In the fullest interests of complete accuracy, I have been corrected on last week's blog. What I thought was Boys II Men was in fact All4One. My confusion of bands with a number pun in the middle of their name is completely understandable.
Also, this is the second time since 1995 that All4One has been mentioned. The first was when we were arguing about what gay band it was.
Also, the coaches have promised to start me and give me "60 minutes of all I can handle" on Saturday. I'll also be throwing in line outs, as that appears to be all my "American Footy" arm is good for.
30 July 2008
27 July 2008
Another update...about rugby and homebrewing again, strangely enough.
My first Rugby game as a player occured on Saturday. I caught the train to campus and then met up with the team at our practice grounds.
Ever seen the movie "Leatherheads"? Not an excellent movie by any means. Fun to watch, worth seeing once, perhaps, but I wouldn't purchase it. I'm sorry, I digress. The movie is about the early days of the NFL and how just very amateur everything was. My day on Saturday reminded me much of this movie (only with 100% less George Clooney)
After everyone arrived, everyone divided into cars and started heading off. No team bus this week. Nobody knew where exactly we were going. Myself and another piled into Moonbeam's car. (When he introduced himself, I remarked "Wow, that's feminine". He responded "I have a very white chest.") "If you have a car, why do you ride the bus?" I asked. He explained that it was not his car, it was his girlfriend's, but it was worth borrowing it and spending the extra $10 in petrol to guarantee a comfortable seat. "Some weeks we have 15 cars and 17 players, and some weeks we have 25 players and 4 cars...and trust me they all fit somewhere." We are reminded by the coach to bring some footy balls this time so that we can warm up before the game. Apparently this is brought up because it did not happen on more than one previous occasion. Our coach is also one of the best players on the team.
30 minutes later, I asked a very important question. "Mr Davis, where did you get these directions? Did a man on a street corner print them for you?" I figured this was the only reasonable explanation for why we had turned off of the freeway, in the opposite direction of the Hunter Valley Vineyard sign, and onto a single lane dirt road, which seemed to be going through a national park. Hope came when the dirt road turned back into pavement, but was again dashed when the road turned back into dirt. This was very funny the first 3 times it happened, but lost humor the next 7 or 8 times. We were following a car that was presumed to be driven by another Rugby player...but then that car pulled off the road and turned around and it was not whoever thought it was. The situation was made that much more terrible when Moonbeam refused to take his girlfriend's CD out of the stereo. Then there were three guys with ridiculously short rugby shorts riding in a car with pink seat covers and plush doggies listening to Boys II Men in the middle of a national park.
The directions led us into a tourist village. "Hunter Valley Vineyards" proclaimed the sign. There was a bottle shop, wine tours, a general store and a small park. There was "Aqua golf" which is a driving range on a lake (and I was assured it's as ridiculous as it sounds." This seemed like a terrible place for a rugby field. "Look for footy sticks" (goalposts). Somehow, and I really have no idea how this happened, we arrived at our destination. "Don't mention anything about a dirt road, in case there was an easier way to go".
The field was in laughable condition. The shod had recently been replaced and was coming up everywhere. There were some very soggy areas that were just short of holding standing water. There was a sandal in one of the try areas "I am definitely leaving that there". Three out of the four pylons were already tipped over. The best part of all...the entire field was on a visible slope. "We're going to play you in the half we're going downhill" someone said to Moonbeam.
Locker rooms? Pshh. Everyone stripped down on the side of the field. The water bottles were half full from the previous week, and the tap was several hundred meters away. During pregame warmups, we are sitting in a circle stretching. I notice two guys laughing and raise an eyebrow. "Hey Seppo, are you wearing boxer shorts?" My boxers were HANGING OUT THE BOTTOM of my rugby shorts. "That's a mistake you'll only have once". (I am called Seppo, or Seppy, or Whiskey. When it became known I was American, I was told there was already another American on the team and I would have to be given a different nickname. Whiskey comes from Wisconsin. Seppo comes from septic tank, which rhymes with "yank" and apparently is an old rugby term or something.)
The game began and we jumped out to an early lead. The other players not in the game are doing their best to explain every last aspect of the game to me. There's so much to remember, but I seem to be getting the hang of it.
Halftime happens when we score a fourth uncontested try. One of the assistant referees leaves and we are short a linesman. They ask us if we have anyone that can fill the role and a kid that was watching the game takes the spot.
I am asked if I am ready to go in. "Absolutely!" I am asked if I know what I am doing. "Not a clue!" I get a 30 second crash course at the position (Stay in the line, keep moving forward...but pretty much hit anyone with the ball. I tell them I cannot wait to hit somebody.) We kick off because we have just scored. I make three tackles in the first five minutes I am playing, including a very nice form tackle right in front of our bench. It was a pretty solid head-on hit. I got lower than he was, drove with my shoulder, exploded my hips through him, whatever the buzz phrase that's been hammered into my head from 5th grade on. I was told that I "absolutely ran him over". Later on the sideline, someone asked "Did everyone see Seppo's hit? I saw stars and stripes, the star spangled banner started playing, and a bald eagle swooped overhead." God bless American footy (or gridiron). We have possession of the ball near the opponent's try line, when a penalty is called. The referee just up and ends the game, something like 10 minutes early. Final score 34-5, University.
We shake hands at midfield. This is normal. I am surprised and pleased by what happens next. The other team gives us three cheers and we return the favor. Then they form a "tunnel" clapping as we leave the field. Someone from their team brings over a cooler full of the local microbrew. I had a very delicious Wattle Seed Ale. Our team votes on an MVP, and two runners up.
We take our beers over to the other team's bench and drink beers with them and talk. One of their members asks if our center is wearing a size 13 judging by the marks on his legs. He was.
We meet back at midfield for the "boat race", which is a table with 6 beers. The MVP and runners up from each team have a relay race of the best kind. We win this game as well.
We meet later that night at the bar that sponsors our team for some "team building exercises." The coach is there and I am informed that if practice goes well this week, I may be starting next week. In the interests of self-preservation, most of the players seem to shy away from contact. Having been taught for many years how to make proper contact with pads on, I am not afraid of contact. We will see how long I hold up without shoulder pads on though!
Homebrewing update.
The beer stopped producing Co2 sometime on Saturday so I figured it was just about ready to be bottled. I checked the final gravity of the beer and found it to be just right, about 1005. I set up an assembly line of sorts, where there would be one beer soaking in sterilizer, one beer being rinsed, one beer drying, then one being filled, sugared, and capped. Everything went smoothly and I am left with a yield of 25x 750ml bottles, and two 600ml bottles. The beer tasted strong from what I could tell, but smelled absolutely delicious. It's this wonderful medium brown color. These next two weeks are going to be rough as I have to look at my 26 babies in the closet, just waiting! I may start another batch in the meantime.
That might be the longest thing I've ever written. Kudos to anyone that reads all the way through that.
Ever seen the movie "Leatherheads"? Not an excellent movie by any means. Fun to watch, worth seeing once, perhaps, but I wouldn't purchase it. I'm sorry, I digress. The movie is about the early days of the NFL and how just very amateur everything was. My day on Saturday reminded me much of this movie (only with 100% less George Clooney)
After everyone arrived, everyone divided into cars and started heading off. No team bus this week. Nobody knew where exactly we were going. Myself and another piled into Moonbeam's car. (When he introduced himself, I remarked "Wow, that's feminine". He responded "I have a very white chest.") "If you have a car, why do you ride the bus?" I asked. He explained that it was not his car, it was his girlfriend's, but it was worth borrowing it and spending the extra $10 in petrol to guarantee a comfortable seat. "Some weeks we have 15 cars and 17 players, and some weeks we have 25 players and 4 cars...and trust me they all fit somewhere." We are reminded by the coach to bring some footy balls this time so that we can warm up before the game. Apparently this is brought up because it did not happen on more than one previous occasion. Our coach is also one of the best players on the team.
30 minutes later, I asked a very important question. "Mr Davis, where did you get these directions? Did a man on a street corner print them for you?" I figured this was the only reasonable explanation for why we had turned off of the freeway, in the opposite direction of the Hunter Valley Vineyard sign, and onto a single lane dirt road, which seemed to be going through a national park. Hope came when the dirt road turned back into pavement, but was again dashed when the road turned back into dirt. This was very funny the first 3 times it happened, but lost humor the next 7 or 8 times. We were following a car that was presumed to be driven by another Rugby player...but then that car pulled off the road and turned around and it was not whoever thought it was. The situation was made that much more terrible when Moonbeam refused to take his girlfriend's CD out of the stereo. Then there were three guys with ridiculously short rugby shorts riding in a car with pink seat covers and plush doggies listening to Boys II Men in the middle of a national park.
The directions led us into a tourist village. "Hunter Valley Vineyards" proclaimed the sign. There was a bottle shop, wine tours, a general store and a small park. There was "Aqua golf" which is a driving range on a lake (and I was assured it's as ridiculous as it sounds." This seemed like a terrible place for a rugby field. "Look for footy sticks" (goalposts). Somehow, and I really have no idea how this happened, we arrived at our destination. "Don't mention anything about a dirt road, in case there was an easier way to go".
The field was in laughable condition. The shod had recently been replaced and was coming up everywhere. There were some very soggy areas that were just short of holding standing water. There was a sandal in one of the try areas "I am definitely leaving that there". Three out of the four pylons were already tipped over. The best part of all...the entire field was on a visible slope. "We're going to play you in the half we're going downhill" someone said to Moonbeam.
Locker rooms? Pshh. Everyone stripped down on the side of the field. The water bottles were half full from the previous week, and the tap was several hundred meters away. During pregame warmups, we are sitting in a circle stretching. I notice two guys laughing and raise an eyebrow. "Hey Seppo, are you wearing boxer shorts?" My boxers were HANGING OUT THE BOTTOM of my rugby shorts. "That's a mistake you'll only have once". (I am called Seppo, or Seppy, or Whiskey. When it became known I was American, I was told there was already another American on the team and I would have to be given a different nickname. Whiskey comes from Wisconsin. Seppo comes from septic tank, which rhymes with "yank" and apparently is an old rugby term or something.)
The game began and we jumped out to an early lead. The other players not in the game are doing their best to explain every last aspect of the game to me. There's so much to remember, but I seem to be getting the hang of it.
Halftime happens when we score a fourth uncontested try. One of the assistant referees leaves and we are short a linesman. They ask us if we have anyone that can fill the role and a kid that was watching the game takes the spot.
I am asked if I am ready to go in. "Absolutely!" I am asked if I know what I am doing. "Not a clue!" I get a 30 second crash course at the position (Stay in the line, keep moving forward...but pretty much hit anyone with the ball. I tell them I cannot wait to hit somebody.) We kick off because we have just scored. I make three tackles in the first five minutes I am playing, including a very nice form tackle right in front of our bench. It was a pretty solid head-on hit. I got lower than he was, drove with my shoulder, exploded my hips through him, whatever the buzz phrase that's been hammered into my head from 5th grade on. I was told that I "absolutely ran him over". Later on the sideline, someone asked "Did everyone see Seppo's hit? I saw stars and stripes, the star spangled banner started playing, and a bald eagle swooped overhead." God bless American footy (or gridiron). We have possession of the ball near the opponent's try line, when a penalty is called. The referee just up and ends the game, something like 10 minutes early. Final score 34-5, University.
We shake hands at midfield. This is normal. I am surprised and pleased by what happens next. The other team gives us three cheers and we return the favor. Then they form a "tunnel" clapping as we leave the field. Someone from their team brings over a cooler full of the local microbrew. I had a very delicious Wattle Seed Ale. Our team votes on an MVP, and two runners up.
We take our beers over to the other team's bench and drink beers with them and talk. One of their members asks if our center is wearing a size 13 judging by the marks on his legs. He was.
We meet back at midfield for the "boat race", which is a table with 6 beers. The MVP and runners up from each team have a relay race of the best kind. We win this game as well.
We meet later that night at the bar that sponsors our team for some "team building exercises." The coach is there and I am informed that if practice goes well this week, I may be starting next week. In the interests of self-preservation, most of the players seem to shy away from contact. Having been taught for many years how to make proper contact with pads on, I am not afraid of contact. We will see how long I hold up without shoulder pads on though!
Homebrewing update.
The beer stopped producing Co2 sometime on Saturday so I figured it was just about ready to be bottled. I checked the final gravity of the beer and found it to be just right, about 1005. I set up an assembly line of sorts, where there would be one beer soaking in sterilizer, one beer being rinsed, one beer drying, then one being filled, sugared, and capped. Everything went smoothly and I am left with a yield of 25x 750ml bottles, and two 600ml bottles. The beer tasted strong from what I could tell, but smelled absolutely delicious. It's this wonderful medium brown color. These next two weeks are going to be rough as I have to look at my 26 babies in the closet, just waiting! I may start another batch in the meantime.
That might be the longest thing I've ever written. Kudos to anyone that reads all the way through that.
26 July 2008
Quick update!
The homebrewing is going well so far! I got everything sterilized and the inaugural batch mixed up without incident. Added the yeast and put the carboy in my closet...it started producing co2 about an hour later, got some happy little bubbles up through the airlock. This was Tuesday evening at about 8pm.
There's a TON of foam on top of the beer, which is good, means that it's doing alot of fermenting! The foam actually came up through the airlock for a day and kept pushing all the water out, I didn't know what to do except clean out the airlock here and there and hope that the co2 coming out is enough to keep anything else from getting in! Most of the time, from what I've been reading, people have problems with fermentation going too slowly...definitely not having that problem! Temperature is sitting perfectly at 24*.
It's still happily bubbling away, it probably will for another few days, and then it's on to bottling! (and then more waiting!)
Rugby is AWESOME. I've finally figured out the rules (for the most part) but something I didn't really plan on was learning strategy...there's so much information coming so fast...the players are really helpful, they can tell I've not played before, but "Pillow post to the fly half" doesn't help much either. My cleats (or "rugby boots") arrived today, so I won't be sliding around tomorrow at my first away game!
There's a TON of foam on top of the beer, which is good, means that it's doing alot of fermenting! The foam actually came up through the airlock for a day and kept pushing all the water out, I didn't know what to do except clean out the airlock here and there and hope that the co2 coming out is enough to keep anything else from getting in! Most of the time, from what I've been reading, people have problems with fermentation going too slowly...definitely not having that problem! Temperature is sitting perfectly at 24*.
It's still happily bubbling away, it probably will for another few days, and then it's on to bottling! (and then more waiting!)
Rugby is AWESOME. I've finally figured out the rules (for the most part) but something I didn't really plan on was learning strategy...there's so much information coming so fast...the players are really helpful, they can tell I've not played before, but "Pillow post to the fly half" doesn't help much either. My cleats (or "rugby boots") arrived today, so I won't be sliding around tomorrow at my first away game!
22 July 2008
Homebrewing!
Stopped by the homebrew store after class today...not only did he have the EXACT gasket I needed, he was also super helpful. I picked up a gasket (for water trap), a new water trap(allows co2 to escape during fermentation without letting outside stuff in), a bottle brush (for sterilizing glass bottles), and a long handled spoon to stir the wort. (beer before yeast).
I was trying to say 23 liters, but instead I said 23 meters. Haha. He suggested "that's closer to 6 imperial gallons, if that's what you're used to" Me: "You can tell?" Him "Just a guess."
On my way out the door, he said "4 things, mate. Keep everything sterile. Hygiene is very important. Temperature. Don't let it brew too hot. Quality ingredients. If you buy crap, you'll make crap. Finally, patience. Good beer gets better in the bottle!"
We'll see how this turns out, I plan on starting the fermentation process tonight.
For now, it's off to Rugby practice!
I was trying to say 23 liters, but instead I said 23 meters. Haha. He suggested "that's closer to 6 imperial gallons, if that's what you're used to" Me: "You can tell?" Him "Just a guess."
On my way out the door, he said "4 things, mate. Keep everything sterile. Hygiene is very important. Temperature. Don't let it brew too hot. Quality ingredients. If you buy crap, you'll make crap. Finally, patience. Good beer gets better in the bottle!"
We'll see how this turns out, I plan on starting the fermentation process tonight.
For now, it's off to Rugby practice!
20 July 2008
Outing to Blackbutt Nature Reserve
As part of International Student Orientation, we were encouraged to sign up for a trip to the local nature reserve. So, Friday, bright and early, we caught the train over to the University and then hopped on a bus that took us back the way we came to the reserve. There were 3 coaches in all, lots of kids. They turned us loose and we were free to wander. One of my roommates managed to lead the way and lead the entire bus into the woods, the wrong direction of the animals. We ended up walking for about half an hour on the "main loop" and seeing lots of trees before finally finding the animal reserve, conveniently located right next to the entrance. Brilliant.
Yours truly with the laziest animal I've ever laid eyes on.
This one's for you, mom!
Your birds!
I really think all Australian animals are lazy. I only saw one kangaroo move!
What are you looking at?
Today, one of the ladies in the study abroad office invited all 6 of us over for an authentic Australian meal. It was like going to Grandma's house.
I could not believe the amount of food this woman prepared. There were about 10 people eating, and any one of the meats could have satisfied everyone. There was a mountain of sausages, a turkey, beef, chicken kabobs (on a stick, not the kebab!), potatoes, onions, bread rolls AND a loaf of bread, corn on the cob, chicken fried rice, salad, and probably some other stuff. I ate an inhuman amount of food and we barely made a dent in it!
After the meal I snuck outside and grabbed some nifty shots of the house, which is nearly 100 years old.
Here's my first successful image using HDR photography...not perfect, I think I was one dark exposure short, but I think it looks awesome!
Yours truly with the laziest animal I've ever laid eyes on.
This one's for you, mom!
Your birds!
I really think all Australian animals are lazy. I only saw one kangaroo move!
What are you looking at?
Today, one of the ladies in the study abroad office invited all 6 of us over for an authentic Australian meal. It was like going to Grandma's house.
I could not believe the amount of food this woman prepared. There were about 10 people eating, and any one of the meats could have satisfied everyone. There was a mountain of sausages, a turkey, beef, chicken kabobs (on a stick, not the kebab!), potatoes, onions, bread rolls AND a loaf of bread, corn on the cob, chicken fried rice, salad, and probably some other stuff. I ate an inhuman amount of food and we barely made a dent in it!
After the meal I snuck outside and grabbed some nifty shots of the house, which is nearly 100 years old.
Here's my first successful image using HDR photography...not perfect, I think I was one dark exposure short, but I think it looks awesome!
17 July 2008
Speechless.
Australian host: "So this earthquake in 1989 was quite shocking. We didn't even think it was possible on the coast. Earthquakes happen all the time in the middle of Australia, but you know, it doesn't matter because nobody lives there.
Blonde, female, enraging roommate: "So, wait, you're saying there's a part in the middle of Australia where nobody lives?"
My first thought was "Did you know ANYTHING AT ALL about this place before you came here?"
That was my interesting moment of the day.
Blonde, female, enraging roommate: "So, wait, you're saying there's a part in the middle of Australia where nobody lives?"
My first thought was "Did you know ANYTHING AT ALL about this place before you came here?"
That was my interesting moment of the day.
16 July 2008
Day at the beach...
Yesterday I walked into a hair salon and told them to cut all my hair off. I lost a little over 6 inches in some spots. $25 and an hour and a half later, it feels like I took a winter hat off. So much nicer in the sun!
Today we walked down to the beach and met some friends down there. There were about 12 of us total. After playing some catch with a football (that definitely got some looks) for awhile, we sprinted into the ocean and got the crap kicked out of us by some waves. Also, I had to show my British friend how to hold/throw the football, he kept wanting to throw it underhand. It was the first time he had held one. Hahaha.
I lost a golf disc in the pacific ocean :( I tried to throw it down the beach, but my backpack swung and hit my arm and made it go sideways...it landed in the surf, I saw it tumble once, and then it was gone. RIP blue teebird, you will be replaced by a more brightly colored disc.
After a few hours on the beach, we walked down to a pub and sat on a pier and drank beer for another hour or two...it was absolutely wonderful. We talked about we thought out friends were doing back home and decided that none of us really cared at the moment :) Sorry guys.
Today we walked down to the beach and met some friends down there. There were about 12 of us total. After playing some catch with a football (that definitely got some looks) for awhile, we sprinted into the ocean and got the crap kicked out of us by some waves. Also, I had to show my British friend how to hold/throw the football, he kept wanting to throw it underhand. It was the first time he had held one. Hahaha.
I lost a golf disc in the pacific ocean :( I tried to throw it down the beach, but my backpack swung and hit my arm and made it go sideways...it landed in the surf, I saw it tumble once, and then it was gone. RIP blue teebird, you will be replaced by a more brightly colored disc.
After a few hours on the beach, we walked down to a pub and sat on a pier and drank beer for another hour or two...it was absolutely wonderful. We talked about we thought out friends were doing back home and decided that none of us really cared at the moment :) Sorry guys.
14 July 2008
A few reflections on how things are different...
I just got back from my International Student Orientation. I was on campus from about 9:30 until 5:00. Busy day, you say? Quite the contrary...I've never been so bored in my life. After sitting through nearly 8 hours of repetitive powerpoints, I am enjoying a much needed Toohey's Black Ale.
There generally is a more relaxed atmosphere. The way that this translates into public speaking is that the speakers move at a more relaxed paced, and repeat themselves...often. Long winded is an understatement. Many of it is helpful information, but so much is just common sense...I was told at least three times to lock my doors when I leave my apartment, and what "Goodday Mate" means. Really?
Another thing very different from back home is attitude towards alcohol. As you may or may not be aware, the drinking age down here is 18. This translates into a few interesting but shocking scenarios. For example, there is a bar in the middle of campus. The person running our orientation mentioned how Wednesdays were big there, how they have shuttles from the train station to the bar and back, and how we should try to limit ourselves to one or two before our 10:00 classes. It's a "wet" campus in a drinking society. Alcohol is served at school functions. You know that big party right when the semester starts? Platteville had one every year...bouncy inflatable toys, free food, tricycle races, all the same as down here. What was very different was being told to "enjoy a day of cheap inebriation". (not that I won't).
People travel to bars on different nights of the week. You can find a Friday night crowd on a Monday night, if you go to the right bar. This sort of thing just doesn't happen back home. I saw live music last night. ON A SUNDAY. Walking down Hunter street, the main street in Newcastle, you can easily see which bars sell beer by just looking for the keg piles. Bars pile (presumably empty) quarter barrels in front, or in back of their store, usually 3-10 at a time. In the US, those would be gone in a matter of minutes.
Speaking of live music, I am becoming absolutely spoiled. There are live bands at several bars within walking distance, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also, I have been absolutely impressed with the quality of sound at these events, and the quality of the bands at these events. Hundreds of times better than the stuff back home.
The education here is focused much more on self-study than on teaching. Many international students that travel to the US feel that college in the US is more like highschool, that the teachers "hold your hand" too much. Here, there are little more than a handful of grading opportunities per semester. The wallpaper on this computer reads "He who ceases to be a student has never been one in a first place." If you're not interested in studying, nobody will make you, and your time at Uni will be short.
There generally is a more relaxed atmosphere. The way that this translates into public speaking is that the speakers move at a more relaxed paced, and repeat themselves...often. Long winded is an understatement. Many of it is helpful information, but so much is just common sense...I was told at least three times to lock my doors when I leave my apartment, and what "Goodday Mate" means. Really?
Another thing very different from back home is attitude towards alcohol. As you may or may not be aware, the drinking age down here is 18. This translates into a few interesting but shocking scenarios. For example, there is a bar in the middle of campus. The person running our orientation mentioned how Wednesdays were big there, how they have shuttles from the train station to the bar and back, and how we should try to limit ourselves to one or two before our 10:00 classes. It's a "wet" campus in a drinking society. Alcohol is served at school functions. You know that big party right when the semester starts? Platteville had one every year...bouncy inflatable toys, free food, tricycle races, all the same as down here. What was very different was being told to "enjoy a day of cheap inebriation". (not that I won't).
People travel to bars on different nights of the week. You can find a Friday night crowd on a Monday night, if you go to the right bar. This sort of thing just doesn't happen back home. I saw live music last night. ON A SUNDAY. Walking down Hunter street, the main street in Newcastle, you can easily see which bars sell beer by just looking for the keg piles. Bars pile (presumably empty) quarter barrels in front, or in back of their store, usually 3-10 at a time. In the US, those would be gone in a matter of minutes.
Speaking of live music, I am becoming absolutely spoiled. There are live bands at several bars within walking distance, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Also, I have been absolutely impressed with the quality of sound at these events, and the quality of the bands at these events. Hundreds of times better than the stuff back home.
The education here is focused much more on self-study than on teaching. Many international students that travel to the US feel that college in the US is more like highschool, that the teachers "hold your hand" too much. Here, there are little more than a handful of grading opportunities per semester. The wallpaper on this computer reads "He who ceases to be a student has never been one in a first place." If you're not interested in studying, nobody will make you, and your time at Uni will be short.
12 July 2008
Pictures - First trip in Sydney, My apartment in Newcastle
Well, I apologize for this mess I'm about to throw on you. This is proving to be very difficult without good internet access...I have do all the work I can at home and then try to upload it at the local Uni hub. As a result, I'm uploading the wrong photos, everything is disorganized, and I'm going to have to resize SMALLER than 30%!
On our final day in Sydney, Sam and I caught a bus to the heart of Sydney. From there we hired a cab to take us to Olympic Park. I had my disc golf discs with me in hopes that I could toss plastic and curse at one of the five disc golf courses on the continent. After talking with the man at the visitor's center, I was disappointed to learn that it is only open on the weekends. He did give us free passes up to the observation tower though.
After that, we hopped on a train and returned to the hotel.
Walking around in Sydney - Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Hyde Park
I call this one "The Essence of Sam". I became very familiar with this look. The look that says "What the heck are you doing, you're stupid".
Sydney Olympic Park - Pictures are ground level or from the observation deck.
Looking back at the Harbor Bridge and Downtown Sydney
Some pictures of our accommodation in Newcastle...which might be the greatest place on earth.
I've found a beer I enjoy! Mmmmm...only $4 a bottle :(
A few shots off the balcony - We're on the 10th floor.
The first sunset!! I apologize for the pictures, I resized and uploaded some of the wrong ones.
That's all for now, I'll try and do some more writing soon.
On our final day in Sydney, Sam and I caught a bus to the heart of Sydney. From there we hired a cab to take us to Olympic Park. I had my disc golf discs with me in hopes that I could toss plastic and curse at one of the five disc golf courses on the continent. After talking with the man at the visitor's center, I was disappointed to learn that it is only open on the weekends. He did give us free passes up to the observation tower though.
After that, we hopped on a train and returned to the hotel.
Walking around in Sydney - Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Hyde Park
I call this one "The Essence of Sam". I became very familiar with this look. The look that says "What the heck are you doing, you're stupid".
Sydney Olympic Park - Pictures are ground level or from the observation deck.
Looking back at the Harbor Bridge and Downtown Sydney
Some pictures of our accommodation in Newcastle...which might be the greatest place on earth.
I've found a beer I enjoy! Mmmmm...only $4 a bottle :(
A few shots off the balcony - We're on the 10th floor.
The first sunset!! I apologize for the pictures, I resized and uploaded some of the wrong ones.
That's all for now, I'll try and do some more writing soon.
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