Yeah!

Oh, this could be worse, really. Much worse. The environment is huge, sure, but the meetings and translation team are a wonderful bunch of total eccentrics (OK, so I fit right in there...). It'll probably take me the whole week to get my bearings as the buildings are all odd-shaped and around a central sort of round bit. As I don't know my right from my left, it can get extremely confusing. In fact (shhhh) I shimmied down to the Underground this morning feeling very pleased and competent and was two stops in the wrong direction before I realised. Hmmm.Have very vague memories of Austria in general - 20 years since I was in Vienna. They're still obsessed with huge desserts (been good so far), and cream in everything (also good, given my expresso-obsession). And noodles and dumplings and wine by the quarter litre (been less good re. the latter but only in the evenings!).With a bit of luck, will be off soon to do a bit of frozen tourist stuff - only 4 pm!

Flu prevention, Swiss fashion

Whilst picking up bras, and having been scared silly about the idea of catching something horrible before I go away (or during), I dropped into the pharmacy to get a few supplies - on the assumption that if I'm equipped, it may not happen. We have new laws about medication, which I'd never really noticed. However:a) what I always took for chesty coughs (capsules, brilliantly effective) have suddenly become 'prescription only'. My pharmacist, who I've known for years, still handed them over, with a muttered comment on the law being an ass. b) what I always took for fever, flu-like symptoms (and gave Leah in Nottingham to great effect), has also changed status. You can buy the 500 mg packets over the counter, but not the 1000 mg ones (and you *need* 1000 mg). Friendly pharmacist again took pity on me, as I pointed out that taking 2 x 500 mg sachets isn't rocket science.c) flu jabs - posters recommend them right left and centre, particularly for asthmatics, which I am. So, I thought, I'll get one. Fine. Except you have to make an appointment with your GP (for mine, you have to be nearly dead to get one within 10 days, and even). No telephone request, you have to be there in person to get a prescription for a flu vaccine. Then you have to go to the pharmacy and buy it. Then you have to get a second appointment with the GP to give it to you. According to the paper the other day, the world of Swiss medicine is wondering why people don't *get* the damn vaccine. I'm sure a lot of us who don't have lots of spare time could answer that.Result: I now have two little phials of this year's anti-flu homeopathic granules to take, which according to friendly pharmacist are just as effective. Cost: about £4. Cost of 2 doctors' appointments and flu jab: at least £60, of which I'd pay the first 10% (and then only *after* my medical bills per year exceed £400, which they never do 'cos I'm rarely ill).Sliding into rant mode here, but as a family we pay over £1,000 every three months for (not very comprehensive and only slightly better than the compulsory minimum) medical insurance. The price increases hugely every year. Why? The more people pay, the more (some of them) tend to go to the doctor, too, to get their money's worth. Meaning the more the insurance companies have to pay out, meaning the insurance goes up and up and up. Bloody ridiculous. Switzerland's economy is a bloody mess overall, in fact, but I'm not going to rant any more. Sam and beaches are awaiting.

Aaarghhhh

Got e-mail from IOC by return saying 'yes, we're interested. Send CV asap'. Did short CV and sent it before I thought better of it, reminding the guy we're away as of next weekend.Do I want this? Do I want the nerves all week before I go on holiday? I wish I knew.As I just told Di, I don't even want to work. I want to be a (rich) slob and write and go swimming and do gardening and make patchwork. Neither do I know if I can cope with having a boss again, particularly one who's sweet but not terribly competent. However, said potential boss (IOC head of translation) is also one of my references for the *** job (he did offer...).However, if the money's good and there's a pension fund, I might be able to keep my mouth shut when required of me. It's gonna take a LOT of negotiation, though, even if I get that far. Ewwwwwwwwwww. What am I *doing*???

Wrapped up and knackered

Just finished a great many pages of minutes, slung them onto the server in Lyon (the one I can't play LJ and AIM on} and have sneaked out to wonderful Mecca of Internet freaks...The Hungarian police, bless 'em, in conjunction with some software company exhibiting at the Congress, have offered EIGHT free telephones and FIFTEEN TOTALLY FREE Internet equipped computers.And now, the night before I go home, I've finally managed to get more than five minutes to play. Nice. So have had long chat to Chris and Mum, looked at LJ, looked at mail, and feel sorta weird down here.Most of the delegates and others have gone to the opera. I HATE opera. Loathe it. Am also tired and was sick of endless people milling around with very VERY omnipresent security. Most unbelievable thing of all - nearest loos required x-ray of handbag and oneself like at airports. Yeah, I know it's necessary, but phew. Hungarian food is five-star. Average male attractiveness ratio higher than usual too. Budapest is totally stunning. Work was stressful, hectic, but had its moments.Am about to be chased out of here, I think, so maybe more ramblings tomorrow when I get home.