Now here's a story that many people haven't heard before. it begins with three young and not very fat travellers  - Adam, Damon and Dougal/Douglas/Doodle/Doogle setting off from the rolling green hills of kalgoorlie, perth and geraldton in western australia, and breaking new and unfertile ground while venturing to yet uncharted waters in the east of europe. but like all stories, i dont die, so its not really exciting as it could be - but there will be only one still standing at the end. Who's cuisine will reign supreme - stay tuned to find out....

 

BEGIN!!!! 

 

 

 

 

In case you hadnt realised, i've been away from oz for about 5/6 weeks (time flies etc etc) on a whirlwind tour through the countryside and beerhalls of germany, eastern europe, essex and london in england, hong kong, and finally to melbourne for my sister's wdding before heading back to kalgoorlie to cheerfully start working again.

 

HONG KOOOOOONG!!!!

 

I'm in hong kong at the mo, having a quiet couple of hours out of the oppressive humidity - in which a lot of hong kongians/kongiites/king kongers are wearing full suits, jumpers and jackets. i'm struggling wearing a pair of pants, let alone a long sleeved jumper. crazy bastards! i went to Stanley markets today by train and bus, and all i can say about it is that the driver there was good. a very touristy market that does not compare to the ladies and temple markets i went to yesterday and last night. Very similar to any other big market in asia, the night (and day) markets sell all sorts of rip off merchandise from dvd's, to tshirts and pants, to elephant trunked underpants (with extra small trunks for the chinese guys) and shoes and souvenirs etc etc etc. Ooh and a few sex stalls selling all types of dildos including wood and jade ones. The true definition of getting a HARD-on.

 

Also spent a few hours with my mind boggling at the sheer volume of people in the streets at any one time - and of course, i can see them all, especially the other tourists and ex-pats, as i am a full foot taller than most of the population! Its just solid day and night, especially at night as the shops and markets dont get going til after dark, when its cooler (yeah right!). I still havent figured out where they are all going, or whether they just pull a Harry Potter oncein a while and disappear into walls to a secret train station or something!!

 

ENGARAND!!!!

 

I spent a lovely three or four days in great saling, in england visiting my 2nd family, steve and mary white at the their house - "rosemary cottage" out in the countryside a couple of hours NW of london. I met their new puppy merlin, a perfect companion for bailey, both of whom are high energy and gorgeous flat coat retrievers.  i spent many hours playing and wrestling with the two terrors and also had a good couple of nights out at some lovely pubs and snooker halls in the area, and visiting one of the sons, Jon and his fiance Kate at their new house in new chesterfield, near cambridge. Am planning on going back for their wedding in july next year!

 

Then to Kingston, a suburb in south eastern london to visit the other two brothers, ben and paul, and paul's girl suzie in their little apartment. How happy was i to find out that the pub i was waiting for paul in when i arrived - the King's Tun in kingston - get it - Kingstun...well, i thought it was funny! - was having a beer festival that started on that day. needless to say by the time we left there, we had tried all of the beers in the festival.

 

We spent the weekend watching ben play hockey - in the rain - for a change in london of course, but the clubhouse and the beers were good for keeping our spirits up, even though ben's team got demolished in both games! Also went out with some of the hocket team on the saturday to some places in kingston, but couldnt get into most as two people in the group didnt have their id's on them - and so of course we had to end up at the place with the least amount fo girls and the most expensive drinks - good music though!

 

This is a bit like the movie memento isnt it - going backwards, then forwards...well i like it so bugger off if you dont!

 

Pics coming soon!!!!