Hello all,

Ok i KNOW its been ages since i updated my blog but when your cramming the entire Gold Coast into one AMAZING month, you don’t have time (nor access to a PC) to update things. So I’m gonna backdate the entries so they're done in date order so I don’t confuse myself and don’t miss anything out! Helen arrived on Sunday night (09/03) and signaled the start on a manic month of travels. In Melbourne alone, we went to a neighbours nite and saw Dr Karl do his thing, saw Spanalot (Monty Python play), did the Great Ocean road, visited the old Melbourne Gaol (the jail were my old flat-mate Ned Kelly was held & hanged), viewed the city during the day and saw the 10" penguins arrive on the beach pier front on St Kilda at night fall..

Everybody needs good Neighbours
Helens first Monday night was spent with some close friends and neighbours (crap pun i know sorry). Helen, Aileen & i went to the Elephant&Wheelbarrow for their weekly neighbours night; Helen had never been to one so she was really looking to it. She wasn't disappointed, not cos she’s a mad neighbours fan but cos she was amazed at the frantic & frenzied reaction Dr Karl was getting from the drunken backpacker crowd! It was like Tom Cruse arriving at a Scientology seminar or come to think of it, like the Olympic flame arriving at a 'free Tibet' rally! The craic was 90 and it was one of the most surreal nights in Oz yet as we got drunk while listening to Dr Karls band; Waiting Room! (See New Gallery & Photos!) http://pics.livejournal.com/paulinthebush/gallery/0001d8pa

Great Ocean Road - 12/03
We (Helen & I) did a day trip up the Great Ocean Road on the Wednesday; whole day trip but you fit everything in. Includes loads of stops along various beaches, the Twelve Apostles (sand rock formations along the GOR that are gradually be eroded by the waves and will eventually disappear) the 'Round The Twist' lighthouse (yea I watched it as a kid, anyone else remember it?), a walk through a forest reserve and a Koala sanctuary; the wee buggers just sit up trees all day sleeping, eating and I presume they don’t come down for a toilet break so the rest of the time is spent trying to sh^t on nosey backpackers heads!

Old Melbourne Gaol
Loved this wee trip round my old flatmate Ned Kelly’s pad! The jail was a self guided (I wasn't paying for someone to lead me round like a child!) walk round the cells; each containing info about its most notorious residents, their death masks, equipment used for punishment, the jails day-to-day practices - prisoners were kept locked up for 23hours a day in a cell roughly 7x5 with an hours exercise in complete seclusion with no other human contact. Prisoners were not allowed to speak, make any sound, or communicate in any way with each other or they would be punished with lashings from the cat-o-nine tails (I think my old boss Brendan wanted to bring that last one in at work - although you were prepared to refer to us as "the workers" rather than "the prisoners" eh Brendan? ;) There was obviously a lot more at the cell of Australia’s best loved criminal - Ned Kelly. Loads of info on his family, life, the Kelly gang, their crimes, and of course the last shootout at the Glenrowan Tavern where the rest of the gang perished and Ned was finally captured. The best part though was the replica armor used by the Kelly gang they had beside Neds desk mask. I THINK it was meant for kids to try on and mess around in? Of course being the big child that I am (yea, I know earlier I said I didn't want to be led round like a child but that’s completely different from not wanting to act like one!) I couldn't resist havin a go :) Woo Hoo class!

Ok, two weeks since my last entry and two big weekends worth of stuff to tell ye about so lets get stuck into it.

Good Vibrations Festival / St Kilda Festival
Last weekend saw the Good Vibrations weekend and the climax to the week long St Kilda Festival. Keith, Caroline, Jenny and myself went to the G/V Festival on Saturday in town, good lineup of Kanya West Cypress Hill, Calvin Harris, The Rapture etc I was surprised about how many Calvin Harris & Kanya songs I knew since I would really say I listen to either that much. Didn’t know ANY Cypress Hills songs except ‘Insane in the membrane’ of course they waited till I couldn’t hold it any longer and went to the toilets before they played it!! AHHhh! Managed to catch the last 20 seconds, As I say I would never have thought I’d enjoy Kanya as much as I did but he was class, good tunes light display etc Got photos and video clips to put later so ye can see for yourself.
Afterwards we all went and got fed in Hungry Jacks (burger king) even though I had already woofed down two hot dogs and chips inside the festival (not to mention getting something to eat later that night when we came outta the bar) On a completely separate note I’ve started to gain some mystery weight but just can’t put my finger on why just yet? Go figure??
Anyway we ended up in ‘The Lounge’ bar and were all pretty gone that that stage. I sobered up quite quickly when I realized the barmaid had ripped me off by giving me the change of a $20 when I gave her a $50! Realized too late to get anything done about it but put a dampner on the night for me. Had texted Helen in my drunkin state telling her about my woe’s and she reconed that what goes around comes around and not to let it worry me….. i recon Karma heard her and realized how fecked off I was and decided to make it up to me in style, but I’ll come to that in a minute.
Needless to say after stumbling outta the Lounge at about 6 in the morning after a days drinking at the G/V Festival, I wasn’t the sharpest on Sunday! Actually that’s a lie as I woke up still drunk with hardly any sign of a hangover, Keith and I went into town to catch the Chinese New Year celebrations; year of the Rat for anyone interested. Got a few pics of that and a video clip of one of the dragons dancing off in the distance to the sound of firecrackers. Hangover kicked in with a vengeance and had to go home. Got up at 7 that nite cos Keith was coming in every 15mins from 6 o’clock giving off to me that we were missing the last day of the St Kilda Festival. After dragging my sorry a$$ into the shower we; Keith, Cal, Jen, Gill & me, finally made our way down to the Festival. There were thousands of people down and look like we missed most of the day’s actives. The free concert was still going on so watched a bit of it and walked alone the streets looking at the various stalls etc out. We eventually made our way into a bar for a pint but none of us were really in the mood for it after the previous day’s session. The girls ended up leaving after the second pint and Keith and I decided to stay for one or two more.

Karma Vs Serendipity

Let’s start off with a very basic explanation of both of these words:-
Karma- what goes around come around, Serendipity- a fortunate coincidence

Now anyone that knows me knows I hate people that say ‘ I’ll leave it to fate’ or ‘I let destiny decide….’ yadda, yadda, yadda but I think I’m starting to see something in this Karma stuff. As I mentioned above Keith and I decided to stay for another pint or two; about three later it was my turn to go to the bar again. I ordered the usual two pints but the barman was foreign so after going through the full range of glass sizes from pots, scooners to jugs he finally realized I was after two pints, then proceeded to bring over THREE! When I said I was only after two he just set all three down and said ‘take three, pay for two’ as if it was too much bother for him to take the other one away?! Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth I gripped all three and bounded! When I told Keith wat happened he just laughed and called me a jammie git cos if it had been him up there, he would probably have gave him one pint and charged him for two! After marking it up to karma , getting something back after being ripped off the previous night, we decided just split the pint.
We were listening to the band that’d just started when these two women slipped in behind us and asked us if we were gay? Needless to say the lads protested in their deepest voices!! So they went on to tell us that they were gay and if we bought them a pint they would make-out in front of us!!! I was busy laughing at the balls-e-ness of them to come up to two strangers and make such a proposal when I realized that quick-hand-Keith had already gripped the spare pint and handed it to one of them!! She and her girlfriend took a taste to see if they like it then; true to their word, proceeded to doll the face off each other right in front of us!! It took us 10mins to stop laughing and two days to wipe the smile off Keith’s face! I swear that third pint was a gift pulled by god himself!! Come on, I mean, when did you last hear of a barman giving away free drinks?? and how often do to you get two women come up to you and propose to put on a show for a pint???? Especially on the same night you’ve just got a free one from the bar??!! Couple that with the fact that on any other nite we’d have told them to feck off we’re two miserable gits that wouldn’t have spent the money to BUY them a pint!!! :D
So I m starting to think that when Karma and Serendipity decide to team up – They Kick Ass!!

Hello All,

Just a quick note to tell ye all what been happening since my last entry. I'm now calling myself Good Luck Chuck, i haven't seen the film but i know the gist. Basically, any woman he dates finds the love of their lives when they break up with him. Since i've been out here THREE of my ex's are now engaged and one of my mates (granted i never dated Bing so i cant take the credit for him!) I'm starting to think the governments giving out grants to encourage couples to take the plunge!

Anyway, Congratulations to all involved and i wish you all a world of happiness ...yada yada yada..!! :O)

Meanwhile back on the ranch, i'm still jobless! Seems i'm not even qualified enough to get to the interview stage of a pavement checking job!! (Yea pavement checker) I know someone went to the interview and said it was a bit of a farce - there were three 'experienced' pavement checkers in for it so they got the job! (How sad is it that i'm jealous of them and there pavement superiority!) Next week its a full on assault on the Melbourne job market!

Looking forward to tomorrow cos its the St Kilda Festival - free festival, bands etc so a great excuse to get over my lack of pavement experience (sorry, last time i mention that i promise). Got a guest staying with us you might have heard of... a man named Ned Kelly? 'Picked' him up on the way home after a drunkin night out (did i mention i've had a wee drink while out here?) and he's been guest of honor since, see the wee pic of him below.

Right gotta go - i'll update this with the St Kilda happenings in a day or too, Hope your all well!?!

Paul.

Hello again all,

Well it's been a while since i was last on so here's the latest update, everyone sitting comfortably? Keith & I flew (Cheaper & quicker to fly than get a 10hour bus or train ride!) into Melbourne last week (Mon 7th) to look for a flat. Had my first night staying in a hostel (i've only been a backpacker in name till now so this was like my coming of age). Stayed in a room about twice the size of my bedroon at home with three sets of bunk beds jammed in! Tight squeeze and to top it off there was no storage space at all so you had to hoke through your backpack to get what you needed out and pack everything back into it again (I kept mine locked cos i'm a untrusting git!) My big worry of snoring and getting battered in the middle of the night by five sleep-deprived backpackers turned out to be unwarrented. Cos i had a proper bed (not the crappy blow-up ones we had in Randwick) i was able to lay on my side most of the night. Keith said i wasn't that bad plus there was another bloke doing as much snorin as me - bet you'd have loved that Kieran! (My brother put up with 20 odd years of my snoring and in the end his tollerence was so low he used to waken me with shouts of STOP BREATHIN!!)

Next day we went Flat hunting and saw a few crappy places. We went to see a 'long-shot flat', it had been on the web-site for a week and not taken even though accomadation was hard to find due to the Ozzy Open coming up. We were expecting a real sh*thole but it turned out to be bigger, cleaner and cheaper than all the others! Keith snipped in infront of the other two guys that were viewing it and offered the landlord a depost there and then (The big lad has the killer instint when its needed - even though he seems asleep the rest of the time!)
Long storey.....well longer, we now have a two bedroom fully furnished, all mod cons, dishwasher, microwave, washing maching etc flat (its amazing the things you get excited about over here!)

I'm now in the process of looking for a job so hopefully next time i'm talking to you all i'll be part of the great Australian workforce!!

Paul 'Bourke' Rafferty
Pic of 'Bourke on Bourke'

Happy New Year Everyone!

Well i saw in the new year on a small green section just under the left pylon of Sydney Harbor Bridge! (beats the Glenavon, BOT or EVEN the Errigal!) Took some photos of the fireworks but they came out crap so i've loaded some video clips up on youtude and added the links (they're quite big so unless you have broadband you might wanna leave it, sorry Urs!)

Made it down to the bridge @ about 7 New Years Eve but had been drinking from about 2 or 3 that day (like Xmas, N/Y eve is a LONG day!). We joined Aileen and her mates under the bridge and drank till the wee small hours! The fireworks as you can imagine were out of this world and i'm sure i'll NEVER see in another new year with such a display again! (Kinda sad when you think about it?!). We spent most of the early hours of 2008 trying to get home (Sydney city centre is a no go area for the buses over N/Y eve) so we had to walk the length of the city to get a bus. There was a bit of an incentive though.... a line of riot cops backed up with a line of cops on horseback gradually moving up the street clearing the Harbor of the last of the revelers! (made me feel a bit homesick seeing riot cops... ah, Renchaws on St Paddys day in Belfast!) Not that they were doing much but the threat was enough to move us on! We ended up getting home around 6am, Keith (as usual) fell asleep before that on the bus (New city, new year...SAME KEITH!)

We spent new years day on the beach (not something you can say too often), Joe Mac called round (like watching someone elses hyper-active child for the day and not getting paid!!). At one stage we were heading home and he literally dragged me 50 yards along the beach by my foot to the sea just to end up fallin in himself, i looked back and could see the 'ass & claw' marks i'd left half way up the beach!

We went to the open air cinema this week & watched 'The Godfather'. I'd never seen it before so it was good to see it on the big screen, layin up on a beanbag bed with a sparkling white in one hand and a Tooheys New in the other (ah, this IS the life!)

Went into town again with the girls (Keith started back at work - ha ha!). They hadn't seen the Opera House or anything so i got some more photos of that (see photo gallery). We went up the pylon on the bridge and got some great 'birds eye view' shots of Circular Quays/ Opera House etc.

Keith and i are currently looking for places in Melbourne so that probably where my next post will be from.

I hope you all had a great New Years Eve (not as good as mine obviously!) and i'll continue to keep you all informed of this years travels and happenings!

Paul
New Years Eve Fireworks (sorry about the F's and Sh1t$ in the audio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSzcxcHhaYc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-MzM4WJ0q4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RngUI85Ubtg

Hello all,

I know it's not the New Year just yet but thought i'd get in early and wish everyone a Happy New Year. I've added photos of some nights out to my gallery, so enjoy. For anyone that knows Keith you'll appreciate the pics and realise - new country, new city....same Keith!

See you all in 2008!!!

Paul.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The festive season is upon us and I’ve got sunburn, that's just not right is it? Well a few things have happened since I last was on, Keith turned the grand old age of 31, I went to a Neighbours night, we have three more people staying with us and we went to the Randwick races. Oh yea, Christmas too!

Neighbours Night:-
Went to Neighbours nite with Aileen and her mates last week. I was told there would be some female members of the cast there.... I was lied to! :o( Dr Karl Kennedy was the main headliner then there were two guys I’ve never seen before in my life (and probably never will again!) When it was almost time for the guys to come onto stage I thought I’d make the smart move of heading to the toilet b4 it all kicked off (unfortunately the Men’s toilets are beside the stage). I heard the DJ start to get the crowd ready so I quickly washed my hands and opened the door just as he announced Karl Kennedy, so when I walked out all eyes were on me! Funniest thing to walk outta the toilets and have a room full of people starring at you eagerly with cameras in hand! Good night had, Aileen tried to win some drink by singing. She didn't know the national anthem or the Neighbours theme tune so she sang the globally recognised Maghery song 'there'll be blue and yellow ribbons on the cup'! Took me five minutes to stop laughing! Posted pics from the night in my gallery section so feel free to take a look as the star struck backpackers.

Keith's Birthday:-
Xmas eve saw Keith’s birthday (31 year old with the mentality of a 13 year old!) We ended up heading into town with all the girls (as I mentioned we've three new housemates so when we go out it looks like me and Keith are pimps with our five women in tow!), more so when we met up with three mates of Keith’s sister! Went to the 'Three Wise Monkeys' pub in Sydney (almost all other pubs closed for Xmas eve), Ended up being a great wee pub/nightclub and everyone having a good night. As a matter of fact it was a MAGICAL NIGHT cos a Christmas Miracle happened right before my eyes... Keith managed to stay awake the whole night and even got himself a birthday court!

Christmas:- (longest day ever!)
We were all rightly racked come Xmas day cos Keith’s birthday had been our big blow out. The girls cooked Xmas dinner and me & Keith carved the meat (men doing a mans job!). In usual Xmas fashion we all lay around stuffed and watched some movies. Went for a walk to the beach to work off the turkey and got some photos of the crowds still lying around on the beach with their carryouts blocked! Stayed up to 2am that night, then Keith & I took a dander to the phones to ring home. I ended up getting back home just b4 6 in the morning (thats the price to pay for having a big family & I didn't even get chattin to them all!) Cos I was up so late, this seemed to be the longest EVER Christmas'! Missed the family and doing the usual family things but i just know i'll tourcher everyone next year with 'This time last year i was laying on the beach getting sunburnt'!

Randwick Races:-
Boxing day we all got dressed up and went for a day at the races (more like an afternoon at the races by the time the women got ready!) Keith & I decided we would pool our money and split the winnings from our cleverly worked out system (Baldrick and his cunning plans eh?). As you can imagine we won nought but had a brillient day, craic was 90 and sun was shinning !

Photos of nights out (i.e Keith sleeping), Xmas photos and Randwick Races to follow!

Paul

Hello all,

Just a quick update on the weekends activities, in the style of the Fast Show, "This weekend i have been mostly........drinking!"

On Friday Keith, Cal, Jenny and myself went to 'The Palace' in Coogee. Had a good wee night but we weren't too drunk and left the place with our dignity in tact, which is more than be said for the Saturday night! We went to the CBH (Coogee Bay Hotel) where Keith USUALLY gets refused entry or gets kicked out of for being too drink. In fairness, he never is but its because of the bloodshot eyes, half tucked shirt and ruffed up hair (which he's still claiming the ladies love coz it gives him a rough'n'ready look!) Anyway, unknown to me, he'd been knocking back some strong beers in the house while i was in the pub earlier that day, which explains why he was blocked while the rest of us were just a little bit drunk! To his credit though he we managed to stay to the end of the night without being kicked out- result!
After the usual pizza on the beach, we walked home with Keith bumpin into every shop door, lamp post and street sign on the way - which is actually quite a feat being so accurate when you consider he had his eyes closed most of the time!

I decided to take advantage of the time difference and phoned home at 4 in the morning and talked cr%p to my Ma & Da for an hour or so along with three or four other unfortunates that answered their phones when i rang (Drunk phone calls alway seems a good idea at the time but never are - especially when there’s minimal chance that the person at the other end of the line isn't as drunk as you!)

Sunday night i went into the city to Paddy Maguires for a few with Aileen, Elaine & Kelly, prompting the 'weak livered ones' in our house to conclude that i have a drink problem; obviously the opposite is true, i have absolutely no problem drinking at all!

Again i was on the phone again at 3 in the morning to various others back home (I know, i know, i'm a slow learner and don’t learn from my mistakes...Obviously)

Anyway, that was more detail than i'd planned on giving so i'm now starvin and late for dinner! For all those who still cant find my photo gallery, here's the link to make it easy for you http://pics.livejournal.com/paulinthebush

Till next time,
Pauly Wally.</p>

Hello All,

So i've spent my first week in Sydney and got caught out in THREE thunder storms!! As Crowded House would say "everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you"! In saying that, it goes as quickly as it comes on but mostly it's been sunny but overcast. I went to the beach on thursday and got a cloud-tan (ie feck all tan as it was one of the overcast days!) it actually reminded me of holidays in Bundoran; or as my da would refer to it, 'Beautiful Fu-king Bundoran'.

Keith and i went into the big city for a day trip and went to Darling Harbour to see the Opera House and Bridge. As most of you will already have caught on, my map reading skills haven't improved cos the Opea House and Bridge are at Circular Quays! Anyway, after a small detour we found the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge (Looks Amazing!). I've got some AMAZING photos of both and Keith and myself to make ye all jealious! I'll put them up on my photo gallery soon.

Met with Joe Mac (a fellow Maghery man), and we went to the central most important building in Sydney..... Scruffy Murphys!! 24 hour Irish pub just off Chinatown. Had myself the first of many $10 feeds (under a 5 pounds), Steak, chips, sausages, fried eggs, mushrooms etc.. Plus the Guinness was actually quite nice but i moved onto the local drink - Twooeys New :o)

On Saturday (My Birthday! - thanks for all the cards, bundle of tight feckers ye!) Went to Aileens (a fellow Maghery woman) for a BBQ. Aileen lives in the Carlsburg flat, like the one from the ad. Leather seats, 42" Flatscreen TV, free broadband access etc, one floor below the PENTHOUSE, the view from the balcony is unreal (photos to follow - but they dont do it justice!). Anyway, we went to the sixth floor recreational area, just past the swimming pool, sauna and gym to the open BBQ area, situated near the pitch'n'putt green, driving range and tennis courts (Can ye tell how jealious i am? eh? CAN YE?). ANYWAY, i've a few photos from that to follow, great night had by all (again due to 24 hour bars!). I ended up calling home @ 5 in the morning and missing my wee niece's birthday as it was 18:00 back home! After a few drunkin chats i think i made it home for about 8:30 in the morning - Happy Birthday to me!! :o)

Right that sorta covers everything and brings you all slap up-to-date. I'll add more photos on very soon and update you all with anything that happens.

All the hairy-chest,
Paul 'Flamin Gala' Rafferty

Hello All !!

Welcome to my Journal,

Here's the first of many entries for the year. So i started off in Hong Kong. Flew in at 17:30 local time and jumped forward 8 hours! When i got money changed at the airport i thought i was loaded - $3000 Dollars for 200 pounds, but then again a pint cost $52 ! Couldn't find any pubs in the area i was staying (NIGHTMARE) so i got a carry-out and had a few in the hotel room. Went walking all day Saturday and saw the sights and sounds of the Kawloon area of Hong Kong. Missed the Symphany of light along the Harbour cos i was racked from my days walking. Its a tourest must, 33 skyscrapers along Hong Kong islands harbour perform a syncronised light and sound display for 20 mins at 8pm every night. Went to an Irish pub on the Saturday night and went on the lash with these two Scotish and Canidian guys. Was VERY hung over for my Oz flight. Just about started to come round when i got something to eat in Hong Kong Airport. For anyone that knows me, heres the shocker of teh trip - I ATE A PROPER CHINESE MEAL WITHOUT PICKING THROUGH IT!! King prawns in egg with boiled rice - i'm a REAL growned up now!!

Right i'll upload Pics for ye all, and update ye on Oztralia in my next exciting entry!