Love is in the air

The Wedding of Todd & Anna, Coffs Harbour

With a few crazy days left to complete a list of stuff as long as my arm, Monday through Wednesday were quite hectic, but in a good way. I gave myself a full day to finish off

the Kashmir holiday video and plenty of time to pack etc. By the time Thursday had finished, I’d been able to catch up with Sydney friends and even spend some quality time in the pool.
On Friday morning, Lauren and I travelled up to Coffs Harbour. We’d left much earlier than we should’ve though and wound up crashing out in the rented house near Sap

phire Beach... by the time the other guys arrived, we were pretty much back on track and I’d had a chance to get some beers in. We then headed out via a minibus expertly driven by the Groom (keen to not drink the night before his big day) to one of the local tap houses... yet more reunions with old friends, and meeting of the couples parents too. With a few beers inside us all, we were removed at just the right mo

ment I think... next day was the big one.

It all started round at Ems place (her family home always in Coffs - and what a great place it is!) where her father cooked 20-30 hungry wedding guests a BBQ brekk

ie. With that done, everyone split and begun their routines that had been planned to lead them up to the afternoon ceremony. Before 3 o clock rolled around, me and some of the guys managed to get in a few ocean swims and even a game of beach volleyball. The girls were all busy getting themselves ready when we joined them to throw on our threads and slap on some Brut!
A shuttle bus got us to the Price family home that had been amazin

gly decked out for the occasion, of course my cameras shutter went nuts from the get-go throughout the day. I watched on as the groomsmen got their act together (Todd with Aaron, Wedge & Lowen) and th

en as all the guests started to arrive. There was a great buzz once everyone was waiting for Anna to arrive around the rose petalled garden corner.

Once she did, there were gasps gallore as she walked elegantly around the corner

with her parents. I took a quick glance over at Todd and could see he was exploding inside with emotion, it was seriously awesome to see!
The registrar took the lead and brought up Anna and Todds sisters to read poems to the congregation. Tears were flowing amongst many of the friends and family present.

The moment came, and the pair were kissing having just exchanged rings. The sun was tucked half between the clouds and the hazy blue Coffs sky as the ceremony br

oke for Champagne. The signature ink and bubbles flowed straight after one

another.

Once the photo’s and formalities were done, the guests were shuttled down to the reception venue of the Beach Stone cafe. Leaving a window for me to so a small photo-shoot with the guys... muchos fun.

At the recepti

on, Salmon and Lamb were served after some of the most awesome little aperitifs were gobbled up by everyone before the limelight went to the fathers and best man. After the laughter was done, the dance-floor opened up for Todd and Anna to take a dance... kisses, more tears, and then drunken dance-offs finished off the evening.

Best Wishes to Todd and Anna, the future

holds so much for you guys. Thanks again for letting us be a part of your day.

* * *

The morning after the day before had everyone up at Todds place again for a breakfast, and then the goodbyes began. Many people had flown in from various parts of the cou

ntry and the world, and some had to start leaving as early as midday. This was a

lso an emotional part of the weekend for me too, having to say goodbye to some amazing mates that I've come to know over the last several years living in Sydney.

A few of us took another ocean swim, which would turn out to be my last of these for the foreseeable future. An easy Sunday followed where I also got to show off my Kashmir snow video (2years in the waiting!). A delicious BBQ grill finished things off nicely before an early start of high emotion saying goodbye to my friends.

A few hours after arriving home, I discovered from our agents that the flights we were expecting to be on the following day had been bumped much later in the day - it opened up a large portion of our remaining days for some slightly more relaxing things like topping up sun-tans and playing with the dogs.

This bonus day was a blessing in disguise, we were totally ready to go, so all we could do, was swim and bask in the sun, for the final time this year or next. Later that day, we moved heavy baggage into the back of Laurens dads car and it was time for another of those emotionally charged points in life... till check-in, and then the walk around the security clearance point of no return.

You've been awfully good to me Australia, I can't wait to be back.

Far From Grace

Bucks Weekend, Melbourne, Vic

After a 5 day countdown that now seems synonymous with finishing at any job, I had massively increased excitement levels due some awesome upcoming travel plans starting virtually the minute I finished work on Friday 27th November.

After stopping by my office to hand in my mobile phone, I met with Lauren who treate

d me to a beautiful Thai meal in

Haymarket. The two of us toasted to our finished jobs and what laid ahead of us in the coming months. I have to pay special mention to Chat Thai... busy as anything but worth the perseverance with reservations or a long wait.

6am Saturday morning I was heading

off for the first of 6 flights over the next month. I arrived in Melbourne at about 8.45 and was soon cabbing to the city centre to be re-united with, well, basically all the boys I’ve really come to know and call my friends in my time so far in Australia. It was Todds bucks

weekend and thus everyone had their party hats on ready for the carnage and fun about to unravel. Todd was of course, in the dark about it all. After pacting (whateve

r happens on bucks, stays on bucks) I will of course be recounting a very wholesome experience and will not mention what people did in toilets, who got physically removed from night clubs, nor who couldn’t handle any more booze on the follow up day.

We travelled out of Melbourne together and got cabs out to a Clay Pigeon shooting centre... here we were instructed on how to shoot shot guns at moving fluro orange targets before we were picked into teams school-boy style. 4 teams split and then moved around a course of 8 clay launchers. Our team, the Teenage mutant ninja turtles (dedicat

ed to the team captains love of a VB tinny), quite frankly, kicked arse and won the group stage no problemo :P Everyone had a go under pressure from a full crowd to shoot 2 clays launched at the same time - TMNT managed them all bar one ;)

After this... memory becomes hazy... but something of a random women who loved to remove clothing each time the buck made a s

hot... I’m not sure, actually, I think I’m just hallucinating in my thoughts there... there was no random women. No Cherries.

The gun club then became our first pub of the day, and with cheap beer, no one would complain. Todd was dressed as a homeless and challenged to sell some Big Issues at the follow on pub.

Jonesy, Kingsley, Jarrad and myself got to Transport before the rest, and duly carried on drinking activities... at this point, ‘just beer’ became Snakebites, Jagers, Scotch and needless to say I was pretty well on my way by the time everyone else showed up... they must’ve missed the memo, but most went home to get changed and look pretty. Soft :P

Transport became Lounge bar for some at something like 9 or 10pm, Wedge, Cam and myself moved on about

10 and wound up meeting everyone at the Croft Institute - I science lab themed bar down one of the Melbourne’s back streets... some crazy moves busted before retiring to Whopper meals with all the other drunkards at 3, 4 or 5am...

and sleep...

Next morning we headed to the South Bank on the river for Breakky. Some very dusty heads on most shoulders but big breakfasts seemed to do the trick in getting back on track. Into the casino, Lowen managed to win a bunch of cash while the rest of us struggled to remain standing upright... next up - 10 pin bowling!

I don’t recall a day where I was in a bowling alley, kids parties around me and I’m with 15 guys (by this point- spare a thought for fallen comrades) and smashing back jagers and beers... and I’m sure Todd won’t recall a day where he got bowled down the alley by his buddies.

I wish I could tell more, it seems so, err, responsible... hey hum.

I hopped on the return flight back to Sydney with some of the guys and contemplated what my head would feel like in the morning... on my first glorious day of unemployment!

The Kids are Sick Again

Maximo Park, The Metro, Sydney

On what was quite a memorable day even before it began, I got to see one of my recent favourite bads for a second time in Sydney. Friday 13th, unlucky for some, but not Lauren who finally got to tell her HR department what she thought of an awful

manager that she’d had the misfortune of working with for the past year, on her final days exit interview.

As Lauren recalled the questions and a

nswers over a 6pm drink, we relaxed before heading out for a Seafood Paella and jug of Sangria. I hadn’t had crab since the last time I visited VietNam so it was great to get dirty at dinner shelling a crustacean.

As we finished up dinner, we scuttled across George Street and into the Metro, I think I’ve been 10-15times now, to Sydneys most used tour venue for British bands (so it would seem!). With beers in hand, we welcomed on stage the Sunderland guitar/keyboard band.

A little over theatrical the frontman may have been, he kinda has to be to make up for some really flat stage presence from other members of the band. Regardless,

they can play live, and they have written a bucket load of songs that I have loved over the past 5 years of so.

We cab-charged home and let a certain ex-employer worry about the $90 cab fair.

-

The rest of the weekend was spent out in the Shire getting our acts ready for the impending weekends of mayhem before we finally jet off for a holiday en route to the UK.

We took a bushwalk to prepare us for upcoming trekking in December, and made our way down to the river near Laurens parents home. Hundreds of yellow wild flowers were out. The day was around 28degrees so it didn't take long for the sweat to start pouring... well worth it though.

An evening watching 2012 at the movies... set the pace for the remainder of the weekend... cheap n cheerful :)

Baby You can Drive my Car

Bathurst 1000, NSW

A car race. The car race; as far as most of Australia's V8 SuperCar following are concerned. 1000kms raced on a Sunday for a place in the history books... Ford Vs Holden (GM/Vauxhall/Opal).

We headed up on the Friday after work for the weekend, and after about 4 hours of driving, we arrived in Bathurst and shacked up for the night with some family friends. The following morning, we headed to the track, and got acclimatised to the corporate box with free beer/food that would be our home for the weekend.

We were fortunate enough again, to have a contact of someone in the pitlane, so I got to have a nose up close to one of the Bathurst racers. A ver

y well oiled machine. The excitement amongst the fans was obvious the entire time, with all the guys around attempting to out-stat one another with Bathurst race history. Everyone's first question to you: "Ford or Holden", to which I would reply "Honda".

Some exciting stuff, including some fires in the pit lane and some spectacular crashes, the weather was so-so, so the beers and photography took a front seat. We ended the final day of qualifying, very drunk indeed and hit the hay looking forward to the big race-day. A Holden had made it to the front row of the pit with about 4 Fords breathing down its neck.

Race day came, and some of the most exciting stuff was the air show where some military jets paraded along the finish straight at eye-level; quite a rush! As the track flooded with sponsors and officials, I figured "there are so many people down there, they wouldn't notice an extra one", so I tried my luck. I managed to slip past a dopey security guard and I was on the starting grid with the drivers, pit crews and everyone else it would seem. I behaved myself, got some pictures and legged it. The race started, and with around 5hours of lapping to go, I was getting quite into it. Lots of thrills and spills littered the laps and eventually, it would be the same Holden that got Pole, that would take the Bathurst 1000 crown. A fun weekend, especially for all rev-heads...

Robbie Fowler comes to Sydney,

Okay, so he's ageing and is never gonna be anywhere near his Anfield best - but it was kinda cool to have a big name coming to play in an A League game for a change. Fowler signed a deal to play with North Queensland Fury, a brand new team who only started out life this season. Until tonight, they hadn't managed to secure a victory... EVER.

The first half played out with Fowler shooting towards the Cove, he didn't manage to do much, except get muscled off a ball or two. Meanwhile, at the other end of the field, Sydney won a Penalty which John Aloisi took all too gingerly allowing the keeper to comfortably save it.

The Townsville outfit mananged to get a goal but it was ruled out... and so the first half ended 0-0.

The teams came out, and I have to say, Sydney didn't once look like scoring in the entire half. Considering they're second in the league, it was pretty shocking. But the Nth Queensland broke loose and the ball got to Fowler, from just outside the 18yrd box, he masterfully lobbed the Sydney keeper; Bolton. All 43 of the travelling fans went nuts, and I could hear plenty of people in the Sydney stands applauding the goal also... I don't, in fairness think they see too many like that.

That was how it finished. We witnessed Fowlers great winning goal, which marked a new teams first ever victory.

Fowler 1 - Sydney 0

Alpha Beta Gaga

New Zealand, Queenstown Part 2...

With the light rains that accompanied the Shotover jet, came the start of a storm system that would not leave Queenstown during the week we were there. As a result, high winds basically screwed up chances of riding the Wednesday, as much as some of us tried to get out there.

Tuesday night however, was Simons birthday and a very large session was had by all. After some dinner at home, we headed out to Dux de Lux and joined in the trivia night; of which chances of winning were slim sue to many of the questions being very much of a Kiwi nature. Lots of pool, beers and high jinks led everyone to a late night.

On a Wednesday where many were hungover, I did however get a few runs in before we called it a day and went for another legendary FergBurger - my wish/prediction of nailing 4 of these in a week was very much on target.

With Thursay, some of the snow that had fallen over night was finally rideable, and something other than fish-market slush could be felt under board. A few of us went to Coronet Peak once again, and I'd have to rate this as the best day so far. Conditions were still quite windy, but the lifts were mostly open, and there were plenty of fresh lines to be had. To this day I don't recall ever being the guy that got to cut the first tracks in the powder down below the main lift... but I managed it today; and it rocked!

With some awesome riding in the last few days, Lauren and I also managed to get in a nice meal together at a restaurant I'd re-visit in a heartbeat; The Botswana Butchery. Lamb shoulders from the next village, sublime cocktails.

With one of the resorts closed due to high wind on our final day, we figured it was natures way of telling us to do something different... I'd heard from various people about the prospect of doing a Lord of the Rings horseback tour... but due to the last minute nature of this, we had to settle for a regular horse tour. However, it was pretty damn cool! After meeting our steeds for the afternoon, we trotted out of a picturesque farm and on through the rolling hills of Queenstown. Lots of wildlife including deer (which I would later eat in a juicy FergBerger). My horse decided to push my un-ease by going for a wash in a pond; with me of course thinking I would go over his nose and in the drink... thank goodness, that didn't happen, it wasn't exactly warm weather.

With a final nights drinking with everybody, it was soon time for our departure from Queenstown, back to Christchurch and then homeward to Sydney. Great holiday.

Oh!

Queenstown, Otago,
New Zealand

So after no significant amounts of Annual Leave since July 2008, a year had been a long time to wait for my next overseas jaunt. Surprisingly it was only with a week or two to go that I really started getting excited, and feeling those feelings that I was feeling when I first started writing to this blog.

I left work on Friday night feeling more pumped than a hyperactive 6 year old. I'd already done my packing the night previous so all was left was to go grab some dinner with Benny who had just celebrated his birthday; a few of us met up at Thai Riffic in the Spot, wined, dined and then stuffed our faces with Cold Rock ice cream. Then it was just a single sleep, and we were headed for Sydney Kingsford international terminal. I love going to the International terminal; especially when the end result is somewhere I've never discovered.

We were soon through all the usual security stuff and jumping on board our Air New Zealand flight direct to Queenstown.

A few short hours later, we were flying over snow capped mountains and dipping down over a beautiful lake, glistening in the midday sun. We jumped out, and I have to say, I don't think I've ever been so impressed by a country, from the airport! It was cool, I could see the snow on the mountains and I was in holiday mode. It was just a shame the Europcar counter was so under-powered, we had to wait an hour to get the car sorted out, but alas we were soon on the way and getting ourselves settled in to the house we'd rented out for the week, overlooking lake Wakatipu.

That night, we met up with the majority of the other guys on the trip - around 20 all up, at Pog Mahones pub.

The following day it was time to get back on my snowboard, also for the first time in a year; the venue, Coronet Peak. The sun was shining, everyone had sunscreen on through fear of instant melanoma it was so strong. Surprisingly the snow was better than I anticipated, but obviously a fair way from awesome. It was however a very good day for everyone to regain the legs, and learn some new skills where appropriate. Day 2 followed right on from Day 1, except this time we headed up to the Remarkeables. This place seemed to have a much better feel than Coronet to me; it was higher and as such the snow quality was a little better too. By this point a few of us were really starting to hammer it down the pisted runs - awesome fun in the sun!

Tuesday came, and so did the rain clouds - the precipitation totally smashed what little snow quality there was and I immediately boycotted any riding in such wet conditions; I did it once before and had no fun! Lauren and I instead headed out to Arrowtown to mellow out and enjoy the best of the day, as dry as we could.

Later on we picked up Shae and Oren, and in a fit of spontanaeity, we jumped on the Shotover Jet Boat ride. 750BHP engines pump several hundred litres of water PER SECOND. This thing seriously shifts. It can also make it thru water around 15cms deep as it basically skims the surface. The skilled drivers take you so close to the rocky walls of the ravines, that if you put your hand out, you could touch them. After that exhileration, they dump you into 360 spins causing waves to smash up the sides of the boat... only negative was the rain that felt more like hail against the face at top speed!