Lost Down Under

Spotted: Tex Mex Pie

2009-12-04T16:16:00.002+11:00

Meat Pie's here in Aussie-land can be fantastic, but this just looks terrible...

The website describes it as "a colorful blend of minced beef, tomatoes, red kidney beans, corn, green capsicum [bell pepper] and spices topped with nacho cheese." I suppose it is no differnt than Taco Bell, but something just isn't right with a Tex-Mex pie.

Sculptures by the Sea 2009

2009-11-11T21:37:00.004+11:00

Sorry for neglecting our blog...no excuses.

We went to Bondi a few weekends ago to see the Sculptures by the sea exhibit. Here are some of our favorites of the bunch.

_

...more updates to follow...

Apocalypse Oz?

2009-09-23T19:26:00.004+10:00

When I woke up this morning for my morning workout I wasn't sure if I was just really tired or if the apocalypse was upon us, but the city of Sydney was blanketed in red dust. I stepped outside and the air tasted like chalk and it was eerily quiet; the sounds of the city muffled by the thick red cloud. It was like going to sleep in paradise and waking up on Mars...

Thankfully, it wasn't the apocalypse, it was only a massive dust storm - caused by thousands of tons of dust picked up from Australia's "red center during high winds the previous day. The dust was visible from space and made for a wild and woolly morning.

In retrospect, the fact that I was wondering if this was the last day on earth, should have been an indicator to forgo the morning's workout. Instead, curiosity got the best of me and I headed to Bronte to see what what the red world looked like from the beach. It was red.

Here is a photo I took in the storm.

3 Flights, 2 People, 1 Blog Post

2009-06-22T11:51:00.000+10:00

We recently went back the U.S. for a short visit and a friends wedding. On the way back, I had this crazy idea to document our 'long' journey home, by taking photos of us every hour. This project started off with the greatest of intentions however sleep prevailed during the 12 hour flight between SFO and AKL. Anyway, here are some photos of us during the trip. If you look close you can see the lines under our eyes get bigger and bigger as the trip moves along.

Uluru

2009-05-14T14:54:00.004+10:00

Last weekend Jess and I made our first visit to Australia's Northern Territory. Along with us on the trip was Jess' parents who were in town for a visit. Our quick 3-day trip consisted only of Uluru (or Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (or Mount Olga). The next closest site (Alice Springs) is a 5 hour drive away which makes you really appreciate the size of the country.

Anyway, because Uluru is really just a tourist attraction (for the white folks anyway), the whole operation is a bit of monopoly. Qantas is the only air carrier with flights into/out-of Uluru and there is really only one accommodation (Voyages - which ranges from campgrounds to 4-star resort & spa). Needless to say, without competition the prices at Uluru are a bit outrageous. That being said, we did have a great time and felt that for a weekend trip the price was worth it (at least once).

We arrived in the early afternoon on Friday and decided to have a drive around Uluru. Without knowing better we made it to the rock and got out of the car to have a look around. Little did we know that we were about to be attacked by Flies. Within seconds dozens of flies were swarming us, buzzing about in our ears and eyes...very annoying. This would mark the start of our war on flies during this trip.

On Friday night, we attended the 'Sounds of Silence' tour, which was amazing! The tour basically starts in the evening where you see both Uluru and Kata Tjuta at sunset (no flies at sunset apparently), which turning bright red/orange in color. From there you take a quick walk to an outdoor restaurant and have dinner under the stars. They boast this meal as 'gourmet', however I felt it was only average in reference to 'Sydney dining' - however for being in the middle of nowhere it was quite good.

Because it is in the middle of nowhere, the stars were brilliant - even on the full moon. And at the end of the meal, a 'Star' expert gave a tour (using a neat astromonmy grade laser pointer) of Southern Hemisphere stars, including The Southern Cross - which believe it or not, was the first time Jess and I have actually seen it.

Despite the late Friday night, we woke up early on Saturday morning to see the sunrise on Uluru. The Sunrise colors started about 6:30am and the sun was finally up about an hour later. One thing to mention here is how cold the desert feels without the sun; although the lows were only in the lower 50s the 'cold' was bitter.

Following a mid-morning nap after sunrise, we made the trek (about a 40 minute drive) to see Kata Tjuta up close. Before making this daytime journey we invested in fly nets to cover our heads. About halfway through the drive we stopped at a viewing area which gave a spectacular view of Kata Tjuta. Following this we continued to Kata Tjuta and were able to walk through a few canyons to see the 'watering holes'. Along the way, we noted many envious onlookers longing for our fly protection. Perhaps the highlight of the day came on the way back from Kata Tjuta, when we spotted a wild Camel!

Saturday night, Jess and I went out to a designated sunset viewing area to watch the color change at Uluru. Although the flies were still out, they were in much fewer numbers and we at least were able to keep up with the 'Shoo-ing'. Driving back from sunset the road became quite crowded (maybe 10 vehicles) with vehicles pulled off to the side. When we looked back at Uluru, we then realize that the Moon had just come across the top and made for a unbelievable view. Naturally, we stopped to get a few pictures (which thanks the tripod from my brother helped capture the moment), however we were soon 'encouraged' to leave by the local police (singular) as we were not in a designated stopping zone.

On Sunday, we had a leisurely morning and eventually made our way to the airport around mid-day. The flight was uneventful (despite a few flies hitching a ride) and soon we were back in fast-paced civilization of Sydney. Overall, this was a great trip and I would highly recommend it to friends...and if they are really good friends we would even let them borrow our fly guards.

Da' Bears

2009-04-28T07:15:00.003+10:00

A few weeks ago we had our first 'friends' visit us in Sydney all the way from Chicago. It was a great to show them around Sydney and the Hunter Valley. Thanks Nate and Julia for making the trek around the world - hope you had a good time!

Wildlife & Wine

2009-03-01T19:16:00.001+11:00

At the end of February, Jess and I went to South Australia for 4 days. We visited Kangaroo Island and the Barossa Valley. Along the way we saw unbelievable wildlife including getting up close with Wombats (Jess' dream come true).

We also toured (and tasted) lots of great wine. For our complete coverage of the wines, check out our new blog (focused on food and drink), Tasty Points.

First visitors of 2009

2009-02-15T16:09:00.003+11:00

My parents made their way across the Pacific to be our first visitors of 2009. Although we didn't have anything planned out, we were able to see a bunch based on Sydney's crazy weather. The first half of their visit, the weather was miserably hot, however on the second half of their trip the weather changed to showers with temps in the mid-70s (and this is summer).

One of the highlights (I believe) was watching Jess swim the North Bondi Ocean Classic 1k Swim. Another highlight was driving out west to Camden airport.

Although it was tough to say goodbye, it was great to see my parents. Thanks again for everything Mom & Dad.

Happy Birthday Jess, Sus and Lee!

2009-02-01T15:53:00.002+11:00

Last night we celebrated the birthdays for Jess, Lee and Sus at Paddo Bowls. The theme to the party was the 1980s (since they were all born in the 80s) and the participation was amazing. My vote for best costume was Thor (dressed as Rick Astley's Never gonna give you up video via youtube) and my wife (surprise!) for her Madonna-esque outfit.

What is your favorite costume?

Melbourne & Australian Open

2009-01-23T15:14:00.002+11:00

At the end of January, Jess and I took a trip to Melbourne with Mickey and Alane. This was our first time to Melbourne, so we played tourist as well as going to the Australian Open. We stayed in the heart of the city at the Rendevouz Hotel which was made it easy to get around due to Melbourne's semi-convenient inner city trams.

On Saturday morning, we met Mickey and Alane for a chocoholic walking tour. We learned a bit about the differences in chocolate and of course had to sample some along the way.

After we were fueled with Chocolate, we made our way to the Australian Open Tennis grounds and into the Hisense Arena to watch a few matches. Even with our 'cheap seats', we had a great time and ended up buying tickets for Sunday as well. That night, we split from Mickey and Alane (who were now on their way to Tasmania) and went to dinner at fifteen (Jamie Oliver's restaurant). This was a very cool, underground restaurant that had a great menu, including the best bruschetta (thanks to the tomatoes) I have had. Unknown to us at the time, this was the best meal we had in Melbourne.

On Sunday, we headed back to Tennis and watched a the Williams sisters play doubles before going back to the Heisense Arean to watch Andy Roddick play. Although a bit hot outside, it was a good day for watching tennis. That evening we ventured to Laigon street for some Italian food. Although we didn't have reservations, we did manage to get into Papa Gino's for some 'okay' Italian food. Once we were 'carb-ed up', we walked back to our Hotel (about a 35min walk). Along the way we listened to a very good street performance by the bandMomenta. Finally, we stopped at Walker's Doughnuts so that Jess could indulge in her family heritage. On Monday (Australia Day), we took a Tram to St. Kilda for breakfast and a walk on the beach, before heading to the Airport for our return to Sydney.

Although our experience with food was a disappointment, we really enjoyed Melbourne's European feel compared to Sydney. It was a great first getaway of 2009!

New Year's Eve in Sydney

2009-01-02T09:57:00.010+11:00

Words can't really describe our New Year's Eve experience. We were lucky enough to have fantastic friends (thanks Jennie & Thor) with a spectacular view of the bridge & harbour. Add in great food & drink and it was a terrific night. Hopefully the pictures capture some the night's magic.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy new year!

Christmas in Sydney

2008-12-29T14:06:00.002+11:00

Here are a few pics for everyone, from our first Christmas in Sydney. Hopefully the pictures help everyone stay warm back home.

Hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays!

I Saw Something Terrible...

2008-12-29T14:02:00.003+11:00

Spotted at the Opera Bar in Circular Quay on Sunday, 28 Dec. 2008 - black acid wash jeans drinking a cosmopolitan. Perp was a 20-something female thinking she looked fabulous. Not a tourist.

Spotted on Queen Street, Woollahra, NSW on Saturday, 20 Dec. 2008 AND Sunday, 21 December 2008 - neon orange Keds on 30-something male wearing women's sunglasses. Ego was brighter than the shoes. Clearly local.

Spotted at Norton Street Grocer in Bondi Junction, NSW on Monday, 29 Dec. 2008 - young mother enthusiastically describing where to buy and how she used "Puffy Paint" to decorate her child's clothing to an innocent, but strangely intrigued, bystander. The victim here is clearly the child.

Please help keep the 1990s in the 1990s. Report other crimes of fashion in your area to your local authorities, or just leave a comment here.

The First Step is Admitting You Have a Probelm

2008-12-20T19:07:00.003+11:00

I am obsessed with the tween/teen novels in the Twilight series. I saw the movie opening weekend. Good thing I had some partners in crime, none of whom were under the age of 25.

Singapore Sling

2008-12-20T18:52:00.003+11:00

Contrary to the company's recent cut backs on travel, I recently headed to Singapore for work. I learned a lot on that trip, like: I'm allergic to MSG and having McDonald's and Subway in every city on earth is good for this reason alone; that there are actually competent cab drivers in the world; and Singapore is the only place hotter and more humid year round than Houston is in August.

Singapore is a great centrally located "hub" for Asia Pacific, which makes it a good stopping point before heading to places like Thailand, China, Malaysia, India, etc. More importantly, hands down, it has the best airport shopping I've come across to date.

The highlight of my trip was getting to catch up with my friend Erin, who moved to Singapore last year with her husband Francis. It was so nice to see a familiar face so far away and share the highs and lows of being an expat. This is us at the restaurant and me in Singapore's central shopping area, Orchard Road.

The highlight of my trip home was that I got to ride on the new Singapore Airlines A380. It's like a flying city block. I really appreciated this airplane - it was quiet, it was spacious with lots of room to roam, and it had curved staircases in a very 1970s-esque airplane porn kinda way. Fortunately, Movember was over and to my knowledge, there was no one named "Dirk" on the airplane.

Capital of the Outback

2008-12-05T21:16:00.003+11:00

A few weeks ago I had to make a trip to Broken Hill, New South Wales for work. Broken Hill is known as the capital of the outback - due to its remote location and sizable population (25,000). In many ways, Broken Hill reminded me of West Texas - dry and dusty, but generally relaxed feel. The soil is very classic outback 'red dirt' which was neat to see.

Side Rant - Getting there was a challenge in and of itself. There is only 2 flights per day operated by a single airline (Regional Express) with a small Saab aircraft. Upon arrival at the airport, I was told that the flight had been canceled due to a lack of pilots....that is right a lack of pilots. I am usually pretty understanding about airline delays and cancellations from growing up around the industry, but lack of pilots is a new one for me. The extended version is that the pilot(s) called in sick at the last minute and they didn't have the reserves to cover the trip. I guess since they are the only airline operating in and out of Broken Hill, they can pretty much do what they want (they certainly charge a ridiculous amount at nearly $1000 round trip). In the end I had to go to Adelaide, South Australia that night and then the next morning catch a small flight to Broken Hill. The outcome was not the end of the world, just a few early morning and a logistical headache. - End Rant

The main industry in the region is Mining, although that is not why I was sent there. On the Southern side of town is an old mine stockpile, where a restaurant and mining memorial has been built. I don't quite understand how they can ensure the foundation of the structure on the top of a stockpile, but I guess someone worked it out.

Both structures are very modern looking (compared to the rest of the town) which in a way is everything a mine is not. In the memorial were the names of the all of the miners who had died (and cause of death) while on the job - some dated back the late 1800s. It was interesting to see the progression of safety related accidents along the way. Reading the memorial made me appreciate the danger and complexity that goes along with mining.

The view from the memorial was excellent - and it appeared that Broken Hill was kind of an oasis in the middle of a red desert. My pictures really don't do it justice. Anyway, driving around is very much like taking a step back in time (even further than the rest of Australia). All in all it was a good trip and there was no issue with my departing flight.

Good News for the US

2008-12-01T21:40:00.005+11:00

It seems that Tim-Tams are making their way across the pond and will be sold at Target stores under the Pepperidge Farm label.

http://www.food-business-review.com/article_news.asp?guid=6B0ED220-C0AC-412D-84D4-9A0721EB5A87

http://www.ilovetimtamcookies.com/

Anyone found these?

November Wrap-up

2008-11-30T20:50:00.005+11:00

Sorry (as always) for the late post. So in addition to Movember, Jess and I have been doing a bit of travel about the country. Here is a recap.

At the beginning of November, Jess and I ventured out to Royal National Park - about an hour south of Sydney - to check out the secluded beaches and to try out my new camera. We packed a picnic lunch and spent the day in the park traveling from beach to beach. It is a tough life but someone has to do it.

The following weekend I was sent to Canberra (the country's capital) on a last minute work trip. As a result we decided to make a weekend out of it and Jess came to meet me. Similar to Washington D.C., Canberra is full of National Museums and Memorials. We visited the Australian National Museum, New Parliament House, and the War Memorial. Unlike D.C., Canberra is very quite on the weekend as most of the residents live outside the city by a fair distance. In a way this made it nice, because we really felt like we had the entire city to ourselves.

Finally, at the end of the month Jess and I traveled to Tasmania for an extended weekend getaway. We flew into Hobart and drove nearly the entire East Coast. Along the way we saw Penguins, Kangaroos, Wombats and Tasmania Devils. We also met Priscilla the beer drinking pig...of course we had to see it for ourselves. We also hiked to the lookout of Wineglass bay.

Harbor Fireworks

2008-11-23T21:41:00.002+11:00

We are very fortunate to have friends with amazing accommodations in Sydney, because occasionally we get invited for spectacular views and fun times. Recently, we went to our Jennie and Thor's place in Kirribilli to watch the finale of Australian Idol. The main focus was not on the show itself, but on the fireworks that accompanied it. Jennie and Thor's view is like a postcard, with uninterrupted views of the harbor, bridge and opera house.

Because I knew there would be fireworks, I invested in a tripod and attempted to learn as much about shooting fireworks as I could. Everything happened so quickly, that I was a little behind the curve and a lot of the photos are unrecognizable. The photos below are some of the better ones from the frenzy that night.

Movember Half-way Over

2008-11-17T20:09:00.004+11:00

Well, I am ~~half way through~~ DONE with Movember and it wasn't pretty. I will let you judge by the photos below.

Although I wasn't looking very good, I did manage to get nearly $250 in donations to a worthy cause. Thanks to everyone who supported me and my Mo.

Welcome to Movember!

2008-11-03T17:37:00.003+11:00

This month I am participating in the Aussie Tradition known as Movember. For the month of Movember (formerlly November) I will be growing (or attempting to grow) as mustache in the name of Men's Health.

Did you know....

Men's health is a major issue.
- Depression affects 1 in 6 men....most don't seek help. Untreated depression is a leading risk factor for suicide.
- Every year 2,900 Australian men die from prostate cancer and over 18,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The money raised by Movember is used to raise awareness of men's health issues and donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression initiative. The PCFA and beyondblue will use the funds to fund research and increase support networks for those men who suffer from prostate cancer and depression.

This is the first time I have every really tried to have facial hair and I am sure that I will look ridiculous, but that is all part of the fun. Anyway if you would like to sponsor my Mo then click here (or on the button on the main page). I will also be posting pictures of my Mo along the way so stay tuned...

Sculptures by the Sea

2008-10-26T15:02:00.003+11:00

Although I was am feeling a bit under the weather this weekend (thanks to stressful work and the crazy Australian weather), we went to Sculptures by the sea on Saturday. The event was chockers, but well worth it in the end. All of the sculptures were very unique and some fit very well into the ocean surroundings. I think my favorite sculpture was either the 'Tree Boat' or 'Paper Airplanes'.

Updates Coming Soon

2008-10-12T19:10:00.001+11:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. Lots of updates coming....stay tuned.

Texas to Colorado

2008-09-16T14:32:00.003+10:00

The destruction left by hurricane Ike, left Jess and I a little 'stuck' in Houston. Our scheduled flight to Denver was canceled and we were re-scheduled several days later to Denver via Salt Lake City (?!?). This didn't work for us as we had plans in Colorado (including a wedding)....long story short, we called Patrick once again to come rescue us from a Hurricane. Side note: Patrick rescued us once before just prior to hurricane Rita.

Anyway, Patrick picked us up in his airplane at West Houston Airport and we flew to Austin. This worked out well, as we got to see a little of Austin (Southside pizza....mmmm) and Jess was able to take a direct Southwest flight to Denver immediately.

While Jess was on her way, Patrick and I flew his airplane to Boulder with a overnight stop in Amarillo. We had a great time checking out new airports and non-airports all the same. All in all a great time.

Bruised but not beaten by Ike

2008-09-14T18:39:00.001+10:00

So about 6 months ago we plan a trip back to the states in September. Sure the idea seems harmless enough, little did we know that we picked the weekend to visit Houston when a hurricane was going to hit. We arrived into Houston (from Auckland via San Francisco) 48 hours before the hurricane made landfall, what timing indeed. On the first night we checked into the airport hotel (due to our late arrival) and they actually said, "You do know there is a hurricane coming, right?". Regardless, we decided to stay, partly to because we really wanted some decent Mexican food, but mostly to see friends. It should also be noted that we did eat our first Mexican meal, from Pappasito's in the airport food court.

The following day we drove into our old 'hood, The Heights to see our old hangouts. We had a delicious lunch (not Mexican) at Dry Creek and then met up with my Brother for a delicious smoothie from Maui Wowi.

Based on the traffic in and around the city, it was clear that businesses were starting to shutdown in order for people to prepare for the hurricane (i.e. get the heck out of dodge). We made our way to our friend's (Kevin & Tracy) house (soon to be known as the 'safe house') early. After catching up, we organized a first (and last) outing with friends during our Houston adventure. That night we headed to Lupe Tortillas, for good food, strong margaritas, and great friends. Thanks to everyone who made it out...little did we know that this may be the last night of electricity for awhile.

The next day, with nothing to do but wait for the hurricane, Kevin and Tracy took us to Houston's new downtown park, Discovery Green. None of the shops were open, of course, but we were able to get the feel of the place. As we were leaving the winds started to pick up making us think that the hurricane was imminent. For the rest of the night, we waited...watching the constant news coverage...and enjoying the 'calm before the storm'.

All night we heard the wind, rain, and destruction of Hurricane Ike. For the most part the power remained on. The next morning we surveyed the damage in the neighborhood...lots of branches down, fences fallen over, and some major trees uprooted. Luckily, Kevin and Tracy's place survived with little damage.

We must say one more BIG thanks to Kevin and Tracy for putting up with us - jet-lagged and cranky - without air-conditioning for such a long time. We only hope that our offering of TimTams and games of Squatter made up for it.