An awful downhill run

So I came off my bike at high speed on a downhill run. I was going flat out, I couldn't go any faster and it is fair to say, I snapped the bone my arm right at the joint.

My arm fractured right at the ball on my shoulder, very high on the bone and my arm and was just hanging off. I would like to tell you it didn't hurt, I shook it off and jumped back on my bike and started pedaling again but there was no chance of this.

This was a long trip, fortunately, we had a full support team following us and they helped me up as there were people all around. I would like to thank the people who helped me, to be honest, I cannot remember it all that well, I was pretty dazed.

Even the two-hour trip back at just over walking pace was pretty much a dream, the roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the rainy season have to be seen to be believed. The roads are filled with stacked logs to allow light vehicle access through, that made for an interesting return trip.

Needless to say, the bikes were making better progress than the light vehicles, we were faster than the motorised transport - hard to believe. So a two and a half hour trip at walking speed wasn't fun, then we were able to hit some decent roads and gather some speed, not exactly what I was hoping for but I have no complaints.

I was flown down to Johannesburg for surgery, this required a pin to be inserted in my arm and that immediately fixed the problem. After four days of a fractured arm, it was starting to wear thin, I was immediately wheeled into surgery after meeting with the surgeon, so I guess it was fairly well buggered.

I was still in his consultation room at the hospital waiting for the insurance claim to clear before the doctor returned in his scrubs and I was off to pre-op. It all happened pretty quick, I had not eaten since the evening before so I was ready to go, there would be no holding me back getting that arm repaired.

Grey skies and no sun

I thought the pre-Christmas is high season the Philippines, this is the first time I have been there at that time of year, so I am a little surprised.

Normally my first trip is around April/May right at the end of the high season. The sky is still sunny and I have missed the majority of the crowds, this is the last of the European holiday makers. I didn't really plan this trip as well as I should have and now I'm paying.

Still tropical downpours occurring but not quiet wet season conditions, I do come to the Philippines in September and that is typhoon season so diving is marginal. I had expected a sunny sky every day based on what I have been told - no complaints though, still good to be here.

One metre arsehole

In Western Australia we have the one metre rule, that is, motor vehicles must give cyclists a one metre clearance when overtaking. This is expanded to one and a half metres when the motor vehicle is overtaking the bike at a speed exceeding sixty kilometres per hour - fair enough. 

So, we also have a situation where cyclists are using dual use pathways, now they are the party that has the potential to cause harm to pedestrians. So I ask, should not the same rules apply? Cyclists can get pretty precious all dressed in lycra pedaling on their expensive bikes.

Despite the racing coloured lycra outfits, we are not dealing with professional cyclists here. There is no time trials, no prize money at stake or state and national titles to be awarded. These people go whizzing past pedestrians at breakneck speed to fulfill their own illusions.

This is not an individual pursuit being raced at a velodrome, the bicycles have gears and brakes fitted. This means they have the potential to slow down as you pass pedestrians. The gear-set on the drive allows the rider to accelerate as required, this is particularly useful after slowing down near pedestrians.

Bells should be fitted to all bicycles, as a cyclist passes a pedestrian, the general courtesy is to ring their bell to indicate their presence to pedestrians. Unfortunately, we know that cyclists generally are not courteous and if they are not causing troubles on the road, they are creating issues on dual use pathways.

Paid parking at shopping centres

Now that Carousel Shopping Centre has been renovated, the improved shopping and recreation amenities are expected to draw increasing crowds to the centre. The next shopping centre to undertake renovation is Innaloo Shopping Centre closely followed by Karrinyup Shopping Centre.

Now the issue of paid parking at the three shopping centres has been raised. Never before in Perth have we had paid for parking centres, the decision to charge for parking at hospitals has been met with opposition in the community. In relation to hospitals, you don't have much choice, nobody wants to go to hospitals, this is the one place we seek to avoid at all costs.

Not so with shopping, there are a multitude of choices from local shopping centres, the main shopping precincts of Perth and Fremantle are also entertainment centres with restaurants, bars and other facilities such as cinema, showrooms and service providers.

People now have the option to shop online avoiding bricks and mortar retailers who are already reeling from the take-up of online sales. Now Amazon has opened in Australia we can expect greater online competition. If retailers wish to attract people back to large shopping centres then they need to reduce and remove barriers for people to remain customers.

Now, I realise the first three hours are free at this stage; however, the ticketing system has been installed then the situation could rapidly change and shorter times introduced or no free parking at all. People will just not go, another reason to shop online. 

Just as bad, employees of retailers are not offered special conditions and pay for their vehicle to sit in car parks. Generally speaking, retail workers are on lower pay structures and conditions, this decision affects the more vulnerable workers.

One hopes shopping centre managers are listening as large grocery retailers such as Coles and Woolworths and large retailers such as David Jones, Myer, Big W, Kmart and Target are able to exert influence on Westfield management and cut a better deal for not only their employees but their customers too.

Tokyo subway - its something else

I have been lucky enough to travel on a few subways internationally; for me, it is the favoured mode of transport in a foreign city. Travelling on the Tokyo subway is something else, this city of 9 million people needs an efficient transportation system.

This complex network of lines takes a little navigating, mastering the subway map is the first step in navigating the network and these days of online devices certainly assists newcomers to the system.

There is English translations on the subway maps, this certainty aids navigation but what really impresses me is the sheer complexity of the system. The absolute volume of people utilising this rail system daily is astounding, yet it is relatively simple to navigate for a tourist.

The fare adjustment machines aid fast movement, when you have exceeded the fare on your paper based ticket if you are not using an electronic transit card. You can easily add the required funds to the ticket and pass through the turnstiles - it’s a pretty decent system.

Teamwork failures

Every management textbook I read explains the need and virtues of teamwork, in class we discuss virtual teams, cross functional teams, self-directed teams, leadership teams and quality teams and the benefits they bring to the organisation.

I'm a yachtie and sail on weekends, sailing on a yacht is all about teamwork with the skipper pointing the vessel in the right direction to move fast through the water. Controlling the mainsheet ensures we point high and are powered up, the jib trimmer ensures we have adequate power along with the tailer who ensures we tack quickly.

The forwardhand and masthand ensure downwind legs are efficient with raising and lowering of sails, they provide tactical information to the skipper and tacking. Yet, head across to my former workplace and teamwork is non-existent; people undermine your work, are horrible to get on with and actually slow the workplace down.

If they were sailing on a yacht they would be left on the shore as it is better to head with out one or two crew down. The damage inept crew can do far outweighs having them onboard, so just run short. Instead, not only do we pay them, we promote them and allow them to damage the workplace and the performing tam members.

My Acer Aspire E11

I purchased a new Hewlett-Packard notebook computer when I started my MBA, my older notebook was getting a little tired and slow and I needed it to work optimally as I was using plenty of online resources.

The HP turned out to be a pile of rubbish that had compatibility issues with all software uploaded. One such program was VitalSource Bookshop, all our text were online resources so I really needed this to work.

So I had to go out and purchase another notebook to run the VitalSource software and I chose a mini laptop for this task alone. At first I was very happy with my Acer E11, sure the Celeron processor was slow but I had time, or so I thought and the battery life was superb.

I did a fair amount of study whilst on holidays, the mini-laptop was invaluable on those trips. My backpack was loaded up with textbooks and required readings so the lightweight notebook was invaluable.

Programs took ages to load, the computer froze pretty much all the time and the cursor jammed up frequently. I did look up the Acer website and found the F7 button functionality, that improved it a little bit, I now no longer had to wait for my computer to unfreeze.

The WiFi connectivity is the main flaw, the connection drops out frequently, not intermittently and I can have my tablet sitting alongside my Acer notebook that hasn't dropped out once.

Am I complaining? I hope I don't come across that way. My Acer Aspire E11 served its purpose, it ran my VitalSource books during my course, something my specifically purchased HP couldn't do.

It is lightweight and highly portable and the battery life was astonishing, I could charge the battery in my hotel room and spend hours studying and writing up case studies and assignments in a cafe without searching for a power outlet to recharge the battery.

Now the battery life of this notebook is cooked, it first started shutting down at 15% remaining, jumping to around 20% before quickly jumping to 50% of remaining battery life. I had four years of use out of the laptop computer and whilst I can still use it connected to power.

It's portability due to its lightweight nature is still great, it's functionality and computing power remains annoyingly slow, its diminished battery life will see it replaced.

Pyjamas down the coffee shop

I was hanging out down the coffee shop in Lapu Lapu on Mactan Island and was astounded to see two relatively young women wander into Civet Coffee and order take away coffees.

Normally Philippine women are very particular about their appearance, so you could imagine my surprise when they entered the shop in their pyjamas. Maybe this is the new chic? This is maybe now the new standard in going out attire.

I am seeing this trend in western countries so I am guessing this is beginning to become the norm here. There isn't any shopping malls in this area, an unusual occur acne for the Philippines but this is the hotel district so I would expect designer shops attached to the apartments and hotels.

These two women were fairly young, attractive and I am guessing reasonably well off financially. I am guessing they have either picked up on this trend when travelling or at the very least by following the activities that the young set now are aligned. Either way, they pulled it off, they dressed down in public in their and turned heads.

A day in Cologne

It was a Saturday around 1 pm and we had just rolled into Cologne from Frankfurt after a two-hour train journey. As it was a day trip, a two-hour return trip awaited us, I was ok with that, I actually enjoy train trips.

Wandering out of the train station I was not expecting the sheer number of people hanging around the square on this fine Saturday afternoon. There was plenty to see and do, I never really saw Cologne as a tourist destination and I saw Cologne in a new light.

I had been to Cologne about 15 years earlier for a series of business meetings, I had viewed the city somewhat differently because of that primary reason why I was initially in this city. This trip, I saw Cologne from a totally different perspective and I’m glad I did, it was a beautiful day, that certainly helped.

I had expected to wander around Cologne for the day, it would be pretty quiet with not too many people, well, I got this one wrong. I really liked Cologne as a day trip, there was plenty to se and do, I could see myself going back any time.

A ticket - let's see about that

I have long complained about the public transport system in Perth; that is how the bus links to the train network. So when I received a fine for fare evasion, this was going to be challenged.

Let me begin, I purchased the wrong ticket and I was in the wrong. My Smartrider, not all that much of a smart system was running low in funds. Why didn't I just make a payment through my bank you ask?

Well, I normally would make a payment but it takes working 3 days for the payment to show on my account and I must log onto the system within 5 days and log onto the train/bus network for the balance to register.

Now, I had planned to be away from the network and was unable to log-on in that period, even if the money was transferred, the funds would not be credited to my account. I have learnt this lesson previously and I was in stunned silence when it was explained to me.

Now, as my funds were running low I decided to purchase a manual ticket and I purchased a 1 zone ticket for $3.30, when I was pulled up at the guard informed me I needed 2 zones for my ride. On the trip home, I jumped on the ticket machine and priced a 2 zone ticket for $4.90.

So, we are dealing with a $1.60 shortfall in funds based on my mistake. I purchased a manual ticket but clearly didn't understand the fee structure and made a mistake. A $100 fine is fair for a person who routinely evades fares, but not for a person who makes a mistake purchasing a ticket so I will challenge this fine.

But even better, I will use this moment to change the way the Public Transport Authority runs services. See, the bus I normally catch is frequently late to arrive at the stop, this means that the bus arrives late at the train station and as the bus is scheduled to link to the train - I miss the train.

Now, as the train runs every 30 minutes at this time of night, this means I miss the train by normally 1 minute to 4 minutes. So, now another 30 minutes to wait plus the half hour trip home, this night is going downhill quickly so now is the time to do something about it - maybe this ticket is a positive.

Rooibos tea

Rooibos is a red herbal tea sourced from the fermented leaves of the Aspalathus linearis shrub, a native South African plant.

Rooibos is a herbal tea but is not related to the black or green tea varieties; Rooibos tea is usually consumed the same as black tea although I was introduced to this variety as a cold tea. Naturally sweet in flavour, nutty overtones combined with low tannin ensures a bitter taste is not experienced.

Whilst rooibos tea isn't for everyone, I am happy to keep some pure origin at home as well some blended versions from TWG Tea and T2. I don't much like black tea or breakfast tea and I really can't drink green tea so rooibos is really my only choice.

Mastercard Black

Mastercard® like the other credit card issuers is offering a premium product for high-end clients, out of interest's sake I couldn't help but look into it. The Black card is an exclusive product with a higher perceived value over competing credit cards.

Needless to say, Mastercard® claims the card displays a certain degree of prestige through high credit limits, combined no doubt through the high fees and would be best suited to the business traveller.

Manufactured from stainless steel with a carbon back for greater durability and distinction, I would tend to like this card as I always tend to damage my plastic credit cards in my wallet.

With 46 worldwide patents, this card has a reasonable annual fees supported by a host of luxury benefits such as concierge, VIP lounge access and Priceless® invitation only entertainment.

The card offers a list of exclusive services including travel assistance, travel medical insurance, luggage protection, travel insurance, trip inconvenience insurance, airport lounge access irrespective of frequent flier programs and concierge services.

I have a standard Mastercard® and whilst always searching for improved products, I have to look at what I Mastercard®, Visa® and American Express® offer. I don't think I will be upgrading anytime soon - not for that price anyway.

Oktoberfest

So, whilst it was never high on my wish list, I have finally made it to my first Oktoberfest. Ironic really as I went there in late September and not October.

It wasn't as I expected, but I don't want to base my portrayal on the Chevy Chase National Lampoon's ‘European Vacation’ and I’m glad I didn't. I try not to over-research as that leads to disappointment. Instead, I wanted to just arrive and be part of the atmosphere and that's exactly what happened.

What I found is Oktoberfest is held at a large showground, we started off with a beer at one of the outside bars, it was very nice. We found a Paulander bar fabricated from pine and that was nice for a couple of casual drinks.

I wasn't interested in any of the rides, certainly not recommended after drinking beer by any means. There was food, boy was that expensive but we ended up getting a bite after all. We hadn't especially headed to Munich for Oktoberfest, we happened to be passing through the area so decided to stop off since we were there anyway.

We arrived at the showground late in the afternoon, we weren't staying in Munich per se, that was way too expensive at this time of year. So we took a train in from an outlying area after catching the train in from Augsburg.

So we wandered into a couple of beer halls, by this time of the day getting a seat was near impossible. The beer halls were full and festivities were well under way, there was music playing, people singing along with plenty of pushing and shoving.

All of the major breweries had their own pop-up beer hall, so you could choose the beer of your choice. I decided to take a couple of drinks outside at Lowenbrou, can't say it is my favourite beer but as it turned from day to night, better to be somewhere.

So around midnight it was time to head back to the Munich hauptbahnhoff and squeeze into a carriage for the 60 minute ride back to our accommodation. The train ride was fun to a degree, no seats but pressed into the aisles with a bunch of very merry people was a laugh.

To be honest, I didn't drink all that much over the course of the afternoon. Since I was down in southern Germany at the right time of year warranted popping in for a look. I was happy to soak up some of the atmosphere for an afternoon before heading onto the next place.

Vickery Riesling

I love a Riesling in the summer, to me this dry and acidic white wine can't be beaten on a warm summer afternoon drinking outside - for me, preferably in the garden.

According to Vickery winery the Watervale Riesling has volumes of lime fruit flavour and floral notes with bright, fresh citrus acidity. The Watervale Estate in South Australia's Claire Valley produces brilliant white wines according to my views, the reds in my opinion tend to be a little lacking. Looking at the reviews on their website, the wine is rated from 91 to 95 points with most reviewers accentuating the lemon/lime flavours.