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Well, I’ve touched down in bangkok… despite the fact I always describe it as the most crazy place i’ve ever been… an assault on every sense… I’d almost forgotten just how hetic it was here.

Although this is my second time here, it was much more intimidating (the craziness) being tired at 2/3am and on your own in a country where you speak about 4 words of the language..

the hotels a bargain (not too shabby) and pretty big… I chilled by the roof top pool for a bit earlier and took a jacuzzi later on to wind down. Theres 5 restaurants and a small shopping centre onsite as well as a walkway to the train station, its smack bang in the centre meaning its easy to get most places and theres all the usual stuff on your doorstep… but… fairly noisy all day n night, which i’m ok with.

(the room and crazy purple sweet bread, note retro control bank in bg!)

Not done much today, some pool/book reading time, found my way around and had some awesome thai food - on my travels I found a 6 storey geek paradise, an IT market with gadgets as far as the eye could see in every flavour (they even had the elusive asus eee pc!)

Booked in for a temple tour tomo (there was only 1 thing I wanted to see but didn’t last time i was here) and I’m going to see a show next door thats highly rated by all the guidebooks… the calaypso cabaret (Vegas meets Ladyboys apparently!) - sounded funny and its literally underneath where I’m staying.

Hope y’all well, be back this time next week

              

Well this is it, my time in Oz has come to an end, I’m packing my bag and heading to Bangkok for 5 days, then onwards to the UK!

My last few days have been suitably random… from old school asia (chinese garden of friendship) to future asia (ASIMO!)… a nice chilled gig… a cruise round the harbour from Circular quay to Manly… some beach time… a bit of shopping…

Pics from around the harbour… 2nd one is Taronga zoo… yes, all you can see is trees… its in there somewhere!

Manly beach and high street

Random thing happened, the ferry starts slowing down… three police boats are nearby, the channel ten news copter is literally on top of us… theres a nice looking boat a bit further away… then another chopper… turns out its some bleedin pom called David Beckham doing a photo opportunity… pffftt.. bleedin poms!

A cockatoo on a balcony… (cue pulp fiction quoting) it’s the little things that are different, over there they don’t call it a burger king, its a hungry jacks! (one for carla aka the burger queen).. and in a lot of pubs/restaurants, you choose your steak, then cook it on a big communal bbq, awesome! Its really social as you meet people and have a chat whilst throwing another shrimp on!

When I saw this, I had to take a picture! My good friend and kind host, Mr Ben “Benton” Archer

Springers final thought on Australia —

I can see why so many people move over here, it is lovely, like the good bits of the UK and hotter… yes, it has a few weird differences… you wear thongs on your feet (flip flops)… burger king is called Hungry Jacks (see above) and yes.. there are sharks and spiders and snakes and other things that go chomp, bit or sting in the night… but its a lively groovy place.

Am I planning to leave the UK… now that would be telling…

Take care of yourselves… and each other.

*** UPDATED ***

Here’s my thought for the day (MP3 from Emma Clarke)

              

Aaaaahhh, the mind wanders back a few years… those good ol’ days “Sundays at the Terrace @ Passion, Bournemouth”.. lazy summer sundays, cool tunes, groovy people, when we got our act together even a BBQ of sorts…

Fast forward to 2007, Neeeeeil and I re-united for a sunday session @ exchange in Sydney (Balmain)… nicer weather, chilled tunes, first floor balcony on 3 sides (if the pic of me hadn’t lit up, you’d see the anzac bridge) and pizza… hmmmm….

(the last pic is on the way across the Anzac bridge)

The Oz leg is coming to an end , onwards to Bangkok on Tuesday!

              

…and other cool stuff

These photos, or the weather, really dont do justice to how relaxing this place was, well worth the A$6 to get in.

Chinatown, the exhibition “photos from above” and Darling Harbour

Maybe I’d get more gigs as a DJ if I had one of these cool motors!

If the weather doesn’t improve, I think our planned expedition will be altered.. however, that’d mean I could DJ on sunday @ exchange either ways a winner really!

In other news, the hotel I thought I had booked in Thailand turned out not to be… but I’ve eventually booked another… more on that saga at a later date.

Have a great weekend y’all… next time I’m online might be Bangkok!

              

An un-expected opportunity reared its head today, the chance to go to the ASIMO live and unplanned tour!!! (Mr P, are ya jealous??)

It was awesome!!! He came out to Robot Rock from Daft Punk and was just incredible. The range and fluidity of movement, the way he can interact with humans and objects… so coool.

I also went to chinatown, Paddy’s Market, Darling Harbour and the Chinese garden of friendship, I’ll post the pics up later.

Great day.

              

Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, Meerkats, Giant + Blue tongue Lizards, Fishing Cats, Koalas… escapee animals… it’s all below… and its a biggie… wooop!

The ferry ride from Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo

Yay!! Komodo badboy! Always wanted to see one of these big boys… An alligator (love the shadow) and the blue tongued lizard.

Turtleus Ninjatatis (an actual, real Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!)

A selection of animals including Meerkats… which apparently, is the animal I’ll most likely be re-incarnated as… umm… ok… thanks Ben…

View from the zoo, a native to the Sydney area… a sea eagle display (check the backdrop) + spot the snow leopard.

One of the best things about the zoo, was the animals that weren’t supposed to be there… just kinda mooching around like “hey this place is cool, lets chill here”…

Exhibit 1 - the Hippo + Duck enclosure (wasn’t that an ad?)
Exhibit 2 - pelicans near one of the monkey enclosures
Exhibit 3 - cheeky red parrot, on the wrong side of the tropical bird display!

More assorted animals, lounging around in the sun

More escapees:
Exhibit 4 - Cookaburra sitting on a fence near the crocs
Exhibit 5 - a feckin turkey who was wondering around the path near the meerkats! (maybe he escaped for thanksgiving??)

The incredibly stealthy and cunning “fishing cat”, didn’t think you’d believe me such a sneaky feline existed so here’s the sign too!

Oz animals - Crocodilus, Echidna (see previous post), Roos and wallabies! And of course Koalas, aawwww ~ would of had my pic with one except it was $20 yikes… and you don’t even hold it… booo.