Oh what a week...

G'day sports fans,

So I thought it was gonna be a quiet week, but how wrong could I have been.

So I met Stef on Sunday evening, and we checked into our new hostel, Banana Benders. It was bra to have a good night sleep without any loud and annoying Germns. We just chilled out at night and caught up.

The next morning we had a lie in and decided we'd better do some washing. What a relief it was to have a clean towel, as mines was pure bouffin after using it since I left 2 weeks before that. as I went through to the reception to get some change for the washers, Nicola comes waltzing through the door. I was shocked. The upshot of how she came to be there, a week early, was tht she had escped from her apple farm with some army guys she met whilst up there. So that day, after we worked as a team and I succesfully completed my first solo wash, we went for a pub lunch to the Valley, just a bit of town that has a few pubs and things. I also had my first pokey experience. They're basiclly simpliefied puggies, I won 15 bucks too (check that, I've got the lingo alredy).

So the army guys (Mick and Richo), very kindly invited us all to stay with them at their hoose, and save some cash rather than giving it to the hostels. There place is bout half hour train ride from the centre of Brisbane, called Michelton. That night we met, Wall, an Ozzie that moved from Glsgow when he was 6, and he likes to drink. Well, they all LOVE to drink. We played drts, drank beer (XXXX Bitter, my new favourite), ate fajitas (compliments to Nicola the chef), oh and drnk some tequilla. It got rather messy and we were all bedded by 11. a good first nights introduction in my books.

The next day, me and Stef fought through the hangover and went back on the train for Stef's hospital appointment, all was fine though. We just chilled the rest of the day, still suffering a bit from the night before events. I think Nicola even mde it to 'Walls Bar' after the teilla, which is a bar in Wall's basement, funnily enough.

The following day Mick very kindly gave me a shot of one of his cars he had lying about, and we headed up the coast to austrlia Zoo (Steve Irwin's zoo). Never let Nicola be in charge of the map, but we got there nonetheless. It was quite eventful, the getting lost bit was just the beginning of it. The car is quite old, and every time we hd to start the car, we hd to get a jump start as the battery was knackered. So I've met people from all over the world alredy, by asking them for a jump start. Then we're nearly home, and we get pulled into a Police road block, and I get breathlised. Obviously I hadn't been drinking, but I still was very nervous. He sid something about the tyres on the car, ooops, and we were on our way. Seemingly aslong as the car is insured etc, you don't need an individul to be insured etc, like back home, so I was fine to drive. It was good to get back 'home' after the long day, and we hd a good old barbie waiting on us. The zoo was pretty cool. We saw the crocodile show, and the tiger show, and fed the kangaroos. as well as all sorts of other wildlife.

Friday, we done nothing during the day. at night we went to the local RSL (Retired Servicemans League). Basically a place for soldiers etc, and cheap drink. We drank there for a bit, but unfortuntely, Wall was there. That ment the shots were out by 5pm, cointreau and whtever else. Me and Richo drunkenly made the tea after that, but it was fine.

Saturday was a big day for the army boys. It ws anzac day, which is basically to honour all the austrlian and New Zealnad soldiers that have died at war. Nicola and the boys were up and out the house for 3am for an early service, and they basically start drinking after that. Me, Stef and Jen (another apple picker that joined us from the from on Friday) didnt make that and we met up with them at the RSL at 1030. We stayed there for a bit, done some gmbling, twos up, then went to the army barracks for more drinks. Twos up is a bit like pitchy at home, but less complicted. You get two coins in the middle of a ring, and somebody spins them. Then all the people in the crowd, bet between each other for heads or tails. You can bet whatever you want, then some starnger in the audience will match it. Seemingly its illegal in austrlia, apart from on anzac day, so lucky us. I think I was about even for the day, so that wasnt too bad. We went back to the RSL for a couple after the barracks, and some pokey action (I lost) and then we were up the road for 9ish.

So that brings us up to today, Sunday afternoon. Me and Mick have just been for a carton (crate to me and you) of XXXX bitter at a drive thru bottle shop, how cool is that. Just drive thru, like McDonalds, and wait for someone to bring your beer to the car, encouraging drink driving or what. We're just drinkng beer and watchng DVDs for the rest of the day, happy days. I think we're off to Surfers Paradise, an hour south of Brisbane, for a couple of days at the beach, then back to Brisbane for a few days before heading north.

Hope all is well back home, and happy reading.

Cheers

x

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Part of trip: Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand

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