Something's Missing

Did you see that 'Simpsons Treehouse of Horror' when Homer invented a time machine out of a toaster? Every time he went back in time, he'd come back to the present and something would be amiss. One time he came back and found he had a huge mansion, luxury cars, well behaved children, etc. However, when he asked Marge for a doughnut, she didn't know what one was.

That's a bit like my experience at the shop the other day. As you can gather, Sydney is achingly perfect, but with a few cracks in just the wrong places. I was on the cereal aisle of the supermarket and I asked the chap working there if he knew where the pop-tarts are.

"What are pop-tarts?" he replied.

I almost ran out the shop screaming, just like Homer. It would have been even funnier if it suddenly started raining pop-tarts.

BTW, 300th post.

Going Further In

I'm going to be hanging out in a youth hostel for the next few weeks. This hotel I'm staying at is a little too pricy. Judging by how many people over here seem to be backpackers, it's almost a rite of passage. The only thing that's slightly worrying is that I won't have my own bathroom. So it's like college. I just hope I don't have that crazy psycho roomate next door again.

I saw the Opera House yesterday (well I had to, didn't I?) and I realised that Sydneyers must really like their opera for them to build this big, expensive building on a prime piece of real estate. Last time I checked those new performing arts centers in downtown Miami wern't doing so hot.

Bondi Beach

I went to Bondi Beach today to look at apartments. One of them was directly on the beach. As in, walk out the front door and there it is. The second was in a tower block five minutes down the road from the beach. I'm not too sure about either of them to be honest. That, and I would have to front six months rent up front becuase I don't have a job yet. I'll sleep on it.

As some of you know, I've been growing out my beard. I shaved it off when I went to South Beach two weeks ago, and then again today. I didn't recognise myself today without it. Even though I've never had a real beard before, I think I look better with one. I look like Bret from 'Flight of the Conchords'.

Adventures Down South

Went down for a BBQ with the family this weekend. A proper Aussie-style BBQ with sausages and beer and everything that goes with it!

In other news, I have found out that Australian ISPs cap internet usage. Yes, you have my permission to laugh, becuase I sure won't be once I have to pay for it...

Adventures In Sydney

The first thing that hits you is it's very clean. No trash anywhere at all, and all the buildings are virtually spotless. It's like something you'd build in SimCity. And the people are friendly, almost to a fault. Like they don't cross the road (even though nothing is coming) untill the sign changes to green. And all the crosswalks sound like Galaga when it's time to walk.

But the public transport system is a bit... lacking. The trains are cool, but there seems to be only one line from this neck of the woods, and to really get around you need to ride overly-priced busses that run every half an hour. I know that doesn't sound too bad, but when you think New York and London have undergrounds and subways that go everywhere, and New York's is dirt cheap, Sydney needs to pick up it's game a bit. I probably need to look into some sort of Oyster Card/Metrocard equivalent.

I Come From A Land Down Under

Where beer does flow and men chunder. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run, you better take cover.

Yes I am in Australia. I made it in one piece. Went through without a hitch, and am now in my hotel room that overlooks downtown. I need to find out about creative agencies in the city, but no one seems to know any. There are only 3 million people here, which is the population of Manhattan alone, so it's all scaled down a bit. Still, it's very clean and everyone is very friendly. Considering I thought New Yorkers were really friendly, it's a bit mind-blowing here.

So in the words of Whitesnake,
"Here I go again on my own!"

Los Angeles

I was thinkig of titling this after a song about LA, but I realised that there are just way too many.

LA is great. The people here are fantastic, and it really feels like south florida on steroids, with moountains. We drove around Beverly Hills and Mullhulland Drive. After that we went to a party with people who work on American Dad and Family Guy. Awesome.

Special hello to all me old and new friends here in the City of Angels.

Australia Ahoy!

This is the last post before I leave to go to Australia. I'm heading out to LA tonight, and then tomorrow night, I fly to Sydney. I do have one extra stopover though, in Fiji. I'm not staying long enough to go out and look around, but I suppose there could be worse places to be stuck for four hours.

Better hold your breath, here we go again...

Packing Up

Packing all of my things is quite odd. I'm going back, not just over the 18 years I have lived here, but also, everything I brought with me when we moved here in the first place. So we have things like all of the Ghostbusters and Transformers toys, combined with five generations of video game systems with their games. Plus almost two decades of magazines. It's alot.

I'm also backing up my old videos, some of which are over twenty years old. The only one that's giving me problems is my tape of 'Going Live'. I think it's because the tape itself is one of the oldest, and I taped over 'My Left Foot', which has probably worn out the tape faster.

I dread the day I have to backup my American tapes. About two dozens tapes at over six hours each. Yikes.