Walking with Dinosaurs
So it's been a short while since I wrote anything (NY Resolutions are hard to keep!!). But right now that changes. As some of you may know a Mrs J Robinson flew out to Melbourne on the 15th of March to see her two boys (and Daughter-in-law to be). My plan was to show her some sights, spend a little time with her and then make her write too you all about it, but she didn't! So now a month and a bit bit later i'm going to try remember all that went on.
She arrived late Saturday evening and decided to stay up with me on reception for a large portion of the night - unfortunately that meant she slept til 6pm the next day and completly missed the 2008 Melbourne GP!! The first couple of days in the country and the weather was 39+ degrees so I took her on a few trips around the city and St Kilda - where she moaned about the heat. The rest of her stay the weather dropped dramtically to the low 20's and she complained it was cold (cold enough for a duvet at night even tho it was warmer than the temperature at its hottest point at home)
After a week of hanging with my friends and reading her book she left Melbourne for Adelaide to meet with P-J and Kathryn. From there they drove the Great Ocean Road back to Melbourne - unfortunately I wasn't present and haven't a clue what went on so someone else can fill that in! They returned to Melbourne with a couple of nights left before we all deprted for NZ. On one of these nights we went to Dracula's - a Cabaret Club in Melbourne. expecting a big Pirate/Vampire show while we ate we were plesently suprised to see a small stage production that had some highly random performances - most of which produced a chuckle at the very least.
We left Melbourne on the 27th of March and headed to Hasting in New Zealand to spend some "quality" ;-p time with the Wainwright. Which i'll hopefully find time to write about tomorrow
David
Goodbye Tassie!
A very short trip over here just to say that I've been to every state in Australia, thats all I wanted and I'm glad to say is all I needed. It was an enjoyable short trip and I did something every day BUt after just 5 days I've run out of things to do. Mum and Dad would love it here I guess because there's heaps of nature and history stuffs to do butI can only be impressed by that for a short lenght of time. So now time has come for me to leave the state of Pies as I'd like to refer to it as every village no matter how small has at least 2 bakerys and we stoped at one everyday for lunch. one of the villages had only 2 small streets but still found space for 4 pie shops!
So now I guess I'll make a short refference to what I've done In Hobart for the last 3 days on the first day I had no tours booked and had to wait till 2pm to check into the hostel, I'd heard good things about the local saturday markets so I got myself down to the docklands and checked out the scene. It was a bit like the Cristmas markets in Lincoln except about 5% of the size and I was there in the day time, I had to be subjected to something which really shouldn't exist anymore whilst I lined up for the ATM. If you cant move with the times you should at least try to remember that you've moved to the other side of the world... Why oh why are there Morris Dancers here? After looking around the market I decided that there was one bargain that was too good to ignore and I needed some new socks anyway. Besides that I went home empty handed.
On my second day in Hobart I went on another tour this time of mount Wellington and then into the forests nearby where I saw the worlds largest flowering tree wich was bloody massive it took me about a min to walk around it. even though there were no steep parts of the trecks today I was knackerd, I went out for a couple of drinks, and for once a going out for a couple of drinks was just that... A couple of drinks, After I'd had 2 drinks I knew that it was probably best to get home and have an early night. So I went to bed at 9pm instead of staying up to watch the football.
Third day in Hobart and for some reason my tour today was going pretty close to Launceston which is where I had the first half of my tassie experiance now why oh why couldn't I of done the tour from there? It'd of saved me about 2 hours in journey time today. I was still blody tired on the bus ride there and was in a good mood for doing some exercise to wake my body and brain up. So I took a quick walk to a veiwing spot of wineglass bay which is quite a nice view but not as good as I thought it could of been if I climbed right to the top of the mountian, which is a fairly dangerous treck with no paths, slippery surfaces and lots of areas where you could fall to your death, you really shouldn't do this on your own or when it rains. It was pretty overcast and I'd of put it at about a 50-50 chance of raining and of course I was the only one doing it. I dont think I've ever done as much exercise as I did this day I managed to do 8.5 hours of walks/climbs in less than 4 hours. I saw some pretty good sights and I feel bloody good for doing it.
Back to melbourne in a couple of hours not long till I can get travelling again. I think I have the bug.
Danny B
How Does This Thing Work Again? part 2
April 3rd: Ok I willfully made the choice not to celebrate or acknolage my birthday in 2008 as this year has so far not been too much fun and was doomed to be a crap year from the very first day when I got a chest infection which actually kept me in bed through most of January. Proving just how sick I was I only drank 2 times between the 1st January and the 10th March, so for my birthday this year I made the effort of not only leaving the City or just the State where I've had a poor and sickly 3 months but also the Mainland that I've called home for the past 18 months. Making this decision lifted my mood in a way that I could not of foreseen I'm only travelling for a short holiday of 5 nights in Tazmania but it reminds me that I'm still easily capable of travelling at the drop of a hat. The 3rd of April this year wasn't the best I've had but by no means the worst of my life. To start the day I went shopping for some warm weather clothing as I realised I don't own anything warmer than a pair of jeans and t-shirts. After arriving at the airport I was surprised to learn that my flight was bording and I couldn't get on, which was slightly annoying and cost me 100 dollars to get a replacement flight which was taking off only 5 hours after my original flight. But it was subsequently delayed for a further hour and then for 15 mins after arival because there was a medical emergency. When I picked up my bag (last one on the truck under everyone elses) I went to find transport of course the last shuttle bus costing 12 dollars had left with the first 20 people to colect their bags so I was left with the Taxi costing a mere 40 dollars which I was fortunate enough to share with a local going in the same direction. Upon arrival at my hostel I was greeted by... Nobody as the reception was closed this was less of a problem as I first feared because I was left with a nice introductary letter and my room key. Then I watched Hot Fuzz and went to bed.
April 4th: Far too warm considering I've just bought all these new warm clothes. I got up early to get some groceries I had no chance of getting the night before. In my half sleep I managed to not pick up milk for my over priced cereal but instead got full fat pouring cream which I didn't realise untill pouring over 3 portions of cornflakes, oh well no breakie for me today worse things have happened on days that I've gone mountian climbing. At 8am my tour bus picked me and two others up and we were on our merry way to a 3 and a half hour hike to cradle mountian which has absolutly stunning views I'm sure, but for us it was just a 3 hour walk to see the inside of a cloud. But in all fairness it was a lot of fun, I had a snowball fight with a girl from Hong Kong who'd never seen snow before (I won) And on the way back down we saw a couple of wambats and made snowmen (snow midgets). When the hike was over we all had hot chocolate and tryed to dry our socks and shoes by the fire. All I accomplished was to melt my trainers (slightly) and burn my socks (completly). The day ended with a chickhen parma, 6 pack of beer and a screening of 300 which is a 'bloody' good movie I'd not previously seen.
How Does This Thing Work Again?
First of all I know it's been a bloody long time since I've done anything becides being sick and and working. Ok maybe I should of actually said one or two things about workconsidering Woode only does one blog a year weather or not he's done anything. The recent work has been a good experiance and as you all know we're stars of the new Steven Spielberg production curently being filmed near to Melbourne, When we started we were treated to 4-5 days of work each week with each day being about 17 hours long which is fan-bloody-tastic for us poor backpackers. Our work consisted mostly of getting blown up by mortar explosions and sleeping obscenly long periods of time in the hot Melbourne sun. Unfortunetly photographs are completly baned and will result in us getting the sack rather quickly.
Anyway the reason why I've all of a sudden decided to blog is because I've had to buy 3 hours of internet time instead of just being able to go on for 5 mins whenever I feel like it. But also because I've actually done something. On the second of April I had a costume fitting at workand was told that there would not be any work for the next week so I decided to go on holiday... from my holiday and actually use the free trips I won in January. So as soon as I got home I booked my flights and set of on new adventures on my own to Tazmania. Oh and I forgot it was my birthday the next day but it doesn't matter needed to escape Melbourne for a while. My fingers are cramping from all this typing so I'm going to have a rest. drink some water and I'll prob be right back to complete the blogging action.
One Week, One Month - who's counting??
WOW a month goes by quite fast when you work everyday. Lets hope the rest of life doesn't go this way!! Well as i've been working so much i haven't really got out and about too much.
I have been to the ACMI this week tho with a load of guys from the hostel - Australian Centre of Moving Images isn't really a backpacker spot unless of course thay have an exhibition where we play videogames from the days of pong to the latest in the gaming world. It was nice to play Sonic again on a SEGA Megadrive!
The Australian Grand Prix is on this weekend, but as i went last year i'm going to give it a miss at $100 a ticket, even tho KISS are playing. Instead i'm taking mum (who arrives saturday night) to a friends apartment building and we'll have a bbq and watch the race from the rooftop :oD
Only other real thing of note is i've started seeing a girl from the hostel - early days so far so we'll see what happens (at least she gets to meet the parent(s) quite early on, unlike Kathryn who's running away to Uluhru with P-J 12 Hours before mum arrives in Melbourne!!)
Should be some interesting things happening over the next few weeks so i'll try to stay awake enough to type - and i'll ask the others whether they'd like to tell some tales from the Movie set but i wouldn't get your hopes up!
David
p.s. Dad try not to let Sue get a gambling problem and blow all my inheritence :oD have a good time in Las vegas
Same Ol' Same Ol'
Sorry it's been a fortnight but i didn't get a good chance to blog last weekend - bloody drunks occupying my time with idle chit-chat! unfortunatley i haven't got that much to report, Danny and Woode have both been working on set but i seem to always miss their tales of what they did andi never ask them to repeat it (one of them will have to do their own blog i guess).
Last weekend was St. Kilda festival and when i finally got up we went down to the beach as one big family to see why the whole of St. kilda is closed to traffick for 24 hrs. There were plenty of things to see and do such as Wakeboarding competition, Foxtel (bSKYb) tent which had various live events related to different TV channels, Ian Thorpe was signing autographs, a motocross exhibit which was good to watch and several band stages. We saw a few good bands including Operator Please and 'Eugene Hamilton and the Money' who was a real ladies man and a good laugh to boot (quote "don't cha wish your boyfriend was hot like Eugene!?")
Can't really think of anything else to add at the moment - no doubt i missed an important event but never mind i'm tired and you'll get over it!
Til next week (or so)
David
Extra Extra
So it's been a week now since my filming role. It went rather well and was pretty easy. I got to the studio and was given lunch (good start) and then put into costume, we were then taken to an All Boys school in the city where we werer filming our 80's classroom scene. There wasn't too much excitement, we just filmed the same shot over and over again and were given food between takes :D!
Since last friday both Danny and Woode have been offered Extra work til April as marines - talk about stealing my spotlight!!! but i happy for them and hope it will cure Danny's camara shyness and make Woode interesting (tho that will take some effort)
P-J and Kathryn arrived on tuesday and it's been nice to see the, tho i haven't spent too much time with them as i got a new job here at the hostel doing the graveyard reception shift (11pm - 7am) on thursday, saturday and sunday and with work wednesday and friday nights at the bar i've slept during the day - but we'll do something soon i'm sure. Also i've started training with Elwood City FC and we'll see how that goes - first 4-weeks are fitness training which is slightly different to playing with the Co-Op!
that's about all really, hopefully P-J and Kathryn will find jobs soon and Woode and Danny's filming goes well - i'll let you know of course sometime next week
David
here's your Update - ALRIGHT
I know i said i was going to put more stuff up but i have a life and don;t like sitting infront of a computer screen on the interent for more than 15 minutes any more (as thats not free to do!)
Unfortunately our small screen debuts as Marines in the upcoming Tom Hanks/Spielberg production hasn't gone through :-( but it's not all sad news as I have been asked asked to go in on friday to film a few scene's (well done me) so ALL of you will have to watch "Pacific" when it's out to try and find me!!
Other than that not alot else exciting has happened. We had a football game against another hostel on sunday which we lost 1-0 - i'm not happy with that and may take a more player/manager role for the rematch. Also played badminton this week which was fun and i only fell over once :-D
I'll let ya'll know what happens on friday (doesn't mean i'll post within a week tho!)
David
New Year Resolution
Well it's nice to see that you have kept to your New Year's Resolution - not !!!! Looking forward to seeing you all soon in Melbourne
Jacqui xx
Happy New Year
Okay so i have to admit we have really sucked at doing things on this site over the last few months. For that i apologise but i think the main person to blame is Mark Zuckerber! For those of you who don't happen to know this man, he invented Facebook
But as the new year has rolled on in and in true spirit i have decided to make this site the main theme behind my new year's resolution - that and ringing home at least once in a blue moon. So i'm starting today while i've got chance of free internet. i'm not promising i'll put photo's as i don't own a camrar and they take a while from Danny's but i will try let you know what we're all doing.
Now you may be wondering what's happened over the last few months - well quite alot as you would expect but i'm not going to start documenting them all as i haven't a spare week so i'll let those stories be told in person when we finally hit the shores of England again.
But so far this year Danny, Woode and I have been chilling in Melbourne while P-J slaves away at work or at Kathryn's feet in Cairns. Danny has given up drinking (which means he drinks slightly less than he was before (but acts drunk for reasons only he knows).Woode occassionally works as a dishwasher in a restaurant near by while I attend a bar where i "work" but it's not very busy so i get to read or watch TV. We've started reading again, I have personally read 3 books since christmas and have two more i've just started. And danny has gotten past the milestone of 5 pages before he falls asleep (so congradulations to him)
There's only really one more thing to talk about but i'll wait til i post again as it's not a certainty yet but i'll leave a teaser... we may have all enrolled for the Marines!!!!
Hope you all had an excellent NY and a wonderful Christmas
David
p.s. it's really hot at the moment
- Posted by d1d2d3_pj on 09/01/2008.
- 2 comments
