatier to Fonab Castle Hotel in Pitlochry. North to Inverness. Nice town to walk along the river, not much else to do.


Then continued north to The Torridon hotel - 40 miles north then some 10 miles of single track road. Fun. The views and the hotel were very good.


Oh have I mentioned that we are keeping the 'Crowded House' tradition of always take the weather with you. Fabulous weather - clear sunny days around 12-17C.


We decided to do a day trip to Applecross from the Torridon. This involves the highest road in Scotland - a single track road of some 15 miles over the Bealach-Na Ba pass. We've been on some difficult roads but MrsTMA describes this as the scariest road she's ever been on. But we survived. After a light lunch of Cullen Skink and local langoustines ( they call them Loch prawns) we came back the coast road, partial single track.


Returning to The Torridon, since it was only about 3 pm we decided to see the other side of loch Torridon - another single track road. All was fine and we turned around and started to head back. To be greeted half way by the local postman's van who just didn't respect the single track passing protocol so forcing us off the road onto a very sharp shoulder. Result- torn sidewall of lhs tyre! What fun watching the dash tyre pressure display warning appear quickly heading to 0.

Now I haven't changed a tyre in over 40 years but being on a single track road in the middle of nowhere with no cell coverage there was no choice. MrsTMA was more concerned about my having a heart attack but no matter we got out the temporary tyre and changed it. Took some understanding that one of the nuts was a locking nut and needed the special socket attachment hidden in the boot next to the jack. That done, we headed back down the single track road to Torridon and the hotel.


Rang Avis and after several somewhat useless conversations we discussed the issue with the hotel and they suggested a number of options, some going north towards Ullapool and some south. I decided that given the 80kph limitation on the temporary spare and after discussion with Avis I decided that it would be better to head towards Dingwall tyres who had the tyre we needed. If something else happened we would be closer to pickup services rather than going north. Proved to be the correct choice.


Got to Dingwall Tyres and they started to change the tyre and asked where was the socket for unlocking the lock nut. NFI I replied. Sigh... They suggested it would be quicker to drive back to find it than try to get the locking wheel nut off. However, in the end they found a tool to undo the locking nut.


So now a dilemma. One wheel changed, now only four wheel nuts (adequate) but no tool to undo any of the other wheels if we had another issue going north. After discussions seemed the best idea to go back to where we had changed the wheel originally to see if we could find the locking socket. So, back the 50 miles to The Torridon and the single track road. Found the point where we had changed the tyre. No socket! (Some idiot probably left it attached to the wheel when he drove off.)


Rang Avis and Jaguar in Inverness with the problem. As useful as 'cough on a bull' came to mind. Jaguar woman was somewhat clueless and said it takes 10 days to get a new set of locking nuts and socket (turns out to be bull but...). We decided we could not risk going north with no ability to change a tyre. Only choice to get the remaining nuts removed and replaced with standard wheel nuts.


So back the 50 miles to Dingwall Tyres to get them to remove the remaining three locking nuts then back to Inverness to Jaguar to get new standard wheel nuts. Spare parts fellow said they could get new set of locking nuts overnight but we didn't have time. Fitted the new standards wheel nuts and started to look around Inverness for somewhere to stay. MrsTMA wasn't keen on us driving the 2.10 hrs north to Lochinver. So we gaily went to several hotels and guest houses in Inverness at 5 pm to find a room. All the good ones were booked out ( on a Tuesday night in October?), some were terrible and some smelled of pork being cooked by the landlady. Why anyone turns up to a place and hopes to find somewhere nice to stay on spec has always been beyond me, as it was on this occasion.


So, in the end we decided that since we'd already paid for hotel in Lochinver we'd make the 2 hr journey north.


It's good that the sunset is late so most of the journey was in dusk light and I could sit on 70-75 mph for most of the way. Amusingly we has a VW Polo driver sit on our tail for a long way until he decided that 75 was too slow for him and he just had to pass that Jaguar. He must have had his foot through the floor at that rare suggest.


So after a 300 mile drive day we arrived at hotel around 8pm navigating sheep and deer on the road.

The joys of office travel.

 

[kermatu]

re: The view from my "office"

Wet, gloomy and windy:


gloomy and windy:


still windy:


Brief business trip to Wellington. Liked it and hope to return for a bit longer next time.

 

[OATEK]

re: The view from my "office"

Dingwall, that's where my gggrandfather came from, gggrandmother from Tain. Quite liked Inverness and was very moved by Culloden - bitter place.

Those single track roads can be hairy! Sounds like a day to forget.

My sister-in-law is from Tain, and we attended the wedding there back in 1987. Fondly remember Dingwall, Bonar Bridge and Dornoch and the reception held up near Lairg.

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

Third leg of mobile office.A Crash 8 to WYA.Nice view after takeoff-

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Looked like a lot of green algae at the top of St.vincents gulf-

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And the green farmlands of the Yorke Peninsula-

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Finally approaching WYA-

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.

.

Lots of solar panels.But at last the end of the day's mobile offices-

.

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

Better them than you!

What I fail to understand, is why your seat is aft of the wing! :shock: I thought that was only luggage back there!

I am of the opinion that Griselda has found new employment.:shock:
The office had not put in my FF numbers.:shock:
But I am known by most of the staff at MCY having treated their grandparents.
So the beautiful agent made sure I had a less than NB shadow on all of my flights.
Fortunately the young ladies at the SYD QP could put my number in for all flights including the one I had just left.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

re: The view from my "office"

Amusing office stories....

We've been on some difficult roads but MrsTMA describes this as the scariest road she's ever been on.

I understand your predicament ...

My wife has threatened to castrate me more than once, but we have had more fabulous trips than I'd care to mention. I recall climbing up an almost impossible rock ledge after taking "a short cut" on the Mt Ruapehu climb, but we did eventually get to view the fabulous and beautiful crater lake. I don't mention that these days as "looks can kill", especially as a number of Kiwi Army folk perished a week after our climb (and all we had were socks over our hands to stop fingers from freezing)!

We also had a memorable experience driving from Wombeyan Caves to Mittagong ... not via the highway, but via Wombeyan Caves Road. The views were spectacular and the drive was exhilarating. A single lane goat track where you have to beep the horn at every corner to warn oncoming adventurers that you're there. Steep cliffs rising sharply up from the road on one side ... and sheer drops to the river, hundreds of feet below, to the other! The views were absolutely magnificent ... to die for, one might say. Our problem was not so much the terrain, but possibly the fact most people are ill-advised to take a 50' (14m) rig along that track. Perhaps we should have listened!

Our van still has claw marks in the hood-liner and my ears are still ringing! The pic below was one of the few "overtaking" lanes! Needless to say, my kids teachers often ask if their stories are true! They sometimes seem incredulous, but our kids have been snorkelling the GBR, noodling for opals at Lightning Ridge, climbing both Bald Rock and the Pyramids at Girraween (or near to), explored the cave art at Carnarvon Gorge, brushed up on Ned Kelly at the National Museum, astounded by Questacon, marvelled at the majesty of the 12 apostles (or more correctly, what's left), skied Australia and New Zealand by the age of two and camped by a billabong along Cooper Creek at Innamincka in 48 degree heat!

I could continue, but won't. Needless to say, when Ch.10 first started broadcasting HD, they showcased an HD Australian spectacular. I had set up HD satellite in the van for the kids' education and I recall sitting watching the broadcast and hearing "look Dad, that's Parkes Radio Telescope ... we've been there" or "there's Wilsons Prom ...we've been there" etc etc. Basically every place showcased, my kids had been there and remembered intimately. Travel is a great addition to a childs education ...

 

[drron]

re: The view from my "office"

That road looks worse than it was in the 60s.
But tonight's office,Whyalla-

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.

 

[Bindibuys]

re: The view from my "office"



Watching the sun rise from the top of Mount Sinai.