General Category
Video Blog #3
Here it is folks, the next installment in the series of video blogs for this site. It’s a bit of a hodge-podge. Just a series of videos from the past few weeks. Just hit the link below and enjoy!
Recipe for Awesomeness
Take 6 crew, 25 sailing enthusiasts, a 75 foot America’s Cup yacht and the Sydney Harbor. Shake vigorously. Serve under blue skies with a selection of fruits and sandwiches. Best enjoyed with legs overboard.
Manly
With everyone recovering from the huge night that was my Birthday, we decided to head to Manly yesterday. Getting around 10 people together and moving as one is a big enough ask at the best of times, but stick a bunch of wayward, hungover backpackers together, most of whom speak broken English and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Our aim was to hit Manly around 11am. We didn’t leave the hostel till about 12 lunchtime, and then took close to an hour to walk from Central to Circular Quay. All this was in good fun, and we did finally make it. I spent a while on the beach, then headed to the pub for a couple of quiet brews while the others sunbaked.
We capped off the night with an impromptu barbeque on Shelly Beach with some great entertainment provided by Jamie’s massive cooking effort. Later I watched the stars and contemplated the infinite of space alone on the lookout at the Heads. At least I got the last ferry back to town, which cannot be said for the rest of the crew.
Birthday Guitars All Round!
Today is my birthday. 27 years young. To celebrate I have burdened myself with a guitar. Just a cheap Ashton with a hardcase. I have missed playing so much, and there are so many people to jam with and learn off I just had to get one. If only the pommie guy in my room would wake up and leave so I could rock out a bit it would be a great day.
Tonight? Probably drinking. I have been drinking way too much, I really need to ease up if I am going to make it through this year with any money and a liver.
Video Blog #1
Right folks: here it is, a quick mash up of the Videos I took from the Big Day Out put to some music. It’s not pretty, but it’ll do. Hit the “See Photo Gallery” link to watch and enjoy!
Yesterday
Waking from a nightmare. Sleeping in till 11am. Moving from the top bunk to the bottom. Watching people in the foyer: Gelfling, Broken arm man, Mouse, Strap-em-down woman, The Swedes, The over exuberant group. Making a new friend. Doing my washing and sweating in the laundry. Enjoying the static cling of the clothes from the dryer. Shaving off my beard and regretting it instantly. Sweating more while adventuring along George Street. Crossing the streets against the lights to get out of the sun. Having lunch at Cheers. Trying to make eyes at the blondes in the corner. Marveling at $6.20 pints of Bulmers. Learning that Japanese don’t use normal dates for the year. Shopping in Coles buying stuff I wasn’t hungry for yet. Watching heat ripples over the road. Finishing reading “The Beach”. Donating it to the Give-n-Take, getting a little thrill seeing it gone within 15 minutes. Dominating the in house cook, his schnitzel no match for my Prawn & Chilli linguine. Finding I had been gipped on my oil. Being too full to move, save to get up for a beer. Opening “The Road” by Jack Kerouac. Contemplating the meaning of the song “Someone great” by LCD Soundsystem. Discussing travel, women and music with a Frenchman, some English and a Japanese who I missed saying goodbye to this morning. Walking to Hyde Park in the cooling night air. Stopping at the Side Bar to have one. Having four and dancing to the worst DJ ever. Finding my hat is useful for striking up conversations with girls from Cincinnati. Attempting to get into a free gig in the park by planning a heist. Giving up. Watching the fountain and drinking goon. Getting down to my undies and chasing a dog around the water feature. Playing goon toss in the fountain in front of a cheering crowd. Doing laps of the gardens to get dry. Chatting with my new friends. Winding up the local drunk. Pissing next to some sad discarded Thomas the Tank Engine underpants by a tree, wondering who’s they might have been and why they were there, then choosing not to think about it any more. Playing the bass kick part in a makeshift drum and bass ensemble and rocking it’s socks off. Fretting that the Frenchman had lost his wallet, then being relieved when he found it. Eating Hungry Jacks at 4am and discussing the “Burger King/Hungry Jacks” conundrum. Creeping into my room and breathing out one long breath before finding sleep.
These are all things I did yesterday.
New Camera
After the terrible few shots I got around the place with my camera phone, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new camera.
I ended up getting a Canon Ixus 870IS. Up top is a quick pic I took not know how it works at all, not too bad though. It has a nice wide angled, and pretty bright lens, and is small enough for my pocket.
Anyways, expect some nicer shots featuring in my blog posts… I might need to look into gallery plugins for wordpress hmm…
Morning Sydney, well… afternoon
I had a bit of a sleep in today, I think I deserved it. Last night I had a couple of quiet drinks at the back packers and then to the Side Bar to enjoy $6.80 pints of Heineken and to enquire about work. I think I will apply next week.
Today I am heading into town to meet up with John, my old work friend for lunch. He’s just up in Darlinghurst, which is handy, because I need to catch up with Adam from Birds to get a BDO ticket, and he’s also up there.
After that I need to find a camera, coz using my phone camera just ain’t gonna cut it. Any suggestions? I am looking at getting something reasonably small, shove in your pocket style, with half decent picture quality and ease of use. Needs to be durable too.
Alright, now to start the day.
A Storm is a Brewing
Now that I’ve had a chance to relax, I can ponder the more wonderful things of my day.
I left Perth stressed out. I had people telling me what to do, when to do it, how do things and basically filling me with doubt. I started worrying about accomodation, visas, transport, money, all the things that normally “take care of themselves”. My first step onto the plane wasn’t filled with joy, but with frustration and concern.
And then, the fasten seat belt sign came on, and instantly I was free.
The roar of the engines seemed to frighten off my demons and clear my head and I was only left with good memories of those I am leaving behind. Quite a bizarre feeling.
Anyways, from the metaphysical to the minutiae: I finally checked in at about 1.30pm, had a shower and about half an hours sleep. I then went shopping and for dinner I made myself field mushrooms cooked in garlic butter, with fresh crunchy brocolli and chutney, topped with blue cheese and almonds. I topped it off with a beer while watching a storm roll in over the city.
I’m currently reading “The Beach” by Alex Garland, and listening to, as always when I am on holidays, Sigur Ros.
I might down a couple more beers, and if the storm has passed, swing over to the Side Bar to see if anything is going down, but for now I’ll just enjoy the thunder.
Press Start to Begin…
Well people, it has finally happened. At 12.45am this morning, Perth time I strode onto Virgin Blue flight DJ438 and started my adventure across the globe. What lies in store for me is not really planned. I am trying not to plan much at all. I have a basic itinerary of flights but they are subject to change. To put it simply I am winging it.
Right at this very moment I am sitting in the Railway YHA in Sydney, a backpackers I have enjoyed staying at a few times before. Much to my delight I found a picture I drew and stuffed into a glass topped table around July, 2008! While it seems much of the items that travellers feel compelled to leave under the tables have been removed, mine has been kept.
Is this a sign of how the rest of my adventure will go? I would hope so.