Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
What's that shirt you're wearing mate? Leeds? Didn't they used to be quite good?
It takes an innocent question in an Aussie bar for Dan to finally realise that his beloved team are no longer 'one of the big boys'
SYDNEY
Oh the wonderful world of normality!
One of the main reasons for going travelling in the first place was to escape the everyday normality of life, but since arriving here we have perversly embraced it with both hands. A house, a bed, dinner at a table, clean clothes, power shower, spa bath and probably most importantly for Dan, FoxSports....and all this slap bang in the middle of probably the greatest city in the world. Sydney.
We had just short of a fortnight before we would be back on the road in the clatterbus again and so we wasted no time at all getting into the Sydney swing. Of course, it cannot go without a mention that Dan quite ridiculously got himself a JOB and would be WORKING for a full week, yes a full week at a local radio station in an attempt to pollute the Aussie airwaves with his broad Yorkshire twang, which left LJ at home, washing, cleaning and baking cakes (not quite), and most importantly shoe shopping in preparation for our trip to the races the following weekend.
So Monday morning, bright and early, Dan arrived at 2RRR 88.5FM and it suddenly dawned on him exactly why they were so quick to snap up his offer of work, the station was bursting at the seams with nutters. Not your usual 'wacky' radio types, but fully fledged, full on fruit cakes....Dan fitted in quite nicely. Just to paint a picture, his working enviornment was shared with Streamer (real name Helen) - a woman who actually believed she was a canine & would openly wag her imaginary tail, Margie - presenter of the weekly 'Arts & Tarts' program who hugged him often like a Son & used her left breast as a CD buffer & John - the deluded mentalist who, believing he was a national radio personality, would visit every day for 10 minutes to hole punch paper & check things were running smoothly! Within 2 hours Dan had been offered his own show, what does that tell you!
In between Dan's hectic schedule, Kerryn & Pete's busy lives & LJ's ironing, we managed to fit in as many of the Sydney sights & sounds that time & our ever decreasing funds would allow. The Harbour bridge, the Opera house, Circular Quay, The Rocks, Watsons Bay, Doyles fish & chip shop & Harry's cafe de wheels (the best pie shop in the world) all received a visit. The city really does have a magic about it in a way similar to the Taj mahal in India, it kind of calls you back for another look again & again, it's incredible.
At the end of the first week, after Dan had pre-recorded his live show to be aired that weekend, we celebrated with a night out in the city at a cool little jazz club 'The Basement'. Three live bands, lots of beer and a good time all round. It wouldn't be a lie to say that life in Sydney was agreeing with us perfectly.
Onto the races. We met up with 8 of K&P's friends & headed for Royal Randwick, premier racing venue in Sydney and location for filming of Mission Impossible 2 (the horsey parts). If that wasn't exciting enough, midway through the day things got immeasurably better. We're not totally sure how it happened, but somehow all 12 of us suddenly found ourselves thrust into the vip section, into a free xmas party with unlimited amounts of free booze & food on offer. Not wanting to appear rude, we could do no more than oblige in re-visiting the bar at regular intervals. Waiters even brough drinks over to us on trays, it was bloody fantastic and easily made up for the fact that we won zero on the actual races (Dans luck at Uttoxeter last year has finally proven to be a fluke)! Warning to you all though, a full day at a free bar can result in partial memory loss & our journey home that night is a blank. Also somewhat a blank was the fact that we appeared to invite the entire racing entourage round to K&P's for a cricket watching barbie combo the following day, something that became evident when guests began arriving baring steak & stubbies (bottles of beer for you uninitiated to the Aussie way), oh well, back on the booze then, it's certainly been the best way to block out our shoddy performance in the Ashes. There's nothing worse than watching your nations sports stars be utterly humiliated & having to endure it in the company of the opposition!
Early the following week our first stint in Sydney came to an end with the collection of our second clatterbus in preparation for our trip further South to Melbourne. Like the first, a budget pop top, but this time with the added bonus of a fully working fridge, an interiour light & 4 absolutley legal tyres. Luxury.
So off we trekked again safe in the knowledge that we'd be back in Sydney for the build up to Christmas - beats late night shopping in the cold back home doesn't it?!
The next entry will be along shortly.
Lots of love
Dan & Laurajayne xxx
- comments