Torture Me

As much as I could try not to mention it, the girls finally remembered to buy some wax for my forfeit. So Sunday evening for me was spent on the couch with everyone taking turns to whip off the paper strips. I kept my pride ( as much as was feasibly possible) and didn't let out a peep, as much as I wanted to, when the strip on the back of my knee was taken off. So now I have one leg with, and one without hair. Which has kinda scuppered my jogging plans for the next few weeks as I try to train for the City to Surf run in August... As part of the deal the other leg has to remain hairy for 3 weeks. Though it has given me quite an insight as to what women do in the pursuit to avoid looking like a big hairy yeti.

Once the sting had subsided, the girls gone to bed, Flee & me headed off to Kings Cross, pretty much Londons equivalent on most levels - the only reason for this - late night opening in the sports bars. Having only seen Leeds Utd once on telly since leaving the UK, I couldn't wait to see them play Watford in the playoff final - with a place in the Premiership up for grabs. With Leeds form average of late, and Watfords much better - I kept a level head and didn't expect to much of the mighty whites. 90 minutes on a chopped up pitch, 3 goals without reply and the most pathetic/comical referree substitution later, Leeds were condemned to another year in the Championship league while Elton Johns hornets have moved on up and outta there.

One of the most memorable days of my trip - but not for any particularly great feelings. The cool mornings were all the cooler behind one trouser leg compared to the other.
There's a moral to this story, don't drink and make silly bets kids.

I'm Forever Blowin' Bubbles

After some fruitless job hunting, I was finally rewarded with a quick break; a one week contract updating some content at a recruitment firms intranet. However I wasn't to start that for a good few days so I was left with a few problems to solve in the mean time.

The weekend came and we hit the town pretty hard. I had for some reason agreed to a bet earlier in the week whereby I wasn't allowed to dance for 3 weeks. If I suceeded, Flee would have to grow a single arm pit of hair, and wear all the sleeveless tops she had. If I didn't succeed, I would lose all the hair beneath my right knee.

I made it through one night of dance music, chatting with some mates but still finding it difficult not to tap my feet. 3 days later, half way through one beer, I was caught doing an impersonation of Dr Evil in Austin Powers 2. I was to be half hairless. More of that to follow.

Nick made it into Sydney after his trip around the Australian South Coast. Lucy, Nick and I met up and I gave the now legendary "Luke-tour" of Sydney. This time with an extended walk through the Botanical gardens. A beauty of a day really helped set off the cities highlights.

So then, FA Cup fever took agrip - well it didn't really, but I knew it was on and was hoping to be able to give some support from the otherside of the world to the valiant Hammers for getting to the final with Liverpool. Sadly, sharing with a flat full of girls has its draw backs too. The time they had gotten ready, and we'd gone to a first pub for warm up drinks - the flow of taxis was in hot demand, so by the time we made it to the city it was half time. Alas, I wandered into the Irish bar, where stood a few dozen paddy Liverpool fans - I was to be the only Hammer rep there. Most of you will know what happened then - Stephen Gerrard scored a wonder goal, and then penalties, the Scousers were victorious - and I had an Irish ale shower.

On Tuesday 16th I started the day with a job interview, a stones throw from the Sydney Opera House and ended it somewhere completely different. For some really annoying reasons, I had to fly into New Zealand before the end of May else my work permit would become invalid and I wouldn't be able to obtain another. So I booked a quick return trip to Silver Fern country. Departing at 6.45pm I once again took the skies. As I flew in I was given a brief look at the snow capped mountains; illuminated by the moonlight. A good buzz ruined only when I arrived and virtually immediately got taken in by the Customs squad. I was a suspected drug runner... only for the fact I had no suitcase, and was staying for only one day. An hour later (and thankfully no rubber glove treatment), I was free to go - not that I had anywhere to go since my bed was to be in front of the check in counter.

5 hours later I awoke and checked in. A swift flight back across the Tamzan sea and I was back in Sydney. The beauty of these trips I always thought - would be having no luggage, and no waiting to get the aforementioned stuff. Wrong. As I bowled on through to Customs, I was again stopped and given a grilling as to why I had no bags, and why I'd only been gone for about half a day. Grrrrrr. Ah well, I arrived back at 11am and used the rest of the day to sunbathe.

After visiting an agency again, I met up with the girls, Tom, Nick & Lucy at the Orbit bar - for more drinks as we watched the city rotate past us. Nick stayed around for a beer as we clinked bottles for the last time in Australia until New Zealand. He and Lucy left for the East Coast that evening.

The following day I finally did my first days civilised work. Although a little dull, as "Intranet PDF Administrator" (which still makes me chuckle) I got used to being in an office, and indeed being located smack in the middle of an awesome city. I took this job; provisionally 5days to get some rent money rolling in before I get a decent position.

With myself and the girls only just re-entering the world of work, free entertainment was certainly a bonus. I'd spotted an add for the Surry Hills Street Festival. So on Saturday afternoon we trundled off to check it out. Being the festival hound I am, I wasn't sure what to anticipate - with it being located inner city and without a big *Insert Huge Name Sponser here* to pay the rent. There were hundreds of market stalls packed with anything from T-shirts and sunglasses, to Lebanese food, airbrush tattoos and Krispy Kreme donuts. The music was surprisingly good, with a DJ stage, rockers stage and a Jack Johnson wannabe chillout stage; which is where we found ourselves munching the delights we'd found and supping beers or coke. The Australian East Coast Winter chill finished the fun at sundown.

Autumn Shade

As most people reading this will presumably be enjoying some improving weather, things are of course moving in the opposite direction here. The leaves are falling, the temperatures have started to force jumper wearing on a regular basis and pretty soon I'll probably be in the mood to go Christmas shopping.

Though after around 6½ months, I finally had somewhere to put my things and call home. I've now settled into a routine of cooking, grocery shopping and cleaning my clothes myself. The routine has also come at a cost of being what seems like a million times less active (in terms of sight seeing/venturing into the great unknown). However I've had my time taken up by job hunting. A little more effort than I first figured it might be, I have now secured my first work (not in a chicken factory this time!). I was offered the position yesterday, though in my spare mornings/afternoons I've also managed to cover most of Sydneys Central Business District and a little further afield too:

The Sydney skyline is just about dominated by the SkyTower. This construction has various tourist attractions including a bar which rotates giving 360 views of the city. However, for some reason it closes at 4.30, so when we arrived at 4.20 we decided not to bother. As consolation, we found another tower (maybe 40metres shorter) that has its own spinning bar. The views as the sun set were quite amazing, and of course - for 2 beers to literally make the room spin, the value for money was great too.

The great thing about living so close to the beach, is the options the coast gives you for some great Sunday morning walks. We live at one end of the infamous Bondi to Coogee walk. The other direction gives a shorter walk toward South Coogee, though this is more fun as you have to cross boulders with the waves beside you threatening to soak your clothes right through.

In Coogee itself, I'm spoiled for choice with 2 great pubs, a small supermarket and a videoshop (not to mention more eateries than I care to mention). Five-O's has become a tri-weekly institution offering a 300g Steak and Mash for $5 (about 2.30 Stirling) - it's surprisingly good too. Of course there is the beach, coastal walks, natural baths and rugby/cricket oval but what Coogee specialises in - is hills. I'm not joking - for anyone who has selected "hill-walk" on the tread-mill in the gym - and wandered where on earth would be so hilly; it's Coogee. Never mind buns of steel, my buns have already surpassed that and are headed for the diamond level of toughness.

I've also made trips to the Botanical gardens, had tea and scones by the Opera house, visited the NSW Library, holding the World Press Photographic exhibiton.

I was getting close to tearing my hair out after so much time floating the world free; suddenly constrained to the system of job hunting and being firmly routed to the same residence. So I decided to take a trip to Sydneys humble beginnings - now the second Central Business District; Paramatta. Flea and I took the RiverCat and headed up stream and inland for an hour. My Lonely Planet described the main sites and gave a heads up on what to expect. We saw one of the first European residences still standing, and the old parliament building (not much bigger than a medium sized house) dating back through all of Australias short history. The most fun was an Aboriginal pathway however. 800metres of riverside decorated with Abo artwork which actually tells a story as you walk it (It would seem that the Mods made it on their Vespas here too). After a walk through the park, I had a stroll around the shops before catching the train back into Sydney Central.