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Published: December 18th 2006
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Apologies for the lack of updates guys. I just haven't been doing anything worth writing home about.
In my last blog, I mentioned I started work as a chef. Well, that lasted all of three days. What can I say, I couldn't take the heat so I got out of the kitchen. Twirling crepes wasn't my idea of fun.
So I land this brain-dead job as an IT Security Administrator at a retail chain called Best Buy. It was tough work though... tough trying to stay awake each day. Come to think of it, I also slept on the bus and train to and from work. Maybe it's chronic fatigue. Or maybe it's because it was the first office job I had since leaving Sydney and I couldn't get back into the 9 to 5 routine.
My team mates weren't the usual social butterflies I was used to working with. No after work drinks on Fridays, no steamy office affairs, no group lunches, no golf... NO GOLF! And they never heard of beer o'clock or POETS day.
Vancouver in summer was awesome. Alex and Ari found their little bit of paradise at the clothing-optional Wreck Beach. It had a real
laid back, who-gives-a-rats atmosphere to the place - nudie girls walking around selling food and beer, people indiscreetly buying and selling illegal substances (I didn't touch any, I swear), hand drumming sessions and the tradional worshipping of the Sun God as it disappears below the horizon. Okay, I made that last one up. But I admit, I too joined everyone and jumped and clapped as the sun went down - I blame the copious amounts of beer I had throughout the day.
But soon enough, daylight savings was over and then Vancouver lived up to its reputation (and nickname) as the
Wet City. It was mostly raining and miserable in Oct and Nov, but on November 16, I was on my way down south to warmer temperatures and the start of Gavo's Fabulous Buck's Week. For those who don't know, I worked for Gav at News Limited back in Sydney. What better place to have a bucks party than in
Sin City.
From Vancouver, I took a Greyhound over the border to Bellingham in Washington State. The US customs officer at the border gave me the usual friendly "Welcome to America Mr Terrorist" reception.
He asked me where I
was going.
I said "Vegas".
He said "What for?"
"For a buck's party".
He said "What's that?"
And I said "It's when you take a guy out before he gets married and get him pissed and watch strippers".
He wasn't impressed.
For that he kept me waiting for no apparent reason just to piss me off but I already had my fun.
Anyway, I finally make it to Bellingham Airport and onto the plane only to be seated next to this irritating moron of a woman. The constant stomping on the floor and "are we there yet?" comments made me think she was a tad restless. She also spoke at 100db higher than everyone else, but she was a yank so I figured that was normal. It was a
long two hour flight and I passed the time coming up with different ways I could shut her up. A bullet in the head was my first but not too creative.
I land in Vegas and get to Hooters Hotel at around midnight, dropped my bags off in my room and met up with the other boys. Gav, Jay, Gerard and Chris had a massive head start and I
had to catch up - they hired a stretch hummer from LA to Vegas and had polished off 40 beers between them. Not bad for a 3 hr drive... Boonie would've smashed them. I'm sure their road trip would've taken less time if there were fewer piss stops.
Unfortunately, I cannot say much about Vegas. What goes on in Vegas, yatta yatta yatta...
Actually, we were all well behaved and acted like gentlemen.
To summarise: Hooters Hotel - awesome hotel to do whatever the hell you want. Just don't gamble there. The dealers are hot and will distract you.
Dam Restaurant - best fine dining after midnight if you're craving something with a little bit more grease.
27 dollars - emergency money.
Coyote Ugly bar - not like the movie at all.
Coyote Ugly happy hour - 2 for 1, can't complain.
Left Vegas on the Nov 20 and flew to Ontario, California. This was my fourth visit to Cali and I had already done the whole touristy thing you normally do in LA, so I was happy to just relax, detox, and catch up with family who I hadn't seen in over 5 years. I mostly stayed with
my cousin Simon, his wife Stacey and their adorable 3 yr old twins. We celebrated Thanksgiving, my second in as many months.
Vancouver was under a blanket of snow when I got back on the 28th. It had been hit by a freak snow storm and the temperatures had dropped to about 10 below. I just had a couple of days to pack my bags and say my last goodbyes. Alex and Ari were off to a city called Edmonton in Alberta to work in the oil fields while i went to Toronto and hopefully see a bit of the east coast of Canada.
I stayed in a hostel for the first five days in Toronto and now living with a Turkish bloke in a wog community called Greektown. I haven't been out much - not having a job does that, but I'm not too impressed with what I've seen so far. The city is very dreary and the buildings and houses look very old and dilapidated. Must be due the extreme cold they have here. Though I have met a lot of nice people already. This one girl I met at a porn concert (yes, a porn concert)
Some random girls
Check out their antennae the other night invited me over for Christmas dinner with her family. Should I be scared? I guess she felt sorry for me being all alone in a new city. How sweet.
There's a few trips I'm planning for the new year: Niagara Falls, skiing at Mt. Treblanc and, depending if I get a job, a trip out to Montreal.
Anyway, hope everyone is well wherever you are in the world. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Cheers.
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Manfred
non-member comment
Vito growing older???
With comments like "adorable 3 yr old twins" me thinks Vito may have greater urges for becoming a 'family' man...