Update - Again!!!

Wow, so I just found this and thought perhaps I should add some more stuff on it. It has been a few years, but hey, people are now spread even more far and wide and its good to stick stuff up for the world to see. If only someone would invent a website where you could keep in touch with your mates, post photos and videos and generally stalk whoever you wanted...oh wait....

Anyway, from time to time I will try and stick a few things up on here. No promises mind...

Changing Times

Things have changed quite dramatically for me here in Sydney. I managed to survive a redundnacy scare and a wild trip to tasmania and an attempted mugging. But the thing that was most important to me in my life has now gone. I am now single in Sydney.

So I am moving back into a shared house this weekend, the belongings are being split and then I will work towards the future. Who knows what it will bring and where it will take me.

It is perhaps the toughest time of my life - but I will get there.

I Forgot!!!!

I am an uncle again. My sister had a little baby girl, Madeleine. I love being an uncle. If only they were a bit closer...

Update

Right, it has been a while. A long while. And to be honest I can;t be bothered right now to do a full update. So I will do a brief run down of what has happened and then I guess the best way would be start it again. Hopefully keeping it up to date this time...

So what has been happening to me?

Well my parents came to visit. It was great. It was so good to see them. And they, like me, came to the conclusion that Australia is not New Zealand. Sounds obvious. But I feel there is something about this place that just isn't New Zealand. Its good here. Its great here. But it is not the place I feel totally at home. I think it is to big. Sydney is a fantastic city. And every time I see the opera house and the bridge I am in awe and I have a little wry smile on face. This is an amazing city, one of the best on the planet. Its iconic. But Auckland perhaps just offered me that little bit more....

So my parents enjoyed the trip (I hope). After all it was me (I hope) they really came to see.

What next...Christmas and New Year. For christmas Rach's mum came over. It was boozey, it was fun and I think the booze was a key factor in serving Christmas dinner at about midnight. Haha.

New Year was spent at Lunar Park. It was a dance party with a prime view of the fire works on the harbour. Super impressive. Truly amazing....

What next...The boat party. What better way to see the sights of the harbour city than from a boat. Colin, a colleague from work hired a boat for his birthday and we cruised the harbour, lapping up the sun and the sea, and numerous beverages. Then there was swimming off the boat and back for a few more bevvies to finish off the night. Primo.

Next was the GP in Melbourne - go Jenson. Very excited about this season. But then I am a bit nerdy about the Formula 1.

And then Tasmania....but that desrves its own entry.

Well, thats about it. Pretty much up to date.

Watch this space, I promise I will try to keep it more up to date.

Blue Mountains - October 2008

After my folks had headed slightly further north and we had been back to Sydney, the following weekend it was time to meet up again. This time in the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains are about an hour west of Sydney. It is essentially a large Sandstone plataeu, covered in native eucalypt bush. The eucalyptus trees, when the temperature rises give of vapour. This vapour causes the dispersion of the visible blue spectrum of the light more than the others so it gives the impression of a blue haze.

Anyway, my parents had rented a lovely little cottage in a village called Leura. The village is just down the road from the main civilisation of Katoomba.

The main attractions in the Blue Mountains is the scenery. And one of the most famous scenes of all is the Three Sisters. This is literally at the edge of Katommba. Three sandstone pillars, allegedly sisters in aboriginal folk lore, standing over looking the valley. I think the story continues along the lines of a wedding or something but I am not really sure. Personally I think the view from one of the other lookouts is much more impressive. I can;t remember the name of it right now, which is useful, but if I do I will update. Anyway, the view is just so much bigger. Wider expanse of the enourmous sandstone bush covered chasm. Amazing.

The Sunday was spent on the Zig Zag Railway. The Zig Zag Railway is an old section of track, in a zig-zag formation. It was once part of the main railway line out of Sydney heading West. The Blue Mountains were in the way, and seeing as they couldn't tunnel through them they had to up and down them. The zig-zag was built to lessen the gradient on the western side. On each leg of the trip down the zig-zag, the engine has to disconnect from the train, run round to the front (or back) and reconnect, pulling the train on the next downward leg. Make sense? It was quite a clever way of getting down a steep hill in a train. It is operated today by enthusiasts, and they mainly run old steam engines. I love the smell of the steam and coal and hot oil. Reminds me of days at Dorridge station when the special steam trains used to visit.

It was an interesting run, although a little short.

Then it was back to Sydney as my folks carried on down the coast to Kiama and the blowhole.