Newcastle and the Rugby World Cup

After 9 months I finally made it out of Sydney on a weekend trip up to Newcastle. My mate Scott has been over from New Zealand to come and see England vs NZ. So we took a trip up to Newcastle with Ben and Rach. Its a 2.5 hour drive and upon arrival it became apparent that this is not a very happening town!!

Newcastle is an old industrial town and apart from a small water front there didn't really seem like there much to do there.

Anyway we were there for the rugby and it was a good game with England running in 3 tries in the first half and looking the strong favorites. Until the second half that was when a lack luster English performance and a strong NZ comeback left us holding our heads and wondering where it all went wrong!!!

After the game there seemed to be a distinct lack of transport around so we started to walk back to the city and made it as far as Hamilton and found a pub to quench our thirst. Several refreshments and food later we were back on the hunt for transport. Only there seemed to be about 3 taxis in the whole town and the train seemed to come once a day we were stuck at the train station for another 1.5 hours with a lot of jokes and general goofing around.

After finally making it back and a few hours sleep we spent a few hours looking round in the morning walking along the front out to the end of the water front and back along the beach before taking the drive home.

A good night had by all but a distinct lack of ever wanting to go back to Newcastle.

Belated Birthday Weekend!

And so it comes to that time of year when I turn a little bit older and although it was a couple of weeks later this weekend were the belated celebrations.

Friday night we went to see the Dandy Warhols at the Enmore theater in Newtown which is always and entertaining place to be but the gig was to make the night.

Back in Australia to promote their new album ‘…EARTH TO DANDY WARHOLS…’ and their modern day psychedelic, pop/rock sound it was a very cool gig in a small and intimate theatre and very chilled out with a good mix of the old and new and a few of the classics.

And then onto Saturday night where the madness begins down in Darling Harbour at the James Squire Brewery where they brew their own beers and have a large selection of quality beverages. We start the evening watching New Zealand beating Australia in the first leg of the Bledisloe Cup played for the first time on neutral ground in Hong Kong. Some food, some pool and a few more beers and then its time to move on to the Establishment in the centre of town where the drinking and madness really begins.

Some dancing ensued and of course drinking games, somebody having the bright idea of playing Chasing Me!!!

And so several hours and a lot of Vodka later the night carries on to Sydney's classiest part of town Kings Cross!! To a less than classey club more beer and to finish the whole evening of with the classic 4 in the morning cuisine the kebab. And so here we are on the Sunday following feeling a little sorry for myself.