chunder down under

Not much news really - except I have bought a bike. It is the first time I have owned a bike since I was a kid, so it is no surprise that I am quite excited about it. Next week I will probably get a toy castle. I have been meaning to get one for a while (a bike, that is) as it is a form of transport perfectly suited to the city of Cairns: the whole city is totally flat, the roads are excessively wide and all pretty much have cycle paths anyway. What brought the decision forward was walking around to look at appartments yesterday. It hasn't rained recently and has been cloudless skies and blazing sun. Consequently unless you are greased up like a vets arm in sunblock, any time over 15 minutes spent walking around results in sunburn. Unfortunately the high heat and humidity also mean that any cycling leaves you dripping in sweat before you get to the end of the road. But it is a small price to pay for the joy of gliding effortlessly along in the sun. The bike is a fairly standard mountain bike (a Raleigh) but with 21 gears and aluminium frame it requires no effort on the flat (which here is pretty much everywhere) so suddenly places that used to take me 20 minutes to walk now take about 2 minutes. I even cycle along the esplanade just for fun, although I have to take care not to get too distracted and hit a tree. Unfortunately, the Australian wowser tendency requires you to wear a helmet by law - a bit gay by UK standards. Still, I'll wait and see if my new enthusiasm survives a ride through monsoon rain - which should be due shortly.
I have decided against leasing out a flat. Partly because it will be too expensive up front with the bond, but also the incredibly annoying australian love of regulations and paperwork just seem to make it too much of an ordeal especially with regard to sub-letting. I will probably stay put where I am until the end of the month and then look for a flat share.