My Upsidedown World
Blogger is back!
Now that I may have a few more stories I will fill this space more often, I promise.
Ok, so I have arrived in Oregon! It was a long flight, as expected, though I had some great seats on both trips and really couldn't have been more comfortable. I didn't have to sit next to any .. ah.. undesirables, in fact, the only thing that didn't happen was sleep. The movies were trash too. Spiderman 3, In the line of Women, and other wasted time when we could have been watching Bourne or Potter or any number of movies I have actually wanted to see in the past few months.
Flying over LA is always an experience. Flat, wide and virtually a concrete carpark as far as the eyes can see (which from a plane is seriosuly disturbing)
At 9am the 12 lane Freeways were jam packed and the smog was so thick that from ground level you'd forget it was a clear sunny day. I'm used to a patch of smog over the edge of Sydney when there was no wind, but this was 10 times worse. Anyway, the smog goes right up the length of the coast. If these people can't see how that is going to kill us let alone the environment then no amount of awareness programs will help.
Admittedly there are supposed to be a few bushfires adding to the haze, but I couldn't see any fires from my window seat.
So LA was a concern, the airport confusing and large. Though the stampede did seem to move fairly quickly and whenever the queue got too long they would open up another section to get things going.
The US government now has my photo and two fingerprints.. something to consider, since the Aussies don't have mine yet!
Anyway, long story short, I arrived in Portland. Megs met me at the gate and everything was great. The drive home is only 20 odd minutes - but we stopped for ice cream at Cold Stone. Too sugary, but good. I think I like things a lot simpler than the "all american". Megs' house is beautiful.. photos will come.
From the balcony I can't see another house, just Douglas Firs and Big-leaf Maples. Deer, Squirells, and the pets! (goats, chooks, 4 or 5 cats, and one dog)
Mr and Mrs Lawrence, (Russell and Carol to everyone) have been very generous and welcoming. The dinner last night was absolutely fantastic, and as I pushed through the overtiredness I finished 2 solid plates worth of the Salmon and extras. Well fed I crashed around 8.. and now I have just gotten up.. 14 hours later.
Hope you are all well, I am off to put the camera to use.
Until tomorrow.. A
Labels: America
Back to NZ
Hey People,
I have returned from my mysterious disappearance ..
Really I just went home for Christmas and decided summer holidays were indeed for relaxing. Sadly though I ended up working full time with Canon. As nice as the job was, it wasn't the beach.
So, here I find myself again in New Zealand. This time in Wellington. It is the capital, but most of the time it feels more like a quiet underground town full of hippy and goth types. I did get in just in time for the International 7's Comp, which is always a hoot as it seems to allow normal kiwis to act like the rest of the chaps here. We saw blokes dressed up as Marilyn, babies, wrestlers, the flintstones.. pretty much anything you can think of.
The battle at the moment is to try and get a place to live as the Uni's are coming back on and it seems a thousand people are flooding a tiny rental market. Still, i think not being a student is a big plus.
Alrighty then, sorry I have been gone so long. I'll have photos and more stories of what's going on here soon.
Cheerio.
Eddo
Weekend in Sydney
Had a fantastic weekend in Sydney!
From Sturt and Esther's Wedding at St. Matt's to the reception at Manly Yacht Club and then off to the Tri-Nations game against South Africa with Coyote. ... Followed by the galavanting at Minski's till the wee hours and my BBQ on Sunday. Everything was perfect from the weather to the fun with friends and family. Below some familiar faces and top memories. 
Tubio and I before the 'I do'
A Dashing Bride
A Smooth Getaway
Diggers, Little Coops and Myself enjoying Manly's glory
Coyote and I after a lucky escape
Hanky's new hotness
Coming Home
Pretty excited about coming home this weekend..
Last weekend Vic and Kirstie swung by on their way through to Arthur's Pass. This was after the NZRU Course Davey, Mike and I had done. So, here are a few pics from that.
Hope to see some of you Sunday..
Birthdays
26 today. Feeling like I've climbed the ladder to the top of the slippery-dip. Only one way down...
Ups and Downs
It has certainly been an up and down weekend.
Saturday began with us taking the lead in the Semi-final only to lose, again, I'm not going to go into details about certain refereeing decisions that everyone in town found pretty horrendous. In the end it was 16-7, our only points coming from a great team effort and captain's try to Sia. That hollow feeling of losing in the finals I haven't felt for over 6 years now. I think I had forgotten just how ordinary it is.
Try: Siaola Fifita
Con: Eddo
Needless to say the team went off in a few directions that night and drowned their sorrows where they could find solace. I ended up under a doona on the couch at home watching the NZ v South Africa game. Davey, Mikey and I all had the final installment of the NZRU Level I & II coaching course to complete 9-5 on Sunday.
The course was a heap of fun down in Timaru, South Canterbury. The last hours were spent watching the U/18's Rep Selection Game (Town vs Country) and doing technical analysis, then giving feedback to the whole group on certain topics. Oh, we were lounging in the corporate box soaking up the beautiful afternoon sun and trying to act intelligent. There was one kid out there who was the spitting image of Coyote .. He's not too hard to spot, he's on the far right with the #1 on his back.. and the sensual mullet hair-do.
Mikey - Myself - Davey on the way out of South Canterbury after a successful day.
I guess Sunday was the "Up" after Saturday.. but the best was to follow. The news is I will be home from Fri 4th to Tue 8th of August! Sturt's wedding is on but there's also talk of getting a croud together for the Swans match at the SCG 7pm. On Sunday my folks will kindly host a Barbie for anyone that is keen to catch up and break a beer with me for my 26th. If you can rock on by drop me a line, email preferrably, so I can get enough snags.. (and veges for the girls). . Hope to see some of you soon!
