Seriously. It's been an amazing year. New memories, new friends, new successes, new promises for next year. Bring it on 2010.
That is all.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fall.
I'm getting ready to leave town again for about 7 days this time. I've been thinking a lot about Fall and all the symbolism that comes with fall. The leaves change colors as if it's some sort of swan song signaling the changing of the times itself. Old dies and decays laying a foundation for something new to once again to appear.
This resonates with me.
This year I really feel as though I have shed something only for it to prepare me for something new and for that new "something" to spring forth and be good. I don't know. Last year was some what of a crap year. This year was a busy one and a distracting one which was helpful. I feel as though my walk with Jesus is finally starting to get back to a centered place. Last year around this time I found myself in a period of INTENSE spiritual focus. It was the first time in my life when I couldn't imagine doing it alone. I clung to Jesus as hard as I could to get me through each day, and on several days, to just get me through a few hours. That, however, is not sustainable so once the dust had settled, I felt the tension band slingshot me to the other side of the spectrum.
These past few months have really been a return to equilibrium of sorts.
Finally coming back to the middle.
I have a desire to actively pursue Jesus again. Not just be complacent in my "savedness."
I've shed a layer and now that is giving birth to something new and that is what I am reminded of when i see the leaves changing. When the world allows a year to pass away.
Thank you Jesus.
This resonates with me.
This year I really feel as though I have shed something only for it to prepare me for something new and for that new "something" to spring forth and be good. I don't know. Last year was some what of a crap year. This year was a busy one and a distracting one which was helpful. I feel as though my walk with Jesus is finally starting to get back to a centered place. Last year around this time I found myself in a period of INTENSE spiritual focus. It was the first time in my life when I couldn't imagine doing it alone. I clung to Jesus as hard as I could to get me through each day, and on several days, to just get me through a few hours. That, however, is not sustainable so once the dust had settled, I felt the tension band slingshot me to the other side of the spectrum.
These past few months have really been a return to equilibrium of sorts.
Finally coming back to the middle.
I have a desire to actively pursue Jesus again. Not just be complacent in my "savedness."
I've shed a layer and now that is giving birth to something new and that is what I am reminded of when i see the leaves changing. When the world allows a year to pass away.
Thank you Jesus.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
memory lane.
A few years ago i had the opportunity to head out to Turkey with a handful of people from my church body. I had never been to Turkey, nor had I ever been to or near the Middle East. With great expectation and anticipation I went. I don't know why I haven't written about this until now but I was talking to my friend John this evening about my past experiences in Turkey. John is getting ready to go to Turkey, Syria and hopefully Iraq and he mentioned his excitement to go to Damascus which immediately brought back my memory of seeing Ephesus.
We stayed in a town Kuşadası (google maps here) which is right on the water and is 20-30 Km away from the ancient site of Ephesus. The day before we were to go to Ephesus as a group, my friends Chris, Eric and I rented scooters and we took them for a ride up the highway to Ephesus. -- Funny side note here, Eric wiped out in an intersection and i left him high and dry because it was embarrassing that he couldn't keep a 100cc scooter under control (big love for you Eric!!) haahaha, I still laugh about this. -- Anyways, we rode up to Ephesus and my first experience of this city was one that will never leave my memory.
As we approached the site, the sunlight was waning quickly. We saw the remnants of the amphitheater carved into the side of a massive mound of earth. We turned down a dirt road that was lined with fruit trees that were in bloom. The fragrance was mesmerizing. I felt like I had been transported into a movie scene because of the surreality of my surroundings. Some of the petals of the trees were being blown off in the wind and here we were. We were in the presence of thousands of years of history. (Eric and Chris will not let this story go without me including the tidbit about me being extremely sick and throwing up in the grass at Ephesus).
The next day we took a tour to Ephesus. The guide dropped us at the top of the hill so that we could walk down the main street of ephesus and see it all as we approached what was, 2000+ years ago, the port area near the amphitheater. I still to this day am awestruck by the thought of walking on the same pieces of stone that Paul walked down. Standing in a place that I had only read about in the Bee Eye Bee Ell EEE. It was as if the memories of those people were still there and could walk out from behind a pillar and touch you. The culmination of this was sitting in the amphitheater and listening to Jeff as he read from his bible. His normal voice was as easily heard 150 feet up into the seats, as it would be standing next to him.
I wont forget it.
We stayed in a town Kuşadası (google maps here) which is right on the water and is 20-30 Km away from the ancient site of Ephesus. The day before we were to go to Ephesus as a group, my friends Chris, Eric and I rented scooters and we took them for a ride up the highway to Ephesus. -- Funny side note here, Eric wiped out in an intersection and i left him high and dry because it was embarrassing that he couldn't keep a 100cc scooter under control (big love for you Eric!!) haahaha, I still laugh about this. -- Anyways, we rode up to Ephesus and my first experience of this city was one that will never leave my memory.
As we approached the site, the sunlight was waning quickly. We saw the remnants of the amphitheater carved into the side of a massive mound of earth. We turned down a dirt road that was lined with fruit trees that were in bloom. The fragrance was mesmerizing. I felt like I had been transported into a movie scene because of the surreality of my surroundings. Some of the petals of the trees were being blown off in the wind and here we were. We were in the presence of thousands of years of history. (Eric and Chris will not let this story go without me including the tidbit about me being extremely sick and throwing up in the grass at Ephesus).
The next day we took a tour to Ephesus. The guide dropped us at the top of the hill so that we could walk down the main street of ephesus and see it all as we approached what was, 2000+ years ago, the port area near the amphitheater. I still to this day am awestruck by the thought of walking on the same pieces of stone that Paul walked down. Standing in a place that I had only read about in the Bee Eye Bee Ell EEE. It was as if the memories of those people were still there and could walk out from behind a pillar and touch you. The culmination of this was sitting in the amphitheater and listening to Jeff as he read from his bible. His normal voice was as easily heard 150 feet up into the seats, as it would be standing next to him.
I wont forget it.
Sudamerica
BOGOTA part ONE: When we got into Colombia, most of us were pretty much shot. This was the end of what felt like the longest 2 days of our lives. In all actuality, the 22nd WAS the longest day of our lives. We got to experience 36 hours of September 22nd because we started in a time zone where the days start and we ended 4 zones away from where the days end. Colombia started off like most of our central American experiences. Kids everywhere wanting more than one picture, autographs, personal time, personal affects, etc. We got a quick bite, met some people, went to a signing at a tattoo shop that lasted 3 hours and then we got in a van for a 2 hour drive out to a town called FUSA.
FUSA: We stayed in this "summer camp" type of house that had multiple rooms with tons of beds and bunk beds. We all had a quick bite and then crashed out instantaneously. Most of us woke up around 8 am or earlier because our bodies were still screwed up by Australia. WHen we woke, we were greated by Will (the promoter)'s parents who made coffee and traditional Colombian foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of us went for a walk, a few of us swam in the pool, mike, dave and I went to town with George (will's father). The day was filled with hang out and relaxation. Beer here is $.75 a bottle. I enjoyed a few before retiring to bed.
Today we all woke to repeat the same as yesterday. Almost all of us went into town this time. We took a public bus into town and copped a lot of odd looks. We went through the market and looked at the fruits, veggies and stuff. Giuseppe and stephen were terrified the entire time but played it off as if they weren't. We walked until we were exhausted and then went back to the house. We ate tons of good food, drank some beers, played futbol, billiards, swam, etc. It was a good two days of relaxation. In the evening we played music on the stereo and i talked with the guys that were with us taht spoke little english. We both fumbled through our second languages to have what fealt like meaninful conversation. Before bed we wished Will a happy birthday and ate some cake.
BOGOTA part TWO: We drove back to Bogota today. I got incredibly sick. We loaded into the show, sound checked, and then left to get food. I dry heaved in the middle of plot of grass inbetween 3 streets. I wasn't convinced it was a flu bug because the altitude was almost 9000 feet above sea level so ithought it might be altitude sickness. We sat down to an authentic Colombian meal ofseasoned steak, chicken and chiguiro (big rat). Also plantains, potatoes and coca cola in the bottle. I ate as much as possible before sleeping on the floor 3 floors above the stage. The guys played and the kids exploded. Literally. They were diving off of balconies and head walking and all that fun stuff. It was INTENSE. After the show we went to the hotel and i sweat off my sickness under many blankets.
In the morning we all slept in and left for the show and load in around 2. The show was at a Church and it was exactly how you would expect a church show to go only this time it was in spanish. The show was packed and fun but the day wasn't without it's headaches. The guys playeed, and I got some decent footage on the camera. We left the show and went back to the hotel. I settled with Will and we high fived. Mike and I talked for a while before going to sleep. The next day we were all very anxious to get the show on the road and hit Panama. I was anxious as hell about trying to check in with a terrible airline and having no real ability to communicate effectively. I can understand quite a bit of spanish thanks to it's similarities with English and all the contextual clues. But That doesn't mean i can say things eloquently like I might be able to in my native tongue.
At the airport we had very few hassles. We checked in, paid no additional monies and then left to go through security. The security check was surprisingly extremely thorough. After security we went through customs and then after customs we went through a drug check. Men sniffed my bags and they pat me down AGAIN. This time, i decided i would scream and giggle when he touched me. He laughed and waved me off quickly.
PANAMA: I'm not going to write anything about panama. It was frustrating, and on many occasions i felt unnecessarily unsafe. It didn't have to be that way, but it was.
Landing in America was one of the best sensations. I hadn't been that excited to be on american soil in a LONG time. The familiarity of home is very comforting after a long stressful trip. I lost 6lbs on this trip. Probably from stress. I wouldnt trade it.
FUSA: We stayed in this "summer camp" type of house that had multiple rooms with tons of beds and bunk beds. We all had a quick bite and then crashed out instantaneously. Most of us woke up around 8 am or earlier because our bodies were still screwed up by Australia. WHen we woke, we were greated by Will (the promoter)'s parents who made coffee and traditional Colombian foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of us went for a walk, a few of us swam in the pool, mike, dave and I went to town with George (will's father). The day was filled with hang out and relaxation. Beer here is $.75 a bottle. I enjoyed a few before retiring to bed.
Today we all woke to repeat the same as yesterday. Almost all of us went into town this time. We took a public bus into town and copped a lot of odd looks. We went through the market and looked at the fruits, veggies and stuff. Giuseppe and stephen were terrified the entire time but played it off as if they weren't. We walked until we were exhausted and then went back to the house. We ate tons of good food, drank some beers, played futbol, billiards, swam, etc. It was a good two days of relaxation. In the evening we played music on the stereo and i talked with the guys that were with us taht spoke little english. We both fumbled through our second languages to have what fealt like meaninful conversation. Before bed we wished Will a happy birthday and ate some cake.
BOGOTA part TWO: We drove back to Bogota today. I got incredibly sick. We loaded into the show, sound checked, and then left to get food. I dry heaved in the middle of plot of grass inbetween 3 streets. I wasn't convinced it was a flu bug because the altitude was almost 9000 feet above sea level so ithought it might be altitude sickness. We sat down to an authentic Colombian meal ofseasoned steak, chicken and chiguiro (big rat). Also plantains, potatoes and coca cola in the bottle. I ate as much as possible before sleeping on the floor 3 floors above the stage. The guys played and the kids exploded. Literally. They were diving off of balconies and head walking and all that fun stuff. It was INTENSE. After the show we went to the hotel and i sweat off my sickness under many blankets.
In the morning we all slept in and left for the show and load in around 2. The show was at a Church and it was exactly how you would expect a church show to go only this time it was in spanish. The show was packed and fun but the day wasn't without it's headaches. The guys playeed, and I got some decent footage on the camera. We left the show and went back to the hotel. I settled with Will and we high fived. Mike and I talked for a while before going to sleep. The next day we were all very anxious to get the show on the road and hit Panama. I was anxious as hell about trying to check in with a terrible airline and having no real ability to communicate effectively. I can understand quite a bit of spanish thanks to it's similarities with English and all the contextual clues. But That doesn't mean i can say things eloquently like I might be able to in my native tongue.
At the airport we had very few hassles. We checked in, paid no additional monies and then left to go through security. The security check was surprisingly extremely thorough. After security we went through customs and then after customs we went through a drug check. Men sniffed my bags and they pat me down AGAIN. This time, i decided i would scream and giggle when he touched me. He laughed and waved me off quickly.
PANAMA: I'm not going to write anything about panama. It was frustrating, and on many occasions i felt unnecessarily unsafe. It didn't have to be that way, but it was.
Landing in America was one of the best sensations. I hadn't been that excited to be on american soil in a LONG time. The familiarity of home is very comforting after a long stressful trip. I lost 6lbs on this trip. Probably from stress. I wouldnt trade it.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Gold Coast onward
BRISBANE: We flew out of Perth on Virgin Blue airlines to Gold Coast. Gold Coast is a small beach town on the eastern side of Australia. 1600 miles, 2 timezones and one layover, we land in Gold COast. Chucky and Daniel picked us up and we drove to Brisbane. The flights were long, boring and you had to pay for EVERYTHING. No meal, no beverages, no nothing. We stayed at a cool best western in brisbane and after a quick check in, we all crashed.
At about 11 in the morning, we packed up and headed out to the Koala park. We cuddled Koalas, had a photo session, ate some lunch, played with kangaroos, looked at dingos, crocs, wombats, Tasmanian Devils, and ate some ice cream. Photos coming, btw. We headed off to the show. It was awesome! Over 300 kids, everyone went nuts, the neighbors complained about the noise and we got a song cut short as a result, but it was still fun. Great great show and it was all ages. Splitting age groups is stupid. All ages is the way to go!
We crashed out after some pizza and tim tams.
GOLD COAST: We left around 10 am. The plan was to get to Gold Coast early, get in the ocean while the sun was high and hot and then head to the show. Chucky isn't the best driver and he blew out on of the trailer tires in the first 20KM. We pulled over and I didn't want to step in and steal their shine so I left to get a beer in the AC. A wrecker showed up to tow the trailer and thankfully it didnt fit on the truck bed so at this point I decided I would help these guys get US back on the road. We changed the tires, rotated them, and then the wrecker filled us back up with air and we were off. We could have been on the road faster but I didn't want to seem like the know it all that I probably am.
We got into Gold Coast and had about 45 minutes to an hour to get food and catch the beach. I walked off the beach without my shoes only to realize what I had done as the ocean attempted to claim them. I got my shoes and we headed off to the show. The show was small, upstairs, hot and fun. We were bored all night so the guys made me shotgun Coca Cola until i puked. We played and then stayed at the dirtiest house i've ever slept in. I went to sleep as fast as possible in an attempt to get the night over quickly. We got up at 4 am and headed to the airport to fly to Sydney.
SYDNEY: The flight to Sydney was fine. 1 hour, fast and easy. We were picked up by the Big Exo Day staff. They took us to the hotel where we all crashed out. The guys slept in the lobby until the rooms were ready and I headed out with my friend Ashley. I hadn't seen her in a while and it was so awesome! We got some breakfast and coffee then we went back to the hotel, i dropped some stuff off and then we all headed out to the festival. The festival was incredible. Aside from some initial headaches, it all went off without a hitch. Stephen, against the wishes of the event staff, worked the crowd up into a tizzy. 2500 kids moshing is always fun.
We hung otu with the HIllsong staff, watched some tunes, ate some food and headed to the HOtel. Ashley and I went out to get beers. Our conversation went quickly deep. it was a great time of hanging out, good beer and realness. She caught her bus and I found my way home. In the morning we all got up and went to church at Hillsong. Darlene Zschech was leading worship (look her up if that doesnt ring a bell). It was a really cool experience. We then had lunch and loaded in for our last Australian show. The Gaelic club was the home of the show, the show was well attended and we had a great time. The guys crushed, and the kids were stoked. Ashley likes her some Haste the Day now, which is always good haha. We loaded out, had some beers and then crashed out.
Monday was our day off and we went Surfing at Bondi. My buddy Tim from Quicksilver took us out to Bondi, got us boards and suits and we all tried our hands at surfing. I, however, got sick and panicked almost immediately so I came in after only 10 or 15 minutes. I filmed the rest of the day. We went to the hotel for a quick clean up and then walked to the Opera House and back. Dinner and a couple beers and we were all exhausted.
LOS ANGELES: We were supposed to fly out at 1:00PM on September 22nd. The funny thing is that we were delayed after boarding for 3 hours. We left 4 and it was a LONG flight. We got in at 12:45PM on September 22nd. Snoozing, and getting ready for our flight to Colombia right now. We shall see what the next few days bring.
At about 11 in the morning, we packed up and headed out to the Koala park. We cuddled Koalas, had a photo session, ate some lunch, played with kangaroos, looked at dingos, crocs, wombats, Tasmanian Devils, and ate some ice cream. Photos coming, btw. We headed off to the show. It was awesome! Over 300 kids, everyone went nuts, the neighbors complained about the noise and we got a song cut short as a result, but it was still fun. Great great show and it was all ages. Splitting age groups is stupid. All ages is the way to go!
We crashed out after some pizza and tim tams.
GOLD COAST: We left around 10 am. The plan was to get to Gold Coast early, get in the ocean while the sun was high and hot and then head to the show. Chucky isn't the best driver and he blew out on of the trailer tires in the first 20KM. We pulled over and I didn't want to step in and steal their shine so I left to get a beer in the AC. A wrecker showed up to tow the trailer and thankfully it didnt fit on the truck bed so at this point I decided I would help these guys get US back on the road. We changed the tires, rotated them, and then the wrecker filled us back up with air and we were off. We could have been on the road faster but I didn't want to seem like the know it all that I probably am.
We got into Gold Coast and had about 45 minutes to an hour to get food and catch the beach. I walked off the beach without my shoes only to realize what I had done as the ocean attempted to claim them. I got my shoes and we headed off to the show. The show was small, upstairs, hot and fun. We were bored all night so the guys made me shotgun Coca Cola until i puked. We played and then stayed at the dirtiest house i've ever slept in. I went to sleep as fast as possible in an attempt to get the night over quickly. We got up at 4 am and headed to the airport to fly to Sydney.
SYDNEY: The flight to Sydney was fine. 1 hour, fast and easy. We were picked up by the Big Exo Day staff. They took us to the hotel where we all crashed out. The guys slept in the lobby until the rooms were ready and I headed out with my friend Ashley. I hadn't seen her in a while and it was so awesome! We got some breakfast and coffee then we went back to the hotel, i dropped some stuff off and then we all headed out to the festival. The festival was incredible. Aside from some initial headaches, it all went off without a hitch. Stephen, against the wishes of the event staff, worked the crowd up into a tizzy. 2500 kids moshing is always fun.
We hung otu with the HIllsong staff, watched some tunes, ate some food and headed to the HOtel. Ashley and I went out to get beers. Our conversation went quickly deep. it was a great time of hanging out, good beer and realness. She caught her bus and I found my way home. In the morning we all got up and went to church at Hillsong. Darlene Zschech was leading worship (look her up if that doesnt ring a bell). It was a really cool experience. We then had lunch and loaded in for our last Australian show. The Gaelic club was the home of the show, the show was well attended and we had a great time. The guys crushed, and the kids were stoked. Ashley likes her some Haste the Day now, which is always good haha. We loaded out, had some beers and then crashed out.
Monday was our day off and we went Surfing at Bondi. My buddy Tim from Quicksilver took us out to Bondi, got us boards and suits and we all tried our hands at surfing. I, however, got sick and panicked almost immediately so I came in after only 10 or 15 minutes. I filmed the rest of the day. We went to the hotel for a quick clean up and then walked to the Opera House and back. Dinner and a couple beers and we were all exhausted.
LOS ANGELES: We were supposed to fly out at 1:00PM on September 22nd. The funny thing is that we were delayed after boarding for 3 hours. We left 4 and it was a LONG flight. We got in at 12:45PM on September 22nd. Snoozing, and getting ready for our flight to Colombia right now. We shall see what the next few days bring.
Monday, September 14, 2009
PERTH
It's been a short / LONG trip so far. We have been through 10+ different time zones and we are still trucking along. I'll try to re-cap:
AUCKLAND, NZ We arrived at about 7:30 AM on the 7th. We flew out on the 5th, skipped the 6th in air and landed on the 7th. The flight was fine. We all slept laying down because it was completely empty. All of our gear and luggage arrived but due to some loose lips on someone in the travel party, we ended up going to the third layer of immigration hell. All gear was seized and bonded in storage. We left the airport and had a GREAT day in Auckland. We went to the beach @ Piha. I got some footage on the camera, made some audio recordings of the water on my phone and we all soaked in the sites. After a quick stop @ the customs house we managed to get a temporary importers license and got our gear out of impound. Then wrapped the day up with the best fish and chips of my life in Mission Bay. The next day we took it easy, slept as late as we could (6:30 AM) and then i went for a nice 3.5 mile run around the city. The weather was brisk but clear and sunny. The show was AWESOME. About 300+ kids and it was INTENSE. We all crashed out and then woke the next morning to fly to adelaide.
ADELAIDE, AU: We left NZ around noon and got into Adelaide around 9:30 or so. Who would have thought it would be a 4 hour flight from Auckland to Sydney and 2 hours to Adelaide, thus making it a ridiculously long travel day? When we arrived we met our "tour manager" and we headed off to the hotel. The hotel was a bit odd but quaint. Mike, Giuseppe and myself got some vietnamese food and then headed to the hotel to crash. I had a nice 3 mile run in the morning through the small town of adelaide. I found a sweet little market where we scuttled a few breakfast sandwiches before heading down to the beach to do some site seeing. We met a homeless man by the name of Harry and we sat with him sharing our fish and chips and talking politics. It's so easy to write these people off but they are still people. Life lesson to be had there. AFter some talk and some food, we headed to the venue. Everyone was loopy from exhaustion, the show was small but loads of fun. We left the show as fast as possible so we could get as much sleep before leaving at 4 am to catch the worst flight of our lives.
MELBOURNE, AU: We got to the airport around 430AM. We were flying Tiger airways which is the worst airline on the face of the planet. We had to pay to check all bags (surprise) and the woman checking us in and informing us was beyond rude about it. After we checked everything and prepared to pay she told us we had to weigh our carry on luggage becuase if it was over 7kilos we had check it. At this news, we all informed her that we were each carrying electonic equipment and could not check our carryons. She would not give us our boarding passes until we had emptied our bags to meet the 7K requirement. Her reason was because if the bags fell from the "overhead lockers" and landed on a baby, it could cause serious harm. Wow. So we all emptied our bags, weighed them and then repacked them in front of her. I wont get into the details of my temper but I've never in my life come so close to cussing someone out. I was tired, annoyed and I felt completely disrespected. We paid for our luggage, got our passes, re-packed our carry-ons and went to our gate. The flight was awful. Leg room was non existent becuase they packed in an addition 5 rows or so into the plane. One of the flight attendants was trying to fit Blake's carryon (which contained his mac) into the over head locker. I asked him to stop jamming it in and he said not to worry, the door would lock and nothing would fall out. Hmmm.
We got to melbourne, went to our hotel, checked in, slept and then went to the venue for load in. This place was probably the coolest venue i've seen in a while. Very comfy and cozy. The mixing console was in an old organ style chest thing. The sound was great, the staff was nice it was in a cool part of town with loads of neat restaurants and shops. the show was cool, kids were nice. There was a kid there that tried to see HTD the last time they were in Melbourne. Crazy story, he had throat surgery because there was something in his throat that HAD to be removed. They wouldnt release him from the hospital so he snuck out with his IV in hand and he started walking to the venue only to pass out half way there and was rushed BACK to the hospital. Needless to say he was super stoked to be there and that made for a great story.
The next night in Melbourne was cool. It was an afternoon show for the under 18 kids. Low turnout but fun. We had dinner, hung out and missed our flights in the morning. Whoops. We got the flights re-booked, made it to perth after a long day of changing plans.
PERTH, AU: We got in last night. The flight was great. I ate a meal, watched part of a movie, did some journaling and slept. We got in, went to the hotel, dropped stuff off and then got a bite to eat. Everyone was zonked because we just went through another 2 time zones. We got to bed and everyone woke up feeling rested. The promoter and staff here are very sweet people. It's been a good time so far. Hopefully the show is awesome.
This world is getting smaller and I'm getting stir crazy in Indianapolis. Speak with you soon.
AUCKLAND, NZ We arrived at about 7:30 AM on the 7th. We flew out on the 5th, skipped the 6th in air and landed on the 7th. The flight was fine. We all slept laying down because it was completely empty. All of our gear and luggage arrived but due to some loose lips on someone in the travel party, we ended up going to the third layer of immigration hell. All gear was seized and bonded in storage. We left the airport and had a GREAT day in Auckland. We went to the beach @ Piha. I got some footage on the camera, made some audio recordings of the water on my phone and we all soaked in the sites. After a quick stop @ the customs house we managed to get a temporary importers license and got our gear out of impound. Then wrapped the day up with the best fish and chips of my life in Mission Bay. The next day we took it easy, slept as late as we could (6:30 AM) and then i went for a nice 3.5 mile run around the city. The weather was brisk but clear and sunny. The show was AWESOME. About 300+ kids and it was INTENSE. We all crashed out and then woke the next morning to fly to adelaide.
ADELAIDE, AU: We left NZ around noon and got into Adelaide around 9:30 or so. Who would have thought it would be a 4 hour flight from Auckland to Sydney and 2 hours to Adelaide, thus making it a ridiculously long travel day? When we arrived we met our "tour manager" and we headed off to the hotel. The hotel was a bit odd but quaint. Mike, Giuseppe and myself got some vietnamese food and then headed to the hotel to crash. I had a nice 3 mile run in the morning through the small town of adelaide. I found a sweet little market where we scuttled a few breakfast sandwiches before heading down to the beach to do some site seeing. We met a homeless man by the name of Harry and we sat with him sharing our fish and chips and talking politics. It's so easy to write these people off but they are still people. Life lesson to be had there. AFter some talk and some food, we headed to the venue. Everyone was loopy from exhaustion, the show was small but loads of fun. We left the show as fast as possible so we could get as much sleep before leaving at 4 am to catch the worst flight of our lives.
MELBOURNE, AU: We got to the airport around 430AM. We were flying Tiger airways which is the worst airline on the face of the planet. We had to pay to check all bags (surprise) and the woman checking us in and informing us was beyond rude about it. After we checked everything and prepared to pay she told us we had to weigh our carry on luggage becuase if it was over 7kilos we had check it. At this news, we all informed her that we were each carrying electonic equipment and could not check our carryons. She would not give us our boarding passes until we had emptied our bags to meet the 7K requirement. Her reason was because if the bags fell from the "overhead lockers" and landed on a baby, it could cause serious harm. Wow. So we all emptied our bags, weighed them and then repacked them in front of her. I wont get into the details of my temper but I've never in my life come so close to cussing someone out. I was tired, annoyed and I felt completely disrespected. We paid for our luggage, got our passes, re-packed our carry-ons and went to our gate. The flight was awful. Leg room was non existent becuase they packed in an addition 5 rows or so into the plane. One of the flight attendants was trying to fit Blake's carryon (which contained his mac) into the over head locker. I asked him to stop jamming it in and he said not to worry, the door would lock and nothing would fall out. Hmmm.
We got to melbourne, went to our hotel, checked in, slept and then went to the venue for load in. This place was probably the coolest venue i've seen in a while. Very comfy and cozy. The mixing console was in an old organ style chest thing. The sound was great, the staff was nice it was in a cool part of town with loads of neat restaurants and shops. the show was cool, kids were nice. There was a kid there that tried to see HTD the last time they were in Melbourne. Crazy story, he had throat surgery because there was something in his throat that HAD to be removed. They wouldnt release him from the hospital so he snuck out with his IV in hand and he started walking to the venue only to pass out half way there and was rushed BACK to the hospital. Needless to say he was super stoked to be there and that made for a great story.
The next night in Melbourne was cool. It was an afternoon show for the under 18 kids. Low turnout but fun. We had dinner, hung out and missed our flights in the morning. Whoops. We got the flights re-booked, made it to perth after a long day of changing plans.
PERTH, AU: We got in last night. The flight was great. I ate a meal, watched part of a movie, did some journaling and slept. We got in, went to the hotel, dropped stuff off and then got a bite to eat. Everyone was zonked because we just went through another 2 time zones. We got to bed and everyone woke up feeling rested. The promoter and staff here are very sweet people. It's been a good time so far. Hopefully the show is awesome.
This world is getting smaller and I'm getting stir crazy in Indianapolis. Speak with you soon.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
GREAT Weekend!
I decided last minute that i was going to ride my bike to Bloomington, IN. It's about 54 miles from my place to the Upland Brewery (www.uplandbeer.com/) throw in some hills and speeding traffic and you have an adventure packed day. My buddy, Cam Starnes, met me on the "circle" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldiers%27_and_Sailors%27_Monument_(Indianapolis)) and continued with me for the first 10 miles. After a high five and some energy snacks, we parted ways and I headed onward down State Road 37. The road is not that bad for bikes, it's just heavily trafficed by vehicles speeding in upwards of 70MPH. I planned stops along the way to update those that were paying attention to my travels online. The trip wasn't bad. The hills were somewhat agrivating but the end prize of cold, fresh Upland beer @ the brewery was amazing. The sun came out for the last 15 miles of the ride and stayed out the remainder of the day. It was a beaut!
Stephen and Dustin picked me up around 2:30. I love those guys. We had some brews and some food and then hung out in Bloomington taking in the sights until about 8:30 and then I drove us home in the van. NICE Saturday!
Today was a chilly 67 degrees for most of the day. Church was very crucial (holy spirit stuff). Then 18 holes of Disc Golf at brookside. I had a hard go of it today on the course but it was good to toss the discs with my brother. Afterwards Dustin and I went for a bike ride down the monon. We grinded out about 15 miles in about 45 minutes and then had some beers and pizza with Mike. The ride back home was broken up by a convenient stop at the Brew Pub in Broad Ripple. There was some surprise company that was extremely pleasant and then the 10pm journey home commenced. Laundry is going, place is clean, office is organized and I am just decompressing with Bon Iver. This album makes me so contemplative!
Oh the memories. This was a great, much needed weekend. I'm looking forward to the last quarter of this year. I'm so excited to leave the country this week. We are headed to New Zealand, Australia, Colombia and Panama. I will indeed have pictures. I will FOR SURE have video. LOTS of video. I'm still contemlating "stewardship" and what it means. Maybe I will document my thoughts on the flight from LAX to Auckland, NZ.
God is faithful. I know that's unrelated to everything i've just typed. It is true though.
Good night.
Stephen and Dustin picked me up around 2:30. I love those guys. We had some brews and some food and then hung out in Bloomington taking in the sights until about 8:30 and then I drove us home in the van. NICE Saturday!
Today was a chilly 67 degrees for most of the day. Church was very crucial (holy spirit stuff). Then 18 holes of Disc Golf at brookside. I had a hard go of it today on the course but it was good to toss the discs with my brother. Afterwards Dustin and I went for a bike ride down the monon. We grinded out about 15 miles in about 45 minutes and then had some beers and pizza with Mike. The ride back home was broken up by a convenient stop at the Brew Pub in Broad Ripple. There was some surprise company that was extremely pleasant and then the 10pm journey home commenced. Laundry is going, place is clean, office is organized and I am just decompressing with Bon Iver. This album makes me so contemplative!
Oh the memories. This was a great, much needed weekend. I'm looking forward to the last quarter of this year. I'm so excited to leave the country this week. We are headed to New Zealand, Australia, Colombia and Panama. I will indeed have pictures. I will FOR SURE have video. LOTS of video. I'm still contemlating "stewardship" and what it means. Maybe I will document my thoughts on the flight from LAX to Auckland, NZ.
God is faithful. I know that's unrelated to everything i've just typed. It is true though.
Good night.
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