WAZZA'S EUROPEAN ADVENTURES

So here I am... I am typing this in a great little hostel in France - called "St. Christopher's Inn Canal", and I've had sooo many adventures between London and France, that I haven't had the time to actually type!

I've met some wonderful people - what you'd call "friends for life", and I really mean that. I have been to London, Essex, Manchester, Stockport, Dublin, Galway, Cork and so many other places in the countryside, and a few festivals. And I have been pretty tipsy (what am I talking about - I have been plastered several times!) and every day becomes the best day of my life!

I've got some very rare quiet time right now, so here comes the update, with a few videos and photos to follow my exploits! :)

United Kingdom Part 1 - Landing, Shearing and The Only Way Is Essex

WAZZA'S EUROPEAN ADVENTURES

FIRST ONE ON EUROPEAN SOIL

G'day all! How are ya? I'm pretty amazed, tired, and still wanting more. I've just landed really... still bouncing away from that landing! I have also realised that my little airport that I've seen in W.A. has really nothing on a 'fly one in @ 0', the next @ 28' will be landing, we'll be on the next one after that' in a minute!

I landed in Heathrow airport, I think it was the 14th or 15th morning, and my cousin Sarah, whom I hadn't seen in almost 31 years, is there with a jumper or jacket covering her must have been cold hands. The classic "You alright?" straight out of her mouth. I couldn't believe I was actually on European soil for the first time in that long. After a big long hug (we used to get along so well when I stayed in Clapham Common for 4 months or so, we we're 10 and 9) she talked and whilst I followed her to the car. 

After getting in, and remembering what the traffic was like way back then in 1985 (the year Back to the Future was released, the year the Achilles Lauro was hijacked by terrorists, and the first mobile phone call was made!) we zoomed out of the car park into traffic, and into a roundabout, then another, then a very thin road (we had to mount the curb), then another roundabout after a small straight, then guess what? A really really long motorway! It's straights and roundabouts.

I did remember a lot of roundabouts, but I can appreciate the fact that they are used all of the United Kingdom, as there is a much greater population here, and there are not just cities with their suburbs, there are villages, and hamlets, and other small types of areas. And these are scattered, so you'll see (via motorway) small patches of fields and farming with constant exits to places. Chelmsford, Harlow, Hatfield and Cheshunt are all around the places that I'm first staying.

Sarah and her husband Terry (and their two sons Louis and Benjamin) had kindly put me in the local for a couple of nights, and that's exactly what I was looking forward to - Old English hospitality and a warm and cosy atmosphere at a place of bard and lodging, namely the Full English.

THE COCK INN

So here I am... In a REAL English pub! And what a name too... THE COCK INN... Seriously... The Cock Inn... I'm still can't believe it. I know where I get the prankster blood from... I still haven't stopped laughing.

Anyway, I was in here for two days. I got meet Terry and the kids just for a couple of hours, and then they dropped me off to the "establishment". The Cock Inn emblazoned on the front, I chuckled as I loitered in. Terry got me setup in a fine little room to myself, and considering that I may not have that much privacy in the future, I took advantage of the ensuite, had a shower and a shave. Decided to keep on the beard of Satan on for a couple of days or weeks more, who knows.

So first thing was first - a beer, and unfortunately a warm one - but still needed to have a true pint. Got downstairs, slipped, regained my balance only to hit my head on the roof support, but not just the support, the support that actually had a sign saying "mind your head", whilst trying to celebrate my fortunes for not falling down the stairs only moments earlier.

Such genius. 

Anyway... Got to the bar rubbing the now what seemed to be a golf ball size bump on my head, and ordered after some careful consideration, I went for a Stella Artois. And it was cold! Yay! Fantastic. I was in a pub that had tv's in the right position, the local around the parts had his own bar glass and actual seat in the pub. Actually met the gentleman over the next two nights. Found out who the bar staff and the owner Billy was. THE COCK INN SHEARING is definitely a true English experience. 

I got there the day of one of the Euro 16 games. I know it wasn't either the Welsh or English game, but I think this was the actual day one of the Irish teams were playing), so there was a few people in the pub watching the game. I got to know one of the other locals (who I found out down the track they were all kind of related as the bloke behind the bar was married to this fellows daughter or something like that) and found out he was a supporter of my team - Manchester United - and that he lived 2 doors down. I asked him about his place as his was quite a nice place, but the whole of Shearing seemed to be lovely. Loud bunch of lads, especially as their team scored. It was a whole lot of dreary squabbling if it was the "other" team. I had a great meal there, had a mingle with them during the match. Staff were very accommodating, so much so that I decided to give them a high rating on my tripadvisor account!. Found out that the lovely young girl behind the bar had relies in Perth! One day in and Kevin Bacon will be next. I went to bed quite early after the long flight from Hong Kong and the bed was rather too much to fight. Face first on the bed, bouncing to a comfortable position with my head slightly off the side of the bed to breath, and that was about it...

THE ADDITIONS!

First thing I hear is a bird that I have never heard before, as it pretty much inside my window; I left in open the night before as I was feeling rather warm. Quick shower and then a cigarette, and I'd be ready for breakfast, the Full English Breakfast. I was wanting to devour one immediately, stat, NOW!!

Only to realise that it was 4:50am in the morning, and the sun had been up for the last half hour

TV - here come the fancy and not-so-fancy voices and characters of morning tv in the United Kingdom. Not as sensationalised as U.S. or even Australian TV, but proper use of the English language and it's dialects. 

My word old bean, it's rather posh!

And here they are. The female morning presenters. The opposite of Kylie Gillies, Sonia Kruger and Tracy Grimshaw... Bless. 

And yep, they're all stunners, and some with that English accent (Scottish and Irish are the ones that make you follow you like when Mutley or Dino from The Flintstones got the smell of dinner coming through the hole in their rock domicile. Yeah Irish or Scottish girls with red hair is like my kryptonite. I'm useless. After a couple of hours of this, I jumped into the shower, and got ready for brekkie.

Got down and got my FULL ENGLISH. And what an English. The full arrangement of sides as well as the classic black and white puddings, bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms and tomatoes, and I had mine with a flat white. After about 5 mins, I was licking the plate and offering to clean for breakfasts like that for a few weeks!

I had a wonderful dinner with my cousin and her family. And watched yet another game of the Euro 16 games. After one dinner, we walked about 150m to the main shops in the area, the Water Gardens, and went for a wander around, with Terry showing me the shops and things to do in the area.

It was still 9:32pm and the sun was still high in the sky. Little did I know but about 30 mins later it had turned pitch black. I didn't know this, because Terry gave me a lift back to the Cock Inn and I went upstairs and must have passed out...

THE FULL ENGLISH

Wazza's European Adventures

Welcome to Wazza's European Adventures!

This is where the fun begins!... Well it already has, so I better get you all involved in what the latest is...

Where I want to go...

Well it all started in Perth, Western Australia, where I was born and raised - Fremantle to be exact. But I was staying at a great mate's place - a burner, a blazer and all round champion of a nice guy - Rissole Richardson's place. I woke up in the middle of the night, and started pacing...

Earlier in the year, about a month before I left, I found out that my dad had cancer. Of the hip first, then it spread pretty aggressively. The next thing I know, I called him and asked him how he was. He told me that the cancer had spread to his brain. 

After visiting him with my son - Jordan - now 18 years young - he had a very rough patch. I hadn't seen my father in about... well let's just say that my dad and step mum hadn't seen my son since he was about 4 months old. But they were so happy to see him, and just in time, as my father passed away not long after finding out that it had spread to his brain. He passed away in his sleep, from I think pneumonia, or a bladder infection, and his system was so disintegrated, that he had no protection. And he died in his sleep, painlessly.

So... I don't take death very well. 

Like I said, I was pacing around the night before in my mates house. Frantically. Waking my mate up and his missus, due to the grinding of my teeth and footsteps. I had continual and constant voice in my head of "GO! GET OUT OF HERE! DO IT NOW! GET OUT AND DO IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" Little did I know who or what the voice was. 

So I packed my bags. Got a taxi to the train station, then a train to the city and then another taxi to the airport (international)

At exactly 3:10am, I get a call from my lovely step mum - Mary - with the news that my father had passed away in his sleep, through tears and emotion. I said "you wouldn't believe where I am...". She asked, and I told her "I'm at the international airport. I'm leaving... or was going to leave..."

Next thing said - Go son. Go. 

I once again said no, and visited her the next day with a long discussion and story behind dad, his family and brother and sisters. I met an aunt and an uncle that I had no idea about... But that is another story.... 

So after visiting, I called mum up, said I'm going, and caught the next flight to Brisbane to meet my bestie, Renee, who said that she would come with if she didn't get the job she was waiting for.

Here I am - at Brisbane airport - waiting for Renee. She calls. She gets the job. So no travel buddy (and she IS the best travel partner EVER!). At the same time, my younger sisters (not by blood) are up the road about 200kms, and they want  me to come visit. But Chantelle and Donna (twins!) are both busy so I couldn't ask them to come - Donna had just arrived home from Canada after a year!

A typical Hong Kong Street

So after a quick talk with Renee, and a sorry to the sisters, I took off to Hong Kong.

I arrived in Hong Kong very early in the morning. I had a lot of time to spare - roughly about 17 hours - so I did a few tours. I did the Peak Tram - saw HONG KONG from the highest point in Hong Kong. And what a view...

So good was the view that I couldn't actually see anything because we were literally above the clouds!

Check this out to see what I mean by couldn't see anything! 

Wazza above the clouds in Hong Kong Peak

Wazza Above the clouds again!

I did something stupid and asked a local where I could find a Chinese restaurant. Little brain realised that EVERYTHING is CHINESE... what a $#*& TOOL I was!

Anyway... walking around the streets of Hong Kong, it was a very humid 30 degrees Celsius, and humidity must have been at least 90%! I was dripping! I had to stop for water every 10 or so minutes. Also, I found out that I was being stared at quite a lot. I was not wearing anything weird, I didn't have snot on my face, or anything else. But I found out why people were looking at me..

A view from the bridges

I had tattoos showing.

I then noticed that I hadn't seen a tattoo. No-one had one, or at least showing. But it was too damned hot to not have my arms showing in the weather. It was like a sauna.

Back to the touring I went after a bit of a feed. 

McDonald's - everywhere - but their restaurants had rice cakes instead of buns! Imagine a Big Mac with rice cakes?? I was not up to having one of those yet, and I am pretty certain that I wouldn't have like it that much.

Tour Bus Ride Part One

Tour Bus Ride Part Two

So here I am, taking the tours, and swearing like an freshman in school for the first day. The weather was very humid, as I said before, but you can actually see the mist in the clouds, and the mist above the mountains at the back of the city.

Just some of the buildings in Hong Kong

The buildings there are spectacular. I have some on my Facebook page, and I will hopefully be able to put some up here very soon. I couldn't believe how high and how compact the city is! It's tall and high and sooo many people. There is a perfect mix of East and West, with sampan's and junks, right next to mega structures and Ferrari's and Lamborghini's.

What's more, since Hong Kong is now under Chinese rule again, there are things here that I have never seen before - like the cars and trucks. I saw a super car that I had never seen anywhere... It had folding wing doors and the driver (female and extremely gorgeous!) was almost horizontal to the ground. And there are literally hundreds of them. Not just the Chinese ones, but super cars in general.

Now there were a few things I could not have imagined, that I saw in Hong Kong. The people are quite... straight? Rather walk on the line rather than off the line sort of people...

Then I saw this...

This is totally crazy...

Another almighty building

So after seeing the monk magician, I did the second tour, and popped by Stanley Markets at the eastern part of the city. Great little place that! Great bargains, and all these nooks and crannies of pathways, in's and out's, right near the beach, was amazing. The locals were very nice. And most of them well mannered (except this one guy... jeez!)

Then I had to get to the Airport by the Air Train. Whilst on the way there by bus, I saw (from afar) the theme parks, including Disney World Hong Kong. It will be a future destination! I love roller coasters! I LOVE ROLLER COASTERS! I'm coming back for those two theme parks for sure!

Well... That was my whirlwind visit of Hong Kong. Definitely a place to visit. 

This is only the first real stop on my adventure!

I can't believe I'm actually going to Europe! YIPPEE!!!

Major excitement coming up!

Until the next blog! Catch ya soon!