Last Thursday night, while driving home from work across the Harbour Bridge, a BLOODY GREAT BIG RAT scurried across the road in front of me. It's little beady eyes lit up in the glare of my headlights as it navigated 6 lanes of traffic. I had just been thinking about the number of cockroaches I would soon be disturbing in the deepest recesses of my kitchen cupboards when I pack up the kitchen this weekend. Then suddenly I am faced with vermin.

I have seen plenty of rats in Sydney. I suppose they are attracted by the nice weather and beautiful beaches. And when you're a rat, rent is not the issue it is for the rest of us Sydney-siders. But up until now I have never seen one so bold as to cross the Bridge.

On the bright side, compared with that, how bad could my kitchen cupboards be...

Well, mum and Liz came over today to help me pack the flat up. We started in the kitchen and I soon realised a few of the food packages had little holes in them. And then noticed that a pack of biscuits had a golfball-sized crater carved out of it.

Mum and I looked at each other knowingly.
"That's not from moths..." I said backing away from the head-height cupboard. Mum, on the other hand leans in closer, pointing out a mouse dropping before squealing in horror at something I knew instinctively to be a mouse.

In what can only be described as a "Save Yourself" manoeuver, I threw Liz bodily out of my path, and screamed like a girl as I ran out of the kitchen to the furthest corner of the house.

At some point in the past couple of weeks, I must have opened the cupboard mid-mouse banquet, and while reaching for dinner had unwittingly squashed the mouse between two tins of food (or something... I refused to look closer), and mum couldn't even shake its decomposing body off the tin. I don't know why she was even trying, especially with me screaming maniacally from the other room: "Throw it in the bin! Just throw the whole lot in the bin!!" before heaving into the toilet.

Cockroaches I can do. Spiders and snakes, done. But mice and rats: not my gig.

So China, bring on your best. After all, I've lived in Sydney, how bad can it be?

PS. Many thanks to Mum and Liz for dealing with the vermin invasion.

Turkish Bazaar

In addition to working, packing, moving, and generally going certifiably insane, I completed a photo shoot for a Middle Eastern furniture and design gallery in Sydney last week.

Here is a selection of shots from the day:

If you like what you see drop into Turkish Bazaar in Leyton St Camperdown, and pick up something gorgeous.

(not) Packing

Sitting on my living room floor, surrounded by half-packed boxes I am pondering how it is possible for one person to accumulate this much "stuff". In just 10 days I shall be boarding a plane to Shanghai, and in the meantime I have to pack my entire Sydney life into numerous cardboard boxes. I am planning on being away for a few years at least, so I wonder if I will I even want this stuff when I return?

Mum and my sister Liz have their own opinions on the subject:
"Oh, you won't need that jumper in Shanghai, I'll look after it for you..."
"Hmmmm... that painting would go nicely in the front bedroom..."
"I'll put those palms on the verandah..."

Like vultures devouring the carcass of my 'old' life, they have swooped on my possessions faster than you can say "scavenger".

I am moving out of my flat in Sydney this Friday, and before that I am working a 45 hour week. Where does that leave time for packing? I am so behind in getting my place sorted out, that I haven't even begun to think about actually packing my bags for China.

I suspect that come next Thursday, Shanghai will be receiving a broken shadow of my former self.

Note to Self: Learn "I'll have a gin and tonic please" in Mandarin.

"She's Leaving On A Jet Plane..."

Yes, Once again the travel bug has bitten and I am off to China. From the 4th August I will be joining the hustle and bustle of the 20 million other people in Shanghai.
Check here for news of my adventures and misadventures in The People's Republic.