|
MENU
|
|
|
|
| Welcome to Canada |
So glad you made it!
This is my collection of emails i have typed from Canada, the home of the moose and his good friend the Sasquash!
Happy readings!
| "blame canada!..."... kidding JEEZ. July 3rd, 2004. |
Welcome to the home of the mapel leaf and the land of the moose!
:)
First, the flight. The plane was just like virginblue planes. Small and with weird service. i had 2 seats to myself and turbulence to make a milkshake.
yay, what fun fun fun.
anyways! onto the news
Canada. Australia with a quirk.
HEAPS more national pride as well as my first day being Canada day. happy canada day to everyone (first july)BTW to all americans, happy independence day for the 4th.
Sorry it has taken me so long to write. i am not as open with time right now, but will have to find some to reply to people and to write more group emails.
From my touchdown in canada it has been hectic with news and fun.
I am staying at Tami, an incredible friend. I feel like part of the family and already seem to be at home. On my first day i went out with tam and her younger brother Rael. (Rael is also my roomie. We are still scheduling a pillow fight for some morning at three. It all depends when we finally have the energy... btw dont quote me on energy as i know this is being written after 4am).
So we went down to the beach, basically a normalish beach with logs across the sand. as i said. australia with a quirk. People here are soo friendly and every shop has funny return policys etc. (i already got a free movie ticket.. explained later)
So at the beach tam, ray and i met up with tamF. yes, another tam, confused? well being here is even more. specifications of names can be really really muddling and fun. TamF has a motor dingy. (mini speed boat basically) well we went on the speed boat and i had quite a good drive. Yep, first day and already driving boats... but wait ... if you call in the next 60 seconds you get a free steak knive set.. or nude beach.
(the latter being the truth) we went a bit further out and low and behold. WRECK BEACH. The nude beach of vancouver.
A "friendly looking" man was ever so kindly standing on a big rock doing yoga, seemingly pretending to be a statue, when after a few seconds he began to hang off the rock in a "taking a crap" pose. yes, my frist day in canada...
but hey it gets stranger.
nude people on boats are way way to eagre to wave at passer byers. but hey, made for a fun boat trip.
Back on shore, tam and i had to go home to dress for the night. Perfect arrival timing gave me the chance to go to an after graduation exam ending dinner of her year level.
It was fantastic to put all faces to names, and names to faces. We went to a oprah ringing pasta resturant. One guy in the group pretended it was his bday so they would sing happy bday in italian. INCREDIBLE! i got it all on camera. yay for the fun fun
After dinner was a walk to the beach were there was a bit of firetwirling, and some small fireworks. not much though. Then onto movies at tamF.
(i havent slept much in a while. keep going to sleep late and i know this is just worse. but i knew that i wouldnt get a chance to write tomorrow easily so i thought i would do so now.)
Today was great also. late wake up (12:30) then off to shrek 2. the movies messed up and we got to see almost all of it, then got free tickets to another movie of our choice whenever we choose after. hmm so many good ones, so hard to think.
Back home, a bit of relaxation and then a fatastic shabbas meal with heaps of people. such a cute little kid who speaks three languages. aww, "CUTE" ... hmm sounded like nat jawa.
after hours and hours and hours of laughter, finally some time to write emails. right now, 2 more people sleeping over. thats 5 of us here between ages of 16-18 i think. just 2 days in hey?
i am loving it. Also cause now oppertunity to email, and easy access to do so.
PHONE IN USE! i do have one yes. i dont remember the number it is on my phone in another room. BUT i am not giving it out yet. i have a plan on the phone hwere i pay for incomming calls also. they dont do it by money but rather by "minutes of chat" and for me it is costing, i found that out today. i will begin a nice $45 a month to get unlimited time so people can call me without extra charge to myself and i can call any canadian friends for FREE. (conditions apply, see instore for details)
sorry if this email is unenthusiastic. i am just damn tired.
tomorrow hmm maybe swimming? who knows, but i am looking forward to it all.
Here incanada there are great people to be friends with, great places to go, sights to see, just everything is lovely.
The next to months will be INCREDIBLE and i look forward to sharing the stories with you all.
Love to all. and please feel free to email me any time, i miss you all very much and enjoy getting any responses. dont be scared to bore me with news. it doesnt bore me at all no matter how long your emails are.
Your friend in the land of the sasquash
-Gids
-btw..... YES i do have a webcam here so feel free to see me on msn if you wish. and in advance for all those (usually the girls it seems) people, i am gonna keep the beard for aslong as i choose... so hehe feble attempts to make me do otherwise will fail
MWA ciao
-Giddy
| Phone numbers, web address and news. July 5th, 2004. |
Hi!
Woah, last time we spoke it was all, nude beaches, speed boats, excitement and crazy aeroplanes. Well, not as much has happened so fast for a few days. But it has been amazing all the same.
Canada is a real eye opener. The countryside is beautiful, people are friendly and the lifestyle is relaxing.
But first! gid what is your phone number?
hmm good question. you would have thought me to remeber such a thing, i will have to grab the piece of paper that tells me all.
(from australia you need to dial 0011 then another 1... because that is the american continents area code... therfore 0011-1.)
0011-1-604-723-5289. for the canadians... its just from the 604 onwards.
BUT here is the whole catch. i cant speak for long on that number because i pay for each minute spoken. not the rates, but i have a set ammount of minutes a month. ok?! please use that number for a short chat if you wish or if you need to get in contact with me etc.
The number that is the unlimited chat is tami's mum's phone. THIS NUMBER IS ONLY TO BE DIALED WITHIN WAKING HOURS!. DO NOT CALL BEFORE 9am and DO NOT call after 10pm Canada time. Thats 17 hours behind for melb... therfore add 7 hours and minus a whole day. If i am online and say you to call the number then do so if instruction is possible after the 10pm etc etc. ok? but until such a day, please remember that people do like their sleep.
The number is 0011-1-604-241-4426
There we are, my canadian numbers for the next 2 months.
What happening in canada? well so far i have been to a large park, seen the city sites from a prospect point. and been to the fantastic aquarium. It was great. The aquarium has such a large range of fish and underwater environments on display. I am more a fan of nature as a form of art, then looking at paintings and architecture. There were 2 shows on that we saw yesterday. The dolphin and the Beluga Whales. hmm if only i had a dolphin as a mode of transport. think of the possibilities!
When tam and i arrived at the aquarium we asked a man to take a photo of us. usually when you ask someone, they think for a sec and say "yea sure!" usually people are willing. this guy actually refused, and then walked away! JEEZ what a weirdo. his grandaughter (i assume) ran up to us after and offered to take the photo. (maybe the man didnt speak english well.)
Though i loved the day very much, i was unable to find nemo :( .. eh, pleanty more places to look though.
I have been plotting and scheming as i do and have decided i will try go on a sea plane flight as well as a white water rafting adventure.
There are many more palces to see in canada and it is all the balance between relaxing, pushing ones body to go out and go crazy for a few hours and spending money. ... tough balance... but hmm looking forward to all three. I will begin to read all my books once tam has started her work. Then all the fun i have during the day i will co-ordinate either with friends here, or alone.
I best be off swimming now, i am a water creature. "as a kid a frog".. now.. more of a lazy whale. but the good news however is this.
MY website where all the old emails can be read if any were missed.
i know that some people have not received them all. feel free to login and see the emails that the internet had destroyed.
enjoy and keep well. i hope to hear from everyone soon.
i will write a nicer up date with more forethought asap.
keep well and love to all
-Giddy piddy poo
| Zoobie doobie doo. July 10th, 2004. |
Hi everyone!
Tis been a few days since the last update, i have been relaxing mostly. Sometimes venturing beyond for a look around, a small adventure.
we'll start from today and work backwards.
Today i work up round 1pm because my body is just tired and trying to play games with me. pancakes, rice crispies. what more could a person want in a breakfast? seriously. do you often hear of any better morning (afternoon wake up) of food?
I am trying my damndest to get these online photos to become available to everyone and then also to rename and catagorise them. Getting me quite frustrated. But nonetheless they will be completed. (eventually)
Shopping and seeing the local mall was even a treat as i didnt get much opportunity in LA to see the shops. i was put mainly near the local souvineer shops with their raised prices and unhelpful clerks.
Tam, Ray and I got to deliver Fliers to the local doctors/hospitals and shops which though seemingly would be boring and just time consuming was a good laugh at times and interesting to watch reactions. Always perfecting the art of offering people things they dont want with information they dont understand for prices that dont exist. Thus goes life.
I went to the zoo yesterday, but that wasnt just as simple as it would seem. The adventure starts in the morning, actually it starts a few days prior. I had a swarm of people (maybe 4.. give or take 3) around me with some clippers (shavers etc). Yes as you will see in the photos the beard began to look, how do i put it ... weird. The goatee being too long and the rest catching up (maybe i will redo it later when i dont look such an out of place weirdo. always time to grow play toys) So yes, i have a red shaver. (red being the quickest always *wink*.
And gone, everything but my weird blonde goatee under the lip (the flavour saver). Why and how it is blonde is another story... one which i cant tell nor care to try.
So that was the start of the "queer gidje for the holliday Squidge"
Now comes the fun part. Tam and her friend Yana (waves to yana reading this!... yes mentioned your name in PUBLIC) and i went to pick up a pizza, and i just happened to mention the fact that i had not ever coloured my hair.. OOPZ .... within a few mins we were in a store picking out what type of bleach and blonde i was gonna be... "no too light says yana" "too dark says tam" ... (paraphrased ... those quotes may be subject to change at my disposal hehe). We decided to settle with a nice colour of Chardonnay. ok, i bet you are thinking ... hmm how can that go wrong, sounds friendly enough. WRONG WRONG WRONG. DETENTION. the girl on the pack... blonde... oviously i am better looking anyway, but thats not the point.
Blonde... any form of blonde... so yea ... thats what they say! stupid box lied to me!
I sat there, with yes digital camera clicks one after another... movies even... still "rub rub rub" ... 25-35 mins later had to shower the bleach out. yep, still sounds friendly... now i hop out of the shower to find, wow ... i aint blonde... NO WHERE NEAR! hehe actually came out WAY better then blonde to be a browny red. Aurburn. Of sorts that is.
So a make over, once i was a hairy traveller, proberbly with lice (i hope not). look at me now, cute, adorable, modest, handsome, modest, friendly and most of all CHEERY. yay!
That was just the morning, ... early might i add (i have been waking very very late recently... seems like melb to me, wake up late not really needing much reason.) and we still had a huge day ahead.
After dropping yana off, taking jesse as well as tam and nicole (tam being another tammi... not the one who was driving) to "Shabbys" house... Shawne (or sean, or any other variation of spelling of that name that any parent in their less drunken state may beable to provide)... and no i wasnt insulting parents ... i was insulting name guides for making WAY WAY WAY to many variations of the name. i am Gideon ... no variation ... any slight variation and you end up with Suzie or Ronald... Seriously. Gidean... no ... maybe if you are a hebrew teacher then my name to you would be Gidon .... no questions asked. gidon. but only to a native tounged israeli.
So we picked up shabby, Shawne and Abby and muddled our way to the zoo.
Muddled being a 50 min car trip 50 or so km out of vancouver to GVZ Greater vancouver zoo. Then came the fun and games. With the ability to use coupons we made it into the zoo for $2 each instead of around 9-13.... WOAH .. saved heaps! actually an icecream being around $2.50 each became the EXPENSIVE part of the day.
Now this zoo is unlike any other. The cages are generally large but have thin wire mesh fences to prevent such animals as giraffes, zebs .. even lions and tigers and YES .. Bears! 'OH MY' from escaping. ... but no that didnt happen nor will it.
The zoo had quite a great selection of animals on a farm type of property, not a fake "rocky exhibit" built out of polystyrene crap or any of that weird things that zoos do to try make the animals seem like they are sitting in another country when everyone knows that the polar bear and all other animals are over heating, the animals that are used to the heat and freezing and look like they are in their own tropical climate...
this zoo is what you see is what you get and the place is friendly, ugly at first, but fantastic!
The highlight of my day was travelling on a bus tour into the native north american wild exhibit, with a three way division. wolves and black bears. Elk. Bison.
Just before entering the first part (the wolves and bears) i look out of the window and yes, stupid me forgot i was in a whole crowded bus called out... WOW look a log!. Being the absoloute smartass that i am got a laugh from everyone and realised my folly.. (insert embarrassed redface here).
But hey, that was my favourite part of the day, most awkward but favourite. well actually watching a moose eat was quite great also!
Earlier in the week, well i didnt do too much, yea the fliers. try relax, just holiday shmoozing. Getting to know tam and ray better. saw a person or 2. basically not much but enjoyed every minute.
From here the holiday will change, tam starts work after the weekend.
HAPPY BDAY TO RAY today he is now 16. sweet 16.. (quick girls... bday kisses while he is vulnerable.)
Tomorrow the mountains... the next day ... the world!
(i wont tell what is comming, i'll leave it for the next email) hehe ooooo suspense!
Officially my spelling is terrible and grammer (or gramma) EVEN WORSE (i couldnt spell horrendous) i appologise to all, but eh ... lazy bum.
The new pic website... wow ... like jeez! very nice... Actually it isnt up but i am loading onto photoaccess.com as we speak. soon i will have all my pics up and ready.
(i will post the link in a day or 2)
www.freewebs.com/gidjen GO THERE for email updates and trip updates... i know they limit me to very little growth ... i will learn some html and get more space when i can, but for now it suffices to put all emails. if someone asks you "how is gid" then tell them to check there or email me for updates.
I KNOW THAT THE EMAILS ARNT WORKING... some people arnt getting and i cant figure out completely why. they might need me in their addy book. If you ask people can they get and they cant... then get them to email me please.
PHONES AGAIN.
(from australia you need to dial 0011 then another 1... because that is the american continents area code... therfore 0011-1.)
0011-1-604-723-5289. for the canadians... its just from the 604 onwards.
BUT here is the whole catch. i cant speak for long on that number because i pay for each minute spoken. not the rates, but i have a set ammount of minutes a month. ok?! please use that number for a short chat if you wish or if you need to get in contact with me etc.
The number that is the unlimited chat is tami's mum's phone. THIS NUMBER IS ONLY TO BE DIALED WITHIN WAKING HOURS!. DO NOT CALL BEFORE 9am and DO NOT call after 10pm Canada time. Thats 17 hours behind for melb... therfore add 7 hours and minus a whole day. If i am online and say you to call the number then do so if instruction is possible after the 10pm etc etc. ok? but until such a day, please remember that people do like their sleep.
The number is 0011-1-604-241-4426
SLIGHT PROBLEM I REALISED... to receive sms it cost me 30c each... for those with no math skill... thats 10c more then 20... yep! 10 whole cents more then 20!
(i know i did further math, when will i live that sorrow down :( )
that means getting sms's are expensive, but i still enjoy reading them if people wish to send.
Please feel free to call when you can, always up for a chat, and if not on my mob, i will find a way to chat on another phone here.
Missing everyone, keep well, and say hi to your rove for me ... (you thought i would say "say hi to your mom for me") ... stupid rove! has only his face for comedy.
MWA (kisses for everyone, and for those who dont like kisses) Thwock!... the sound of a hug between two people sitting in this hot computer room... adios!
saiyonara!
Yours truely, black and bluely!
-Gids!
| My first frisking and Gidweb Info |
Heya people! (GO TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE RELIVANT INFORMATION OF INTERNET LINKS TO PHOTOS ETC ETC! ... easier that way if you dont wanna read!)
Been near a week since an email? eh given some relief from the constant emails, but i hope i didnt forget any of my doings over the last days or so. (i need to update journal!)
Last time we spoke it was all zooey?
Well this time, it isnt zooey at all, it is marroony and full of fives!
So basically it goes like this.... went to maroon 5, two days ago.. It was even a adventure getting there! and getting home was even better.
The concert was expected to be with john mayer supporting ... BULL SHOOT, no where close! instead they put a little L.A california bar band and made them seem big ... yea .. a big pile of Cr@p. but anyway... woah just realised thats in blue..
So we arrived from 2 busses and a Sky Train at this open plaza. The line was large.. really big. and we had to stand in it for another 2 hours before we started the process of moveing
Once we finally saw the top of the line tam and i were split up into the male and female friskers... ooo
if anyone has the chance to get frisked .. TAKE IT... hehe kidding.
A guy wore black leather gloves and insisted on patting me down looking for "weapons" hmm sounds like georgy bushy. then he made me actually open .. OPEN each tissue in my pocket.. what a crazy man... hehe if i wanted to bring in a weapon... would i be this stupid? eh... doing his job hey. ... atleast he liked my phone. called it "funky"
The concert was great, i hadnt heard much of maroon 5 prior, but what i heard was fantastic when it was live.
(i wont go indepth to all of this ... save some story telling for homecomming hey?)
The other days between, i have caught some sun, done some swimming. getting this tan. too bad i peeled for no reason... i had cream on, i didnt even burn.. maybe the pool chemicals have done that to me cause i know i am allergic. (oW my eyes... the goggle do nothing!)
NOW ONTO THE INFO!...
VERY IMPORTANT STUFF!
There are now links to the photo sites on ther (all are named except canadian photos and only one week of canadian photos are there)
OUT OF CONTEXT is on the website... this is FANTASTIC!.. developed by ben krycer and my emails to created the biggest laugh sinced sliced bread.. not that bread is funny, but you get the point.
PLEASE enjoy the fun and antics of OOC
Photos
My mobile numbers 0011-1-604-723-5289
That number is my number... the 0011 part is the international code out of australia.. the 1 after is canadian code... for all canadians... 604 and onwards is where you start..
Remember i dont have long chat on there. thats my personal number with minute limit.. okies? but feel free to call me and i can get to a normal phone to accept the longer call when people choose to call me. okies?
Sorry this email hasnt been in the usual flavour. but hopefully enjoyable!
i am really trying to reply to all individual emails. i have a few more to go through. but again, i cant promise i will do all but i will try.
looking forward to hearing from everyone! Keep well, and please.. please remember to feed and water your pets! ..... (thats a hint to mum to please feed the scorpions and crickets hehe).. subliminal messages.
*cough bepi cough*
Vedali gente seguente di tempo! Il vostro amico pazzesco - giddy
See you next time people! Your crazy friend -Giddy
| Thats plain Grouse mate! July 19th, 2004. |
Hi!,
I hope you are all doing very well! I had sent around an email from my hotmail address that took four days to get to everyone because hotmail is a total piece of *CENSORED*. (thanks to carla and jess for assisting)
Where has my group email been gid? It is here, this is it. The update to summarise my doing over about half a week to a week.
This week has been my first ventures out on my own 2 feet. (i am sure i have written that in my last email, or dejavu.. weird)
I went to a beautiful beach/pool area called Kitsilano Pool. The largest pool within Canada. It was a beautiful hot day with crystal clear waters, many funny children to watch doing what children do best. Running after a pidgeon with a Super Soaker water pistol. I went to this pool with Rael, Nicole and Jesse. Great day in the sun, even got to see a part of home ... TIM TAMS! yep they sell them in some small asian corner shop. "Arnotts" ... not called timtams ... hmm weird weird happenings. Then there was also this sandwitch place where jess claims the girl was hitting on me ... eh i highly doubt this, all i wanted was a salad sandwitch. Just because i ask for a sandwitch and no toppings of mayo or anything she hits on me? what is this world comming to?! (jesse i doubt she was ... if she was, then the chocolate selling father will have quite a lot to say about her)
Confused? well there was also this tiny cute kid selling chocolate like a girlscout who sells cookies to people on the side of the road. now picture this. a little child comes up to you "would you like to buy a chocolate?" whilst you are looking down at him you notice huge feet behind him... you start to look up to see to whom those feet are connected. WOAH a massive guy behind him obviously his father with the most sinister look on his face. I tells ya all (great english gid) that you would have thought about buying all the chocolate to not get beaten up. or if considering saying no thanks, then running your bum off out of the shop away from that crazy man.
Kits pool was great fun and there are pleanty of photos comming up on the net from them. (woah i look skinny in some... and pale... but that is now rectified as i am a bit darker).
The next day was just some fun going to the movies. Sounds simple and safe hey? not when you find a 73 year old Asian man with black holed teeth hitting on a 13 year old seemingly innocent friend. "Excuse me, ... you are a wewy beautiful boooouy" ... what the? .... yep, my friend jesse was hit on by a 73 year old man claiming he is a very beautiful boy. Obviously me being me i needed a photo of this. Yep got one, and it will be up soon. Seems innocent enough... well luckly he left the bus soon after because we almost all lost bowel control holding in the laughs. ...........(sorry that wasnt a pretty sight to think of)
Hope you all had a good Shabbas, and the lead into the weekend. Weekend time here is great as it gives me some time to spend with tams. We had 2 fantastic days. The first one (saturday) was Sea kyaking. Around larger motor boats, and under bridges of the Vancouver marines. Great expierience. The night held some of the best comedy i have ever seen.
If you have ever played Space Jump (a Theatre sport) ... you understand how funny improv comedy is and can turn into. We went to a Theatre sports night at this Improv Club. The night was a total riot with funny incidents. One being that under 19year old need an accompanying adult to enter as there is legalities over drinking laws. To bypass this legality we needed any random person over 19 to claim to the the accompanying adult. We found this man to whom i call Pops. yep we dont know is real name but he can be called pops i guess. or if you are from the deep south ... "Paa".... such as "hey paa i found this dead squirrel out back and going to give me a bar B que"
Pops was more then happy to be our accompanying adult and all he asked was that we were good kiddies. He also happens to be from an area in the valley where fruitpicking goes on around this time of year. Perfect to hear as thats what i would love to do for a while, but that all has to be arranged later.
The Theatre sports was fantastic entertainment as after the night the best improv actor there came outside and we had a great photo with him. (strange because i saw him on TV the next day)
Yesterday (sunday) was one incredible experience of going up a mountain called Grouse mountain. This mountain being the "peak of vancouver" usually a winter resort, became a summer fun mountain aswell. I got my first look at Canadian Lumberjacks! The World famous Canadian lumber jack show was one incredible 45 mins of laughing clapping and just awe at some of the feats pulled off by two men and their passion for the good ol sport of lumber jacking (yep made that name of a sport up. i doubt it is the real name). After playing on a snow pile in summer, seeing grizzlys play fight, have a hawk fly past your legs doing stunts, I found i had a fantastic day.
That just about brings my adventures up to speed. doesnt tell everything, but that just leave more to good ol story telling eh?
Well i hope to beable to share all the photos with everyone soon. Aswell as the movies that were taken.
Now being a new week, the options are all out there. There is a indy comming up. Some good ol car racing, though nothing like the Formula 1 racing in melb. But i do hope to go to this one, Maurie ... come with me buddy!, the offer is out there!
I hope to hear from everyone soon!
Enjoy Uni for all those returning from holidays. to everyone in year 12, best of luck for this last little meaningly stunt they pull on you called exams, it is truely bulldust what they want you to do. Just have fun, enjoy and work your bum off!
Keep well and enjoy yourselves!
What kind of email would i write where i dont mention a person to see if they are reading this email. To Robynne (Sari Robynne.... you know you you are... "its a key hole") ... yea i bet you read this now hey?
hehe hope i made your day again.
ENJOY,
Your travelling Koala
-Gid
| Camping, cars and Good Gramma. July 27th, 2004. |
A-HOY!
Welcome to my almost correct grammatical email. I will attempt to use capital letters where necessary and most of my spelling will be correct as well. Arent you just so excited about this? I know that I am!
Wow, it has been a week since the last email. You would assume that by now I have gotten lazy and have not written as much as I had done in the past. Well 10 points to you because you are right. I have taken a rest from emails while I just let my body relax for a short while.
This week has been one interesting one. I got a good look at the British Columbia country side. That will however be saved for later in this email.
Where we last left off it was all Grouse Mountain and seeing bird shows, lumberjacks and other interesting Canadian experiences. This week began with some fun between Jesse, Ray and I as we went on a nice trip to Jesses house for a ye olde slumber party. Guaranteed to give you a reasonably sleepy effect in the morning and some tired eyes, but it was great fun. I got to get a snapshot of Craig the gender confused bird and her four chicks. (I hope they are well as they have all now left the nest).
Later in the week I got to see my first family in Canada. It was a fantastic occasion as I; the unknown Australian family became the first delegate to make contact across the continents. I felt quite honored as I met Gill my fourth cousin and her family. This occasion brought me a good old homely feeling as by family I was offered my first beer. Wow do I feel Aussie. Not wine, not anything else, but some beer. It would seem my national pride has grown a great deal since I have come overseas. The USA has their flags displayed across town, Canada exactly the same. To me it is still such a novelty. However it does serve to boost patriotic feelings towards home. A funny thought is always what it would be like to arrive home and see every third house with a flag pole attached. Imagine the look on John Howards little face with his nice bushy eye brows. n nnnow see here mr mr mr speaker, our c cc country is jju ju ju just as good as any other developed ccc country. Yep just went off on a tangent
I apologize. I guess I have not received my little Jonny fix of Meet the Press in ages.
BACK TO THE STORIES!
I had a fantastic dinner in the beautiful North Vancouver shores. Each garden has huge trees as if the houses were built amongst a forest. It is truly beautiful. After arriving back home I had a great time playing some nighttime soccer with Ray, his friend Isaac (the Afro brothers).
For the next two days I spent rollerblading around the local area, booking tickets to upcoming events and seeing a movie with ray. Then came the Watermelon.
THE WATERMELON
The plan was to rollerblade to the local store, purchase a watermelon and eat it by the pool. We arrived at the store, got a 15pound watermelon, that is approx 6kg maybe. The unfortunate part was the watermelon want the best of best quality and once I was half way through my half I started not feeling well. Yep, bad things happen when you have so much watermelon in your gut and realize you arent feeling too well. The smart thing to do would have been to relax, nope I made the different choice, and instead I went swimming with ray. About 15 minutes maybe 30 minutes and it was time to get ready for dinner.
You expect me to have thrown up? Ha-ha! No actually I just had a weird stomach cramp for the rest of the day.
Saturday came around and I had felt a bit sick in the morning but I had to make it to Downtown Vancouver ASAP. Why you ask? The Molson Indy, car racing, Canadian style. I walked around the Canadian ports where boats were sailing, alongside beautiful downtown views with a massive noise and excitement of car racing close up. Maurie, if you are reading this, I would be more then happy to come next year to the Gran Prix in Melbourne. I got to speak to a driver that had a massive crash in Surfers Paradise in early 2004. Being amongst the excitement really got my adrenaline running through my veins. The afternoon was fantastic BUT NO WHERE NEAR OVER!
From the Indy I made the journey to meet Tam and the family to travel into the Canadian Countryside. We took a long drive across the water side and mountainside towards a campsite in a lovely place called Squamish. Yes you heard me, Squamish.
Our campsite was alongside a little stream, and just across from a waterfall. Besides the slight sound of the freeway in the area, the region was quite tranquil. The only ruining point was my disagreeable stomach that we have all come to love. The next day we decided to take a drive up to Alice Lake. This lake deep into Squamish with all the fittings of a typical North American youth camp. The lake looked incredible especially with the afternoon and midday sun spraying down across the water. We had a good two hours of relaxing alongside the lake with many other families getting their own little peace beside this lake. The road trip home was filled with many great sights and scores of photo opportunities. Brian drove us up Cypress Mountain, the local ski and snowboarding mountain that the Katz family uses in the winter. The panoramic views were STUNNING as I could see all the way across the city and beyond. The mountain had this eerie feel as everything was built much higher due to the expected snow fall allowing people to be at least half a meter higher and not on such low ground. Once home we relaxed and began the next week.
It is now Tuesday and I have been relaxing and realigning my stomach from the weekend. What will this week have in store? Only time will tell! (wow Gid, so much suspense
you kill me with it!)
PICTURES are up on the website. Look at the links and enjoy seeing the pictorial views of my travels so far. The Fourth week is coming online in the next few days and the link will be present on www.freewebs.com/gidjen
The naming of the third week will be completed soon and straight after I will try load the fourth week. I hope the photos are appreciated as they might not be loaded once I move to another country. It all depends on the facilities of the areas I am in.
I hope that everyone is well and that Uni has been fun for those that have returned.
Missing you all,
Random naming calling this email? Hehe nah thats just mean! Ok fine! I will, jeez tough crowd!
DAVID PEARL!
there you heard me! Glove slap, I challenge thee to a duel, pistols at dawn!
Adios amigos!
Lots of love!
Your Grammatically correct Travel Buddy
-Giddy
| The magic carpet ride. August 4th, 2004. |
Shalom! Bonjour! Salut! AHOY!
I have noticed and i know others half also noticed that the regular emails are becoming less and less regular. about once a week (though this is the first in about 8 days!). Never fear! i am still here in Vancouver and being a good Giddy.
Onto the most recent news? yea why not!
Last episode on Giddymails i left off being back in the city after a camping adventure. For about 3 days after that camping adventure i have been house ridden. My infamous stomach has been plaguing the adventures and causing me to hold back certain activities to days where the physical state and mental state are in the same ball park. But never fear! it was 3 days down and 5 days straight fun.
On Thursday i decided to do something that one would be shocked to hear me doing. I willingly took a flight. Not in a commercial jet, NO SIREE I had taken a Sea Plane flight across the whole city. This sight is one that i had to hold my breath for. Flying in a commercial jet you see some buildings wizz-by but being in the environment of a 7 seater sea plane you can feel each and every movement and it is almost as if you are on a fun fair ride above the city becomming absorbed in the architectural structures and natural wonders of surrounding sites. My fear of flying is quick dissaphering and i am now looking forward to sitting on any plane for the adrenaline thrills.
I had thought that later that day i would be walking a few hours through the city and then straight out to meet friends at the biggest mall in Vancouver. WRONG again. Instead the plans changed that a group of people were meeting to play some Lazer Force. A game i thoroughly enjoyed and remanised on childhood days.
The day continued though. no rest for the wicked. After sleeping out the plan was to go to Metro town (that huge mall). This is a case of Southland in melb finding a mall of conparable size and grandure. WOAH it was just massive. ENOUGH bout the mall though. onto the weekend!
The weekend held in it some basic thrills crafted into great fun! I got to enjoy a tourist trap of Vancouver being the markets and stores of Granville Island. A waterfront market. I am now looking to buy me a good ol cowboy/outback hat which unfortunately they become pricey when shops smell a tourist in the area. Sneaky bastards! From Granville it was onto a twilight Fireworks evening. about the equavilant of half the population of Vancouver Converge on the beaches looking for prime seating to catch a glimpse of the anual Celebration of Light. For me it wasnt the fireworks but rather the atmosphere that made it all worth it. Being on the beach in such a fantastic environment surrounded by friends was just stunning! finished yet? no still 2 more days of it. one being tonight and again this saturday!
Sunday gave no rest either. WHICH IS NOT A BAD THING. From the break of dawn (mid morning) off to pick blueberries at local farming enclaves. Sounds like kibbuts life. then you realise you have swallowed 2 pounds of blueberries and you begin to think different things.
A word to the wise... when you eat berries, remember to think each time your hand brings a fist full of anything to your mouth... anyone got a bucket?
On monday another market tourist trap. Lonsdale Quay and some ferrie rides.
Though most of my recent news doesnt particularly go well in writing and have the same nature as such adventures like the baseball game. It was something to open my eyes.
News to report yes, but not much. My feelings are turning towards enjoying a lot of time rather then reporting the expieiences. Almost as if a mental block has been placed against conveying the happenings. Maybe i have writers block?
Though i doubt it! Pictures are loaded and check www.freewebs.com/gidjen for all the links. Some folders contain mainly scenic pics but there are others deeper in the folders of people and places. feel free to rummage around.
Stop ignoring that site! :) i know you read it and think Damn another alarm, well yes you do it once and gone off your back i go! If i have filled yours out, do me the courtesy and fill mine out too.
Competition time!
Benk has put forward a suggestion to have a Out Of Context competition where people who submit the best OOC emails from me will have them pasted up on my website. ...if you need to get more emails to disect and insert questions to create hilarity... www.freewebs.com/gidjen has all the emails you could wish for!
For me? thats all the major news to report. I am relaxing and just enjoying myself. soon to have an israeli travel buddy and hopefully build up some contacts overseas. We'll see what happens!
Until next time! keep well.
-Gids
| Strange Sales men on beaches. August 15th, 2004. |
Heya going m8? (IF YOU ARNT INTERESTED IN NEWS BUT WANT INFO ON THE WEB STUFF ... GO TO THE BOTTOM!)
I have become pretty bad with writing at regular intervilles... i am writing more now when i know there is something to write about rather then time to write it.
I have been quite busy lately. Enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city and exploring the nooks and crannys of VancS. We had an incredible Firework Finale night on the beach with many thousands of others crowded onto the local beaches to catch a glimpse of the last day of this festivals of lights. Pretty much a few thousand/million of dollars blowing up in the sky for a bit of yee olde entertainment. Eh, it served its purpose and enjoyment.
Tami took me on a long drive to see Whistler... the not small, the not little known about ... everything the opposite... THE HUGE BUSTLING CRAZY ski resort home of the 2010 Olympic games. What a great cash cow! (gotta find me one of those to play with) but basically a great day out in the sun and enjoying the sights, shops and atmosphere. If only it was easier to get there. We had a trecherous trip up as we were stuck in major traffic on the freeway as a car found itself smashed head on with another. The only way to count the time for us was to count the people running into the bushes for a leak. approx 5 maybe 7 right infront of us. Each trying to make it seem that they were invisible doing their business whilst a large crowd watched. .... WERIDOS!
From out of the resorts and long beautiful trips to the hustle and bustle of Downtown. I met a fantastic backpacker called Michael, an israeli tourist looking for some cheap thrills abroad. Very early in out conversations he brings up nude beaches ... and when i say early... less the half an hour passes and shazam... we are now on our way to a local university, bordering vancouvers famous nude beach, Wreck beach.
Why the hell would anyone want to go? i dunno, but it was a lesson well learnt. The tremendous climb down, where vertigo becomes a feeling you enjoy was fantstic walking down a cliffside. At the bottom, Calm waters and bare bums. sitting on a log in the sand, getting to know eachother better, a weird naked man strolls past and offers us some beer. soon after another nudie strolls past shouting "Orgasmic, Coconut topped Doughnaughts!" followed up with a response, "how do you know they are orgasmic?"... the only response this man gave was this ... "I can feeeeeeel it!" ... stop ... wait ... and now imagine that the person who was selling these doughnaughts was a Jamaican... ya.. it was very very funny watching this play out infront of us.
Our way back unfortunately was silly, we had forgotten that to get down a cliff meant going back up and easier said then done, we began the great long trek up.
Playing with my hobbie of entertaining my imagination and crave for the "weird" myself and Miki strolled to the founding streets of Vancouver towards the touristy shops. I had one thought in mind, COWBOY. I had been looking for a cowboy hat to purchase, but the only hats on offer were aussie hats ... now i aint gonna buy something here that i could buy at home for half the price and pay everyone their taxes ... Instead i found me a Cowboy shop and howdowned, and squaredanced myself in ... comming out with a Cowboy hat and no less! yep it looks like aussie outback hat but dont let your mortal eyes deceive! tis a bonefied cowboy hat, and by new lil baby.
Starting to get late, catching a bus home proved damn hard. the irratic bus system of delays gave me ample time to talk to strangers and negate all the rules my mum layed down when i was a child. DONT talk to strangers, DONT get into cars with strangers, DONT accept any food from strangers... well paint me purple and call me sally, i broke all three in a night!
I spoke to a guy wearing a South african shirt, finding out he was from Adelaide Australia. I then spent the hour long buss trip back chatting to this man and learning about his life ... (i'll give him a name ...Grant) When we came close to the bustransfer point he offered me a lift from there back home as himself and his travelling friends from their work conference had a car. I decided to accept as he was a working man not a infamous sexual preditor or anything i know half of the parents reading this are thinking ... SICKOS!
Himself, his grilfriend jen, and their two friends Marie and Jerry drove me back to where i am staying only to offer for myself to join them for dinner. IT was about 9pm at this time and i knew that i would be eating alone, so i graciously accepted and we had a great night of chatting about travels and ways to explore aussie. Though i dwarfed the rest of the table being atleast 15 years younger then anyone, it didnt matter.
I got a chance later in the week to see a Shakespearian play. Merry Wives of Windsor .. if you have the chance to see it ever .. DO it was hillarious!
This past weekend has been an action packed fun fair of seeing family, touring the city and, walking across swaying bridges suspended over canyons many many metres high, and going on bush hikes... Two lessons i learnt though .... dont play with chipmonks ... they bite (no i wasnt bitten but i learnt that) and Bees are really annoying when unprovoked and still stinging you!
... little bastard!
I am kinda swollen on my left wrist and tender as the bee got a good shot at taking out my ability to write with the wrong hand. (proberbly more legible though!)
Today? well today is just a small day... i lie ... actually i am going on a 400km ride to the country side. I am going to be off radar for a while. maybe checking emails if lucky, but basically gone to fruit picking, beaches and hot inland canadian weather. I dont know what to expect but it will be interesting.
WEBINFO!
www.freewebs.com/gidjen is growing and growing and i will proberbly have to create a seond site and link them both together to take on the heafty load .. we'll see.
MORE AND MORE pictures are loaded up and their links are yet again on www.freewebs.com/gidjen BUT i do ask this. PLEASE DO NOT remove or copy my pics without consulting with me first as some of them i take as art pictures and i appreciate knowing where my work has gone before it dissapheres. but hey, enjoy them! ... some i wont explain ... because i wont, but enjoy. Sorry about many scenic pics ... they become repeditive, though there are some good pics hidden amongst the mirk.
Feel free to sign my new guest book so that i could gage the ammount of travel into and out of my site. the site is for all of you to enjoy!
I hope everyone is well and that they are enjoying their year where ever it is taking them at this present time.
Keep well and EAT YOUR DAMN VEGGIES!
-Gids!
| Country Bumpkin! August 21st, 2004. |
Howdy!
I have been a country bumpkin for a week! well actually a rural city bumpkin. I took a trip down to Kelowna, a absolutey totally fantastic town next to a massive massive lake! It turned out to be one of my most full on and interactive weeks.
Where to begin! actually, the beginning is looking mighty tempting. And guess what? yep the pics will be all loaded as soon as i return after the weekend (going camping)
Well, how to do justice when telling this story of my week adventure... hmm... I caught a lift with Lesley and Zoe (Lesley being Zoe's mother) to their house in Kelowna. The trip itself was fantastic as driving down through the country side leading up and over mountains and hill past Washinton mountains, one being snow/ice capped! yep in summer! it was "supoib" (mafia surperb for all those who have confused looks if their unsuspecting faces). All the way over 400km of territory to Kelwona. Upon arival i was taken to meet Tim first. Now let me tell you, the family i stayed with were so incredible fantastic to me. Tim and i instantly clicked and we began chatting of his child hood with my uncle and dad. I just happened to come in to Kelowna on the night of serving his "WORLD FAMOUS MASH!" .. though missing the integral ingredient i LOVED it and finished it all off over the first few days around.
The first day Zoe took me for a short tour of the place and had a great view of the lake and a dip in the lake aswell. It was as if i has stepped into a non salty warm sea. warm yet completely refreshing.
Later that day i decided to read for a while and then went to a business dinner with Tim, Lesley and their business associates. (yep kinda out of place, but still it was an expierience to remember) tuesday proved to be a relaxing day with reading and sunbaking as activites that very much suited me. the weather was very warm but turning unhappy by later. THOUGH the great part was for the evening i joined their wine tour. Yep, a very posh type of tour where you hop into a van and are taken down to the winnerys, learn some past info and history of the place and then they teach you the proper techniques in drinking wine.
For those who know my alcoholic preferences you know wine is not on the list and white wine ESPECIALLY!.
the first winery was great for taste testing and getting used to it all, though the second was as if a wonderland. i thought i might see an oomperloomper come out. The summerhill Winnery had a massive pyramid in which the wine is Quered .. or cured ... or i dunno what the word is, though the owner to whom reminds me VERY MUCH of Willy Wonkey from Charly and the chocolate factory, believes the pyramid allows the aging of the wine to become a perfect process. ... he lost a few skrews and turned into a nut!
He almost suceeded in scaring the rain away, we only got a few drops for the evening.
The next day i had the chance to get my sea legs and hired a Jet ski (Sea Doo) and took Zoe out for a bit of a ride on the lake. The power in this little machine was fanominal and we zoomed all over the lake. The day was then topped off with my first visit to a Driving range (driving meaning GOLF) ... I was able to drive the ball across the whole range almost using a 6 iron ... that isnt even a driver! but hey, beginners luck maybe?
The event may have come out flawless, excpet for the fact i smashed the head off of Lesleys golf club. (SORRY again, i really did not intend on doing that, i jsut sometimes dont know my own "strenght")
The driving range was the practice for the golf game schedlued for the next day. In the morning Lesley took me out through the fields and around the country roads down to my first ever Golf game! ooo was it great! i adored the open air and expierience of using tactics, and calculations to play a new sport to me. The golf course was set amongst houses, or vice versa, to which it became slightly intimidating when i was hitting balls near the houses. i came out with only one ball left and a bag of tees.
nope, i didnt win or shine, but i enjoyed myself and look forward to more games in the future enabling me to learn.
Dinner that night was on a boat. Tim and Lesley own a boat, stored in a fassion i was unaware existed. The boat is stored on land and as soon as you are ready to go ou stand on the peer and the boat is brought to you. you promptly hop in and then are carried and placed in the water.
The sunset overlooked out voyage across to the middle of the lake and gave us ample light to enjoy our fantastic dinner. After dinner it was my turn to ride this baby home.
I think my knowlege of vehicles has vastly expanded alwoing me access to drive and pilot exciting and great "toys".
I thought the return home would have been boring and just time consuming being a 6 hour bus ride, though i did meet 2 danish travellers (18 as well and fresh out of school) ... boy do they grow them tall! ... MASSIVE. but soo friendly. once we arrived after the long trip, Jacob, Math, and i went around downtown vancouver to sightsee and play around. these boys were truely fantastic. if only denmark was on the cards hey? .. if only. one day...
So now its just me, here, waiting to go tomorrow to camp, but i just wanted to say hi to everyone and share my week. I didnt see anyone send in OOC's (out of context's) to me ... thats a shame. also .. share your week with me. you hear me do it, and if you are reading this far, then also share yours!
feel free.
Keep well! and be good to your younger siblings! (you all know i am *wink*) and yes if you are a younger sibling ... cry about it!!!
lotsalove
-Giddy | | | |
| | | | | |
|
|
; |
