World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas
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Friday 22 May 2009
Highlights: Qantas First Class Lounge (Melbourne), Free upgrade to Premium Economy.
I got to enjoy both the QANTAS First Class and Business Class Lounges, courtesy of my Qantas Platinum membership. I enjoyed the view of the airport as I contemplate the trip ahead. I shared the lounge experience with my mother who will be with me for the USA part of this trip. Mum actually preferred Business Lounge with self serve options over the waiter service in First Class Lounge.
On the last day of the long weekend I ended up playing 2 matches with my beautiful partner Catherine:
Won D Mixed Doubles 8-4
Lost D Mixed Doubles (quarter final) 6-8 in a tie breaker (5-7)
I had a chance to hold serve and get to a tie breaker in the last match but couldn’t do it. The team we lost to had won their previous 2 matches 8-0 and 8-1 and they thought we were a very good team. I had a great time again this Easter.
Overall I played 11 sets, winning 7 sets, the game count was 75-53 so 128 games overall. Not bad for 4 days play, especially since it doesn’t count the Wednesday night comp or the practise match on Thursday. I really love playing in the country and catching up with old friends. The mental break alone is worth it. Now I’m on count down the first of my two big trips, 5.5 weeks and I’m on my way to Los Angeles!!!
Back to reality today. I ended up playing 5 matches for the day:
Won C Doubles with Cameron 8-4
Lost D Doubles (quarter final) with Reagan 7-8 in a tie breaker (5-7)
Won C Doubles (quarter final) with Cameron 8-4
Lost C Doubles with Cameron 2-8
Won 1st mixed with Catherine Orton 8-4
The best result was the mixed as we had to beat Brian Bishop and his daughter. Brian is a very good player and I considered this a major upset. If I had of won my match with Reagan we would have been thrashed in the next round, our opponents only got 1 game in their next match.
Today was also the day of Erin jumping up the slide, yelling ‘Ready, ‘Set, Gooooooooooo and away she went. After about 26 shots Kara decided it was time to watch tennis. Erin was not happy with this decision; I have no idea where she gets her energy from.
Magical Saturday! What a great day, I ended up winning my three matches today. The rescheduled C Grade doubles match with Cameron Hendy 8-4, and two D Grade doubles matches with my brother Reagan, 8-0 and 8-1. The second match was against Leon Roche and his young son Daniel which we played in very bad light and the rain but we wanted to finish the match as I knew I had a lot of matches scheduled for the Sunday. After the days play we headed off to the Tournaments pasta night at the Railway Hotel. The kids all had heaps of fun playing billiards and talking about their great achievements so far. As for me after diner I went in to the pub with my mixed doubles partner for this year Catherine Orton (previously Coutts), last year’s mixed partner Jacqueline Damien and their respective partners Glenn and Troy among others.
Unbelievably my football team Essendon beat Carlton in a thriller. This meant that Bernie Coutts had to wear an Essendon cap all day tomorrow. Finished the night off playing billiards with Ryan Monaghan and I won both matches hitting the last shot. In fact in the second match I was hitting them in from everywhere, I think the alcohol might have helped somewhat. What a day, undefeated at tennis, my footy team wins and I play off my head in billiards, brilliant!
An 8.30 am start today playing in my first event D Grade singles. Over the years I’ve done fairly well in the singles competition with my best finished being a semi-final. This year not so much, I lost 8-5 in a match I could have won, probably would have won 2 years ago but the extra weight I’m now carrying combined with a young local player playing on grass was too much. During the day we surprisingly got a lot of rain and lost about 2 hours of play. I was scheduled to play a C Grade doubles match at the end of the day but it got postponed until 8.30 am tomorrow. Basically a very easy day regarding match play but still I got to watch some very good tennis, my niece Erin enjoyed herself immensely and we all enjoyed the traditional good Friday fish and chips night with our Mt Carmel / Sunbury group (about 30 people all up).
The first day of the extended long weekend. Despite being on holidays I had to be involved in phone hook-up at work early in the morning. Once over Jason, Reagan and I headed off for our annual Myrtleford break. Having played in a huge win for my Wednesday night team the day before I felt in good form. About 2.5 hours into our drive I realised I left my tennis racquets at home, not a great start. On arrival I borrow my nephew’s racquet and had a practise match with my C Doubles partner Cameron Hendy. I’m very lucky to be playing with Cameron as he is a very good player. Anyway we won our practise match 8-6 but right at the end I hurt my waist playing a forehand shot 😦 In the bunkhouse I was staying in the same room with Andrew, and his girlfriend Adeline. On the first night Andrews doubles partner Josh crashed with us. Apparently they all had trouble sleeping caused by Reagan’s snoring but I was well prepared with ear plugs this year 🙂
One of my colleagues Ian Bartlett lost a substantial part of his family on Saturday. His brother, sister-in-law and one of his nieces died in the fires on Saturday 7 February 2009. 12 year old Madison Bartlett survived with substantial burns to her body. My former team is collecting money and goods to help her and Ian out. The Moonee Ponds Tax Social Club will be running a raffle next week to raise money. If you want to help out by buying raffle tickets let me know and I’ll send you the details. We aren’t sure who Maddie will be living with but right now she only has Ian and her grandparents from QLD, everything else was lost, her family, clothes, everything.
Staff have started bringing in clothes, towels and other essentials for other victims of this tragedy. I encourage you all to help out those affected if you can. I hope you are all okay. Take care.
Next time I have to remember ear plugs when sleeping in the same room as my brother. I thought at different times he had stopped breathing but then suddenly the train crashes was heard again 🙂
Today was the last day of this mini trip with a trip scheduled to the Doomben races. Back during our Australia Day Weekend mini trip earlier in the year we did really bad day at the Cheltenham races. I’m sorry to report that once again we helped the local economy by donating our money to the local TAB and bookies. I’ve had a terrible, terrible spring racing period for betting. I used to at least win once and a while but lately it’s all loses.
The betting gods obviously are trying to send me a message. With the little money left for a cab fare we headed back to the airport a little earlier than I would have like. However having QANTAS Club membership is good for these times as I can get something to eat, drink and write blogs to remind me of all these trips. You never know what tomorrow holds, or what we might no longer have. I write these posts for myself, so one day I can read them and remember these times, when I still have most of my family especially Erin, Darby, Harry and Andrew.
Only got a little sleep due to both the fantastic lightening from the storm and my brothers loud snoring, if you can call it that! Anyway got and early breakfast and checked out the starting times for Quantum of Solace the new James Bond flick. We caught a cab to the second day of the Australia Vs New Zealand test match since Reagan had a blister, only cost $6 so obviously we are staying close. A very big day at the cricket, 16 wickets and 280 runs so it was very enjoyable. Have to think that Hayden hasn’t got long to play for Australia. On the other hand Katich a player I’ve never really liked impressed me. The Gabba is a very good ground however it is a little cramped for room and they is little public transport compared to Melbourne.
This is my 6 Test cricket venue (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Joh-burg, Christchurch and Brisbane). I still have Perth, Hobart and Darwin (if they play there again). Always a good excuse to travel and see Australia.
I liked the James Bond movie. While not as good as Casino Royale it was very enjoyable. I’ve always been a fan of 007 films but luckily their style has changed with me over the years. Moves I enjoyed in the 80s and 90s I find difficult to watch now. The movies have fewer gadgets now and even less black and white, with flawed characters on the hero’s side. I suppose as you grow up you start to see the grey areas of life more and more.
Feeling the need to take another short Australian break I helped organise a birthday trip for my brother Reagan on behalf of our immediate family.
Having spent the night in Attwood (near the Melbourne airport) we got to the airport at the ungodly time of 6.15 am about 30 minutes before boarding time. I took Reagan into the QANTAS business class lounge. I really enjoyed the pancakes and orange juice, I tried to tell myself they are part of my new eat big breakfast health plan….. but they taste way too good to be part of a health plan! The trip was uneventful, I scored an aisle seat and got Reagan a window seat, and we ended up with no one between us so that was a bonus. Anyway we caught the Airtrain to South bank train station and walked about 30 minutes to the Gabba. Unbelievably they don’t allow day packs into the ground but eskies are okay!!!!! Given it was so hot I did a strip tease for the locals and changed into shorts in public. Maybe this can be a new career 🙂 The game was fine; Australia got bowled out near the end of the day.
Sitting in the beer drinking public area was good fun. Bikini clad babes sculling beers to the approval of the crowd was free extra entertainment. We walked back to our hotel, Royal on the Park, which is located on the edge of the CBD. Took about 50 minutes but should have been less Reagan got a bluster I believe. After getting tea at Nando’s we just got back to the hotel in time for the storm. A great display better than New Year’s Eve fireworks. Brisbane is really suffering from bad storms, with luck we should be okay for this short trip.
Nathan's Insights 