| Andrew's profileThe Young Urban Psychopa...PhotosBlogLists |  Tools  Help |
|
The Young Urban PsychopathI want someone to know me, and maybe tell me who I am February 15 Hokkaido Snow and a Sapporo to GO!Sorry for the absolute lack of updates. Time has flown in the past 6 months and if I had a DeLorian I would go back and write some. But the flux capacitor is currently not fluxing so there goes that idea. On some actual news, Delly and Rabs (aka mum and dad) came over to the land if sake for 2 weeks over the new year break. Their last visit took them to western Japan (Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Motts’s Bar) so this time we thought we would head north to the home of snow, beer and seafood – Hokkaido (also known as Hokado to some!). The 9 hour trip, which included an hour and a half wait for the lines to be fixed after a tree fell on the tracks (or so we were told by the Tony Greig wannabe) was a good time for us to catch up, and for Delly and Rabs to see some snow! You see, born and raised in the country of Queensland (God’s Own), Delly and Rabs never had the experience of seeing snow. Although, on the plus side, they grew up in Queensland which no Queenslander would ever swap! We arrived early evening in Sapporo, home of Genghis Kahn lamb, booze and snow! Their first sight of snow was like 2 kids getting new bikes at Christmas which were hidden in the garage, one red and one blue. Rabs kept touching it and scratching his head, “so this is snow. Incredible”. Delly was quite excited, and little did we know that this was just a taste of what was to come. The next day we headed to a small port town called Otaru, which is also Mina’s hometown. A nice little place on the water which has a canal running through it which is the main attraction. There are plenty of old buildings, including Mina’s house where she grew up and old fishing warehouses. We spent a top day just walking the streets through all the little shops before it got dark. Little did we know that the best was yet to come. A 10 minute bus trip from the station gets you to a nice ski area…one big slope with several runs. So up we go in the cable car just to check it out. Upon arrival you could see the excitement in Delly’s eyes…all that snow to play in! It was a top place to ski with pretty much just the locals. We took some photos and then it happened. “Hold the camera” says Delly to Rabs. “Uh, ok”, he replies. Within a flash, Delly had what’s cold a Brain Snap! Off she goes running around like a rabbit in the snow! Moving faster than a $2 Bangkok hooker! As Rabs, Mina and I watched in….shock might be the right word, Delly was having the time of her life, until she started to sink in the snow! She was trying to move as fast as she could, like there were a thooouuusand bombs about to come down on her. After she managed to get out and come out of her Brain Snap, Rabs, Mina and I had to recover from laughing. By far Delly at her Brain Snappin’ best and a moment that will no doubt be told for generations to come. “Hey Pa, can you tell us about old lady Delly’s Brain Snap again?” Sapporo is a great city full of great places to eat and booze, and home to many nice people who are more than happy to meet and greet you. After Sapporo we made our way down to Hakodate, another port city on the very tip of Hokkaido. Hakodate has quite a history as there is a lot of Russian and European influence as it was a major port open to the West years and years ago. Hakodate brought Delly, Rabs their first ever snowman too! Although Delly didn’t actually help, she was their to ‘supervise’ (as all women do) the making of it. After a good 20 minutes our man was made, much to the delight of not only Delly and Rabs, but for Mina and me too as our hands were bloody freezing! The city itself is located on a peninsula with a mountain conveniently located on the every end. The churches, old buildings and old warehouses are a pretty good sight and are a major attraction for the city. Unfortunately, Delly didn’t have one of her now famous Brain Snaps! The rest of their holiday was spent around Tokyo and Nobbits, at either Cookie Bar or Motts’s. The last night brought around Delly’s surprise birthday bash at Motts’s. Her birthday was actually on the 5th, but as Rabs and I were busy(?!), we just had a simple dinner at the Swish Chalet. Delly’s party went off with a bang, with all the locals coming out of the nooks and crannies to join in on the celebrations. Cheers to everyone who turned up….made a hell of a night and a birthday to remember! Although I must apologize on behalf of Delly not performing her trade mark Brain Snap. Maybe next time!
Smokey (R.I.P Smokey Dawson!) Hard Yaka HikingA bit late to put some pictures up but last November I went hiking with some friends to some mountain about an hour or so away. The end of Autumn brings about the changing colour of the leaves here, which the Japanese love! Some places do look pretty good where there is such a contrast of colours of the leaves. It was just a day hike with some drinking mates to make us feel like we actually do more than just booze! June 16 How SWEEEEEEET it is!Ooooh Yeeeeh! How sweet it is!
After a good solid win at Lang Park in Game 1, the QUEENSLANDERS came out firing for Game 2. It was a game of true Origin Spirit (on our part anyway). Some heavy defence made it difficult to break the line, but we got on the scoreboard through a left handed out the back dipsy doodle pass from the best hooker in the game and future Australian co-captain Cameron Smith to Inglis for yet another try on Matt "I'm a boofhead who has no idea" King. We headed for oranges at 6-6, but knowing that we could get on top in the second half.
NSW, with the help of Shayne "shit, I left my whistle in the car" Hayne, got a few penalties and looked like they were gonna get a roll on, but the QUEENSLAND defence was just too good and smashed them into oblivion. On the back of a Luke "Avoid Charlie, avoid Charlie, avoid Charlie" Baily penalty, we got down their line, and with some great skill by Johnathon "The other co-captian" Thurston, Steven Bell was on the mark and took the score to 10-6.
The last 20 minutes went by in a flash, with the QUEENSLAND defence repelling everything the wankers from down south could throw at us.
Once again, the QUEENSLAND Passion, Pride, Spirit and Pure Class got us home, for a 10-6 victory, giving the 2007 State Of Origin series to QUEENSLAND. How f****n sweet it is!!
Game 3 takes us back to Lang Park, which is yet another sell out. No doubt we are looking for a whitewash and no doubt we are gonna get it.
GO YOU BLOODY QUEENSLANDERS!! June 04 Thurston and Lockyer comin' to GET YA!With QUEENSLAND winning a dead set cracker of a series in 2006, they were no doubt looking the goods for this year's State of Origin. So off to Lang Park - The Cauldron - The Home of Rugby League and King Wally (best player of any code, any era) it was to watch what was a barnstomer of a match. The roar of the thooouuusands of blood thirsty QUEENSLANDERS was deafening and I knew we were in for something special.
The first half, was, well, although we dominated, were down on the scoreboard due to some piss poor refereeing, and a "Stu Kelly brain explosion" by Brent Tate made our job in the second half that much harder.
Despite our courageous captain running to the wrong end when coming out for the second half, we knew that the Power, the Passion, and the True Grit we QUEENSLANDERS have would help us get home. QUEENSLAND came out and continued to dominate and finally got some more points on the board. Danny Buderus showed us why "he's number 2 and Cameron 'pull off a thooouuusand tackles a game' Smith is the number one hooker in the game" with a shepard and with QUEENSLAND scoring shortly after, we were back in the game.
Another try soon after to Steve "Priceless" Price brought the screaming QUEENSLAND fans to their feet. But the best was yet to come! Our captain, Darren "Former Origin great Gary Larson was my speech therapist" Lockyer swooped on a woeful (very very woeful) ball from Jarrod Hayne to score under the posts. A Johnathon "Already a better player than Andrew Johns at only 24 years of age" Thurston field goal put QUEENSLAND up by 7, winning State of Origin 2007 Game 1 25-18.
An absolute RIPSNORTER of a match which has shaped this year's series to a 3 zip whitewash to QUEENSLAND. When you invite a QUEENSLANDER back in the game, he'll set up camp and never leave!
QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENSLANDER!! January 21 Beers, Steers and a Happy New YearsA salut to my fellow man! A happy new years to all and may the Aussie cricket team continue their smashing of the useless twits from yonder. It's been giddy-up a go go here in Nippon. The new job is stll going. Getting a bit busier and doing more translations as time goes on. October 2006 brought me a new experience in Japan...going to the hospital! Had to get a hernia fixed up which was quite an experience. Three days in the hospital, a thoooouuuuusand English lessons, and 8 IV drips later and I was out. All is good now and I am back in form (or so I am told!). Having a complete lack of Christmas holiday this year, I was resorted to staying in Nippon over the break which meant cold weather and no Aussie summer! And so, it was agreed upon by my old man Rabbits to use the services of his plastic to buy the ashes on the net. And what a service we got! Live cricket all day long for every test. Couldn't even tell I was in Japan!
Not much else to report. It's just giddy up, rock and roll, yee haa!
Smoke
September 28 Translation MisinterpretationSome news on the job front. I started a new job at the beginning of this month as a translator/native checker at a translation company. I am in the medical division of all places just doing my best coz I got no idea what's doing mario! But it's all good. Something I have wanted to do for a while and now have the chance.
And so it was goodbye to my old job of teaching kids. It was a great 4 and a half years of fun and games. I learned a lot about myself and about kids while teaching and will miss it a lot. I had the pleasure of teaching some amazing kids and enjoying many great laughs with them.
And so, I have posted a few pics of the last few days with my kids. Enjoy. September 14 Motts, Fonzie and Japanese SakeSummer brought about an interesting change this year...the arrival of Delly & Rabs and Geoff & Lynne (aka Mum and Dad and Uncle Geoff and Aunty Lynne!).
After them getting over the inital shock of my shoe box apartment, we headed out to my local, Motts' Bar (aka Fonzie!) and had a WOW of a night! Friends from To and Fro come out from all nook and crannies to say g'day. But the night had to be cut short as the next day we were all heading down to Hiroshima (that and the fact it was past their bedtime!).
Hiroshima....what can I say. A beautiful place with beautiful people. The Atomic Dome, the Peace Park, the Peace Museum make it a MUST SEE for anyone coming to Japan.
After Hiroshima we were off to Kyoto, one of the ancient capitals of Japan. It was BLOODY hot but we saw the all temples and sites that had to be seen.
After our arrival back in Tokyo, with the olds making a short trip to Niigata, reality set in that we were all going to have to sleep in my place. So it was wining and dining till the late hours before retiring to our makeshift beds, Delly & Rabs in my bed, Geoff and Lynne on the futon, while yours truely was left out in the kitchen!
A great time was had by all and beers were drunk a plenty (along with countless Bundy Rums!)
Too many highlights to mention, but some that come to mind are...
* The look on their faces when they saw my place!
* Uncle Geoff working at Motts' Bar
* Hiroshima - everything about it
* Uncle Geoff trying raw horse in Hiroshima!
* Sitting in the rain at the baseball in Hiroshima
* Rabs being the tour guide in Niigata (You made it back!)
* Geoff & Lynne coming home rat assed after a night singing and drinking at the Junk & Antique Bar, only to go back an hour later (after getting lost!) to keep going
* Having a very traditional lunch with Noriko the next day.......
* The $800 watermelon!
* Watching all 4 of them try to have a conversation with Mina's parents....funny stuff!
* The last night in Japan, spent drinking at Motts' Bar, with the last drink being the most
potent Japanese sake known to man!
A great time was had by all and beers were sunk a plenty (along with countless Bundy Rums!). Cheers to all my mates that came out to say g'day...it was greatly appreciated. Thanks to Delly & Rabs, Geoff & Lynne for coming over and making it a great holiday.
See you at Motts' Friday night!
July 06 Maroon to the Bone!What can I say? One of the most amazing games of Origin in history! The cockroaches thought they had it won, but they forgot the most basic rule of Origin. Never EVER underestimate a QUEENSLANDER! We thrive on pride and passion for the maroon gernsey. The hatred we have for nsw just spurs us on to the very end.
With some rediculous refereeing, we had our backs to the wall, 10 points down with only ten to go. Still plenty of time to win it in our minds! Great footwork by the little champion Thurston put Tate in a gap to score under the posts and put us back in it. A couple of minutes later, every bit of Queenslandism came out and Lockyer scoops up a loose ball, smacks it down under the black dot to get Queensland up, and give us a series win. I get goosebumps just thinking about it!
They said Origin was gone. They said Queensland were gone. Origin was always there and so were we. Everyone stood up, played their hearts out and stuck it up those bloody cockroaches. A new era has been born in Queensland Origin History.
There are too many names to mention but here are a few we have to thank who have helped create the aura of Queensland :
Chris 'Choppy' Close, Mal 'Smell me Finger' Meninga, Greg 'the Turtle' Conescu, Brian 'the Horse' Neibling, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Ian French, Brett French, 'Smokin'' Joe Kilroy, Less Kiss, Keey Beaustead, 'Slammin'' Sam Backo, Marty 'the Munster' Bella, Paul 'the Fatman' Vautin, Mark 'the Muppet' Murray, Alan 'Alfie' Langer, Alan McIndoe, Michael Hancock, Michael Hagan, Adrian Brunker, Adrian Voweles, Kevin Walters, Kerrod Walters, Steve 'Box Head' Walters, Daryl Brohman, John Doyle, Colin Scott, Greg Oliphant, John Lang, Martin Lang, Matt Rogers, Lote Tuquri, Wendel 'the Dell' Sailor, Craig Teevan, Paul Hauff, Ben Ikin, Wayne Bartrim, Terry Cook, Daniel Wagon, Paul Green, Scott Sattler, Big John Buttigieg, Kevin Campion 'the Champion', Gary Coyne, Mark Coyne, Brett Dallas, Greg Dowling, Darren Fritz, Andrew 'the Slug' Gee, Jamie Goddard, Craig Greenhill, Rohan Hancock, John Ribot, Cavel Heugh, Mark Hohn, Greg Holben, Peter Jackson, Steve Jackson, Adrian Lam, Bob Lindner, Mike Maclean, Billy 'Queenslander' Moore, Danny Moore 'He's in He's in!', Rod Morris, Robbie O'Davis, 'Rocket' Rod Reddy, Steve 'the Pearly' Renouf, Jeremy Schloss, Matt Sing, Darren Smith, Jason Smith, Gary Smith, Steve Stacey, Grant Rix, Dan Stains, Gordon Tallis, Brad Tessman, Gary Belcher, Scott Tronc, Dale Shearer, Trevor 'the Axe' Gillmister, 'THE KING' WALLY LEWIS and the Big Man who started it all, BIG ARTHUR BEETSON!
QUEENSLANDER QUEENSLANDER QUEENSLANDER!!!
May 22 QueenslanderState Against State, Mate Against Mate....it's ORIGIN TIME! And this year, it looks like it's gonna be a CRACKER of a series.
I don't despise NSW, I HATE them. I don't care whatever club the players play for. Coz once they put that sky blue gernsey on, they are the centre of my hatred. I refuse to buy any clothes of the same colour. There is nothing I hate more than the site of a NSW gernsey. They have always played dirty and no doubt they will try the same dirty tactics they always do...hold the players down for too long, stand off side all night and try and start a fight at the first scrum. Not that that worries us. How good was the sight of Ben Elias' face when he tried to tackle Mark Coyne when he socred that legendary try in the last few seconds, only to look up and see the referee awarding the try? A moment any QUEENSLANDER won't forget!
And how good is it to be a QUEENSLANDER. The Pride, the Passion, the sheer sight of Maroon gets you fired up. I breathe QUEENSLAND. I get goosebumps at the sight of QUEENSLAND running out. I LOVE QUEENSLAND. People say that NSW has pride and passion. What a joke. They wouldn't know what it was even if it bit 'em in the ass. The Pride and Passion us QUEENSLANDERS have is something that you can't really describe. It's something you feel and no-one but QUEENSLANDERS feel it. Billy Moore expressed it when yelling out QUEENSLANDER down the tunnel as the team ran out. Gary Larson showed it when pulling off 40 tackles in every Origin he played. And Jamie Goddard let it rip when he knocked Andrew Johns out after Johns went looking for him to pick a fight. And The King....well, enough said!
This year sees quite a few changes in the QUEENSLAND Team. But we all know that they can do the job. They all have the QUEENSLAND Pride and Passion. The only question to be answered is by how many?
QUEENSLANDER!!
May 16 Chairman Mao's Red ChinaThe beginning of May brings around a week long holiday called Golden Week. This year, Mina and I headed to China to catch up with old mate, music guru, Rock and Roll star, the King of Shanghai Shenanigans, Dean Anthony Lapthorne Esquire! The first night is just a blur to me as many beers were sunk at Pun Javi's all you can eat and booze indian, followed by nightcaps at Face, followed by more nightcaps on the opium lounge!
Dean was then whisked away in a cab the next day by his forever stable rock Fede to Malaysia while Mina and I headed up to Beijing for a few days.
It was a great trip, seeing the Geat Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City etc., as well as all the markets and food stalls. Mina went crazy at the markets, bargaining for whatever she wanted to get the cheapest price possible...and i thought i was cheap!
Cheers to Deano and Fede for a great first night, to Mario the tour guide for the Great Wall and Ming Tombs, the cabbie we hired who spoke to me all day in Chinese and thought I knew what the hell was going on, and of course to the Chinese! March 22 Kids, Skids and GraduationMarch marks the end of the shool year in Japan, which means graduation, even if you are only a 6 year old kindy kid! The morning starts out with a couple of short speeches of congratulations, followed by each kid getting on stage, saying a sentence or two about the funnest thing at kindy and receiving a certifcate from the principal. The day then continues into lunch and an afternoon of games, dances and skits mostly done by the parents, with a couple done by the teachers. It is quite a big occasion here with everyone dressed up in suits and video-taping the whole ceremony. Get a load of the pics, dig 'em. February 09 Totanya's Last StandJanuary 31st, 2006 saw the end of an era. The local bar Totanya closed it's doors for the last time. I first had contact with Totanya way back in 2002, when I stumbled across it on a drunken escapade. I must thank good old Jun for looking after me that night and taking me under his wing! Since then, Totanya has seen many blind nights of craziness. I can't name them all because of censorship laws, but here are a few that stand out :
Totanya has been great to me over the past few years and will be sorely missed. I have met some great people and had many great times. Cheers for the memories! January 18 Brisvegas DownunderAfter an eventful flight through Taiwan (cheers Jase & Griffen!) I arrived back in Brisvegas for my first Christmas in 4 years. The food was great, the weather was perfect and the booze was a - free - flowing! Shout Outs have to go to :
It was great being home among family and friends. Heading out to Inglewood was great and I will deffinitely head out that way more often when I am home. It was a shame it was only for 2 weeks, but a great 2 weeks it was. For those of you I didn't catch up with, either get your backside over here (free accomodation!) or I will catch up with you next time.
Shuuper Effort That!
December 09 Booze, Meat and BoozeA great night was recently had with, yes, you guessed it, the number one star from "Punkorama Wedding", Chihiro. As a thank-you for helping out with the antics that went on at the wedding After Party, we all went round to his place (a slightly larger shoe box than mine) for a night of Booze and Meat.
The night started out slowly, catching up on the wedding video and everyone hooking in to the thoooouuuuuusand kg's of meat Chihiro had bought. But soon enough, as always, come the Drinking Games! After a few rounds of winning, and as a result not being aboe to drink, the rules were changed to make the intake of alcohol a lot faster. Needless to say i was pretty legless before too long!
The only thing that prevented the night continuing was the sun peering through the blinds at about 8am the next morning. How I managed to make it back home from Tokyo on the trains in the shameful state I was in is a mystery!
It was yet another great night and it was great to catch up with these mates again.
Must give a Cheers Big Ears to Chihiro for the insane amount of meat and booze he bought for the occasion. He certainly knows how to look after an Aussie! November 12 Boofhead's Wedding BonanzaWith the loss of the Ashes to the Poms, and the Aussies under fire, the first test against the Windies was going to be a cracker, and so, after a two and a half year absence I headed home in early November. The fact that my brother was getting married had a little to do with coming home, but it was Day 1 of the First Test at the Gabba that I had my eyes on!
After a bloody long flight, with one Japanese guy being put on a drip mid flight for the insane amount of booze he consumed, I arrived home on Oz soil for the first time in two and a half years. And Queensland NEVER disappoints....beautiful one day, perfect the next! Day 1 of the First Test was great. Sat in the outer, aka Yobboville and realised that Aussie Slang is a much harder language than Japanese! It was a great day, with four 'n' twenties, fish & chips, and of course, XXXX.
Two days later, it was out to Laidley for Boofhead's wedding. Being Best Man, there was some pressure on me, looking after the Groom, not losing the rings, and of course, the Speech. All I can say is that it was Sweeeeeet Aaaaaaas! It was a cracker of a wedding, everything going smoothly except for the cake falling over during the reception (hey, the 10 second rule). There were some good laughs (none better than Nana having a good laugh at the louts dancing with their pants down to Eagle Rock!), and there was plenty of booze sunk. How cousin Ben managed to wake up the next day is beyond me!
Cheers has to go to Jim and Louise (the bride's parents) for putting on one of Jim's BBQ Breakfasts at Forest Hill. Nothing like snags, bacon and onions the morning after a hard night on the booze! How Boofhead managed to snag a bird like Joanne is, well, I don't wanna know what lies were told. She's a top chick with a top family and I don't think Boof could have done any better.
It was only a short trip, but an absolute cracker. It was great to catch up with mates and relies, and seeing the cricket was GOLD!
C'mon Aussie C'mon C'mon.........C'mon Aussie C'mon!
Where's the Cheese?! November 10 Punkorama WeddingA combination of Booze, punk and birds could only mean one thing....the wedding of good mate Chihiro. If getting boozed all night, roaming the streets imitating The Ramones, and passing out and sleeping on the stairs of your apartment had a name, Chihiro would be it! How he has tried to hide those days from his missus beats me. But he has, and is now a married man with a top chick by his side.
Chihiro has been a top mate since I met him when I first step foot on the Land of the Rising Sun. He looked after me, showed me all the cheap places to drink, taught me the difference between good booze and great booze, taught me all there is to know about punk, and even once tried to teach me how to drink a beer through my nose (still haven't got that down pat!).
It was a great wedding, quite traditional with the added after party. It was obvious he had brought along his thoooouuuuusands of cd's to keep the party going all night long! The highlight was definitely bingo, with the bottle of Sake being won by yours truley.
It was a great night catching up with some old friends and Chihiro, well, it was nice knowing ya!
Yeeeee Haaaaaaa! Crane Rider! October 01 After Gig Madness!Headed out to see The Whats and Screamfeeder recently. Good to see local bands getting a gig over here....it goes down a treat! It was a great 4 days with music, mates and booze. The guys from Screamfeeder were great, so cheers for putting on some great shows! Many moments were lost over the 4 days due to a combination of booze and Tom foolery! However we all turned out ok and rocked up to work when the time came....even Chris!
Nothing beats live music! September 24 No Pain and All GainAfter putting it off a thooouuuusand times and preferring to spend my weekends out on the town, I finally got my ass into gear and did it. An amazing experience. After getting lost on the way and just making it before the road was closed, I was ready and rearing to climb. We were lead by our fearless Captain, 61 year old Akira Takeno, who would wrestle a 10 metre Top End crocodile just because he could.
After what felt like a walk in the park for me turned out to be a little too tough for 2 Americans who packed it in very early on. The 7 of us left continued and as time went on, the slope got steeper, the air got thinner and some Hard Yakka was put in. Before long, we had another casualty, and yes, he too was American. Couldn't go the Hard Yards! With climbing season offically over, rest stops that were open were few and far between, so the remaining 6 of us plodded on with "Tough as Nails" Akira leading the charge.
Sunrise was approaching so the pace was picked up and before we knew it, we had arrived at the top. We had planned to arrive on time to see what is called the Glorious Morning Sunrise. And Glorious it was. The Aussie gernsey came out and Number 40 was on fire. "That's the coolest thing I have seen!", said one young lass.
After a good hours rest and picture taking, the sun was up and it was time to head down. Although pretty buggered, "Never Say Die" Akira took the lead again and we headed down.
It was a fantastic experience, and a definite highlight of Japan. Don't be fooled by all the grannies charging up this 3776 metre volcano. Fuji is a tough climb! I am keen as mustard to do it again next year, however as the old Japanese proverb goes,
"A wise man climbs Fuji once. A fool climbs it twice."
Keep on Chooglin'
Smokey September 03 The Finals!We've had a shakey season but we made it. We are in the 8 and get a crack at the Telstra Premiership! It's been quite a topsy turvey season, with injuries and some sh*thouse performances, but I think we are coming good at the right time!
It's been a ripsnorter of a season, and this year's finals series is gonna be a cracker! Parramatta are looking quite strong, as are St. George-Illawarra, but my money is on Manly-Warringah. With the likes of Ben Kennedy bustling up the middle, the speed of Brett Stewart out wide, and the Bamboozling Beaver Menzies forever lurking, it's hard to see them losing. Maroon and white all the way!
August 19 Born in the USABruce Springsteen, Hollywood, Supersize Maccas and California Girls. What do all these have in common? They are all from the United States of America. Some call it the Lucky Country, but I like to refer to it as the Big Cheese! And so, I left the shores of the Rising Sun and went to see what this Big Cheese had to offer.
Started out (just drinking beer...) with a flight that took, in time persepective, negative 6 hours into San Francisco. Three words can describe this city....Rock and ROLL! After managing to find my hotel after several language barriers (one of quite a few language misunderstandings), I headed downtown San Francisco. I was a little under prepared as all I knew about the place was Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. This place was thriving with a Rock and Roll feel to every street I ended up walking. I spent that first night sinking American booze at a small pub not far from the hotel. I stumbled home that night quite happy with the effort I had made that day, to over 100 channels of cable TV! Re-runs of Steve Urkle, MacGyver and non stop Simpsons kept me awake for most of the night...
The next couple of days were sightseeing with a couple of mates, one Korean and one Japanese. After deciding that Japanese was the easiest language to communicate in, we headed out on a boat tour of the Golden Gate Bridge and The Rock, also known as Alcatraz. The Golden Gate Bridge was fantastic. Something that you see on TV or in Magazines your whole life, and to see it up close was a great feeling. Unfortunately the cloud cover prevented some great photo opportunites, however it was a great site. On the way back, we circled around The Rock, with continuous commentary about the history of it. Whenever I think of The Rock, I can't help but think of Sean Connery's quote from the movie of the same name.
"Losers always whinge about doing their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen".
Unfortunately this joke was quite difficult to put into Japanese in the same context, and the other guys, although laughed, didn't quite get it to the extent that i do! After a couple of days sightseeing (the church where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monore got married, Haight Street, Fisherman's Wharf etc.)and boozing it up, it was time to leave this Rock and Roll city to the birth of Grunge.....you guessed it, Seattle!
After a brief stop in Portland, Oregon because of bad weather, I finally made it to Seattle, Washington State about 2 hours late. But Scott, the American champ that he is, was there to meet me. When most Aussies think of Seattle, they probably think of Nirvana. Not the Japanese. A famous baseball player by the name of Ichiro Suzuki plays for the Seattle Mariners. And so, it was off to Safeco Field, to see the Mariners take on the Minnesota Twins. It was a great night and everything I thought it would be. The beer, the cracker jacks, the music, the chicks, and of course Ichiro!
The next day was time for a change, so Scott and myself headed up to Vancouver, CANADA! Coming from Australia, it was hard to beleive that we could drive to another country within 3 hours. We got the OK from Border Control and headed for downtown Vancouver. A beautiful city which reminded me of home. Lovely people, great food and a relaxed atmosphere. My second communication mishap came when I asked the lady at the Rock and Roll Shop if my T shirt would shrink in the wash. My exact words were...
" Will this shrink naturally in the wash", to which she replied ".........................." with a puzzled look on her face. After about 3 more attempts and asking her the same question, she finally figured out what I was saying .
And I thought I had problems communicating in Japanese!
Highlights of Seattle include the Underground Tour, in which I got to literally go underground and see what Seattle looked like in the early 1900's before the city was raised because of flooding problems. Many of the sidewalks still remain, as well as buildings etc. Kurt Kobain's old house was also a highlight, as well as the Science Fiction Musem, the Seattle Rock and Roll Museum, cruising Lake Washington, Supersize MacDonalds (the chips are huuuge!) and of course, HOOTERS! One real example of how hard it was for the yanks to undertand my accent is as follows...
At the supermarket, picking up a few beers and at the checkout when the following coverstation took place.
Hot checkout chick: Plastic OK?
Confused Aussie: No, is cash ok?
Hot checkout chick: Excuse me?
Confused Aussie: Cash...money (while showing her what I was talking about).
Hot checkout chick: What about it?
Even More confused Aussie: I would like to pay in cash.
Hot checkout chick: No. Do you want a plastic or paper bag.
Embarassed Aussie: Sorry! I thought you were asking if I wanna pay by credit card! Plastic will be fine thanks.
All in all, it was a great trip. Beers were sunk-a-plenty, and it was great catching up with top mates. I pretty much did everything I could have in the short time I was there, although I could have done another night at Hooters!
Enjoy the pics, and Keep On Chooglin'
Andrew
July 19 BBQ's of SummerSome of you may wonder what goes on over here in Summer. Well, it just so happens to be that BBQ's seem to be the go, and who better to get in on the action and show these guys how to BBQ than yours truly. A BBQ can be put together here with all the required materials being available at the 100yen shop. CHEAP AS CHIPS! After the supplies are bought, as well as a couple of travelers, we head down to the mighty Tamagawa River, a 15 minute walk from home. We get the fire going, the steak cooking, and the booze is a free flowing all day long. It's a day of footy, frisbee and frolocking, and hoping for the best that you don't end up in the murkey waters of Tamagawa!
After a good day down at the river, for whoever isn't passed out, it's usually a quite BBQ at the one and only CHAMPION'S house, on his balconly which is, well, bloody huuuuuge! It's a quiet few nightcaps, a bit of music, and most importanltly, a good laugh!
Never underestimate an Aussie at a BBQ!
June 27 Expo a Go GoAfter a pretty tough day at work on Friday (24/6), with kids fighting, kids crying, and kids being a general pain in the ass, I was happy to rush home and get the bullet train down to the city of Nagoya (far away from those kids!) for the World Expo. We arrived at the hotel late Friday night and headed to the Expo site at sparrows fart on Saturday. Well, not just us but the rest of Japan7s population! After a long wait at the North Gate, we finally got in and the day had begun. First stop, 'Straya (Australia for those who are iliterate). I expected it to be quite crowded but we didn't have to line up at all. And after visiting it I understood why. It was the biggest load of rubbish since NSW won their first Origin! There was a 2 minute holigram video about some tree and a snake, and that was it. If you had no idea about Australia before going in, I can imagine you would be pretty damn confused as to what type of country it is. I walked out of it thinking "What the #$%! was that?! After we got over the shock of how piss poor our pavillion was, we headed over towards the South East Asian and Pacific Island pavillions. They weren't too bad. Each country gave some information about what their countries are like, and had dances and the like. I even treated myself to a rediculously overpriced can of Fiji Bitter...doesn't taste any better over here, but at least it brought back memories! Next was Africa. I don't think I have seen so many tall Guru's in the one place at one time! All these tall African Guru's walking around in their traditional dress meeting and greeting people in whatever language that could be used. I did feel sorry for this one guy. He was the only representative for his country, Sao Tome & Principe. I know what you are thinking because I was thinking the same thing...."Where the hell is that?!" He spoke in the funniest English I have heard in a while, and it was even funnier when he had a go at speaking Japanese to the locals...hehehe. Next up we were off to Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. You know, I was pretty good at geography in my Hey Day, but I had never heard of half of these countries! They each gave quite a lot of information about their countries, and had restaurants selling their own ethnic foods. Although a lot of these countries are quite poor, they have a rich culture, and can still afford to put together an interesting and informative pavillion, which is much more than Australia could do. With Expo being a great opportunity to really show your country off to the world, and sell it to potential tourists, it was so disappointing seeing so many poor countries put such great diplays on, while Australia just put out this piss poor effort that had no meaning whatsoever. I could have been in any country, when in fact I was in my own. Despite the crowds and the hot weather, a good time was had. I learned a lot about so many different countries, and realised that although it is often said that "It's a small world", it is much larger and diverse than we think. I ate a wide range of foods, including Indian curry at the Bollywood Cafe, which was a definite highlight. It was just a shame there was no Fox Street turnoff on the way home! June 17 Origin Wrap UpWell, as we know, the game didn't go according to plan. With Big Bustling Barnstorming Carl Webb off the field, our forwards got tired and the sting was taken out of our attack and defense. Even with Webb off the field, it was good to see that he still won the battle against Bailey, who couldn't hold the ball or make a tackle even if his life depended on it! After the return of Andrew Johns, who ran around our tired forwards late in the game (even Fat Albert could have done that!), some were rating him in the same league as The King, Walter J. Lewis (couldn't even start to compare!). Even Ray Rabbits Warren had an opinion. When asked whether Johns was the new King, Rabs replied, "It was the most dominant game I have ever seen from a NSW player. But I saw Wally do it for 10 years!". Stick that up ya! The XXXX was a treat and pies were had by all. The QUEENSLAND spirit was there, and we fought till the death. We even scored the last try which proves that we in QUEENSLAND have more passion than those cockroaches could ever dream of. Game 3 is gonna be an absolute cracker, and with a packed Lang Park, and QUEENSLAND pride and passion, a series win for QUEENSLAND seems inevitable. QUEENSLANDER! June 13 Origin!!Wednesday night is Origin 2!! With the satellite all hooked up, it is gonna be Origin 2 on the Big Screen at Carten1's place. I can't see Queensland losing, with the likes of Webb, Lockyer and Bowen in the team. It's gonna be a cracker!! Up and runningSo i finally got with the times and bought myself a digital camera. With the sheer quality and variety of them over here, some may wonder why it took me so long to buy one. Well, i could never see the advangtage of one over a normal camera. That and the fact my camera was and still works fine. Anyway, i got a good deal on one and we'll see how it goes. Haven't taken any pictures as yet (well, none that are really appropriate to show here!), but i am sure i will have some to put up real soon. |
||||||||||||||||
|
|
