This time last year I was hanging out in Vancouver with Dan & Estelle, having a fantastic time. This year I am having dinner in a crappy resturant in Mandurah with my folks (seriously what sort of resturant does not serve Vodka on NYE). Wow this trip was a mistake, and not one I will be repeating anytime soon.

Hope everyone else had a good new years. Some sort of 2006 wrapup may be posted tomorrow, if my mood improves.

So, I've been really slack about posting recently. Sorry, I'm actually taking the time at the moment to live my life, rather than figuring out how to write about it.

NYC was fun. I got to see a lot of cool things, like the Met, Guggenheim, Chelsea Hotel, 5th Ave, Rockerfeller Center, Times Square, Broadway and all of the other touristy type stuff. Photo's can be seen in my Flickr Feed

The other thing that I wanted to do, which I did, was to try living like a local, see what life was like living in a city like that. The conclusion that I came to after my time there, was while the city was very cool, and there is always something happening and something new to see. I realise now I could not live like that. I like to be able to have a quiet life sometimes, I like some wilderness around me (while central park is cool, it's not the same). I guess I am just a small town person at heart.


Last weekend, I went snowboarding for the first time. A bunch of us from work headed out to Crystal Mountain (photo's available here, taken by Derrick Tan). My first time on a snowboard (only been in snow a couple of times). I didn't do as badly as I expected, I could stand up, and even managed to make it down a blue run from the top of the mountain. The view from the top of the mountain over to Mt Ranier was spectacular. This is something I can see myself doing more of (I would go again this weekend, but I really should organise for my trip).

Speaking of my trip... the time is fast approaching... Saturday 12/16 I leave Seattle. I arrive in sydney sunday night, I'll be there until Wedensday morning, when I leave for Perth. I'll stay in Perth until 01/13. If I know you, or I have ever known you (i.e. I once said g'day to you when you served me at Macca's), lemme know and we'll have a beer while I'm in town.
Also planned for my trip is a bunch of time allocated as 'beach time'... I am also considering bringing my gear and trying to get some climbing in down on the southwest coast... that sounds like a lot of organisation though, so I might let that slide and just hit some of the gyms in Perth.