Relax

So there's a tsunami warning for PNG due to the quake in Chile. So I'm on my balcony trying to catch a tan and blogging, GT's. We can't go to site because it's right at sea level... no evidence of the tsunami here yet though, but apparently it has hit Hawaii already.

Anyways, back to the rays.

And before I forget, here's a link to all my Buenos Aires Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=377929&id=666980653&l=3c76960449 .

And our day at the Guacho ranch... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=380335&id=666980653&l=0284dfeab4

BA

All good things come to an end... Unfortunately! Buenos Aires was awesome. The week here has been a ton of fun, exploring the city and taking in the sites with Ed and Kate. The GT's included a futbol game, a day at a working ranch, tango show, walking tours, shopping, wicked restaurants, and a few late night surprises at some very cool venues.

Argentina and BA have been another great experience with BA rocketing to the top of my favourite city list (narrowly ahead of Berlin). The casualness, awesome burrios, history, and attitude of the locals has made another big impression and resulted on a fantastic holiday experience. While there are definitely some elements of a 2nd world or undeveloped nation these only add to the charm of this impressive country. I'd like to return to explore the country to the south, which includes many elements familiar to Canada such as mountains, glaciers, skiing, and wildlife. All I good time though!!

I'm in the airport now getting ready for the trip back to png and work. Hope everyone is well!



-- Post From My iPhone

Smoke in your face

This was in my drafts from argentina, guess it didnt upload ...

Had to laugh. Apparently buenos aires is full of various wandering street vendors selling anything from jewelery, socks, to CDs... I was sitting enjoying a caprese salad and a one litre beer (cheers Nabber) when one of them lit a fresh smoke, took a big inhale, then made his sales pitch to a table of girls. The ensuing exhale and cloud of smoke in their faces was comical. They didn't buy anything.


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Before I forget

A few notes from Mexico.

- in Mexican airport bars you can your drink in a to-go cup and take it directly to the gate!! I wonder if you could get it all the way onto the plane.
- Spanish screaming kids on planes are still annoying. But I understand.
- tableside coat racks in restaurants, why not, it's so simple and usefull. Take note restauranteers.






-- Post From My iPhone

Arrived in EZE

Checked into a little B&B close to the apartment that Kate, Ed, and myself will be staying in once they arrive tomorrow. It's nice, fully old school and funky, and the bed very comfortable even if it's a full 30cm (1 foot) short.

It's 3pm here, taking a quick nap due to not much sleep in roach class on the way here.




The ride here was alright too, except I think I was taken for a ride by the taxi, but that could also be my skeptical self. The roads and all the buildings on/close to the freeway reminded me Cairo actually... Only more toll booths.



-- Post From My iPhone

More PV Pics

Follow the link for a few more pics, courtesy of my traveling companions.

Rain delay

Nothing interesting to blog about today because it's raining... no one on the beach, no one on the course, and people are staying in their rooms (including me!). Oh well, a quiet day with a book and a laptop, can't complain! Tomorrow should be better... final round of golf and then off to Argentina.

POM to BNE to LAX to PVR

No regrets, first post in awhile. I've been relying on Facebook to update the masses but have realized lately that not everyone is on FB (gasp!), and this forum allows for a bit more detail.

So in case you didn't know I'm out for my second rotation from Papua New Guinea. The first half I've met friends John and Vanessa from Canada in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I've been here in PV for 7 nights so far... I stayed the first 6 at the Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Spa in downtown PV with those two... and yesterday I said goodbye to John and Vanessa as they had used up their week off from work. I had a great time with the two of them lounging by the pool and hanging out in downtown PV... We did a zip line thing which was a great time. I've never done that before, and when they go with you down the line and flip you upside down, essentially sending you headfirst over a giant crevasse with no hands it's unnerving at first. But eventually you want to do it more, a good rush! Other highlights of the time spent with J&V was partying on the malecon, relaxing by the pool, golfing, nice dinners, and many (too) tequila shots! I was eventually tequila'd out mid-week but fought through it for one more crazy night on their last night. Neither of them were too thrilled about being severely hungover for their plane ride home, mission accomplished!! ;)

Yesterday I moved over to Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta, a little further north than PV proper. The reason for this was now that I'm by myself my plan is to hit the golf course with vengeance, and one of the better courses (El Tigre) is located near this resort. My strategy today was to suffer through a timeshare presentation in order to get cheaper golf.

Timeshare sales people are not happy when you say no... bottom line I said I didn't come here thinking about a timeshare, I'm not an impulse buyer (I lied about that, I am!), and if it's such a good product you'll sell it to me later. It always sounds good though... They eventually talked themselves down to a $3500 sort of vacation club deal that was for 200 years, 6 weeks a year, pay as you go, no annual fee, 6 more less flexible weeks for friends/family, no blackouts, book online, etc etc sort of thing. Which still sounds like a decent deal. I mean, if I go somewhere and book a place it does cost way more ($150/night * 7nights = $1050), whereas this deal it'd be under $200-500 for a week depending how pick I was with times/places. Given that I do travel quite a bit it could be paid off pretty quickly... But basically it boils down to being a sort of discount online/self-service thing that costs $3500 to sign up for! So I'm not sold on it yet...

But I do get to play El Tigre three times for $108 instead of $150x3=$450, so no worries!

Here is a link to photos... They're all from my iPhone and taken with a blood alcohol measure of between 0.04 to 0.23 and therefore relatively crappy.

Tomorrow my plan is get up, jog on the beach, shower, breakfast, golf at 10:30am, then maybe the spa or a real workout... Then on Tuesday I have golf at 9am, so will have to work something else out for some more activity afterward. Wednesday I think I'll play one of the courses up in the mountains (since I have to check out anyways), then I'm on the plane at 6:30pm for the overnight trip to Buenos Aires, which is where I'm meeting Ed and Kate (friends from Brisbane) for the second half my break. Ed and Kate were in Peru for all the rain and mudslides that have been in the news, so I'm hoping everything is alright with them. They were planning a few multi-day treks through the jungle so it's not totally unusual that I haven't heard from them.

mmmm... blogging. I'll try and get back into it a little more consistently and hopefully more interesting too.

End of Oz II

It appears this stint is coming to another end here in Australia, with my assignment drawing to a close and my pending mobilization to Papua New Guinea for the construction phase. The date has been set for 9-Sept, so I've started making arrangmements to get rid of furniture, sell the car, and send some things back to Canada for storage... This date has been a couple months in making, with an original forecast of June. But I was never that optimistic and have been telling anyone who asked that my mobilisation to PNG was 4-6 weeks away. Well, there was a hint of it before I left for hols but it was confirmed when I returned that it was really going to happen.

Of course I'm sad to leave once again, it's been an awesome year. But I always knew this was the end game. Reuniting with Aussie friends and coworkers from 2006 was great, plus I've of coursed made many more the course of the year.

Life will be a little different in PNG. I'll be living in the national capital of Port Moresby in company supplied apartment style townhouses. I've seen a few pictures and have heard good news about the arrangements from coworkers who have already made the move. The work will be a lot more intense with the work schedule being 7days per week and 11 hour days (77/week). We do this for 6 weeks and then get 3 weeks off, with the standard arrangement to fly back to Calgary (or somewhere of equal or lessor value). It'll take some getting used to, the last assignment in Egypt was 56 hours per week....

We do get a half day off on Sundays, on which I'm hoping to hone my mid-irons at the Port Moresby Golf Club. Other than that I believe social opportunities are scarce due mostly to our work schedule and partly due to our limited mobility in-country. We won't have our own transportation but are instead given access to a pool of drivers and vans. I think most people use them to go shopping and whatnot, and not many pub crawls. I'll make an effort to change this though... I'm hoping my radio call sign will be something along the lines of Party Machine. Hah.

So that's the latest. Here's a picture of my favorite sushi bar whilst enjoying a bottle of cola. Hanachi on the Queen St Mall beside Wagamama and Strike Bowling. Order the sashimi plate, best in Brissie. I'll miss it.



-- Post From My iPhone

California

Apologies for the lack of blogging, but Facebook has ended up being a more convenient place to through pictures and quick updates. But, here's a significant post.

I've spent the last 10 days in central California to stand up for a friend in his wedding to a beautiful bride. A bunch of friends made the trip down from Calgary for the events. The newlyweds planned a great week between San Francisco and the Carmel area. We toured, we wine-toured, we golfed, we went to a ball game, we took scenic drives, we hot-tubbed, we cooked, we had push-up contests, we shopped, and most of all we enjoyed everyone's company with the happy couple.

Here are a few pictures.... Unfortunately they're not in chronological order, but they're here!

Safety first

Last week I was asked to attend a two day safety leadership conference down in kingscliff, to the south of the Gold Coast. It was an all day event with our construction group and most high level client management as well. It was an informative and enjoyable conference held at a great location. The hotel was called Mantra, and this is the pool:


-- Post From My iPhone

A couple posts for Frank

http://everygirlssecret.com/2009/06/bacon-vodka-the-swine-shot-to-get-this-summer/

http://www.andiamnotlying.com/2009/bacon-infused-vodka/

All the latest rage

I hear "the frank" is the next drink of choice amongst young professional types at this year's stampede.

It's Patron with a slice of goodness.



-- Post From My iPhone

Winter evening

On my way to a work dinner in southbank, but had to admire the Brisbane winter evening by the river at the ferry wharf.


-- Post From My iPhone

News of my project

Here's a news article about the specific part of the project I'm working on... constructing the training facilities in Port Moresby.

What does this mean for me, you ask? It means we're a step closer to starting construction and actually mobilizing to PNG, should happen late August for me...

Have I really not posted anything since the end of May?? I get so confused... between Facebook and this blog I'm not sure where/what I've posted.

Anyways, here's some pics from my home leave to Canada. I'm stranded in Vancouver as my flight to Sydney is delayed 2 hours, so it's going to be a 4 or 5 hour layover. Oh well, flying bidness class so the Maple Leaf lounge will get a work out. They better not run out of Crown Royal.

Downtown Calgary, businessmen in cowboy hats, yee haw!

Driving to BC to see g-ma... miss those mountains:
James and Alisha's wedding in Toronto, here's the CN tower view from my hotel room:
Happily married, Alisha is already dozing off! lol, great wedding though and lots of fun:
Golfing at Kananaskis... more good views:
Not complete without wildlife on the course:
More wildlife, my new drive club cover. Say hello to the Beav:

Perth

Flew to Perth this past weekend to see a few friends. James and Alisha who I worked with in McMurray and Egypt, Jeremy who is an Aussie I worried with in Perth and visited in Vietnam, and Joe and Leigh Ann who I worked with in McMurray on UE1. James is here temporarily working on another job in Perth and Joe has made a permanent move here...

The pictures are pretty sad, oh well. I'm missing a few pics of the Swan Valley and all tv wineries we tasted, as well as a couple breweries... Which was definitely a high light from Saturday.

Saturday eve we went for a great dinner and then out for a night on the town, which was great. Sunday we spent mostly in Fremantle for some more touring and beer tasting...

Jeremy and his housemate Rob at the Duckstein brewery in the Swan Valley which is where a few Western Australian wines are made. We toured around the area tasting all of Saturday..


James and alisha--








Little Creatures brewery in Fremantle:





More Freo:














Post From My iPhone

Shirt pockets

Today is the first time I've ever put a pen in a shirt pocket. It was just so convenient. In the past I've just clipped the pen onto a book or whatevere else I was carrying at the time but today the book was too thick and I didn't want to bend the pen's clip, so the shirt pocket was a natural alternative. I'm afraid to use this option on a regular basis though because of the sterotypes associated with pens in shirt pockets. Dorky engineers walking around with pens of each colour plus calculators and rulers sticking out of their shirts. Or anyone over 50... I reckon the only people who it suits are carpenters or cooks, and even they usually have those cool carpenter/chef shirts that have the pockets on the sleeves.


-- Post From My iPhone

Camping, surfing, tryin' to lose my mind

This past weekend was another classic chapter in Queensland lifestyle, spent with the Collin's crew camping on Moreton Island. Moreton Island is just east of Brisbane and is only an hours ferry ride away. We loaded the ute Thursday evening and then blasted off early from work to make the 1pm ferry on Friday arvo.

There was an oil spill off the east of of Queensland in March, which was pretty serious and had actually caused the closure of the Moreton to the public until last week. Here's a picture of the beach during the spill:

But good news, it's clean now and ready to be enjoyed. This pictuer is of Honeymoon bay, which is about a 5 minute walk from where we camped. Perfect.

This is the Collins family on the ferry on the way over (from L to R: Mikaela, Steve, Janine, Chloe):

Here are the Tangalooma wrecks, just off the coast and just next to where the ferry drops us off, right onto the beach. Great snorkling and fishing around the wrecks... I guess Moreton Island was an old whaling station and these are old whaling boats after they decimated the whale population:

This was a quadding tour leaving Tangalooma as we arrived:

Driving up the beach to our camp spot on North Point:

A bypass inland for a little ways:

Sunset over the glass house mountains as seen from the north shore of Moreton Island.

This weekend was the first time I actually felt like a surfer... as in I stood up almost more than I fell face first and bounced off the bottom. There was a sweet little point break off the north point where you had to hike in for about 15 minutes because there was no other access. On Sunday we actually walked down the sand blow you see in the pic, wicked scenery. Dive in off the rocks and away you go. Sunday's session was the best surf experience I've ever had.

Part of the reason we started from the sand blow on Sunday was because we ran into a ranger who told us about the spotting of 5-6 5m+ bronze whalers (f'ing man eating sharks) on the south end of the island. So we took the high road to see if we could see anything in the water before we dove in.... luckily no whalers in site that day... Here's a link to a story about the siting, there was a picture in the paper but I can't find it online.

Good times.

This weekend I'm off to Perth to visit my friend Jeremy (visited him in Vietnam in '06), James and Alisha (fellow Cdns who I worked with in Egypt and Fort McMurray), and Joe Lyttle (worked with in Fort McMurray but he now lives in Perth). Just quick Friday to Sunday jaunt, looking forward to it though!