GHOST TRAIN!!!

C'mon, c'mon, c'mooooooooooooooooooooon [GHOST TRAIN!]

Ghost Train by the Gorillaz is the mandatory song that should be playing on your iPod whenever you are riding a train.

That aside, I rode the Sydney rails for the first time today!


Interesting facts!

The buses and trains in Sydney run on an EXACT schedule as per the time tables posted at each stop. I don't mean 'Chicago accurate', IE they stop within an hour of the posted time. I mean DOWN TO THE MINUTE. I haven't heard of a case where the buses or trains were late where they had no real reason to be late.

However, this tends to be a bad thing, since I tend to miss the bus by 30 seconds on the listed time, making me feel like a loser. If I missed a bus in Chicago, I'd blow it off because those buses only come around when they feel like it.

Damn, you have more of a chance seeing a ghost train at a Chicago bus stop than you do seeing an actual CTA vehicle.


Also, toilets are provided at every station. This is not only important for passengers, but for the people who clean the trains as well. Being such a janitorial worker once upon a Chicago summer, I can't stress how important it is to provide the ignorant masses with restrooms aplenty.

Speaking about cleanliness, Sydney buses, trains, and stations are EXTREMELY clean. What's your excuse, Chicago?

Where I Live

OK MOM. HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF WHERE I LIVE. DOES THIS MAKE YOU HAPPY? DOES THIS PLEASE YOU??

lol j/k mom, u kno u my boo <3<3<3

Oh, and you can click on the images to see bigger versions of them, because I know you're as blind as a bat ;D

So I know I told you I'd be living in an apartment with an ocean view, but this is much better, because its closer to campus, the ocean isn't that far anyway, and only living with internationals in an apartment sounded like it would've sucked anyway. HERE IS BASSER COLLEGE.
Ahh, the atmosphere is amazing. Tropical trees everywhere and birds of paradise growing in the grass! Then you're lulled to sleep by the sound of terrifying birds screeching into your window and the sound of clinking bottles.

WHY THE FUCK IS THIS TEXT UNDERLINED? I don't care enough to change it, deal with it.

This is my room! I live alone, which is actually nice and relaxing. Alot more relaxing than living with a boy-shaped-chunk-of-shit like WADE. I hope that everytime I mention his name, he feels my disgust for his existence.

ANYWAY, this is where the magic happens!


Not much to say.

Here's a view of one of the many quads on campus. This one is cool because it has a GIANT SUNDAIL, which warrents yet again more CAPS LOCK.


The thing I like most about Basser, I think, is it's sense of humor and terrifying clown paintings.

Anzac Day & Australian Money

I'm taking an Australian history course here, and we learned about the Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). Today was a national holiday called Anzac Day, which commemorates their efforts at Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI. Some say that these battles marked the birth of Australia as a nation.

For more information about Gallipoli, watch the film of the same name starring Mel Gibson (c).

At any rate, we learned of the tragic losses that occurred and how there were grand memorials and events all over Australia for the Anzacs.

When I asked around my college, it was more recognized as the day when a gambling/drinking game called two-up is temporarily legalized in pubs.

Anzac day is a strange mix of mourning and drinking. I didn't partake in either due to a combination of being tired, drowning in coursework, and angry at my failure to attend a certain meeting. I tried to meet up people to attend a 3am memorial service, but they left before I could find them. So it goes.

Sydney is exhausting, and I haven't even been doing a whole lot. I wish I could sightsee more, but there isn't much more I can do besides going to the zoo and touring the opera house. I ask people, and they reply, 'There isn't anything to do in Sydney'. I refuse to believe this, but am also reminded of being asked the same question about Chicago every so often.

Oh, and have I told you how Australian currency looks like Monopoly money?

The photos don't do it justice. There are transparent parts and really little holographic things on them and they're just awesome overall. They're also inflammable, somewhat water resistant, and very hard to rip. That's what I call smart money! Australia also banished the penny, which apparently resulted in a huge boost to their economy. US, get on this.



Oh, and the 5 dollar note has a secret funny image when folded. Can you find it?

Things Australians Say Wrong #3

(Wow, has the quality of my photos always been this bad after uploading?)

Yeah, Sydney is great and all, but all anyone ever wants to do is visit a pub or a club. Its fun occasionally, but my health, wallet, and soul can't take it anymore. I'm doing some serious sightseeing, with or without the natives.

ANYWAY, here's some slang to bite on.

'heaps' (really, alot, etc)
Example: That was heaps fun. (That was really fun)

'keen' (to like)
Example: I'm not too keen on that. (I don't really like that)
(Its a word used in the US, but the frequency of it's presence in normal conversation in Australia is... alarming)

'_____ as' (I don't even fucking know)
Example: That was sweet as! (That was really sweet)

The last one confuses the hell out of me, and I haven't found anyone who knows how it came to existence. Basically, you take an adjective of your choice and you follow it with 'as' without actually comparing it to anything.

NUTS.

Also, I was watching something random the other day and chickens were referred to as 'chooks'. Odd.

Mountain Jam [Departure]

Ahh, breath in that fresh mountain air.


Ok, to Hell with this garbage where I just outline everything I did everyday. Short and sweet is today's motto. I'll post some photos and see if you can figure out what went on.



Our last adventure was a dark view off a cliff. Being the gentlemen we were, we used this opportunity to throw sticks and such down to the valley below.



Warning! Do not fall off cliff and die.


And then we left and I slept for a whole day and yeah here's some more random shit.

Mountain Jam [The Way a Man Lives]

Ahaha. That last post was shit, I'm sorry.

While the other foolish Americans were sucking on the bitter teet of the Australian and New Zealand tourism industry, we were having an epic adventure. Zorbing? Skydiving? Visiting huge rocks in the middle of the desert? This is not how a man lives.

THIS is how a man lives.


The famous mountain views were on the other side of the mountains, so our choices of fun activities were $60 cave tours, mushroom picking, or fishing. We chose the MANLIEST option.

We took with us only the essentials.


This was indeed a mighty catch, but surely worthy warriors such as we deserved a much better feast. And indeed, what is more of a king's feast than cornflake breaded chicken?


Although we brought our own beverages, it seems that the owner left his own special stock. The temptation was great, and unfortunately we resisted.



Oh, and we made a new friend that day. Meet Little Tim.


We ran across him near the lake, and he decided to follow our motley crew. Who are we to deny his friendship?


Unfortunately, the International Space Station was in danger of crashing into an orphanage, so Little Tim had to leave to save the day. Godspeed, Little Tim.