boarding

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Ryan Mulvaney
c. 248.808.2138
w. 313.373.3081

My Pictures!!!

Ok I've finally went through my 887 pictures and grabbed the ones that made sense.
I've posted them in albums of each city we stopped in. They are roughly in chronological order...I think. It's foggy. Man I miss that place.

Melbourne

2008 Australia_Melbourne

Sydney

2008 Australia_Sydney

Byron Bay

2008 Australia_ByronBay

Gold Coast/Surfer's Paradise/Coolangata

2008 Australia_SurfersParadise-Coolangata

Brisbane/Auckland

Finally going through my camera

I finally have beat jetlag and started looking through my camera.
Lots of stuff to sort through, but here's some videos. Random.
So we had a big bar in the basement of the hostel we stay at in Sydney.
The first night we got there they had this guy playing songs on his
acoustic guitar and we whip'd this one out. I was blown away.

Kiwi country

We made it and once again another country without free Internet.
Seriously what's the deal. I can't wait to get home and torrent some
shit. Anyway yesterday was a big travel day. Took a bus to a train to
a plane, then another bus to a hostel. The travel I'd starting to wear
me out. Everyone else is here has like three months to explore weve
got three days. Stupid Americans. Our first night we go to this nice
Thai restaurant and there's this guy sitting next to us from
Wellington here on business. He works for the corrections system and
his name is Phil. We talk to phil for around an hour about how the
justice system. Phil is a big wine fan and buys us a bottle of his
favorite to share. This sums up the vibe of this country so far. I'm
so bummed we only have a few days. Also this may be my last post
before we to so I hope you were entertained by my terrible spelling. I
really enjoyed trying to share the experience and trust me I've only
told you about 5 percent of the trip. I'm gonna post videos and
pictures here when I get home if you wanna look. All I can tell you is
get off your asses and get out of north America for a little
adventure. This has been more rewarding then I could have ever
imagined. Right now I could truly give up all my possessions at home
and live out of this backpack for another year and travel the world.
But I would miss you all too much so I guess I'll come home.

Love ya,
Ryan

Asians take too many pictures

Seriously they really like their digital cameras. I've seen them
taking pictures of people taking pictures. Also Asians are everywhere
here. So we just left the gold coast and not a minute too soon as far
as I'm concerned. Imagine spring break in cancun 365 days a year and
you have surfers paradise. Its chalked full of horny backpackers from
all over the world and the tacky high rise skyscrapers are filled with
local time shares. Its pretty much Miami with less culture. I'm not a
fan. Glad we only stopped in for two days. We did do the club thing
last night which was insane. 200 backpackers crammed into a bus
stopping at four of the hottest clubs. I'll tell your one thing
though, the aussies can party like no other. The clubs are open till
5am we left last night at 4 and there was still lines at all the hot
spots! Needless to say my old bones are hurting today. Can't wait to
get to Brisbane and take a nap. Oh troy if you're reading thus go
listen to this dj named potbellez. Its the song of the moment here.
Very sweat.

We also hot up yesterday and went to this awesome smaller local city
south of surfers called Coolangotta where they were having a pro surf
competition. The best surfers in the world are there right now. It was
really cool and definetly a cooler vibe. After the comp we checked out
a music festival they are having on the next beach over. I go some
breathtaking shots from the hill we had to climb over to get there.
Then it was around four and we tried to get song dinner. But every
restuarant was closed so we got all confused(it standard that all
restaurants close between lunch and dinner.) Then we realized we had
crossed the state line and one state has daylight savings time, and
one doesnt. So in ten footsteps south you can leap ahead one hiurvin
the space time continum. This my friends is how Australia operates.
They cannot be bothered with logic when the beach is on site and surfs
up.

On a sad note it is true everyone in the world hates America. Being
here makes me sad for our country. Everyone has been really nice to us
but its obvious our foreign relations need some help. I refuse to
pretend I'm Canadian though. America...f"@k yeah!!!

Woke up this morning

and had a spot of rain and decided it's time to get out of Byron before it's impossible to leave.
Oops gotta catch a bus to Surfer's Paradise...more later

Lost in byron

Sorry for the lack of updates but Byron is just too brillant to waist
time on a computer. I finally feel like I'm getting a real piece of
australian culture. The people here are real and the environment is as
close to heaven I think you can get. There are no mcdonalds no lofts
no cheesy tourist shirt stands. Its all real and I love it. Love it so
much that we decided to spend the rest of our time in Australia here.
We had planned to head up to the gold coast today but we've heard its
basically like Miami and I have no interest in that whole thing. We
are still going to hit Steve Irwins zoo on the last day but Byron is
all I need. In fact a lot of the people I've met here came to stay for
like a week and now they've been here 6 months. A bunch of American
draft dodgers came during Vietnam and that how the hippy movement
entered the picture but now its turned this whole shire into a very
vibrant arts and activists community. It is a top holiday destination
but the locals won't let it get developed which makes it perfect. Its
a little like going to petoskey but less yuppy more hippy. This is a
spot I will definetly be revisiting. Its worth the journey trust me.
The past two days have been a blur but here's some stuff we did in no
particular order.

Parties at the art factory with the locals

Learned that aborigines have it worse then native Americans. Most die
by age 45.

Icing the eskey = filling the cooler with ice

Bitch fizz = zima

Went to the nimbin museum and was offered drugs no less then twenty
times. Its more of an LSD trip then a museum. Its basically where
hippies have left their shit for the past 30 years.

Took a bus ride through the hills of Byron going about 60mph listening
to dark side if the moon. You seriously had to be there hopefully the
video does it justice.

Saw a real f'n koala in a tree having lunch in the wild!!!!! Maybe
the highlight of the trip. We were out in the woods. It was like one
in a million.

Had a rainy day to just chill

Watched an Aussie footie game

Met an indoneisian name Johnny Ganjah who played us reggae music.

Went to a club called cheeky monkeys which had a haunting resemblance
to The Dollar for those who know what I'm talking about. The drinking
age is 18 here so the bars are always packed with girls with too much
makeup on and guys with too much cologne. Its funny.

So that's it for now hopefully we can make it out of Byron bay and
into new Zealand by next week but we'll see.

Sent from my iPhone

I would tell you about Byron Bay but I'm too stoned to type;)

Seriously this place is wicked! The most laid back beautiful place yet. I'm learning that Australia is all about having time and space to think. There's a lot of space and that's why everyone loves it. Yesterday I met people from Tel Aviev(?), UK, Japan, Sweden, and France. And that was in like an hour. There was a talent show at the Art Factory last night. I almost got up to place a song but made it back too late. Unfortunetly the rain has come today so we're just chillin, which is absolutley what I needed after the past few days of travel. You seriously wouldn't believe this place. I can see why some people never leave.

Meatpies Rule

I am completely exhausted. We packed a weeks vacation in Sydney into
the past 48 hours. Right now I'm waiting at the Brisbane airport for a
bus to byrons bay which we didn't know we were going to until a few
days ago. Apparently its brillant tha. I'm starting to speak
Australian and I can't stop it. When I set something down I go "all
right then" and when I run into someone I go "sorry then" and I have
to go "top off" my wireless soon. So anyway a day ago or two or
something we got up and to a train to the blue mountains. Pete and u r
bot good planners so we missed the train and had to wait awhile. Once
we got out there I could believe the scope. Pete and I opted out of
the main tourists route and when on a bushwack of our own along the
edge of the mountains. It was so cool. We were pretty much on our own
for the most brillant views of the forest.

Later we got back to the city and met up with some of Pete s Uke
friends. They got us on the guest list to one of sydney's hottest
clubs and we parties tip around 4am. So we get out and walk home and
the streets are still insanely packed with people! I've never seen a
US city that crazy at 4am well maybe vegas. So yeah Sydney is frickin
huge. I can't wrap my head around it. But I'm glad we got out it was
draining me. In fact we're both really drained. And ready for thus
hippie commune we are about to arrive at. Oh yesterday was crazy to
we took a ferry out of the Sydney harbor to this awesome beach called
mainly. On our way back I fell asleep. I wake up and Peres gone and
everyone on the ferry, maybe a thousand, is trying to see out the
sides. In panicing because I think we hit an iceberg when I finally
get a look I see avoid a thousand boat swirling around the harbor
watching these two huge oceanliners crossing paths for the first time
in history. Apparently this is a really big deal here because there
was probably 500000 people watching along the Sydney shore. And what
dumb luck pete and I are on a ferry that past right between the
cruiseships. Our ferry is on the front page of the newspaper. Search
Sydney harbor and queen Elizabeth 2 for the pictures. Truly amazing.
So we're done being touristy now time to be all hippy an shit. The
best surfers in the world are in Byron bay right now for a competition
do its gonna be a crazy party. They gave teepees you cab stay in at
our next hostel. I should have some good stories later. Leave a
comment on here if your reading any of these. I'm trying to email
everyone but very short on Internet time. Cheers

I missed the bus

So today we're going to the Blue Mountains about two hours outside Sydney. Unfortunetly we missed the train by about five minutes. So I've got an hour to burn. Anyway we had an awesome day yesterday! We did a 5 mile walk around all of Sydney's nicest beaches(the Cogee to Bondi walk.) It was unbelieveable. I've been to a lot of beaches around the world, but this stretch takes the cake. And the end stop Bondi, Sydney's most well known beach has everything. Perfect sand, beautiful people, breathtaking views from the cliffs, and amazing surf. After that we went across the street from Bondi and found a Burrito shop. We've both been craving Mexican, and go figure that's the only food the Aussies haven't figured out. But this place changed my option. Imagine Chipotle, but about 50 percent bigger! It was, to say the least, and oral orgasim. We sat next to a guy from Milwakee that has been working here for two years. He convince Pete and I we could get work visas with our skill set. Hmmmm. They are having such an economic boom that they don't have enough people to fill the jobs. They litrally need bodies! We finally got back after dark, completely drained from the sun, but that wouldn't stop us. We showered up and went for the must have night shots of Sydney Harbor. Pete knew a Ukranian guy here who was nice enough to drive us around and show us all the best views of the Harbor that only the locals know. Oh and we saw Heath Ledger's house on the beach today too. I guess he just bought it recently.

Made it to Sydney

So we've been walking around Sydney the past four hours. Its much like
new York. Fast and full of people but really clean and beatiful.
Right now we've just sat down to have a dinner of fish and chips and a
shepards pie over looking darling harbor. Our hostel is huge. Around
500 international travelers a night.

Things to know about Australia

Parking ramp = casual carpark

You turn right from the far left lane after all the traffic has past.

When you're walking towards someone on the sidewalk they veer the
opposite way so I keep running into them.

Stobbies are bottles of beer

To stay or take away is what they say when u order at a fast food
place. Blankly starring at them does not help get your food

English people get something called a gap year to just travel. And
there are a shit load of Asian tourists here.

If its your shout you better have enough money to buy everyone a drink.

The water is filled with jellyfish. Pete almost stepped on one
yesterday.

Melbourne is tops

Right now were sitting in a movie theater about to watch the history
of the building I took this picture from. Not because we have any
interest in this movie but because this theater has money air
conditioning and it about 95 degrees out right now. We've spent the
day exploring the city center today and all I can say is wow.
Melbourne I'd the perfect city. Its big exciting fast trendy clean and
safe. The architecture is some of the best I've ever seen. And I don't
know what's in the water but everyone is beatiful. Went to a great
film museum and then had lunch in Chinatown before we took the tram
around the city loop. Imagine if Chicago was 70 degrees year round and
you would have this city. I love it.

Cheers
Ryan

Melbourne rocks my world

No lie pete and I witnessed an all aboriginy cover band play
blackstreet "no dignity" last night. I guess I should go home now
cause of can't get better than that. Our first day rocked. Spent half
day at the beach meet some cool peeps from the I'm and had the most
amazing fish dinner at restaurant called claypots. More later the
Internet is expensive here well everything is actually.

Sent from my iPhone

6 am Auckland new Zealand

We made it well almost. We have a one hour layover before we head to
Melbourne. The flight was surprisingly pleasant. I watched micheal
clayton drank 3 thee glasses of wine took a sleeping pill and woke up
ten hours later. So much for the four books I brought. Quantas I'd by
far the best airline I've ever flown. We sat next to anaussie from
Perth who has been flying for the past 24 hours. He's full of stories.
If thisis how everyone in the county is I'm not coming back

Yeah I may have went overboard

Ok so basically packing sucks. I've been told you should pack what you
need and then take half of that. This is ridiculous I don't need all
this shit.

72 hours

Ok I'm starting to freak out now. I haven't packed and still have work
stuff going on.

My bag is the whip

This is my bag.  I love it.

T-minus 10 Days until launch!!!!

I'm locked and loaded. Not really sure how I'm gonna get through the next two weeks without going crazy.