I don't fly for CX but I'm surely hoping you'll welcome me into the forum...
I've dreamed of flying for CX for a very long time...
I've also always known that regular sim checks are in the norm and can be very strenuous - but are they really that hard? I mean... if you've learned the work... isn't the 'Tune you hum' always the same whenever they pull an abnormal-ops on you?
A friend of mine is a recently appointed captain in CX and chose an Adelaide basing. He couldn't be happier (10 years from hired to Captain status).