NYE2006

Click image above for Murphs photos from the night.
Click image below(dave took a shot of our decorated windows) for AB's:

Started with beer cricket in North Melbounrne with AB and JZA followed by Barbie at theirs then continued the Shennanighans at my place.
Thanks everyone for dropping by and ringing in the new year in style.
Check out the rest of Dave's shots here

Boxing Day Ashes

3rd row Bay 13 Boxing Day Ashes what more could you want (maybe a slightly more even contest from the arch rival poms)

Haynesies Farewell

Haynesie not only left telstra but is due to leave OZ on a one way ticket to Goa. We had a send off for him at the Belgian Beer Garden. Please excuse the file photo as no cameras were present (and its tradition to post a photo with Sol anytime a workmate leaves Telstra).

Hope he doesn't mind me linking to his travel photos some absolutely crazy shots in there.

Christmas at Reindeer Park

Had our inaugural Christmas dinner this time at Eddies new house in (rein)Deer Park.

Click below for Gez's Shots:

Click below for Dave's Shots:

Harn's B'day in G-town

Started the day at Jan Juc before hittin the G-town nightlife. Cheap drinks and heaps of fun. Will link to Harn's photo soon.

Jessies B'day

Caught up with Jessies birthday crew at St. Jeromes. This after a full day of adventure with Murphs work colleague from Romania Mihai. Check out his cool shots here.

U2 @ the Tdome

Caught U2 supported by Kanye west with Jay and the new well travelled Tino. Thanks heaps to Megan for organizing tickets. The show was truly awesome. Check out the rest of Bianca's picks by clicking the image above.

Pookies B'day, Amanda's B'day

Birthday Barbie at Pookies apartment:

Powernap
Amandas Birthday drinks at Jinga Janga bar with drunken Jenga and Foozball.
Running around Nth Melb.
Karaoke down a dodgy alley in chinatown:

It was a good day.

Kiwi Bob's Derby Day B'day

Click image for rest of Murphs photos from the day.

Top Work coach Murphy for getting there early and reserving prime position (apologies again for the Tom Time Delay (c)). Apologies to top hat Desira for piking on being his top hat partner with the poor excuse that it would clash with my suit (I regret that now). Check out the recruitment image for next years Derby Day below:


Great work Pete and Chrissy for the pre-race champagne brekkie. Click below for Peteys pics from the day plenty of random horse puppet photos:

Haynesies Cox Plate Bday

Click the image above for Mark and Jae Khas's photos from the day.
And here for Murph and Al's.

JR and Jodies Wedding

Click the image above for Murphs photos from the day.
Please note some images/videos were too dangerous to put online.

Around the Bay in a Day

Here I am climbing Olivers Hill:

Thats me at the finish:

Heres my stats:
total riding time: 8:36:00
max speed 52
max rpm 120
average rpm 74
average speed 26
total distance 224.47

JR's buck night

Action packed day of adventure somewhat inconveniently timed for me.
Full credit to Patcho and the rest of the Munnas bucks day/night extravaganza organizing committee, they had the day scheduled to the minute:
Check out the photos from the paintball(click below to go to the set):

and the BBQ (Kegs are awesome):


I dropped by Tim and Billy's Pirate themed birthday party:

Then caught up with the lads at Lions after which we ended up at some bar called 20something. Strange place they wouldn't let us dance.

Will link to Coach Murphy's much more detailed and entertaining blog entry here when he gets around to doing it.

Tom and Gerry's Quarter Century Extravaganza

My photos
Murphs photos
Daves photos

Click the photo above to find out who's who.
Another action packed weekend. It was a mini Young Endeavour reunion Jesse, Captain Mick, Ben, Rinny, Anna and Juzzy all travelled many Kilometres to be there very much appreciated. Sydney, Wodonga, Echuca very impressive.Maria is also to be commended for dropping into Melbourne-town for the weekend all the way from Sweden (well she was in Sydney and arranged to drop by on the way to Perth).

Had some fun with the guys at Wood and Grieve Engineers who were playing air hockey in their rec room after knocking off for Friday. We were watching them from our apartment and decided to start communications:(Bring Table have Beer)

At first we thought they ignored us but later we discovered thay actually printed out a massive sign that read:

"Table Heavy
Have Beer
Need Boobies"

(It was a particularly nice touch they reversed the 'B' on the computer to match the stuffed-up B on my bedroom window)



Party was great. We met up at the 3 Kings Kindgom before heading over en masse to Dolce Lounge. There were some really impressive costumes and the Texas Ranger (mick the gay cow boy)even made it down to enforce the roundhouse kick not dressed up penalty.

The lights were awesome top work Gez! Check out Gez's corroborating blog entry with a link to Davos photos.
Check out Coach Murph's corroborating blog entry with a list of who dressed as what here


Next day we showed Maria couple of the sights of Melbourne.
Big thanks to Murph for driving. Luna Park:

















Albert Park via Sam Newmans old house:

ROC spa party 1906

The night turned into an homage to the moes.
The moustache king himself Sol Trujilo made an appearance that night at grad drinks:

also check out these other Sol sightings.

Petey had the crazy idea of dressing up in old school bathers and tell off all the girls for being underdressed. So we donned on the complimentary RACV club swimming caps thanks formicatel:





a pair of bluey wife beater shearers singlets
and of course some moes.












We must have looked quite the sight no cab would stop for us:









it got so drastic Petey had to pimp out my pegs before we finally caught one.









It took a few tequila shots and some pushup before we were pumped enough for our grand entrance.


The costumes were a big hit and the party awesome. One guy there had real moe hopefully will get a photo and upload it. Until then to get an idea of what its all about check out the year before.


Top work Kiwi Bob for thinking up the costume idea and forcing me to follow through.

Marcus goes AWOL from the Singapore army

The Uni boys
Originally uploaded by tommygunns.

Great mate from uni took a few days leave from his military service and we took the oppurtunity to get the old gang back together. Saw some really amazing photos and crazy stories.

DWS Buller Trip

Big thanks to Edddie for day trip tickets to Mt Buller. Having just arrived from boarding in NZ the Thursday before, dropping into work on Friday followed by going out for Friday drinks it made perfect sense to wake up at stupid o'clock on Saturday morning and jump on a coach for more boarding. Unfortunately eddie himself did not regain consciousness in time after celebrating the arrival of Satchith's baby, Congratulations Satchith! Gez and I made the most of the chunky man made snow. That morning my neck finally felt better but it was only a matter of time before I re-hurt it. I also smashed my bum on the only icy section around. Not sure if I love being herded around which seems to be the norm on the day coach tours but its a good way to get a quick snow fix and when your mate sets you up with such an awesome deal impossible to say no.

Papa Murphs NZ Experience

Most of the Gold Coast lads(Coach, Haynes, AlDesira and myself) as well as Coltaire, Sergay and Conradical jumped on a super cheap flight to Christchurch. We hired a car and drove to Queenstown.

To see what we got up to that first night see the relevant Jim Bobs Bit

On the way there an eagle (bogged down by the animal it had in its talons) nearly crashed through the windscreen. At the last minute Murph swerved out of the way saving Haynesie from a Fabio-like bird in the face.

The drive there was really amazing. As tired and hung over as I was (from all the duty free grog consumed the night before) I just couldn’t close my eyes for the entire drive that’s how beautiful the scenery was.

Need more detail see what Coach SeZ on the matter.

Queenstown is fantastic. Adventure all day and party all night.

Click a photo to go to rest from that set or select it from my flickr map

The focus was definitely boarding. We went to the Remarkables twice and Coronet peak once.

Dont belive me? Lets see if this will be Murph Busted!




Video of StevieD boarding on the first day.
Video of Coltaire boarding on the first day.
Will post a video of Jimmy boarding on the first day here.

On the day off we went jet boating,



And caught a gondola to the top of this peak where there was road lugeing.

Here is a video of StevieD road luger (please note the awesome camera work by yours truly)

Here is a video of the road lugeoff between Conradical and Sergay.

Here is Papa Murph's version of events.

The morning before the planned drive back to Christchurch we snuck in a paraglide off Coronet Peak.

Keep checking Murphs Show and Tell for the detailed trip report as it becomes available. Ill endeavour to link to it from here also.

I really must go back for a longer session of snowboarding and perhaps a summertime NZ campervan trip with NYE in Queenstown. Top work Coach Murphy for working out all the details and getting such an awesome deal.

Almost forgot the obligatory "Tom with chick" photo courtesy of murph's collection:

Next trip Canada, X-Stream! *

*This catchphrase is said and acted out by Extreme Cameraman Wally Symons from the cult NZ TV series Back of the Y.

Lysterfield mountain biking

 
Took newbie Haynesie and veteran Petey to Lysterfield. Big thanks to dad for bailing us out when the weather turned sour. 40mm supposedely. 

Great Barrier Reef

Conquered my fear of scuba diving thanks to free introductory pool diving at Cairns Central Bakpackers. Big thankyou to Evan. Went on the reef magic cruise which since it goes to the marine world platform also helped with my apprehension to diving.

Young Endeavour MkII~Bumming around Cairns

Jess, Juz, Mick, Benny, Ana and I all booked into Cairns Central Backpackers. We dump our stuff and it was straight to the croc bar for a few before Tammi had to fly out. Mick and Andrew managed to double their money at the Cairns casino before Adam and Andrew had to fly out. That night Mick, Benny and I went in search of the staffies who were rumoured to be out and about. We began our search at the Cairns Yacht Club but this was really like an RSL on the water. After Mick had a beer with a big bearded fella who couldn’t get butter during the war we headed into town to continue the search. We found Phil, Hibbo and a slightly inebriated Horto at the Woolshed then proceeded to paint the town. We sang crabs and seashells on the stage in the centre of town followed by a game soccer down the main street.

The next day Juz and Jess had to fly out early. Spent the day chillin out at the lagoon then playing pool and having a beer at Shenanigans (Mick is a shark watch out here is a video of his rail shot) before Mick had to fly out. Bought a few Smirnoff Ices to have on the balcony of our new backpackers (we were kicked out of central because it was full) before Jesse and Benny flew out. Gilligan’s is possibly the best backpackers I’ve stayed in. The rooms were more hotel-like with private bathroom facilities and balconies. Awesome kitchen facilities and a few guest cinemas as well as a waterfall in the swimming pool.

At that point it was down to just Ana and I. Again we went in search of staffies. We saw Hector at Shenanigans and then subsequently lost him. We ended up jumping on a backpacker’s pub crawl, Ana and I fully embracing the "beach party" theme. We both wore blueys, sea shell hats and lei’s. I also wore a pink floatie, and Ana a hula skirt. Some of the highlights Ana betting on cane toad racing and me passing out in Mackas.

By Saturday night I must have been the last youth crew member still in Cairns(I was in no hurry to return to Melbourne weather). I found the staffies in Shenanigans then proceeded to paint the town navy again ending up at a Karaoke bar.

Young Endeavour Mk II~ready to board

We caught up with the rest of the oldies for lunch at ants cafe on the marina. Some more newbies Ryan, Andrew, Adam, Chantelle, Rinny and Sasha. We finally board the boat. Continue the story at:
Young Endeavour V10/06
I decided to dedicate an entire blog to the adventures on board using a more old school theme.
Or for those more navigation inclined I have created a quikmap (an implementation of the googlemaps api) of the voyage: YE V10/06
You can go to each blog post by clicking the pins.You can play with a smaller version below (still working on a way of opening the selected blog post in a new window):

Young Endeavour Mk II: Bumming around Mackay

A truck driver arrived at the hostel today from Cairns. Last time we planned on getting from Cairns to Mackay and only made it half way. I'm taking the fact that he made it as a good omen for us completing it all the way this time. Mick joined our merry clan of returnees. We hired some old mountain bikes and rode to the beach. The tide goes out like a kilometer and you walk over the mud with hundreds of soldier crabs. (Mick has some cool photos of these will link to them when they go online). We had a few furious rounds of hacky sack: Mick doing a never to be seen again handstand flip kick and Anna perfecting the scissor stall. We then proceed to the pre-dinner beers with chips and gravy (the waiter being so smashed he was crashing into tables). Had Thai Banquet with Heather, Frankie, Jacqui and Kurt followed by post dinner beers which carry on into the night.

Young Endeavour Mk II: Melbourne~Brisbane~Mackay

Woke up then walked to the Skybus 1 hour before my scheduled flight(this only works if you live 1 block from Spencer Street). Arrive at the Virgin terminal to a baggage check-in queue over 100m long. Seems there was killer fog in Sydney no planes in or out. I touch down in rainy Brisbane carrying nothing but a sleeping bag to be greeted with the news that my connecting flight to Mackay will be delayed 5 hours. Immeadiately I call up Kerr-unit and jump on the Airport to CBD train. Thanks to Kerr-unit I had a lovely couple of hours seeing the sights with a local (photos shortly). Met 2 ex youth crew on my flight to Mackay: Voisey and Vanessa. Get to this weird backpacker house to be greeted by oldies Jesse and Anna and newbie Ben(AKA Bambi). That night we went to pizza hut the works (haven't done that since year 7). I crash exhausted from my second 4 AM start in a row.