The Silence of the Pinchbeck

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Hello and welcome to another entry in the thrilling blog of 'A Pinchbeck Abroad'. It has been far too long since my last post and I have been neglecting you all, so my apologies and reassurances that this will once more become a semi-regular occurrence are extended to you all 😊

(P.S. for some reason this didn't publish properly, so I have no idea if you all received it or not...)

So, what’s occurring, I hear you ask in your mock Welsh accents? Well, all sorts of birthday goodness… To celebrate yours truly turning another year older, while retaining my good looks, humour and hairline, I popped to the pub on my birthday with Susha and her boyfriend, his brother and sister, to enjoy some water of the beer flavoured variety and prior to that, have chicken souvlaki. A fun time was had by all, though I daresay I was a wee bit tipsy at the end of it, managing to push all of the duvet down to the bottom of the cover, then opening it up and climbing inside, sleeping bag style, which both confused and amused me the next morning when trying to figure out what the heck I had been attempting to do.

Saturday saw grand finals day in Melbourne, with two Melbourne based teams vying it out in the AFL. I met my friend John at a pub that had put up several screens and a projector, and we opted for standing outside and watching the crazy Australian people shout at the TV at teams that clearly had no idea how to play rugby properly. The atmosphere in the place was actually great… they seem to be a little better here at having people supporting different teams without it getting out of hand, though I suspect this is due to something they put in the $4 pies that they sold in the pub at half time. Mmm, pies…

That evening saw us celebrate my birthday for the second night, topping it off with some live music at a place called Gypsy Bar, from a band that had a couple of guitars, a double bass, soprano saxophone (less mafia, more music) and clarinet. Awesome. Then, after a couple of slices of one of the top three inventions ever, a layer of ham and pineapple on top, and a few more beers, it was time for bed and a proper Sunday spent doing very little.

And what is next, you may well ask. Well, I do have plans, and here be they… Next weekend I am getting involved in a bit of car hire, then heading down to the Great Ocean Road for a little day’s worth of a road trip, which I can’t wait for. I have of course been with Andy and Paul again, the posers from the photo that I have attached, and this time I have no car named McLuvin’ to help me get there, but I am confident that it will be as good if not better this time around. The following weekend I am back up to Sydney to see Tux and another friend I used to work with in London which should be a great weekend as well. And this week I got to go to Brisbane for a few days for work which was also good, hopefully the start of a few business trips away – though hopefully next time I can get in a few days to see more of the city and less of customer offices! November should see the start of a diving course I hope to get certified, so that when I eventually travel and go cage diving with sharks I will be able to be in the cage on the ocean floor… sweet! Or looking at that picture, shit scary… (sorry mum)

I am off now to complete my visa forms, which I have been dragging my heels on for some time, but finally need to get sorted and sent off. Yes, that’s right folks, they are actually allowing me to stay in the country for a little while longer, having missed their chance to deny me entry when I came back from my recent visit. And on that note, it was bloody lovely to see everyone!

Bonza… take care,
Nick
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