Springtime at the factory

Fields of daisies, and the sun is shining. A walk around the grounds of the factory Wednesday morning before work.  The temps are solidly in the positive each day now, birds chirping and the insects buzzing.

Some species survive the winter better than others I suppose

And back again

Om the road from Changchun airport to Liaoyuan.

Spring is here and the fields are plowed in every direction as far as the eye can see. Pretty soon all you will be able to see is corn.

...... 2, 4, 6, 8 .....

someones been busy 

a'plowin' and a'plowin'

That name again ?  Mr Plow 

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The Mighty Val

My brother Jason picked this up a few years ago in Queensland, the weekend of Alan Joyce's little hissy fit with Qantas, which was a story in itself as to how he got back home the next day. (I was staying in Beaudesert that week).  We went up to see it together and settled on a price with the owner, eventually she arrived in Sydney on a tilt tray.  The weekend after her first rego renewal in 20 years or so we took her out to celebrate a year of being back on the road. The old girl was running a lot better after replacing the vacuum hose between the (recently reconditioned) Holley single barrel and the distributor.  The sparks are still too weak and she struggles under load so a good look at the dizzy in the next job on the list.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you ......  The 1962 model S series Valiant by Chrysler !

His pride and joy, absolutely original and unrestored.

Although when time and money allows ..

She will eventually get the full treatment.

The 225 slant six in these is good for over 100 mph with a little work .....

Love the chromework.

La Perouse on a Sunday is a great place for car spotting, the next best thing we saw that day was this original XW GT.  I remember the first time I saw one of these as a boy in Cooma, the Super Roo logo blew me away.

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Cheer Cheer

Caught a Swans game while I was at home.  It was nice to see my name up on the list here at the back of the southern stand.  If you look carefully ...........

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R and R in Australia

Took my car out for a drive while home. I was hoping for better weather but it rained the whole time I was in Jindabyne except for about 2 hours on the Thursday.  I drove up to Charlotte's Pass and Guthega then down to Island Bend to see if I could get close to the Snowy River but all the old campsites were closed off with "Danger - Asbestos" signs up.

So I followed the old dirt road along the river and downhill, it was a bit hairy in the wet but I made it down the bottom of the dirt road.

And over the river.  From here the road is definitely 4 wheel drive only.  A lovely place for camping but better done in a vehicle with more than 100mm ground clearance.

.

So now it's back to work for a few weeks then off to China again .

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On the way out

Heading back through Shanghai and Guangzhou on the way home for this rotation out ...

on the shuttle bus between the plane and the terminal in Shanghai.  No emergency exit for you ! (me).

around the corner from the Jing 'an temple, I guess you could say it's nearly Paris, almost, maybe ......  

.....  ahh, nope. 

here's a different view of the temple, from the elevator of the department store next door.  The funny part is, every part of the building faces another way, this is the ONLY place that has a view of the temple !

Then, on to Guangzhou and the Pullman airport hotel.  For the price, it's very tasteful, and only one sleep from home.  Yay !

The hotel bar

very nice

It was full of these sculpture-ey lamp-type creations made from wire and some  type of textured crepe paper. I liked them so much I took a few photos.

..... and by the time I got settled in the restaurant was closed.  So this was my final dinner in China - with apologies to Amos Milburn / John Lee Hooker / George Thorogood.

Thank you China, and goodnight !!!!

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First buds of Spring

3rd of April, a lovely sight to see and just as I am heading back home.  My last day in Liaoyuan for this visit.

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How I made it through the Winter

Thanks to the following products, and my "sponsor"  Sacred Ride in Jindabyne.  My good friend "uncle" Marty Whittington helped me pick out the Thermal gear.  If you are ever up that way drop in for all your alpine-related sporting needs. Tell them Adam sent you !.

the boots I bought in Shanghai

My thermals

my Ugg boots, from the genuine outlet Aussie Sheep and Wool Products, West Botany Street Sydney.

Some of the books and DVDs that got me through.  Loved the Sopranos, especially the throw away lines and the malapropisms "She's like an albacore around my neck !" but my favourite line of all time is " you can't put the shit back in the donkey "

Then I watched the Breaking Bad box set.  I would have to agree, BEST SERIES EVER !!  watching The Wire box set now but it's not so good, more of a straight police procedural and still very well observed but not a patch on Breaking Bad.

Thanks Woolies - pasta sauce in a non-breakable container

... aaaaand finally the VPN software that breaks the GFWOC and allows me to get out of China. Without it I wouldn't be posting at all.

Plus it goes without saying, TimTams, Vegemite, and all the other goodies one can fit in a single suitcase.

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