Sojourn well and truely begun.

I've been in the States for three of so weeks now and so far the second time around has been a treat. I'm still constantley amazed by all that I see around me the abundance of dry stone wall criss-crossing and defining. The bugs (mosquitos, black flys et al) that seem to take pleasure in making one's life a misery of inching and all too often assocaited scratching. The greeness and lushness on the environment in stark contrast to the parchness and dullness of most parts of Australia. The way people here use forks as if they were shovels. And the mid afternoon thunderstorms that roll in and the nose that they create doing so. the quiate road side cemetaries some just big enough for a family or too. And the never ending work in the bike shop. I think the day I stop been amazed and drawn in by all that currently surrounds me (if ever such a day should come) will be that. Though I can't see that day coming soon.

Planes Trains and Automobiles
The Trans-Pacific journey of 14 or so hours was made much more bearable this is time thanks in no small part to QANTAS who convenitely have small LCD screens built into the back of the seats, even in economy. Yes, that's right even in economy! Movies on demand ( I watched Summersult, Enron the Smartest guys in the room and Lantana) video games(all the old school games like space invaders and that on with the paddle and ball where the aim was to break different colured blocks and this one with a cave man in it kind of like Pac-Man only you got eaten by giant mamonths instead) on demand even CD's on demand. The question was not what form of entertainment they provided but what they didn't. The deal was sweet ans the taste of even more so apart from the in flight meals whihc were a little above par with United Airlines (which I flew last year). I'm never flying United Airways again if I can prevent it some things Australians just do better. I can confidently say that United you just lost yourself one more paying customer.

The stop over in LA all of which I spent at LAX Airport (in constrast to my detour to Venice beach last year) was unproductive and rightly so it was a good day to fly some eggs on car engines the mercury was soaring, so the confines of a air conditioned haven seemed the better option than to spend extened periods of time outdoors. I flew South West Airlines for the trans-continential journey from LA to Boltimore then on to Manchester. The two individual sitting beside me were researchers heading back from a conference on infectous diseases of the digestive tract or something along a similar line apartently the whole thing is not real well understood as to how bateria effect things. Both where originally from China but moved to the LOFCF some years back. really nice blokes. same could be said of the flight no turbulence, always a good thing.

Luckely this time my bags arrived with me on the plane unlike last year where my bags had a habit of availing themselves of myself on more than one occasion. Thought the misfortune of the bags was replaced by my passport (but that's another story). The stop over I recieved a lift to the Holiday Inn in Manchester by a taxi driver who hailed from Sudan. I asked him about the whole situation in the Dafur region. He said that he left all his family to come live the LOFCF's and seemed abit uneasy about talking about it anymore than that. It must be hard to leave ones country filled with all there loved ones when you know that maybe because of all the conflict you may never see them agian. It would have to play on the mind. I gave him a extra tip and the thanked me kindely.

I arrived at the Holiday Inn, at which I was yet to make a booking and going, as always she'll be right mentality that there would be rooms available. I have been provenen wrong in the past but not this time though. One single, non-smoking room with free continental breakfast and access to high-speed internet connection and use of the Gym room which opened at 6:00 am the next morning. Cost $107 dollars inclusive of tax, trashing the room and not having to pay for it, Priceless.

There is something wrong with my debit card for whatever reason it it get carded (word used in the LOFCF's for getting kicked out of a bar becuase you are underage, not to be confused with getting spaded a term used in Australia for getting knocked back after solictiting ones for a date or other form of courtship ritual), but works in everyother situation. Strange. If they can put a man on the moon, peer inside the atom and make bread which is sliced when you buy it, then surely they can get my card to work at a hotel.

Arriving at Merrowvista
They say that some things never change or alternativley that only two things are inevitable death and taxes. I think it was more of Column A on my arrival at Merrowvista it was like I had never left. As always there are new faces to populate those who could for what ever reason not return (or chose not to). The Wilderness First Responder course was already in full force so was not uncommon to hear lots of screaming and people holding the arms or legs in a manner reminisent of a dramitic sence on E.R, Third Watch and to a much lesser degree Scrubs. et al. Even Blue heelers could have made use of the fine crop of extras I observed.

The Bike Shop was in much the same state as when I left it, minus a great many a spiderwebs. Glad to see somebody read the sugestions (regarding the spider problems I had at the start of last summer) in end of year Bike Shop Report I filed.