I'm blogging from Picasa

Yeah I'm just testing out uploading my pictures straight from the Picasa program to see how they turn out. Picasa is an awesome picture manager. It is simple to use and allows for easy photo touch-ups.

Two Up on ANZAC Day, my departure approaches...

Yesterday was fun. It was ANZAC Day, a national holiday, a day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand soldiers. I watched a bit of the parade on television and then went for a stroll throughout the city to gauge its atmosphere. People were celebrating everywhere. Lots wore their military uniforms and gathered at popular pubs to have a drink or two.



I headed out to a pub with some friends as well. We played a game called Two up, which is basically where you bet whether two coins you toss are going to land both heads or tails, tossing again if it is one and one. People then place side bets after someone matches the centre bet. Strangely enough, this game is illegal every other day of the year, other than November 11th. I had fun playing it, though as it always seems, I have no luck. I was the 'spinner' a couple times, being that I got to toss the coins and tried to get them to land on what I had bet. The goal as the spinner is to get three tosses in a row to land either heads or tails. I never got past the first toss, nor did I win any money. But I had fun along with everyone playing it and got to participate in a cultural experience.

Today was nice and sunny - but cold. It was only about 20 degrees out and being in the sun wouldn't bring as much warmth as it used to. It's getting colder :( I am glad that I start traveling up the coast in 9 days! Up being the key word; closer to the equator, and therefore warmer. My last few days of work are this week. It turns out that I am going to have almost a week before I start traveling where I am not working either. I don't know what I am going to do with that time, other than the day or so it is going to take me to prepare to leave. Hmm, if anyone has any ideas please feel free to suggest. I hate being bored out of my mind.

aNdReW mEaDeS

Check out my FavIcon and isupportibd.ca

Hey, I've made a favicon for the blog. It's simple but I think it adds some character. I might change it to something else or have an animated one there, but I sometimes find the animated ones annoying.

What do you think? The one I have now

Or

Or if you think you can make a better one here by all means feel free to link me one you have made. Go here to do it. It has free hosting of the file which I need for blogger.

Also, I have signed a Crohn’s and Colitis Declaration to try and help improve the lives of people with Crohns and Colitis Disease by bringing about awareness. They are trying to get to 10,000 signatures. Mine was 1062. Please take the 38 seconds it took me to do it and sign up, and pass the info along. Many thanks.




Anyways, today is ANZAC day here in Oz. Its a national holiday to commemorate the troops from Australia and New Zealand who fought in WW1. Will post more on it when I experience it later.

Andr3w Mead3s

I shall watch this movie...

Check it out, this movie looks good. It is called "9".





And here is the original 10 minute short film that inspired the movie.

Oh great, look what I get to come home to...

A PUPPY!!!!

Isn't she cute. Here are a couple pictures of her:








She is joining the family May 18th I think. I can't wait to teach her this:



And this:

Bye bye surfboard

We made great memories together; with you under my feet and the sun at my back, life couldn't be greater. But now you're gone, and I will have to move on...

Sydney Swans v Carlton Blues, and the selling of my surfboard...

UPDATE: My surfboard sold in 5 hours. I'm going to miss her but the money's going to pay for my surf camp so that works out nicely hehe.

On Saturday I headed to a Sydney Swans game. It was an IEP event and a bunch of us headed out there. We got nice hats. It is a strange game, fast paced and follow these rules. It is nothing like rugby in case you were wondering. The ball is kicked from player to player, or passed by punching the ball. There are 4 posts and the goal is to get it between the middle 2 for 6 points. If it goes between the other set it's called a behind and it only 1 point. They play four 3o minute quarters. I understood the game by the end of the first quater.


The refs are awesome in aussie footy. The faceoff in the middle is done by the ref smashing the ball so it bounces 15 meters in the air and the players try and catch it. And when the ball goes out of bounds the refs stand on the sideline facing the crowd and vaults the ball as far as he can back into play.

There are no nets behind the posts so the ball comes right into the stands. We were in a great spot and almost got to catch it a few times.

Look at the ref after he has smashed the ball. They do put a lot of force into it that's for sure.

This is the set-up of the posts.

Notice how our section all has new hats on.

Here's a couple quick clips so you get the gist of it.

More photos are available on this facebook album.


The crowed really got into it and so did all of us. Good fun. Sydney won 82-65 I believe. My battery died before the end of the match so I couldn't get a picture of it :(

Other than that, I've just been preparing for my travelling. I posted my surfboard up on gumtree so that I may sell it. It sold. Wow I went from worrying about selling it to it having sold in 5 hours. I didn't want to haul it around with me when travelling and could use the money. I also got an extra bag so that I can store some stuff at IEP and travel lighter. It is no fun having a backpack that's absolutely full because having to repack it every few days sucks. It's much easier just to take less clothes and do laundry more often. So yeah.

Catch ya on the flip-side,

☠ Andrew Meades ☠

Fry Test

Philip J Fry - mouseover

Put your mouse over this link and you will see Fry. Credit goes here.

My 2 weeks notice, as well as a trip to Bronte...

** hmm I can't seem to upload any pics right now but will when I can
Here's the facebook album.

I am excited. I emailed my boss my 2 weeks notice today. That means the end of my working portion of this working holiday is near! Yes!!! The holiday part starts soon. New places to see, stuff to do, and people to meet. Boo ya.

I worked for 2 hours today and then headed to Bronte beach. It is no longer summertime here in Sydney, and it gets darker much faster. I got to the beach around 330 and that only left me with about an hour and a half of decent sun. It doesn't help that Bronte is surrounded by high hills though either. But yeah, I took some pictures, and had my friend Damien take some of me trying to surf. Well, at least I'm in the water for some of them. The surf was great today, but as I have realized before, Bronte beach is beyond my surfing level. The waves break nicely, but the best spot is right in front of some rocks and there is no way I trust myself enough to try and catch a wave there. Also, it was crowded around the nice break, so there was no way I was going to try there. I don't need to be smashing someone with my board and then smashing myself in the rocks to add further insult.

Once I get better at the fundamentals, which surf camp will bring about I'm sure, I'd fair much better.

But yes, pictures!

And here is a quick video after I was done surfing. Bronte beach is really beautiful, and more secluded than Bondi. You shouldn't drink on the beaches out of courtesy, but it was later and only one, so I gave us permission. Damien thinks that Canada is cold. He might not be wrong in that.



I hope everyone is doing well. I is.

Andrew MeadesssssssS

Some food for thought, and a homeless guy.

A quick update. Last night I hung out with my friend Ryan, who I know from elementary school, for his last night before he heads back home. I was talking with him about his travels and getting ideas on what I should do. He suggested that I have to go sailing at Whitsundays and showed me some pictures he has. It looks awesome! Imagine being on a boat for a few days, sailing around visiting beaches and going scuba diving! I must do this. It sounds unreal, especially to someone as sick and tired of working as I am. And so sailing will be added to my travel to-do list.

What else. Ah. I was browsing reddit the other day and I came upon a short, but interesting TED talk on The sneaky moves of anti-social smartphone users. Check it out. It is some food for thought about how "Our need to tell a story about our experience through digital documentation, cheapens the experience itself" - stolen from the comments.

As a blogger this is of a particular interest. I have to balance between documenting what I see and do, and still making sure I enjoy the experience. I believe I do this well already, but I will keep this idea in mind.

While you are at the site, check out other TED talks. Some are truly fascinating. I often find that my perception of the world get shaken after watching a great talk; I love it.

What else's else. I was walking back from getting food tonight and there was this homeless guy just being homeless right across the street from the apartment. He was laying there in the doorway sorting through his collection of discarded cigarettes, choosing which ones he wanted to smoke. It was what I figure is the quintessential example of a homeless looked like, so I ran upstairs and grabbed my camera to try and capture him. It didn't turn out the greatest as I still am learning how to work my camera, and I spent too much time trying to shoot him that I got nervous someone might say something and left. Here are the two best (not great though) shots:

The higher iso really degrades the image quality.

This one is in better detail but is much too dark.

Anyways, you get the gist. He looked more homelessy and interesting when he was sorting his cigs but I didn't make it in time to capture that. Oh well.

I think that is all. If anything else exciting happens I will let you know.

Adnrwe Medase

MSI Concert!!!!!

Update. The video I have on my phone is crap, so I found this one. I was right up front when this song was playing and it was wild. Maybe this gives you some perspective of what the show was like.





Just got back from the MSI concert at UNSW Roundhouse.... it was amazing! I was a few people from the front the entire show. I was absolutely drenched in sweat, mine and everyone else's, by the time it was over. It was an intense, exhausting, exhilarating, deafening, awesome, blood pumping, and ear thumping show. I have not been to a concert where I loved the band since I went to System of a Down a long time ago. Jimmy Urine was great. The only down point I have is that they played my favourite song, Shut Me Up, first so I almost wasn't ready for it. I could have used that song later to revitalize myself as I does get tiring trying to keep yourself upright. All the other songs I like were played so I must not complain.

I sneak up and hit you like a fucking tornado!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm mad at myself for not crowd surfing. I finally got the courage to do it, and started looking for some big guys to haul me up just as the band finished. Oh well. That will have to be next time.

So yeah, I have a picture and video or two that I will upload later. It is dangerous business trying to film when you're that close to the stage where it is absolute pandemonium. WOOOOO!!!! Still pumped.

Anyways, I'ma try n sleep now. We'll chat soon.

ANDREW MSI MEADES

PS. I made an LOLcat today. It's of our cat Maive (pronounced May-va) and yes I'm that random.

PPS. My lil bro Jeff is going to get a puppy, here is a picture of him & her. Will also update on this.

Bought my Greyhound pass today! I got some mail!!!

Finally!!!

I have a date set out to start my travelling up the East Coast. I bought my Greyhound bus pass today (Sydney - Cairns) and I am leaving the 5th of May. The first thing I have planned is a surf camp at Spot X for 4 days, and then it is off to Byron Bay. The rest of the details are still in the making, but I plan on doing a Fraser island camping stint, and diving in the Great Barrier Reef before it's over. I am so happy to finally have a date set; it makes going to work that much easier when you know that it ends soon. I have worked hard to finally afford to this trip and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

What else? I went to IEP today to pick up a charger for my camera I bought off eBay and I also had 3 pieces of mail I wasn't expecting. Two of them were postcards from my little brother, and the other was a birthday card from my friends back home. That is awesome guys, thank you so much, I almost shed a tear when I read it :) I'm going to have to get your postal codes and send you guys some postcards back!

It is an amazing feeling when you get mail that you are not expecting.

So yeah, tomorrow (Good Friday) I am heading to the beach to relax with friends all day. We are going to have some drinks, maybe an aussie -style bbq, and hopefully if it's nice and warm absorb the sun and frolic in the water. Should be great! I'll bring my camera and take plenty of pictures.

Saturday, I am heading to the MSI concert at UNSW Roundhouse. I am freakin pumped!!! I have not been to a concert where I absolutely love the band in too long.

For your viewing pleasure: Me in Cowboy hat; Me in German Hat.

And that's all, it's 7:41pm right now and I have to figure if I am going out tonight or not. Regardless I have to head to the bottleshop to get some booze for tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good Good Friday and Easter, but I'll be posting before then :)

Ciao,

Meader

Bronte kicked my ass today...

So, I finally got out surfing again, and as you can guess by the post title it didn't go too well. As much as I hate to say it, the waves were too big. I don't know why I insist on going to Bronte beach to try and surf, especially on days like today where the surf was high. The surf at Bronte is tough because it breaks in, what seems to me, erratic and complex patterns. It's especially hard for someone that has never had a surf lesson and still doesn't know how to read the waves.

Oh, and when I was out there I let my imagination get the best of me and thought I saw a shark or something big out in the water. I panicked a bit and started swimming towards the shore as fast as I could before I came to my senses. It didn't help that I was one of only 20 or so people in the water and was the furthest out with nobody around me. I definitely think that panicking is what really helps cause someone to drown because you waste so much energy quickly. I was never really in danger though because I made sure there were plenty of lifeguards on the beach watching my newbie surfer ass out there.

But yeah, I was out there for an hour and a half trying to catch just one wave while also trying not to get tossed around like a ragdoll. I failed, but it was fun and a good workout at least.

On another note, I took a HD video with my camera when I first got it that you can check out. This is what the quality of my videos are going to look like from now on. 1 up. (Holy, they take awhile to upload though, I guess I'll have to make sure they're always worthwhile)


You'll have to click on the HD button

And thats about it. I haven't done anything else exciting and I work a fair bit this week, but I'll still find something to post about for ya's. Worst comes to worst I'll just make it up ;)

Peace,

214 310

The lost/forgotten videos of the Blue Mountains/Jenolan Caves trip.

Not that they were exactly lost per say... more like forgotten videos. Forgotten to upload. Anyways, here they are. If you want to see what the cable car ride across, and the railway ride down into the Blue Mountains looks like - check it out. We went there on a beautiful day, warm and sunny; it was just after a few days of rain which helped the mountains have a really special blue tinge. After the caves the tour guide took us to this campground that always has kangaroos around, and guess what, I saw my first kangaroos. It was awesome, especially after being here for months and not seeing any yet.


If you have any questions about them feel free to ask. They don't even have to be about the trip, you can just ask me a question. Though, if it's about the meaning of life I'm just going to say 42. Here are the vids. Also, with my new camera I am able to take high quality videos, so you can kiss this crappy quality goodbye.

My first kangaroo approach. Yes, I sound retarded in the video. I don't know why my voice goes that high...



Here is the Blue Mountains playlist. Check out the blueness.



Here is the Jenolan Caves playlist. It was exciting seeing all the different rock formations.



Hope you enjoyed.

ndrw Mds

One month monthish left of work, then TRAVELLING!!!!!

Hello all,

The working phase of my working holiday is almost over. I came to Australia with the least amount of money possible, figuring I would work once I got here to finance the rest of my travels. I have been doing that for the last 4 months now. It was a slow start to actually saving money, Sydney is quite the expensive city to live in, but surely I have managed to. And now with my latest spreadsheet predictions, I will be able to finish working in a month and start heading up coast. I cannot even begin to fathom how awesome it's going to be, not having to work, relaxing, and just focusing on seeing the sights for a couple months. Now, working in Sydney was definitely better than working in the cold back home, but Sydney has long since become boring, at least to someone with a strong desire to travel. I'm going to have to adapt again to living out of a backpack and hostels which will be different, but worthwhile I'm sure.

So, my basic travel plans are as follows. Well, what is certain now is that I am going to get a greyhound pass Sydney - Cairns, good for 45 days, so I can work my way up coast. My friend Damien, who is likely to come with me, and I are going to meet tomorrow to discuss what we each think is important to see and do, so I'll post an update after that meeting.

But yeah, I just thought I would let you know that I am finally getting close to travelling. Yay!

It's late now though and time for sleep.

G'night

AMnedardeews