#cheap laptops adelaide

[barsha1234]

When your Android phone hangs, it can be a frustrating experience. However, there are a few things you can try to solve the problem:

Restarting your phone: Sometimes, a simple restart can solve the problem.

Free up space: If your phone is running low on storage space, it may cause it to hang. To free up space, delete any unused apps, photos, or videos that are taking up space on your phone.

Clear app cache and data: Go to your phone's settings, select Apps or Applications Manager, then select the app that's causing the problem. Tap on Storage and then Clear Cache or Clear Data. This will clear any temporary files and data stored by the app, which may be causing the problem.

Update your phone's software: Make sure that your phone is running the latest version of Android. To check for updates, go to your phone's settings, select System, then select System Updates.

Remove any recently installed apps: If you've recently installed an app and your phone started to hang after that, try uninstalling the app to see if it solves the problem.

Perform a factory reset: If all else fails, you can try performing a factory reset on your phone. This will erase all data on your phone, so make sure you have a backup before proceeding. To perform a factory reset, go to your phone's settings, select System, then select Reset Options, and choose Erase all data.

Note: If the problem persists after trying these steps, it may be a hardware issue, and you may need to take your phone to a technician for repair.Fix N'Talk is one of the best Phone repairs in Adelaide.

Most of the repairs are completed in under 30 minutes and for those repairs which might take longer, they inform you upfront. For those who are unable to visit our centre, they offer the option to post your device via physical mail. The repaired devices are dispatched on the same day most of the time.

[daddysphonesblr]

[ayma-nidiot]

“Don’t Speak Their Names”- Shrimpshipping fic Chapter 12

This chapter on AO3 can be found here.

Chapter 12 - Parental Lecture

“We sure have been finding ourselves here a lot, haven’t we?” Rex spoke as he sipped on decaf coffee.

“Should you even be drinking that, dino brain?”

“What do you mean?” Dr. Saurus asked.

That’s none of your- Rex wouldn’t have to complete his thought, as the “Dweeb Patrol” all came in at once.

“Ugh, you just jinxed it,” Amber whined.

“Hey, the pretty lady’s back!”

Duke chuckled, that was until Joey stepped on his foot. “Don’t you ever learn?” Joey talked to Amber more amiably. “I’m sorry, Amber. Please don’t leave.”

“...” Amber looked away from this group that joined her.

“Long time, no see.”

Rex couldn’t look at Mai when she spoke to him, not after remembering what her last words to him were. “Y-Yeah.”

“I haven’t been seeing you around lately,” Joey noted. “What have you been up to?”

“Oh, uh…” Rex wasn’t ready to let his “friends” know about his… condition. “You know, just dueling!”

“Very quietly, apparently,” spoke Tristan. “There was a tournament just last month in Domino City. I was surprised that neither you nor Weevil entered. Even though Amber won it fairly easily.”

“Hah, hah, hah…”

Joey could tell that Rex was running out of excuses. “Rex, you can tell us. What is the real reason you were AWOL?”

Luckily - or rather, not so luckily - an extremely angry phone call from Ptera would answer that question. “Rex Raptor! Where are you, young man?”

“I’m just at the café with friends. What’s the big deal?”

Ptera’s voice was so loud that everyone at the table could hear her, even without speaker. “For goodness’ sake, Rex, you’re pregnant! You need to rest! Come back here right now!”

“Sigh… Yes, Mom.”

When Rex hung up his phone, an awkward silence lingered in the air. Joey was the first one to break that silence. “What on Earth was that about?”

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag now.” Rex arose from the table slowly and showed everyone his baby bump.

“It can’t be… But how?” Tristan asked.

“Hmm, how can I simplify it for you dweebs? I had sex with this guy ,” Rex pointed to Weevil, “and thanks to the fact that I magically have a uterus, I am now four months pregnant. And if you’re wondering where I was, I was puking my guts out so badly that I had to be in the hospital for the past two months.

“I’m sorry, Rex…” Mai apologized. “It’s all my fault. If I didn’t give you that sex advice, you wouldn’t be this way.”

“Oh no, don’t worry your pretty head about it.” Rex patted his baby bump. “Truth be told, I can’t wait to be a fa- er, mother. Or whatever you want to call me.”

“And I’m sure you can’t wait to face your Mom’s wrath,” Weevil spoke as he checked the notification on his phone; it was a text from Roach. “I know I can’t wait to talk to Father when I get home.”

“Then I guess this is goodbye for now,” spoke Joey as Rex and Weevil laid some money on the table. “Let me know when your baby shower is so I can get your bundle of joy a little something.”

“Y-You got it, man…” After he parted with Weevil with a kiss, Rex began his way back home. “A baby shower, huh? I’ve got a lot more to plan for than I thought.”

While Ptera read the Riot Act to her son, Weevil was about to receive his own parental lecture. He stalled for as long as he could get away with before actually walking in the direction of his house. He ignored the greetings of Adelaide and all the other maids and butlers, and 

headed straight for Roach’s office. “...Father.”

“...Son.” After noticing that Weevil wouldn’t sit down, Roach continued, “You have a lot of audacity to be heading to town so often when you couldn’t even earn the top spot at high school.”

“...” Weevil glared at his father without saying a word.

“Don’t look at me like that! You have a lot to make up for! If you want me to accept you as my son, then you need to study so you can graduate from college magna cum laude!”

“...Who said that I wanted - or needed - your approval?” Weevil began to talk back for the first time.

“Excuse me?”

“All you ever do is treat me like I’m some perfect little plaything! At least Rex treats me like a human being. Actually, he treats me as more than that. He’s the one person I adore more than anything else in the world. And now that he bears my child, I have all the more reason to be with him.”

“What… did… you… just… say?”

“That’s right! Rex Raptor, that poor kid you hate so much, is pregnant with your grandchild!”

“Is that what you’re telling yourself?”

“What?”

“So you think you’re normal, huh? That you can marry another man and have kids with him like you’re not an abomination?”

“Father!”

Roach sharply arose from his seat. “Get out of my house right now, you faggot! You are no son of mine!”

“I’ve actually been waiting for this day for a long time.” Weevil smirked. “Unfortunately for you, I’ve already packed as much money and as many of my belongings as I could into one bag. So yeah, I’ll get out of your house right now, Roach. ”

Before Roach could say, “stop this instant,” Weevil had already raced for his now-old room, and began wheeling his giant suitcase out of the house. He had made it about halfway to Rex’s house when he realized he was being followed. Knowing immediately who it was, Weevil stopped in his tracks. “Adelaide, you bloody fool. You didn’t have to run away too.”

“I couldn’t bear to work for that snake anymore.” Adelaide had only a small handbag with a few clothes, a cheap phone, her Duel Disk, and ¥10000. “But more than that, I couldn’t bear to see him torture you so, Master Weevil.”

“Adelaide…” Weevil’s voice shook. “You’ve already taught me how to duel, and have taken care of me when Roach would not… Honestly, you’re doing too much.”

“I’d say I’m not doing enough. Ever since I moved into the Underwood household, you’re the only one who’s treated me with kindness… The only one whom I could call a friend.”

“S-Stop!” Weevil had begun to cry, even as his trusted maid hugged him. “You’re making me all sappy!”

“There is only one problem… Where will we go now?”

“I know just the place.”

_______

Rex looked up at the door when he heard a knock on it, but did not get up from his comfy supine position on the living room couch. “Mom, can you get that? I’m too busy studying and being pregnant on the couch.”

“Oh, so now you acknowledge you need rest.” Ptera’s smile dropped when she saw Weevil and Adelaide at her door. “Weevil!”

“Weevil? He’s here?” Now Rex wanted to get up, and he urged his boyfriend in the house. “Baby, what are you doing here? And with a big-ass suitcase, no less?”

“I’m not on speaking terms with Roach anymore. If it wasn’t obvious already, I’ve run away from home. I want to live here with you.”

Tricera came to the living room to see what all the commotion was about. “Weevil, honey, you’re more than welcome to stay here. We’ll even get you a job at the restaurant, if you want.”

“Thank you. I’ll probably take you up on that offer.”

Adelaide was still very confused about the situation, and felt left out. “Master Weevil, I can take your suitcase to your new room, if you would like.”

“Oh? And who might you be?” Rex asked.

“This is my maid and friend, Adelaide Windsor,” Weevil answered. “Adelaide, this is my boyfriend, Rex Raptor, who is also the mother of my unborn child. These two amazing ladies are his parents, Ptera and Tricera Raptor.”

Adelaide stared at these strangers absentmindedly before speaking. “I-I’m sorry! It’s just, I’ve never met people like you before. But if you have been kind to Master Weevil all these years, then you’re friends of mine.”

“Huh.” This new resident of the Raptor household piqued Rex’s interest. “I don’t suppose you know how to duel?”

In response, Adelaide took out her Duel Disk, and for a split second her demeanour did a complete 180º. “Young man, I’ve been dueling for almost as long as you’ve been alive. In fact, it was I that taught Master Weevil how to duel.”

“Sweet! I’ll show you what my duelin’ dinos are made of!””

“The only thing you’ll be showing anyone is how smart you are.” Ptera put her son’s duelin arm down.

“Yeah, yeah.” Rex returned to the couch and opened his laptop - a fancy one he received as a birthday gift from Weevil last year.

After she had put Weevil’s suitcase in Rex’s room, and the bug duelist had sat down to watch T.V., Adelaide turned to Rex. “Master Rex, is there anything you would like me to cook for you?”

“Takoyaki with chocolate syrup!” Rex held a thumbs up without looking up.

“You got it!” Adelaide noticed the mountain of dishes in the kitchen sink. “If you like, Madame Ptera, I can wash those for you after we’re done with dinner.”

“You’re too kind!” Ptera lightly hit Adelaide on the shoulder. “Oh, and just call me ‘Ptera.’”

“But if you’re letting me stay here, the least I could do is serve you, just as I’ve served Master Weevil.”

“Would you like a job at our family restaurant too?” Tricera called all the way from the loo.

“Could I? That way, I can actually pay rent.” Adelaide interrupted Ptera before she could say anything. “I insist on it, just like I insist on how I address you.”

Weevil smiled as he took a seat next to Rex on the couch. “This… I could get used to this.” He let his hand linger on Rex’s baby bump. “Finally, I can have a real family life. And now, I can help take care of not only the man I love, but also my child.”

[ewebdesignservicepostss-blog]

Cheap Web Design Services For Small Business Melbourne Victoria Australia

Looking for Cheap Web Design Services For Small Business Melbourne Victoria Australia? Yes your are definitely right place Amazing solution. We are top number one Web Design Melbourne. We have professional Website Designer team in Melbourne. We provide best Website Designing Melbourne solution. If you looking for Web Design Services Melbourne so stop searching we are here to serve you. We are professional Web Design Company Melbourne. We make stunning website in Affordable price yes it low cost web design company in Australia.

 Why Choose Us:

 Because We Make……………..

   Profession Look & Feel Creative,& Eve Catching Website

Responsive, Mobile, Tablet, Laptop PC Friendly Website/Open All Devices

SEO & User Friendly Website

Affordable Price With Quality Work

On Time Delivery

Safe & Secure

100% Australian Based Company

After Done Project Support

 Get a free  Quotes for your website. Call now or email us or visit our website now- Call: 0411 317786

Website Designer & Developers In Melbourne CBD Australia. For Small & Big Companies

We are best Website Designer & Developers In Melbourne CBD Australia. We offer web design service for small and big companies. Our packages are economical it must be under your budget. We are in Web Design Melbourne CBD we also cover all Melbourne suburbs. We are top rank Web Design Agency in Melbourne. We are Small Business Website Design Melbourne. We have expert Web Developer Melbourne. Our professional Web Designer know perfectly about web languages html, css, java script, php, My SQl, Mejento, Drupal and other languages. We also used different CMS website design platform like Wordpress, Joomla, .Net, PHP BB and other platform. We also make E Commerce Web Design Melbourne. We are Responsive Web Design service provider in Melbourne

We also cover Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Canberra and other areas and cover all Australia cities suburbs. We No#1 Web Design Firm Melbourne. If you looking for Freelance Web Designer Melbourne? Don’t worry we also done outsource website designing project as freelancer. We also make SEO Web Design  in Melbourne. We are top Best Web Design Melbourne.

 Customer CMS Wordpress Website Design Melbourne CBD

Customer CMS Wordpress Website Design-Manage Your Self Its Easy/Add Or Remove Or Change In A Minute. We will provide you video training stuff.

 Affordable Website Design Price & Packages -Melbourne CBD

Ask for free quote about Web Design Packages. You find affordable Price. If you want to know about what Cost will be your services or product website check our Web Design Plan. We also offer reasonable web design Deal, Check our Web Design Pricing & Packages.

 Start Up Plan ( $250 )

Bronze Plan ( $399 )

Sliver Plan ( $699 )

Gold Plan ( $999 ) / Included Domain & Hosting

Platinum ( $1299 )/ Included Domain & Hosting/SSL/SEO

 Get a free  Quotes for your website. Call now or email us or visit our website now- Call: 0411 317786

Other Services:

·         SEO-Search Engine Optimization/Google Top Ranking

·         SEM-PPC/Google Adword/Paid Marketing/Google Advertisement

·         SMM-Social Media Marketing/Facebook/ FACEBOOK,INSTAGRAM, TWITER, LINKDIN & Other

·         SMO-Social Media Optimization

·         Email Marketing

·         Graphic Designing/Logo Designing/Office Stationary/Branding Designing/Flyer Designing etc

We Cover All Digital Marketing, Internet Marketing, Web Marketing, Online Marketing

 Get a free  Quotes for your website. Call now or email us or visit our website now- Call: 0411 317786

 Call: 0411 317786              

Web: www.EwebDesignService.Com.Au

Email: emailusbox@gmail.com

[movee-removals]

Best Brisbane Moving Company-How To Choose The Right One For You

A professional moving company can offer a range of benefits, such as helping with packing and unpacking. They can also help make the entire moving process much smoother. That is especially important when moving house or office. With their help, you can avoid many common stresses and problems associated with moving. So when it comes time to move in Brisbane or from Brisbane to Adelaide or any city in Sydney, it's important to find the best moving Brisbane company possible.

No Hidden Cost

When moving, be careful of hidden fees that some movers may charge. These can include stair fees, heavy-lift fees, fuel levies, and disassembly, assembly fees. Avoid companies that charge these sorts of hidden fees. Instead, look for a Cheap moving Brisbane company providing high-quality services.

Look For Reviews

Be sure to read the reviews of any home moving service you are considering using. Reviews can give you a good idea of what to expect from a service, as well as how well they perform. Checking reviews is a great way to get an idea of what to expect and whether or not a particular company is the right fit for your needs.

Range Of Services

A Professional moving Brisbane company can help with any local, long-distance, or office-related move. A team of experienced and well-equipped experts is a must to handle any situation during the move. They should provide various services, such as packing and unpacking, furniture removals, and storage.

Ask For Past Customer References

If you are looking for a reputable and reliable removalist in Brisbane, you can't go past asking your friends and family. They may have recently used a local removalist who did a great job and was professional and affordable. Word of mouth is always the best way to find a good service. But if you don't have one, ask for past customers' references who have used the services earlier and get their feedback before booking the moving company.

Know The Location Of Service

Choose a removalist company for your home move that is close by. That will save you on any fees for traveling to your specific pickup or drop-off address. Not only will this save you money, but it will also save you time. You won't have to worry about travelling long distances and spending hours in transit. Instead, you'll be able to relax and prepare for your move in the comfort of your own home. So go for a Local Moving Brisbane company.

What are some Packing Tips for a smooth move?

Here a few tips are listed that you can carry out before the move:

One of the most important things to remember when moving is enough packing materials. That includes boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap. You don't want to run out of supplies halfway through your move, so be sure to stock up ahead of time.

Label each box with the room it is destined for and what is inside like, Bedroom: clothes, books, laptop, Bathroom: towels, toiletries, Kitchen: pots, pans, plates.

When packing boxes for a move, it's important to remember to pack heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on top. That will help keep the boxes from becoming too heavy and difficult to lift.

If you're packing fragile items, use bubble wrap or newspaper to protect them. That will help keep them from breaking during the move.

Use Wardrobe boxes to pack clothes - they keep them in good condition and save on space. In addition, wardrobe boxes are a great way to pack your clothes for a move.

Professional movers can help with any move, whether local, long-distance, or office-related. A team of experienced and well-equipped experts is a must to handle any situation during the move. They should provide various services, such as packing and unpacking furniture removals and storage. 

Movee- The Top Moving Brisbane Company has all these covered for you at an affordable price - so give them a call today on 1300 244 155 or visit their website https://movee.com.au/

[carsai-precisionparts]

KUNSHAN CARSAI AUTO PARTS INDUSTRY CO., LTD https://www.carsai-precisionparts.com/ Whatsapp&WeChat: +8615212743691 email: echo@carsai-precisionparts.com --------------------- custom engraved brand logo metal plate label sheet cutting laser service China manufacturer cheap engraving shop,laser engrave water bottles,laser engrave glass,laser engrave ceramic tile,engraving for years of service,laser engrave iphone,laser engrave ultem,engraved harley parts,engraving service adelaide,design stone engraving service toledo ohio,engrave vs laser,diy laser engraver,b and h services engraving,abc engraving service queensway,aluminium engraving service,300 blackout engraved parts,engraving service military,laser engraving service china,laser engrave ceramic,zippo engraving service,laser engraver 5500mw,laser engravable bricks,laser engrave anodized aluminum,granite engraving service,engraving service uk,acrylic engraving service,laser engraving 2w,engraving service toronto,watch engraving service sheffield,service for engraving,engraving in my area,laser engrave kydex,day's engraving service ltd,dior engraving service,laser engrave enamel,laser engrave laptop,laser engrave felt,engraved ar 15 parts,laser engraved food,custom engraving car parts,kjam engraving services,laser engraving machine parts for sale,laser engraving service bangkok,laser engravable materials,custom motorcycle engraved parts,laser engrave 3d printer,laser engraved hydro flask,engraving service gun,laser engrave 3d model,laser engrave templates,engraving services houston,laser engrave wood settings,laser engraved designs,laser engrave acrylic,laser engraved photo uk,laser engrave over cerakote,laser engrave before or after staining,laser engraving parts,banks engraving service folkestone,3d laser engraved crystal cube,engraved lowrider parts,engraving service harrods,tiffany engraving service,laser engrave wood near me,laser engraved beef jerky,laser engrave in color,laser engraved t shirt,harley davidson engraved parts,engraving gold,laser engrave jewelry,wood engraving service malaysia,engraving services online,jewelry engraving service near me,hand engraving service,motorcycle engraving parts,lee engraving service chesapeake va,engraving service in kota kinabalu,etsy laser engraved yeti,engraving bicycle parts,laser engraving machine parts,laser engrave egg,laser engrave epoxy resin,laser engrave airpod case,laser engraved buttons uk,custom laser engraved zippo,laser engrave granite,laser engrave lego,engrave laser paper,how to engrave car parts,f-engrave laser,laser engraved yeti mugs,engraving service plaza singapura,laser engrave wine glass,engraved laser cutter,engraving service ipoh,1911 engraved parts,engraving service queensway singapore,laser engrave 3d,laser engrave hdpe,engraving harley davidson parts,engraving plastic parts,laser engraved xbox controller,walmart engraving service,laser engrave qr code,engraving service in penang,laser engraving service dublin,engraving service for pens,laser engrave hydro flask,engraving services los angeles,engraved banjo parts,laser engraved urns,engraving service birmingham,how to engrave pens,engraved laser mugs,laser engraving service hong kong,engraving service milton keynes,laser machine for engraving,laser engrave resin,laser engrave glock,vin engraving service,engraved laser machine,laser engraved mirror,ring engraving service london,engraving metal parts,engrave laser module,metal engraving motorcycle parts,laser engrave industries sdn bhd,engraving bike parts,laser engraving acrylic parts,laser engrave wood,laser engrave round objects,engraved chrome motorcycle parts,engraving service singapore,engraving service perth,3d laser engraved photo,5 elements engraving services,laser engrave 3d print,softail engraving parts,laser engrave white tile,engraving company,laser engraving service cost,engraved tele parts,leather engraving service near me,laser engrave ipad,laser engraved keycaps,laser engrave name ideas,laser engraver,engraving pro,engraved laser cups,laser engraving gun parts,laser engrave titanium,laser engrave jpg,service on engraving,how to engrave parts in solidworks,laser engrave velvet,c & j trophy & engraving services,apple censors engraving service report claims,engraving service dublin,engraved motorcycle parts for sale,laser engraving plastic parts,engraving services nyc,laser engraved 1911,engraving service gaborone,laser engraving service uk,laser engrave knives,laser engrave zinc alloy,laser engraved heart,service engraving machine,laser engrave fabric,how to engrave chrome parts,laser engrave faux leather,f engrave install,a-1 engraving service,laser engrave firearms,engraved lowrider bike parts,laser engravable blanks,engraved bike parts,laser engrave a photo,g engraving,laser engravable keychain blanks,engraving service gold,engrave laser gun,rolex engraving service,engraved laser cutting,pen engraving service near me,ring engraving service malaysia,engraving ser

[wanderingwonderingwanderlust]

Roommate From Hijab Hell

I’m awakened from a deep sleep, exhausted and butt naked—a necessary protective measure against the heat in my un-airconditioned, poorly circulated room at the hotel I work at in Amman. One series of knocks wakes me up but I hesitate to get out of bed though I’m now awake yet disoriented. I reach for my phone to check the time, waiting for another knock to be sure it’s a knock at my door which woke me. “It’s 2:45… am or pm?” A good question considering I’ve certainly proven capable of sleeping twelve hours straight. “Did I miss work?” I think to myself through squinted eyes.

Another loud knock at the door, “Alicia?” It’s the voice of the receptionist. Okay Alicia, you’re naked. It’s the middle of the night. Do something. Brain, please function.

I wrap myself up in the thin, cheap white sheet untucked from my bed. I crack open the door and peak my red, dry eyes in the opening to see the receptionist standing with an older woman in black abaya and hijab. He asks, “Can she stay with you?” I’m thinking, yeahhhhh… as if I have a choice? It’s a hotel and if she pays, she stays. The decision isn’t mine to make.

I’ve been spoiled. Though I have currently been living in a four person female dorm room for a month, the only other person I’ve shared it with, besides the two nights a German traveler was here, was with was a fellow worker and good friend—Adelaide. But Adelaide has been gone for a week and I’ve become comfortably accustom to having my own private room, evidenced by the fact that I can comfortably sleep naked without the fear of bombardment.

I’m rather disheveled and my mind isn’t functioning even close to optimally because of being abruptly woken up compiled by the lack of sleep from the past few nights. I hear myself asking out loud what time it is, though I already know and I answer the receptionist, “Yeah, I guess. Give me five minutes.” My clothes are strewn about on the two empty beds so I shut the door and cleanup a little. I return and in comes this wide awake woman with no luggage, only a purse. Before I close the door, the receptionist warns me, “Be careful. She’s acting strange. She’s an odd woman so look out.” I ask why he would let her in my room at this time if she’s so odd and he explains, “She cried. She only had 5 dinar, she’s old and she refused to leave the lobby. Just wake her up when you get up for work.”

WHAT?! What do you mean be careful? How am I supposed to sleep with a warning like this? Is she going to stab me? Steal my stuff? Go on a rampage? Cut off my hair? Poison my toothbrush? And what did she do to make him call her strange? Listening to your own paranoid mind churn is a funny thing. My room has been forcefully invaded by a stranger who has come with a warning label and my body is now pumping with adrenaline; there will be no sleep for me.

The woman who doesn’t speak English immediately tries to become my friend and I watch her perform for me, unimpressed. I know right away that she’s overcompensating and attempting to build trust for something but I’m nice at first. She manically reenacts the receptionist knocking and her entering; I think she’s implying that he wanted to enter without knocking but she “protected” me. She’s rather animated—leaving the room and using her full voice and body to show me the story in an attempt to form some womanly bond. She’s smiley and I’m so uneasy at how to handle all of this. At this point it’s 3am. Woman! Don’t you want to sleep? She prowls the room and opens a random drawer (red flag) and walks over to my makeup to touch it. She has no sense of personal space and apparently no awareness of the time or the disruption she’s caused me. She comes back and sits on the bed next to me; it’s only a foot away. She just sits on the edge and stares at me, smiling. Without hijab she looks even older, she’s badly balding and wrinkly in the unflattering florescent light. She’s already pissing me off but my face is a pro at hiding my real emotions.

She eventually takes a shower in the room’s bathroom. A long, long shower. I feel as if she’s banking on me falling asleep but I cannot because she makes me so uncomfortable and I’m in this heightened fight or flight state. I decide to take my laptop and tablet to the receptionist desk for safety. I glare at the receptionist for letting her in my room, telling him she’s still not asleep. When I return she’s still showering and eventually she comes out; the light is still on and it seems clear she’s either a completely unabashedly rude woman or she’s up to no good. I like to keep the faith and see the best in people so I imagine her to be a beggar who saved up enough for a hot shower and a bed for a night. Ha.

But there she is, clean and safe and she still will not sleep. I’m curled up in the fetal position on my bed; I’ve already hidden my small purse behind the curtains. She sits on the bed next to me again– watching me. I do not trust this woman. She makes a “hmph” noise occasionally as if she’s perfectly content to be awake all night. And she keeps sniffing her underwear to buy herself time and still will not turn the lights off though I motion at them over and over. Then she tries to be all cute and throws away an empty water bottle of mine like she’s cleaning. She looks at me as if she wants me to applaud her action.

Randomly she points to herself and says “old” and points to me and says “young”. I only see this as a way to garner sympathy for a future act of injustice she will commit. I’m no fool but my patience certainly lasts too long at times to my own detriment in hindsight. When I demand she sleeps by pointing at the lights and the time on my phone, she goes to the bathroom again. When she returns she starts rambling on in Arabic in her see-through pink tie-dyed short dress about something and I get up to turn off the lights myself, ignoring her. I can no longer stand to see her stupid grin. I tried to be nice. Finally she lays down and I pretend to sleep—with one eye open of course. From the way she lays there on her back and doesn’t get under the covers but instead wraps herself shabbily in a nearby blanket, I know that her intent is not to sleep. But I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. Ha.

My intuition is proven right once again—this happens a lot when traveling—and after five minutes she sits up in bed speaking about something and goes to turn the light on. I’m really in awe. She begins to point to the television repetitively. I hand her the remote; she repulses me but I’m telling myself to continue being patient, she’s old and maybe she’s picky about how she likes to sleep. Ha. I turn it on; it’s the Mecca channel– my favorite– it’s hypnotic and the Quran is beautiful when being sung in Arabic. She wants the “Hindi” channel and tries for a few minutes to find it. At this point almost an hour has passed and I’m so done with her.

I pickup my phone and point over and over to the time. I say, “Halas! Enough! Look at the time!”, I motion in the universal language of charades for her to sleep. My increasing frustration transmits. And I recognize that no one shows up to a hotel crying for a room at 3am to repetitively avoid sleeping. She won’t turn off the lights though I keep asking and at that point I storm out angrily; I’m going to have the receptionist kick her out. She rushes to the bathroom and slams the door. I go to the receptionist and he agrees and heads to my room; I’m so angry that I take the elevator to the rooftop to make tea. I cannot be around her and must remove myself from the situation. I need peace and a view for my boiling blood; though I’d be more humored if it weren’t 4am and I didn’t have to work in two hours.

The phone in the kitchen rings. The receptionist wants me to come downstairs to check her bag to see if she’s stolen anything. Uhhhh do I have to? I usually go such lengths to avoid conflict and this one is being presented to me on a platter I must take. I go to my room first and see that she didn’t find my small purse but only my big, empty one with my passport. I see my shoes and other bags are all in different places. She was ransacking my stuff and apparently wouldn’t let the receptionist enter right away blaming her “modesty”. I exit the elevator and there she is, back in hijab leaning on the lobby desk and the receptionist is going through her purse. She has multiple passports and he reads some of the many notes she has in her bag. For some reason she utters the words “American boys”. She’s still trying to be charming towards me I think. She then points to her lips, drowned in red, and the receptionist tells me that she says the only thing she took and used was my lipstick. Ew.

But her irritation quickly spills over at the violation of him going through her stuff and she randomly explodes with an irrational, intense anger all aimed at me. This woman is seething and it’s in this anger and hatred that I see how absolutely insane she is. She’s batshit crazy. She’s screaming insults at me back and forth between Arabic and Hebrew and English and I feel as if she’s casting a curse on me from the way she’s using her hands. The witch. I start laughing at her when she curses in English because she’s getting in my face screaming “duck” and “donkey” over and over. She’s fully committed to naming these farm animals as if she’s a child who just learned “Old McDonald Had a Farm” for the first time. Apparently, calling people animal names is very offensive in Arabic. The offensive nature was definitely lost on me because I impulsively start to “quack” at her and make the animal noises while giggling as she’s screaming. I whip out my phone to record a snapchat for the beautiful memory. Simply for posterity. She’s furious at this point.

Bitch. Pig. I found out she was saying these things when my friends laugh hysterically while translating the mini-video for me later. I think the fact I was unaffected began to piss her off more. She reaches down to her foot and removes her shoe and raises it to strike me. Okay granny. I don’t want to have to whip out these ballet inspired self-defense moves on a woman almost thrice my age, but I will if I have to. I flip 180 and suddenly hear myself calling her a myriad of nasty words which is so unlike me. I’ve absorbed her anger; I felt threatened. She is in my face with her hand raised and she’s screaming, surely waking up the guests. I hear the word “haram” and she lunges over and grabs my butt. A big beautiful handful, enough to leave a red mark that I discover later—something I would love under different circumstances. She then tries to pull down my ankle length skirt. I’m grateful she’s unsuccessful because not wearing underwear is kind of my thing when traveling. The less dirty laundry, the better. At this point the receptionist has called the police (it’s Jordan, they never come) and has gotten out the big black cane from behind the desk to threaten her with like she’s some stray animal who wandered inside and needs to return to the streets. He suggests I leave and I do, gladly. I head back up to the sixth floor and still hear her nasty voice echoing up the hotel walls. I thought how unsurprised I’d be if she hopped on a broomstick hidden under her abaya and flew to the sixth floor to continue harassing me through that thin-lipped mouth which is wearing my red lipstick. Gosh, it’s 4am and I already need a drink. A shot. Actually, make it three. Back to back, no chaser.

I’m not sure how or why these kinds of situations find me, but they do. Even when I’m peacefully asleep and locked in a room. They always find me.

[computeyourworld0-blog]

Computer Stores Adelaide

If you Searching for Computer Stores Adelaide? Compute Your World Provides Computer parts Buy computer software and accessories online at cheap prices. if you have Technical issues in your laptop or computer then call us (08) 8461 9552 any time 24/7.

[stickersnthings]

Design vinyl cheap stickers and cut-out stickers in any shape. Looks great on your laptop or on the car bumper, on packages, smooth glass or metal surface, etc. Order custom vinyl stickers in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth.

[barsha1234]

When buying an Apple Watch, there are a few key factors you should consider to ensure you get the best model for your needs. Here are some things to look for:

Series: The Apple Watch comes in several different series, each with its own set of features and capabilities. Consider which series would be best for you based on your budget and what you'll be using the watch for.

Size and style: Apple Watch comes in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, and different finishes like aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. Choose the size and style that fits your wrist and personal preference.

Display: Apple Watches come with either a Retina OLED display or a Retina LTPO OLED display with always-on functionality. Decide which display you prefer based on your usage habits and budget.

Features: Apple Watches offer many features, including fitness tracking, heart rate monitoring, GPS, cellular connectivity, and more. Think about which features are most important to you and choose a watch that offers them.

Battery life: The battery life of an Apple Watch varies depending on usage, but it's important to consider how long you'll need the watch to last between charges. The newer models have better battery life than the older ones.

Price: Apple Watches can range in price from around $200 to over $1,000, depending on the model and features you choose. Consider your budget when deciding which watch to buy.

Compatibility: Make sure the watch you choose is compatible with your iPhone, as not all models are compatible with all iPhones.

Overall, take the time to consider what features are most important to you and what your budget is before making a decision on which Apple Watch to buy.Before purchasing it's also worth considering the availability and cost of Apple Watch repairs Adelaide in case you encounter any issues down the line.

Daddys Phones is one of the best Apple Watch Repairs in Adelaide.If you have any issue with your Apple Watch they will help you within an affordable price.

[grphones-adelaide-blog]

5 Reasons to Repair & Not Replace Your Mobile Phone

With new mobile phones being introduced to the world every day, sometimes it becomes rather difficult to decide between the whether to repair or replace the phone. All of us at some point in our lives would have come to this confusing crossroads. Well, it definitely is a hard choice to make, given that phones are the only things that we allow to stay with us 24/7. We rely on them for our slightest convenience to the most mind boggling puzzles. Thanks to the gazillion apps on the market, it just gets harder and harder to keep up with the innovations but life certainly gets easy.

So when that little piece of our heart (read: a large part of our lives) breaks or is damaged, we are on the verge of losing our minds.  And then starts the inevitable back and forth; with oneself, with family and friends. Should it be repaired or replaced? Though both the sides has its pros and cons, for the reasons listed below, you should choose to repair your phone than replacing it. There are several stores that do phone repairs in Adelaide, with quality parts & 90 days warranty.

1. Cheap, cheap, cheaper: If it's cheap, repair it! That is the easiest way to restore your phone to its previous glory. It's hassle-free and quick. Nowadays mobile phone repair stores do a great job at providing quality parts with warranty in shortest time possible. Some even do it in 30-60 mins; along with pick/drop facilities and courier services. Be it iphone repairs, laptop repairs, ipads repairs, tablet repairs, or Samsung phone repairs, it all can be done with lowest prices. Now that's the way to go! 

2. Say no to e-waste: With melting ice caps and increasing shorelines, global warming is just one side-effect of climate change. We, humans as an integral element of this beautiful ecosystem need to do our part in preserving the natural resources and avoiding creation of e-waste. Recycling e-waste is also an option. So the next time you decide to replace your phone, think about those cute penguins and their not-so-happy feet in the near future! 

3. No hassle of back-up: With automatic backups always being on, you may think it's safer to not take any physical back-ups. The thing with technology is that it can stop working anytime. Replacing a phone would in turn lead to cumbersome back-up of important contacts, photos from travel, best friend wedding or all your work stored in those zillion apps. No one has the time for it, so the best option would be to repair the mobile phone and avoid getting a migraine.

4. Time is money, save it: Right from deciding to replace or repair the mobile phone to finding a new phone and checking out its different features and updates, it is a long and tedious process. And even after doing so much hard work, you may or may not be able to finalize on what you are going to do. Setting up a new phone could be a headache and as we are creatures of habit, we would need most default settings same as in the old phone. Avoid going through that pain, repair the phone and save time & money.

5. Don't break my heart: We humans are in the habit of sentimentally attaching ourselves to things. Mobile phones being our partner in crime for 24/7, it is quite obvious that we feel like we cannot live with those gadgets. Moreover, our lives revolve around it as it keeps us connected to everyone and everything we love. It is a part and a keeper of memories, it could be a gift from that special someone or fruits of a first salary! So when a phone screen replacement is needed or battery replacement, it can all be done. Well, so repairing it would make more sense in such matters of the heart.

One should keep the above arguments well in mind before buying a new phone, ask yourself if repairing the mobile phone, tablet or even getting a laptop fixed makes sense - financially and sentimentally. If not, only then go for a new phone. One can always keep their options open by enquiring first about the costs of repairing a phone in few repair store nearby so you can get an idea as to what is easier for you. Whatever the choice, always remember to recycle and keep the environment clean!  

[shalegas34]

bizarre love triangle chapter 7

Macquarie called me into his office on Tuesday, the day before we flew.

"How much do you know about rare earths?" he wanted to know.

"Nothing," I admitted.

"I've got some old investor presentations from Asian competitors. See what you can pick out about the extraction processes. I want to know what Crownsdale's doing differently."

Macquarie's eyes sank slowly into the dark circles underneath as he spoke. Say something funny, my brain chanted. Make him laugh.

"Yeah man," my capricious mouth produced. "Porter won't know what hit her next time you talk."

"Would you take this seriously," Macquarie snapped and I spontaneously pyrolysed.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Take it as a chance to learn something as well. You have experience in mining, right?" Well, peripherally. "Prepare a bit and you'll make a good impression."

I elected not to say anything else, but that really bummed me out for the rest of the day. Being the master of good decisions that I was, I sent my Northstar presentation to Macquarie later that afternoon, as if checking my work would help him wind down from being held hostage by a hundred conflicting deadlines.

I left at five without exchanging another word with him, feeling like the world's greatest jackass.

At least Princess Monster Truck was due for release from the vet's. I convinced Leila into giving me a lift because the place wasn't too far out of her way, but then had to carry the cage along with my stack of rare earths bedtime reading on the tram back to my apartment. I made it all the way to page 4 of the first booklet, leafing over to reveal a full-page photo of a shiny steel pressure vessel, before people started clearing the seats around me.

That night, a cat under each arm, I went through an entire bottle of wine and shoved every single one of those motherfucking investor presentations into my brain, brutally ignoring anything about corporate governance and remuneration which kept the task possible. I compiled a table of process types (some companies worked combined mining/concentrating circuits, so I classified on the latter) against cost per tonne of product, making a note of any environmental or energy-saving innovations which had been highlighted. I then grouped these by metal, and region.

I sent the whole lot to Macquarie at 10:03pm in an email titled "Everything". Drunk me thought the variety of content didn't do this subject justice, so I included a selfie of myself and Princess Monster Truck splayed on the floor with my laptop.

He replied at about midnight, congratulating me on my enlightenment and complimenting the cat's healthy appearance. Even this total lack of personal engagement wasn't enough to dampen my mood and my raging crush. 'I'll meet you at the airport at 3,' he added at the end. 'Take the morning off.'

I slept pretty well that night. It had indeed been too long since I'd dealt with my problems by drinking.

---

I was on my second train en route to the airport when Macquarie called.

"I'm emailing you my ticket," he said frantically, as one of the kids and Sydney yelled at each other in the background. "Can you check me in?"

"You're still at home?" It had just gone 2.50. There was no direct train from the east.

"I'm only twenty minutes away," he replied. A door slammed and I heard the sound of a plane flying low overhead. What?!

"But you catch the Glen Waverley train," I spluttered like an uncontrollable conspiracy theorist.

"It's cheaper to park outside the city," Macquarie said shortly. "I commute from Mount Plenty."

That was one of those new suburbs, way out north, where Monash University had recently snatched up a dirt-cheap lot of land. I was shocked, but remembered Sydney worked at Avalon; maybe this was a compromise. I doubted my reasoning.

"Got the tickets," I assured him as my phone pinged.

I waited at the gate after checking in, my leg bouncing as I examined the floor. I'd never been to Adelaide before. I was actually kind of excited.

Macquarie rushed in as the business class boarding call went out, puffing like a steam train. He'd intended to keep that pace working on the plane, but my presence was clearly too alluring (a joke). The flight degenerated into a long-overdue conversation about the past ten years.

Neither of us mentioned the wedding, but there was plenty to dive into without going there.

"Did I ever tell you, I actually got done for insider trading after the plane crash," Macquarie started it off with a light yarn. "Argued it of course. I thought I was gonna die after all. Paid the profits off to charity and they let it slide."

"Nice. Which one?" I asked.

Macquarie shrugged. "Can't remember. I let Sydney choose." He was blushing.

"How're they holding up, anyway?" Sydney hadn't checked up on me, but I'd hardly done any better.

"They say the control's therapeutic," Macquarie replied. "Don't ask me how. Sounds worse than the NYSE, the shit that goes on at Avalon."

I did find it odd and more than a bit embarrassing that Sydney had gone for reimmersion to deal with their near-death experience, while I ran away into more obscure territory with each passing day. Here I was, about to visit a mine as a hedge fund representative.

"'37 was as good a time as any to start over," Macquarie continued, looking in my eyes as he talked, which was intensely distracting in the close confines of economy. "We had Travis by then, of course, but Mattie was born in Melbourne. Wasn't easy when Sydney had so much going on, but Sally really helped us out, and I don't mean just by giving me a job. She helped us with the downpayment, and got Travis into a good school."

I stared at him. On the one hand, I was appreciating his beautiful face and my attention wasn't going anywhere, but my inner conspiracy theorist was ticking hard on the other. Macquarie had conveniently skipped over the '37 crisis, but something had obviously gone wrong for a millionaire banker to end up here. Was there another reason Macquarie accepted all of Sally's equity deals?

Get a grip, I sniped to myself. I was meant to be selling Northstar to investors. This was no time to start having doubts.

Macquarie spent the rest of the flight reminding my unreasonably disappointed ass he was married and loved his family. The painful part was that he didn't even need to spell it out; I could tell just by the way he spoke about Sydney, and gently paid the kids out, and never complained once about their housing downgrade.

I really needed to crunch out my feelings. I was convinced he could tell, though that might've just been my repertoire of reciprocation fantasies tainting my judgement. Even the thought of getting kicked out as another lovestruck secretary was mortifying (not to mention that I wanted to keep spending time together).

Luckily, landing in Adelaide cast my one-track mind to other matters (we were multi-track drifting at the very least). The weather was perfect, and skies were blue for a riverside stroll once we'd arrived in the CBD on the airport shuttle. We had about an hour to kill before our bus left at 6pm for a 12-hour redeye.

"You know," Macquarie said suddenly as we stood on the wide-curving stadium bridge, and his face was a bit red. "I don't mind everything that's happened. If our lives hadn't changed, we wouldn't have considered another kid. I wouldn't have had the chance to be friends with you again."

I couldn't even resent the 'friends' part. There were almost tears in my eyes, I swear to god.

I slept like a log on the bus thanks to my late night and the familiar motion and roar of the engine. The first couple of hours I'd spent filching tips for next week's investor presentation; though my slides looked fly, I didn't know if I was confident enough to pull it off. Macquarie disappeared down the back for a phone conference after that, so I went to sleep to stave off the boredom. When I woke at about 5, he was back beside me, murdering his laptop keyboard on email to the Sundance administrators. I was sad I'd been out for most of the trip, then remembered I was trying to get rid of my feelings.

So much for that. I was crushing harder than a Mohr's 10.

We arrived in the mining service town of Kittle Downs a smidgen late at 6.45am, after having to detour round a flash flood a bit further south.

"We're meeting Johann at 7.30," Macquarie said. "Breakfast?"

I nodded.

I got some coffee and a small, overpriced pie, and Macquarie went with a soggy egg and mayonnaise sandwich. Johann Kostler picked us up in his ute at 7.30 on the dot, and we bumped out to Northstar along a network of pitted roads as the last of the sunrise dissipated.

"That's Stokes River," Johann said, pointing out to our left at a muddy slick in the distance. "We're just out of the desert here, so this is prime real estate." He laughed. "We're building a new water treatment plant to keep it fresh."

He went on to explain how most water used in the plant ended up in tailings ponds. A small portion was recycled, and an even smaller portion discharged back into Stokes River. The existing precipitator could only handle the former, so an EPA crackdown had mandated an overhaul if the mine was to stay open.

"Tell us more about the expansion," Macquarie got right to the point.

"Of the treatment plant?" Johann was confused.

"No, of the mine," Macquarie clarified.

"We have a 70% stake in a prospect to the east, if that's what you're talking about," Johann said. We were pulling into a carpark, surrounded by a cluster of weatherboard offices. These had once been white, but everything here was now covered in a thick layer of brown dust.

"We plan on developing it," he said shortly. "I don't think we'll have problems raising capital to buy the other 30%."

The visit was surprisingly useful for my understanding. I hadn't thought I'd get much out besides an affirmation of what was in my slides, but seeing the business in the flesh let it really fall together in my head. Despite (or perhaps because of) my original line of work, I'd never gone past the loading port of a mine before, let alone into the heart of the crushing and flotation circuits. "If we developed Wattle we'd use the same plant," Johann explained. "The economics would be solid."

I was, even after everything, pretty keen on the process machinery which lined the landscape. Maybe I missed my old life more than I cared to admit. I noticed Macquarie had gone strangely quiet; perhaps he was startled to see me upbeat about something for the first time in my life.

"I'm staying to talk shop with Johann," he said once we'd found our way back to the front office. "Feel free to take the bus into town. Be back at the station by 5.30."

"Can I ask," I butted in before he could escape. "Why'd you come all this way to meet him?"

"I don't want a record," Macquarie replied simply. He scrutinised my conspiratorial expression and relaxed. "Don't worry about me,” he said, amused. “Stick with our plan for the presentation; I'll write you something about Sundance you can put on the end."

"Have you seen my slides?" I asked, secretly thirsting for him to validate me.

He shook his head. "Sorry." He didn't have to explain. "But you've seen the mine now. Just remember, this is what you’re selling. A stake in all of this.” He waved a hand over the scrappy buildings, the dusty flotation tanks, Stokes River running resolutely in the distance. “You'll be okay. See you tonight, yeah?"

"Sure," I said. "Good luck." I nodded towards Johann.

I stared out the window during the 25-minute shuttle ride back into Kittle Downs, wondering how I’d sunk to this level. All I’d wanted was a fresh new career, and my uncontrollable brain had dumped a crate of emotional baggage all over itself to start me off. The harder I tried to break out of it, the more excessive it got. Macquarie just had to look in my direction and I was having a full thirst breakdown.

However, I was multi-track drifting again soon enough. I’d just settled into the town tavern for a desensitising afternoon drink when a pair of young tradies, the splitting image of 20-year-old me, commandeered the other end of the bar and began to argue.

“Mate, I’m not going with you,” said the one on the left with the wavy black hair. “Katy hates the city.”

“The Greens are razing the place. Try moving once you have kids,” his friend said sourly.  

“Cut it out,” Black Hair replied. “The mine isn’t closing. They’re building the water plant now.”

His friend laughed raucously. “With what? They haven’t paid us in a month.”

Black Hair sighed. “They got the money.”

Something dawned on his friend, who straightened up. “Fucking hell, Bry. Really? What did you say to her?”

“Nothing!” Bry protested. “I just mentioned Katy that one time, and she hasn’t quit talking about it. You know what my mum’s like.”

[roodiaries]

The Return to Asia: Singapore Stories, Big India & A Nepali Christmas

Embarking on my first trip outside of Australia since arriving on the island-continent in February 2016 was something I'd looked forward to and planned for months while farming in South Australia (scroll down to previous blog for more info). A voyage into the unknown Indian subcontinent was an exciting and unexpected opportunity to see places I'd wanted to visit for a long time. On the one hand, it seemed a little absurd to be travelling 10,000km away (more than halfway home in fact) when I could easily see great places closer to Oz. But on the other hand, my ex-colleagues and friends from Loja, Rene and Soledad, were doing a tour of Southeast & South Asia, and the most interesting part of their trip took them through India and Nepal. So why not? I'd saved enough money and hadn't seen them for ages, so 6 flights over 17 days were soon booked and I was ready for the adventures with the Ecuadorians to begin!

I drove down to Adelaide with Renmark chums, Sam, Eisen & Yumena, for a rather formal - but nonetheless interesting - tour of the Cooper's Brewery: I was impressed that the current owners of South Australia's most famous beer are the descendants of the original 19th century brewer, Thomas Cooper (also a Yorkshireman!) I finally fled South Australia by night-flight to Sydney and spent a few days there sorting myself out while staying with Mark in his trendy Rozelle neighbourhood. Though his controlling housemate Vanessa took me for a stranger and demanded I leave when she found me laptopping downstairs one morning!

The first part of the trip was a long-awaited stopover return to Singapore, five years after I was there studying on exchange at the National University of Singapore. That was my first time living abroad and the source of a great many adventures in SG and eight other countries in Southeast Asia in 2011-12 – it's a shame I wasn't writing a blog then: it would have documented the ups and downs of several hapless bumblers traipsing around the region, full of legendary shaggy dog stories concerning daylight (wallet) robberies, Full Moon hospitalisations, back-room blackjack scams, rabid dog chases, giant bee attacks, volcanic dust storms, monkey madness, the ping pong mafiosas, asthmatic scuba and much worse. It was the quintessential Year Abroad and can never be topped. Singapore was the hub of this action, where I lived for 9 months and made many friends who I now consider some of my best pals. It's certainly one of my favourite cities and I was buzzing to be back!

I met up with one of the few Singaporeans I still keep in touch with, JD, who picked me up from the airport. The overwhelming humidity left me feeling suffocated and exhilarated in equal measure, and for the next four days it would be back to the body-punishing air-con-too-cold/outside-too-hot routine. I hung out with JD (who bought me lunch every single day: legend!) and another friend, Caryn, and I was able to experience once again the exquisite rooftop bars and incredible food. Seriously, I'd missed the hawkers! And I rarely give such high priority to food during a travelling experience: Singapore is a special case because it has it all. There's no getting bored with their array of cuisines, both local and from around Asia. I spent my time catching up with a couple of people over dinner and checking out a few sights that hadn't been around when I'd last been here (they build things incredibly quickly in SG: mostly because the mainly-Indian/Bangladeshi workers are made to labour relentlessly, part of the darker underbelly of a city that glimmers innocently on the surface). These sites included the Gardens by the Bay complex, which is a set of greenhouse domes, pathways, ponds and canopy walks, cementing Singapore's moniker as the 'Garden City'. I soaked in the views and gazed up at the ostentatiously luxurious Marina Bay Sands Hotel (the one that looks like a giant boat balanced on three towers), recalling the time when Kev, Mark, Scottish Kev and I sneaked up there somehow and chugged numerous tins in a state of embarrassingly British-hooligan rowdiness to disturb the genteel revelry of the upper echelons of international society. Much of the rest of the trip was a nostalgia tour of sites I used to hang out at: Clementi Mall where we'd sink large cheap Tiger beers on week nights till late; 'The Bridge' at Clarke Quay where students, locals, tourists, businessmen and everything in between mixed together in a cacophony of merriment; the utterly fake but still-enjoyable Sentosa Island with its cargo ships and oily sea; and of course, the university itself where I revisited classic food stalls, took the free shuttle bus round the tropical campus and felt like an old soul (I wanted to say to someone “you should have seen how it was in my day...”). It was genuinely emotional to be back here, but also a bit sad without the characters who made the experience what it was.

After a few hours' transit in Kuala Lumpur (the Airport King of Transfers), I glided 4000km north-west to the much cooler climes of Delhi, at the heart of the Indian subcontinent. It was with Malaysian airline, Malindo Air, certainly the best of the airlines I flew on during this trip, though my mind was preoccupied by thoughts of how to find my hostel in Delhi, and whether I would be overwhelmed by pushy taxi drivers upon arrival and give in to the pressures of culture shock when swapping the relative calmness of the developed world for the more haphazard ambience of the developing. In fact, it was a gentle introduction to a city with a metro population of about 22 million as I passed unnoticed in the dark through rows and rows of stationary three-wheeled tuk-tuks (or ‘auto rickshaws’ as they’re supposed to be called in India) and along the brightly lit and incredibly busy Qutab Road in Paharganj district. Something I already knew in theory but which became apparent in reality was the sheer diversity of stuff going on to bombard the senses, especially the eyes. Animals wandered willy-nilly along alleys and main roads: not just dogs and cats, but goats, rats, chicken, pigs and cows (which are of course holy to Hindus so unfortunately nobody shoves them out of the way). Countless ramshackle stalls sold spices, curries, chai tea and a million other exotic fares I had absolutely no comprehension of. People just wandered the street, some sitting around chatting, others lying under a bridge ready for another night on the street. Rickshaws and motorbikes weaved and squeezed in and out of the crowds, beeping their horns constantly as a customary announcement for people to shift their arse: I've never been anywhere with so much beeping; it's unbelievable.

I found my hostel – Zostel on Arakashan Road – without too much trouble, due to good signage. One thing that makes India more accessible than many countries is its use of English as a widespread second-language: most people in the cities speak it to a decent level, and others to a basic level, while road and shop signs are usually in both Hindi (the national language) and English too. It's clearly a positive effect of British involvement for 200 years: first via the East India Company's more stand-offish economic rule, and from 1858-1947 as full-on Empire rule. Though you would certainly have to mention some of the brutal things the British did here as well (e.g. the Amritsar Massacre in 1919; response to the Bengal Famine in 1943). I remember one Indian girl in a university class I did about her country's history ask me: “how does it feel to know what your ancestors have done?” I really didn't know what to say to that.

I only had one full day in Delhi, and made the most of it with a taxi tour to see some of the main sites here and in the British-built Indian capital of New Delhi, in practice a mini-city within the city of Delhi. Here, the traffic was less and the tree-lined boulevards spoke to a distinctly colonial era, adorned with pretty fountains and majestic buildings. One of these was the museum and former home of PM Indira Gandhi, India's first and only female leader (and no relation to Mahatma Gandhi), with a great collection of photos and artifacts on display. Outside was a boardwalk with a piece missing and a placard that stated it was the place where Indira was gunned down by her own guards in 1984, as a victim of the very religious communalism she had tried to fight her whole career. The exact same thing happened in 1991 to her son Rajiv, who was also PM. Three notable Gandhis assassinated in modern Indian history!

We saw the hugely impressive Qutb Minar, a treasure bestowed upon the city by the first Muslim ruler to conquer northern India in the 12th century (Qutab-ud-din Aibak from central Asia). Also there is the millennia-old Iron Pillar of Delhi, which my guide explained has non-rust qualities unfathomable even to modern-day scientists. I took a peek inside the Lotus Temple at dusk, a strangely captivating Baha'ist place of worship, open to all faiths as a site of reflection and peace. The Baha'is believe in respect for nature and the unity of all people under one God, irrespective of religion, race and nationality. It's hugely idealistic but logical and forward-thinking, and from my experience a very tolerant group, numbering some 5 million followers worldwide.

I met up with Ecuador chums Rene and Soledad at last and we spoke in Spanish almost the whole time, as I wanted to practice: it was strange speaking it in India, because I would often distractedly turn to a local and address them in this continentally inaccurate tongue - “disculpe señor, don- oops!” Not that I was very good – I fumbled through subjunctives and reflexive pronouns like a true amateur. ¡Qué bestia! I was also at the wrong end of most of the trip banter, accused of being 'cold and complaining too much,' like a proper Englishman and the antithesis of the passionate Latino personality. And for only saying “hello” in a casual manner when I saw them for the first time, rather than exploding with enthusiasm and darting over to adorn them with plentiful hugs and kisses. So I had to tone down the negative comments for the sake of the group morale: “Wow, isn't this wonderful, I just love the fact that this great big greedy fat pig is rolling around in shit so much, it's amazing!” It was all in good fun though, and sarcasm/complaining is a way of adding spice and good craic sometimes: things are boring if they're always rosy and dandy (I think this is more of a British/Irish thing?)

We travelled by train southwest to Rajasthan state, a name evoking romantic images of a distant desert land where the Maharajas live in fairytale palaces. Our destination was Jaipur, the famed 'Pink City' and state capital. We stayed in the lovely Vinayak Guesthouse with helpful staff and a rooftop restaurant playing Indian melodies to set the mood. In and around town, there was plenty to see, including the vast sandstone/marble Amber Fort where the local Maharajas ruled before Jaipur itself was founded in the 18th century by Jai Singh II. The dastardly monkeys were also a factor here, scaring us when they tried to grab our stuff! The Hawa Mahal is another strange archictectural marvel in the centre of town: an eye-catching facade built simply so the women of the court could watch events through secret windows unseen by the men of society. 

Jaipur is a major market haven, and the stalls selling clothes at very cheap prices abounded on every street and alley. Rene certainly got his money's worth, bartering frantically with one old guy for about 20 minutes to get a dozen scarves while the whole street came to watch! I particularly enjoyed the salesmen chat given in one shop: “do you exercise? You look like a Maharaja with that beard. You're a good size, not too tall.” All my insecurities put to bed in one very charm-ridden compliment session when perusing the shop, though unfortunately this was a much pricier one and smooth talking wasn't enough. In a more modest stall, I bought a single Indian-looking shirt, and the seller insisted on showing me a picture he said he'd had taken with 'Wolverine' in his other shop; I went with him and there was indeed a picture of Hugh Jackman... looking stressed and trying to escape the public attention, surrounded by bodyguards (I bet he wished he really did have claws)!

I'd had a great deal of trouble trying to book trains around India: simply signing up for the IRCTC website is a mission in itself involving mind-bogglingly complicated levels of email codes, proof of identity and fake Indian mobile numbers, and had had to book two of the three train journeys with a travel agent for an extra charge (feeling exasperated after weeks of trying online). For the one from Jaipur to Agra, however, I hadn't been able to book, so we ended up in the second-worst class. We were also a bit nervous because we'd been told by an Aussie couple in the guesthouse that their train had been delayed... by 17 hours! Our train was thankfully on time, but seeing hordes of people pile into the carriages nearby was a dread-inducing sight, and I imagined we'd probably end up having to stand in the toilet for 4 hours. Actually, we found seats and had a fun experience with the locals, drinking plenty of sweet chai tea (for 10 rupees each – equivalent of 20 cents), which all of us came to love. There was even space for Niña Soledad's enormous suitcase too!

So the third and final point on the Golden Triangle was Agra, another Mughal-built city. But whereas Delhi and Jaipur's interesting monuments and atmosphere went a long way to overcome the cumbersome cluster-fuckery of street life, Agra was a total shit-hole redeemed only by the Taj Mahal (which is a pretty decent redeeming feature to have in your city to be fair). We actually stayed at the place Karl Pilkington stayed at on An Idiot Abroad (he storms out because of the smell and the 'ensuite shed'), but they'd clearly improved it since then. We saw this amazing Wonder of the World from across the Yamuna River at sunset, before arriving at the South Gate at 5am the next day. We queued with our new friends from the hostel for over an hour waiting for them to open the bloody gates, and pretty much missed the sunrise, shivering in the early morning fog, hungry and tired. The bucket-loads of tourists almost ruined it for me: the ridiculous rituals of needing to have every possible picture of every possible pose with every possible family member left me seething: I wanted to slap them repeatedly across the face and run off with their camera. See with your eyes, not with your lenses! Not that my friends were much better to be honest... I never used to be this intolerant of tourist habits: I think it was the tiredness and me getting older and more cynical, plus I'm being a bit of a hypocrite because I took some pics too. Anyway, after the photos were all taken and ready to become people's next Facebook Profile Picture, we spent hours exploring the Taj itself and admire its pure white marmoreal exterior and impressively detailed austere interior (it is a tomb after all, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in the 17th century). A classic Indian site, and a worldwide icon deserving of its revered status.

Next stop was Nepal, the 'Roof of the World' and a wonderful travel destination as it turned out. Flying in with the snow-capped Himalayan skyline to the north was an awe-inspiring site. We spent a few days in bustling capital Kathmandu and nearby historic city of Bhaktapur (richly decorated UNESCO World Heritage Site and former capital of the region), and two days in chilled second-city Pokhara to the west. I found Nepal to be much more relaxing and less pressured than India: locals didn't seem to stare as much; they didn't push you to buy things; less bartering; there was much less traffic too. A hike we did along a ridge above Pokhara at sunrise was the main highlight for me: the sun revealing the mighty peaks of Machapuchare (6997m), Annapurna I (8091m) and Dhaulagiri (8167m), some of the world’s tallest mountains. We walked about 10km between the villages of Sarangkot and Naudanda, past quiet farmsteads and small sloping allotments, taking in the ridiculous views both above and below us. It would have been cool to do a proper Himalayan trek, but due to money, time and (above all) general fitness, it wasn't possible this time around.

It was pretty bizarre being in Nepal for Christmas, but the locals celebrated with New Year-style parties and the cool temperature and tasty roast turkey dinner helped make it feel a bit more Christmassy! I was in great company but still felt a longing to be in Durham with my family, only able to speak with them over a WhatsApp call for about 5 minutes because of the dodgy connection. Rene and Sole left for Burma, and I spent the evening of Christmas Day in a hippie hostel called Fireflies. It wouldn't be somewhere I'd normally choose, but I felt a need to connect with people seeing as it was Christmas Day. I bumped into Georgia, the California girl I'd met at Delhi Airport when we were both late for our flight, and met a lot of other friendly international people for another meal, good conversation and some beers. On my last day in Nepal, I ventured to the hilltop Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath), an ancient and holy Buddhist site centred around a golden stupa with the eyes of Buddha gazing down at you from each side. As with a lot of structures in Kathmandu and elsewhere, it was severely damaged by the 2015 earthquake: the city is still punctuated by piles of rubble and wooden beams propping up historic buildings. But the Nepalese people have made tremendous efforts of rebuilding and maintaining their incredible architectural treasures.

My last stop was almost 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur, again in transit. I spent the fourth night of my life at this airport (mad considering I've never lived here), curled up on some carpet somewhere, too tired to care and using my trusted Osprey bag as a pillow. Then I went to explore the malls of KL (and saw the new Star Wars, which was bloody fantastic), and took the opportunity to nip to Putrajaya, located between KL proper and the airport. Putrajaya is its own Federal Territory (like KL), was only built in 1995 and contains most of the government offices, despite KL still being the Malaysian capital. I told the taxi driver to take me “somewhere good” because I didn't have a clue about the layout of the city or what it contained; laying this responsibility of my entertainment upon a stranger was almost too much for the poor man, but he dropped me off in the sweaty heat at Putra Square beside the PM's house and the pretty pink Putra Mosque, overlooking Putra Lake (they're not very inventive with the names of stuff here!) It was a pleasant day's excursion but I was ready for a long uncomfortable Air Asia flight back to Sydney to celebrate New Year and continue my life in Australia. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I'd missed my new 'home' country. But it had been one hell of a trip.

Thanks for reading, I’ll post soon about the new life in Sydney (sticking to Australia next time),

Oliver

(see below for photos!)

[barsha1234]

Laptops have become an integral part of students and professionals.Working remotely has become a trend with the rise in covid-19 cases. Employees who work in software might find it easier to work from home, while those in hardware may face difficulties during remote work hours.

 Daddys Phones in Adelaide is the number one trusted Laptop repair in Adelaide.They undertake all sorts of laptop issues like hardware issues, software-related issues, or virus infections. They give cheap laptop repair options and also provide the right solutions and technicians to fix all kinds of laptop-related issues at an affordable rate. 

[barsha1234]

The iPhone is known for its decent functioning. However, it also witnesses technical issues after prolonged use just like any other device. When the user updates to a new iOS or transfers data from an old to a new iPhone, they face various issues. There are various reasons for these problems which can either be hardware or software related. 

Daddysphones is one of the trusted iPhone repairs in Adelaide with 1000's of happy customers in and around Adelaide.They have skillful technicians with years of experience in mobile phone repairs. So, be it an iPhone screen issue or an annoying freezing issue, they have a solution for you. Their years-long experience as reputed trusted iPhone repairs in Adelaide has made us capable of sensing the root cause of the issues and thus offering reliable solutions.They have experts who have handled several iPhone repairs and techies who can solve your OS-related issues in a jiffy.

[barsha1234]

Mobile phone repair gives the best functions and performance. It is because mobile phone repair enables your current phone to function as it did when you bought it. Advanced technology is used to repair a damaged mobile phone. 

Daddy's Phones is a trusted phone repair in Adelaide that delivers the best repair services at minimum cost. They offer the best-advanced solutions and have years of experience in handling smartphone-related issues. They have the best tools and qualified technicians and are a renowned phone repair center. 

Daddy's Phones deliver the devices in the shortest period and undertake bulk maintenance. They also cater to corporates and educational institutions. Their quality of service and professionalism is unbeatable.