I still call Australia home...
Well finally I have got around to writing about my fantastic trip back home...
I arrived in Brisbane after a very long flight from LA where I subsequently crossed the international date line and lost 1st August 2006 from my life forever. I was lucky enough to have Seamus (nicole's football coach from back in oz) to pick me up from the airport and he was kind enough to let me stay at his place. It was a perfect location as I was a 15 minute walk away from Jorgi (my pup) and about 10 mins from public transport (it is such a pain not having a licence in australia).
I spent the majority of my time in Brisbane drinking and catching up with friends and family including Nik, Fi, Vix (above), Jess (who had only just arrived back in oz and pic below) and my brother Richard and his family. Apart from drinking I spent the rest of my time eating chicken kebabs and putting back on all the weight I had lost walking around San Fran.
I was however very impressed with the amount of development that Brisbane had undergone - it seems to becoming more of a 'city' without losing it's laid back and relaxed feel. I have always wanted to settle back in Brisbane when I return from the UK but I've had concerns that I would find the city (not i hope this doesn't make me sound like a twat) incredibly boring! However I think those worries have diminished slightly - I mean the scene is still rubbish but one thing at a time I guess...
However the development of Brisbane paled in comparison to the goings on in Airlie Beach. On the car trip home from the airport I was shocked to discover a) a new shopping centre complete with Woolworths and Big W and b) Traffic Lights! Traffic lights in airlie beach? Now I've seen everything! However they weren't without controversy - many residents weren't happy and the whole issue made the front page of the Whitsunday Times that week... I'm lost for words...
I spent the first few days catching up with my folks, sister and nephew David (who is still such a little terror but he's a fantastic little story teller!). Like any other trip home - mum cleaned up after me, dad cooked and Sandi and I went out and got drunk! On such a night her friend (who shall remain nameless) attempted to lure me back to the straight side by flashing her assets at me (mind you she was quite intoxicated) and we ended it all by having a Clancy's pie which is a local institution - i had a bacon and egg pie (my mouth is watering thinking of it now).
A few days later Cookie arrived and we had a few hits of tennis using what ever equipment and clothing we could (i think we nearly broke our ankles). Then Jason arrived and I think I was drunk for the rest of the week with the highlight being the bucks day/night. We began drinking sometime mid morning and made our way into Proserpine to play a round of golf. Considering there was a bunch of guys, golf buggies and lots of drinks we were relatively well behaved (only one complaint) and my game improved considerably from the start of the day when i drove my first ball of the day into the club house (alcohol can have a good affect sometimes!). Poker was then played (with the loss of all my money) and then out to Airlie and to the clubs and a very late night...
(groomsmen - cookie, dan, jason and myself)
The actual wedding day was absolutely fantastic ( I have already posted a short blog about it previously with a couple of pix - no news ones yet). It took place in an amazing location at Coral Sea Resort right by the water and the actual ceremony was a good (short) length of time. Poor Jason looked as though he was going to faint in the lead up to it but once he saw Caressa and the ceremony was over he relaxed considerably. The canopes between the ceremony and dinner were fantastic - they even had big cutlets of lamb on the bone - fantastic! They also had the free champers... so by the time the lengthy photos were over and dinner began i was feeling more than a little merry. The reception took place on the jetty restaurant (a restaurant on a jetty over the water) and it was a really special night and a good time was had by all.
My trip back to London ran a little less smoothly. The security for the flight into LA was very throrough - were delayed nearly 2 hours as they individualy searched each and every person very intimately and of course no liquids could be taken on (no toothpaste, deodorant and worst yet... hair gel!) so by the time I arrived in london nearly 30 hours later (thanks to my lovely 7 hour transit in the luxurious - yes that is sarcasm - LAX Airport) I was a disgusting mess but in a strange way very happy to be back 'home' in London.
I arrived in Brisbane after a very long flight from LA where I subsequently crossed the international date line and lost 1st August 2006 from my life forever. I was lucky enough to have Seamus (nicole's football coach from back in oz) to pick me up from the airport and he was kind enough to let me stay at his place. It was a perfect location as I was a 15 minute walk away from Jorgi (my pup) and about 10 mins from public transport (it is such a pain not having a licence in australia).
I spent the majority of my time in Brisbane drinking and catching up with friends and family including Nik, Fi, Vix (above), Jess (who had only just arrived back in oz and pic below) and my brother Richard and his family. Apart from drinking I spent the rest of my time eating chicken kebabs and putting back on all the weight I had lost walking around San Fran.
I was however very impressed with the amount of development that Brisbane had undergone - it seems to becoming more of a 'city' without losing it's laid back and relaxed feel. I have always wanted to settle back in Brisbane when I return from the UK but I've had concerns that I would find the city (not i hope this doesn't make me sound like a twat) incredibly boring! However I think those worries have diminished slightly - I mean the scene is still rubbish but one thing at a time I guess...
However the development of Brisbane paled in comparison to the goings on in Airlie Beach. On the car trip home from the airport I was shocked to discover a) a new shopping centre complete with Woolworths and Big W and b) Traffic Lights! Traffic lights in airlie beach? Now I've seen everything! However they weren't without controversy - many residents weren't happy and the whole issue made the front page of the Whitsunday Times that week... I'm lost for words...
I spent the first few days catching up with my folks, sister and nephew David (who is still such a little terror but he's a fantastic little story teller!). Like any other trip home - mum cleaned up after me, dad cooked and Sandi and I went out and got drunk! On such a night her friend (who shall remain nameless) attempted to lure me back to the straight side by flashing her assets at me (mind you she was quite intoxicated) and we ended it all by having a Clancy's pie which is a local institution - i had a bacon and egg pie (my mouth is watering thinking of it now).
A few days later Cookie arrived and we had a few hits of tennis using what ever equipment and clothing we could (i think we nearly broke our ankles). Then Jason arrived and I think I was drunk for the rest of the week with the highlight being the bucks day/night. We began drinking sometime mid morning and made our way into Proserpine to play a round of golf. Considering there was a bunch of guys, golf buggies and lots of drinks we were relatively well behaved (only one complaint) and my game improved considerably from the start of the day when i drove my first ball of the day into the club house (alcohol can have a good affect sometimes!). Poker was then played (with the loss of all my money) and then out to Airlie and to the clubs and a very late night...
(groomsmen - cookie, dan, jason and myself)
The actual wedding day was absolutely fantastic ( I have already posted a short blog about it previously with a couple of pix - no news ones yet). It took place in an amazing location at Coral Sea Resort right by the water and the actual ceremony was a good (short) length of time. Poor Jason looked as though he was going to faint in the lead up to it but once he saw Caressa and the ceremony was over he relaxed considerably. The canopes between the ceremony and dinner were fantastic - they even had big cutlets of lamb on the bone - fantastic! They also had the free champers... so by the time the lengthy photos were over and dinner began i was feeling more than a little merry. The reception took place on the jetty restaurant (a restaurant on a jetty over the water) and it was a really special night and a good time was had by all.
My trip back to London ran a little less smoothly. The security for the flight into LA was very throrough - were delayed nearly 2 hours as they individualy searched each and every person very intimately and of course no liquids could be taken on (no toothpaste, deodorant and worst yet... hair gel!) so by the time I arrived in london nearly 30 hours later (thanks to my lovely 7 hour transit in the luxurious - yes that is sarcasm - LAX Airport) I was a disgusting mess but in a strange way very happy to be back 'home' in London.
posted by Cyclops at 5:27 AM
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