I was up at 6:30am to get ready and head off to the Phillip Island circuit. Luckily today would be a dry clear day and the circuit looked amazing in the morning light. After the obligatory forms were filled out, I got my gear, met my bike for the day and waited for the briefing to start. The briefing was all the standard sort of stuff about safety and it’s not a race day etc etc. After that, there was a draw, where anyone who stayed overnight the night before at The Waves apartments in Cowes go into the draw to win a free ride day. And, yep. I Won. I don’t know when I’m going to use it, but it was nice to win. My response of “Oh Booyah!” when my name was called got a laugh from the crowd, which was also amusing.
My first session out on the track I was following a guy from “California Superbike School” who just goes around at a steady pace and then after two laps you are on your own. Once we were on our own it was typical track day stuff ie; everyone is a hero down the straight, but their penises shrink significantly under braking or into the corner. I passed a few people throughout the session. I’m still not pushing it though as I have never ridden an 06 GSXR600 before, nor have a been to Phillip Island, hence I’m still getting used to my braking points, what lines too take and what gears to use. I can say however, that after one session, the circuit is amazing, and absolutely brilliant fun to ride. It’s flowing and fast and has some nice changes in elevation. Like a longer Wanneroo raceway with more left handers. The view out to Bass straight is quite spectacular and sometimes I had too remind myself to keep my eyes on the track. The session was over far too quickly and I returned to the pits with a big smile on my face.
In the session after me, a guy had a Ducati D12RR out on the track. For those who don’t know, this is a $120k road bike, that is effectively a road going MotoGP machine. This thing was an ANIMAL (although the guy riding it was pretty slow, I guess he’s thinking about the fact that it’s nearly one of a kind, so if he crashes it, it’s all over). I got some video, not that you can see much, but hopefully you’ll be able to hear the immense growl this thing puts out. Much more to my liking than the sound of the F1’s or V8’s.
In the second session I was getting a bit quicker and starting to get more confident with the speed and braking points. Halfway through the session there was a bird that somebody had hit right at the entry to turn 1, which is where you’re probably going about 190km/h, so avoiding that bird the first time was a little hairy. After the session the first timers went out and did some counter steering practice. Damn, I steer poorly at low speed.
The third session was mint fun as I was behind someone on a red R6 that was pretty much at my pace. I was a later braker, but he had better mid corner and exit speed, so I could never get past him. We carved our way through the field through the course of the session, lapping a few bikes more than once. I went up to him after the session ended to tell him how much fun I had, and he agreed that it was a brilliant good time.
Possibly he pushed it a little hard though as in the fourth session on about the third lap he binned his R6 coming out of turn 2. It looks as though he got on the throttle a little early and ran wide on exit. As of the end of the third session I can now comfortably get my knee down on turns 2 and 6. Unfortunately these are both left handers, so I’m gonna have to work on going quicker in the rights. Turn one is probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike as you are braking down from about 240k/h and taking the corner at about 180km/h. Freakin crazy fun!
In the fifth session I stayed behind a guy I’d met named Mike who was on a 675 and wanted to know how far away he was from putting his knee down. I stayed behind him for two laps but he kept slowing down for slow people, instead of passing them. His best was about an inch and a half away, and after sitting behind him for two laps I went by and set about catching the guys who had passed me in the time I was staying behind him. I’d caught them a few laps later and then continues to work on my pace and lines. I got my right knee down on the turn 4 hairpin, which was very pleasing and then before I knew it, the session was over.
In the last session I was going as fast as I could. I didn’t get passed by anyone and passed nearly everyone in the group. I got my knee down on the Honda Hairpin right hander, so 2 out of the four right handers I was getting knee down action, and was very pleased with this. It was balls to the wall fun, and again, before I knew it, the session was over. I came into the pits and got out of my gear. I was happy with all of it except the AGV helmet. It was crap. The 06 GSXR600 was perfect, and if I was staying in Australia I would definitely upgrade from my 400 to a 600.
I said my goodbyes to the staff and some people I had met and took my stuff out to the car. I saw a dude going through an accident report for his Aprilia RSV (about a $25k bike). He had seen the chequered flag for the end of the session, and that had taken his mind off the braking point that was coming up, and he had then gone into the sand. It was his first ride day at Philip Island and he had binned his bike in the last corner that you are doing any speed, in the last session of the day. Cruel.
I then made my way off the Island, stopping to take a few photo’s along the way, and headed towards Frankston, where I am catching up with a bunch of people that Woo and I met in Japan.
I met up with Chris, Bowen (whose first name is Chris), Chom, Sheryn and Emma in Frankston. It was quite amusing when we met in Hakuba as it meant there were four Chris’s. Due to that fact, I will elaborate. I am Taylor, Woo is Woo, Chris Bowen is Bowen and Chris as in, “Chris and Em” is Chris. We went out for dinner in what must have been the most exclusive restaurant in Frankston as they told Chris they were full, yet when we managed to get in there the place was three quarters empty. The service was quite good though and the food was nice, although I did eat far too much. Not a new experience for me, unfortunately.
After that I came back to Chris and Emma’s and we continued drinking while we talked shit for a few hours and then played Guitar Hero (Chris is very good) and then Streetfighter 4 (Chris is not so good) on xbox360. I had decided to stay the night in Frankston (scary I know) and play golf with Chom and Chris in the morning as Chris had the day off the next day, and it seems like Chom doesn’t do a whole lot anyway, so he was confident he could take the day off also.
I ended up getting to sleep at around 1:30am. It had been a full day. I had met and fallen in love with a new mistress that I would not see again for many years. I guess I’ll just have to find a new one in Europe. Shouldn’t be too hard.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Melbourne Day 5 : Friends and travel to Phillip Island
After a decent nights sleep I was up at the crack of 10am to get ready and head off to the gym. On the way to the gym I decided to stop at a noodle place to try the gyoza. They were very good, but still not as good as Belle’s. I was in and out of the gym in 90 minutes and then I spent an hour walking around Melbourne city looking for a white cuff.
No luck on the cuff front, but I did buy a bunch of books. I figure I’m gonna be on a plane for quite a few hours over the next few months, so I felt it was a wise investment.
I then met Nassima at Melbourne Central, and gave her the present from Jules and the shoes she’d left on her last visit to Perth. We swapped travel stories, with me telling her all about Japan and her telling me all about her trip to India, Malaysia and Thailand. After a few beers I had to go pick up my hire car and Nass had to go to her lecture.
After I got the car I went to Crown casino to meet Jana for half price beer and pizza at Automatic. I was going to get there early so I played Streetfighter 4 in the arcade next to Crown. When I was finished getting my ass handed to me, I walked back through Crown to Automatic. It’s about a 5 minute walk. Along the way I walked past Tex Perkins (rock star), Danny Bhoi (comedian) and then while I was sitting, waiting for Jana, Ruebens Barrichello and Felipe Massa (F1 Drivers) walked past. You wouldn’t see that many celebrities in Perth in a year! (or maybe I just hang out at the wrong places).
I had dinner with Jana and Jeremy. It was really awesome to see Jeremy again, as after some of the issues of last year, I doubted we would ever be friends again, but it looks like things are healing, which is great.
After dinner I went home, grabbed my stuff and jumped in the car. It’s about a 2 hour drive to Phillip Island, so I was going to be getting there at around 11pm. When I arrived I was hugely surprised at my room at The Waves apartments. I walked in and saw a dining table, a kitchenette and a bunk bed, and I thought that was it, but the room had a spa in the bathroom and another huge bedroom with couches and a double bed. It was almost a shame that I was there alone, and would be only using it for 6 hours.
But I didn’t have time to be thinking about the room. I needed my rest. Tomorrow I would be taking on the best racetrack in the world.
No luck on the cuff front, but I did buy a bunch of books. I figure I’m gonna be on a plane for quite a few hours over the next few months, so I felt it was a wise investment.
I then met Nassima at Melbourne Central, and gave her the present from Jules and the shoes she’d left on her last visit to Perth. We swapped travel stories, with me telling her all about Japan and her telling me all about her trip to India, Malaysia and Thailand. After a few beers I had to go pick up my hire car and Nass had to go to her lecture.
After I got the car I went to Crown casino to meet Jana for half price beer and pizza at Automatic. I was going to get there early so I played Streetfighter 4 in the arcade next to Crown. When I was finished getting my ass handed to me, I walked back through Crown to Automatic. It’s about a 5 minute walk. Along the way I walked past Tex Perkins (rock star), Danny Bhoi (comedian) and then while I was sitting, waiting for Jana, Ruebens Barrichello and Felipe Massa (F1 Drivers) walked past. You wouldn’t see that many celebrities in Perth in a year! (or maybe I just hang out at the wrong places).
I had dinner with Jana and Jeremy. It was really awesome to see Jeremy again, as after some of the issues of last year, I doubted we would ever be friends again, but it looks like things are healing, which is great.
After dinner I went home, grabbed my stuff and jumped in the car. It’s about a 2 hour drive to Phillip Island, so I was going to be getting there at around 11pm. When I arrived I was hugely surprised at my room at The Waves apartments. I walked in and saw a dining table, a kitchenette and a bunk bed, and I thought that was it, but the room had a spa in the bathroom and another huge bedroom with couches and a double bed. It was almost a shame that I was there alone, and would be only using it for 6 hours.
But I didn’t have time to be thinking about the room. I needed my rest. Tomorrow I would be taking on the best racetrack in the world.
Melbourne Day 4 : Hanging out with friends
My delusions of getting up this morning and going to the gym were pretty much dead the second I agreed to go to the supermarket with Jana at 2am. Hence I didn’t feel to bad that I didn’t drag my ass out of bed til 11am. I cleaned up a little of the cooking mess from last night and got my shit together and left the house by 12:30.
I was meeting Monique at Melbourne Central at 1pm, and I was running a little late. Luckily I got a message that she was running late also. Monique is the cool Chinese girl I met in Hakuba and snowboarded with for a few days. She had been out drinking all night the night before so I was not at all surprised to see her rock up still drunk/ hungover.
She was little and loud, just like I remembered, although her volume seemed to have increased when it was not set against the background noise of a language I didn’t understand.
We got some breakfast at a little place just off Flinders lane and then went for a beer at Transport in Federation Square. We were sitting out in the blazing sun and I was glad that I had put sunscreen on before I left the house.
We then walked around the city for a few hours just talking shit, hanging shit on each other and generally making each other laugh. She had to go to her Uncles 50th so she drove me home, and then proceeded to incorrectly program her NavMan so it got her lost on the way home.
I had to meet Jana to get the keys to get into the house, and I then got changed into some warmer clothes before heading back into the city to meet Peta and Clayton for a few drinks.
Peta and Clayton were at Madame Brussells, which is at the Parliament end of Bourke st, on the 4th floor. It’s got a huge balcony where most people were sitting. Peta and Clayton had been drinking for a while, Clayton having drunk himself stupid the night before at a bucks night. They were sitting with friends, whom I was introduced to, but they pretty much kept to themselves, which was good because I wasn’t really in the mood to make nice with new people, but more interested on how everything was going with Peta and Clayton and their impending marriage
It was great to see them again. The topics, as always ranged from how Melbourne is so much better than Perth, how annoying Joycey can be, future travelling adventures and poo. I dont know why poo always comes up, but it does.
One of the best things about Madame Brussells is that they are well aware that it gets very cold in Melbourne, so they have piles and piles of blankets for people to use when it would normally be too cold to be outside on the balcony. Great idea! However, due to Claytons colour blindness he chose a pretty pink blanket, and had to endure Peta’s jibes until he gave her that blanket and went and got himself a blue one.
After a few drinks Peta and Clayton caught a tram back to Fitzroy as they both needed to work in the morning. Whereas I went to MacDonalds to use their free WiFi before catching the last tram back to Port Melbourne, determined that tonight I would get some decent sleep, and get up reasonably early.
I was meeting Monique at Melbourne Central at 1pm, and I was running a little late. Luckily I got a message that she was running late also. Monique is the cool Chinese girl I met in Hakuba and snowboarded with for a few days. She had been out drinking all night the night before so I was not at all surprised to see her rock up still drunk/ hungover.
She was little and loud, just like I remembered, although her volume seemed to have increased when it was not set against the background noise of a language I didn’t understand.
We got some breakfast at a little place just off Flinders lane and then went for a beer at Transport in Federation Square. We were sitting out in the blazing sun and I was glad that I had put sunscreen on before I left the house.
We then walked around the city for a few hours just talking shit, hanging shit on each other and generally making each other laugh. She had to go to her Uncles 50th so she drove me home, and then proceeded to incorrectly program her NavMan so it got her lost on the way home.
I had to meet Jana to get the keys to get into the house, and I then got changed into some warmer clothes before heading back into the city to meet Peta and Clayton for a few drinks.
Peta and Clayton were at Madame Brussells, which is at the Parliament end of Bourke st, on the 4th floor. It’s got a huge balcony where most people were sitting. Peta and Clayton had been drinking for a while, Clayton having drunk himself stupid the night before at a bucks night. They were sitting with friends, whom I was introduced to, but they pretty much kept to themselves, which was good because I wasn’t really in the mood to make nice with new people, but more interested on how everything was going with Peta and Clayton and their impending marriage
It was great to see them again. The topics, as always ranged from how Melbourne is so much better than Perth, how annoying Joycey can be, future travelling adventures and poo. I dont know why poo always comes up, but it does.
One of the best things about Madame Brussells is that they are well aware that it gets very cold in Melbourne, so they have piles and piles of blankets for people to use when it would normally be too cold to be outside on the balcony. Great idea! However, due to Claytons colour blindness he chose a pretty pink blanket, and had to endure Peta’s jibes until he gave her that blanket and went and got himself a blue one.
After a few drinks Peta and Clayton caught a tram back to Fitzroy as they both needed to work in the morning. Whereas I went to MacDonalds to use their free WiFi before catching the last tram back to Port Melbourne, determined that tonight I would get some decent sleep, and get up reasonably early.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Melbourne Day 3 : Formula 1 Qualifying
This morning I had delusions of getting up early and going to the F1. I figured I’d at least go and check it out, as it was $85 to get in, and I’m not exactly a huge car racing fan, but I’m in Melbourne, and it’s on, so I feel more like I should go than I want to go.
I dragged my ass out of bed at 12noon, and felt like I had missed my chance, but I figured I’d walk down to Albert Park anyway and at least hear them in the flesh, even if I couldn’t see them. It’s a lovely walk to Albert Park from Jana’s place in Port Melbourne as you walk along the beach, and then up Victoria street with all it’s cafés.
I arrived at Albert Park to the scream of a 2 seater Minardi taking the CEO of ING around the track. These things are LOUD. They’re selling earplugs everywhere, and you need them. I bought some sunscreen and some earplugs from a chick near the gate, and was still wondering if I could afford the $85 to spend the day by myself. I had kinda decided that I wouldn’t bother buying a ticket. I’d just walk around the outside of the track and get a reasonable vantage point and that would do me. As I was standing at the gate, and older guy, probably about 45 ish, walked up to these guys next to me and said “Here’s a ticket fellas” They said “no thanks, we’ve already got ours”. At this point I chirped up and said I’d take it. Without hesitation the older dude handed it to me and told me to have a good day. SCORE.
So I wandered into the track area and found a good position for the first session of the day which was starting in about 30 minutes. I hadn’t missed anything, as I’d forgotten that the Australian GP had been moved to a later slot to make the European audiences happier.
These cars are fast and loud. You’re not really watching a race, or even cars going around a track, because you only see one section, but Jesus they are so fucking loud and spastically fast.
After the session ended I walked around to see what else it going on. There’s your standard car displays and such. And that giant truck container that folds out in a 2 story xxxx bar. There’s also a day rave that ruins on the Saturday and Sunday, tonight Potbelleez are headlining and tomorrow it’s Sneaky Sound System. It only costs another $30 on top of your ticket price to go, and it goes all day. You get a good vantage point from inside the rave of the track, so you don’t miss any of the racing either. If I was here with a group of friends, that could definitely have been an option.
I got a good spot to see turns 1 and 2 and waited for qualifying to start. They had an Australian GT race on before that and it was pretty cool to see Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches flying around a racetrack. When the F1 guys came on it was again very loud and very fast, though not terribly exciting. Webber did well and got into the final ten shootout, but was then pretty useless and ended up 10th.
After that the V8’s came on. They weren’t as loud or as fast, but being a race it was a bit more exciting. The sound is very impressive, an angry throaty growl as you’d expect from V8’s. I left when they finished and walked back to Jana’s place. She was getting ready for some form of pageant where she was competing in the state final tonight.
After Jana had finished with the bathroom, which was quite a while, she headed out to her pageant. I laid on the couch for a while, debating whether of not to go out and catch up with Alex. I hadn’t seen her in ages, and I really should make an effort, but I was really enjoying the not standing up experience that comes with lying down, and didn’t really want to change that. In the end I grew a pair, got ready and went out. Alex and her friends were at Croft, which I knew reasonably well and by 10:30pm I had met them there.
Alex is still the same Alex that lived with me seven years ago. She’s older, more mature and lesbian now. But she’s the same talkative little girl who likes to irritate strangers for her own amusement.
After we’d had a drink at Croft, we moved on to Section 8 for a drink. I sat down at talked with Alex and her friends a bit, but decided at 12:30 that it would be in my best interests to catch the last tram home and have a cheap and early night.
Waiting for the tram I was a little hungry, and in some small form of recompense for the lamb kebab last night and the hot dog at the F1 today, I purchased and ate an apple. What have I become?
On my way home I got a message from Jana asking me where I was and letting me know that she had not won her pageant. She arrived home not too long after me and wanted to go out. I was already ready for bed and had not desire to go out for drinks. I was quite happy with my day, and the fact that it had all been relatively cheap, and didn’t want to go out chasing the night.
What is sometimes the most annoying thing about Jana, is also usually her greatest quality. She is very spontaneous, and also very hard to say no to. It’s always fun being around her, because you’re never quite sure where you’re gonna end up. In the end we compromised. Jana was very excited that with her pageant over, she was allowed carbs again, so we decided to binge together. We walked down to the all night Coles in Port Melbourne and wandered around together in an empty supermarket for a while before deciding our carbarific feast would be Mexican. We bought all the ingredients for Quesadillas and Nachos, and we planned to eat both.
Upon arriving home we cooked up the Nachos and sat down to watch Walk the Line. Jana made it though about a quarter of the Nachos before declaring she was full, and about a quarter of the movie before falling asleep. However being a man who finishes what he starts. I polished off the nachos on my own, and stayed up til 5am watching the end of the movie.
I guess I haven’t changed that much after all.
I dragged my ass out of bed at 12noon, and felt like I had missed my chance, but I figured I’d walk down to Albert Park anyway and at least hear them in the flesh, even if I couldn’t see them. It’s a lovely walk to Albert Park from Jana’s place in Port Melbourne as you walk along the beach, and then up Victoria street with all it’s cafés.
I arrived at Albert Park to the scream of a 2 seater Minardi taking the CEO of ING around the track. These things are LOUD. They’re selling earplugs everywhere, and you need them. I bought some sunscreen and some earplugs from a chick near the gate, and was still wondering if I could afford the $85 to spend the day by myself. I had kinda decided that I wouldn’t bother buying a ticket. I’d just walk around the outside of the track and get a reasonable vantage point and that would do me. As I was standing at the gate, and older guy, probably about 45 ish, walked up to these guys next to me and said “Here’s a ticket fellas” They said “no thanks, we’ve already got ours”. At this point I chirped up and said I’d take it. Without hesitation the older dude handed it to me and told me to have a good day. SCORE.
So I wandered into the track area and found a good position for the first session of the day which was starting in about 30 minutes. I hadn’t missed anything, as I’d forgotten that the Australian GP had been moved to a later slot to make the European audiences happier.
These cars are fast and loud. You’re not really watching a race, or even cars going around a track, because you only see one section, but Jesus they are so fucking loud and spastically fast.
After the session ended I walked around to see what else it going on. There’s your standard car displays and such. And that giant truck container that folds out in a 2 story xxxx bar. There’s also a day rave that ruins on the Saturday and Sunday, tonight Potbelleez are headlining and tomorrow it’s Sneaky Sound System. It only costs another $30 on top of your ticket price to go, and it goes all day. You get a good vantage point from inside the rave of the track, so you don’t miss any of the racing either. If I was here with a group of friends, that could definitely have been an option.
I got a good spot to see turns 1 and 2 and waited for qualifying to start. They had an Australian GT race on before that and it was pretty cool to see Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Porsches flying around a racetrack. When the F1 guys came on it was again very loud and very fast, though not terribly exciting. Webber did well and got into the final ten shootout, but was then pretty useless and ended up 10th.
After that the V8’s came on. They weren’t as loud or as fast, but being a race it was a bit more exciting. The sound is very impressive, an angry throaty growl as you’d expect from V8’s. I left when they finished and walked back to Jana’s place. She was getting ready for some form of pageant where she was competing in the state final tonight.
After Jana had finished with the bathroom, which was quite a while, she headed out to her pageant. I laid on the couch for a while, debating whether of not to go out and catch up with Alex. I hadn’t seen her in ages, and I really should make an effort, but I was really enjoying the not standing up experience that comes with lying down, and didn’t really want to change that. In the end I grew a pair, got ready and went out. Alex and her friends were at Croft, which I knew reasonably well and by 10:30pm I had met them there.
Alex is still the same Alex that lived with me seven years ago. She’s older, more mature and lesbian now. But she’s the same talkative little girl who likes to irritate strangers for her own amusement.
After we’d had a drink at Croft, we moved on to Section 8 for a drink. I sat down at talked with Alex and her friends a bit, but decided at 12:30 that it would be in my best interests to catch the last tram home and have a cheap and early night.
Waiting for the tram I was a little hungry, and in some small form of recompense for the lamb kebab last night and the hot dog at the F1 today, I purchased and ate an apple. What have I become?
On my way home I got a message from Jana asking me where I was and letting me know that she had not won her pageant. She arrived home not too long after me and wanted to go out. I was already ready for bed and had not desire to go out for drinks. I was quite happy with my day, and the fact that it had all been relatively cheap, and didn’t want to go out chasing the night.
What is sometimes the most annoying thing about Jana, is also usually her greatest quality. She is very spontaneous, and also very hard to say no to. It’s always fun being around her, because you’re never quite sure where you’re gonna end up. In the end we compromised. Jana was very excited that with her pageant over, she was allowed carbs again, so we decided to binge together. We walked down to the all night Coles in Port Melbourne and wandered around together in an empty supermarket for a while before deciding our carbarific feast would be Mexican. We bought all the ingredients for Quesadillas and Nachos, and we planned to eat both.
Upon arriving home we cooked up the Nachos and sat down to watch Walk the Line. Jana made it though about a quarter of the Nachos before declaring she was full, and about a quarter of the movie before falling asleep. However being a man who finishes what he starts. I polished off the nachos on my own, and stayed up til 5am watching the end of the movie.
I guess I haven’t changed that much after all.
Melbourne Day 2 : Hawks Vs Cats
Well, like any other day on holiday, I got out of bed quite late and had missed my opportunity to go to the Friday practises of the Formula 1.
Instead I headed into the city and went to the gym. Nothing terribly interesting apart from the fact that the entrance to the gym was incredibly difficult to find and I spend ten minutes walking up and down stairs and around Melbourne central looking like a moron.
After the gym I grabbed a boost juice and proceeded to head home. Melbourne really is a great place to be. The weather was good, I was feeling healthy after a hard workout and walking through the city with my ipod playing Faith No More, I felt good. It’s a nice time to be me. With all the craziness of the past year, I had lost the pure enjoyment of travel and experiencing new and different things. With the big overseas move just around the corner, the fear of leaving what I am comfortable with has been replaced by excitement.
I jumped a tram and headed home. I needed to get ready for the Hawks versus cats game. A friend of Marnies, Rob, is a AFL member and had got me a ticket for the match. This was fantastic for two reasons. A) I got a free ticket. B) I had people to go with. Rob is a North Melbourne supporter and his mate, Marco is a Hawks supporter. The game was great fun. We all got a little too drunk but the final quarter was very exciting. I’m reasonably happy with going down by 8 pts to the best team in the league when we have 6 of our best 22 out through injury and a few others in the team that were underdone.
After the game, Rob and I made our way to Chapel street for Ali’s goodbye party. I went to uni with Ali but haven’t really seen her for the last 5 years. Hence it was kinda interesting that I was at her goodbye party. Ali is off to the UK so I will probably see her more there, than I ever have while she’s been in Melbourne.
Rob and I waited for Marnie to arrive only to receive a message that she was not going to be able to make it. Rob made his exit and then I said my goodbyes, made my way home and passed out drunk in bed. I woke up about 7am and got out of my clothes and got some real sleep.
Instead I headed into the city and went to the gym. Nothing terribly interesting apart from the fact that the entrance to the gym was incredibly difficult to find and I spend ten minutes walking up and down stairs and around Melbourne central looking like a moron.
After the gym I grabbed a boost juice and proceeded to head home. Melbourne really is a great place to be. The weather was good, I was feeling healthy after a hard workout and walking through the city with my ipod playing Faith No More, I felt good. It’s a nice time to be me. With all the craziness of the past year, I had lost the pure enjoyment of travel and experiencing new and different things. With the big overseas move just around the corner, the fear of leaving what I am comfortable with has been replaced by excitement.
I jumped a tram and headed home. I needed to get ready for the Hawks versus cats game. A friend of Marnies, Rob, is a AFL member and had got me a ticket for the match. This was fantastic for two reasons. A) I got a free ticket. B) I had people to go with. Rob is a North Melbourne supporter and his mate, Marco is a Hawks supporter. The game was great fun. We all got a little too drunk but the final quarter was very exciting. I’m reasonably happy with going down by 8 pts to the best team in the league when we have 6 of our best 22 out through injury and a few others in the team that were underdone.
After the game, Rob and I made our way to Chapel street for Ali’s goodbye party. I went to uni with Ali but haven’t really seen her for the last 5 years. Hence it was kinda interesting that I was at her goodbye party. Ali is off to the UK so I will probably see her more there, than I ever have while she’s been in Melbourne.
Rob and I waited for Marnie to arrive only to receive a message that she was not going to be able to make it. Rob made his exit and then I said my goodbyes, made my way home and passed out drunk in bed. I woke up about 7am and got out of my clothes and got some real sleep.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Melbourne Day One : Cousins Vs Judd
Okay. I’m back.
Admittedly this trip is not going to be anywhere near as exciting as the Japan trip, but as I love Melbourne so much and have been here so often, it would be remiss of me to discount it as a place worth writing about.
I arrived this (Thursday) morning after coming over on the Qantas redeye. Thank God I now only fly Qantas for domestic. It’s so much better than Virgin or Jetstar, and the difference in price is negligible. Overall the flight was as good as could be expected from a redeye, and we arrived in Melbourne earlier than expected.
I didn’t think Jana would be too stoked by me waking her up at 5:30 in the a.m. when I arrived at Southern Cross station, so I put my suitcase in a locker ($10 for 24 hours, even though I only wanted it for 2 hours) and walked into the city to find a 24 hours McDonalds to use their free WiFi.
After finding a Maccas not too far along I got the internet hooked up and sat there drinking one of their shitty coffees and plodding around on ze interwebz. Neither my computer nor their WiFi connection were terribly happy with doing too much with face book, so it kept freezing up when I tried to do stuff on the ‘book. At the moment I will give my new computer the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was MacDonalds fault. At least I hope it was.
After retrieving my suiitcase and heading out to Port Melbourne I met Jana out the front of her apartment, dumped my stuff and we went out for breakfast. Unbeknownst to each other we had both been on a strict Atkins (or at least No Carbs, sugars and Alcohol) regime over the past month, but we both broke the carbs rule this morning. Mmmmmmmmmm Carbarific.
Jana’s apartment seemss as if there was some sort of monumental mistake in construction. Now, we’re in Melbourne, where if you’re lucky you might get 3-4 months of real summer weather per year. Jana’s apartment has an outdoor area that is seriously bigger than the whole interior apartment. It’s not like it’s a massive apartment either. Jana’s room is tiny, and yet outside you have about 40sqm of balcony! I think in construction they just put the walls in and then stood back, realised their mistake and just hoped nobody would notice.
I went into Prahran with Jana as she needed to return some shoes and earrings. We grabbed a bite to eat and then I left her to go meet Marnie before the football. It was Richmond versus Carlton tonight and the game had been hyped up by the Cousins versus Judd angle. Unfortunately the game was a complete letdown as Richmond once again went out of their way to make their opposition look better than they actually are and got thumped by over ten goals.
Marnie and I had fun though as Marnie had smuggled in some beers and a bottle of wine. Obviously this means I have started drinking again after going for 25 days without touching a drop. I decided to break it earlier than the end of March as most of the people I will be seeing on this trio I wont see again for 4-5 years.
As we walked into the MCG Marnie had a bit of a conniption as there were security guards were going through people bags at the entrance. Fortunately she got through without a check. I guess she mustn’t look at dodgy as we had first imagined. We were seated next to to girls who had just come over from Portugal a month earlier. They were studying Sports Law and were trying to understand the game, hence I had to go through many of the rules with them. We then inevitably spoke about soccer, and while they understood my hatred of Cristiano Ronaldo, they did not agree with it.
After the game Marnie and I met up with some of Marnie’s friends; Ali and Daisy. We all went out for a drinks. Along the way Marnie stole a dudes scarf, and while running around trying to get away from him, jumped into a recent model BMW which was sitting on the side of the road with it’s door open. Surprisingly the people in the car were not actually waiting for Marnie and they quickly asked her to get out.
We went to the James Squire pub, where Ali left after a drink. Then on to Red Hummingbird, where along the way Daisy picked up a jacket of a park bench and wore it the remaining few blocks to the bar, which was unfortunately pretty dead, so Daisy left us and the jacket and went home. Marnie and I then went to the Carlton Club, which was really good and not at all affiliated with the football team.
Eventually Marnie left me by running off without warning down St Kilda road toward her house which was about 5 kms away, while I was trying to convince her to get in a taxi and I’d drop her off on my way home to Jana’s.
She wondered why her feet and legs hurt the next morning.
Admittedly this trip is not going to be anywhere near as exciting as the Japan trip, but as I love Melbourne so much and have been here so often, it would be remiss of me to discount it as a place worth writing about.
I arrived this (Thursday) morning after coming over on the Qantas redeye. Thank God I now only fly Qantas for domestic. It’s so much better than Virgin or Jetstar, and the difference in price is negligible. Overall the flight was as good as could be expected from a redeye, and we arrived in Melbourne earlier than expected.
I didn’t think Jana would be too stoked by me waking her up at 5:30 in the a.m. when I arrived at Southern Cross station, so I put my suitcase in a locker ($10 for 24 hours, even though I only wanted it for 2 hours) and walked into the city to find a 24 hours McDonalds to use their free WiFi.
After finding a Maccas not too far along I got the internet hooked up and sat there drinking one of their shitty coffees and plodding around on ze interwebz. Neither my computer nor their WiFi connection were terribly happy with doing too much with face book, so it kept freezing up when I tried to do stuff on the ‘book. At the moment I will give my new computer the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was MacDonalds fault. At least I hope it was.
After retrieving my suiitcase and heading out to Port Melbourne I met Jana out the front of her apartment, dumped my stuff and we went out for breakfast. Unbeknownst to each other we had both been on a strict Atkins (or at least No Carbs, sugars and Alcohol) regime over the past month, but we both broke the carbs rule this morning. Mmmmmmmmmm Carbarific.
Jana’s apartment seemss as if there was some sort of monumental mistake in construction. Now, we’re in Melbourne, where if you’re lucky you might get 3-4 months of real summer weather per year. Jana’s apartment has an outdoor area that is seriously bigger than the whole interior apartment. It’s not like it’s a massive apartment either. Jana’s room is tiny, and yet outside you have about 40sqm of balcony! I think in construction they just put the walls in and then stood back, realised their mistake and just hoped nobody would notice.
I went into Prahran with Jana as she needed to return some shoes and earrings. We grabbed a bite to eat and then I left her to go meet Marnie before the football. It was Richmond versus Carlton tonight and the game had been hyped up by the Cousins versus Judd angle. Unfortunately the game was a complete letdown as Richmond once again went out of their way to make their opposition look better than they actually are and got thumped by over ten goals.
Marnie and I had fun though as Marnie had smuggled in some beers and a bottle of wine. Obviously this means I have started drinking again after going for 25 days without touching a drop. I decided to break it earlier than the end of March as most of the people I will be seeing on this trio I wont see again for 4-5 years.
As we walked into the MCG Marnie had a bit of a conniption as there were security guards were going through people bags at the entrance. Fortunately she got through without a check. I guess she mustn’t look at dodgy as we had first imagined. We were seated next to to girls who had just come over from Portugal a month earlier. They were studying Sports Law and were trying to understand the game, hence I had to go through many of the rules with them. We then inevitably spoke about soccer, and while they understood my hatred of Cristiano Ronaldo, they did not agree with it.
After the game Marnie and I met up with some of Marnie’s friends; Ali and Daisy. We all went out for a drinks. Along the way Marnie stole a dudes scarf, and while running around trying to get away from him, jumped into a recent model BMW which was sitting on the side of the road with it’s door open. Surprisingly the people in the car were not actually waiting for Marnie and they quickly asked her to get out.
We went to the James Squire pub, where Ali left after a drink. Then on to Red Hummingbird, where along the way Daisy picked up a jacket of a park bench and wore it the remaining few blocks to the bar, which was unfortunately pretty dead, so Daisy left us and the jacket and went home. Marnie and I then went to the Carlton Club, which was really good and not at all affiliated with the football team.
Eventually Marnie left me by running off without warning down St Kilda road toward her house which was about 5 kms away, while I was trying to convince her to get in a taxi and I’d drop her off on my way home to Jana’s.
She wondered why her feet and legs hurt the next morning.
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