rain jacket and flip-flops

We couldn't be more ready to leave. It's rained for the last few days, leaving us stranded at the hostel. The weather in Perth in blistering, but apparently not as humid as here in Cairns.

Cam, a friend from home asked about the toilet flushing direction here, if 'The Simpsons' episode is true, that it flows in a different direction than home. So far my studies have concluded that the flush here goes neither clockwise nor counter-clockwise. It's just like a big flurry of water, then it all goes straight down. I am going to keep my eyes peeled to see if i can find a toilet that spins.

for the moms.

ticket to ride

On Friday we are flying to Perth.

Going to meet back up with #2(chris) when we get there. Hopefully he's found us a nice place to stay. Other than that there's not too much to report. It's Bad Tuesday, and we had a big football game planned, but the rain had other ideas.

anyone guess what he's yelling? (click comments below)

sports days

North America 10 - Europe 9.

The last few days have been full of sports.

Three days ago, we played soccer, or 'football'.

At the end, we challenged Europe. Drew, Josh from US, and me versus Matt and Dave from England, and Martin from Germany. They laughed at the challenge. We busted out to an early 4-1 lead. We held it together pretty well and took it home 10-9. We beat them at their own game. We had the heart. Later on we went to the ping pong stadium, and played some ping pong. Some of the people there definalty play for keeps.

The last two days we've been playing american football. Great workout. I'm definatly in good physical shape, i can run like i used to when i was a glenayre track star. But visually, I notice a little buddha coming in. I'm going to try to stay away from pasta for a little while. Lots of fruits and veggies.

Last night the sports continued. The game? Goon Pong.

I had taken one of the balls from the ping pong arena, and purchased some cups from 'Crazy Clarks'. All we needed was a few boxes of goon. Done. My partner was #2 (swedish chris), we went undefeated. He's flying to Perth tomorrow. I think we are meeting him there in a week.

probably not gonna go in.

Mad Monday Part 4

I'm really starting to see a trend with this;
Mad Monday = Bad Tuesday.

This monday was no different.

The fine workers of the asylum gently force-fed goon into our systems, then proceeded to delicatly toss our bodies into the bus.

First stop: Rhinobar.

After the goon kicks in, its time to meet the new inmates, and start writing obsene messages on their shirts. I tried to keep in PG-13, failed. We got a free drink, free meal, and then started on the 8 buck pitchers. I was standing on the patio when Dave, a worker of the asylum said, "You're getting on stage." After seeing what happened last monday, when a girl poured a beer all over herself in the game they played, i was a bit hesitant to find out what game we would be playing.

Five inmate girls, five inmate guys. "Niiiiiice" - borat.

The game: Knights and Cavaliers.

The MC says Knights, the girl sits on your knee, Cavaliers, you pick them up in your arms, and Vikings, they jump on your back. Drew, Junker and myself all were in the game. When we got to the final two teams, the game went downhill. Going from Knights to cavaliers, was the biggest workout i've had in months. Being on one knee, and dead-lifting my partner into my arms in one motion. Over and over, purposly. I cursed on every lift.

I'll try to keep this next portion as clean as i can, as i know parents are reading this.
The game proceeds, and they start throwing in new positions.

Dirty positions.

If you screw up, you have to lose a piece of clothing. I won't get into too much detail, but in the end I vikinged, while by partner verticaled, and we were eliminated, as i was wearing only boxers, and my partner couldn't remove anything without becoming naked, which she did think about. The winners took home a sixty dollar bar tab, and I, took home the worst feeling legs ever. I can barely walk down stairs.

Next stop: Casa de Maze.

Two more free drinks. More obsene messages started apearing on everyones shirts.

I've worn the same inmate shirt the last four mondays, so theres some pretty interesting things written on it, and not too much room for more. I had chatted with the bartender the previous monday, where he gave me a drink on the house. This monday, he hooked up a free hat. It was straw, sort of like a cowboy hat, but better. The hat probably sat atop thirty different heads throughout the night. Very popular attire.

Final stop: Woolshed.

Same old story. Two free drinks, and a free slice of pizza.

A lot of air guitar was played.

Another fantastic Mad Monday.

Rewind.

As i couldn't really go into detail about the great barrier reef, i can go back now.

We had to set the alarm for 6:30am. Ouch.

We got a ride to the marina, and boarded the 'Osprey X'.

Ventured about an hour into the ocean, and had our first stop.

We snorkled there for about two hours or so. Got real pruney.

The colours, reef, fish and other marine life were a sight to see.

Back on the boat for buffet lunch, and a trip to the next destination.

North Hastings reef.

This time, one of the staff took us on a snorkle tour around the reef.

We found Nemo, held a sea slug, touched a giant clam, and saw some schools of fish.

When we applied our sunscreen, no one really thought that "Hey, maybe putting sunscreen on the back of our legs will be a good idea, because they will be right near the surface the whole time."

No Dice.

Me and Drew got the worst of it, as we were in the water longer then anyone else. Also burnt the middle of my back because i only re-applied to my shoulders after the first location. That didn't help during the game when someone is repeatadly jumping on your back.

Last night Chris picked me up a Kangaroo steak. Another thing i can cross off the list. It tasted pretty simular to beef, but was very lean, no fat, as kangaroos are in better shape than cattle. Moo.

Chris and Chelsea have now left for the airport, we went out last night for their last night in aussieland. They woke us up this morning for hugs. I think Chris is coming to Vancouver for the Olympics so I'm sure we'll see eachother if he comes.

Well, i think i've pretty much said it all. G'Day.

im gonna get right on those sit-ups.

seventh wonder of the world

Today we went to the great barrier reef for snorkling.
Absolutly amazing. Beautiful.
I was the only one of us to see a shark.
Luckily when i found the turtle, Chelsea was near, so she was the only other person who saw it.
I wish i could say more but 'Mad Monday' is about to begin and I'm being kicked off.

Mad Monday = The Tenth Wonder of the World. Goon.

B-Boy Battle Goes Down At Soho

Last night = fun.
Chris, whom we met in Sydney got here yesterday. We started out by playing a whole lot of big 2, with the loser of each round having to slam a tea cup of goon. It wasn't my night. I lost about ten times. After big 2, we began to play some drinking games. We checked the time, it was about nine-thirty. At this point we're all pretty smiley. Drew, Junker, Chris, Chelsea, #2, and I.

Eleven o'clock came and we decided we should go out before we proceed further. We were given free entrance to a club called 'Soho' from our hostel. It was close to our destination of 'Woolshed', so we figured we'd check it out. It was dead. A few people were sitting in the booths, and there was the bar staff.

We did the only thing logical thinking people would do. dance off.

Drew and I cleared out the empty dance floor so we could bust our high flying, highly technical dance moves. We all took turns jumping in and bustin a groove, from breakdance to disco. In the end i took the title as i still remembered some breakdancing moves I had learned in grade seven.During the battle, the DJ turned the smoke on, I'm not sure if he was adding to the battle atmosphere, or mabye he was trying to smoke us out?

After the dance battle we got out of there as quick as we could, no drinks purchased. On the way out we heard the security guards talking on their walkie-talkies. They were describing our outfits. "Blue jeans, Black shirt. Black shorts, black shirt....". I guess they had plans to ruin our battle.

On the way to 'Woolshed' we got Chelsea to take a picture, just in case we ever put out a dance video.

The 'Woolshed' was great as well, but after a story about a dance off, it just can't compete.

the calcium kid

We saw it in the video store. We had to have it.On the back of the movie it says it's about a milkman who knocks out the big shot at the gym, and is given a boxing career. Apparently he drinks a lot of milk. "It Takes a Lotta Bottle to be the Champ."

On the topic of movies, on the plane from Hong Kong to Sydney, i watched the movie "Into the Wild." I didn't really know too much about it, but i did know i was tired of hearing that damn Eddie Vedder song every thirty minutes on the radio. Anyway, I highly recommend renting it as it was one of the best movies I have seen recently, but, I'm expectiong 'The Calcium Kid' to be a knockout.

Pun intended.

Yesterday we bought four litres of wine for eight bucks. After we finished drinking that, a group of New Zealander's started teaching us some new drinking games, they fed us rum, bourbon, and got us to take slam's of their sambuka, which I refused. After we had a few drinks we went out on the town. I went to rhinobar by myself before the rest got there. I bought myself a drink and started talking to people. I guess I'm a pretty nice guy because I scored about four free drinks from four different people. Usually I wouldn't let someone by me a drink if i don't intend to buy them one back in return, so I let them know before hand that there would be no drink coming there way. Nobody seemed to have a problem. I guess you can do that sort of thing when you have a job.

Tonight is all you can eat pizza for three bucks. Call the zoo.

drew.

ping pong hero

The bats here are like flying cats, there huge. When me and Drew were in the pool, one flew into the tree right next to the pool. Oh yea, i've changed Andrew's name, his name is Drew now. Anyway, we watched it for about ten minutes. Climbing around like a monkey, claws on the end of its wings. It made it's way down the branches to the berries at the bottem. I tried to get some pictures of them flying over head but i couldnt get a clear shot. They fly around like crows, rather then the speeding missiles we see at home.

We haven't got much accomplished due to the rain. It's the craziest rain i've ever witnessed. You can get drenched in seconds. Luckily, it's a warm rain, and with no hair to get ruined its a bit refreshing. A few blocks from our hostel is where the lagoon is. It's giant pool right on the edge of the oceean. Swimming in the ocean in Cairns isn't allowed, so everyone hits up the lagoon.

The ping pong table here in under cover, we've played a lot. I'm trying to follow in the footsteps of my hero, Forrest Gump. I've lost one game, i'd guess im about 60-1. My excuse for the loss? Well, Drew and Matt were seeing who could win ten games first, so they had just played eighteen games in a row, and i came in cold. The rest is history. It hurt, but i've been mopping the floor with them since.

Last night was Mad Monday again. Many free drinks. We hadn't gone out in five nights so it was a pretty fun time. Probably stay in for a few more again. Chris and Chelsea, who we met in Sydney will be here on Friday, so i'd imagine we'll be going out more when they get here. We got a membership at the local video store so that's been occupying our nights in.

The plan at the moment is to get jobs for a month until the rainy season ends, but we'll see what happens.

happy belated birthday flesh.

who's that guy?

As I said in the prior post, the morning after the vodka redbull night, we we're looking at everyones pictures trying to piece together parts of the night, this picture brought up a lot of questions:We got this picture off of David's camera. He's the one holding the girl. When we uploaded this picture everyone was like, "Who's that girl?" He had no idea, yet she was in about four pictures with us. The next question we asked, "Who is that guy?" We immediatly started howling. Who is that guy? What is he doing? The reason i bring it up, last night on the way to the airport we saw him walking across the street. Barefoot. What a way to end the trip to Sydney. We saw him. Twice.

Our flight to Cairns was delayed two hours. Thunder and lightening storms. Our last few days in Sydney the weather wasn't that great. Rain and clouds, means no trips to the beach. We're staying at The Asylum here in Carins as well. Hopefully we meet as many great people as last time.

When we were asking one of the guys who works here where the closest beer store is, he told us that they have some Canadian beer at the store. He couldn't remember the name, but he remember blue mountains. Kokenee. How much was this great canadian import? Twenty-two dollars for a sixpack. Wow. Not going to happen.

Adios Sydney.

half hour of power

Last night I witnessed something you will never see in Vancouver. A mob of about twenty of us went to "The Empire" to party it up. Well, what makes this place so special, is that they have a half an hour period where vodka redbulls are FREE! No foolies. They don't tell you when its going to happen, all you do is wait for a red sirun to go off, then it's on. We set up camp right near the bar so we could get there as fast as possible when the time came. I managed to get four of them, I'd get to the front, get my drink, walk to the back, slam it, and get back in line.

Vodka Redbulls were also on special for five bucks a piece. Everyone woke up shaking, and we've all been jittery all day. We've been asking a lot of questions to each other trying to figure out exactly what happened, pictures have helped. Every conversation I had this morning started out along the lines of "Last night, wow." We must have had about ten VRB's each, no one should ever have that much redbull. One of the Calgarian's that left this morning urinated all over one of the couches in the living room. I blame the fourty of crown royal I saw him drinking before we left.A few nights ago i awoke to a cockroach the size of my big toe wandering around on my foot. I flipped out and kicked it off, and got Andrew to take care of it. Not that I was afraid, it's just that I sleep on the top bunk, and he's on the bottom. I found myself thinking, what would have happened if Matt Day was in my position? Out of all the people i know, girls included, I don't know anyone more scared of spiders/mice ect. I can imagine the room being destroyed, and girlish screams echoing through the hostel. Police would probably be called.

There's some really awesome people staying at our hostel, it's like we've been friends for years. Swede's, Dutch, English, Canadian's, a lone American. All it takes is one person to say, "I feel like going out tonight." No one wants to miss the adventure, so everyone is obligated to go and put on there party boots. Even after last nights debacle, we're going out again tonight, probably try to take it a lot easier though.That 'C' stands for captain. I call it my 'chedda'.Who's that goof that got second?