Mental Note: Yoghurt and Choc-Chip Cookies Taste Like Ice Cream

So I haven't quite finished my certification; but I came damn close. I knocked off both my exams on Tuesday while my examiner was passed out on the desk... hungover. Now just one and a half assignments stand between me and completion. With a bit of luck should be able to get it all sorted while I'm in Perth.

I set aside about 4 hours to pack everything up today when in reality I got everything done in about 45 minutes and had a nap for a couple of hours. Starting to get a hang of this packing thing... First thing in the morning I fly out to Perth before starting my travels once again. I could use a bit of sun and the beach awaits.

I've set up a day trip over to Rottnest to catch up with the few remaining while I am back in town. A friend of a friend has a tidy little 60ft. Sunseeker for the day and while the weather was looking a bit questionable earlier in the week, in true Perth style it's shaping to be fine and 24. Just how we like it. A perfect opportunity to get some colour before I return to the darkness of the north.

Having said that I got plenty of sun on Saturday at the AAMI Derby Day at Flemmington Raceway, a little too much in fact. I got a taste of spring racing and I must say I'm a big fan. There are few times where people really put in the effort and really go all out to look their best, even if it is for just one day. I was surrounded by a Perth army and a few people from work. It was only a taste of the races and in years to come I'd like to have another crack.

In world news; It's official, Barack Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. We should all expect the world to be a very different place in the next few years but I must say my curiosity lies in what will happen to the world's economy. When you stay in one place you don't feel the effect of economic crises so quickly. It takes time to set in; prices slowly creep up as the costs of transport, production and storage inflate. When you move around, it hits you like a tidal wave of poverty (yes I am being that dramatic).

Take the example of the Australian dollar compared to the currency of my next destination; the British Pound. Back in June, the British Pound bought 2.03 Australian Dollars; so let's say I'd saved about $10,000 I'd be able to buy 4,900 pounds. Not too bad eh? Fast forward to October 10 - not even 4 months later - that same amount will buy me 3,840 pounds. Think about it like this: even making use of the poor conversion rates of late, that means that a little under AUD$3,000 has vanished into thin air. Poof. Gone.

There is a lot you can do with $3,000 I assure you.

Thankfully things have improved a little in the past few weeks; the Australian dollar is back up to almost 88% of its June value compared to the 77% it was a little over two weeks ago. Using that $10,000 example; that's effectively an extra $500 back in my pocket - but I'm thinking it's going to be a while before things get back to a positive place. I'm even having to rethink the Singapore stop-over shopping I had planned: for a while there the Australian dollar was faring worse than the Singapore currency. Ouch.

I am going to do my best to be frugal in my first months of travel and hold out to spend the Swedish Kronor I am soon to earn while my Australian nest egg sits incubating at the whims of the world economy.

I finished up in Sales with my best month to date; securing myself a tidy little bonus to add to my worthless savings. Saying goodbye to everyone is a good chance to take stock of your time in a place. Everyone at the gym chucked in for... cash (they thought it'd be more practical than booze for a traveler - shows what they know!) and a card that was, for lack of a better word: touching. Made me rethink all the crappy messages I have left in people's going away cards. At least I'll know for next time. There are some good people at that place; I was sorry to see the backside of the gym even if the place is falling a part in one way or another.

Suddenly realising time was running out to make that visit she'd often spoken of; my sister cut it close and came down with Lee on Sunday night to take a look around Melbourne and get in a few meals out and a movie. Amy had talked it up a bit because Brad Pitt plays an over-the-top Personal Trainer named Chad who rides his bike everywhere. For the next two days my name was Chad. At least I don't have the bad blonde streak through my hair although I was considering highlights... I suppose it was an OK movie, but the Cohen Brother's grim view of the US doesn't really do it for me. Burn After Reading portrays America as an adulterous army of bumbling idiots out to screw each other over or just screw each other. I'd at least like to think this wasn't the case.

Packing up my things has included doing my best to get through the rest of my groceries in a day. As I have a tendency to buy in bulk I have a fair bit to get through and it's essentially an impossible task. In doing so however, I have discovered that When you crumble choc-chip cookies into your bowl of yogurt, muesli and milk there is a distinct ice-cream flavor in there. It's quite odd but pretty tasty but then again - and breakfast ceral is no exception - when aren't cookies appropriate?