Luna Park - Sydney Winter

Winter is definitely here! Even though it is not as cold, crisp and dreary as Seattle...it still gets dark early and the jackets/scarfs are out.

Weight Watchers business meeting was at Luna Park, we were invited as the first agency ever...got a nice bottle of champagne from the client thanking us for the hard work. Always a good thing. Beautiful day, rode on the rides, played some games....doing the puyallup down under.
OH can i just say I am a wussy these days, got all dizzy...equilibrium thrown off on some wienie rides. I think I was more scared the shit was going to fall apart on me, headline news "american dies in historical fair in sydney when the faulty bolts wiggles loose"

























































BBQ at Kristen's new house - went to Kristen E's house for some pre funk and takin in the view...her roof top is amazing...very reminiscent to my place in seattle. What a view!









































Esther, Jodes and me















Something about the tongue handing out all night..hmmm.
















Kristen's dad was good laughs - very Kris Kringle.


















Drinkin wine out of the plastic cup is made classy only with the pinky sticking out - or so that was the thing to do this night.

After party in Bondi - if you cant finish your drink in the bar just take it away...in the nice glass serving pitcher. Jo kris's friend from the US was a lot of fun (hided behind her jacket is our pitcher of drink)!! $$$

Sex and the City!

Recently we went with a publisher (Drive - thanks jodes!) and did the Gold Class Cinema... how will one go back to old rickety theater, we got first class service...full food and drink service. Such a girly fun night... reclining, sipping champers and taking in some classic girl time! Well Kai did join too....and he loooved Sex and the City - 2 hour chick flick and he thought it "was well written"....sydney can turn any man metro :)

BTW - how wild was the Sexy and the City worldwide craze...seemed massive here, curious if this was felt in the states...
























































Yet more pics from my balcony - lovely rainbow action on a Sunday arvo - had a good artsie weekend..went to several exhibits including the BIENNALE '08 in the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Arts.

















After a big Aussie competitive presentation Kai and I unwound at the infamous Lowenbrau - Bavarian bar in the Rocks.










































Amazing sunrises from my balcony - I wake up at sunrise snap the photo and im out again. wish I could stay up...mom says i will have the "change" where I go to bed early and get up early....still waiting and wanting that :)



















Finally got to see an AFL game - Aussie rules football. Def more action than Footy (rugby) and even better in the suites with the Aussie Bank Client. Did some beating - I had to go under dogs but it didnt pay off! OH and we saw the Dalai lama - how cool was that. We thought they were some monks on the field after the end (as we were closing down the suites drinking the last of the free booze of course) - what does one say? Bec "com ba lam my lord" :)








































Italian festival - I can see this from my balcony...too
many peeps Kristen and I just walk thru, hit a pizza joint on the outskirts and walk/shop the sunday afternoon away. I miss Sydney summers and festivals....it will be here soon!

Bungonia Camping Weekend

Another caving/camping trip with the SUSS club.

Check out this dude's serious camping rig - cant wait to show my bro. I mean full running (hot and cold) water, electrical outlets on the side (used for his electric blanket), full fridge and freezer, storage containers, portable tent and solar panels on the front!

Did some hard core abseiling and more caving! Nicknamed T Rex for the weekend...

My spot for the weekend.

Watch out for the "deep holes"

It was soooo cold, first night I just moved quickly in spurts to get warm... slept a few minutes and started the cycle over...

night #2 plan was to get drunk to sleep thru it :) there was a rec center we had a big barbie, played poker (2 women were the last standing gotta love it)...

nichol the blue ninja and deb

had to bust out some arm wresling of course.







After a long day of caving - wasnt has intense as my Easter Trip but good fun.

Bryon Bay - Surfers Paradise Trip

First domestic flight in AU by myself...did pretty well, only a few tears. Queens Birthday long weekend - funny enough we get a public holiday in Aussie and the UK doesnt...

Stayed at Bryon Bay Spring Guest House, had my own room but shared a bathroom. It was a 20 min walk into town (Ocean Shores feel). Hardwood floors caused noises to travel - didnt bother me too much.

Watched movies in the room, ate some good meals with a good book (Eat Love Pray), relaxed and wondered through the sleepy surfer town.

Actually saw some people hitchhiking - its like they've never heard of serial killers...i mean i thought people stopped doing this in the 80's (it may be in the forefront of my mind given i am watching the series Dexter). The hippie free spirit town feel was nice, took me some time to get into the flow of things and out of the city pace.

Shared community area was nice.

Main Beach

seems like every trip i run into some butterfly on my walks... so peaceful. did a walk to the lighthouse which took 4 hours in total. Meet some interesting people along the way, saw some dolphins and took the day in.

How cool is the fact I was at the Easterly most point of Australia!

Did a 3 hour Indian SPA treatment - very interesting experience, she did preface this was more for the soul...lots of slapping, and shear pain...

Elodie arrives!! Had a yummy spicy prawn lunch at the Balcony - very cruisey feel. Bad idea right before a surf - so full! 7.3 board is perf - good waves with the exception of the surf instructor that told us we were in his space and he could sue us so we got pushed into the rip - urgh! liar!

Road Trip!! This is the most time i've spent in a car, getting used to the the other side. We did have one "opps" - Elodie drove on the wrong side.

Stopped in rainy Kingscliff - nothing so great but a fun venture. I tried driving!!! Elodie was freaked which caused me to over think it. I went only 5 minutes but it was a first.

The dick tree and no Elodie Red doesnt mean go! Driving at night in the rain caused some white knuckled action but overall shes got the hang of the driving on the other side.

Surfer Paradise here we come!!

I controlled the radio and the navigation - good times! We stopped off at a few places, took the "scenic" route and picked up her friends at the airport. The most lovely couple!



Went to a massive dinner - buffet style goodness and no dont think Country Buffet way more gourmet...so full, felt prego..named the baby shirley..




Hung out - goofed around...played domino's, did card tricks, trivia, and Uno had some good laughs!

Uno is pronounced "You No", the aussie sounded the name out, um weird.

"I dont come to the US and called it a Petrol Station so in Oz you must say You No" :)

Breekie breach side - surfer's was a bit cloudy and rainy :( I was told it rains like 3 days a year...had to be the one day I am there. We just shopped and did some fun task for a work thing (Smirnoff is having a secret party - we had to hide tickets related to Russia, vodka and dance music - see below).

Our rental car - such a good little ride.

Below are some of our super cool tix hiding places - we realized how much we dont know about russia. I was just about to reveal the specific spots, I highly doubt anyone will read this but just in case I will not disclose. We came up with fun riddles for each.

Rained out - straight poured on us.

Elodie on the execerise machine at the mall - vibrate your entire body...8 minutes later she swore she did an equvalnt to a full gym workout. dream on!

Back in Bryon for a night - did dinner at a down home place called The Rails, live music, has some wine at the beach and stayed at Elodie friend place.

Elodie and her one eyed glasses! She wore some sunnies for half a day without realizing there was no lense.... Classic.





BYE BRYON!! took an early flight and back to work that day.