Been a while and various changes afoot, not to mention a new job: in two weeks time, I move a floor up and into a permanent position as Online & Licensing Librarian at my current workplace: State Library of NSW. Initially, I was primarily interested in the permanence and hoped to get secondment back to my current position as seems to be the way of public service. Except, I can’t actually go for jobs I don’t want. By the time I hit interview I wanted it bad. I managed to tone done a little and still impressed. Looking forward to starting…not to mention a return to the conference circuit :-)

I suspect the job change will make holidays difficult this year, with that said, it’s been a couple of years since I had a decent holiday given I changed jobs around the same time last year. Bit uncomfortable to be honest, changing jobs within a year but I think it works…I hope. Also odd that having worked for a vendor, I’ll be the librarian dealing with vendors…with that said, I know most folk on both sides of the fence.

qantas club

On to holidays…a friend has suggested Borneo this year which I’m rather keen on. I’d like to think it’s doable as it’s been at least 18 months since I had any sort of decent holiday, that being my trip tramping in NZ. On the other hand, I missed a decent holiday last year due to changing jobs and I’m about to change jobs again. Keeping Borneo in mind, and I have permanent work, I’m starting to consider holidays for 2013. For the last several years my holidays have revolved around work trips which has been handy as I’ve saved substantially on airfares yet still been able to make it parts of Europe, Mexico, US and Canada.

The last three nights I have been caught in Eurovision fever! I watched both semis and then the final last night. A friend actually made it to Eurovision last year and I’d love to make it myself. Eurovision is a massive pisstake on a global scale and has somehow managed to make it on to my bucket list. In 2013, it will be in Sweden and probably mid May. I don’t know yet how that will work with my new position.

I currently envisage, “look ma, no hands”, a trip of around 4-5 weeks, of which Eurovision is the centrepiece, or possibly the climax. I’ve never been to Sweden and any excuse is a good one. One idea that occurred this evening is perhaps to hike The Pennine Way, which takes around 18 days, then finish off with a week in Sweden. Any visit to Europe will have to include a few days in Bristol, UK as my sister lived there for a year or two, and some good friends live there now. Plus it’s rather lovely.

All that being equal there are places I’d like to revisit particularly Scotland: partly for the hiking and partly for the whisky. I haven’t been to Paris, or any part of France, for over a decade, and I feel this has been rather remiss of me. Most of my international travel has been city focused, and I’d really like to explore the countryside more. I have been fortunate that I have seen a lot of New Zealand, and thanks to a driving trip with my dad and sister, have explored the countryside of France.