Tag Archives: Tour de France

Book Review – Domestique

The world’s professional cycling season starts literally 250 metres from my home with The Tour Down Under.

Tour Village

Tour Village

It’s January, the weather is awesome and the sense of anticipation about what is about to unfold is evident. As a keen cyclist it is one of my favourite weeks in the year as rather than having to sit up all night to watch the best cyclists on TV, they are literally at my doorstep.

Sellicks Hill - 50kms from Adelaide

Sellicks Hill – 50kms from Adelaide (Stage 4)


As usual the race did not disappoint with Aussies filling the Top 3 positions (and a South Australian winning the race). To see Cadel Evans final race was special and Richie Porte blowing the field away, hopefully sets the scene for a great year.

I watched all of this whilst reading Continue reading

Well that’s Semester One Done

As if work running into 30 June isn’t hectic enough for an accountant I’ve combined it with an exam and an assignment!

Over the last four months I’ve attended 13 workshops, 13 seminars, 9 presentations, completed 5 assignments and sat one exam, whilst working full-time. It certainly has been a challenge.

From a work perspective it has also seen one of the busiest periods we have seen for a while. Plenty of good and challenging work as I completed my second last year of professional practice.

From a study perspective, the word count is about 11,000 words submitted and countless others edited out. Numerous journal articles carefully read to extract the gems needed to support my work. Then there is the exacting task of referencing, something which after 5 assignments now seems quite straight forward – it certainly wasn’t back in March!

So what have I learnt? I know that I’m still not good at statistics, although compared to what I knew on the 1st of March I am an expert! I’ve learnt about the inductive and deductive approach. I know that method and methodology aren’t the same thing and lots more. I’ve found that writing every day does work better; that “snack writing” actually works and writing early in the day is a productive use if my time as against sleeping (which is definitely over rated)! What however is more important is that I now realise I am thinking differently and that this is not just helping my study but also work.

I’m a quarter the way through my Honours program with still many thousands of words to write and much to learn. Whilst the last few months have been challenging I’m still enjoying it.

So now a few weeks before saddling up again. Time to take in the balance of The World Cup and Tour de France on TV.

Long Night Ahead

Our daughter suggested it would be nice to go out for breakfast today and suggested Chianti. Great idea. Lovely breakfast and then onto a day of organising before the late afternoon flight.

A trip to Rundle Mall to buy some last minute stuff. The trip isn’t complete without a couple of songs from our famous flute player.

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After a quick gym session, its home for a last check to see we have packed everything. I wonder what we’ve forgotten? Then off to the airport after a few laughs about organising the keys and car park passes for the children. It’s late afternoon so the lounge was busy but relaxing although for some reason the wifi wasn’t working.

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A quick flight in one of Qantas’s new 767s and we arrived in Melbourne. Through Customs which took a while. We were so early the flight wasn’t on the system! Once we were through Customs we were ready for a 6 hour wait for the flight to Dubai. at least we have access to the Emirates Lounge.

When we arrived at the Lounge it was pretty full however by 9.30 it was empty ie we are the only ones here!

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The great news is that I can with the Tour on my ipad while Kathy reads her book. Not all bad!

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Italy 2014 – Tour Down Under, Tour de France, Giro d’Italia

From early January Adelaide builds up to the Tour Down Under, the first event on the UCI World Tour Cycling calendar, a race based in Adelaide South Australia.

I am not sure whether it was the TDU hype, a January free from work travel or a lengthy break from riding during 2012, but my desire to get back on the bike has certainly been certainly increased.

The TDU is fantastic and we are lucky as the Tour Village is at the end of our street

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