Into "The Valley" of Death

25th November

The time has come, no longer can we put off the inevitable. Yes its time to go out in "The Valley". This is a place like no other in Brisbane. Okay okay I am being a bit eccentric and over exaggerating slightly but it is the core, the sleazy, drunken filled, dirty, smelly and where all the going out action happens in Brisbane.

The night was young and our basement was being used once again by us to have a few pre-out drinks. Wine was the drink of choice for me and David of course had a six pack of Coopers Pale Ale. (A fine fine beer, if you ever get a chance to sample it). Anyway, moving on swiftly. We drank, we listened to newly acquired music and we chatted about Europe and all its glory with Tess. Then the cavalery arrived in the form of Matt and Glen from Bar Alto, after their work was done. They were in full song and ready to conquer the Valley, not for the first time.

All went well, and we ended up meeting up with Ryan (on the left) and Daniel also from Bar Alto, we all went dancing the night away in a Gay Nightclub called " The Beat", as you can imagine the music there was pretty good and made for dancing. So at 5 am we were shown to the door and the bright sun nearly blinded us on exit. Now thats the worst part, and hot, hot, hot. We went straight to bed after that, and it was a pretty good feeling. As we were coming in our flatmates were leaving for work, ha ha ha ha! (Bastards)

So we survived and enjoyed the night out, so thats another thing off the list of things to do before we leave for Sydney.

Ryan "Cooper"

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Glen

(What can you say about that picture, really)

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Glen, Angela & Ryan

Having a gay old time

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Angela &Some Old Guy

(David was very jealous)

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Matt, Tess, Angela and Glen

(Bar Alto-gether)

Angela & David

Current Affairs

25th November

Nothing much has happened so far this week. But for the ones that really wants to know what's going on, keep reading.

We have booked a trip to Fraser Island. The photos i have in the blog is not taken by us, but it's just for you to see what it looks like. We're going on this tour next tuesday for 2 days. We're going to camp on a beach and drive around in a 4x4 Wheel Drive on the white sandy beach.

Now that's something to look forward to. It doesn't come cheap, but i think we deserve it after all the hard working hours in work.

Now for something mor liquidy! We're going out tonight. And yes, believe it or not, it's our first time out in the Valley! We're going to have a few glasses of wine in the basement first, then we're going out to "The Wickam" A gay bar with great drag queen shows! I'm really excited about that! So hopefully some great pictures will arrive on the blog in the next few days!

Why doesn't anyone comment on the blog anymore?? Are you guys still reading it or is this blog getting boring? :)

Especially you Tatyana, i miss your lovely comments! :)

Angela & David

BIG changes!

18th - 20th November

I never thought this would happen! But yes, we're going to Sydney. I will now tell you the sad, annoying and evil story!

By reading the blog i presume you saw my post from sunday morning. Our dear flatmates had a party in the house and we couldn't sleep all night, it's not the first time but this time we had enough!!
We went on our little mountain climb that monday and got a text the next day from one of the guys living here saying something inbetween these lines "It's not working out with you guys working on the weekends and us being off on the weekends, because that's our time off and we need to do whatever we need to do" bla bla bla, basically he gave US an eviction notice over a TEXT! For what?? for being responsible, quiet and trying to sleep when we have work the next day, or maybe for clenaing the house all the time?? well i don't know, but if they want to play that shit, they get that shit!!
And as people say "everything happens for a reason" So true, because we have a friend that lives is sydney that asked us if we're heading down to sydney we could come and take care of his house for a month while he goes with his wife and baby to Ireland for Xmas.
And as well i think everyone knows by now that the independant ME is homesick and wouldn't mind coming home a little bit earlier.
The only thing that was very hard about this is that i will be leaving some really good friends behind, I've had so much fun with everyone in work. Matt has been a wonderful manager to me and it was especially hard to tell him i was going. And lovely Glen "Glan The Man", he's been the best support ever! And Ryan, i will so miss his "Jiiiissseeeees" and "What the fuuuuck". And everyone else in Bar Alto. I wish i could move to sydney but at the same time bring work with me! But it's not the last time i'll see theese people. Matt, my manager is coming down to Sydney for Xmas so we'll be catching up with him and have a few dirty nights out! And of course we'll meet glen again! In Europe somewhere :)
But it's been decided and i think it's the best way to go. We will be staying in Brisbane untill the 12th dec, go to sydney for about 5 weeks or so, and then hit New Zeeland and South America, and them back home!
As for David, well wont be having this much trouble telling the Subway boss that he's leaving as he says everyone in there is a F**k head! :)
Enough talking bad about people.
Let's just enjoy the last 3 weeks we've got in Brisbane. We've still got a huge leaving party and a few nights out that needs to be planned before we go.

Surfers Paradise and Mt. Warning Climb

16th Oct- 17th Oct

Monday morning began with excitement once again. It is the so called weekend time for us and we are off south to the Gold Coast and the Hinterlands. Only a mere 2 hours drive from Brisbane, so nothing too much to worry about. We fill up our Hyundai Getz with all the essential, clothes, wine, eskiy full of food and the most important thing which is the camera. On route we pick up a tent and some sleeping equipment after all it is easier and more fun to camp than to sleep in a small car and we speak from experience here.

On the motorway I take a liitle nap, while my choeffeur brings me to paradise. Surfers Paradise to be exact. As we step of onto the beach, the golden sand, the strong waves, the high winds that is all part of the experience. The strange thing about this beach is that it is lined with skyscrapers as far as the eye can see. While there we hear screaming, shouting, and a lot of excitement for a Monday afternoon. We check it out and find about 50 school students all running into the sea with their uniforms on while the lifeguards have extra work on hands, we enjoy this by taking a few quick snaps before hitting the Coffee Club for a milkshake. Surfers Paradise looks like a happening spot for night life and one of those drinking towns full of beach bums etc.

Back on the road to our nightly destination and to the edge of the humongous Mt. Warning (Wollumbin-fighting chief of the mountains). As we enter the holiday park we are greeted by a bloodshot eyed lady who checks us in. She already looks like she had a few beers, but she makes us feel at home none the less. We pitch the tent beside a running river. The night brings many peaceful sounds of the wild, and we snuggle into our two man tent. Tomorrow, the climb to the summit of Mt. Warning.

David

Is loving our new tent!

Our alarms go off at 4 am, as advised by the people. Its the time to get up there for the sunrise, however we could not open our eyes. So we slept in, I'm afraid. But not too long, just until 6 am. Then breakfast and to get the energy levels up for the climb. Standing at the base of this huge 22 million year old extinct volcano, we get scared. We seriously doubt that we can make it all the way up, the terrain is rough. The path is windy, the climb is steep. We huff, we puff, but we keep going. We motivate ourself with goals like a peach at the top. We are close now, just another few hundred metres. But the last part is a vertical climb, a scrammble up the rock face. The wind picks up, the cool air. WOW. We made it to the top (1157m above sea level). The views are spectacular of the valley below. We can see all the way to the coast, the green valley below with its lakes and creeks. We deserve a break and our reward, a juicy peach and some water to wash it all down. It was worth every step.

Can you see the highest peak?

That's mountain we're going to climb, ALL the way up!

David found a caterpillar hanging from a tree.

Good thing we didn't touch it as we found out later that they can make you itch!!

Angela

This is abut 40 min after we started.

I'm soaked in sweat, and yes it is a fake smile!

This is what i call a walking stick.

Some people call them stick insect....what a weird name for a stick that can walk!

(Walking stick)

David, so close to the top

It was a killer i can tell you!

David

It was SO worth it!

Who wouldn't walk 5 hours to see this??

David

Angela

Now its time to get down again, ha, you thought it was gonna be easy. Well its not. We begin, the descent back down, which takes us less time than the climb. We are wet, hungry but satisfied with the days work. Are muscles are in jelly form right now. We still need to drive back to Brisbane though, so we do that. We make a stop on Palm beach to cool off from the days events, and get back on the road before the thunderstorm hits. Grabbed a bite to eat with Glen (my work friend) and watch lightning touch down every couple of minutes. The heavens open and rain lashes down, but we are home and sleeping in no time. What a great two days, which was our anniversary celebration.

Angela

on her way down, and it's not easy!

Angela & David

Already had enough!

We've been awake the whole night because our sweet flatmates have been partying all night. It's Ireland playing France in soccer. So they decided to throw a big party! Why not, they just have 2 other people in the house that has to sleep and work in the morning, but hey, why the fuck do they have to care about us?! Screaming, shouting, and singing "Oleee Oolee, olee olee" in the loudest voice possible.
As i said, there is no respect here what so ever.
(But whenever it's during the week and they have to sleep and work the next day, we have to be quiet as mice)
Now i do understand why all australian people hate the irish, because it's not hard!
We are now thinking of moving, not just away from this place, away from brisbane aswell!

It's now 7.15 in the morning and second half of the game just started.
I'm going to have a shower and get ready for work, then me and David are going to go to the cafe down the village, get tonnes of coffee and go to the park and chill out. Better then fucking sitting here!

This used to be a fun house, but now it's full of evil cunts! (pardon the language, but it has to be done)

Angela & David

NEVER EVER!

14th - 15th November

Never will we share an apartment with other people again!!
This is redicilous.
NO respect what so ever in this place!


Angela & David

Friday 13th----or as we know it our 4 year Anniversary!

Friday 13th November

4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Today is when it all began 4 brilliant years ago, I never would have imagined that I will be writing something like this on such a day! It is of course not a mystery why this happened to me in particular as we are the most compatible people on the planet, and want the same things out of life.

If you look at it this way (a north pole cannot exist without a south pole) (a chicken cannot exist without the egg) (and Irish person cannot exist without Guinness) (an Australian cannot exist without Convicts) etc and so the conclusion is (David cannot exist without Angela) and (Angela cannot exist without David).

Even though we are apart on this night as we both work at different times, we are together always as one. I dedicate this post to my fantastically amazing fiancee Angela.

I LOVE YOU so much, and more each day! I am having a fantastic time on this trip, and it would not be the same without you.

David

A very funny story!

10th November

We met Dawn at the start on our trip in Thailand - kanchanaburi. A lovely girl with a very strong welsh accent. ;) We got to know each other in kanchanaburi but after the 2 day stay we separated.

2 weeks later, we bumped in to her on a street on Phi Phi Island and maybe 1 month after that we bup into her in a hotel in Hanoi-Vietnam, thinking oh my god, how do we keep bumping into you? But it's not the last time! maybe 3 weeks after that we bump into her on a street in Bangkok aswell. (where we ended up having a great night out together)

A few days ago i checked my F.B and saw she's in Brisbane. So we decide to meet up...again. Even though this time is arranged, it's still pretty cool they way we've met her in so many coutries without even knowing she was there!

This time we went back to our place, cooked lovely spaghetti bolognese, watched some soaps on the telly and had a few glasses of wine.

Then, off to Bar alto for some discounted wine and tapas!

Dawn & Angela

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Dawn, Angela & David

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We really miss this girl, she's such a warmhearted person! But i know us right, then this is not the last time we see her ;)

Pol Roger Champagne night!

9th November

We haven't been up to much lately, well, the latest is that I got smashed last monday from drinking champagne. I will tell you the story, as i can laugh at it now

Tess, Matt & Angela

Chamapagne, Champagne EVERYWHERE!

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I was working monday at Bar Alto, we're usually closed that monday, but this day it was open for a function. They have already bought LOADS of bottles of champagne and wine, so all we do is pour it in to the glasses and serve them! Not many people drank that much so at the end of the night we had 18 bottles left, unopened. But because we cannot bring them home unopened, we had to open them there and then and drink it!
We cleaned up and sat outside with a bottle each to start with. Bubbly bubbly. yummy yummy! It even tastes nicer as one bottle is worth 150dollars!!

So we drink away and have a lot of fun, we even have to ring Daniel and Ryan to come and help us to drink up the champange. The night involved a lot of gay talk, Matt scaring the hell out of us after bringing in the bins, me wrapping Glen up in toilet paper, Ryan getting lost and me getting very very drunk!

 

Darren with...Champagne, what else?

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Glen & Matt

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Matt & Ryan

Guess if Matt was happy when Ryan's underware ripped!

...by the way, don't ask me how they ripped, i was just there to take the photo. ha ha

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The next day i found out that Ryan had fallen asleep in the park beside Bar Alto, he got woken up by the police the next day, and for me...well lets just say that Glen had to help me home, I woke up David that had to get up early the next morning and I wasn't feeling very well for the next 2 days!....and some memory loss!

Angela & David

I miss...

6th November

Ok, yes it is official!...

...I am homesick!
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Dont get me wrong, i love being here in Australian, I love being on this trip and will never regret any of this. But right now all i wish is that i could just spend 5 minutes each with my friends and family back home just to boost me up a little.

I was never this homesick when i lived in Dublin for 5 years. But after being on this trip for nearly 6 months i miss my friends and family so much. Maybe it's because now i have 2 cities to miss. Not just Gotland, but Dublin and all my friends there aswell. Or maybe it's just for the fact that Australia is sooo bloody far away. It was easy when i lived in Dulin to go home just for a weekend or so, but here...it's impossible!!

  Click on the picture to make it bigger

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I want to dedicate this post for my family and friends that i miss, and even if you're not on the picture, don't worry...i miss you too ;)
 
If noone leaves any comments after me sending this post...i will cry...ALOT!
 
Love you all!
 
Angela & David

BBQ with friends in New Farm Park

2nd-3rd November

The weird thing is that you all are sitting at home complaining about the cold,

while we're here in Australia in spring time :)

Glen, Matt & Angela

The first sip is sooo good!

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As Bar Alto, where i work, are always closed on mondays, we decided to organise a little picnic with some friends from work.

Monday came and we got up early to start getting stuff ready. David boiled some potatoes and made a salad while i got ready. There was no place for a woman in the kitchen.

Then we went to the shop to get som more essential things before meeting up with the rest of the group. We got some lovely sausages, kebabs, corn on the cob, fruit, cheese and some crackers. And we got this huge cooler bag and some party ice of course. While i wondered around in the shop David went to the bottle shop to get some booze, to put in our new bag. (I have never seen anyone this excited about a cooler bag before, but maybe it was the beer that got him excited actually?!) In the shop he bumpes into Matt (my manager) and Glen (bartender in B.A) They were also getting their essentials for the picnic, beer beer and more beer.

Together we walk down to the park, our mouths are drooling from the smell of uncoocked meat and unopened beer.

We get there at last, find a perfect table in the shade and we sit down. (little table, get ready to get beer raped) haha

See, in Australia in the parks you're aloud to drink if you have a big meal with it. That's why they provide all the parks with BBQs :) It is such a brilliant idea!

David

He just want's to see if it's hot, by putting his head on the grill!

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Ryan & Glen

enjoying the beer and sunshine

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Daniel & David

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Glen playing with his ball while Matt took a super shot of it!

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Ryan & Daniel with their super big stake!

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Daniel, did you forget to bring a plate, well just use the goon box instead ;)

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We had some cheese and crackers to start with, while we were waiting for the other people. Daniel and Rhyan didn't show up untill 3 hors later! We couldn't wait for them so David started the fire!

We had a great time in the park, a lot of gay conversations as my manager is gay and is not afraid to talk open about ANYTHING! haha, it was great fun! A gang of 5 boys were playing football beside us and as they got hot of course they started taking of their t-shirts, so for about 30-40 minutes, Matt was sitting there with our camera, taking picture after picture. And these boys werent shy as they thought they were going to be on the first page of a magazine, not as Matts screen saver! ;) So they kept posing!

The german boys!

Matt is so enjoying this picture (alone)

while they're going around thinking they're on the front page!

(by they way, later on these guys came over to our table and started eating our half eaten corns and half eaten, dried stakes)

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Angela & David

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Ryan, Glen & Matt

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Glen, Ryan & Tess

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Tess also joined us for a while, but it started getting really cold so we all went home. Daniel and Ryan came home with us for more beer and drinking games!

The night ended with Daniel of cours falling asleep in our couch, and we abused him with taking funny pictures!

Poor Daniel, but that's what happens if you fall asleep early!

The best "drink" award will have to go to Ryan and Daniel who brought very cheap goon, mixed with creaming soda!....!

Angela & David

Sunrise Coast, more like it!

27th October

Noosa Heads Birdseye View

(I was asleep when David took this picture)

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Its 5 am and the eyes slowly open due to an intense light. Its the morning sun of course, and the parking position was not the best the night before. So sleepy eyed David drives quickly to a new location within the caravan park. Its easily done too as the bed is on wheels....

Angela

(Still in bed........I mean car.)

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A few hours later we head back to the beach that we found. This time there are people sunning themselves so we do the same. We both jump into the cool refreshing water, we get to experience the very strong currents, we body-surf our way around in the small swimming section between the flags. In other words we have fun, lying on the sandy beach, watching people attempting to catch that awsome wave on their surf boards.We mange to burn a little in the 3 hours we are there, and its time to head back as work is very early in the morning for David.

We devise a plan to use our car for our benefit, so we find out where Aldi was and go to stock up on cheap food. Then we drive all the way to Ikea in Logan and treat ourselves to (kottboller) or meatballs as they are known in English. Tasty meal that reminds us of home. David then had to drop the car to the airport, so he filled it up fwith a full tank and instead of putting unleaded fuel he put in unleaded with 10 % ethanol. Hope they never find that out, or there will be problems.

David & Angela

(Quiz----How can you tell that we were at the beach?)

(Answer: Where else would you get a red face from and nose from)

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The Sunshine coast was very nice to see, and we will be back there again when it gets slightly warmer in the water. As for now its back to work.

Angela & David

Sunshine Coast, yes please!

26th October

Monday morning and its time to take our first trip outside of Brisbane. This is what its all about for us, trying to see Australia. We rent a car and set off on the two hour journey up north. The journey is smooth and in a/c comfort with the tunes playing non stop on the radio. Having the car gives us great freedom and we take an alternative route and get on the Steve Irwin Highway, this take us past Australia zoo and we get to see a beautiful mountain range called the Glass House mountains. We keep driving though as our goal is the beach for this trip. As a halfway stop over we end up in a pub known for its tourist attraction and its called "Ettamogah Pub". Its all done up of Aussie artefacts and makes for a nice picture and pit stop to recharge the batteries.

Ettamogah Pub (The real Australian watering hole)

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After an hour and a half we find our way onto the David Low highway and the Sunshine Highway plus we stop at the first sign of a beach. Climbing over the sand dunes the brisk wind and sand in our faces tell us that it is not exactly the height of summer just yet. The beach is secluded and empty. We don't get bothered by this and we find ways to entertain ourselves (this can only mean taking lots of silly pics of ourselves). David did find the courage to take a dip in the cold water, but not for long, as it was as cold as Ireland or Sweden.

Angela & David on the Aussie beach at last!!!

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David and his Buddha impression

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We move on up the coast in search of people and calmer waters. It takes many stops along the way to reach the main beach at Noosa Heads. The town itself is small but reminds us slightly of Killiney, in Ireland (expensive).

A nice viewing point along the way

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Darkness falls and swimming will have to be done tomorrow morning instead, for now its time to find food and shelter for the night. We did have a plan to sleep in the car all along, but David however was having second thoughts. After a long discussion we come to a compromise and that is to stay in a caravan park and still sleep in the car. So we stock up on the wine, incase we can't fall asleep that is. We settle down for the night in Peregian Beach Caravan Park. The night is hot, its sticky, its showery rain. Our attempts to keep the windows open for air are spoiled by the rain and we get woken up many times during the night with drips in from the window. But we are doing it, we sleep in a Hyundai Getz......oh yes!

Angela & David