The Captain's birthday... 21 again!

Wow, another day and another year older. This getting older lark comes around far too often for my liking. I can remember clear as a bell my 26th Birthday in Russia and yet that was 6 (SIX) years ago! My god, where does the time go to huh?!

The great thing, to my mind, about birtrhdays in Oz is the way they celebrate them here. The whole focus is on it being 'your day', so that you really do feel that you've done something special and the day is easily remembered!

For me, the Saturday kicked off with a rush around trying to find a Campervan - Amanda had suggested we look at the vans at the King's Cross Car Market and despite my initial misgivings, we found some corkers! I especially liked a van owned by a French Couple, Guillaume and Sophie, who were very fond of the old seadog, which was important for me as it shows that they had cared for the Van. It was also well put together, with Fridge, swing out cooker and fold away seat / bed - which was a real winner as in all the other vans I've seen, the bed is normally constructed like a jigsaw puzzle!! I managed to book a mechanical inspection for the Sunday and so left the car park very excited indeedy. To celebrate, Amanda and I strolled down to Woolloomooloo along the quayside there and I treated myself to a chilli-burger from the famous 'Harry's Cafe De Wheels', which has got to be the only fast-food stall that's famous anywhere in the World. The buggers didn't want a picture of me though!

Saturday evening, Amanda has arranged for a meal for us both, what a sweetheart and it's a beautiful fusion style restaurant with a mix of Asian foods - Thai, Chinese and some Tibetan / Indian - mainly roti and Naan breads. The food was delicious and the set up was excellent as well - a very tidy and compact little place with lounging areas. However, being Mr sensible, I opted for a table and chairs!! Yeah Baby!! Pretty 'maggoted' when we left, we mooched down Kings Cross to the Irish bar at the end, but cxan't remember the name! Excellent choons on from some cover bands and we got nicely toasted over the next few hours! I even got up and turned a few times on the dance floor - yup - that's how maggoted I was!! On leaving, there was a young kid, 17/18 yo, in a Mercedes SLK convertible waiting on a red at the lights - music blaring, revving his engine!! I couldn't help myself, consumed with penis envy and so I shouted over at him, something along the lines of 'Oi, turn the music up, we can't hear it...' and 'Oi, does Daddy know you've borrowed his car...' Not very funny, but in my pissed state I really felt the guy wanted to be noticed so I lovingly shared some attention 'Kirky-style'!! An ex once told me that young kids shoot you foir less in Oz, but luckily for me the kid was trying to ignore me... or maybe he couldn't hear me...! Still, I knew then I'd had the 'one too many'!!

So, desperately hungover on Sunday and was off to meet Frederico, my old flatmate for a few beers. I'd threatened Neil and Trudi with my cooking a Sunday roast when I got back from the mechanical inspection on the van! Incidentally, this went very well and after negotiations with Guillaume, we agreed a $5200 AUD price, with my turning up Monday at 10am to hand over the 'Benjamins'. How happy am I?! Unfortunately though, I was so late getting back from this, I'd failed miserably in being able to cook the meal, so Neil and Troods had taken up the cudgel, bless!! Fred was also mooching over, so a good evening was on the cards! In fact, it was better than expected, look at my little pressie...

Bless!! A lovely, home-made card with my new van on the front and also a disco-ball for fun times en-route to wherever!! This complimented Amanda's lovely and heartfelt card too, which had a lovely blessing in - thanks everyone!!





Here we are enjoying the roasty - Fred's finally made it and has an interview tomorrow, right mate? The 3 months is up now on his WHV and he has to change jobs - gutted!!






Trudi made this cake herself, what a sweetie - and let me tell ya, it was very tasty too!! The wine was flowing freely however and we were gearing up for a late night....






This was about midnight - modelling the latest 'White Russians' (Best type if you ask me...!). I think I got to bed about 4am.... Will I wake up in time to collect the van.....