Birthdays, Bartending and the Neighbours.

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I know it’s been a while since my last entry, but it’s because I wanted to wait for certain things to so I could write a ‘blog-worthy’ entry; so here goes…

The first main event to happen since my last entry is something that happens every year and should be huge in everyone’s life… MY BIRTHDAY!
It fell very nicely on a Friday night, giving us the opportunity to take full advantage of a rare weekend night. We each booked ourselves off work, but all sadly had to work the night before so there wasn’t much daytime to enjoy. Chris and Matt gave my a little stack of cards from home, which was very nice of everyone whom sent me one, thank you very much indeed!!! The boys also gave me a card and a couple of pressies; a new t-shirt (very nice!) and what every boy wants on his 23rd a ‘pear slicer’, thanks guys?? (crazy).

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I worked a 13 hour shift at Trader Bar the week before because it got really bust late on and we just stayed open until Australia played Croatia in the World Cup at 5am. In thanks the Manager, Darin, said I could take a bottle of whatever I wanted from the bar. I thought a bottle of rum, but I know that would only last one night of dinking, so I opted for a bottle of Jagermeister, in order to get parties started easily and quickly with minimum drinking time… A good way to kick off my birthday I thought!
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To start the birthday night we sipped a couple of Mojito’s with the bottle of Havana Rum Chris had bought. Then had a couple of shots of ‘Jager’ before going to Waggamama’s for a meal. The meal, as always, was very good and was rinsed down with a nice bottle of Merlot. I’m sure the staff had fear in their eyes when a group of rowdy lads turned up for a meal when they were about to clean-down, ah well much banter was had around our table and it was a lot of fun. We strolled back to the studio full of food and excitement for the night ahead to again sip a couple of Mojito’s (mint, lime, sugar and rum for those not in the know). It took us back to the days we used to sit on the balcony in Coogee, Sydney, watching the sunset across the ocean, now we sit on a sofa watching ‘Anchorman’ instead, not quite the same, but never mind! A load of drinks later and we headed to Trader Bar, where we’re guaranteed personal service and most importantly free drinks. We were served all kinds of weird and wonderful concoctions from Old Fashioned’s, to Jager-bombs, to Saki?! We had a brilliant plan to go to a busy backpacker bar after that but we ended up going to one other bar around the corner, Cherry, then getting in a taxi home. Oh and then I fell asleep fully clothed on the floor a foot from my bed… So close, yet so far! Let’s say I don’t have too much memory from the night’s antics, but I know we had a lot of fun and laughs.

I worked the next night, which was in no way easy. Work is still going pretty well and still telling the same stories over and over. One guy was funny though:
“Are you a Manc?” he shouted.
“I sure am pal”
“Man City or Man United?” he said with a smug look on his face.
“Man City…. I’ve got blue blood” I quipped.
“Oh dear they’re sh*t” he jested.
“Oh really… last time I checked we beat you 3-1, did we not?? …Oh and the year before??” I inquired.
As his mates laughed at his embarrassed look I walked off to do my job, confident in his lack of football knowledge.
I head back to the till where he stands.
“Your still sh*t though!” he says.
“I know that mate, but I don’t really care as long as we beat United… that makes may season complete!” I smirked.
“What about Shaun Wright-Phillips, he ruined his career at City!” he said confidently
“I think you’ll find his career peaked at City and died at Chelsea did it not??”
Again his mates jested at his even more embarrassed face.
“ Erm… ye well you guys are never gonna win anything!”
“Ah well, …where are you from exactly?” I questioned.
“Canberra” he said confused by the random question.
“Ah that makes sense, it would be awful to have a Man United fan who was actually from Manchester telling me how sh*t my team are… and believe me I’ve had that my whole life, but if there’s anything else you’d like to try and insult my team about I’m welcome to your comments, because this is the easiest argument I’ve had to win, what with you being from the other side of the world?”
There was quite a lot of laughter from his mates and the other people at the bar as he conceded by shaking my hand laughing. This, I think, is a prime example why living in Australia is so good, if it were back home I would probably have a pint glass stuck in my face, but the wonderful ‘no worries’ attitude of aussie’s is so much nicer. Everyone, in general, seems to want to have a good time and enjoy life rather than be miserable and moody having arguments that would only lead to one thing… fighting and the ridiculous English football hooliganism.
Just a little example of cultural differences… and one I like!


Anyway back to what I’ve been doing.

The next even on the calendar was ‘Neighbours night’ a chance to meet some of the stars of the ‘wonderful’ Australian soap. Excitement was high among the ranks before this night. We got ourselves ready and had a few drinks at the studio before heading to the ‘Elephant & Wheelbarrow’ English pub knowing we’d booked our place on the guest list at about 10pm. We arrived at the pub, which is only 2 blocks from our studio, to find we were too late and we should have been there at 7pm, well done boys! We sat in the bar, where I enjoyed a Boddingtons and Matt points out a familiar face behind me… Doctor Karl Kennedy smoking a cigarette with a pint in his hand. Very strange seeing him in that situation. We didn’t speak to him because he was with his band that play at the night. We missed out but had a few beers anyway… well we’d made the effort to go out so why not?

Chris’ birthday was next on the agenda, which we celebrated on the Saturday after his birthday, which fell on a Wednesday. We planned to head out around St. Kilda something we hadn’t really done; yet we’d heard there were awesome places to go out. As usual we had a few drinks in the studio and polished off the bottle of ‘Jager’ and went to Robarta for a meal which was really, really nice. Some more banter was had with the very good-looking waitress and then we headed to Prince a club just down the road on Fitzroy St. It was really busy and very pretentious everyone trying to be cooler than the person next to them and the music wasn’t really my thing. We still managed to enjoy ourselves though, before then getting a taxi to Chris’s work ‘161 bar’. A few free drinks were handed out by his mates on the bar and we danced the night away until 8am ending up back at the studio after a pie at our local 24hr bakery and hitting the sack at about 9am! Not a bad effort.


THIS IS THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE TRIP SO FAR!! (maybe)
We missed it last week… but we couldn’t do it again, in fact we were going to do it better…
Not only did we book tickets for ‘Neighbours night’ we also booked ourselves on the ‘Neighbours tour’, which actually takes you to Ramsey street, wow!!
So yesterday we were picked up outside the Internet café I’m in now at 1pm on a bus that wasn’t the bus we see driving around all the time with huge Neighbours written along the side. I’m not going to lie; I was a pretty gutted about that.
We piled on with the other British backpackers (no-one else cares other than the Brits!) and were taken firstly to the school, Erinsborough High, which isn’t Erinsborough High at all, in fact, and this isn’t going to be easy to take for some of you, Erinsborough doesn’t exist, shock horror!! In fact Erinsborough was derived as an anagram of Neighbours, but that doesn’t actually work so I’m not sure why we were told that?
The school was called Blackburn English language school and wasn’t really that obvious that it had ever appeared in the show, but not to worry because in the van was a big Erinsborough high sign that the guide hooked on the fence. He was in quite a rush because he said he had a surprise for us that he had to rush for.
Next stop the Neighbours studio’s drive-by. Unable to actually go on set he took us into the car park, something he said he doesn’t normally do and the in the car park surrounded by British backpackers on the other tour bus (the proper one) was Dr. Karl Kennedy. He was more than happy signing autographs and having pictures taken and even gave my Mum a big hello and a kiss to the video camera, what an absolute legend!!!
After all that excitement we then went on to Ramsey St where the road was blocked off because they had just finished filming. Again ruining illusions Ramsey St also doesn’t exist, in fact it’s called Pin Oak Court. We were lucky that the trucks that were parked on the road began to move out as the filming had finished so after a short wait we were able to walk up the street and see all the houses. It’s SO much smaller than it looks on TV it’s a tiny little cul-de-sac. It was awesome seeing each of the houses so I took full advantage and filmed and photographed each house as well and filming a stupid little skit outside Susan Kennedy’s house. Brilliant!!! We had ample time to take photo’s etc. and then we were taken back to St. Kilda.

A couple of hours to waste before then watching Neighbours, which is way ahead of you guys so you won’t want to know about Boyd and Janay(?) getting engaged and Paul getting shot, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.
Neighbours here is on at 6:30pm, so it was perfect before then heading to the ‘Elephant & Wheelbarrow’ (again) for Neighbours night. We arrived and found out who was going to be there and let down to hear Boyd was caught up filming so as a replacement, the only cast member I don’t care about, Ned. The place was full and everyone was sitting on designated table for the Neighbours quiz. It’s not very often you sit in a old English style pub with vintage Neighbours being project on a big screen. The MC really hyped up the crowd of rowdy British backpackers before then introducing the stars of the night. First out was Ned, then promptly followed by Libby (she’s not even in it anymore, ah well) and then the legend, the man himself Toady!! They were all then escourted by their bodyguards around the bar to each table to everyone was able to meet them. It was an awesome night and Toady was funny on the Mic as well as when he met us quoting ‘Anchorman’ with him haha! Libby was looking very good as well and think she might be making a come back soon.
It was then down to Dr. Karl and his band 'Waiting Room' to entertain the rowdy crowd and he did it amazingly! He rocked the place singing a whole selection of well known sing-along style BIG tunes. He was awesome, yet it was so surreal seeing Dr Karl rock out on stage and us all singing along in full voice, it was hilarious but so much fun!
A full day of Neighbours fun and games and very enjoyable.
It was so good to finally do something exciting and touristy again and the first thing we’ve done in Melbourne now we have a bit of cash. Next week we have something else planned as our time here is beginning to grow closer to an end.

Other bits and bobs is that we have booked all our flight to everywhere else we’re going, not to mention the big date of my eventual return to those English shores, near Christmas.

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Photos

Waggamama's chilli
do it Si!

Uncanny resemblance
not that I look like a woman or anything though!

Peter Kay
didn't know he'd become a Melbourne DJ. "The buffet is open"

Comments

[Mum]

Friendly Neighbours!
I can't believe I see pictures of my Simon with Ned, Toady, Karl and Libby! Truly amazing and totally surreal! Love it!