Dan In The Land Down Under !

St Patty's Day Down Unda....

2007-03-20T21:43:00.000-04:00

All I can say is it was crazy.... We wore kilts, here are the pictures.

Brett and Dan ready for a night on the town.

Kate, Brett, Shannon and Gordon.

Sporran and FLASK belt buckle.

If your gonna get your Sporran licked it best be by a true Scotsman!

So that was last weekends adventure. Still working on the Masters thesis and Shannon is working. Thats all for now.

Finally an UPDATE !

2007-03-09T18:27:00.000-05:00

Ok so here it is an update, yes I know I have been dragging my feet on this one. What can I say although you may think it is all kinds of exciting here...

It isn't, we have not done much therefore not taken many pictures and really there are only so many pictures one can take of the same piece of beach.

I have started school and have been wrapped up in that since getting the computer back and doing all the things I wanted to work on over the break.

Shannon is working (at a paint store of all places) and liking that, which I am happy about. I think she was getting a bit of cabin fever with nothing to do. We have gone to Brisbane a couple of times and are hoping to travel out to Alice Springs once I am done.

So sorry to disappoint, no exciting stories to tell or interesting things to bestow upon you. Although one tidbit of excitement was when Shannon and I heard and then went down to see, a police car sideswipe another car because they were trying to beat the light and didn't put on their lights on in time. Sorry no pictures, didn't want to get myself in that kind of trouble and walk up and start taking pics (while laughing, no one was hurt).

And now for a few pictures just to keep your interest....

The "Wild" Kangaroo's of Brisbane.

Love ya, miss ya SDM.

Our building from the Gold Coast Highway.

Needed a grocery getter, OSAP has been good this year. LOL

Since that was one for the boys, here is one for the girls...

Birds of Paradise, they grow right beside my bus stop.

Thanks Toshiba.... NOT!!!

2007-02-19T20:49:00.000-05:00

So I just got my computer back on Friday the 16th of February after it crapping out before CHRISTMAS!!! So now that it is back I have a ton of pictures to download and some blogging to catch up on, I hope you guys are still checking and haven't gotten bored with the lack of updates. They will be here soon.

Roll of a LIFE TIME...

2006-12-07T04:01:00.000-05:00

So yes I have come all the way to the other side of the world to PLAY THIS ROLL...
Whom shall I take my inspiration from??? Miracle on 34th Street... or... Billy Bob Thorton??? AHhahahahaaahahhahaha!!!!!!!!

Yeah that’s right, all the way to Australia a post grad and I'm playing Santa.

MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

Been awhile, not much excitment...

2006-12-05T01:54:00.000-05:00

So what has happened since I last wrote???

I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was not a huge to do by any means, as I did not have the family and friends to celebrate with; I did however have my really good Aussie buddy (mate) Brett with me to open and drink a bottle of champagne on the beach at 12:01am on November 10th to start my 30th year off right. Standing in the warm ocean in a t-shirt and shorts was a first for my birthday as it usually involves either snow or cold rain or is just plain cold. With a few hours sleep a commenced the day with lunch at a nice restaurant in Broadbeach with some Aussie mates and just hung around for the afternoon. I had a great dinner and then headed to my favorite watering hole, the beach house; where the manager bought me a few pints and I played the pokies (slots) and won $40.00. The night was capped off the way it started, back on the beach with one last bottle of champagne. All in all I would say a great way to start decade number three.

I have been working approximately 60 – 70 hours a week since just after my birthday. It has been a combination of photography and security for what they call “Schoolies Week” (which lasts 3 weeks). For those of you that don’t speak Aussie, that is school leavers holiday weeks. (Most things here are shortened and “ie” added to the end… please note the following, a) chick parmy, b) uni, c) bikies, d) truckies, e) chewy, f) footy,
g) mackers, h) boardies, i) mozzies. The answers will be at the end of the post, see how many you get right. The list goes on and so will the quizzes so keep looking and see how you’d fair in a conversation in Australia.)

Back to the working, I have been going around during the day and evenings taking pictures of the little darlings (17-18 year olds getting hammered 24 – 7). My uniform is an orange golf shirt with schoolies.com written across the back which has been all my wardrobe has consisted of since the beginning of November. Save for the times I had been dressed all in black and posted in the lobby of a hotel/apartment complex making sure the children get home safe. I will tell you that it has been an interesting few weeks, the guys getting hammered, the girls are dressed up with boobs to spare. The guys chant “tits out for the boys”, the girls look disgusted and want nothing to do with the drunk charmers until they are just as drunk. And they all seem to get laid.

I never want to see another orange shirt or get jolted out of my bed with the yelps of the drunken aussie-minor again. However…. I own a few orange shirts and the endangered yet still abundant “schoolie” shows no signs of becoming a memory just yet.

I have had fun, as a member of the “media” my pass has gotten me a few free treats like Redbulls and pizza as well as getting me inside events such as the Redbull skate and bike ramp show on the beach, where I was positioned damn near on the ramp. I got some really great and cool shots for the website and my portfolio.

So my title was incorrect, there has been excitement. Until next time here are the answers…

a) Chicken Parmigiana
b) University
c) Bikers
d) Truck Drivers
e) Gum
f) Rugby
g) McDonalds
h) Swimming Shorts
i) Mosquito’s

How many did you get? There will be another Aussie to English quiz coming soon.

RedBull Photo’s……

Fast cars, end of semeter and summer time.

2006-10-30T06:11:00.000-05:00

Hello, so I am now officially done my first semester here in Australia, and am now off for the summer. That’s right summer; I’m still trying to get use to saying summer in November. I am off for 4 whole months classes don’t start again until the end of February… I have no clue what I am going to do with all that time. I have a photography job lined up for the second week in November that will last until the 1st in December after that I am still looking for something part-time, probably retail. So what have I been up to??? Well besides final projects which included an 80% presentation that was a full film pitch and a 50% art installation, a few tests and papers it was Indy week Oct 19th to 22nd. I didn’t get tickets but did sneak in with a friend of mine from school on the Friday we spent 3 hours walking around and watching a few of the races, sport utes, which are basically pickup trucks, V8 super cars and porches. It was pretty damn fun, a couple beers and girl watching and breathing in exhaust. So that has been my past couple weeks the next will probably prove pretty boring but if anything comes up I will let you all know. Take care and Happy Halloween, which they don’t celebrate down here so next year HUGE PARTY!

V8 Super Cars

Porches

Ute's

Picked me up a ride for down here, nothing to flashy or crazy. Hahaha!

WHAT A DAY!!!

2006-10-06T04:04:00.000-04:00

Well now, the day started like everyother friday this semester, up at 6 a small breakfast, shower and out the door for 7am to walk down and catch the bus to school for 8am class. But then! I get back my media law paper and I get an 83% but the excitment doesn't stop there; I get a call at 9am from Brett who says to me...
"what you doing today"
I reply,
"I'm just on break from class"
Brett says,
"Dude were going flying"
I reply,
"I'm on the bus"
We hung up and I returned to class where I informed my tutor that I could go flying and she said as long as I bring pictures next week, get going.
I arrived home at 10am and Brett was down stairs by 10:20 and we were off to a little airport outside Brisbane. An hour flight down the coast and back... well here are some pictures....

Our Plane.

Take off.

Coast line.

Surfers Paradise.

Pilot and "co-pilot" safe back on land.

So needless to say AWESOME AWESOME day!!!

Spring Break...

2006-09-27T03:58:00.000-04:00

Now that sounds funny saying in September, but it is true. So how exciting has my week off been so far...

yeah that's right...

I baked it. Chocolate, 2 layers, delicious.

I can hear you all now, Whoa, whoa, whoa, Dan slow down your an animal. I know, I know but you only live once and it is spring break. But I will say that I won't bake muffin's I'm not crazy. And I always remember to bake safe, follow the directions and use cling wrap.

Well hopfully my next post won't be so action packed and leave you as breathless as this one did.

We had a long weekend too...

2006-09-04T20:22:00.000-04:00

My friend Brett took us up to Brisbane for RiverFire a large fireworks show they put on for the holiday weekend and they have 2 fighter jets that fly by at the start and at the finish right through the city over the river with full afterburners on lighting up the whole place. Freak'n AWESOME, the windows in the buildings rattled.

This is Brett with Mona as we waited in line to get in for dinner...

We were on a bridge right by the Casino so we went there for dinner, pretty sweet, good price and good food. But if you are that close to the casino you can't just walk away... Lets just say my night was paid for, yeah thats right I actually won some money.

So the long weekend was good to me, but alas it is now back to work. I have a paper a seminar and some paper work due this week, its pretty much done and I'm all on track.

Living the beach life

2006-08-23T03:24:00.000-04:00

So I moved to the beach, I mean if I've come all this way why not live it up and stay on the beach. I was going to buy a tent and just set up right in the sand but I found out that they frown upon that so I got an apartment instead.

The view is great and I get up each morning to the sunrising over the surf.

I also got given a body board by my Aussie friend Brett...

No sharks or drownings yet, although I have swallowed a few gallons of sea water.

It fun as hell and the waves here get pretty big, so any of you surfers (C-Money) will have agood time when you come down.

BBQ Aussie style

2006-08-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

So this past Sunday we had a bbq at a friends place, the Aussie bbq's aren't the same as what you'd find back home but damn Beers and Meat cooked and eatten out side... GREAT EVERYWHERE!!! So here's a few pictures.

WOW! that's a lot of food. (and a couple beers);)

Throw another Shrimp on the barbie? By the way they don't really do or say that here and they call them Prawns.

And clean up. So that's an Aussie bbq, they are in all the parks and by the beach its pretty cool, like a large electric grittle but run on propane.

And yes I know the prawns still have the heads on them, you can get them cleaned and NO HEAD... LOL

Class has begun....

2006-07-29T04:29:00.000-04:00

I started classes on Monday the 24th, same old stuff "Hi, this is your outline, get your texted and tutorials start next week (seminars)". I'm excited to get into the classes themselves and get to the projects which I'm really wanting to get at and have some great ideas for; needless to say the week was light so more time was spent at the beach and in a bar or two. Hahaha! Man I love school in Australia :)

Time to go wash off the salt and sand... Take Care.

A day at the beach.

2006-07-18T02:38:00.000-04:00

Since I don't start classes until the 24th and have really nothing to do except some orientation meetings and meet and greets on thursday and friday I figured WHAT THE HELL hit the beach. And so here are a couple of pictures...

I'm having a great time and think I'm going to try surfing soon, or at least get a body board and hit the surf.

Hummm? Look familiar?

2006-07-14T19:12:00.000-04:00

Ok this was just funny to see all over Australia.

They are exactly the same except they put pineapple and beetroot (beets) on their burgers. What they are thinking there I have no idea.

Some pictures...

2006-07-14T09:04:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoy these...

Me in Sydney

My house (the red car is what I rented to drive up from Sydney.

Me driving in Sydney... LOOK OUT!

And lastly me on the beach.

So I will keep the posts coming and more pictures. If you want to see more just ask and I'll send them right to you. I hope everyone there is doing well. I start classes on the 24th but don't worry I will still post and e-mail, I mean I gotta take a break from studying from time to time ;)

Cheers :)

so it's a big one... pictures to follow.

2006-07-13T04:57:00.000-04:00

July 6th, 2006

The plane from Toronto left late and therefore I was late to catch my connecting flight in Vancouver (no help from the LONG ASS line at US customs)

Had a stop over in Honolulu that I did not know about. Broke up the trip so it was good and got to stretch the legs.

I wasn’t the only one, I met a girl named Jenn who was on her way to Sydney to meet up with her friend who came here for school (Melbourne) and tour around for 3 weeks, so we bonded in line at customs and then bolted for the gate which was at the other end of the airport. We also met a woman (Lauren an Aussie) in line who would also be seated in the seat next to me for duration of the flight. She JUST made the flight and is returning to Sydney to get married next month.

Arrival in Sydney, ½ hour early. 6am

They spray the plane when you land for foreign insects, kind of weird your sitting there as they do it.

Then it was through customs which was very easy and onto the baggage claim and off to another check for any vegetation, food, seeds or any other biological items that Australia does not want here, I did not realize their eco-system was so fragile. I picked up my car for just after 7am said goodbye to Lauren and then took Jenn to her hostel downtown which is in walking distance to… da da da da…. The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour bridge. So I dropped her off and headed over to take my pictures. I then hopped back into the car and had no idea of where I was going except that the road leading me there was Pacific Highway #1 after getting through Sydney and on my way I only got turned around (lost) once in New Castle (not a great town, kind of like a crap Florida neighborhood) so I wanted out of there BADLY and I got out and back on my way. I made it 450km’s to Port Macquarie and am at the Hotel Macquarie. It’s right on the water although I am facing the street. It’s kinda cool (not the lap of luxury) clean and right in the middle of town.

After a shower (which I had not had since the 4th, eeewwwwwwwww) I headed outside and looked for a place to eat… hahaha The Hog’s Breath caught my eye, it’s a roadhouse saloon, steak and ribs were on the menu, pretty good, but WOW can you ever taste the difference in the meat, had to explain but a definite difference in taste. (So far I do prefer Alberta beef) Then it was off the “Bottle Shop” (a liquor store) the only thing besides the pubs and 2 restaurants and 2 screen theatre. They also sell redbull and bottled water; which I also purchased. (Yes two beers, Blue Tongue and Toohey’s, gotta try the local brands why not start right away) So it is writing this 2 beers and bed for me. It’s 8pm and I’d say I’ll be asleep by 9, which only means a good early start on the day. I should be in my place by tomorrow evening but we shall see how far I get as the speed limit is a max of 100 but also drops to 80, 70 and 60 depending on the section of highway you are on, it is also STRICKLY enforced so its bang on for Danny; no tickets needed here, and on that I say goodnight, open my second beer and its off to dream land.

July 7th

And the grand total is 974km’s from Sydney to Ashmore and well my front door. I arrived here at 4pm after a great drive up the coast. I left Port Macquarie at 8:15am after a quick stop at the McDonald’s; every good road trip starts with a McMuffin and Hash brown as you well know… EXCEPT an Australian road trip, the sausage just doesn’t taste right (again getting accustom to the different taste in the meat). So on the road I go and of course a quick stop at the first gas station to fill up and a red bull WHICH COMES IN 330ml BOTTLES HERE!!!!! The coast is beautiful, may I suggest Byron Bay, this must have been what Eden was like, crystal blue waters and lush green. I will be visiting for a long weekend or vacation. Ok arrival in Ashmore and the meeting of the first roommate, Hiro a Japanese student studying at TAFE to be a chef, I introduced myself and he let me in and then helped to lug in my bags and then made tea. We chatted and I relaxed then it was unpacking time and semi settling in, I did a small shop at the grocery store for some small items and breakfast foods for a day or two. Sharon then arrived and I met her and her little boy who was very tired and was tucked in to bed shortly after getting home and to tell you the truth I wasn’t far off.

July 8th

My first day in my new home, unpacking and getting settled and Hiro was kind enough to take me out to get a printer (so I can print out all kinds of pictures for post cards for all of you who might be reading this and some who aren’t). Lunch time and then what to do for the rest of the day?!? I’ll tell ya what to do, ya go to the beach and take a 2 km walk up and down it, feet in the surf and collect a shell or two. Hahaha quick Seinfeld reference “The sand, it’s everywhere” (just for you Shawn). All in all a great first day, tomorrow I’m planning on looking for a bicycle as everything is close but a bike would make it all that much closer and my school (which we drove by today) is a tiny bit to far to walk. Tonight was pizza and beers with the roommates and just sitting around talking and having a few drinks (a great way to get to know each other).

July 9th and 10th

The last two days have been spent checking out a few places, like the Aussie fair mall and getting things like an alarm clock and paper for my printer. Also seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest which was freak’n AWESOME!!! I also went and got myself a bike so that I can ride to school (and get my ass in shape for the beach). It’s a giant hybrid mountain/road bike and I got a cool helmet to match (it’s a $75 fine if your don’t wear one) I’ll get a picture take soon so you can all laugh  The next few days I’m going to be exploring on the new bike and will take a bunch of pictures of things I see like my school (which I need to go to and get info about when I start and where I should be heading on the 18th). I’m dropping off the rental car tomorrow morning, my bike is still in the back as I’m going to ride home. Both roomies have cars and have offered to come with me to give me a lift back but I want to explore Surfer’s Paradise and maybe a bit of Main Beach on my bike and see what’s all there and take a few more pictures.

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

2006-07-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

It has come and come FAST, wow I still can't believe that I'm going. Even as I sit here and look at my packed bags and plane ticket it still will not sink in... maybe in 26 hours when I'm in Australia it will. Well talk to you all when I'm down under, take care and perhaps I'll see you all in a year (or sooner for anyone who wants to visit).

Dan.

7 days and counting...

2006-06-27T08:23:00.000-04:00

I still don't feel like I'm going, I have my luggage out and clothes organised but I just don't feel like I'm actually going, like it's not real. I guess I've wanted to go for so long that now that it's time it just won't sink in... maybe it will when I'm at the airport or on the plane or even after the first night in Australia? Although my first few nights I'll be in motels as I land in Sydney (2 days after I take off, yeah that's right 2 days!) and will be driving up the coast to my new home (for the next year anyway). So that will be more of a vacation, maybe it will hit me once I've gotten to my place and spent my first night in the bed I'll be spending the next 365 nights. At any rate I'm ready for my adventure and will post once more before I leave.
For those coming on July 1st, come hungry and thirsty ;) and see you then. And those of you who are not HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Wow... 2 weeks, can ya believe it?

2006-06-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

So here it is, two weeks and I am off. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone and I'm sure the next 14 days will go even faster. I really don't have much to say except that I think I'm all ready to go. New clothes bought, luggage ready to be packed, passport and visa done, money exchanged, plane ticket confirmed. Hummmm did I forget anything?

People are starting to pop by now and say goodbye, its nice to see them before I take off and since I really haven't an idea of when I'll be back, nice to see them since I'm not sure when I will again.

So I'll say goodbye for now and will write atleast once more before I depart for Australia.

Still in Brampton...

2006-06-05T21:15:00.000-04:00

So it is 29 days until I depart, 25 hours on a plane and a year in Australia. I plan to write several times a week, so we shall see if I stick to it. I've got almost a month to get the hang of this blog thing and figure out how to post all the pictures I'm going to take, I think I'll do alright.