Australian Geographic

In this burgeoning economy of 2009, one of the things I wanted to do was experience more outdoors Australia and possibly avoid the bars as much as possible. You know, cheap living, but experiencing more of the real world out there. So when my friend Jamie and co. offered a trip to the Blue Mountains for some camping and canyoning, I checked my bank account, then jumped at the chance. Without a clue of what canyoning was, I cleaned out the cooler of papers, grabbed a sleeping bag and borrowed a tent from Scott (which I subseqently biked up Oxford Street like a soldier in training).

In short, camping and canyoning was a blast. Great mix of downing beers like a barfly and scaling hills like that Bear Grylls dude. After taking an extra hour getting lost on the way there, we even managed to put up our tents in about 20 minutes, before the rain nonetheless. As I've mentioned before, canyoning felt like I was a member of the Goonies: slides, rocks, adventure at every turn. We must have missed the buried treasure. As an aside, which Goonie would I be? Guess it cancels out Data...and Chunk since I'm neither Asian nor fat. I suppose the main kid (whose only name I don't remember) is the best choice, although I never had asthma or an infatuation with a one-eyed pirate. Anywho, there were missteps along the way and frigid water when you're not wearing a wesuit, but times like this do make you feel like a mountain man. What's it about the outdoors that make you no longer care about sleep, showers, toothpaste, toilets and overall societal mores?

But now that we're back in the city, I do need my Foxtel, Spin and Old Spice body wash. Some old habits never die....

On My Way, I'm On My Way....

I just used a lyric from the Crue, gross. Anyway, it's been about a month since I've returned from the USA, aka Obamaland. It was a great few weeks of catching up with family and friends, reacquainted with the right side of the road and enjoying live sports on the correct day of the week. There's alot to cover, so I've review the first trip back to the states in the form of that great scene in "Rules of Attraction."

Flew into LA, Haas picks me up, grabbed the Lambo, got stared at by bums at In n Out, had people over, Cedric threw the apple, clock got broken....went down to see the crew in OC at Longboards, watched some football, drank beers, paid visit to Newps, sliders, back to LA...ate Cap'n Crunch, wandered around Beverly Center with no phone, celebrated Jackie's bday with Mexican and bad spandex 80s band...woke up after three hours sleep, got on Jetblue, waited two hours for dad and Lynn, drove to the old house for chicken parm, met my new nephew Owen...ran some errands, Mo and co. came over, Stefano made his lasagna, Max sang for us...Christmas Day, toys everywhere, Batman Lego on Wii, Jenga, corned beef...breakfast thing, mandlebaum gym, more lasagna, bad McDonalds with Max and Blake, Shea Stadium special, out with old buddies at Archie Moores...more mandlebaum, more corned beef, Burke Xmas, kids everywhere, insane grab bag...mom watching mass, Sunday football, train to NYC, two bars and pizza, Ipod downloads...Trinh and the city, Brooklyn bagel, Guggenheim, Central Park, FAO Schwartz, more kids everywhere, St. Patricks, 30 Rock, people everywhere, Empire State, Strawberry Fields, Spiga....last home food, drive to JFK, say G'day to mom and dad, jump on Jet Blue, make Haas wait more, dinner at the Lincoln, drinks with Pag and co...New Years, Barney Beanery, Pacific Palisades dinner party, Haas and Summer, on the rooftop...back at the old house, PPDS, USC win, Derek cooks, beer pong...bar crawl in HB, arguing with roommates, drive back to LA, the Office...Barney's Beanery, football, Ma, Spanish Kitchen, pop singer drinks...woke up early, Malibu hike with Jeff and Ma, get lost, find our way, back to LA for dinner with Jackie and Adrianna, stories from Bali, back to LAX, G'day again USA....

I'm a little tired fast-forwarding through all that. Did I miss anything? Thanks for the good times on both coasts, hope to see the homeland again soon.