Hello!
So with only another 4 weeks remaining of my trip I am now trying to cram everything into the shortest time possible!
After the delights of Andre for three nights in a row I had a nice quiet week that consisted of Newtown Food Club on the Wednesday (this is mine and Jo's attempt to try as many different restaurants in Newtown as we can before I leave) when we went for Thai and that was about it.
On the Sunday me, Jo and Foz decided to go and do the Opera House tour as recommended by James from Team World Cup. I was actually expecting great things from this tour given that it's one of the most iconic buildings in the world. However, I hate to admit it but I was ever so slightly disappointed.
Our tour giude (I forget his name now) was the gayest man you could ever meet but had an air of disdain about him that whilst I'm sure he loves the Opera House made him seem like actually he didn't care at all. I think he must have had a hot date that night cos he was definitely in a rush to get us round the place. The most amusing part (although not an amusing subject at all) was when he told us about the renovations taking place at the moment. The renovations have been designed by Jorn Otzen who designed the building in the first place. Not sure if the news made it to the UK but Jorn actually died a couple of weeks ago but, and I'm quoting the tour guide on this "it's okay because Jorn's son is also an architect so the renovations can still go ahead!" Yeah don't worry about the fact that the guy has just died!
An interesting, and I'm hoping little known fact about the Opera House is that Jorn Otzen never actually got to see the finished building. When he submitted his design in the original competition, he submitted a sketch with no dimensions nor any indication of how to build something that at the time was completely off the planet in terms of architecture. He won anyway and work began. At several points it almost wasn't completed as the architects just couldn't figure out how to build the pie slices without them collapsing. Anyway, the project ran over time and budget and eventually, after a change in government in Australia, Jorn was forced to resign from the project he'd been instrumental in starting and he went back to Denmark and never returned to see the Opera House when it was done. Wow, can't believe I remembered all that!
So anyway, I'm not one to get excited by architecture very often but it's a mightily impressive building and the number of shows they have on is phenomenal! Sometimes they'll have two shows in a day in the same theatre! Crazy!
I'd definitely recommend the tour if you get chance but if you get the gay tour leader with the earring, get a refund cos he's rubbish!
Another quiet week followed. Last weeks Newtown Food Club was tapas which was delicious! Unfortunately it was the day before the Christmas party so I couldn't drink too much but we still had fun!
Now we come to Thursday December 11th. A day that will go down as possibly one of the best Christmas parties I have ever experienced! The day started with a nice lie in cos the boss had got temps in for the day. Got to work at 11am, checked Hotmail and Facebook, downed a glass of champagne and then went downstairs to get on the school bus with the rest of Club.
Unfortunately we missed the first bus which was taking everyone to the ferry wharf so Fletch who runs IT took us all into his office where we had more champagne. Once the second school bus arrived it was all aboard and off to the boat!
The Bella Vista arrived and we all hopped on board (not literally!) to be greeted by canapes and champagne cocktails! Immediately my resolve to start on beer and take it steady disappeared! After a few cocktails and much chatting and embarassment by the MC who tried to get me to sing a song (far too sober for that) it was time for a lovely buffet lunch which was absolutely devoured by all on board and then it was time for the entertainment!
Bring on the magician! Can't for the life of me remember this guys name but he was okay. He was no Maz the Magician (am guessing only Mum, Dad and maybe Kat will actually have a clue what I'm on about there!) For the first part he got one of the girls from IT up in front of everyone and embarassed the hell out of her. Next trick and another 'volunteer'.
"For my next trick I'll need to call someone else out from the crowd. I've heard she's a bit of a hit with the boys at the Stadium, she works in Member Services, she's going back to England soon, it's Laura Harrison!"
Oh shit!
Now most people will know that this is actually my worst nightmare and you have never seen anyone go more red than I did that day - I was horrified and for the next 10 minutes was subjected to one of the greatest embarassments I have ever known! There were sexual jokes, there were suggestive jokes, there were comments that just made me look plain stupid! And Maria videoed the whole thing! Sweet! I was mortified!
After the longest 10 minutes of my life I was finally allowed to sit down and promptly downed my drink just for something to do!
After the magician had finished it was time to dock at a beach somewhere where there was a Powerboat waiting to take everyone for a ride. I politely declined stating the fact that I didn't have a change of clothes with me (nothing to do with the fact that I was plain scared then!)
More sailing followed and at about 5pm we docked at Darling Harbour, right next to the Endeavour replica and went on to a bar where a private function and free bar had been lined up for us.
At this point my sensible head took over and after several champagne cocktails, I again decided to have a beer. Having asked for a Corona, I was informed that Corona wasn't free and the only beers I could drink for free came in pints. Good intentions dissolved once again I was back on the champagne. What I would like to know is how I can drink champagne for free yet Corona is gonna cost me? Random!
Got chatting to the cute groundsman in the pub. We were getting on really well until he told me he was 18. I immediately felt like a pensioner and went to find some more suitably old people to talk to! 
The bar was great. There was drinking, and dancing, and pool sharking and karaoke and shots of things I don't even want to know what was in them! After my mediocre rendition of Car Wash on the karaoke, I then wowed the crowd (well in my head anyway) with my rendition of Ice Ice Baby - the classic rap song by the god of hip-hop that is Vanilla Ice! My partners in crime were Shaunak from Ticketek and Jen from IT. We totally rocked it!
After much more drinking, dancing and general debauchery I finally went home a little after midnight after a mammoth 12 hour session only to have to go back to work 8 hours later sporting the worst possible headache and feeling about as bad as it gets! Didn't do much work on the Friday.
Weekend was pretty quiet again. Jo came round on Saturday night and we watched a film about the Newtown Jets (oldest RL club in Australia) that Danny Russell was in and playing hooker! Matty Johns was also in it and he actually wasn't too appalling! On Sunday I went to Watsons Bay with Kevin and Jeanette for fish n chips. Kevin had the great idea of sitting outside with our food which was awesome cos it was blowing a bloody gale! Finally met Meg and Ryan though and Ryan, clearly not having a clue who I was asked me how I knew Kevin which was rather amusing!
So thats that. Lots of plans coming up over the next couple of weeks including, alcohol, Christmas carols, Neighbours, the bridge climb finally and probably some more alcohol!
Hope everyone is well and since I probably won't write again before Christmas I hope everyone has a top notch Christmas and a fabulous New year!
xx
