Tennis and chilling in Melbs

The Australian Open, Melbourne 2009

So the morning of the main attraction rolled around. A few months back I'd seen an ad for the Melbourne Open on Ticketek and the rest of this trip spanned from there. I'd never been to see live professional tennis before so I was really looking forward to it. To make it even better, the beenie requiring temperatures at Phillip Island were totally obliterated and the mercury shot into the mid thirties. I would take a hat next time, but for the most part I was pretty comfortable most of the day; sweating aside :P

On a sadder, side note, this heat we experienced was the beginning of a very fatal heat wave that would grip Victoria for the next month or so, and take thousands of home and hundreds of lives. My respects to the emergency services and sympathy's to all involved are well and truly out there.

Lauren and I took a tram ride to the centre of Melbourne before walking along the Yarra to the Rod Laver Arena. We eventually found our gate and once again I was 'forced' into smuggling camera equipment in - due mainly to incompetent door men (my stuff was legit I tell yuz!). I've been out of the sporting loop for a little too long and soon realised that I only knew a handful of pro names - where did Sampras, Kournikova and McEnroe go!? (I jest). We checked out a bunch of games mainly starring home grown talent since the atmosphere was at it's best. I can seriously recommend this as a day out - $30 to watch some awesome quality tennis in the searing heat at a top class sporting facility. It was ace - just remember to stay well hydrated.

The atmosphere was truly awesome, the Aussie home fans getting right behind their home-grown talent, and between the courts, the buzz was that of pure fun. A great mix of people; ages gender and class were there en masse.



When we'd taken as much of the heat as we could, it was time to head off home. Sweaty as the day had made us, a shower was definitely called for before heading out for the evening meal. A tasty piece of meat with the setting sun shining intensely at us was definitely an idyllic way to see today out.

Afterwards, my old Sydney housemate Aaron came along and met us at the Crown Casino where only Louise (Aarons Girlfriend) would come out up - $100 on the WHEEL! Still, everyone was a winner with $10 cocktails... very nice.

For our final day in Melbourne, it was time to take in some of the sights of the shops, side street cafes and a final trip to St Kilda Beach (now it would be quieter). After a coffee & Eggs Benedict brekkie, I managed to do what I do best whilst shopping, and scalp out a bargain or two before we moved on. We checked out some of the infamous street grafitti before wandering through thee Melbourne GPO (General Post Office- which now houses designer shops and not much post office). I purchased a pair of Camper shoes, in the sales naturally - and was recommended to hit a roof top bar by the guy behind the counter. We duly searched the place out and was totally stoked that we did, for we got to see some amazing views of the city whilst sipping back on a coke under the comfort of a sun-shade.

From here, we decided to head back out to St Kilda beach. It was now Tuesday, and the crazy rush of the weekend had now passed. We were able to sit and dine on a La Roche lunch (something I did those years ago when I first visited the joint). Though in fairness, the in house beer was pretty dodgy - the chicken was great though!

We took a bit more of a stroll about the place, sat with a juice on the beach and appreciated the afternoon sunshine as the last day of holiday I would be taking until August... at least then I would be in positive annual leave, for the first time since January 08.

As is now tradition, we would need to hot-foot it to the airport to get on our plane. This trip was no exception, a tram back to the city, and a cab caught at peak rush hour (no easy task whilst carrying all the luggage) and we managed to get to the departure lounge with a few minutes to spare. No thanks to the gnarky Virgin Blue Hostess who checked us in.

Melbourne is awesome. This was to be the longest holiday I'd take for over a year, so it was a little sad to be headed back so soon... though it was helped a little knowing I had a couple of decent gigs in the pipeline.

Penguins

Melbourne, Victoria

Just under 3 years ago, I visited Melbourne as part of my route around Australia backpacking. Back then, I experienced the Commonwealth Games, Wilsons Prom and the Great Ocean Road. So it has been since then, that I figured I'd love to go back and experience some more and last October, I booked some dirt cheap flights to the tune of $60 each way from Sydney to Melbourne.

So last Friday night, Lauren and I arrived at Tullarmarine airport and embarked on our next adventure. Bright n early Saturday, we awoke and headed in via a tram to the centre of the city. We'd both only been once before and so it was cool to re-aquaint ourselves with the surroundings before heading to the car rental place to pick up our rental (toy) car. I bracket toy - as this is all I can really call a Kia Rio (What the?) - it feels like the whole thing is made of plastic. Regardless it drives okay, at least when I'm not stamping my clutch foot down sharply on the brakes at 70kmph :P

Phillip Island is located South East of the city, and is home to the annual Australian MotoGP - which I only really knew from playing way too much MotoGP2 on my old Xbox. We headed to the track for a look before checking out some of the rugged headlands. The temperature was remarkebly cooler than Sydney today, although the Sun would later come out and warm things up - but we'd left 30 degrees behind to get to about 19 degrees...

The evening rolled around after an afternoon dedicated to sealife and ornithology, and it was time to do our Ultimate Penguin tour. Phillip Island is famed for it's wild penguins that return from the Ocean each night. The "Little Penguins" are the smallest of the 11 worldy Penguin breeds and have a funky blue back. We hiked down on to one of the beaches and were placed on our matts to watch as the phenomenon occurred. Sure enough to form, the window of opportunity that allows the penguins a safe trip onto land came by; by night the owls will get 'em, and by day the regular birds of prey will happily feast on Penguin Burgers and Fries.

After 10-15 had wondered past us, we too took a waddle back to the car park, along the way seeing even more of the little critters heading up to 1.5kms in land... that would be painfully annoying with legs that short I'd imagine.

Sunday dawned and after returning the Kia, we set about seeing some shops, checking out the riverside and the casino before jumping on a tram to meet up with my old (well, kinda new-old)housemate Aaron. We took a look at the St Kilda markets before sucking back on cokes at the beach in the warm afternoon sun. Things were certainly warming up.

Azz, showed us back to his place before we slipped off for a walk home via Albert Park - the venue of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. Around the lake, along the track and across the golf course we arrived back in our hotel before heading out for dinner at the infamous Lygon Street. We ate Italian and drank white wine until the staff wanted us out and the half way point of our weekend was done.

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Mount Hotham, Victoria

This year has seen some records broken in Australian weather. The tropical Gold Coast resort of Surfers Paradise recorded its first EVER sub zero temperatures during the crack of dawn. Sydney has also been really cold, rivalling Wintery days of my homeland. However with the last few weeks, the clouds and low temperatures have fallen away. The sun is once again shining and I've been able to lose my jacket whilst wondering the city streets. This week though, I couldn't wait to be cold again. The destination and reason: Mt Hotham, Victoria - snowboard riding.

As I left my final client in Bondi Junction, I got a call from Az asking if I was gonna be late (as per usual), fortune was on my side as I stepped straight on a bus that would drop me at the end of my road. Pretty soon, Todd had joined us and we had his car packed with our boards, clothes and supplies.

We were united with Wedgie, Alison and Rog but just had one Lowen to arrive... Human tetris on YouTube helped pass those final moments of city confinement. Then the fun started... 6 hours driving to Albury, with the most amazing bouts of 20 questions you'd come across, and err Maccas... Luckily, at some point around the time we crossed the state border of New South Wales to Victoria, I fell asleep in the back for around 2hours (a rarity for me) and combined with the other 5hours sleep I got in a bed at Wedgies parents place, I was set for my first days riding.

So after a ridiulously early start, we arrived at Mount Hotham at around 9ish, parted with "I don't want to think about how much" for a 3day lift pass and set about cutting some new lines. Initially, I was pretty disappointed with the snow quality. It's not that there wasn't much of it, more so that it had rained the day before and made it all incredibly wet and slushy - like the stuff you see packed around fresh fish at the local mongers. So after the least enjoyable days riding I can ever remember (all aside from a day of rain in Austria 05), I wasn't hopeful of much for Hotham.

Luckily, we brought a good party to Victoria and the mood wouldn't be dampened by a bit of rain. Myself and Aaron kicked off the long weekends cook fest with some chicken fajitas. Several beers each later, the physicality of the day and the extended travel meant every one was soon crashed out.

A second days riding didn't offer much hope first off. The lower temps had given the pistes a bullet proof sheen which would finally soften up after lunch and allow for some fun, though still not much. The sun was out for a while though, and my riding mood most definitely improved. A late arvo whiteout would provide the best find of the day though. Todd and myself headed where there were no people. Skiers right off the Heavenly Valley lift descended a short way under the cloud line, and a clear lightly covered gulley awaited.

Rog and Todd stepped up to the wheels of fire and prepared one of the most memorable meals of all time... Goulash. Several hours of cooking time ensured everyone was pretty well 'relaxed' by the time the food was served up, it finally arrived and was gobbled up by everyone around the table. It wasn't the last we'd experience of the wonderful delights of goulash though. uh uh.

Day 3 - a dump! a whopping 10mm of snow meant there was at least something to cut out the icy sounds booming up with every turn, and finally, we could start to appreciate the terrain that Hotham had to offer. Snowmaking was now full steam ahead too, and so it was technically snowing all day long.

That wasn't the only dump that started the day off though... on their first visit to the little boys room, certain members of the party were once again re-united with the familiar smell of last nights goulash... and one member in particular would be sniffing that oh so distinctive, pungent smell all day. On just about every lift. And just about everytime his jacket puffed out some air - that smell would be there to haunt he and all around him... for the next 36hours. He wasn't impressed, nor was the poor woman that had to share a room with 3 croaking guys for 4days... ah, heck, why talk in the third person eh!?

So back to day 3's riding... and, well, it made me realise just how great a resort Hotham really is. By far the best of the 3 Australian ones I've been to thus far, the terrain is varied and interesting with something for all snow sports lovers... except maybe air quality (during my stay in the village). By late afternoon, our lift tickets were dwindling to an end, and we just had to make the most of the heavily falling snow as it made the pistes and back country great fun to ride in. That snow continued to fall, on and off most of the night... until the early hours.

Most of the gang headed out to Jack Frosts, though we soon moved on the General Store as we'd heard there was some kinda band playing a gig there. And indeed there was, though what the guy singing was like, I have not much recollection... as the night slipped into morning just as the twanging guitar strums slipped into a bangin' DJ set. I'm thinking it was about 3.30am when Todd and I made it back to our rooms; heck we didn't have to get up for anything the next day!?

7.10am day 4, I start to stir. I'd fallen asleep in the clothes I went out in the night before (always nice). I felt like a small rodent had taken up residence in my head...

7.14am day 4, Lowen, who had been sensible enough to boycott the previous nights musical frivolities looks out the window of our room and notices the 15cm dump of snow. He comes back past my bed and says "I'm off for a ski". I says "really?". "Yup". So within 90 seconds, I'd whipped on my board riding gear and was out that door quicker than a round of jagers being emptied.

With no valid lift passes, we'd have to be careful... and the fact we had to vacate our rooms by 10am. This meant 2 things. We'd have to go hard and fast to make this early morning jaunt worthwhile and I'd just have to deal with the overriding feeling in my head and gut.

Fortune favours the brave they say. I'd say I was pretty brave since I coulda blown chunks at any moment. But instead was blown away by this quality snowfall... this quality snowfall that we would have to rape and pillage, before leaving it to the sleepy heads that still had time left on the mountain.

Myself and Lowen duly left our mark on several runs, and managed to not get challenged by any lifties... our conscience' were clear after the amount we'd paid for lift passes... and it was now time to wrap up our time on the mountain.

9hours back in a car to Sydney, via Wedgies folks place, who put up an awesome mid trip meal... and I was dreaming of snowy times ahead... though this time - 5months ahead. Time to get some gym time in.

Thanks again to everyone involved... see you in the video; coming soon.