Scarborough Times

Day 324 Fri 03/01/2013
Fun at Neway

“I was off today at People Who Care, so I took work at Neway Transport.  I bussed it to Landsdale.  At work I took some pretty goofy photos at work today.  David put me on the fork lift for a bit so I could help him move some freight.  On the way back to Dianella I jammed good tunes the whole way after work.  I didn’t do anything tonight.”


Day 325 Sat 03/02/2013
Italian Dinner Date


Brothers Mageet (Paul) & Mo with wife Ori(front)
Julia, Leah & I at Scarborough Beach

“Today is the day I woke up & changed the oil in Leah’s Nissan Bluebird.  I had to borrow a spanner wrench (that’s what they call an open ended wrench here) from her Greek neighbor up the street.  Then we went to Scarborough Beach with Ori.  She is scared of sharks & the ocean, but she got out there & fought the waves with us today.
Tonight I am going out with Julia for dinner.  First, I have to put a stereo Leah’s car.  Damn, there are sooooo many wires!
Julia pulled up to Leah’s house at 6:30PM in her Toyota Hilux 4x4 Diesel Tray-back 4 Door Awesome Yute (Truck).  She drove us to an Italian place near Leah’s, & after dinner I was allowed to drive us back to Leah’s.  It was awesome driving a Hilux.  I’ll definitely see her again.  She’s from WA (Western Australia), & has a house in Broom (2,400km up the west coast).  She’s a diver & drives a Toyota.  Yea boi.
OK, I will never write in here this tired again.  It’s 2:00AM on a Sunday morning & I just made the last 5 days sound so boring.  It’s been a great week.  We have a long weekend too.  Monday is Labor Day.  There is no work going on anywhere.  I am hoping for some more fun tomorrow.  Maybe a Sunday Sesh?”


Tell me I don't look like a Klan Member

            Here is a picture of me changing the oil in Leah’s car in the KKK outfit.  Seriously, look how stupid this suit looks.  Is this for real, or is someone playing a joke on me?  Ori was super brave today at the beach.  She has been very timid about going out into the water.  The first few times we have gone to the beach with the Iranians she has been fine with sitting on her towel under the umbrella that only blew away one time.  Today, however, she is further away from the shore than I am.  Leah & I both commented on how brave she was being today.  We had so much fun throwing Leah’s squishy ball. 

Day 326 Sun 03/03/2013
Shark Alarm


(from left) Mo, Ori & Paul

“We went back to Scarborough Beach today to meet Mo, Ori & Mageet.  Julia came later.  As Leah & I got to the beach we saw the shark spotting heli flying over.  It banked into a hard turn immediately as we spotted it & I just knew it had spotted something.  Moments later we hear the loud sirens.  Shark Alarm!  The beach patrol came by & on the loud speaker they informed everyone there was a 1.5 meter hammerhead shark 100 meters off the shore.  We all had to stay out of the water for one hour.  All I wanted to do was go find it.  Leah had brought her snorkel gear too.  It would have been perfect.  But we abided by the rules.
We played more catch with the squishy ball & threw the Frisbee.  Mageet had on the tightest & smallest swim trunks.  They were hilarious.  Leah & I couldn’t believe Ori got back into the water after the shark alarm incident.  Julia was very good at catching the squishy ball & Frisbee. 
Leah had Ori & Mo over for a BBQ tonight.  Emu’s!  Mo brought his new guitar over.  Tonight was very low key, & it was such a good visit.”




Day 327 Mon 03/04/2013
Shiva & Sharareh

Biggest tree at the festival
“Today is Western Australia’s Labor Day, so Ori, Leah & I went down to a small festival in Mt Lawley.  There was a hot spices booth with banana hot sauce.  It was delicious!  There were also camels (Leah really wanted to ride one), pigs, & goats.  We met a writer from Kalgoorlie who writes funny kids stories about Conky the Kangaroo.  My mouth is on fire from the blazing spices.  Whoa!
Tonight Leah & I watched Argo.  The best part of today was going to Shar & Shiva’s house to visit with the wild Persians.  They are so much fun, & they love entertaining guests.  They remind me of MY FAMILY.  Yep, they are so great!”

Leah bought a few collections of Conky the Kangaroo.  I was sure to tell the writer I had worked at Monty’s for a month.  I wish I would have gotten some of the banana hot sauce.
Every time we have gone to Shar’s house to have dinner with her family it is a blast.  Shiva loves cooking food for us, and there is never a lack of it.  The table is covered with food.  Shar’s grandma is always there.  Her hearing & English is not the best, but she will talk to you regardless.  She is so lovely.  Thanks for the wonderful food and the many good laughs.  We love you SharShar, & Shiva, you are a mess!  Thanks again for your hospitality.  J


Day 328 Tue 03/05/2013
Mango Beers


Not my cup!

“David from People Who Care picked me up at 7AM this morning.  We had 3 houses today.  Easy!  Afterwards I had a mango beer with Brendon & Mike.  I watched Season 3 of How I Met Your Mother tonight.”

I have taken very few photos it seems.  The mango beer was something Brendon & Mike had been talking about all last week.  They were indeed tasty.  Mike loves Steel Panther.  We were jamming to it today in one old ladies yard while she was inside.  Thank God she is hard of hearing.  We are turning Brendon on to this band.  Also, Ted on How I Met Your Mother is such a wimp.  No wonder he gets dumped on in nearly every episode.  He needs to watch Swingers, and take some notes from Vince Vaughn’s character!  Come ON, MAN!  Get them claws out son!

Day 329 Wed 03/06/2013
Hard Disk FAIL

“I’m really hoping to get paid today.  I could really use some money.  I was supposed to play volleyball tonight with Britt, the dive instructor at Dive Ski Surf, but it was $11 plus a $5 bus ride that would take me an hour & a half with the way the routes worked.  It was too much of a pain for me to deal with tonight & a little too much money.  So instead, I relaxed & saved money while watching Ted be more of a wimp than ever on How I Met Your Mother.  Wait, my hard-drive just broke!  Dammit, another victim in Oz.  All of my diving videos & all other videos from Australia are on this hard-drive!  Shoot!  Broken!”

            Honestly, I have now seen how far I have come in my view on life.  The hard-drive is clicking, meaning it’s DONE.  I could care less.  I didn’t need any of the diving videos anyways.  I did have my pictures backed up on my lappie (laptop).  I didn’t even get excited about losing monumental videos of my time on the Rum Runner.  There was nothing I could do about it now anyways.  Maybe I was tired of listening to Ted whine anyways.

Day 330 Thur 03/07/2013
Stereo Install


Some of Leah's decor

“There was more yard work to do today for People Who Care.  I have told Mageet I will help him install a stereo in his new car tonight.  This quickly became a huge pain just like Leah’s stereo install.  One I finally got the radio working the car wouldn’t start.  It is after 9PM.  I tried to help, and now he is stuck here at Leah’s with a non-running car.
I tore out the wiring & stereo.  Car still won’t start.  You gotta be kiddin’ me.  I had to find a neighbor with jumper cables, because it turns out no one in Oz carries there religiously.  We jumped the car.  Car is running.  I rewired the stereo.  Radio is working.  Turn the car off.  Crank the car back on.  It runs & stereo works.  I have no idea what I changed.  I sent him home with everything working.  Super sketchy though.”

            There was some kind of security function causing the car to not start.  According to Leah every vehicle sold in Australia has a function that kills the ignition.  It is usually wired into the remote that unlocks the doors (I think).  Well I had never worked with something like this.  All I can figure is my wiring of the stereo is causing issues with the ignition part of the car.


Leah's living room.  She has a beautiful place.  I was so lucky to have such a great friend in Oz!  <3

Day 331 Fri 03/08/2013
Ocean 1 Bar

“At 5AM I took the bus over to Neway Transport for a 730AM start.  I was reminded what it felt like to work for someone who didn’t know their ass from their head today.  To make a long story short management forced David & I to take a ONE HOUR unpaid lunch while we were slammed with work & getting backed up with more loaded trucks.  David & I decided to take 35 minutes & just worked for free to try & not get more behind.  As we began to work again (for free for the next 25 minutes mind you) the same management asked us why we were so backed up & scolded us.  I almost quit.  (Friday is the day most all of the trucks come in and need unloading.  Friday is also the day the shipments go out.  Both old & new stuff go out today.)
Laza & I were supposed to play tennis tonight after I get off of work, but I worked late.  After the long bus ride home it was too dark to play at our court.  So we just went to his place & drank beer.  Leah had gone to Quindanning (Quinny) for a funeral, so I’ll just be staying at Laza’s tonight.  We went to the Ocean 1 Bar, I think.  There was live music, & we met some Sydney girls.”

I don't look to sure about this selfie
            What the dipshit manager at Neway didn’t see was the sheer fact that David & I had worked non-stop with no complaints as a great team from the get go this morning.  We were keeping our head above water.  David knew when the new trucks were making the delivery that we would have to unload.  So we were busting it to get ready for the truck.  We were in good shape until we were forced to take an early lunch, & it was mandatory one hour no pay.  Dave & I ate in about 6 minutes.  We sat there looking at all the warehouse floor we had to clear.  We stared at the freight that needed to be organized.  Some was going into stock, and others were getting moved over to the side to get put back on the next truck that came in after we unloaded its contents.  It was messy, but we had it handled.  Enough on this.
            Laza & I had a blast tonight at Ocean 1.  There were some real goons out tonight, so Laza & I looked like Pros.  The band was playing my kind of tunes, classic rock.  We eventually left because there were a few blokes in there we thought we were going to have to punch on with.  True bogan fools.  I am rpetty sure we went to the Indi Bar last & closed it down.  This was out go to.  It is so much fun hanging out with Laza.  First, he is super nice to everyone, no matter how much he has drank.  Next, he is a tall ex-bouncer & current security personnel for the mines.  No one wants to step up to him.  He also will never let my glass get empty.  Thanks for taking such good care of me BUDDY.  ;)  We were a great team in Oz!  I guarantee we are great in any bar, restaurant, roadhouse, park, beach, state, country, ocean, continent… 


Day 332 Sat 03/09/2013
A Lesson on Being Approachable

Laza & I
“I hung out with Laza again today.  We went to Cottesloe Beach where they had many artists’ sculptures on display.  There we had a nice walk on the beach.  We laughed at the night because we felt like we were on a man date.  An English gal, Georgianna (George), asked if she could sit with us while we were drinking one of the true Ginger Beers.  They were delicious!  After one we figured we better get back to Scarborough Beach area where Laza lives since he was driving.  George came with us.
Indi Bar.  George got a cab home from there.  Laurence & I ran into two of Belle’s friends, Naomie & Louis, at the kebab shop at the end of the night.  They came back with us for wine at Laza’s.  These two turds we had run into over at the kebab shop (not the gals but some dudes) saw us on the back porch at Laza’s and heard the music.  They joined us.  It was messy.”

Man DATE!  Laza & I in Cottesloe looking at sculptures
            These dudes were a train wreck, but back to the initial trip.  Cottesloe Beach had tons of sculptures on display.  There were some very good ones about the place.  Laza & I had fun taking photos like we were tourists.  Well, technically I was still a tourist of almost a year I guess.  Laza was a local at this point.  We didn’t care.  We took goofy pictures just the same as a bunch of young Japanese girls would.  This is not racist (I hope).  Asians in general LOVE taking photos.  Hell Japan makes all of the best cameras!  They are born to love photography.  Don’t get me started on Toyotas!
Tiger Beers for Laza & I
            After goofing around on the beach sculpture viewing we hopped across the street to one of the hotel bars for a drink.  They had an true ginger beer on tap here.  I had never had a ginger beer, non-alcoholic, before.  It is very similar to what we call root beer, but it is not the same.  They may both come from ginger root, but they taste completely different.  Maybe that’s just here in Oz.  The drink they had here on tap was an alcoholic ginger beer, called Tiger Beer.  It was super tasty.
            As we were sipping our ginger beers an English girl walked right up to us and asked to sit with us.  I love Australia!  No way in hell would this happen in America.  I could really offend many American gals going into this any further.  There are always exceptions, of course.  As a whole, I’ve met many not so outgoing ladies in the states.  I’m talking about the ones that look at you like an idiot when you randomly walk up to them for a chat.  Even though there is nothing random about you walking up to them.  You are putting yourself out there for them to maybe want to meet someone fun.
            Well because this gal fresh to the land down under approached two complete strangers on a man date (maybe that’s why she felt comfortable sitting with us) she had a hell of a first night in Australia.  We turned her on to Indi Bar if nothing else.  Also, she had a friend in Scarborough Beach now.  He’s a hell of a good mate to have here too.
Crickey!!!
            The lesson is BE APPROACHABLE.  Not all blokes are out to get laid.  I have some buddies who think this is the reason they are going out, but they never get laid.  They just like lying to themselves I guess.  We all lie to ourselves sometimes though.  Hah!
            George’s jet lag caught up to her soon though, and she hailed a cab back to Cottesloe from the Indi.  As Laza and I were grabbing a late night kebab from down on Scarb Beach we ran into Belle’s two buddies.  Laza’s was a short walk from here, so they joined us for the after party.  So did two random blokes.  Josh & Tom?  I dunno how I have these assclown’s names even written down.  Total bogan drunks.  Fully sleeved, flat billin, super C’s.  However, they were harmless.  We got messy.

“Leah saw Guns N Roses tonight, aka The Gunners, in Perth tonight.  She had a last minute free ticket with one of her friends.  Nice!  It was only Axl Rose of course.  I’d still go for free!  Hellz YEA!”


Laza

Day 333 Sun 03/10/2013
Morning Swim

“We went to the beach at 730AM for the sunrise.  It was so nice.  I had brekkie with Julia (the place was famous for SOMETHING, I cannot remember).  She had Belle, Naomi, Laza, Louis & I over tonight for finger food.  Laza & I never did go play tennis.”

Bogans!
            Tonight Julia introduced me to Tijuana Cartel.  The girls sipped wine while Laza & I ate food.  We had reached our limit for the weekend.  We didn’t really sleep last night.  The sun came up while we were still sitting there on the porch.  The two goofs were still with us, which pretty much made Laza & I two goofs as well.  We figured we needed a swim while the sun was coming up.  Laza & I jump in and swim out.  The two Aussie’s act like we are crazy.  It’s too cold for them.  Laza has now seen enough.  He tells them they are sorry Aussies.  What Australian is afraid of the water?  They finally ease out into the water.  I immediately see a wallet floating by me.  I grab it and take a look.  Yup, it is one of these guy’s wallet.  “Hey mate, where’s your wallet?” I ask.  He realizes he has lost it.  He freaks out.  I show it to him.  “You guys need to leave.”  They kindly make their way down the beach.
The swim felt great.  Julia came by to take me for brekkie at one of her favorite places on the water.  I will get the name of it from her soon, because right now I cannot remember what the place was called.  It was very nice.


Day 334 Mon 03/11/2013
Serpentine, WA
Driving Julia's Hilux
“I leave Perth in one month.  Today Julia & I are taking a road trip in her Hilux to Serpentine, WA to see her sister & brother-in-law in the mountains.  This is about an hour & a half trip.  I got to drive the Toyota too!  Talk about the country.  According to Julia’s sister the Buddhist population near here tried very hard to buy their land due to the amount of spiritual energy around the place.  This land somehow lines up with their Buddhist star map.
I haven’t been very creative with my writing here lately.  I am just writing down facts it seems.  Names & places to not forget, & I hope the facts will trigger stories at a later time when I re-write all of this into one large adventure.  We will see I guess.
Julia got new tyres on her Hilux.  We went to the local library here in Serpentine while the shop had her truck.  I read the LONELY PLANET List Guide.  There were various Top 10 lists in different categories of places to travel (along with places NOT to travel).
Leah & I had dinner over at Mo & Ori’s house with Mageet as well. <3
Julia & I at her sister's house in Serpentine, WA
(The <3 leads to a later reference in my journal I just found.)  Dinner!  They are so funny & hospitable.  There were peppers with ground beef inside.  I ate loads of food.  Mo showed us how to tie a turban.  He called it something different.  They are some of the nicest, smartest & funniest people I’ve met.  Mo is an engineer for the mines.  After dinner I went out with Mageet & Uni.  They both were lying about being Iranian.  Mageet even tells girls his name is Paul.  Hahaha.  I tell everyone I am American.  I have heard about Americans who claim to be Canadian, because nobody hates Canadians.  Screw that!  If people want to judge me on anything else but ME then GFY!”

            I tuned Julia’s sister’s guitar for her.  It was way out.  Their home was beautiful.  It was up on a mountain in the countryside.  Thanks for letting me drive the Hilux, Julia.  I need one!  Love it!
            Mo & Ori had Leah & I over for dinner tonight.  They are too kind.  It was hilarious watching Leah satisfy her need to clean.  Mo fought with her over the dishes.  “Leah STOP.  You are our guest!” Mo said.  He had to pull her away from the sink.  They are very generous hosts.  The food was delicious as always.  Thanks again for sharing your home with us. 

Leah & Ori
Day 335 Tue 03/12/2013
American Stereotypes
“I’m working for People Who Care today.  Mike & Brendon had Macker’s (McDonald’s) for lunch this arvo.  A $6.75 angus burger for Mike, & $2.00 double for Brendon.  They asked me if I had fat parents back home.  I told them to piss off.  (They were NOT joking either.  They literally thought we were all fat.)
We had some very nice elders today as we worked on all of their yards.  I went to the chemist (pharmacy) today to have them look at my arm where I have had this bite looking sore.  I ended up pulling some nasty looking stuff out of it today.  Yuck!”

           

FOUR of my most favorites!
1. Chocolate MILK
2. Dive Rashi from Foxy's BVI
3. Grocery Stores
3. LeahBoo!
MORE TO COME!!!!  Much Love from STRAYA.  Cheers Mate!  -Michael

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