Yesterday, Bob Rob and I went to The Great Aussie BBQ at Americana Brand in Glendale. There were Koala Balloons, meat pies, shrimp on the Barbie and some delicious Australian beers and wines. We also meet up with some people from the New South Wales Tourism, VAustralia and Brenda’s Husband from Let’s go Surfing!
(Brenda was our surf instructor when we were in Sydney at Bondi Beach! How awesome to meet her husband!)
Syd4320 Highlights:
Down under with Sharks-
I should begin by stating how psyched I was at the possibility of swimming with sharks long before I was chosen, but also that I had never been scuba diving because I am/was afraid of blowing out my ears. So even as the predictable JAWS theme underscored the instructional scuba DVD (my only real lesson*), I was thrilled to be at Oceanworld.
*Actually the DVD wasn’t my entire lesson, but it’s hard to take any test that is graded by a thumbs up seriously.
In the water, the experience began easy with a collection of fish and stingrays, though one stingray was as large as a car. We adjusted to aqua-life here amongst these more docile creatures before we moved on. I was told the aquarium was divided into two sections, but it seemed all the aquatic life was able to follow us around into the shark area.
Admittedly, when I think of swimming with sharks, I imagine a steel cage bobbing amongst bloody chum, not a reinforced glass habitat, but the experience was still exciting. The sharks were big, bigger than they looked from the outside, and maybe not aggressive but definitely interested. Each one swam by several times, gradually getting closer, until I guess they were satisfied they could take us if stuff went down. I was never afraid, but the guide did pull me from my perch when one of the older sharks was headed right at me.
We were in the water for maybe thirty minutes with the sharks, and in that time I vividly remember two images. The first is the scrapped up face of the shark swimming straight at me, mouth split-full of scraggly teeth, eyes blue-grey. The second is of the slow mosey of a shark with scoliosis. To me, those best exemplify the dichotomy of the experience, and why I would recommend everyone take a dip with sharks. There is a fear element to facing a creature much bigger than myself and knowing, if it choose to, it could make my life much more difficult. To me though, the stronger impression is of being closer to creature that can usually only be seen from behind thick glass and getting to watch them watch me for once.
Want something fancy and fun to do tonight?! Are you in Sydney?! If so, you should hit up Zeta Bar for their special cocktail tonight… It sounds pretty interesting…
“Pistachio and Rockmelon Martini
This radical flavour mix is a sublime fusion of sweet/sour & salty. We muddle fresh rockmelon with Belvedere vodka and melon liquor then top it with a rich creamy pistachio foam, with a refreshing palate cleansing serve of our homemade pistachio sorbet and a side of pistachios.” (via zetabar.com)
When the 4320SYD group hit up Zeta, we had a pretty fantastic time out on the patio learning how to mix up some delicious drinks. They do different, crazy martini’s everyday of the week- they also have a smoked bacon and maple syrup martini too! So, stop by and drink up! Tell them 4320SYD sent you!
Dust Storm Sheets Sydney in - uh, Dust
In what is being called the most photogenic natural disaster of 2009, Australian cultural capital Sydney has been blanketed with a thick coating of red dust. In the past 24 hours the city experienced a phenomenal dust storm that’s delayed public transportation and left even seasoned meteorologists stunned. It’s even been reported that visibility is down to a few hundred…wait. A few hundred meters? Isn’t that like, a mile?
Okay, so, the photos of this so-called disaster are pretty extraordinary; but when was the last time some American complained about only being able to see a mile in front of them? We’re pretty sure LA smog causes similar circumstances on the daily. But whatever—life must be tough in Australia, what with all the zorbing and kangaroo riding and baby koalas that require petting and eucalyptus treats every five minutes. Our hearts go out to you, Australia. Keep your head up, MATE.
for OneRiot Blog
Wow… this is stunning, and Apocalypse-y frightening. Hope all our Aussie friends are hanging in there! Can’t imagine doing 4320syd in this!
Day Three:
The morning started out early with a quick stop at a local coffee and breakfast shop. Bob got to sleep in a little while Rob and I took the van to a mysterious location. It turned out we were going to be learning the ins and outs of Christie Fish Market. Rob played around with some oysters, we meet back up with Wazzie and picked up some $1200 dollar crabs! After the fish market, we meet back up with the group, including Bob, and took the van for a drive to the countryside. Where we were headed, we didn’t know. We took the hour drive to tweet up a storm! When we raised our eyes, we were outside of a sheep farm and ready to be put to work! Little did we know how much work we would actually be doing… The crew got their fair share of laughs when the three of us tried to herd the sheep. We first learned how to use the whip to cut through the sound barrier and then tried our hardest to get those bloody sheep into the crates! But seriously, this was one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. After about thirty minutes of us trying and trying, they finally set the dogs out to do the dirty work. and in about thirty seconds, all the sheep were perfectly in the crates and they got a treat! After a really great day at the farm, learning how to shear a sheep, cooking some great food on an open fire and having a sing along, we were off back in the van, headed to our next adventure. We got to shower- yay!- and got all dressed up for the final night in Sydney. First stop, fashion show. It was awesome seeing the models walk and exploring all the venders. Bob really loved one vender in particular when he decided to get a spray tan. He walked out of the fashion show looking like he fell asleep in a tanning bed and no one woke him up for days! He was so dark!! We took our newly tan friend and headed to a local pub for a beer tasting and some pizza. Afterwards, the Bens, Rob, Bob and I got to see a Football game of Sydney vs. Queensland. We hit up several bars and really enjoyed the Wine Garden, where we had great wine, but finally relaxed and had a great time with all our new friends we had made on the crew. Since we were on the final leg of this crazy adventure, we took the time to enjoy the people, the city and realize just how much fun we were having. Only a few more hours until the challenge was over.
Enjoy some photos and tweets from day two!!
Photos include sea plane, boat ride, brunch, the sydney opera house, the opera bar, the ivy, surfing lessons at bondi beach, the bondi beach icebergs, the Harbour bridge and a lot of group shots!
enjoy some of the photos from Day One!
Yesterday, Bob Rob and I went to The Great Aussie BBQ at Americana Brand in Glendale. There were Koala Balloons, meat pies, shrimp on the Barbie and some delicious Australian beers and wines. We also meet up with some people from the New South Wales Tourism, VAustralia and Brenda’s Husband from Let’s go Surfing!
(Brenda was our surf instructor when we were in Sydney at Bondi Beach! How awesome to meet her husband!)
Syd4320 Highlights:
Down under with Sharks-
I should begin by stating how psyched I was at the possibility of swimming with sharks long before I was chosen, but also that I had never been scuba diving because I am/was afraid of blowing out my ears. So even as the predictable JAWS theme underscored the instructional scuba DVD (my only real lesson*), I was thrilled to be at Oceanworld.
*Actually the DVD wasn’t my entire lesson, but it’s hard to take any test that is graded by a thumbs up seriously.
In the water, the experience began easy with a collection of fish and stingrays, though one stingray was as large as a car. We adjusted to aqua-life here amongst these more docile creatures before we moved on. I was told the aquarium was divided into two sections, but it seemed all the aquatic life was able to follow us around into the shark area.
Admittedly, when I think of swimming with sharks, I imagine a steel cage bobbing amongst bloody chum, not a reinforced glass habitat, but the experience was still exciting. The sharks were big, bigger than they looked from the outside, and maybe not aggressive but definitely interested. Each one swam by several times, gradually getting closer, until I guess they were satisfied they could take us if stuff went down. I was never afraid, but the guide did pull me from my perch when one of the older sharks was headed right at me.
We were in the water for maybe thirty minutes with the sharks, and in that time I vividly remember two images. The first is the scrapped up face of the shark swimming straight at me, mouth split-full of scraggly teeth, eyes blue-grey. The second is of the slow mosey of a shark with scoliosis. To me, those best exemplify the dichotomy of the experience, and why I would recommend everyone take a dip with sharks. There is a fear element to facing a creature much bigger than myself and knowing, if it choose to, it could make my life much more difficult. To me though, the stronger impression is of being closer to creature that can usually only be seen from behind thick glass and getting to watch them watch me for once.
Want something fancy and fun to do tonight?! Are you in Sydney?! If so, you should hit up Zeta Bar for their special cocktail tonight… It sounds pretty interesting…
“Pistachio and Rockmelon Martini
This radical flavour mix is a sublime fusion of sweet/sour & salty. We muddle fresh rockmelon with Belvedere vodka and melon liquor then top it with a rich creamy pistachio foam, with a refreshing palate cleansing serve of our homemade pistachio sorbet and a side of pistachios.” (via zetabar.com)
When the 4320SYD group hit up Zeta, we had a pretty fantastic time out on the patio learning how to mix up some delicious drinks. They do different, crazy martini’s everyday of the week- they also have a smoked bacon and maple syrup martini too! So, stop by and drink up! Tell them 4320SYD sent you!
Dust Storm Sheets Sydney in - uh, Dust
In what is being called the most photogenic natural disaster of 2009, Australian cultural capital Sydney has been blanketed with a thick coating of red dust. In the past 24 hours the city experienced a phenomenal dust storm that’s delayed public transportation and left even seasoned meteorologists stunned. It’s even been reported that visibility is down to a few hundred…wait. A few hundred meters? Isn’t that like, a mile?
Okay, so, the photos of this so-called disaster are pretty extraordinary; but when was the last time some American complained about only being able to see a mile in front of them? We’re pretty sure LA smog causes similar circumstances on the daily. But whatever—life must be tough in Australia, what with all the zorbing and kangaroo riding and baby koalas that require petting and eucalyptus treats every five minutes. Our hearts go out to you, Australia. Keep your head up, MATE.
for OneRiot Blog
Wow… this is stunning, and Apocalypse-y frightening. Hope all our Aussie friends are hanging in there! Can’t imagine doing 4320syd in this!
Day Three:
The morning started out early with a quick stop at a local coffee and breakfast shop. Bob got to sleep in a little while Rob and I took the van to a mysterious location. It turned out we were going to be learning the ins and outs of Christie Fish Market. Rob played around with some oysters, we meet back up with Wazzie and picked up some $1200 dollar crabs! After the fish market, we meet back up with the group, including Bob, and took the van for a drive to the countryside. Where we were headed, we didn’t know. We took the hour drive to tweet up a storm! When we raised our eyes, we were outside of a sheep farm and ready to be put to work! Little did we know how much work we would actually be doing… The crew got their fair share of laughs when the three of us tried to herd the sheep. We first learned how to use the whip to cut through the sound barrier and then tried our hardest to get those bloody sheep into the crates! But seriously, this was one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do. After about thirty minutes of us trying and trying, they finally set the dogs out to do the dirty work. and in about thirty seconds, all the sheep were perfectly in the crates and they got a treat! After a really great day at the farm, learning how to shear a sheep, cooking some great food on an open fire and having a sing along, we were off back in the van, headed to our next adventure. We got to shower- yay!- and got all dressed up for the final night in Sydney. First stop, fashion show. It was awesome seeing the models walk and exploring all the venders. Bob really loved one vender in particular when he decided to get a spray tan. He walked out of the fashion show looking like he fell asleep in a tanning bed and no one woke him up for days! He was so dark!! We took our newly tan friend and headed to a local pub for a beer tasting and some pizza. Afterwards, the Bens, Rob, Bob and I got to see a Football game of Sydney vs. Queensland. We hit up several bars and really enjoyed the Wine Garden, where we had great wine, but finally relaxed and had a great time with all our new friends we had made on the crew. Since we were on the final leg of this crazy adventure, we took the time to enjoy the people, the city and realize just how much fun we were having. Only a few more hours until the challenge was over.
Enjoy some photos and tweets from day two!!
Photos include sea plane, boat ride, brunch, the sydney opera house, the opera bar, the ivy, surfing lessons at bondi beach, the bondi beach icebergs, the Harbour bridge and a lot of group shots!
enjoy some of the photos from Day One!
