Studying in a Pub

Firstly I must say that this is not just any pub, it is my favorite Adelaide pub – the Belgian beer café. Really good beer, good chips and a great atmosphere. I say in Adelaide, my favorite pub in the world is yet to be decided – but I will let you know when I find it.

I have been doing a bar course, which I am hoping will get me work in other parts of the world – mostly Europe, and therefore in studying for my bar course, I thought it was probably appropriate to study in a bar. I chose the Belgian for the above reasons, as well as the fact that I love Leffe Brune beer. It is great. Blonde is not too bad either… but I’ve definitely developed a taste for the brune. Some people may argue the differences betwixt the two, but in the end its how you identify yourself.

I have found that 1-2 beers while revising for a bar course do wonders for the memory, however today, while doing a practice for the STAT test, I discovered that its not so good for cognitive and problems solving skills. Good thing the STAT test isn’t held in a pub.

There is also something very… European about sitting in a pub with my backpack, and a study folder… not to mention a laptop… I don’t know… that’s how it feels anyway. Again, not having been to Europe as yet, I’ll let you know how it feels for real when I get there.

Speaking of Europe, I went and paid my travel insurance today. Got a good deal from the guys at YHA travel and QBE insurance. Firstly I won, by default, a competition which I entered the other night when I went to a travel tips and tricks night at the Adelaide YHA. It was one of those things where you put your name on a sheet with your email address and they call you if you’ve won… one of those things where you’re never sure if everyone has won or if its just you… but anyway, got a phone call from one of the ladies there saying that the person who’d won the prize had already bought their travel insurance and mine was the only other name she’d remembered from the night, and she’d thrown the paper with all the names on away… 2 things spring to mind as curious about this statement… one is that my phone number was on the sheet that she’d claimed to have thrown away, and the other is why did the person who already had travel insurance put their name down for the competition in the first place? But not being one to complain, (not when its something that seems like a good deal anyway) and someone who’s always up for a bargain, I went in and bought my Travel insurance from them. The prize consisted of 31 days travel insurance which they took off the price of my 12 month travel insurance, and then on top of that, as I am a member of the YHA, I got an extra %25 off on top. So something that I figured was going to cost me about $1400 - $1600 ended up costing me the princely sum of $996. This includes snowboarding cover and excess buy out (which means if I have to make a claim I don’t have to pay the extra $100 every time!).

Anyone who doubts the need for travel insurance should take the advice of the guys at the travel night “if you cant afford travel insurance you can’t afford to travel” and also… you probably don’t know me; If I fail to lose something, get it stolen, break it, or injure myself or someone else in the process of the next 12 or more months of travel you should send me a medal or something… its bound to happen. Even at the bar course last night… I knew I was going to spill the tray of drinks (water thank goodness) and sure enough… good thing I was already sunburned, cause I would have had a very red face otherwise.

*coughs* anyway... getting onto Europe as was my initial plan... right now looking at a brochure for a 45 day Contiki tour. Expensive but looks so much fun... and you only live once. I'm pretty sure I'll be doing that. If you take out the accommodation and food costs, plus travel costs on a nice heated bus, its going work out quite well - plus you don’t spend 45 days with a bunch of people without making some pretty good friends. I think that’s what is important to me, making some life long friends. Plus this tour takes you to Troy and THE BIG WOODEN HORSE! How can I not go?

Anyway… That just about concludes my notes from the Belgian beer Café… as enjoyable experience as it has been…

One note to close with… a pet hate of mine is people snorting their own snot back down their throat and swallowing loudly. Makes me want to spew… and punch people forcibly in the throat… It seems to be happening more and more lately, maybe it’s the changing of the seasons and colds are rife, but really people; if you have snot, blow it out, don’t eat it. It can’t be good for you…