Garda Site launched

Hey everyone!

Just finished uploading the Garda Cricket Club site. Have a look, the lads put a good bit of time into it. Cheers to Joe and Brian for all their work.

There are a few bugs on it. If you spot any problems, leave a comment here and I'll sort it! Cheers!!

www.gardacricket.ie

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Road Trip

We left Melbourne on Tuesday morning. Brian and I went to the Europcar outlet down the road and picked up our Subaru Outback 4wd 2.5L estate. What a drive! Tiptronic gears and a sport setting... Yipes!

We packed the car, had a ton of stuff after only a few weeks (check out the height of wheel arch on the front suspension). We were on the road and leaving Melbourne by 9 o'clock. We drove through the city centre and took some photos as we did. Melbourne is roughly 12 hours direct to Sydney but we'd be taking the ocean road, for the views and the craic!

The drive was grand, Brian and I sharing the load. The roads are really good and Aussies are much better motorway and dual carraigeway drivers than the Irish are. They actually use the right lanes for overtaking, how silly is that!?! We hit a seaside town for some mini-glof (for the record Joe and Ian tied the lead with a score of 46!). I was let down by the par 2 forth, where the mini-golfer is challenged with what only can be described as the Everest of tee shots!! We stopped over in a quaint town called Bega with a lovely lady at a local motel sorting us with a room for the night.

Up early the next morning for the road to Sydney again, driving straight there as we had to drop the car off that day. We arrived in Sydney at 4 in the afternoon and Joe and Brian dropped the car back. We hit the town for a few drinks with our good friend Matt again. We had a brilliant night as always, actually managing to make it home before the sun came up!

We're here, here to stay for approximately six months. Brian has a job sorted here already, but no we have no accommodation as of yet. Joe and I are off back to Melbourne for the races next week. We will be meeting up with his lovely sister and doing a spot of betting on the horsies!

Hope everyone is well! In the next set of pics I'll be suited and booted, and at the races! And they're off!

In other news, the Dubs Down Under: Ray (my brother), Dave (Fitzy) and Dec (Codeine) have started their Asia adventure this week. Check out they're blog at www.dubsdownunder.net

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Melbourne Cup at Flemington

Oh yes! Only arrived in Sydney and we were jetting back to Melbs. Staying on Frankie's & Jalinda's floor for a few days. The Cup in a Tuesday this year with the whole state of Victoria on a public holiday. We were up early at 9 for the train. I had bought a new suit with the help of the lads back in Sydney and was looking sharp. Joe was his usual self, swagger included, looking the bee's knees.

We grabbed a train out to the course and were in for a quick bratwurst, hotdog and a beer. The day was a scorcher. We all got burnt. Joe and I won nothing, we had two second places but we throughly enjoyed it all the same. We drank champagne and smoked cigars none the less.

We hit the town and met up with Joe's lovely sister, Ann, and her friends. We had a great day and an even better night. Cheers to the lads in Melbourne for letting us stay on the floor and also to Ann and the girls for stuffing us at the track.

Enjoy the pics, the sun is getting hotter and hotter you'll be glad to hear. I am so burnt today. You can see it in the pics of the night!

Back to Sydney Friday for apartment hunting (more partying).. YAY

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House Hunt, Job Seek & Party, Party

From back to front, a week that ended with a relaxing Sunday on Bondi but started with the stress of a house hunt in Sydney.

Joe and I were back to reality in Sydney after a fantastic week in Melbourne. Saturday last meant the start of apartment viewings and house hunting. We have seen more than 20 properties in a week to date, including five in one day!

Apartment viewings have not been altogether fruitful. We have seen lovely places, not so lovely places and average places. The problem with Sydney so far, apart from the fact that half the world is here for the summer, is that most places want only 2 people to a 2 bedroom apartment. If it is the case that the place is suitable for more than 2 people then couples or girls are preferred. Joe and I have been very determined and have spoken to half the real estates in Sydney at this stage.

We will hear back from a couple of places this week, and I'm sure view a few more places so a final update will hopefully present itself this week.

The job hunt has taken a back seat while the accommodation remains unresolved. Joe is looking for something this week and, thanks to our good friend Matt, I have an interview on Tuesday with Common Wealth Bank. Fingers & toes crossed and all that! Brian is working away and Ian is hopeful of getting another contract offer this week.

We hit Cheers (YES the BAR) on Thursday for a few games of pool and beers. If you see me in a suit then you'll know we are dedicated to finding "the nicest pad in Sydney!!" When the weekend arrived, Brian and Matt went to see the band they liked at the music festival last week on Saturday night. The rest of us stayed in. Very grounded of us!

Sunday brought Bondi Beach day. We got up and headed over via train and bus, stopping for brekkie at Bondi Junction. Had a lovely relaxed day in the sun. We strolled up the Coast Path to see Cliff's Place. For anyone that doesn't know Cliff personally, he is an old hippy, I suppose, that lives in the cliffs on Bondi Bay. Didn't actually see him but wouldn't blame him. From the pics you can see how many people are actually in his back garden, not cool man!

There were some sculptures on the walkway. Very interesting modern art but not my thing! Everyone knows I'm a renaissance man. After we had a beer on the beach and Matt suggested we head back to his apartment block for a swim, sauna and jacuzzi! He lives in the Radisson don't cha know! Very suave and a great finish to the week.

This week we'll take jobs all around and a palace to stay in. Here's aiming high! Oh and if you see grumpy faces in the pics, it's because we know we're making everyone jealous so we might start pretending we're having a terrible time! ;)

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Off to work we go

In the morning I start work in Commonwealth Bank, Sydney. Matt was his usual courteous self and put my name forward for a job in his department. I did the interview on Tuesday with Aaron from Commonwealth. He was really sound and rang me Friday to tell me I was successful. Looking forward to starting tomorrow when I'll be doing 1st and 2nd line support for 2000 users throughout the company.

The other BIG news is we moved into a new house last night! The landlord, John, is sound. We now have enough space for the lads when they get over. I have a room on my own for the first while. A double bed, in whats been coined the "Japenese" room. I have a bed 2 inches off the floor, very oriental. The house is great. We still have no kitchen, he's finishing it up now ;) It's close to all kinds of amenities and the train. There are wooden floors and a brand new bathroom. We have a 32' TV and DVD player. Foxtel (Autralian Sky Digital equivalent) and 24MB broadband are on the way this coming week. We'll be renting a BBQ, cinema kit and some more TVs. I'll post pics after the weekend when we'll be having a few drinks. Til then it's get the head down for the first week in work.

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Sydney vs LA Galaxy

Well hello again all, this time Jonny has trusted me to upload to his blog seems after I blogged for Brian hits went up ten fold, He is a little worried Dubs down under are getting more interest at the moment LOL!

On a serious note we were lucky enough to get 6 tickets together for me, Jonny, Colin and a few of his friends in good seats just behind the goal and settled down in anticipation of a great end-to-end football match (I still cannot call it soccer!). Transport to and from the stadium was well organised and free which is always a bonus and the actual stadium its self was superb.

The match itself was a 80,000 sell out and considering Sydney normally only average 16,000 you can see the kind of effect me and Jonny had on the match, oh and some other fella called Becham or something! Well the match wasnt the most thrilling of matches and me and Jonny were itching to get on especially me in my new Galaxy shirt which Jonny kindly bought for me and got my name on as a thank you for helping him get a job at the bank! You really didnt have to do that Jonny but it was much apprecieted and I will get you back when you are least expecting it!

Anyhow hope you enjoy the pics they are slightly more interested than the game was!

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