Cheers, mates!

Today it's Sunday and 13th of August, and the second week of the second semester has passed. Marketing for events, Law for events, Tourism, hospitality and events and Project management will keep me occupied for the next few months. So far all the lecturers have been very good, so no need to make complaints for the Course Coordinator as we did last semester :). On the last Tourism class we learned about the Tourism Australia's great advertising campaign, where a gorgeous girl on the beach invites you Down Under: '...so where the bloody hell are you?' The ad has caused a lot of fuss and buzz and was even banned in UK (for the word 'bloody', can you believe it"). I think the ad is brilliant, and could repeat the slogan for all my friends that haven't yet paid us a visit :)

As you've noticed, I took advantage of the uni break and traveled a bit. It was fun to travel alone since for a long time. I think the last time was when I went to study as an exchange student to Toulouse, France, and before starting at uni I went around a little, for example to the small town of Sete on the coast of Mediterranean Sea. It was a charming place. I remember that on the way there I saw flamingos for the first time, the pink birds dancing their ballet in a river delta. It was August in 1998!!!

Like then, I was traveling alone, but I didn't have to be alone – unless I wanted to. In Mackay, I met this wonderful lady from New Zealand, Shirley, who had come to work and drive a truck in the coal mines (!). She is a maori and good fun; 'You reckon, hey?' We went around the town the one and only day we spent together, but I feel like I'd known her much longer. Jamming in the hotel bar, singing Abba in the karaoke and finally ending up to a night club late Sunday night… I want to see the islands that have such fantastic people. The next Monday morning I had a late breakfast in the backpackers' hostel kitchen and met Jenny, from UK, on a working holiday. That rainy morning we took the same bus to Airlie Beach, the backpackers' mecca, and the starting point to the 74 Whitsunday Islands. That night ended – after political discussions of the so called number one nation in the world with a Norwegian and American guy - in a foam party! One of those things you gotta try once in your life…

A couple next days I spent on a ferry tour around the islands: Hamilton Island, the wonderful Whitehaven beach with its squeaky, white silica sand, Daydream Island and finally Long Island where I decided to stay for two nights. I stayed in a dorm of 4 people just on my own, not bad. Wednesday happened to be my 31st birthday and I started it with a very nice buffet breakfast in the resort restaurant. I had planned to walk all the tracks on the island. That turned out to be around 15 km in the rain forest, so it was a pretty good workout, too, in a most beautiful landscape and with the amazing sounds of the birds. That took me all afternoon, and after that I was ready for a little birthday pampering. I had the best massage I've ever had in my life. (And I've had, let's say, at least 15 different masseurs during and after my volleyball 'career'). This 'Oasis' treatment consisted of an 1 hour full body massage with aromatic oils, including foot soles and hands, and a 30-minute facial, the first one in my life, but definitely not the last one! Apart from lying in the Jacuzzi with a strawberry daiquiri and reading my book on the beach, I didn't do much on Thursday… I was still recovering from the beer the very nice Hungarian couple bought me on the night before.

Back to Airlie, there was still one day to go around and see what are the British packpackers made of… I stayed at Beaches hostel, a very nice place by the way. Everybody was waiting for a good weather after a rainy day, but I didn't get having any tan that day. I went around the small town trying to find some souvenirs for Juha. Beside that, it was pretty much it – I couldn't give up reading my book. If you are not on a sailing trip or a ferry tour going around the islands or the Great Barrier Reef or choosing other expensive whole day activities, there's really not much else to do. Unless you are into live bands and beer and like partying til late – and sleeping during the day!

Back at home in wintry Melbourne I've been trying to make it up to Juha :) and be a good house-wife again. I've been working a couple days a week for the client of Juha's – organising a Fathers' Day event in the end of August and helping them out with other marketing campaigns and materials. Cool. And a little pocket money. I've also been terribly home sick every now and then… Knowing that my wonderful sisters and brother have been under a great pressure trying to deal with all the property inventory of our late dad, all the paperwork of his company as well as selling our childhood home, and being aware that I really can't contribute much – it has not been easy to be so far away and not be able to help them, either.

There are so many emotions involved with emptying and selling the house you have lived your childhood in, let alone getting rid of some of the things that belonged to our father or his company. A few days ago they signed the contract of the house, and we are now even with the bank, so the hardest period is now over I believe. There will be paperwork with the company and the taxation for another two years, so it's not the end of the practicalities.

I really hope my siblings have been able to deal with the grief at the same time. We have been in contact in every possible way via internet etc. but I still feel it has been difficult to share thoughts merely via webcam and skype. We only just got the results from the examination of the cause of death as well. He was not in a very good condition for a 58-year old man, and we all knew it, he himself must have known best. But he was the kind of man that didn't want to seem weak or ill, so he kept most of it secret. What a mistake, we all might think now. I wish you could have taught an old dog some new tricks… Although having started the medication for the varicose veins, so much more should have been done and a lot earlier. The blood pressure had been extremely high and a big part of his veins blocked, causing vascular disease and a huge pressure for his poor heart. His exuberant and joyful but on the other hand very consuming way of life had taken their toll.

It is still almost impossible to accept that our dad is away for good. So many things remind me of him. The birds in the park or rain forest remind me of the great bird and nature lover and photographer. The building sites in the city take me back to his work of selling, designing and building up homes and summer cottages for people. The sports news bring memories of a versatile sports fan. The men with their fishing rods on the St Kilda pier remind me of the enthusiastic fisherman. Every salmon or other fish we prepare for food reminds me from his knowledge of cleaning, smoking or otherwise preparing the fish and eagerness to teach it to others as well. He shouldn't ever be forgotten, he was such a good and positive man and father.

I miss you dad, really, really much.