A new building arises behind Melbourne’s South Bank, adding to the urban growth.
Australia
Evening flight
A delay of two hours due to an inbound passenger’s illness and the need for a forensic clean. I suspect Virgin Australia assigned us a different plane.
The later flight awarded a view of the setting sun; clouds looking like a bushfire, blazing in the distance.
Healthy building
This week, I visited 720 Bourke Street, Docklands, Melbourne; headquarters of Medibank Health Insurance. Outside, the building looks like others on the street: dark glass, towering, nothing special.
Inside is a different story. On the ground floor, an area, containing forest floor coloured furniture and a muted green rug provides sanctuary for those waiting for transportation. 
Arriving about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, I took the blue ramp up three floors to reception, on the Park level, rather than using a lift. 
Wandering up the winding walkway, I wondered how the offices would be arranged. The view up through the middle of the atrium hinted at other colours. 
Level six provides a view of a structure of waves and curves. Each floor has a theme colour. Members of staff work in neighbourhoods; housing their locker. They work from home or hot desk.
Each floor provides a kitchen and eating area, a quiet library room, informal meeting areas and rooms, and various styles and configurations of workspaces. There is even an ideation box/cloud on level seven.
The building has been designed to facilitate exercise and maximise healthy choices. A herb garden, outside spaces with seating and barbecues, complete the picture.
Perfect late lunch
One of many, Stan interludes, between courses.
A sunny Saturday afternoon in Autumn, perfect for sitting out front of Capriccio Osteria and Bar, Leichhardt (http://capriccio.sydney). As the sun moved around, there was no hesitation from the owner, Michele, bringing out an umbrella to provide shade.
We enjoyed antipasto of saffron arancini, green bean salad, tomato, basil and mozzarella, prosciutto – all beautifully fresh. The frangipane and fig tart was divine, and the cheeses, delicious.
The star of our meal, for me, was the squid ink pasta with the most tender crab, I have ever eaten. The light sauce was a perfect balance of chilli and garlic.
Dark chocolate marquise
Dark chocolate marquise with raspberry sorbet, raspberry coulis, vanilla sponge and meringue. Thank you, Monté Restaurant, Norton Street, Leichhardt, Sydney, Australia; absolutely delicious.
Clouds that look like snow
Catching a glimpse of the clouds out of the corner of my eye, I quickly grabbed my phone to take a couple of photos. The Arctic looking scene was mesmerising. Within moments it was replaced by the Pacific Ocean.
I find aeroplane windows a challenge when taking pictures towards the sun; smears and reflections being the case in point. Thankfully no condensation or ice, this time.
Good morning
Detail of The Silvering, 2017, mylar, helium, by Michala Dwyer, Art Gallery of New South Wales.
‘Morning’ filter, Google Snapseed
Mauve crepe myrtle
Mauve crepe myrtle, as far as the eye can see, Leichhardt, Sydney, Australia.
Somewhere over the rainbow
The KLM flight landed just after 6am at Kingsford Smith Airport, twenty years ago, today. The morning was very much like the one today, around 17oC and a huge blue sky.
We had spent the previous month in a heightened state of anxiety; a mixture of panic and excitement. We had packed up our home, shipped it to Australia, furnished the apartment we were letting out, and farewelled our dear friends and family.
The final scenes in the UK are etched on our memories. Friends sat waiting with us until the last moment when we needed to go through passport control and security at Birmingham International Airport. The usual chatter felt somehow constrained by what was about to happen.
This prelude culminated in a long walk of goodbye, amongst tears flowing freely, while carrying more hand luggage than a pack horse would carry in its lifetime.
The relief of taking our seats on the plane to Amsterdam, where we were to pick up an international connection to the Far East, was overwhelming.
Time has dimmed the memory of the stopover in Singapore and the flight to Sydney.
Why is it significant to mark this milestone? It is an opportunity for us to reflect on our choice to make the journey over the rainbow, to become immigrants and aliens in a foreign land. The fact that we have lived over 54% of our adult lives, to date, in Australia is an indication of commitment, at least.
We plan to review our decision over dinner, this evening.
Excerpt from the song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, lyrics by Yip Harburg:
Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
There’s a land that I have heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
and wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Way above the chimney tops that’s where you’ll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow why then oh why can’t I?
Points
Man made and natural points.
theINFP 