In a bald attempt to spawn a decent headline, I went and got my first jab today.
I’m wary of adding more unnatural and untested stuff to my juices, but in this case, I’m making an exception for practical reasons.
Those are that it looks unlikely that Aotearoa will let me back in quarantine-free without a couple of doses. There’s a three-month delay between AstraZeneca shots, so I’ll be ready for NZ’s possible re-opening early next year.
It’s a few hours later, and so far my carcass hasn’t complained any more than usual.
Beware Angry Men
Meanwhile, I’ll soon be I’m on the move again – first houses, and then cities.
Houses because Hamish, the Aussie flatmate, is a Pain in the Tender Bits. He is a very angry man, and with it, an Old Woman. He’d rather worry about other people’s business than his own, and bleats about unbelievably tiny details.
The warning signs were there – during conversations he’ll repeat “yeh, yeh, yeh” staccato-style when someone else is talking. He’s not listening, and / or doesn’t care what’s being said.
So not even trivial issues can be solved, because it’s a one-way conversation. He just raises his voice until it stops being a conversation.
His ex-wife, and kids, don’t talk to him. The other flatmate, Peter the German, turns out to be a lovely guy, and is so laid back that Hamish doesn’t bug him.
Not so for yours truly, a high achiever on the Neuroticism factor in the “Ocean” five-factor personality scale.
I don’t deal with conflict well, and I didn’t come here to live with screw-ups, so I’m off to an AirBnB house in Cairns for two weeks, until September 28th. That gives me a chance to explore Cairns a little more….
South
After that, I’ll head south, where the nights are cooler, and sleep is possible – in early spring, without the aid of air-conditioners.
I’m going to stay in Queensland for a bit longer, but not sure where yet. Any of the top cities in this list is possible, except Brisbane itself.