Let’s go fly a kite, sorry, plane

On Monday, I promised to post another blog before the week was over. Finally, today on Friday (my day off work), I have enough time to write a blog.

Usually, while not on holiday, I generally do not produce that many blogs in such a short period of time. But now, I just have a lot of things to share :D.

Like last Sunday, I played my first real tennis match in years. All over the country tennis competitions are going on, from the highest levels to the lowest levels. My own club Gooische Vallei is also competing with various teams. And apparently I signed up as a substitute. Last Sunday my
“ help” was needed. I was asked to function as a substitute in a very young team. In this team, I was by far the oldest. One team member was 23, the other three team members were 19, 17 and 16 respectively. They all were very nice though and they hoped that I would play one singles match. I agreed. During the first set I wished that I hadn’t agreed. I played horribly. My lack of (game) rhythm showed, I either hit the ball in the net or way out. Lost 6-0. I felt quite ashamed towards the team I was playing for. In the second set I started to get the hang of things again. My forehand, finally, came together. Second set 6-0 for me. It was one of the hottest days of the year so far, but I still felt up for a third set (all of the workouts were definitely paying off). My opponent was not too enthusiastic about playing a third set, she was in a bad shape. So I thought that I had a good chance of winning. I was right, the third set was mine 6-1. Overall, I did ok (and the rest of the team did too, end score was 7-1 for us). My game is still not as stable as it should be, particularly the backhand and the service. But I have to remember that I have been back on the tennis court for just a short period of time: only a month or so. I hope to improve some more in the coming weeks/months.

Generally, my body felt ok the day after my first real tennis match. Only my shins were really sore (I had great trouble maintaining a decent pace on the treadmill on Tuesday, because my shins were just so uncooperative, shins were fortunately feeling better on Wednesday). That probably had to do with the surface I was playing on: hardcourt. I haven’t played on hardcourt since 2005, when I participated in a small tennis tournament at the university I attended, CMU. I only played on artificial turf since. I am now also training on this surface. My shins were probably not able to withstand the beating on the hardcourt surface (articifial turf is generally softer and smoother, easier on your body and your legs- at least easier on my body and legs :D).

Now enough about tennis/sports, let’s move on to another favorite topic of mine: musicals! Mary Poppins premiered in Sydney (Australia) last week, after completing a 10-month run in Melbourne. Ticket sales are, appartently, huge. Not, unimportantly, the reviews are raves (The Melbourne production, with the same adult leads, was received with great enthousiasm as well). Smash hit. The producers of Mary Poppins are even claiming that this is the best MP version around. Not bad :D.

Here is part of one of the reviews:
“The core performances are nuanced and vivacious within the limits of a highly technical show such as this. With her ringing accent ("prectically parfect") and flawless diction, Verity Hunt-Ballard is an ideal Poppins, imperious in Act I, though warming up a few degrees after interval and even permitting herself a couple of catty jokes. Physically she is pin-sharp, as anyone wearing white gloves for an entire show must be. Philip Quast excels as the work-pressured Mr Banks. In many respects the show is more about his wounded soul (the victim of a harsh nanny) and his journey from paternal figurehead to playful modern dad than anything else. Marina Prior worries and flits perfectly as his slightly helpless wife Winifred. Matt Lee is warmly chirpy as narrator and jack-of-all-trades Bert. He makes good with the role's slightly irksome folksiness and his accent is more convincing than Dick Van Dyke's.”

And here a fragment from another review, sorry, I do have my obvious preference :):
“Supporting casts are rarely more stellar than the likes of Marina Prior and Philip Quast, who helm the well-to-do yet fractured family as Winifred and George Banks. Prior, as always, is a commanding presence, drawing spontaneous applause on the fleeting occasions the score allows her to embark on some vocal gymnastics. Quast brings a gravitas and understated sensitivity to a character who, in lesser hands, could have emerged as deeply unsympathetic.”

The funny thing is that I just, with a little bit of luck, might be able to see this show! :D :) :P :D :) :P

Yes, indeed, I am going to Australia!!!!!!!!! :D :) :P :D :) :P

I have been wanting to go to Australia for quite a while now, to visit my family and to see more of that wonderful country (visited Australia only once, in 1994). I thought it was a good time to go this year, since I finally have some job (and financial) security. Besides, I am turning thirty in September, and this trip will be my birthday present to myself. I really don’t like turning thirty, so I thought that I deserved one big present ;).

I first started to come up with a travel plan. Where did I want to go? And for how long? When my travel plan was –sort of– in place, I started to look for tickets. I spent many hours on the computer, I probably checked out all the airlines that are flying to Australia ;). I also visited three travel agencies. One agency, in Bussum, gave me one ridicuously expensive ticket option. A definite no go. Another agency, also in the province of Noord-Holland, provided me with a ticket that was a little less expensive. But still too expensive in my opinion. The third agency, in Oss, offered me a ticket at a rather reasonable price (two domestic flights, usually really expensive, were incorporated in the ticket price). From all the research I had done, I knew that this was likely the best ticket offer I was going to get. So I confirmed my tickets (and paid for them, unfortunately that had to happen too ;)) only a few days later.

This is what my travel itinerary looks like:

16/17 September: Amsterdam-London-Singapore-Perth
22 September: Perth-Alice Springs
26 September: Alice Springs-Sydney
17/18 Oktober: Sydney-London-Amsterdam(-Valencia)

Before returning to Sydney in the weekend of October 15th, I will also visit the following cities/towns: Launceston, Hobart (both in Tasmania), Melbourne, Lancefield :D. In order to complete my flight itinerary, I still have to book two additional domestic flights: Sydney-Launceston (or Hobart) and Hobart-Melbourne.

I really, really cannot wait for this trip!! Still cannot believe that I am actually going. I am so looking forward to seeing my family again! And I am going to explore parts of Australia that I am not familiar with: Perth, Alice Springs (including Ayers Rock/Uluru), Tasmania.

Of course, I wouldn’t mind seeing Mary Poppins either ;). Just hoping that the show will be extended until October 16th (ok, it is not only important that the show extends but that Philip Quast extends too lol :P).

In the coming months, I will keep you up to date about my trip! A lot of things left to decide. Like which tours do I want to participate in (I already have some tours in mind)? Or with which airline should I book my two remaining domestic flights? What a luxury to have to think about these things!! :)

G’day!

PS. Let’s go fly a kite is a song from Mary Poppins. Thought it would be a suitable title for this blog. The addition of plane is logical, since I will be doing a lot of flying in September and October :D.