A moped meets a bush

While in Koh Tao, David rented a moped so we can drive around the island. My poor David’s ego took quite a plunge. He rented the moped and the lady at the shop showed him how to start and break so, he hops on and me behind him it didn’t take a half a second, we were in the bush. We’re in the bush and David tries to break but takes the moped in deeper. It was so funny! The woman comes and helps us take the moped out of the bush she then tells David that he should to a test run without me in the back. As he’s “driving” (not very stable on it), the lady tells me: “You drive, you drive!” So when David came back, I did a test run and had no problems at all. David did not take it too well, he didn’t say anything but it showed in his face. I might say that the bush is still crooked and the wheel mark in the dirt was still there 4 days later and I recon still there today! lol!

Advance and Rescue Diver in Koh Tao

While being in Thailand, I did the one thing I've been wanting to do there since I heard from some friends how cheap it was to do it there. I've taken more diving classes, I was hoping to get to the level of instructor but I needed at lease 2 months with a minimum of 60 dives so I decided to get as high as I could within a week hence, I did my Advance Open Water class (AOW), EFR (Emergency First Response) and Rescue. So, I'm now to the level of Rescue Diver which means that I've got to get my Dive Master and then I can take the Instructor class. Koh Tao is known to be a diver's paradise with it's whale sharks and great underwater life. I did see some sharks on my first diving day but with the bad visibility saw more like their shadows. I enjoyed my shark "encounter" in Hawaii better than here.

De la belle visite!!

Ma mere est venue me rendre visite pour la premiere fois dans l'un de mes voyages. J'etais vraiment contente de la voir. Ca fesais plus de 6 mois que j'etais partie. Biensur, quand elle est venue, il a commence a pleuvoir ce qui arrive pas souvent ici a Brisbane et il n'a pas juste plu un peu mais quazi sans arret pendant la premere semaine. Comme elle est venue pour seulement 2 semaines, on a du tout faire durant la derniere semaine. Ma mere et moi avons fait le tour de la ville et les endroits a voir durant la premiere semaine durant la deuxieme, nous sommes allees a Moreton Bay voir les dauphins et faire de l'apnee, nous avons fait un tour a la Gold Coast avec mon coloc se baigner a Surfer's Paradise, j'ai fais mange ma mere du Kangourou steak et kebab a un BBQ chez mon amie le lendemain, nous avons nourris des Kangourous, vue des Koala, Wombats, Emu, Chauves-sourris, ect. nous avons meme tombe en amour avec un Cacatoes Noir. J'ai vraiment apprecie d'avoir ma mere ici je crois que dorenavant elle va me prendre au serieux quand je dis que la nourriture est dispendieuse ici! :)

Good 'ol Hockey game!

I just had the best time! Yesterday, I went to swing at South Bank and Mark being a referee, offered me some ice hockey (hockey is different here) tickets for today's game. Drew came over for tea and a chat then, we picked up Renee before heading to the ice rink. Arriving there, I saw many people wearing Canadian hockey jerseys, hats, etc. one even had an Expo baseball cap. I was back home for an instant, yup until I saw a sign on how to lace skates. lol!!! It was the Brisbane Blue Tongues vs Canberra's Knightly (for those who doesn't know, Canberra is the capital of Australia). During the half time, Mark and I spoke, this is apparently the highest Australian league and it's the semi-finals. This rink is soooo small it's similar the local arenas we have back home. This was an exciting game with an end score of 7-6 for Canberra going to the finals. One of the Blue Tongues was so angry he smashed his stick on the ramp. I never really liked ice hockey but I had a blast a that game. We all enjoyed the game very much!

Drew, Renee and I at the game.


Mark one of this games referee.


Do I have to give a description?!

Australia Zoo

Alain, Jen and I, went to the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's zoo). It was loads of fun and we really enjoyed the Kangaroos and Koalas. We got to pat them and take pictures with them, fed the Kangaroos and Elephants as well. One full day was enough to see everything but we did stay 'till closing time. They have shows and they do give a lot info on the animals. What a great day we spent!

My new place!

This is my new place! Once I found a job, I went room hunting and this is the place I found it's really nice and close to work. The only problem is that my landlord seem to not mind her business and want to control the house as she lives downstairs but comes upstairs to use the kitchen. My flatmate, Christina, and I are a bit worried as it is not her business who we bring over, what time and/or for how long. She can only complain if we make too much noise or destroy the place or something. I sure hope that she'll change her attitude as she was very disrespecfull the other day as she was not happy that I had some friends over from Montreal for a couple of nights. To be nice, I told her I would have people over but she, in front of them told me she didn't like me having people over for more than one night. One, it is not her business that I have people over at my place two, it was so rude and disrespectful to have discussed this in front of them as a result, the will be leaving my place earlier. Her coming upstairs to cook doesn't give her the autority to tell me what I'm allowed and what I'm not allowed. If it bothers my flatmates, it's up to them to tell me and it really didn't bother Christina. Well, we'll see how things goes and I'll also have a talk with her about minding her own business.

Reunion de famille a l'autre bout du monde!

La reunion de famille du mois de juillet passe etait vraiment super. David, le fils a Louise a briller par son absence puisqu'il vit a Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast au nord de Brisbane) en Australie. Etant donc dans ce coin du monde, j'ai du faire un petit tour au nord pour rendre visite a mon cousin eloigne puisque j'ai deja rencontre le reste de sa famille. Je me suis donc presentee a l'improvise au restaurant Thai Mangoes qui appartient a sa blonde, qui est Thailandaise. Ils ont tous les deux ete tres accueillant, il m'ont offert un refuge et nourris. Duan, la blonde a David, est une tres bonne chef, elle fais les rouleaux de printemps et les wontons elle meme. Je suis vraiment contente de les avoir rencontre et de les avoir aide au restaurant en remplacant une serveuse absente. C'est un beau petit restaurant a saveur familliale. C’est un peu drole que je dois me rendre a l’autre bout du monde pour rencontrer de la famille du Quebec. Je suis tres contente d’etre venue les voirs!

Wintersun

Hey!
Just been to the wintersun, a huge rockabilly/swing (mostly rockabilly) festival in Coolongata on the Gold Coast. It lasts 10 days and there's hundreds of cars, dance workshops - rockabilly/jive/swing (including some with Dex and Alice), outdoor shows as well as evening shows, a market full of vintage or vintage like clothes, shoes (dance), accessories, car accessories, etc and more. I had the chance to spend the last weekend of the fest down there, from Thursday night 'till the big swing dance Sunday night. It was just awsome to walk around with all the people that have a passion for the 40's and 50's, lots of Elvis fans as well. I know a bunch of you would've loved it so here's a sample of the pix I took during that weekend (for more go to http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/lindy_rocks/ under Wintersun in the Australia file).

Maybe your new cowgirl!!!

Hey! I went mustering! Oh ya mustering! For those who are not familiar with what mustering is, it's went you move cattles thru a certain distance. This time, we moved about 600 cattles thru 12-15km. By car, it took about 15-20 mins offroad to get there, moving these cattles took about 7hrs. I just can't believe I go my arse up before 6am. Never would I've thought I would be doing this in my life. Hey, I might end up being the next female Clint Eastwood! Yah right! Lauren and I shared a 4wheeler as we pushed those cattles in the arse to mooooove and make sure they don't leave the pack. This was sooooo much fun! I love mustering, I'm definety going to do this again for a month or so but on a horse (I hope). I'll be a Jillaroo. These cattles move so much dirt, I have a film of dust all over me and quite a suntan. God it was hot! Thanks to Neil for the experiance! Go cowboys!!!

Heli Ride!!

Went for a Heli ride! Look at this…

It was really nice and fun seeing Croydon from up here. Thanks a lot Craig! This was an awesome ride!

Swing dancing in Hawaii!!

Hey,
I've been dancing in Hawaii, tho the scene is small the people are great! They are some of the nicest people I've met. They made me feel comfortable, driven me back to my hostel, helped me with my laptop, got me to try Mochi, suggested Hawaiian dishes and restaurants. They were just great! I'm very glad i came and met these guys. Thanks to all of you for your hospitality!!!

The Highlander Pub

I just spent my last days in Ottawa for a very long time. So I took the opportunity to organise a gathering with my favorite people in Ottawa, swing dancers. We went for food and beer at the Highlander Pub and then headed to Le Petit Chicago where a Jazz band was playing, it was good (tho not always dansable!). Well it was a great evening, thanks to all that showed up! Keep in touch!!

Quebec - La nouvelle France!!

Ma formation avec chez CIM viens de finir et l'equipe de Quebec est la, on es mercredi et elle revient a Montreal samedi. Moi qui es allee a Quebec a plusieurs reprises mais qui ne l'a jamais visite viens tout juste de trouver une belle opportunite d'y aller. Et voila une aventure imprevue, derniere minute et spontanee. J'me suis donc retrouve a Quebec pour quelques jours, cool! Wow, je ne savais pas que c'etait les celebrations de la nouvelle France cette semaine. Trop l'fun! Y'a plein d'monde avec des vetements d'epoque ainsi que plein de chose a faire : magasinage, assister a un spectacle, demonstration d'artisanat de l'epoque, etc. C'etait une belle fin de semaine!

One day trip to Albany, NY

Isabelle and I went to Albany to look at houses! What a trip this was! Imagine going to Albany and comming back in the same day. It was special but a fun road trip. We wondered around the city but it seems like all the stores closes at 2pm what a boring city! I do not want to go there again unless it's for like swing dancing or someting. It was a nice sunny day tho. We ate at Denny's (Isabelle wasn't very happy about that later on :P) and saw Pirates of the Carabean : Dead's man chest in Saratoga springs. It was quite an adventure!