G'day and Merry (belated) Christmas to everyone and a great New Year, which - of course - I'l be celebrating twice this year, one at midnight, and apparently I've got to stay up and have a drink "for England" about 11am, when everyone in blightly will be joining me in 2007. woooooooo I'm in the future, spooky!
Anywho, I've not blogged for a while because, basically the run up to Christmas was a bit manic, and we were both working up until last friday,been quite busy!
When I got home I found I'd recieved a Christmas package, obviously I couldn't wait for Christmas, I ripped it open straight away. Thank you Mum and Dad, i don't know what I would do without the Leicester - Loughborough Bus timetable all the way out here. The Forrest magazine was an interesting read too, I know know how to make a snowman properly if such an occasion arrises. brillo!
Since friday we've been catching up on the partying side of Australia, lots of bars and clubs nearby at Kings Cross (mostly back packers and strip clubs), Oxford Street (lots of gay bars, but some nice straight clubs), and William street, where we live, our two local pubs (conveniently on the way home from work). We are also so close to the centre of sydney it'd be rude not to explore that too, so you can see why I've not had time for this blogging malarky.
Christmas day was really nice, Richard andGraham had family and friends over (about 23 people), we woke up from the Xmas eve night out about 11:30, just time to help with some minor table decs
and then everyone started to arrive.
Fresh Oysters and King prawns made a welcome breakfast as we all sat on the patio talking and around 3ish Lunch was ready.
Turkey, Pork and Ham, veggies and tatties, then two types of Xmas Pud with chocolate cakes, mince pies, nuts etc etc, far too much! mmmmmm.
Party went on into the evening and a sensible 1am bed time meant we were nice and fresh to go to the drag races on boxing day! It was a trek, 36km out of town on the train to Blacktown, then about 4km by taxi, but we made it! Great old day with the racing going on into the night
(something they dont do back home) great to watch the flames shooting from the 7,ooobhp V8s in the cool night air (Baz, you'll know why thats such a good thing.
It was only about 10.30 when we realised we couldn't get a taxi back to the train station as we were right in the sticks, so we walked to the nearest pub, had a couple of beers and the manager gave us a lift to the station in the "courtesy bus" which was nice, that is until we realised that we were so far outside the civilised world that the last train was at 12am. This was a problem (at 12.30am) and the only option was to get the bus, so we arrived home eventually at 2.30am . . . sober (its acceptable to return at that time when drinking but we were tired!).
Straight to sleep and then up again at 12.15 for our staff xmas "do" at centennial park - a park big enough to swallow leicester town centre - which starts at 12.
Excellent barbie by the owner of the cafe (Song), and the chef Jason. I'm still getting over the fact that they have these huge gas bbqs in the park for everyone to use, seems like such an Aussie thing to do! great!
barbie finished around 5ish and we went for a drink with a couple of the guys from work. went to a few bars playing pool, meeting new people (an ex nottinghammer and his mates who'd moved here 6yrs ago, and 4 hilarious Mancs!) etc and eventually, we found we were the only ones left, so we headed for home about 3am. another good night.
anyway, we're both well and have been resting up for a day or so, so after this storm is over (yes a storm, with lightning and thunder and everything!!) were going out again to Blink to buy our NYE tickets. Can't wait to get some piccys of those fireworks, apparently they're like nothing on Earth, amazing.
Im just rambling now (trying to make up for the neglect I've shown the blog recently), I hope you're all dandy, and have a drink for me on New Years won't you?
Il be calling on Sunday about 1pm (GMT) to boast that Im in 2007 and your not :) lol.
Bye all!
P.S Im putting the pics of the barbie on the next blog as i cant fit them in here!
and then everyone started to arrive. 
Fresh Oysters and King prawns made a welcome breakfast as we all sat on the patio talking and around 3ish Lunch was ready.
(something they dont do back home) great to watch the flames shooting from the 7,ooobhp V8s in the cool night air (Baz, you'll know why thats such a good thing.
