The view from my "office"

[QF WP]

I know but beggars can't be choosy. Ibis Melbourne (399 Little Lonsdale). Given it was the first week of Aus Open tennis and I only booked 2 weeks out, I was happy with $213 incl breakfast. It is a far cry from my normal digs at DT, but they wanted $462 or 130K points. Wasn't happening.

 

[kookaburra75]

I know but beggars can't be choosy. Ibis Melbourne (399 Little Lonsdale). Given it was the first week of Aus Open tennis and I only booked 2 weeks out, I was happy with $213 incl breakfast. It is a far cry from my normal digs at DT, but they wanted $462 or 130K points. Wasn't happening.

I know the problem. I was in Melbs last week and ended up at the Causeway Inn, for $220/night, as the usual haunts were double and even more, for the price, because of that stupid tennis game. Mind you it was ok, smallish but clean and comfy, and right in the middle of everything off Bourke St mall

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I know but beggars can't be choosy. Ibis Melbourne (399 Little Lonsdale). Given it was the first week of Aus Open tennis and I only booked 2 weeks out, I was happy with $213 incl breakfast. It is a far cry from my normal digs at DT, but they wanted $462 or 130K points. Wasn't happening.

I feel your pain and sympathise. No one should whine about H-SYD after seeing that one! (I dare not ask about the size of the ensuite in the Ibis).

 

[QF WP]

Not big enough to swing a cat, but at least I could turn around without fear of butting my head or falling out to the main room:

It was merely a toilet and shower recess (with large rainfall tap fitting so was quite pleasant after a long day). In the doorway beyond the basin (weird to have that in the main room).

 

[QF WP]

One of the quaintest churches around (in Sandgate):

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

O M G - and I thought the Ibis SYD airport was tiny !! Note the handbasin doesnt fit in the bathroom !

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Not big enough to swing a cat, but at least I could turn around without fear of butting my head or falling out to the main room:

It was merely a toilet and shower recess (with large rainfall tap fitting so was quite pleasant after a long day). In the doorway beyond the basin (weird to have that in the main room).

View attachment 150977

Oh no. I'm aghast! Oh well, I grew up in the marine industry, sometimes with cabins I could not stand up in and was the length of a very small single bed + about 200mm to walk down beside and I survived that so ...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

One of the quaintest churches around (in Sandgate):

View attachment 150978

Ha ha, I love this. It's almost like you are craving normality to expunge that MEL trauma!

 

[QF WP]

Nah, it’s one of my wife’s favourite stretches of beachfront and that Church is at the end. I was walking our dog so snapped the photo then came back to the tree where we all sat for an hour, just taking in the tranquility after breakfast across the road:

We were sans kids so took the opportunity to have some “us” time - rare in our lives with two preteens and usually running them to social or sporting activities.

 

[kookaburra75]

You should be careful and working and drinking

Wow - I saw some blue sky, not that I didn't believe you

As I drove carefully, avoiding the black ice, after scraping the ice off the car. And, I realised I have been doing a lot of trips to the UK in the past few years - as I can now make sense of a BBC Radio traffic report

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Wow - I saw some blue sky, not that I didn't believe you
View attachment 151000
As I drove carefully, avoiding the black ice, after scraping the ice off the car. And, I realised I have been doing a lot of trips to the UK in the past few years - as I can now make sense of a BBC Radio traffic report

'eh? Blue skies ... BBC traffic reports? Come now Kooka, let me give you the drum, avoid that bloody great patch of water over the road! What is that? A GB hazard?

 

[Captain Halliday]

One of the quaintest churches around (in Sandgate):

View attachment 150978

Hasn’t been a church for several years. It’s now a child care centre.

But a glorious building just the same.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Hasn’t been a church for several years. It’s now a child care centre.

But a glorious building just the same.

Come now ... aren't all children angelic?

 

[Flashback]

View from my current office at Gatwick. I've already been into Grain Store (can use Priority Pass for £15 credit off your bill) and now relaxing in the lounge. I was expecting to be here an hour later but had a really good run.

Sprung the £5 to guarantee entry to the No 1 lounge and it's bloody quiet so would have gotten in anyway! Normally you get turned away unless you've made the reservation. Oh well, it gave me fast track security at least which took all of 30 seconds to clear.



There's a beer on tap called Curious Brew. It's a mix of lager and champagne apparently..... That's a big PASS from me!

 

[Flashback]

I have to chuckle at this. Received this today. Yes, yes I do believe it is time to head there given that's where I'm off to right now

 

[QF WP]

Mrs Flashback been doing some Googling lately??

 

[Flashback]

Mrs Flashback been doing some Googling lately??

Nope!

 

[OATEK]

Buck House for the Russian exhibition.
Eldest daughter used to be PA to the Master of the Household, had one of the offices behind the top row of windows (below). Nicholas II at Tsarskoe Selo

"Poor Paul" the Tsar who was good mates with some of MrsOatek's ancestors.

Bet he was handy with those daggers.

 

[OATEK]

It's gone from the blue skies over the Palace to snow.

 

[Flashback]

It's gone from the blue skies over the Palace to snow. View attachment 151022

Typical, always happens when I'm away!