Not much of an update but you know I'll write something anyway. Nice to see Leyton Hewitt beat the Italian at Wimbledon and then Lee from Korea! Australia needs some help in the sporting arena these days. I spent Tuesday night with my work mate Alex from Ghana; you guessed it, watching Ghana get whipped in their second round of the WC! Wednesday night was Terry's drinks down at Belushis, seriously mate, find another venue! :-D

Why is it that when you hail a London cab you have to tell him where you are going and see if he feels like taking you there? He's a cab, that's his job to take you, not to see if he feels like it. Man o man!

I was waiting to meet a mate for lunch today, thinking I needed some flints for the good old Zippo. I really don't know where you would buy flints, possibly a tobacconist? Anyway, this guy walks past and drops some receipts on the ground. As this is fairly typical English behaviour (to litter) I didn't pay much attention, then I noticed it was a brand new packet of flints! I tell ya, I am back there Monday lunch time so I can think of that £1, 000,000 I need.

One last thing before a weekend of a couple of BBQ's and one wedding. I love summer in London. As I look around the office at 4pm there are about 7 out of 30 people still here. Whoo Hoo!
posted by Brent at 4:25 PM (0) comments

Well it's the start of Wimbledon here and of course it is raining. (Well not really today) England's wettest drought! But along with this is the women getting equal pay with the men players. Serena Williams comes out and says, "women give it their all, so the pay should be equal" I mean puhleeez! When woman play 5 sets like the men do, then lets talk equal pay. Now the Women's institute wants the term housewife banned! Come on! I would love to be a househusband! Do they not realise the power and the glory!

Nope, nothing to see here about the world cup. Well done Socceroos, Italy can you bask in your glory, I think not!!! Imagine where we will be in 4 years! We will have the Ashes back, Rugby World cup in our hands and then the Soccer World Cup will be ours! Aussie Aussie Aussie!

PS if you want to head to Wimbledon this year...Saturday afternoon is obviously the time to go...England vs Portugal, there is no big screen for football at Wimbledon!!!
posted by Brent at 1:37 PM (0) comments

Another great weekend, Over at Sylvain's on Friday night to watch him pack so we can help him move all his stuff into storage while he's back in Canada. Dude do you have a lot of stuff and most of it awkward. Or was it just the heat of the day :) You do realise that by shouting everyone lunch and beers afterwards that you probably could have paid someone to move it for you... hehehe

Sunday, was O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park! With Depeche Mode headlining! They are absolutely with out a doubt the best band in the world. Whoo Hoo! Playing all their classics and even photographic which I have never heard played live. I would love to know who the dedicated that song too and why they played it. WHOO HOO You guys ROCK!

The quote of the day :-D
"can-berra, it's Aboriginal for Milton Keynes..."
posted by Brent at 2:56 PM (0) comments

When a bus load of school kids wave at you from their bus do you wave back? I do and it always cracks me up, they are so excited that someone is waving back! I think more people should wave to each other. Do you wave to school kids on busses or people on boats?

Was last night's game not the best game of football you have ever seen? I know it was mine, a crap Referee, Croatia playing like they were going to be booted out of the cup! Which they have been! Whoo Hoo! Aussie Aussie Aussie!!!

This morning I booked for Lorenzo, Lynda and me to go to Dance Valley on 14-16 July in the Netherlands. It should be a rather enjoyable weekend. hehehehe
posted by Brent at 4:49 PM (0) comments

A Friday night ruby murry at Brick Lane. Life doesn't get much better does it? At around a tenner each it is awesome value! Yeah ok so I just had butter chicken, but hey it's still a curry!

Saturday we spent the day out at Godalming with Mark and Wiriya. After teaching us to play poker, I spanked everyone. hehehehe beginners luck maybe? We then had dinner at the Bel and the Dragon a church that was converted into a pub. Mark, I'm sorry about setting fire to your pot plant and leaving those nasty stains on your doona!

Making our way back into sunny London we quickly changed and headed to the Australia vs Brazil football match to be watched at the Water Poet, with Jo, Chris, Sam, Adam, Jacqui Sylvain, Chelly, Paul, Emma oh and soo many more. At what point did it seem to be a good idea to go an play in that sand pit?? The highlight would have to be hanging out at the Brazilian bar later and then Jo comes out with one of those HUGE Brazilian head dress things on. hahaha GOLD!

Why I have a photo of some manky toilet I have absolutely no idea, but I shall share it with you just the same!
posted by Brent at 12:14 PM (0) comments

Sylvain has his photos up from Prague, man there are some seriously awesome photos there. Get over and check the photos out NOW!!!

I watched the England vs Trinidad game around at a mates place (Adam) last night. Seriously how long does it take England to score against a far less superior team? 83 minutes, that's how long. I dont think I can ever eat a Pringle or Tescos pizza again! Great night though! Cheers!
posted by Brent at 9:10 AM (0) comments

2006 Isle of Wight Photos here!

Thursday - The Arrival

Thursday morning we head down to the Isle of Wight . Train and ferry. We get chatting to a lovely local lady on the ferry crossing who gives us a bit of island history and running commentary as we head off from Portsmouth. Arriving at the festival site we head to the White camping ground. Serena madly runs around trying to find some spare tape to secure an area for when the others arrive, we estimate about another 4 or 5 tent spaces are needed. (Thanks Bob and Bert for lending us their stripey yellow tape) We also meet our new neighbours for the weekend, Dave, Dave, Dan, Pixie, Esmay, Dougal, Tina and Anna. Totch Mi!

After consuming a couple of drinks to ensure sure we didn't dehydrate in the 32+ degrees with no shade, we erect out tent and fly seperately to make it look like there are more people in our area than are actually there. This ploy seems to work. More hanging out at the neighbours Gazebo. I popped out with Dave and Dave for a quick tour around part of the Isle, I am sooo happy I got to travel on the chain Ferry. Whoo Hoo! Back at the gazebo some strange little hobbit like man came over and introduced us all to TOTCH MI! We then wandered up to meet Sylvain later that day and put up our tents, now securing our area just that little bit better. We then spent the evening with our new neighbours....from memory.. :-)

Friday - Supplies - Goldfrapp - Placebo - The Prodigy

Stumbling out of the tent at like 6am Friday morning because of the heat and the fact that it get's light at something stupid like 5am. Oh the joy! We make a mission into town and get back just in time for the others to arrive. We all finish setting up camp when Dave comes over and has bought us a Gazebo. You know we love you Dave! We finish setting up the camp site in the great Gazebo race and three of us only just beating Esmay and Dave...Then we all head for the main Arena to see Goldfrapp, Placebo and The Prodigy! Goldfrapp, ahh she's just great isn't she! Placebo were their normal morbid selves and the Prodigy, ROCKED! Smack My Bitch up!!!! Making our suffering way back home we crashed nice and early.

Saturday - Stinky Toilets - Dirty Pretty Things - Editors - Primal Scream and Foo Fighters!!!

Our neighbours feed us for the first time, like the Gazebo and constant spliffs weren't enough, we now get breakfast. You know we love you guys!!! We visit the strongbow tent for a couple of quiet ciders then head down to the main arena for Dirty Pretty Things, the Editors, Primal Scream and The Foo Fighters!!! Dave Grohl you are a legend!!! After the Foo Fighters we head over to Rich's Tent and talk crap for a while, then home to the neighbours when Dave, Dan, Anna and me talk crap and laugh our arses off! You guys crack me up. I vaguely remember some girl had really annoyed Dave, or was that me... hahahahhaah

Sunday - Oh the pain - Maximo Park - Lou Reed - Richard Ashcroft - Hip Shaker

Crawling out of bed everything seems some much harder. Breakfast was again supplied, sausage sandwiches and meat paddies, dam you guys rock! Chris has the hangerover from hell. I am almost in the same boat but manage to slick away and have some lunch and a quick snooze outside the strongbow tent. No way I can make it in there, it's too crammed, crappy krafty playing, the lawn outside is just lovely, thank you very much. Chris is finally alive and meets us so we head off for the main arena to witness the best line up of the weekend.

Maximo Park were awesome, they just seemed so overwhelmed at plying in front of a huge audience, it's soo cool to see bands that love playing and these guys had a blast. Next we saw Lou Reed, playing a very chilled out set, just what the doctor ordered as we had now been in the sun for about 4 hours by this stage. Richard Ashcroft, you are Crazy Man! Loved your work, such a hippie, such a musician, getting that sound from plucking the guitar strings and feedback was seriously amazing! Finishing off with the Verve Bitter Sweet Symphony as the sun comes down over Isle. Pure, absolute MAGIC! Chris, Serena and I quickly make out way to food and then to the Hip Shaker Tent, having seen Coldplay a number of times, knowing that truly it is all yellow. Legs tired, Tequila Sunrises all round we bopped in our chairs for ages, then headed back to the tent for fireworks, potrable toilet pushovers and other last night shenanigans.

Monday - At Last
Pack up tents, wander back to the bus, ferry, train, bus, home, shower, watch Australia KICK ARSE, sleeep....
posted by Brent at 9:12 AM (0) comments

Yes, tomorrow we head to, you guessed it, the Isle of Wight! For the Isle of Wight Festival. The line-up includes but is not limited to:

The Prodigy, Placebo, Goldfrapp, Foo Fighters, Primal Scream, Editors, Dirty Pretty Things, The Kooks, Coldplay, Richard Ashcroft, Lou Reed ,Maximo Park, Fat Freddy's Drop!

For lovers of house and trance there is the Strongbow Cider House...I know where I will be! Oh no I see that the Proclaimers are playing....I remember seeing them at the Byron Bay Blues festival. Everyone ran into their tent for that stupid 100 Miles song, then ran out after it had finished, they were seriously crap!
posted by Brent at 8:56 AM (1) comments

We set out from Liverpool St Station at 10am or there abouts, to Sawbridgeworth (or some such lovely small town). For an afternoon of shooting the crap out of small clay pigeons. The final score was Mirko 29, Terry 27, Chris 27, Me 27 and Andrew 24 (I think) Mirko and Andrew receiving awards for best and worst shots respectively. :-) Dam good fun though! Nothing like the feel of a shotgun in your arms! So how can you top shooting a shotgun all morning... A curry in Brick Lane of course. After the curry we headed to the Elbow Rooms for some pool then swinging through Browns :-P then it all becomes just a little hazy :-) Great day guys, hope you had fun Terry! Photos here!!!
posted by Brent at 11:30 AM (0) comments

Serena her aunt Rose and myself headed to Brixton on Friday night. Firstly we had dinner at Fujiyama Noodle Bar in Coldharbour Lane, dam slow service but otherwise a good Japanese meal. We then wandered over to Brixton Academy to see Fat Freddy's Drop. They are a reggae-soul-funk-jazz outfit from New Zealand. It was great to see them performing live, especially at Brixton. They played Wandering Eye and of course Ernie. Catching the Night bus home is always fun, I'm sure Rose did a bit of reminiscing of her days in London hehehe. We then walked walked over Waterloo Bridge to the good old 381 stop.
posted by Brent at 6:20 PM (0) comments

Click here for the photos!!!

I am writing this mainly so I don't forget what we actually got up to. Ok, Thursday night we (Sylvain, Serena, Jo, Lou, Yuri and me) make our separate ways to Gatwick airport for Prague. (I will skip the exciting flight - hehehehe) Arriving in Prague we kind of haggle for a cab and actually get a pretty good deal after figuring we were going to be ripped off. To hostel, drop stuff off, quick drink at the NON-STOP Casino just down the road! Oh CZH99 cocktails are all good!

Friday - Papas and Paul Van Dyke

Us boys got up early and went for a wander and eventually finding a bakery to buy some strange savoury things, oh and Sylvain’s hot-dog. When everyone is up we head into town. We have lunch in an expensive tourist trap (can't believe we fell for that one) and had crap pizza and while looking at the hot dog stand opposite...yummmm We wandered down through the main shopping drag, to the Charles Bridge and over. Sylvain noticed a poster for Paul Van Dyke and took a photo of it...... (How do you spell Dyke?)

It started bucking down (the scene for the rest of the weekend really) and we wandered and found...PAPAS! Home of crazy twirling bar man and .... well just us really :-) After numerous cocktails and the sunglasses competition we found a flyer for Armin Van Burin who played at the T-Mobile Arena the night before...The penny dropped, we need to go to the T-Mobile Arena for PVD, zoom in on Sylvain's photo - Whoo Hoo! Twirling bottles bar man drew on the map where the arena was, we head back to hostel. A quick change, few Pilsners and quick swig of absinth....Paul Van Dyke here we come!

Saturday - Oh the pain!...and Vysehrad

Scraping ourselves out of bed after a couple of hours sleep we head to Vysehrad and get some great views of the river, old church and graveyard - about where I should be at that time. We slowly head back into town and meet up with Jo and Sylvain (who had both slept all day) at the church which is now a concert hall. We headed across the bridge to a cool little place where we played billionaire and as usual disturbed the locals with screams of 2,2,2,1,1,1 ARGH! We grab our tram, number 18 and head home :-)

Sunday - Ultimate Tour and Table Dancing

We head off on a tour of Prague, starting at the Astronomical Clock of course!! The tour takes us through the old town, Jewish Quarter and Lesser Quarter and I'm guessing some other Quarters. A boat cruise, traditional Czech lunch and then to the castle. During the tour the guide showed us a place that serves cheap and traditional food, so we headed back there. Cool rude pictures galore...What sticks in my memory the most.....I've....got you babe :-) On the way home we swing by the NON-STOP casino for a couple of chasers, Sylvain heads to bed and we head to the next NON-STOP HERNA just up the road, where for some reason the bar lady decides to turn on the music LOUD! If that's not a cue to dace on the tables then I don't know what is...

Monday - Goodbye Sylvain

We see if there are any last things Sylvain wants to do as it's his last day, of course beer is in order. After Sylvain heads off we go for a quick nap back at the hostel and head to the pizzeria for dinner and make our way in the pouring rain to the complimentary ghost tour we have tickets for. It's still bucketing down when we join the tour, which is only the 5 of us. Cool tour but I think maybe she rushed it to get rid of us. Highlight was the Butcher and Turk jumping out and scaring the crap out of us! I lead us all onto the wrong tram and for my sins ended up with soaking boots that had to be let free...but that's tomorrow.

Tuesday - Goodbye Prague

We head to our favourite bakery and second favourite tram, No 11, get off at museum, catch the metro one stop, lock bags up and head to the shops. Today is puppet finding day, I want a puppet, but alas I never find one. All I manage are some cheap shoes to replace my wet ones :-P Jo buys her absinth bottles, Lou buys a shirt and I'm sure there are other things there...wish I had a memory. We go to the town square and up the town hall, home of the Astronomical...CLOCK! From here we continue the hunt for puppets, take photos and wander towards the Venicular, go to the mirror maze, grab a beer, girls go for cake, visit a super puppet store where cool ones cost US$1,000.00. Get lost walking to train station, catch metro one stop, laugh in the faces of the Taxi guys - seriously 2,000 to get to the airport, have one of them chase us up the stairs...GOLD! Airport, Gatwick, London Bridge....Home!

What a fantastic weekend!!!! Love you guys!!!!

Tips

• Don't sit and drink in the main square, prices can be 3 time more expensive than around the corner.
• It doesn't cost CZH2,000 to get a cab to the airport, around CZH500 per cab.
• Eat fried cheese and Tartar sauce
• Drink Czech beer as often as possible
• Buy the longest duration possible tram/metro ticket. (20 minutes doesn't cut it...what if there are delays...eh Lou?)

posted by Brent at 11:47 AM (0) comments