I took my first full day in Sydney relatively easy and though I was up early (slight mistake in the time-zone difference when I used a 'wrong' clock as my reference) I decided to simply refamiliarise myself with the city layout.

I took the train into Sydney mid-morning - it only takes about 10minutes from here to Circular Quay - and walked around parts of the sea-front, an obligatory return to the Sydney Opera House than back and into the city to walk around the shops (found major book outlets that stock Steve's book - it's everywhere I tell you!) and comic outlets as well as the everyday shops you'll find in any city. Took a stroll around the Royal Victoria Building with its many shops and grabbed a sandwich at Subway.

Kerry was probably right in her recent blog about her trip here - some parts of the city could be anywhere; some of the lovely shopping arcades themselves are not that different from the arcades and Victoria Quarter in Leeds, but the better weather makes all the difference when you're walking around. The centre of the city is a mix of old and new, steel structures reaching for the sky and also some older, more interesting buildings tucked away. But it's also got trees scattered here and there and it feels much cleaner than most cities in England.

Though it's been several years since I was last out here, it's amazing what comes back and I easily remembered the short cuts across to Darling Harbour.

Not been able to get online as much as the wireless isn't working here at the moment and these entries have to be put on from carmel's laptop. But I'm able to check e-mails and regualr websites etc, so I'll just have to learn to not be so web-obssessed. Today, my Wednesday, everyone else's Tuesday (learn to live with it) will be an equally relaxing day. I have some Impact work to do and chase-up, but otherwise this week's just a chill-out time. Plans for Cairns or any other trips, I'll work out over the coming weekend.

Until then, strolls, sun, possibly some sand (if I get to Manly Harbour today) and maybe some work on that novel.

Can't have Steve being the talk of the town in EVERY town.

I've arrived in Sydney safe and well and was in literal First Class all the way. Qantas staff are excellent and even noted the book I was reading 'Is that a relative?' (It was Steve's 50/50 Killer). Free champagne, lots of food, great seats. :) This ain't no poxy Premium Economy!

Had a fairly easy transfer across in Singapore, though I discovered halfway to Sydney that the attendant hadn't given me back my full ticket so will have to sort with Carmel at some point, but needed to change the return date anyway.

Only been here a few hours and will be having an early night. More news as it happens.

So....

I did the Iron Man junket this weekend. The cast were in fine form, though with packing to do I couldn't stay down for any of the later festivities. The film does exactly what it says on the tin (see what I did there?)and is a gloriously fun romp with Robert Diwney Jnr having his best role in years. I'll definitely go see it again. Might even pay to do so. :)

In a few short hours I'm off to London where I'll be a pod-person overnight at the Yotel facility (I was suppsoed to stay there on my last trip but they had delays - however they've discounted me for this stay and upgarded the pod). Only problem is that, apparently, this Heathrow pod-centre is the one Yotel facility without Wi-Fi at the moment (damn you, BAA restrictions!) which is a pain because I planned to do some 'Net stuff while there. *****UPDATE**** (No Wi-Fi but complimentary connection by phone chord which, as you see, is working just fine! And very nice this Yotel is too!)

I fly out to Singapore on Sunday and hopefully an incredibly quick change-over there for Sydney will go smoothly. Probably. HOPEFULLY. The plan is to arrive in Sydney about 6:00pm ish (NSW time) on Monday, so I'll have been travelling for about 24 hrs.

Packing is just about done, passport and travel documents safely here... now I just want to get on the plane (crossing fingers for a nice seat if all goes okay) and to relax.

In a week when I'm already all-over-the-place in my bid to get ready to be all-over-the-planet there were some hiccups and needless obstacles which really needn't have been there.

For the last month or so I've been checking with one of the film distributors to ensure I got some of my agreed expenses back. Each step of the way I was assured it was all ok and when asked to submit all my bank details (again) I did so. After less and less direct contact I finally ran the distributors' accounts department only to find they had no record of my claim and had never had it. Given it's around 72 hrs before I head off and this COULD have been sorted last week, to say I was mildly frustrated is an understatement. Apparently there's a whole new structure to this distributor's billing system that I've never heard of before. Ain't communication gran?.

Right now I'm on the way to London for the Iron Man press event (the film's trailer looks great) though if I hadn't come down today (Wednesday) I would have had to pay £199 upfront for a train ticket to get me down in time tomorrow. How many journalists have that ready cash lying around - and multiples thereof if it's a busy month? Thankfully Paramount will cover the cost of the hotel room I've booked if I submit a claim, so I won't lose anything in the long-term, but it's a pity that it's more upfront outlay in a tight pre-holiday week and that the days when the distributors automatically pre-sorted and prepaid a hotel for you because of 10:00am or before start are slowly slipping away.

Now... blls to pay, deadlines to hit, flight stuff to sort.

No rest for the wicked or apparently the 'vaguely naughty if only I had the energy or time'.

The Australia holiday looks set for the end of April and for my birthday thereafter. I should be excited, but right now I have so much to get out of the way first that I'm channelling all my energy into getting most of my work out of the way and as much cash owed to me in before I go. Thanks to my friend I'll be flying Stand-By (hence the affordability) but that does mean that I may not get on the first flight I go for. Anyone who knows the Mosby luck will know I already have Plans B thru Z pencilled in just in case.

Walking through the less-glamorous Leeds this week I noted all the STABOs (my acronym for the 'STop and Buy One' brigade). In a matter of a few minutes and a fifty yards there was a Mormon preacher, a SCOPE charity-collector and a man selling the Big Issue. I think it sums up a great deal of irony that the man whose religion allows several wives and the mental health charity didn't even give me a second glance as I went past (I think they were actively avoiding me, but this could be on-set paranoia) but the homeless guy selling the mag wanted my undivided attention.

On the positive side, Mr. Clooney was engaging as ever in London last week and I'm hoping to get the cast of Iron Man before the trip. Also: I now have a replacement for my broken video camera, which will be good to take with me on hols.

So, all steam ahead. The usual hot air applies...

It's snowing outside - nothing heavy or which will lay, but just enough to look chilly and damp, but I'm staying firmly inside getting some work out of the way. The list is shortending at one end, but there's always things to add at the other. Managed to get some design/business branding work done for an LA friend ealrier in the week and some last minute Impact additions finished. Over-all I'm in a reasonably okay postion time/work wise.

Should be heading off tomorrow to London, with an early start on Tuesday doing press with ugly-boy, C-Lister George Clooney and co-star Renee Zellwegger for Leatherheads. Hope to fit some more photography in as well, both for specific client and just to keep my hand in (London by night should be fun if the weather isn't too bad).

As for my birthday, the Australia plans are firming up and current plans are to leave the UK at the end of April for a few weeks. Looking in to a quick trip up to Cairns if I can work it into the fuller Oz budget. To enlarge that pot I'm also putting a lot of rare collectables on ebay, so if you like take a lookey via the link at the top left of the blog and if you likey bid or please spread the word.

Meanwhile, grabbing a few moments to watch TV. Olympic torch debacle in London, house-prices still fluctuating and Charlton Heston, the man who said people would have to pry his fire-arms from his cold, dead hands... is, well, dead.

Must be a Sunday.