Tooting your own horn

The announcement that came through the loud speakers on this morning's shittyrail service:

"Good morning ladies and gentleman, welcome to Cityrail - Sydney's number one rail network"

Number one or only one?



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Bubye Barnbougle

Until next time ...



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Slice of Heaven with a bit of Hells Gate

I would love to retire in Tasmania where everyday is a happy day, and the air that you inhale is as fresh as the canned Perri-Air in Spaceballs. Where your surroundings are always picture perfect and where you can get Boags Draught on tap.

Today we made our journey to the mecca of golf - Barnbougle - but not before stopping off at a Strawberry Farm and Daniel Alps at Strathlynn, Rosevears. The troops were hard at work picking non-mongoloid strawberries at the Hillwood Strawberry Farm. Sweet, juicy, cheap and free of pesticides, meaning we could do what Maccas kids cannot - eat on the job.

The lunch stop, Daniel Alps, was an hour filled with delectables. Duck, pork belly, french cheese, warm choc filled pudding accompanied by wine & coffee. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Then it was onwards to Barbougle, aka Hells Gate for its narrow fairways caressed with the dreaded button grass along the edges. This afternoon's session was a warm-up for the "competition" which begins tomorrow. Boys vs Girls. Hipe the boys choke like Greg Norman.

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Sunrises and Sunsets

We are seriously being spoilt with gorgeous views every day. It's nearly unfair.

World Heritage Cruise

We boarded the catamaran - the Eagle - which took us on a journey on the Macquarie Harbour and the World Heritage listed Gordon Wilderness Area.

Along the way, we saw aquaculture pens brimming with Atlantic Salmon, and the former penal colony on Sarah Island, once regarded as hell on earth by convicts. The cruise also involved a stroll at the ancient forests at Heritage Landing where we marvelled at 2000 year old Huon Pine trees.

Did you know that to make it on the World Heritage list, you need to satisfy one out of the ten listed criteria. The Gordon River Wilderness Area meets SEVEN making it the highest rated World Heritage Area on Earth. The Gordon River is also famous for its mirror perfect reflections.

Strahan has seen quite a bit over the years: indigenous people, convicts, miners and piners, immigrant workers on the hydroelectric schemes, and now tourists.

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Strahan - and our awesome pad

Strahan (pronounced Strawn), declared the best little town by the Chicago Tribune (need to find the source), and famous for its trout. Suffice to say that it is a gorgeous little town; perfectly picturesque by the tannin concentrate seaside.

Our pad is right next to the water, and the view is absolutely breathtaking. It is really quite spectacular.

We will be doing the Strahan cruise tomorrow - buffet included of course.


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Montezuma Falls

Beautiful, stunning and too much power walking.

Scary leech talks also led to "Your mama is such leech" show-down. Best of the day was: "your mama is such a leech that her blood type turned AB"

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Sheffield - The Town of Murals

After a delectable and now slightly sickening chocolate gorge fest at the Anvers Chocolate Factory, we find ourselves in Sheffield - the town of Murals.

Very quaint and charming.

Even has a marble shop. Cat eyes!

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Feel ...

... the spirit down below

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Boarding the Spirit of Tasmania

First time on a cruise ship.

I can feel sea sickness coming on.

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Stats so far

We just passed Goulburn, Victoria.

Some statistics:

- number of L platers on the road so far: 13

- kilometres covered: 666

- average speed: 105.8 kms/hr

- number of stops: 3

- number of fast food stops included in stops: 2 (one McDonald's; one Hungry Jacks)

- number of scary storms: 1

- number of carcasses: 7



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Gundagai - For Real Song

I shall never doubt really bad mumbler of tunes ever again.



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On the Road to Gundagai

We are 'on the road to Gundagai', which I am told is a for real song. Can't say that the tune that my driver is mumbling resembles a tune. I will have to accept it at face value.

We are en route to Tasmania, with a brief stop in Melbourne where we will board the Spirit of Tasmania.

The on board computer says that we have travelled 282kms; and I need to pee.


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Rate Away

Please rate my photo (well) - click here

Driving to Tasmania tomorrow.

Apropos

Poor Dayana Mendoza - winner of 2008 Miss Universe pageant - and now officially a place getter on the "10 stories that could be April Fools ... but aren't" list (see No. 8). Is this fall from grace worse than literal falls from graces by Miss USA 2007 and Miss USA 2008? Dangerous sport this pageant gig.

On her blog, Dayana tells us that Guantanamo Bay is "a relaxing place, so calm and beautiful". Perhaps the Venezuelan should put as much research/pre-preparation into her blog entries as she did with her 'Final Question' segment; and I must admit, her winning answer in the 2007 pageant was rather innovative. For interest, see pictures and report.

Wiki reports that president Hugo Chavez is reconsidering the praise he had previously given her. Will we hear a "you're fired" from Donald Trump?

Topsy Turvy, like Billy Blanks' Abs

What a topsy turvy March it was. Oddly, it has all culminated into a bit of fizzle; an asystolic pause. Calm before the storm, or inevitable winding down a la the VHS tape? Oh I do feel for the forgotten, obselete VHS tape. But here's a scoop: over the weekend, I found a VHS tape with Tae Bo on it - sweet!

How could we resist the temptation of a work out with Billy Blanks and those super hardcore android-accompaniments. That poor Shelly, always made to count, while holding an imaginary cup on her hips, knees and ankles during the taekwondo kicks . My imaginary cup was plastic and disposable - less effort to hold up. It must have been a completely ridiculous sight; and we didn't even make it through the whole session. Taut abs, gluteus maximus' go begging.

March 2009 involved:

• dogmatic searches for 'signs';
  
• attempts at usurping fate via 20 cent coin tosses, which incidentally lands on heads 80% of the time;
  
• numerous poll-taking exercises with unsuspecting and kind volunteers/victims
  
• a few attempts at penning a predictive mathematical formula;
  
• some productive and unproductive discussions;
• last ditch, when all else fails tactics i.e. desperately seeking Dr Phil and Oprah.

Now we are on the other side, probably too fresh (and exhausted) to reflect in any meaningful manner. Regret or Reborn?

March 2009 made sane with the help of:

• The movie: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - it has The Cure, an excellent soundtrack and 'geek du jour' Michael Cera - what else do you need?
• The book: Disgrace - how well does this guy write. Jealous.
• The fact: 79% chance that I will still be working when I am 37.
• Miraculous return of form of our basketball team with the help of Shaq Attack.
• Bragging rights for being equal winner at the Terry Hills driving range challenge.
  
• Good friends & family.