Nothing Rhymes With Pirate

Its been just over a week now since K.Jax left last Saturday.
Admittedly its been a bit quieter without her.. less moaning!
I do miss her company. Especially being far from my girls, it was good to have that local girl-friendliness.

Her last week wizzed by. We had 2 lunches at MoMo's (the local iranian), 1 lunch at the all-you-can-eat 8dhs (its gone up from 7dhs) vegie curry and her farewell BYO picnic at the beach. We had a Girls Night with K.Doyle's friends with dinner at Thai Bistro at Dubai Marine and then moving to Boudoir for ladies' night and free champagne.

On the last Thursday we all went to the Agency at Madinat.. Jimmy-James just arrived in town (after a stint in the Maldives and a month or so in India/Sri Lanka). We'd went to this incredible thai restaurant down the road (which will be written about later).. and later moved upstairs to Shoo Fee Ma Fee for shisha.

Photos: The K.Jax Countdown

On Friday we headed up towards Ghantoot Beach for Kate's last kite surfing foray. It was a shitty day to be sitting on the beach but great winder for all the kiters. So many kiters! K.Jax had a bit of a tough time with the wind and waves and Doyle seemed to disappear sometimes and you'd see her kite all the way down the other end of the beach.

Photos: Kiting @ Ghantoot Beach

We were meant to go local for some arab food and shisha, but K.jax was pretty tired so we watched crappy TV and she went to bed early.

Saturday morning we walked down to Central Perk for breakfast and K.Doyle & Matt met us for some food and brought her a farewell camel. We got back to the villa in time for Ivonne to arrive to pick up Kate. I'd saved my farewell gift for last, which was a handbag-sized London explorer guide, which should come in handy as the Lonely Planet Dubai guide is like a Bible around here! And I bought a card too (which Tash would be proud of). It was pretty sentimental.

We all stood outside in the sunshine.. gave her a hug and waved Ivonne's silver Peugeot down the road.

She wasnt even 10mins out the door when the boys were talking about which rooms they wanted to move to.. with Ben picking Kate's master bedroom (he had first dibbs based on longevity by 1 week) and Fritz took Jiin's old room.

I had started with "I'm not really sure what I did this week.." but came to change it because I basically listed everything (worth noting anyways)!

Last Sunday, I went for breakfast with Tash at Le Petit Creme in Darlinghurst. Eggy, Suuuure. And then I got sick. Its that dodgy flu that been sticking around. I had buttermilk pancakes (shaker bottle, naturally). I saw Virg and Angela sitting in the audience behind Dicko on Australian Idol on Monday. I bought neopolitan icecream and reaffirmed that I dont like the chocolate side. Oscar stayed with me on Tuesday night and spent Wednesday sitting in the car while I was running errands. I signed to a real estate agent. I had dinner with Tash and Nicass at Fare Nosh in Summer Hill. Nicass gave us all matching BFF necklaces that Yolla got from Lebanon for us! I baked a loaf of banana bread. I met Murph for lunch at the Bowl in Newtown and then went into the office to say hi/bye to people and collect some of my leftover things. I went jean shopping in Paddington and was unsuccessful after 12 pairs. I went to Burwood the next day and tried on another 9 pairs before deciding on cheapish Sass & Bides, which kinda makes me sad because I may have previously said that I wouldnt buy any, but they were the best of the bunch, really. I bought bibimbab, ate it at home and then promptly fell asleep on the sofa and being woken up by the buzzers of the school kids on 'Its Academic' on TV. I was due in Glebe for my farewell drinks in 45mins.. I had an outfit dilemma and then headed out there. Lucky I bumped into Kit as I got out of the car and we headed into the AB.. noone else was there! But Katherine and Mel arrived just as we were standing at the bar. Other guests included: Tash, Cresa + Andy, Nick, Anika, Jess, Emily, Murph, Mel, Annella, Kate & Bec, Joel & Russ, Andy + Jade, Eddie, Crazy Dave (+ friend), Dave Berkley, Adam, Alistair, Nathan, Moxey (+ friend).. Suprise guest being Huw who was DJing in the cocktail bar. I swear I didnt know! 2 people got parking fines.. I scored a bracelet thing and a couple of gropes.

Photos: Goodbye Sydney, Hello Dubai

I've sent a couple of boxes of things back home and it doesnt feel I'm even making a dent! On Saturday night, I went to Tash's for dinner which ended up being a surprise dinner with all my favourite peeps. And heaps of great food. Huge shoutouts to Tash for organising it, trying to be all stealthy, but I had hooked on at breakfast at Le Petit Creme after I asked what she was cooking and after she rattled off a massive list, I go "Wow, that a lot of food for 2 people, are you inviting anyone else?" and gave a weird "umm.. maybe!". Tim was right, I should be a detective! Please do not invite Bruce if I'm not there!

Photos: Surprise Dinner

ONE WEEK TO GO.

My final week of work was breezing through quite nicely. I was wrapping up my Oakdale report, doing all my "lasts", sorting out my files and deleting all bludging evidence off my computer.

They had organised for farewell drinks to be at 4pm on Friday in Paddington.. and with no suprise, it was 410pm and I was still sitting at my desk (Giving me a "final deadline - for old times sake" isnt cool at 2pm). RS was practically half-way out the door when Jess noticed that I was still working.. "Umm, Ross? Did you want us to send this out?". He then realised I was still there and decided to stay on with me while everyone left. I asked for him to give me 10mins, which he did.. hovering over me at all times. I ended up getting kicked out, which was really frustrating for me as he kept making it out that he would be embarressed if I wasnt there and he was. Image infront of everyone else? I dunno.

I made it, which was no big deal.
Quick speeches.. and the giving of the massive card and an Oroton A4 business folio, which will look very swish when I go to meetings. (Better than the dodgy pen/pacer thing that I heard that they had initially bought me!)

Photos: Goodbye SIHQ

I will miss that place. The working relationships, the friendships, the gossip and the insider-jokes. Its like being the seniors in high school. You've got your cliques and niche all sorted out with a level of respect and trust by everyone else. I'll be the little fish in the big pond (a really big pond! With 10 times more people than I'm used to!). Its a really small world in this design/construction industry and no doubt I will see them all again.

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After drinks, Dayna took me out to the Modular party to see Robyn playing at the Oxford Art Factory. Its a new venue and they've used to space where Central Station Records used to be on Oxford St (under Qbar). I was thinking that they'd just keep the 2 rooms the way they were (where the clothes was in one room and the records in the other), but they had completey decked it out with lights, glass, mirrors an art and it was TOTALLY AMAZING!!! May possibly be the best venue that I have seen in Sydney at the moment. (Big call, I know.) Robyn did a great set in her Muscles' "Ice Cream Is Gonna Save The Day" tshirt.. and the girls of SYLK definately had the best dance moves of the night!



Photos: Robyn / SYLK