Saturday 30 May 2009

How to make a free international call - Rebtel

A service that allows international calls at very low rates or even free, if you happen to live in a country where Rebtel operates. Disregarding the free calls, the rates are quite good. The principle is obviously connecting regular/mobile phones and VoIP and allows calling from phone to phone through the Internet.

How to make a free international call - Rebtel

Monday 25 May 2009

Beginning of Winter

It is the end of May. In Australia it is an equivalent to European end of November. This is the time when, in Bosnia, the cold season started. We used to expect snow any day now. Temperatures would come close to 0 in the morning and evening.

While here, in Australia, I’m currently in a T-shirt and having an open window in the room. The temperature at 11am is 18 degrees Celsius. A couple of days ago the day temperature would go to 24 degrees. There has been no real rain for months and I have been using my bicycle every day. Paradise. And this is Melbourne – one of the colder parts of Australia and known by having an unpredictable climate. Phew.

This is something I would surely miss anywhere outside Australia…

Saturday 23 May 2009

Bike is Gone

My dear Shogun bike is history. It was stolen on Wednesday, after I left it in front of the garage for longer than I should have.
Now I’m looking for used bikes on eBay. Yesterday I won one and went to pick it up tonight. The problem is that it is too small for me. But, since I already completed the transaction, now I have to sell it or swap it for a larger one.

International Calls - Lebara Mobile

Another mobile providers. Attractive prices to international landlines but expensive rates for international mobiles.

International Calls - Lebara Mobile

Sunday 17 May 2009

Feels Like Home

I have just come back from a walk at the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. After enjoying the beauty of walking while the soft grass under the feet softens the steps, listening to the chirping of the birds, enjoying the views of the lake and old tall trees, I decided to go to areas of the Gardens I have not seen so far. A walk through Australian Rainforest area was beautiful. But that environment is already familiar and feels domestic. Then, all of a sudden, I found myself feeling a deja vu.That was such a weird feeling. I was staring at an European-style park and felt I was somewhere else, much closer to where I grew up. All the trees were from Europe and the area was full of fallen brown leaves, giving away that it is the late Autumn. The trees in other areas were as green as ever and the traces of Autumn were only clearly visible here, in the European park. The view I enjoyed so much. It could have been anywhere in Europe and the feeling was quite different to other areas of the Gardens. It also brought so many memories of the parks I have visited elsewhere I’ve been travelling.

I was walking through fallen leaves, listening to the sound as I pushed them around as I was making step after step. This felt closest to home I have ever felt in Melbourne.

Saturday 16 May 2009

Artists on Tour

As I used to play drums in local bands in Sarajevo, I got to know lots of musicians during my (and their) teenage years. Now, a few of them have continued down that path and are playing as professionals. Some of them are very successful, I’d say, having in mind where they played – the environment they live in, etc. Lately, two of my very good friends told me they are coming to Australia to play concerts! Muris is now playing with Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Dino is playing with Merlin. Merlin will have a concert in Melbourne next Saturday, 2009-05-23, and Mostar Sevdah Reunion should also play here soon.
This is so unreal. I will get to see some friends here. It feels like mixing the two worlds that were separate until now. :)

Friday 8 May 2009

Drinking Problem

I think I’ve got a drinking problem – I don’t drink. Seems that the popular culture here in Australia is that Friday and Saturday nights are devoted to drinking at the pubs. In the past, I never got to having such a habit for different reasons. Plus, adding the cost of alcoholic drinks here, it makes very little sense drinking. So, if not fitting into social norms is a problem, I’ve got one. :)

Monday 4 May 2009

Geosense

At Geosense.net you can try your knowledge of geographical position of cities in the world. This is the game I used to play with friends while I was a kid. We played only the capital cities, though. At Geosense, you can try your knowledge on the world map, US, Europe. There is advanced map, where the names of the cities are not displayed immediately but the letters in the name occur as the time goes on. The game is a great way to increase and practise your knowledge of geography! You can play alone or against other players.

geosense.net

Sunday 3 May 2009

Cars and Motorcycles

After all this time spent in Melbourne, I’m starting to miss cars and motorcycles. To be more precise, I’m missing driving and riding. I’m missing travelling and seeing different areas, landscapes, and environments. So I’m starting to look at what would be models to satisfy my needs in the future. I’m also developing this idea of how it would be nice to have something to rely on rather than having to abandon everything when I have to move. In the future I’d prefer to be based in one continent so that it would be relatively easy to move all the little things we need around. It is a bit difficult now because whatever I need, I think of the future and the moment I have to get rid of it. I borrowed an electric heater and a lamp. That way I can give it back. Otherwise I’d have to throw it away. Usually, when you have something to give away, nobody needs it. :)

So, as far as cars and motorcycles go, I spent some time looking at car models. The range I’m looking at is, with Toyota for example, between Corolla and Yaris. Well, the new Yaris is the old Corolla, in fact. The new Corolla is just a bit big. Fiat has Bravo, which is in the same range. Other manufacturers have something in the same range, as well. The price range for these models is around 20-30 thousand Dollars. To narrow it down, it is up to $25,000. That’s not too bad. The motorcycle remains unknown. The search is open and I’m to look into it in the future. With these prices, I’d expect even better deal with used cars. So I’m looking forward to that period when I’ll have to make a decision. For now, I need to set some savings goals and start working towards those goals. And, before that, it would be useful to narrow down the model search and the price range.