Volume #12 - 30th
Jan 2010 - by Victor-Andreas Marz
Hola
Amigos!
I hope
you had a great Christmas and an even better start to
the New Year. Personally, it has been one of the busiest
and most exciting years to date. In the past 8 months
alone, I managed to fly close to 100 times within and
outside of Australia, allowing me to visit some great
places - so here is the news.
The
year 2009 was a great one, both in private life and at
work. I feel highly satisfied when looking back at the
"balance sheet" and thinking of the highlights
but also the lessons learned from failures and mistakes
made. Some of my most favorite moments were during my
trips to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand (again), Mexico,
side trips to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, Port Arthur/
Hobart in Tasmania, Sydney and the projects I've lead
for my customers and company. Mostly, though, I've enjoyed
spending time and travelling with Paola, my girlfriend
from Mexico. Achievement-wise, I was promoted to Senior
Consultant within the Value Engineering Team in the latter
part of the year, and was also granted permanent residency
status for Australia, allowing me to live and work here
permanently.
In
between work...
After almost six years in Australia, it was high time
to start exploring the local sights of Victoria and I
finally made it to Wilsons
Promontory, a national park in the South East of Victoria.
We spent a weekend there with some of my best friends
from Melbourne, enjoying the beautiful views and sunsets
at the beach and on top of Mount Oberon, while relaxing
in the spa at night.
Wilsons Promontory: Paola and I in front of the
Sunset
Wilsons Promontory: Sunset
Wilsons Promontory: Bushfires and the marks they
left
Wilsons Promontory: Squeaky Beach making squeaky
sounds
Wilsons Promontory: Paola overlooking the Beach
from the Viewpoint of Mount Oberon
Wilsons Promontory: View from Mount Oberon
Wilsons Promontory: Rocks and Grass
Wilsons Promontory: We rented a house together
with friends and enjoyed the Spa and Wine in the Evenings
Wilsons Promontory: Group Picture - Mike, Vic,
Diana, Martin, Angelika, Lisa, Paola, Paul and Chico
In the
middle of the Australian Winter, Paola and I went to join
our friends in Hobart and Port
Arthur (Tasmania) for a surprise birthday party for
Tobi. We flew down for the weekend and had an exciting
time, especially touring the area around Port Arthur,
a former penal settlement. Situated in the South East
of Tasmania this is a very cold place to visit during
winter *LOL*.
Mount Wellington in Hobart: Paola and I having
a snowball fight
On the Way to Port Arthur: Group Picture - Tobi,
Ingo, Loksee, Matt, Vic, Paola, Sondita, Betty and Christoph
Port Arthur: The Rainbow colors were amazing
Port Arthur: Captain Paolita is driving the 900HP
speed boat
Port Arthur: Cruising the coast line
Port Arthur: Strong winds and choppy weather made
this boat cruise fun! Even though I got really sea sick
in the end! Ha Ha
Port Arthur: And the ride continues! Yeahha!
Port Arthur: That's before I turned pale due to
sea sickness!
A day
after our return from (a bloody cold) Tasmania we embarked
on another and more extensive trip to travel to (hot)
Malaysia and Indonesia. We've visited Kuala
Lumpur and Tioman
Island before we flew over to Bali
in Indonesia. We spent a few days on Tioman Island, a
great place to snorkel and dive. During a day in Kulala
Lumpur we've explored the local sights, including the
famous Petronas
Twin Towers, the Batu
Caves, the Orchid Garden, the Bird
Park, etc.
Tioman Island: We enjoyed magical sunsets every
night
Tioman Island: Paola and I during Sunset
Tioman Island: Paola snorkeling the Tioman Waters
Tioman Island: Victor inspecting the corals
Tioman Island: The Sea was filled with colorful
fish - thousands of them
Tioman Island: Fish, corals and underwater
noise ;)
Tioman Island: singing "under the sea"!
*blubblub*
Tioman Island: What a gigantic Lizard!
Tioman Island: Paola pulling a "Super Mario"
on Tioman Island
The highlight
of the two week trip, though, was the week we spent in
Bali. I completely fell in love with the beauty and hospitality
of Bali. It is such a romantic and magical place, with
beautifully warm and friendly people, fantastic food and
great locations to explore and experience. During our
seven days on the island we travelled through the most
beautiful parts, including Bingin Beach, Padang-Padang
Beach, Kuta, Jimbaran Beach, Nusa Lembongan Island, Sanur,
and the wild water rafting spots and rice fields of Eastern
Bali.
Bali: Relaxing at the pool in our Villa in Bingin
Beach
Bali: Victor's having fun in Bingin!
Bali: Padang Padang Beach - the beach is fantastic
Bali: Paola at Bingin Beach - just before sunset
Bali: Sanur Beach at 5am. Paola is sleeping but
i coudn't resist getting up to see the sunrise here. You
can see the contour of a fisherman in the water
Bali: we travelled to East Bali to enjoy the Wild
Water Rafting down the mountain. Great fun and my very
first time!
Bali: Wild Water Rafting!
Bali: After four hours of rafting we had lunch
in a restaurant overlooking the rice fields. What a relaxing
view!
Bali: From Sanur we took a speed boat to cross
over to Nusa Lembongan Island. That was my most favorite
part of Bali. Peaceful, little tourists and great vibe.
Bali: Nusa Lembongan - Dream Beach - There is
a reason why they call it that!
Bali: Nusa Lembongan - we rented one of those
bungalows which had just been constructed. Great Place
and amazing service. One night I had a headache and the
friendly staff drove over 40min into the village just
to get me aspirins - free of charge and no tip accepted!
I asked why and was told that they just want me to be
happy and feel great.
Bali: Nusa Lembongan - I'm diving with Nemo
Bali: Nusa Lembongan - Paola's very first dive
ever!
Bali: Nusa Lembongan - Dining at Mushroom Bay.
Gotta be quick if you want fresh lobster, but 'my god'
- it tastes like heaven
Bali: Jimbaran - After we finished exploring Nusa
Lembongan we drove back to Bali mainland and stayed a
night in Kuta and Jimbaran. Can't really recommend Kuta,
but Jimbaran Beach is fabulous. The Beach Restaurants
there serving fresh (living!) seafood are amazing.
Bali: Jimbaran - You can see the beach tables
set for sunset for a romantic dinner. Great food, great
live entertainment and great views.
In the
middle of October, I then joined my friend Clinton in
Thailand, who invited me to Christian's buck's night (bachelor
night) in Bangkok. Of course, I can't share any specifics,
but suffice it to say that it was a great experience and
a weekend that I will not forget that easily. Further,
I took the occasion to meet up with my dear friend Theerapat,
who I went to highschool with in the US - exactly ten
years ago. Shockingly he hasn't aged a day and looked
exactly the same! *envy*.
Thailand: Bangkok - That looks like the right
place for a buck's night
Thailand: Bangkok - The Buck on the left and the
crazy crew that flew in from all over the world (France,
Germany, Singapore, Australia, Greece, etc.)
Thailand: Bangkok - One of the "tame"
pictures from the night ;)
Meanwhile,
Paola had returned to Mexico, and it was now time for
me to visit her there and get to know the Mexican life-style.
During our annual christmas office shut down period, I
travelled to Leon, Mexico, where Paola's family lives.
One exhausting 40-hour door-to-door trip later, I had
arrived. As always Paola was full of energy and excitement,
we started travelling the country, firstly focusing on
the "Colonial Heartland". The towns we visited
included the beautiful San MIguel de Allende, Guanajuato,
Morelia, Patzcuaro, and Leon itself. My personal favorite
place was San Miguel, which provided a relaxed vibe which
was perfect to for chilling out.
Mexico: The main cathedral in San Miguel de Allende
Mexico: San Miguel - Paola, Vic and Mariana (Paola's
sister)
Mexico: San Miguel de Allende - with so many churches
around you wouldn't really expect this one in the gift
shop, would you?
Mexico: San Miguel de Allende - seems like all
the main squares have beautifully trimmed trees in Mexico
Mexico: San Miguel de Allende - small and narrow
streets inherited from the colonial
times
In the
state of Michoacan, we visited Morelia and Patzcuaro,
together with our friends. During the wintertime Canadian
Monarch butterflies migrate down to the Mexican mountainside
to wait out the cold of the winter. For the first time,
I rode a horse through the mountains, which I really enjoyed.
Up in the mountains it was so cold, thought, that I had
to invest some cash into a Mexican Poncho!
Mexico: Morelia - Beautiful Architecture all over
the city
Mexico: Morelia - intersting art: an elephant
made of tyre rubber
Mexico: Morelia - most churches had beautiful
roofs
Mexico: Morelia - A most beautiful fountain
Mexico: Morelia - the glorious interior of a church
Mexico: Morelia - You can find masks at every
corner (Paola and I in case you wonder)
Mexico: Morelia - At night the churches were even
more beautiful
Mexico: Patzucuaro - this
church wasn't in operation for quite some time. Great
to see the effects of time
Mexico: Patzucuaro - Group Picture
Mexico: Patzucuaro - Paola and Vic
Mexico: Patzucuaro - Paola
Mexico: Patzucuaro - Guess who's behind this beautiful
mask! LOL
Mexico: Patzucuaro - "Come to papa!"
Together in the Mountains
Mexico: Mariposas - Hundreds of Thousands of butterflies
all around you
Mexico: Mariposas - they are everywhere!
Mexico: Mariposas - Paola with a butterfly
Mexico: Mariposas - Vic in a Poncho on a horse!
who would have thought that would ever happen?
Mexico: Mariposas - Domestic Lunch - They had
black Tacos! :)
The time
in Leon was very busy with many contrasting activities;
meeting dozens of family members and friends, partying
hard with friends, celebrating Christmas with Paola's
family and going to masses. It was fantastic to celebrate
Christmas over there.
Mexico: Leon - Raquel's Birthday Dinner
Mexico: Leon - Raquel and Paola
Mexico: Leon - Classico was the night club of
choice after the dinner
Mexico: Leon - Raquel's afterparty was pretty
awesome
Mexico: Leon - Obviously I had to learn how to
drink "Reversa"-style. Raquel taught me how.
It was a bit messy at the beginning, I must admit
Mexico: Leon - and this is how
you look like after 5 "Perla Negras"
Mexico: Leon - Paola, Vic and Mariana
Mexico: Leon - this is how buying a bottle of
spirit looks like in Mexico
Mexico: Leon - Family Picture: Mariana, Gabriel,
Lucy and Paola
Mexico: Leon - visting Senor Chico!
Mexico: Leon - Paola and her best friend Alejandra
Mexico: Leon - Christmas Dinner with 25 other
family members
On Christmas
day, we started traveling again. This time we drove down
to Mexico City and flew over to Chiapas, a state in the
South East of Mexico, bordering Guatemala. Known for its
beautiful diversity and Mayan history, I was very excited
to go. We predominantly spent time in San Cristobal, a
magnificent city situated over 2500m above the sea level,
and around Palenque, where we visited the astonishing
sights of Agua Azul, the waterfalls of Miso Ha, and the
Mayan city ruins of Palenque.
Mexico: San Cristobal - 2600m above the Sea Level.
Beautiful!
Mexico: San Cristobal - Paola and Santa Claus!
Mexico: San Cristobal - the main cathedral!
Mexico: San Cristobal - a town with real flair!
Mexico: San Cristobal - six degrees at night prompted
for another investment in a warm poncho!
Mexico: San Cristobal - during the day it warmed
up to over 23 degrees - very nice!
Mexico: San Cristobal - beautiful clear skies
and fresh air...
Mexico: Chiapa de Corzo - on tour on the boat
Mexico: Chiapa de Corzo - Cactus and Moon?
Mexico: on the way back to San Cristobal - Ale,
Paola, Mariana, and Micaela
Following
another relaxing night in San Cristobal, we flew back
to Mexico city, where my friend Alejandro organised a
great clubbing night in one of the best clubs and a fantastic
New Year's Eve party in Cuernavaca, some 70km south of
the capitol. My good friend Nawid, who now lives in Germany,
and his girlfriend Nicole also joined us for this event.
Mexico: Mexico City - from the top of the Grand
Hotel you can overlook the presidential palace and a huge
open air ice skating ring
Mexico: Mexico City - meeting many friends...
Nicole, Mike, Micaela, Vic, Paola, Nawid, Chico, Ana and
Mariana
After
two amazing weeks in Mexico, it was time to return home
to Melbourne. On the way back I had a 12 hours stay in
Los
Angeles airport. Rather than waiting there, I rented
myself a funky yellow American muscle car for the day
to cruise the city. In my V8 436HP (0-60mph in less than
4s) Chevrolet
Corvette, the roof top down and the radio tuned to
loud hard rock music, I explored the city. Hollywood,
Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica and Venice Beach were my favorite
places. And the best part was the 11.55USD for refueling
the car once I returned the car in the end of the day.
What a great day it was.
USA: Los Angeles - The Hollywood Sign
USA: Los Angeles - my rental car for the day *grin*
USA: Los Angeles - around Hollywood
USA: Los Angeles - the Walk of Fame
USA: Los Angeles - Nature around Santa Monica
Pier
USA: Los Angeles - Venice Beach
USA: Los Angeles - Sunset in Venice
USA: Los Angeles - Venice reminded me St. Kilda
Beach
Landing
back in Melbourne, one of my best friends from Germany,
Konstantin, visited me with his girlfriend for two days.
Benji, the brother of my other best friend in Germany,
Christian, joined us for the two days of fun. We had some
really good fun in the house pool and in Brighton Beach.
Australia: Melbourne - Konstantin, his girlfriend
and Benji visiting
Australia: Melbourne - Konstantin and Benji in
the swimming pool
Not even
two weeks later another good friend, Patricia, visited
me from Hong Kong and we cruised down the Great
Ocean Road to Port Campbell. A great weekend passed
exploring the Twelve Apostles, and the Otway
Fly Tree Top Walk followed by a visit to Brighton
Beach, the Australian Open on Australia Day, which finished
with a traditional Aussie Barbeque.
Australia: Great Ocean Road - Viewpoint
Australia: Great Ocean Road - The Twelve Apostles
Australia: Great Ocean Road - Patricia and The
Twelve Apostles
Australia: Great Ocean Road - Victor and The Twelve
Apostles
Australia: Great Ocean Road - The Twelve Apostles
Australia: Great Ocean Road - The Arch Viewpoint
Australia: Great Ocean Road - London Bridge
Australia: Otway Fly Tree Top Walk - 54m high
once you climb the tower
Australia: Otway Fly Tree Top Walk - walking in
the midst of the tree tops - 30m above the ground!
Australia: Otway Fly Tree Top Walk - the view
from the top!
Australia: Otway Fly Tree Top Walk - the view
from the bottom!
Australia: Brighton Beach - Patricia in front
of the beach huts
Australia: Brighton Beach - Patricia on the beach
Australia: Brighton Beach - Matt and Patricia
under water
Australia: Albert Park Lake - City Skyline at
night
Australia: Melbourne - Australia Open Flags
Australia: Melbourne - Australia Open Enterteinment
At
work.... After my last newsletter to you, one could think
that I basically moved to Canberra to work with different
parts of the federal government of Australia. I had the
pleasure to consult for a few of the largest government
agencies, incl. the Department of Foreign Affairs, the
Attorney General's Department (incl. the Australian Federal
Police, Crime Commission, etc.), the Department of Immigration
and Citizenship, and the Department of Human Services
(incl. Centrelink, Medicare, etc.). Only towards the end
of the year was I able to find some time to help on Victorian
and Western Australian SAP prospects and current accounts.
It was a year of great experiences, new challenges and
exciting personal development. My role Australia and New
Zealand as lead for the "Value
Lifecycle Manager" (a sophisticated business
case building platform) allowed me to travel within Australia
and New Zealand to train a few selected customers, a number
of SAP eco-system delivery partners, and all of our internal
Sales staff on how to use the tool. I provided many training
sessions which were attended by over 200 people during
the year.
That's
it from my side for now. I hope you enjoyed reading the
update and looking at the snapshots. I wish you a happy,
lucky, healthy, and successful 2010.
Live
your dreams, Victor
Victor-Andreas
März Master
of International Business
Monash University
