“Unlocking” the phone

I’m thinking of getting a new phone, but since the present one is still working well, I may re-purpose it.  Catch?  It’s still “locked” to Telstra, and if it is re-used, it won’t be on the Telstra network.  It’s been nearly a year since it qualified for free unlocking, so not a problem, do  I hear?   Just  get the “Network Unlock Code” from Telstra and enter the code when the phone asks for it (after the new network’s SIM is inserted).

Ahh….getting something from Telstra?   Since when was that meant to be easy.   Nothing on the Telstra web-site set out the process for this, but on digging more deeply, it seemed that I had to ring Telstra.    This I did, to be met by a series of recordings suggesting that I ought to resolve my “problem” via the app or website – perhaps by using the “chat” function (on the website).   Circular?   Of course.  Nevertheless, I did attempt the chat function.   But in Telstra’s case, this just gives automated responses, not the “live chat” with a real person that I’ve encountered occasionally elsewhere, which hasn’t been too bad.   And what did these automated responses say?    Yes, “ring Telstra”.   So I persisted and, this time ignoring the suggestions that there were better ways of resolving the issue than by hanging on, I got to speak to a real live person.

Well, she was helpful, but there’s always a “but”.   The “Unblock Code” has to come from the phone’s manufacturer!   The process is that Telstra has to request it (which she did), then I have to wait till it turns up – in 7 to 10 days time!     So — still waiting.

Covid test

S is due to have a minor day procedure at Cabrini in a couple of days time.    She was informed that she had to have a covid test 2 or 3 days beforehand.    This seems to be a new requirement, but I suppose we are living in “different” times.    It was suggested that she should go to the testing facility being operated by Cabrini down in Glenhuntly Road.

It turns out that there was good reason for this suggestion.     On arriving, there were separate queues for anyone who just walked in and for people who had an upcoming procedure at Cabrini (and for Cabrini staff).    Although the queue for “public” tests wasn’t too long, the queue on the “Cabrini” side was even less – in fact, there was no queue, she walked straight up to the registration desk. So everything happened very quickly. She was out of the place within minutes.

 

 

Reduced banking hours

I’m afraid that I just don’t  “get” why the reduction in trading hours of bank branches reduces the spread of covid, as stated in the notices.    If anything, I would have thought that it would be the opposite, because the customers have to crowd in during the remaining hours that the branch is open.

I can’t help thinking that the banks have got another agenda here, under the cover of covid.   Are they trying to discourage us from using the branches (by “encouraging” us to go on-line and/or use ATMs more)?  And/or are they reducing their staffing requirement is some way?

Sure, if the banks have an “agenda”, that’s their right (I may or may not agree with it).  But it’s hypocritical to use covid as a cover.

 

 

Vaccinations?

There’s been a lot in the media about “compelling” people to be vaccinated against Covid.   Both of us are fully vaccinated, and I can see the need to get as many people vaccinated as possible – otherwise there doesn’t seem a way out of this covid issue (at least, a perceived way out).   Just the same, deep down I have reservations about making vaccinations “compulsory”.

It is true, that in order for our society to function, we each must accept constraints on the way we live.  We have to hold a licence to drive a car and we’ve accepted that people with covid shouldn’t be out-&-about in the community.    Hence, although it’s a balancing act and yet another incremental step, in the circumstances perhaps we must accept the need for vaccinations in order to do certain things – but only for as long as it’s necessary.  And it ought not to be taken as a precedent for further incursions into our lives in the future.

But to put these comments into perspective, I received an email from Air New Zealand.  Yes, AirNZ too are going to require vaccinations as a condition of travel – but the directive states —

“… from 1 February next year, we’ll be asking all international travellers aged 18 and over, arriving or departing Aotearoa, to be fully vaccinated before they board our aircraft.”

From next February?   I wonder if this is because they don’t think there will be any flights until then, or whether the requirement won’t be enforced until then?  Either way, it seems that there’s a country in the world that’s even further behind things than Australia!  Ooops, forgot about Western Australia!

Street trees

Once again this year there are some lovely displays of flowering cherries in the local streets.   Pity that the flowers occur in spring time when it can be breezy and the petals quickly get blown away.

Middle Park

We were down at Middle Park for a coffee (again). It was all quite busy, lockdown or no lockdown. I was impressed with the care the Council is taking with the palm trees along Beaconsfield Pde.

Existing palms

Some palms have been replaced

But in some places, the old palm has been removed but not yet replaced

Daylight Saving

Ooops, the fact that we were starting daylight saving slipped my mind, and I missed my regular Sunday morning zoom service.

Perhaps another manifestation of “lockdown fatigue”?

 

Cashed up

So, the experts say that, because we’re all cashed up, we’ll be out spending it as soon as we can and this will help the post-Covid recovery.    Fair enough, given that the headline was a day or so after the big BHP dividend arrived in our bank account.  And there are certainly a couple of things that I need to buy when the shops re-open.   But “recovery” assumes that we’ll be spending the money in Australia.    Maybe we will, and interstate travel is on our agenda, but as I’ve posted, there seems to be a pent-up demand for travel further afield, such as cruises. 

 Certainly, in our case, we’re  looking at options for overseas travel, although a cruise really isn’t on the horizon.  But the picture on overseas leisure travel is still far from clear – see here.   My hunch is that priority is likely to to be given to skilled migrants, students and the like, so it may be some time before leisure travel is fully restored.  And even then, I’m sure it will be “different”.    Hopefully, we shall see soon.  But, that said, a friend has actually taken the plunge and booked travel to the USA for December (although there are family reasons involved).

EDIT – within a day of posting this post, things had moved on – see here.     It seems that the prospect of overseas travel is being held out to us, in November which is earlier than we had anticipated.    Well, it will be good if it all comes to pass.  In the meantime, we don’t seem to be hearing much about cruises.

Fawkner Park

My exercise/coffee expeditions have taken me over the past year or so to a number of places that I haven’t been to for a long time.    One of these is Fawkner Park. Because it’s only got limited frontages to main roads (Toorak Road West at one end and Commercial Road at the other), it’s easy to overlook that it’s actually quite a large area. However, there aren’t a lot of coffee options, but there’s one across Commercial Road.

A substantial part of it is a dog off leash area, so it’s popular with the dogs!

 

 

 

Bridge over the bridge

Down Glenferrie Road, where it crosses Gardiners Creek, the Monash Freeway in turn crosses both.   A walking/bike track also passes under Glenferrie Road here, alongside the “creek” – although at this point it’s more like a concrete drain.

Old bridge carries Glenferrie Road, newer bridge is Monash Freeway above it

Kooyong tennis stadium is close by