Back in Sydney

2 days until my birthday.  Since it is not a special one, I doubt that I am going to make a big deal about it down here.  Pretty sure I am going to go watch the NBA finals, go to the park and play hoops, and then maybe go see a movie.  The crazy thing is that no one down here will have any clue, and with me hating that kind of attention it works out for everyone.

I think the last post was just as I got out of the van.  Been about 2 weeks since then and not too much has happened.

Spent a relaxing week in Brisbane at a friends house.  Home cooked meals, sleeping in a bed, having my own room.  It was a little taste of being back home.  Still no tv to watch, so if anyone can mail me all the episodes of all the shows that I have missed or am going to miss, that would be great.  Mad Men, the Office, Game of Thrones, True Blood..................  The list could go on and on.

I then hopped a flight back to Sydney and am anxiously awaiting the arrivals of Mom, newly prego sister, and Ms. Jessica Plowman.  That will mark a return to the traveling life and I will get another month to tour this beautiful country.  I am currently staying in a whole different part of Sydney and I love it.  I am right downtown in the heart of it all.  Went out last night for the first time in a week and it would be easy to say that I lead the way.  "Americans lead the way!!!"  Next up is sports sports sports sports.  Rugby tomorrow, then the Australia/Iraq World Cup qualifier (Ill be wearing my Iraqi green, because how often to you get to cheer for them and piss off a whole stadium of Australians.  Then another rugby match.  By then the packages should have arrived.

I have a new list of notes and observations that I have made of late.
-Everyone here walks slow, I am like a Ferrari on the sidewalks here.  Nice to be fast again.
-Australia is full of terrible basketball players, terrible shots and a ton of basketball jerseys.  Saw a Spurs T-mac that blew my mind.  I didn't even know he was on that team.
-I made a dinner for myself, it was terrible.  Thai noodles, chicken mince, and half cooked broccoli in stir fty sauce.  I am a joke of a chef.
-Cant find an Iraqui soccer jersey, weird I know, so I will be wearing a green chive shirt.
-Went to Wire trivia night and almost won the thing by myself.  There were only 7 teams, but me and a person who had never seen the show before almost won it.  I got a free WMD shot.
-Took another loooooooooooong walk in Brisbane.  7am till 11am.  I got to stop staying out so late!
-Met "actress" Lindsay Loon.  Shes American, has not been in anything, and when she showed me the poster to the movie she was filming it was here in bed with what seemed to be a tree.  I think she is being taking advantage of.
- I miss my tent!
- One night is Brisbane it rained the hardest I have ever heard in my life.  Woke me up at 4 am, sounded like the sky was falling.  Kinda liked it.
-Virgin AU airline sucks, no frills and expensive everything.  They should take a flight on Virgin America and see how much of a party that airline is.
-In the movie fast 6, how long is that runway in the final scenes???
- Keeping with Hall tradition, I walked/fell into a fountain.  Pictures to follow.  Karly fell in Trevi fountain in Italy, mine was in a much less memorable fountain in a much less historic place.
-They have a monorail in Sydney and get this, it actually goes places you would want to go and people use it. Take notes Seattle.
-I posted this again on FB, but if you are really sad to see someone leave in Brisbane, they will let you go through security, to the gate, and then make out for about an hour.  Interesting.
-You are allowed to BYOB almost everywhere in Australia, including Brisbane city hall!
-ABC no longer stands for Always Be Closing, it now means always be charging, cause I have a lot of technology and you never know when you are going to find your next outlet.
- Look at the cast of the movie Smoking Aces, holy cow....  and 3 regulars from the show Lost.

Picture time

 This was all our stuff out of the van after it caught on fire.  Of course it was raining as well, if you squint you can see the famous Kemp jersey in that pile.

 I hate this guy, if you know me, you can guess why.

 Australia's laughable Louvre looking glass window.  Good thing its guarded.

 Suncorp stadium in Brisbane, will have ANZ stadium, and Allianz in the upcoming days

 I somehow managed to get a photo of the airport couple not making out, I am seated, and yes we were that close.

 The fountain I walked into

 Says no swimming, its about 2 feet deep, is that necessary?

 If you go see one movie this year make it fast 6 on the worlds biggest screen......and for $8.50!!  I also have seen Hangover 3 (sucked), Star Trek 2 (enjoyed it), and Iron Man 3 (egh...not worth the $20.50 for a ticket).

 I should have written them down, but here are some of the insane things in this movie.  The Vin mid air catch, the never ending runway, all the 40 foot jumps into moving vechicles, Paul Walker being only the 3rd worst actor in a movie, Michelle Rodriguez is still terrible, and........I still freaking LOVED it.  No joke.

 Hoop Dreams: Sydney.  At least they weren't double rimmed.  5'8 asians are easy to beat

Sydneys Darling Harbour, pretty freaking awesome.

That's it for now.  Need to get the pictures from one of the van mates.  He has a ton.

New post when the ladies get here!!