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Storyboard |
| Airborne |
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On the summerly Hocheck skifields in Oberaudorf, our gliding instructor Markus explained the theory behind take-off, journey and landing in three simple words: Run ... Run ... Run ...And running we did .... when we took off to gain speed, when we tipped the ground to retain speed and when we landed to reduce speed and not fall on our noses. I have to tell you, even with the many runs I had in my life, never before I ran down a hill as fast as during this gliding training.
My friends and accompanying aviators Kiko, Michael, Max, and Klaus thought we're just on a sneak peak for how it feels when loosing the touch to the ground. However, things have changed. From our first flight (about 15 mins into the training) the fever got to all of us ... . The feeling when you're in the air - the relaxing silent glide like a bird and the thrill of being high above ground and how it'll work out when we land.
Time to count the numbers as nothing comes for free in this world. Gliding kit, lessons, licenses, transportation, family commitments and so forth are weighing against this feeling of total freedom and the vision of having a effortless lift back down the mountains at completion of our future hikes ...
We're all hooked now ... to live a birds life
| O Winter, Where Art Thou |
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One of the big factors that drove us back to Germany is Winter. The cosy snow season that makes you appreciate a quiet home, christmas markets, mulled wine with cinnamon and organge peel. At the centre is of activity is always skiing. The early winternights invite for hiking to a near mountain hutt and - a few drinks later in highly unstable fashion - sledding down the hill again.
Doesn't quite work this year. It's too warm. The ski fields accross the Alpes are green and some trees have begun to blossom, causing a sudden peak in hay fever casualties. Some ski fields are so desperate to make a dollar, they invest millions in snowspraying their fields at night, just to see the precious white melt and rinse off again during daytime.
Well we're kind of lucky in Upper Bavaria where at least the temperature drops below freezing at night. There is little snow in the mountains, too. Just enough to give them a white top making them look like a Dolomites ice cream.
Thanks to the all-imcompassing Kiko (a Bavarian phenomenon) our hunt for the first snow got to success in late November. 22 on a Bus, we went down to the fatherland of a well known Californian Governor (the CaliÖzi), where we found last remains of Alpine glaciers to release our spirits. 3 days carving, boarding and heads in the snow made us learn that there is a new generation of kamikazees on the slopes. Fritz and I were taken out painfully by a 5 year old - not that we weren't willing to give him a decent fight, but we simply had no chance ....
Back home is back in green .... Snow .... where art thou!
| Impressions in Red |
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to make way for even more red desert, where our pilot smacks the plane into the runway and our still dazzeled minds are at arms length to Ayers Rock. In the distance another group of well rounded formations arise - the Olgas.The cleansing of the mind happens in iterations. First stage at sunset and with champaign in our hands, is to listen to the Sounds of Silence. Between red dunes out in scrub lands the master of ceremonies, in his white robe and cylinder hat, prepares the offerings (roo, emu, crock) on a bed of red veggies. The lights go out and a Shamaness starts reading the night sky with her laser finger - Alpha & Beta Zentauri, the Southern Cross, the star signs of the southern sky.
The next stage starts early hours, Impressions in Red at sunrise, Impressions in Red when hiking the Olgas, and at last - completely unexpected though - Impressions in Red at dusk. The third stage - the enlightenment of the troubled soul - again starts early mornings. Impressions in Red at sunrise and Impressions in Red when hiking around Ayers Rock. With Impressions in Red on our skin we board the plane back home, to cross 1,600km of this red land ... home to our red brick house.
| The Island Hopper |
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When the captain announced that he's about to land, most passengers are struck. Like jets landing on an aircraft carrier, we try to work out where there is the promised land in Le Grande Bleue. Luckily he wasn't lying and our landing kicks off a 2-week Hula-Hula marathon.
- Stage 1: Rarotonga, the main island of the Cooks is the perfect entry. Unable to just chill out after a hectic December, the spectacular mountains covered in tropical rain forrest and surrounded by a coral reef promise plenty of things to do whilst the island life style slowly takes the pace out of us. Until we're ready ... ready for:
- Stage 2: 600km away, we head for the closest neighbour, Aitutaki. This atoll of only 10km in length gives us the ultimate South Sea feel. The azure lagoon with white sand banks and pristine beaches counts coconut drop as their main health hazzard.
| Fasten Your Seatbelts |
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seat of a Boeing 747 does not quite match the real thing. And for those of you that think I've got a bit crazy in my old days (I mean crazier than I am anyway), the answer is no ... I'm not aiming for a crash ... rather I decided to Hot shrink the plane, chop the engines and swap my seat on the quad-booster for something rather skinny ... a glider.Camden airport, the only glider base in Sydney, first appears like a flower garden and on the flight strip kangaroos, sheep and glider aircraft are wrestling for their fair share of the meadows. A caravan signals the location of the pilot whose pace matches the surroundings. I get my take-off approval from Flocky the sheep dog. Stripped in excitement shall soon grow - balancing this wide-winged animal off the ground makes me understand what an Albatross goes through each time he tries to lift off.
Once airborne the wings capture every flick of air pressure, surprising in the amount of action and versatility of the plane. If I haven't noticed it before, not the difference to a commercial jetliner becomes evident - Only for a novice like me of course - my pilot still looks like he's in REM sleep. At 2,700 feet we start the real thing, getting in the thermic to catch the uplift and circling in tight spirals to prolong this trip to its maximum, not quite high enough to get into the few clouds above us.
With the thermic easing and my flight nearing its end, I can see Flocky clearing the air strip for me. In steep descend, the nose down, ground winds turn my mind back to the pilot, just in time to appreciate the delicate balancing act of leveling the 8 meter wing span glider on its center wheel over a wobbly gras patch to a stand still ...
| Oxfam Trailrunner 2005 |
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teams of 4, totalling 1,760 participants, departing picturesque Hunters Hill High School in perfect conditions for the start of Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney 2005.Contenders wound their way along the Great North Walk to Berowra and then headed to the end of their 100km journey at Ararat Reserve in French's Forest. Most of the rough race course were bush & fire trails that led along streams, through small gullies, climb a total 1,500 meters over hills and through dense forests that turned pitch black at night.
Close to midnight on Friday and after 16:32 hours we, the Dodgy Brothers (team 22) crossed the finishing, becoming 12th on this years event, "only" 4.5 hours after the record breaking Canberra elite runners ACTrun undercut the race record by a mere 50 minutes. But who is we? Who actually delivered this dodgy performance:
- Nikolay Nikolaev (alias Dodgy Pharma) again provided his medical expertise to keep the bodies going.
- Kevin Collins (alias Dodgy Streamboy) had lot's to tell and also much he decided to spare for next year.
- John Evans (alias Dodgy Nutripath) took the task of maintaining everyones carbo- and energy intakes.
- Florian Dirscherl (alias Dogdyblist) developed new ways of walking on water, with square inches of blisters developing on everyone's feet.
| Corn Belting in Minneapolis (USA) |
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But where to pitch my tepee this time? How about something really exciting, such as the American Midwest - the Corn Belt, so well
known because driving in this region becomes a whole new dimension. The hyper un-curvy roads are an experience of its own. Get in your car, set the cruise control, lock your steering wheel and the drive will be the lowest calorie ride you've ever done (no breaking, no turning, no hills - just flat). On the way there are corn fields ... and soybean fields ... and some gas stations ... and corn fields ... and soybean ...For three months I have been living in Minneapolis, working for a seeds company with corn production facilities across Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and Canada. Beside its reputation as the corn capital of the world, Minneapolis is famous for a few things. As better half of the Twin Cities it is home to the Red Socks baseball team. It is the capital of Minnesota, that claims to have about 10,000 lakes (insiders know it is rather 22,000), which convert into massive ice ponds during the gruelling winters. It comes of no surprise that the most common sports are cross country skiing, playing hockey and riding snow mobiles.
Whoever is into the outdoors should go north. 2 hours out Duluth sits on the shores of Lake Superior. Civilisation stops approx. 50miles earlier. Endless forests, lakes, rivers and streams. Coming out of Australia it is a strange sensation to trade snakes and spiders for bears, wolves and mountain lions. Puts a completely different edge to the bush runs. And the thoughts of a 1.5 tonne, 5 meter agitated moose bull doesn't necessarily ease my mind.
Back home I think to what's been the best memory I brought back. I may pass that on to Geli. In her mind the Mall of America tops the list ... girly thing.
| Midsummer Skisafari |
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summer into the charming grey of her Majesties front yard. Much has happened and there is a lot to do. To the shock of the English public, Charles and Camilla have announced their formal engagement. Michael Jackson started to post television adds to support his case in his upcoming trial, Joshka Fisher publicly admitted that he screwed German immigrations, and Skycaptain just found out that Totenkopf build an arc to escape from this world.To make things worse Geli came to realize that our new cockroach baits have failed miserably. Action is needed, calling for Mr Bavaria.
In the meantime I spend a lot of time, jetsetting between Sydney, London, and Hamburg. On the weekends I'm again off to Rosenheim, where the negated summer seals the Alps under a thick layer of snow, just waiting for me to step into my ski gear and to ride some of the many awesome ski fields.
Those ski fields have improved a lot over the years. Better lift capacities have pushed waiting times down to nothing and snow cannons allow to bridge the snow gaps that traditionally interrupted most ski seasons. And on the days when the legs are to tired to ski, we pull the sleds up the mountains and off we go again.
| Oxfam Trailrunner 2004 |
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The Dodgy brothers - that's us - set out under bright sunny skies together with 380 teams. We started in Hunters Hill for the 100km bush run to Manly. 169 teams made it as a complete team of 4 and 1,148 of the original 1,520 runners and walkers made the full distance in 48hours or less. So let's have a look at the team:- At first there's our team medical aid. Bulgarian Dodgy Pharma (alias Nikolay) always has the best advice for cramps (stick needles in your legs), salt lake tummies, energy gel recipes and so forth.
- Dodgy Stream (that's Kevin) supported the event with his undisruptive stream of singing, talking, joking and reciting the Simpson's.
- Dodgy Frosty (Daniel) felt in heaven after baring his legs on ice to ease the cramps.
- And finally there is me, Dodgy Winds, continuously equalizing after spending 16 hours on a plane the previous day, coming back from Dubai.
| Snowy Sydney - Ski on the Beach |
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Hail hammered Sydney and parts of New South Wales on 5 September 2004, breaking windows and roof tiles, causing a spate of minor car crashes and leaving roads covered in ice, and even snow, in some areas. Two storms brewed up in this early spring afternoon with the first heading north from the NSW Southern Highlands and the other sweeping across Sydney and out to sea.
Good new for the city's outdoor lovers, who did not hesitate to pull out their Alpine tested snow gear to trial it in the city of sunshine. Children too young to ski were making snowmen in Sydneys front yards.
| Christmas in South Australia |
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Lets get some heat under our skin and load the batteries. And if the coast may be fresh, the outback always is a guarantee for sun and heat.
Tripping by campervan (as usual) we swap city traffic and big crowds for remote bushland where roos, emus and goannas stop by to see who's the new kid on the block. The cockatoos besiege us in hope for some of that soothy, oaky Chardonnay from our shopping spree in the Clare Valley vine country. In Wilpena Pound a 9 hour trail leads up to 1200m St Mary Peak and rewards with spectacular views over the pound and heart of Flinders Ranges.
Back at the coast it is a must to checkout what our fellow countrymen in Hahndorf have accomplished over the years. This German settlement is probably Australia's best address to indulge some proper Weisswürscht and Sauerkraut followed by Bienenstich cake, which only mum could have done better.
Heat and dust are a good reason to ferry across to Kangaroo Island. Chilling off in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean, where sea lions and seals spread their delicate odours over some beaches. Kick back in the gum tree shade with the only disruption being a koala dropping going astray in your coffee mug.
Sadly each vacation must come to an (as ever too early) end. Glenelg in Adelaide farewells with memories to Mission Bay in San Diego 10 years ago - cafes, shops, bars, parties, beach life, and lots of peculiars ...
| Skiing in Thredbo |
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Geli - for different reasons though - was not too sure about the idea of skiing herself. Well we packed our 11 layers of summer clothing in order to shield us from snow and cold weather. Off we went to the New South Wales skiing capital - Thredbo.
In the heart of Mount Kosciuszko National Park, Thredbo village sits next to the ski fields in the gum tree forests. Towards the end of the season the slopes still give us enough snow for many decent runs. All that with the luxury of having hardly any people around us and absolutely no waiting times at any lifts.
It is a strange experience to carve through the gum trees. Even though the high mountain ranges remind us of Alpine ski-fields, the typical cliffs and ruggit mountain terrains are missing. Nevertheless, the altitude, Glühwein serving mountain huts and the hotel sauna help us ignore the Kookaburras that are laughing at us from the trees.
| Oxfam Trailwalker |
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Just some of the many highlights included:
- Fine recitations of poetry at about 3am in the morning, including Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" as performed by Shaun and Steve;
- Walking through track submerged in water at high tide at 8pm, causing 3 of the 4 team members to slip and fall and another to lose his torch between some rocks;
- The inordinate flatulence amongst team members due to the high physical stress and carb intake throughout the event;
- The final sprint attempt to the finish line, before the team realised that they actually did not have energy left to run at all.
Back home it's the time to recover the sore muscles, tiredness, and blistered feet. Good chance for an evening on the couch, watching our favourite series ... Kommissar Rex ...
| Magnetic Island |
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Nevertheless, who cares some face mist in 30-degree Magnetic Island. Lorrikeets herald the morning at six, just in time to have a relaxed jog along the Hilltops of this magnificent hideaway. Most of the land is national park. Majestic fig trees span their impressive root-curtains. The sea is warm and the clear water exposes the corals that start just meters off the beach. The dense jungle and multiple coconut palms remind us to Sibu Island - still our benchmark when it comes to tropical retreats.Horseshoe Bay provided the perfect chillout after a long days hike. Maggies Beach House almost sits on the beach. With aching feet we resemble in the bar - Happy Hour - we were very happy, just getting up next morning was a bit hard ...
Easter Sudnay, time to leave the island and ferry back to Townsville, from where our flight would return to Sydney on the following day. A look out the window confirms what we already knew. Sydney's rain has finally caught up with us. Townsville is plunged in black clouds, hefty rain showers don't let us much space to move. With limited wet weather options we decide to loot a deli and settle for picknick on the new beachfront ... just in range of shelter to duck out the passing downpours.
| Land of Two Towers |
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Hobbit country, Geli and I relished the full variety of South Kiwiland.First destination, the West Coast with the famous Fox- and Franz-Josef glaciers, we were greeted with the rain that got stuck on the West Coast. The downpours were too thick for any outdoor activities. Weighing our options we moved on to Queenstown, in the hope to find some sun. Good decision!
Time to unpack the boots. New Zealand's Southern Alps have heaps of walks. Many of these Alpine tracks span over several days so you must stay in more or less comfortable mountain huts. Some were also closed due to the heavy snowfall. Our favorites were Routeburn track, Ben Lomond Summit, Kepler track and Wye Creek track in the Remarkables.
We also went down to the famous Milford Sound, which is just beautiful. Steep cliffs with lots of waterfalls raise on the sides. Homer tunnel greeted us with snow and witty Keas watch out that nothing happens to your car ;) .... Best is to get on one of the cruise boats (the smaller the better) to get shipped around the fjord, see the magnificent cliffs that rise straight up to 800 meters and have a play with the big dolphins who seem to enjoy the human company. Water is better than land anyway ... once on solid ground New Zealand's only man-eating predator is waiting for you - the sand fly!
Returning from Fjordland we travelled via snowcapped Mount Cook, touring the Tasman glacier and Hooker track, before boarding our flights back to Australia ... Kia ora
| Australian Summer |
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- Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.
- You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
- The temperature drops below 35C and you feel a little chilly.
- The cows are giving evaporated milk.
- Cyclists worst fear is to get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement - cooking to death.
- You discover that in February it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
- Hot water coming out of both taps.
- The sensation that asphalt has a liquid state.
- The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
| Ceeens |
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Geli and I flew up to Ceeens (english Cairns), the tropical capital of Northern Queensland. The fashionable locals are known for speaking Australia's most cultivated eengleesh. When driving you know you're in Queensland, when the steering wheel is too hot to hold and the neon sign advertising the motel's pool is always larger than the pool itself.
The local language seems quite easy to learn. Ask a question, the local will look at you, twinkle his left eye (the right eye would be inappropriate), roll his chin over his chest simultaneously, and will explain in full detail "you'll be allright, maaaidy"....
| South Africa |
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Staying in Cape Town, the many different facettes of the city and the country were just too much to digest in my few days there. The beauty of the city left me breathless. The famous Waterfront just underneath Table Mountain and Cape Hope. Dozends of hump bag wales came to my reception. Later I got hassled by the baboons, visited the penguins and saw bonta bocks, ostriches and giant antelopes. Sunny days under the blue sky, slightly shaded by cirrus cloud strings pointing towards Table Mountain, how magnificent!
Robben Island gives you a bit of a stir up and reminded me of some of the realities behind the country's difficult heritage. That is the former prison island where Nelson Mandela and many of today's nation leaders were held imprisoned for many years. These same prisoners developed ways and methods to communicate, study and design so much of the new South African system. The guards on the island are ex-prisoners and their stories are deeply moving. Surely it can only scratch the surface about what really happened.
| Winter Mountains |
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Once again Geli and I escaped the busy city life and ventured into the Blue Mountains. Evans Lookout in Blackheath was our entry point to descend into the Grand Canyon. The deeper we got into the gorge, the more fern-forrests took over from the usual gum trees. The track led along streams and waterfalls. Surprisingly, the temperature has been rising in this land of the cut-short days. At the bottom the scenery turned into an Alpine setup. Only the cawing of the Australian birdlife and the majestic golden cliffs of the Blue Mountains reminded us that we were still in Australia.
We spent the night in a remote bush-cabin in Megalong Valley, where a nice log-fire (and a huntsman spider) got us through the chills of the night. Next morning the Auntie's bush-cafe a kilometre down the road had fresh banana bread with cream to soothe our ravenous tummy's before we made our way back to Sydney's busy beaches ...
| Easter Bunny |
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Here locals reported the sighting of a remarkable animal. The creature was seen hopping on its two giant feet, hiding colour wrapped chocolate eggs around the country. Wilsons Prom appears to be a great hiding place. Most of the peninsula is only accessible by foot. Dense rain forests and high mountains make many areas difficult to access. A variety of swelling beaches distract from the goal to track down the Easter Hopper.
In Refuge Bay we observe two grasing Wallabies, suspecting the terrain to be planted with eggs from their pouches. But despite turning every branch we return to the beach without the so much aspired evidence.
And what does this do to the Easter Hopper? This question is back to the research department ...
| Tour de New South Wales |
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Hippietown Byron Bay was what we aimed for. What we got is a 6.000 souls nest with 2 streets of shops, cafe's and nightclubs. The cars go bumper to bumper - a strolling Penelope Cruz would cause half of Australia's macho mobiles to be dented in one strike.One hour jamming and we're back on the road, returning to the Parkland again. On the 800km short coastline from Sydney, one National Park follows the next. The most delightful beaches compete for our attention and we see many dolphins, goannas and bush flies. Roaring Duck even went climbing with us. We ascended to Guy Fawkes River and New England Park at 1500 meters. Shaking grounds - what we mistake for an earthquake is nothing but a herd of Roos hopping past. Figuring that it's much better to melt than to freeze, the gentle chill of the mountains and a flat tyre force us back to the coast.
Hot winds from the Australian deserts have sparked heaviest bushfires everywhere. Many roads are closed and Parks denied access due to the fire danger. The flames are travelling fast, shading the sun and causing smoke haze even in 2000km distant New Zealand. Back to Sydney, the city is fighting the worst fires in history. 40 Degrees and 5% humidity make the land a feast for the flames.
The biggest laugh - neighbouring Victoria welcomes me back on project with rain, 13 degrees and fresh snow in the mountains.
| Sayonara Nippon |
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In Asia Pacific Tokyo was certainly the most bizarre place to live. I'm doing hard to answer whether I liked it or not. It was definitely very interesting. The endless struggles to order meals in Japanese restaurants, the grey skyline and the rough business of the endless crowds in the subways are just some aspects. Impressive is that in a city of this size and intensity you can leave the main street and dive off in the most peaceful alleys where you can't hear a thing.
Nice to retreat to a normal flat again. Our apartment in Roppongi was too much for two outdoor lovers like us. The only access to our front door here is the red mile of Tokyo and outside our window ran a 6-lane motorway to the city.
In contrast the Japanese countryside is breathtaking. Once you make it out of Tokyo and manage to get away from the East Coast you get rewarded with sheer endless forests, wonderful hikes and quiet villages. Temples are everywhere. One more charming than the other. Just get used to the fact that the next one you visit will always outstrip the previous one. You may get to the stage where you have enough.
Wanna go and see it for yourself? Do so, but bare in mind you can't even breathe without spending a small fortune here. What's for certain is that you'll return bust.
| Tequila Sanrise |
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What the heck is going on when Gioia, Jim, John, Frank, Winnie, Joe, Geli & I found ourself at 2 o'clock in the morning climbing up a 3,800 meter high volcano? Why were we stepping out at freezing temperatures and struggling with the thin air up here? Have we been out of our mind queuing with thousands of Japanese to get to the summit of this geo-terrestrial monster pimple - At Night ??? Maybe the fact we didn't get any sleep at all clouded our minds so we did not realise what we were up to?
But we did it - Ätsch - at 4am, fully covered in black dust and dirt, tired, happy, cold and right on time we ascent to the summit of Fuji-san. Just in time as the sun is about to rise on the horizon ...
| Samurai, Sushi and Fuji-san |
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Bye bye Singapore and konnitchiwa to the land of the rising sun, where captain future is always around! We fasten our seatbelts (notice the controller has turned off the "no smoking sign") and prepare to live in what has to be a city with too many people in too little space.
Get the feeling of a can of sardines the next few months will be different - for sure. Whether it's Sushi, Bonsai, Electronics, Samurai, Geisha or Kabuki? How about the economic superpower that will sometime be back? The 8am commuter train where pushing back means being mashed more and where everyone knows resistance is futile? We'll see - so stay tuned ... (tbc).
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| 14 Reasons why Alcohol should be served at Work |
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- It's an incentive to show up.
- It leads to more honest communications.
- It reduces complaints about low pay.
- Employees tell management what they think, not what management wants to hear.
- It encourages car-pooling.
- It increases job satisfaction because if you have a bad job, you don't care.
- It eliminates holiday leave because people would rather come to work.
- It makes fellow employees look better.
- It makes the cafeteria food taste better.
- Bosses are more likely to hand out raises when they are plastered.
- Salary negotiations are a lot more profitable.
- Employees work later since there's no longer a need to relax at the pub.
- It makes everyone more open with their ideas.
- It eliminates the need for employees to get drunk on their lunch break.
| Trip to Borneo |
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crowning the region with it's massive summit. Seems to be the right thing for 2 mountaineers like us. Geared up with lots'a energy and attitude we're ready for anything. Everything seemed perfect, well ... almost ... the god of plentyful harvests decided to look after his land - the sky opened it's paddles and a flash flood converted our hike into a swimming exercise, beeing soaking wet for the rest of the day.The climb leads through rainforrests in which the rain transforms to thick mist. Fern trees fight their way to the light 40 meters above our heads - silence - spooky. We finally made it up to the hut and enjoyed some soggy sandwiches and the dubious view into the cloud covered sky on 3100meters before we break our climb and return to the base hut.
Back down we move on to the hot springs in Ranau. Puh, that's like Rotorua, sulphur ... eeeh, wonder what the god of Muddy Murphy's evaporates there. Certainly nothing for our delicate noses. We're not unhappy to move on, seawards again. The pass to Kota Kinabalu leaves us in despair that we should have taken a four-wheel drive. The street is muddy and often parts are broken off and slid off the mountains. Where is no option there's only the forward and we cross without major mishaps and return safely.
| The Apple Box |
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Things do always happen, but never as you expect them to. This way I thought everything is clear - I got settled well in Sydney, the application for permanent residency was handed in, and myChefin.com had here flights arranged to come in October. The Sydney Olympics - the main driver for me migrating to Australia - were about to kick off, elevating Sydney to the world's millenium venue.Well clear as mud. One week before the start of the Olympics the phone rings, Florian ... Singapore ... NOW !!! and 2 days later I say good-bye to Australia, race to the airport to catch the first flight to Singapore where I will engage in a fruit(?) project ... Apple Inc.
The Olympics ... as the next story shows, I found a gap in the system and returned for the second games week ... Puh!
| The Spiderslayer |
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Ok, Cathy this one's for you. Everyone, please meet my flatmate Cathy ... Cathy meet the world (that's for the protocol). Why do I make this fuss you'll ask. Well she's the one to come to my rescue when I faced being eaten in the middle of the night. Having the size of an open hand one of the most formidable 8-legged monsters invaded my bedroom and glanced straight in my face.
Heavily armed with a big broom and afraid that I might get the vacuum cleaner for support in the operation, Cathy - in her always so self-restraining fashion - stormed forward to defeat the trespasser (the biggest huntsman I've ever seen). As kids might read this I won't illustrate any details of the battle that took place at 4am. Now, being alive and unharmed, I owe you - Cathy - my gratitude ... I admit, you are now a famous spider slayer!
| Italian Pasta |
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So says the tale: January 2000 just after kick off of the new millennium (oh what a party that was), it was set to happen in a tiny village south-east of Melbourne, called Cranbourne where some Bavarian explorers sought shelter for the night. With little supplies only (flour & eggs) they went ahead to make the worlds finest, tasty, perfectly shaped and beautifully sliced pasta (no critics here or I'll come after you). Check the photo and imagine what session that was, convincing Italy experts to accept the unthinkable - an Oz-Bavarian making proper pasta.
It is not to hard, just try it and ... knead the dough, roll it filmy and the slice it into stripes. 5 minutes before serve, boil it and here we go ... enjoy it.
(Episode from an unforgettable Christmas holiday in Australia 1999/2000)
| Happy New Millenium |
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Isn't it a happy family ... maybe exaggerated. We certainly had a few drinks after our Y2K testing when flying into Sydney that afternoon. But where it sparked earlier there wasn't much needed to make our NYE2K a perfect one.Presented by her gracefulness Queen Chefin, lady'd'lando the blessed Momsel Cathy and his yodelmess King Floh
(For the non techos amongst you, NYE2K = New Years Eve 2000)
| Missing Roos |
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Can you imagine, you arrive in Australia, do not see a single Kangaroo for months, send out an email expressing your frustration about your fruitless efforts to spot these bouncing wobble gobbles - descendants of rabbits as I believe.
I did exactly that and what did I get out of it? It is fascinating how Roos amaze the world. After my mail was out, I got messages from all over the place. Some sending messages of support to get my spirits back up again, others had lots of tips and advise on what would be the best steps to increase my luck in finding the missing Kangaroo's and everything the leaps and jumps anywhere on this planet. My flatmate (thanks for that Virginnia) teases me to go to the zoo (which is only a kilometre away from home).But there's hope. Finally in November 1999 I went to Jervis Bay diving (which is another story). After stalking all sorts of creatures in and out of the water I at last found what I was looking for in all these months. 3 Roos grazing out on the plains ready for me to take a shot (with my camera of course).
Having learnt so much about them, for example why do Australian Animals have built in shopping bags, or why you won't find 'em in Sydney's rush hour I thought to pass on this knowledge to other newcomers in this country though they won't experience the nuisance as I did. May be I'll put it all into writing, compile all your advise into the Australian Kangaroo Guide or the Lonely Wallaby.
| Over the Top |
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Call me Sylvester, but we did it ... oh yes! So may there the songs be written about this brave quartet of fearless couch potatoes. Taking the challenge we climbed up to the 136 Meter summit of Sydney Harbour Bridge, listening to the tales of this remarkable monument.
Imagine there was an Irish bloke that fell of and walked away with no major injury - he earned himself a medal by doing so - any question how base-jumping evolved? Anyway, in the loneliness of this iron monster - talking about 53,000 tons of steel - we proceeded through tunnels and through passages.And here the list of hero's on the photo from right to left you see Leanne, Caroline, John and myself.
| Celebrating success |
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My very last triumph. A 2000 ... You see ... always Y2K compliant.
| The Paparazzi are out there |
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On vacation (12 KBytes) |
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Sailing ... (35 KBytes) |
| My 10 Reasons To Surf The Net |
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- I enjoy being the lonely rider (sorry surfer) at my desk.
- No speed limit on the highway.
- The surfer that turns around the globe to find the best sites always makes a good story.
- Investigating the compatibility of Telecom's pricing policy and my budget.
- Experiencing the magic of all those wizards around.
- Many images to gratify my modems hyperbandwidth.
- Non-stop stress testing the virus scanner.
- Being a novice, I don't get wet while surfing.
- The hope to one-day gain access to Mr. Data's knowledge base.
- When in doubt log out.
| A night at the pub |
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Do you know what dragon boating is? I didn't! Well, ... until - yes until that famous night I went out in Wellington. Met some strangers at the Loaded Hog and we were diving into the thrilling nightlife of Wellington. Much isn't left, but from what I remember it was hilarious. We were giving it all. It took me some days to realise what happened but from that night onwards I was active paddler for the ultimate squad ... Club 91ZM| Living Virtual |
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