First day back to school

Today is the day. The day i go back to school after 15years i done my degree in 1993.

Not so smooth to begin. The used car that I bought last week, which was supposed to be "road worthy" didn't live up to what the paper said. serious oil leak was discovered. Well, Australia has this law that says every transfer of ownership of any car, an authorised workshop has to inspect and issue a certificate called "Road Worthy Certificate" after the workshop is satisfied that the vehicle meets all the safety criterias.

To cut it short, I bought a car with RWC but found oil leak which is not road worthy. Took it back to the same workshop and after some yara-yara-yara, we agreed to settled it with a fix which costed me AUD170 to change for new cam-belt, oil pump, and a few seals. Beats the hell outta me what and where are these parts.

The problem is, i will have to go to school by public transport. Imagine a lazy lad like me who never wakes up before 9am everyday, even when i supposed to be working 9-5.

Had to wake up at 6am, WALKED to the bus stand in the cold melbourne morning, waited for the right bus, got off at a train station, took the train to another station, waited for the train that went to the Epping campus. It took me more than 2 hours just to travel less than 60km. Man, those buses and trains don't just come along when you need them.

And all these was just to the Epping campus, not even to the actual Farm where the real lectures will be conducted. Going to the farm at Yan Yean would add 2 more bus trip. Add all these up, i would need to get up at 430am. REAL bad, real bad. They have to fix the dang car as soon as possible or I will lose hopelessly 6 h of my precious life on a public transport everyday.

Then the angel heard my prayers and yara-yara got the car back on time... what a relief


First day at School was good, transport hassle aside.

The people and teachers are friendly and nice and the farm is just fantastic. even saw a calfing cow (i.e. a cow giving birth) for the first time in my life. some of the 1 year old Angus black calf feeding in the below pic

Look at the blue sky and the green horizon. Amazing isn't it?

2nd week in Melbourne

My 2nd week in Melbourne. A city I supposed to live in few years ago but was always on the road (or rather on the flight) most of the time.

Melbourne is a beautiful city and was once the most "livable city" in the world.

check out what it has in the city and the surroundings.

Melbourne city at Yarra River

The coastal areas in Victoria are equally breathtaking. This is a snapshot of the 12 Apostles, along the Great Ocean Road.

But, I would probably spend a lot of time exploring the national parks around Melbourne. Something i wanted to do when I was "supposed" to live here 2.5 years ago.

Birdeye view of the Grampien Nationa Park. not too bad, right?

However, what I really need now is to settle in my study and get a temp job asap. having no income but lots of outcomes ain't something I m comfortable with.

Walking my friend's neutered female boxer, Bountie, has been my routine in the afternoon now. Reminds me of my own playful boxer, Dodo, which died few years ago.

this is how Bountie looks like.

She is 8 years old now, about 60 in human age.

but she is still pretty playful and loves a belly rub.

Till later, mate.

A New change

Finally, I have decided to quit what i m doing and start something which I have wanted to do for some time.
Good pay and managerial position in a multinational company vs a diploma course in Agriculture. Certainty and stability vs unknown and risks.
Well, we only live once and the only way to find the answer to "what-if" is to get into the "what=if" loop.

Thus, here I am now in Melbourne, few thousands KM from home starting something far from my comfort zone.

Having a farm has been a childhood dream many many years ago, although thats was not exactly a practical image of a farm.

to have a farm with trees and goats and dogs will be a pretty picture, won't it?