Happy belated Easter, happy spring, happy playing in the snow to you all. Today is another sunny day, i've dragged myself from the beach to write this. I was getting a bit of heat rage too so its a welcome break. We had a massive storm here last night and i was sure at one point that a wave was going to come through the window. It didn't (damn my dramatic thoughts). Since my last writing ive cranked out a couple of 50hour weeks, proving to myself that i can survive on 5 hours sleep a night, though it does nothing for my now-aged skin. Or maybe thats the sun? I spent one evening/early morning at a Chinese restaurant where we accumulated a $800 bill and ensured that i will remain a vegetarian for the rest of my days, i still have flashbacks of the moment i realised the guy on one side of me was sucking a pigeon head and on the other side of me there was a semi-live fish flapping about. Even the Tsingtao lager couldnt quell my disdain.

Tori and I have had many an adventure, on a trip to the botanical gardens we encountered the oldest bridge in Australia (about 1 metre long and built by convicts, surprisingly), saw some eels, a few petunias, hyacinths and that sort of thing and then we saw the Orb. The Orb being a type of spider, the sort of thing that you notice one and then see them everywhere you friggin look. They're gross and have fat bellies and spindly legs. Tall people must have a raw deal there as they would undoubtedly walk into the cobwebs without noticing. Uuuurgh. Tori and I also went on a bikeride (i say bike ride, i mean backy) that DIDNT result in cuts, bruises or trips to the hospital, a break in tradition for us! So we celebrated with a trip to the Randwick Hotel (they dont seem to have straight out pubs here rather everywhere's a 'hotel'). It was a pretty cool place, except for the yocals on the balcony, who i'm best friends with now.

An interesting sight that captured my gaze in the hostel one morning: a girl making breakfast put buttered bread into the toaster then added (not into the taoster) egg, bacon, jam and ketchup. People have wierd tastes, eh? Having stayed on the 3rd floor (100 steps * 14 times a day) i quickly managed to overcome my fear of lifts - until the day it reached my floor, i stepped out and alas -my fear was recognised: the lift wasnt flush with the ground but hovering a foot or so above my floor, i learnt this as i fell to the ground! Never again will i read and walk.

About a week or so ago i moved to Coogee, an Eastern Suburb of Sydney populated by Irish, bottle shops and cafes. Its also got a sweet beach. The apartment is basic with reclaimed furniture, few working electrics, a massive pile of magazines and an 80's TV with approx. 364 channels, meaning i can sit and watch 'Changing Rooms' at my leisure. How is it that Carol manages to infiltrate every inch of the world? There's some crazy old Italians downstairs, a guy who obviously had too many drugs 10 years ago next door, and my flat mates seem pretty nice too. Happy days.

What did you all do for easter? I went exploring in the Blue Mountains, or at least that was the plan. The train took about 2 hours, though i'm sure i could have walked there quicker, and it would have been a scenic journey save the rain, mist and fog. The presence of such weather was not at all conducive to mountaineering, so plan B a.k.a 'The Lost Weekend' came into action, and we had a guided tour of all the pubs in what felt like a 100mile radius. The first night there i stayed in a hostel where i woke up dazed and confused in the middle of the night, thought i was somewhere i wasnt and proceeded to dive head first from my top bunk bed. When i hit the floor i realised where i was. Silver lining and all that.

5 guys from work were my company for the weekend and when i rang them at 11am on sunday they were already in the pub, whereas i had opted for the more refined sunday morning walk. I met them at noon. What follows can be summed up by this: 6 people, a $70,000 BMW, a bottle of bullit and a plethora of beer. We saw '3 sisters', Sublime Point, Cuckatoos, red parrot type things, a busker and a few other things that probably wouldnt mean anything to you (or me). We went to a Greek restaurant and Nick choked on a piece of meat, i helped save his life. And i had my first ever experience of staying in a motel, and it was nothing at all like Pulp Fiction.

And today i saw a bird with one leg.

And on sunday i will add more photos. I have written this so i have to do it now. Fact.