tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56851962011-04-21T19:59:11.449-05:00From Austin to Oz. I'm planning to flee the country for 7 months - working for 4 and traveling for 3. <BR> Departure = 03 Sep 2003 / Re-entry = 03 Apr 2004Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1142536592835226962006-03-16T13:08:00.000-06:002006-03-16T13:16:32.886-06:00

When I was in Salzburg, Austria, back in 1994, I noticed heaps of "no kangaroo" t-shirts and paraphenalia for sale in the tourist shoppes. At first, I didn't get it, but then dumbed down myself to realize that apparently many people confuse "A-U-S-T-R-I-A" with "A-U-S-T-R-A-L-I-A". That made me wonder if tourists actually thought that they would see koalas and kangaroos in the City of Mozart.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1140629510309203132006-02-22T11:29:00.000-06:002006-02-22T11:31:50.320-06:00

Wallabies found at Texas-Mexico bridge2/21/2006 3:59 PMBy: Associated PressFALCON, Texas -- Two female wallabies have been located in a pickup bound from Texas to Mexico.Customs officials say the wallabies, which are native to Australia and protected by the Endangered Species Act, were discovered Monday at the remote Falcon Dam International Bridge.Each of the animals is believed to be about one

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1140561513305531172006-02-21T16:37:00.000-06:002006-02-21T16:38:33.316-06:00

Here are the Australian bandsplaying SXSW 2006, so far.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1140555245297111482006-02-21T14:12:00.000-06:002006-02-21T14:54:05.356-06:00

Along the north shore of Town Lake sits the Art Deco Seaholm Power Plant. It has been decommissioned long ago and has just recently received the EPA 'go-ahead' for the City of Austin to convert the power plant into a cultural center. It reminded me of Robin and my, our visit to the Brisbane Powerhouse, also a decommissioned power plant now cultural centre on the bank of the Brisbane River.On 17

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1138395948613365872006-01-27T15:02:00.000-06:002006-01-27T15:05:48.626-06:00

And the most important trait in a mate is... By Kamakshi Tandon Fri Jan 27, 9:42 AM ETTORONTO (Reuters) - When it comes to romance, women prefer someone who tickles their funny bone while men opt for those who catch their eye, according to an international survey released on Wednesday. The survey, conducted in 16 countries by Canadian romance publisher Harlequin Enterprises, asked men and women

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1137606451340572452006-01-18T11:47:00.000-06:002006-01-18T11:52:13.203-06:00

Where are we Jen and Kim? Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. While in Queensland, Kim and I had different guidebooks, mine was a Lonely Planet: Australia which was given to me as part of my Working Holiday Visa scheme. Kim had this other one that listed more, ahem, 'refined' activities that LP didn't mention. Without Kim's guidebook, we would have never discovered the Art Deco

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1134591759083133872005-12-14T14:15:00.000-06:002005-12-14T14:22:39.093-06:00

So, yes, amigos, amigas, hermano y prima, I now am officially in print! "What took so, long, Julian?" you may wonder. I wonder, too. No longer. Start building the ark kiddos, cuz the flood of stories has just begun!Koalas, Koalas everywhere!I dedicate this story (along with many, many more) to Robin Emery, without whom I would have never had this Antipodean adventure. I still miss her.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1130175464166906522005-10-24T12:31:00.000-05:002005-10-24T12:37:44.226-05:00

A few weeks ago, I submitted my joey board entry posted in this blog to a new travel writing magazine, Austin Traveler Magazine. Last night, I learned that the story was accepted for submission in the Winter 2005 edition. So, I guess that I'm a professional travel writer, now? Or, maybe I always was and now I'm getting published?

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1126553032822183112005-09-12T14:23:00.000-05:002005-09-12T14:23:52.870-05:00

Spring arrives in Sydney Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. My birthday is in September (shh... it's a secret), which, according to the neat-and-tidy need to catagorize things, means I'm an autumn/fall baby, since September is an autumn month, right? Well, according to the autumnal equinox on the American calendar, autumn doesn't begin until 22 Sep, a few days after my birthday.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1124396203561576062005-08-18T15:15:00.000-05:002005-08-18T15:16:43.566-05:00

for Carlton Draught beer.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1124216027673913582005-08-16T13:05:00.000-05:002005-08-16T13:13:47.690-05:00

(Tired of the Patriot Act? Live in a Red State with your Blue State perspective? Like hugging koalas and boxing with roos? Well, then, move to Australia! Why not try living Down Undah for a few years? What's your lame excuse for not even entertaining the thought? If it doesn' work out, you can always return home. -Julian)From the BBC:Australia seeks skilled migrants Australia is looking for

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1123865023725157792005-08-12T11:43:00.000-05:002005-08-12T11:43:43.773-05:00

Meat Pie Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. While in OZ, I quickly learned to love the meat pie. Unlike an an American potpie which is a stew enrobed in a crust, the Aussie meat pie is smaller and has just a few ingredients. There is a wide variety of pies, from the staple ground beef to chicken curry to my favourite, cracked pepper (with beef). They only cost about A$1-2 and

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1121261650048348352005-07-13T08:34:00.000-05:002005-07-13T08:34:10.106-05:00

Stained Glass Skylight Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. A fellow flickr-ite added this photo to her blog. The other photos on her blog are spectacular. I'm flattered and beaming that she likes mine, too.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1120161488760707052005-06-30T14:58:00.000-05:002005-06-30T14:58:08.786-05:00

Aussie dosh Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. Earlier today, another flickr user asked me if he could use my photograph of Australian banknotes for his money tree project. He photographs banknotes, prints them, arranges them like flowers, and leaves the "money flowers" on random live plants. Artsy!

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1120158408712430722005-06-30T14:06:00.000-05:002005-06-30T14:06:48.763-05:00

Julian ponders the blue Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. Orange is my absolute favourite colour. Then, navy blue and turquoise are my 2nd favourite colour; it's a 50-50 tie. Both go well with orange. Imagine my glee when Robin and I decided to dive / to snorkle at Lady Musgrave Island on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef near Bundaberg and discovered that our site was

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1119991155157937472005-06-28T15:39:00.000-05:002005-06-28T15:39:15.213-05:00

Kilt! Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. Multiple Layers of Anglophone2003 Rugby World Cup hosted by Australia. Brisbane.Picture two Americans in Australia watching a Fiji v. USA rugby match next to two South Africans (one in a Scottish kilt) and a family of Fijians.Oh wait, here's the picture.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1118342967697659132005-06-09T13:49:00.000-05:002005-06-09T13:49:27.756-05:00

Deer crossing Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. (click photo to view)A few days after having returned to Austin from 7 months in the Antipodes (Australia & NZ), I walked to the bus stop; I don't remember where I went. Anyway, during the walk, I came across this "deer crossing" sign and immediately took a photograph. Why? Well, after months of becoming accustomed to koala-,

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1118265219847279652005-06-08T16:13:00.000-05:002005-06-08T16:15:30.590-05:00

Joey board Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. (click photo to view)I don't have any kids. As such, I'm usually oblivious to the kid-related world around me, such as whether there is a ramp for strollers, kids' menu, booster seat, play area, mothers' room, kids' discount price, Toys-R-Us, Babies-R-Us, etc. It's not that I agressively ignore the kiddie mundo around me, I just

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116535230168135552005-05-19T15:40:00.000-05:002005-05-19T15:42:28.916-05:00

Pair of Rainbow Lorikeets Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. (click on photo to view)Rainbow lorikeets are everywhere along the Queensland coast. A very social bird, they gather in huge numbers akin to the bats of the Congress Ave bridge in Austin (but the lorikeet packs don't number in the millions as do the bats). Whole trees are heavily seasoned with crayon blues, greens, reds

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116530150915187082005-05-19T14:15:00.000-05:002005-06-08T16:19:32.670-05:00

Ibis Originally uploaded by Broken Piggy Bank. When I lived in Australia, our apartment was 3 blocks away from the Brisbane River which winds its way thru the heart of Brisbane. Along the south bank of the river is a spectacular promenade with shops, a cinema, restaurants, a Griffith University satellite campus, the convention centre, and theatres. This locale is called "Southbank", in

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116431664366475012005-05-18T10:52:00.000-05:002005-05-18T10:54:24.370-05:00

I just took this quiz to determine in which anglophone country I belong. Results are surprising?You Belong in AustraliaAce!Sunny, upbeat, and cuteYou make the perfect surf bumNow stop hogging the vegemite!What English Speaking Country Do You Belong In?

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116337540542969942005-05-17T08:38:00.000-05:002005-05-17T08:45:40.546-05:00

It's time.It's time to show.It's time to show you a small snippet of my 6 months in The Land Down Under:Australia photosMost don't have captions or descriptions, yet. I'm working on that. Most importantly, they are now up for viewing. I know that you've been waiting for them.Enjoy.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116004565092170672005-05-13T12:36:00.000-05:002005-05-13T12:36:02.303-05:00

(The last line of this story exemplifies how Australians will downplay a situation instead of blowing up and adding high drama like Americans are apt to do.)Red faces over Perth danger alertAustralia's foreign ministry has apologised for an e-mailed advisory warning of the dangers of travelling to the Western Australian capital, Perth.The foreign ministry said the message was mistakenly sent out

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1116005330140837982005-05-13T12:16:00.000-05:002005-05-13T12:31:13.886-05:00

(This list was sent to me by my friend Christie. Altho I rarely believe what I read from a forwarded e-mail msg, it provides another example of Aussie cheekiness & understatement. Enjoy!)Subject: Australian TourismThese were posted on an Australian Tourism Website, and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a sense of humor.Q: Does it ever get windy in

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1086510715017677652004-06-06T03:31:00.000-05:002004-06-06T03:31:55.016-05:00

Kia ora!Here are a few of my New Zealand photos:http://homepage.mac.com/juliangonzalez/PhotoAlbum7.htmlSome show me mates Trevor, Jen, Kim, or Angelique.abrazotes,Julian

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1086155679002780732004-06-02T00:54:00.000-05:002004-06-02T00:54:39.003-05:00

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/040524/photos_od_afp/ 040524171151_ybvcgd7q_photo0&e=18Add "and one Texan" to that 21% of 500 Aussies surveyed.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1085088257253620602004-05-20T16:19:00.000-05:002004-05-20T16:24:17.253-05:00

.. and how the United States lags far behind: http://jetstar.com.au/jetSMS/"> http://jetstar.com.au/jetSMS/ "JetSMS is a new and innovative way of booking your Jetstar flights. Using technology developed in conjunction with Optus and available to mobile phones connected to any mobile network, JetSMS allows you to book your Jetstar flights 24 hours a day via SMS from your mobile." (JetStar

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1082821557660719942004-04-24T10:45:00.000-05:002004-04-24T10:48:58.390-05:00

Australian humour is rather cheecky -- and the world is much better for it. Below is an e-mail that a friend sent to me. (Altho, the sceptic that I am, I never, ever believe any forwards; I just enjoy the humour of it, whether factual or ficticious.) Enjoy. -------------- After every flight, pilots fill out a form called a "gripe sheet", which conveys to the mechanics problems encountered

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1080779631469704202004-03-31T23:12:00.000-06:002004-03-31T23:18:44.373-06:00

Yesterday was quite a long day. Maybe it was a premonition of how my body will adjust to a 16-hour time difference. I woke up at 03:00 (Christchurch) to get ready to board the airport shuttle at 04:30, arriving at 05:00 for my 06:30 flight to Sydney. After queuing for 1 hour, I finally checked my bag at the Pacific Blue counter and left for the gate. After grabbing a takeaway long black and

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1080551835782355172004-03-29T03:17:00.000-06:002004-03-29T03:19:50.560-06:00

Today is Monday, 29 Mahch. I arrived in Christchurch from Queenstown earlier today. Wednesday, I hop on a plane bound for Sydney. I stay in Sydney until Saturday, when I board another plane for Austin (via San Francisco and Denver). Upon arrival, seven months will have passed since my mum, cousin, and brothers had lunch with me at Schlotsky's on Riverside before I left Austin for Sydney.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1080357393479833262004-03-26T21:16:00.000-06:002004-03-26T21:19:05.966-06:00

Two days ago, I climbed a glacier. http://www.franzjosefglacier.com/index.html The weather was spectacular, clear skies and no rain. One guide, two Czechs, two Dutch, two Swedes, four Poms (English), and me. At one point, I drank glacial water. We squeezed thru a cravasse whose walls were at least 4 metres hight. Another time, we had to shimmy thru a mousehole of ice to reach the rest of

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1078827072507292162004-03-09T04:11:00.000-06:002004-03-09T04:13:27.390-06:00

I forgot to mention that last Saturday, after having paid for my parking spot at the Auckland airport (spot 648, next to numbah sux-fufty), I walked to the car and was greeted by the whiff of pot eminating from the open windows of the car parked next to mine. The passenger tried frantically to close his window, yet he was a wee bit on the slow side. Plus, smoke fogging up the car is only

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1078564926370809192004-03-06T02:54:00.000-06:002004-03-06T03:24:18.076-06:00

Today, I woke up as 25% of a group of Austinites in Tauranga, New Zealand, and tonight, I go to sleep as a sole traveler in Auckland, New Zealand. Earlier this evening, I left me mates Trevor, Jen, and Kim at the Auckland Airport to board their Qantas flight to Los Angeles. After waiting to see their plane disappear into the ever-present low-flying clouds of Auckland, I headed back to the

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1077424449170159962004-02-21T22:34:00.000-06:002004-02-21T22:36:07.640-06:00

It has been 2 weeks / 14 nights / a fortnight since me Texas mates Kim, Jen, and Trevor popped in down undah for a wee bit of a holiday conmigo. So far, we have traveled up the Queensland coast and seen heaps of wildlife -- aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial. We've hugged koalas, been woken up by kokkaburras, fed kangaroos, photographed alpacas (yes, I know that those aren't indigenous to Oz, but

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1076048327370052982004-02-06T00:16:00.000-06:002004-02-06T00:20:29.950-06:00

I have just updated the "Web Albums" page of the VidaSinFronteras website. Have a peep of most of my Tasmanian cycle adventure: Photos: http://www.vidasinfronteras.com/WebAlbums/Australia/Index.html

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1076047721520903622004-02-05T23:53:00.000-06:002004-02-06T00:10:24.153-06:00

As of yesterday, I am back in Brisbane, awaiting the arrival of Texas mates Jen, Kim, and Trevor. In the 4-person dormitory room, I shared it with two Swiss German surferboys and a bloke from Detroit, Dave. While still at university, Dave had studied abroad in Spain for 13 months. Then, he had a 6-week internship in Monterrey, Mexico, where he picked up heaps of Mexican slang. He was pretty

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1075855576215286932004-02-03T18:46:00.000-06:002004-02-03T18:47:56.123-06:00

Interesting approach from a non-US source. Made me a bit shocked that only Americans have replied, thus far:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3451859.stm

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1074730646356889532004-01-21T18:17:00.000-06:002004-01-21T18:18:53.733-06:00

Hello, everyone from below the 40S parallel, and by that, I mean TASMANIA. Since 05 Jan, I have been cycling around the Apple Island. Little did I know that Tassie is Strine ("Australian") for "wad up a sheet of paper, slightly unfold it, and that's the topography". Now, just imagine your Brown Hero going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down .... on a

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071881511191623442003-12-19T18:51:00.000-06:002003-12-19T18:52:45.450-06:00

Parmalat is an Italian dairy / juice company based in Parma, Italia. When I lived in Lausanne, Switzerland back in 1993-4, I did not know Parmalat until my friend Chris Gleason and I bought scalped L35'000 tickets to the Parma vs. Ajax soccer game in March 94 and "Parmalat" and its snowflake emblem ringed the field like an unbroken crop circle. I think it was in 1994 or 1995 that I began to see

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071872648649990762003-12-19T16:24:00.000-06:002003-12-19T16:25:03.200-06:00

Within the past two days, I've observed a few things that remind me of my geographic location on this rather small bluegreen marble.Yesterday, I went to the Department of Immigration to get a tourist visa to tack on 3 more months' stay here in Australia. My work visa expires on 04 Jan 04 (a Sunday) and the Brisbane office of the Dept. of Immi. will be closed for the holidays from the next two

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071661460641628562003-12-17T05:44:00.000-06:002003-12-17T05:45:12.640-06:00

Today, biking back from running errands in the CBD (Central Bidness District / Downtown), I noticed about 5 people carrying several Christmas-themed piñatas in their hands - hollow shapes of Christmas trees, candy-filled stockings, candy canes, and gingerbread men made from paper mâché and colo(u)red tissue paper. Each hand clasped around 4 of the hanging strings making bright Mexican bouquets

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071600521466563862003-12-16T12:48:00.000-06:002003-12-16T12:49:32.530-06:00

There are no trees in Iceland. I don't know why that thought fled thru my fingers. I heard it said by Hlynur, the main character of "101 Rekjavík", an Icelandic film that Robin and I viewed inside our cabin the night that we stayed in Stanthorpe QLD a few weekends back while on our winetour. Iceland has no trees.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071593299641785172003-12-16T10:48:00.000-06:002003-12-16T10:49:10.640-06:00

Christmas spirit has definitely arrived in Brisbane. Today, I saw a bus driver dressed as Santa Claus pass me, "Merry Christmas" on the bus marquee, and squiggles of dark green wreath decorations all suspended along the top edge of the inside windows. I don't think that I'll ever see a Capital Metro bus bedecked the same way. Last Sunday, we also saw some Christmas-themed acrobats on the Queen

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071403673604017532003-12-14T06:07:00.000-06:002003-12-14T06:08:42.983-06:00

I read an article in the Sydney Morning Herald today from an Aussie living in Hong Kong. Chris Baker compares the world's view of Australia after the 2000 Olympics and the evolvement/devolvement of that view in Dec 2003. Insight of how a native living abroad views his country. I've had some parallel thoughts, meself.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071138287027359622003-12-11T04:24:00.000-06:002003-12-11T04:29:25.233-06:00

During the Brisbane Writers Festival back in October, I picked up a few books by Australian authors. One of the much publicized ones was John Birmingham, author of Aussie cult classic He Died with a Felafel in His Hand (which I purchased). Birmingham and his publisher Random House Australia launched his new book Dopeland at the festival. From the description of Dopeland on the Random House

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071130841782992822003-12-11T02:20:00.000-06:002003-12-11T02:21:27.856-06:00

Last week, Australia welcomed the birth of her 20 millionth citizen. As did the City of Shanghai, China. The population of one nation -- one continent! -- equals that of one city.The population of the State of Texas is 21 million.Perspective

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071124007646353122003-12-08T00:26:00.000-06:002003-12-11T00:35:41.110-06:00

http://www.vidasinfronteras.com/World.html >> Web Albums >> Australia The URL above lists the photo albums below. My comments about each album [in brackets] are not included on the webpage. Web Albums-Australia September 2003 Sydney NSW (05-09 Sep) [Robin flew down from Brisbane to meet me upon arrival. We spent a few days together, and she had to return to Brisbane. I spent a few days

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1071123471621387872003-12-04T04:54:00.000-06:002003-12-11T00:19:37.076-06:00

I was hired at Caxton St. Catering on 15 Nov for a four-week stint. I have had 4 shifts since 15 Nov. And, that's it. I haven't had any shifts since, including next week, which would have been my fourth & last week, had I any hours to work, which once again, is zero. And, my connection with Caxton is now one for the history books. So, for 2.5 of 4 weeks, I had a "non-job"; I am officially

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1070449400113048422003-12-03T05:03:00.000-06:002003-12-03T05:03:58.670-06:00

Sunday, 09 Nov, Ro and I woke up extra early (well, early for a Sunday) so that we could visit the famed Australia Zoo, home to the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. At our South Brisbane train station (a block from out apt.), we purchased two combination return/roundtrip train-zoo-shuttle bus ticket offered by Queensland Rail. Convenient. On the way to the Beerwah train station, we decided to

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1070333051280210062003-12-01T20:44:00.000-06:002003-12-01T20:44:47.936-06:00

Happy First Day of Summer, Aussie-style! Yup, 01 Dec marks the beginning of summer in Oz.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1069834034382279262003-11-26T02:07:00.000-06:002003-11-26T02:07:45.856-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! My fellow Mericans, glug down a turkey soda on my behalf, would y'all? Eid mubarek to my fellow Muslim humans. May the new year bring more understanding of your religion to the world community. All Muslims are not terrorists, just as all Catholics are not IRA terrorists, all Protestants are not Orangemen terrorists, all Baptists are not abortion clinic terrorists, all

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1069768591893561812003-11-25T07:56:00.000-06:002003-11-25T07:57:01.903-06:00

Back in the US, I didn’t watch much television. I often was outside of my apt, visiting friends, eating with friends, volunteering, going to the cinema, going to listen to live music, cycling around my neighborhood ... I really did not have much time for television because I already had heaps of activities that kept me away from the Asian Light Box. Further, I did not find most teev shows

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1069549232352465872003-11-22T19:00:00.000-06:002003-11-22T19:01:00.576-06:00

Apparently, some kangaroos escaped from a zoo near Paris and now live wild in a nearby forest. Here's the article (in French).

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1069132885094206342003-11-17T23:21:00.000-06:002003-11-17T23:21:48.310-06:00

Fed up with the (1) collaborative manipulation by the US Military and Bush Administration, (2) the US becoming a pariah state run by religious conservatives, according to a growing list of nations, (3) decay of civil liberties that once set the USA apart from aristocratic dictatorships, and (4) waste of MY tax dollars, I demand that all American newspapers immediately install a daily quadrant in

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1068823165107524262003-11-14T09:19:00.000-06:002003-11-14T18:40:25.483-06:00

If you like the films "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch" by Guy Richie (AKA "Mr. Madonna"), then I guarantee that you'd luv "Gettin' Square", and Aussie film that Robin and I just saw. Set in Surfer's Paradise, a beach community just a few km from Brisbane, it tells the story of Barry Wirth, a 29-year-old convict released from prison and attempting to "get square" (become a

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1068773534523647822003-11-13T19:32:00.000-06:002003-11-13T19:32:33.546-06:00

http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,7857962,00.htmlThe missionary's descendants live in the Australian State of Queensland. In fact, some live right here in Brisbane.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1068735768718289532003-11-13T09:02:00.000-06:002003-11-13T09:03:07.733-06:00

I quit my door-to-door salesman job on Wed, 29 Oct. In the two weeks since, I have aggressively hunted down a job like a koala jonesin' for a supah-size eucalyptus burger. Yeah, just like that. Last Monday, I started searching for jobs and leads at 4PM. I stayed up until 10AM the following morning searching, applying, and jotting down a list telephone numbers to call on Tuesday.I took a 2.5

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1067952007139463922003-11-04T07:20:00.000-06:002003-11-04T07:20:05.653-06:00

Earlier this evening, Robin and I walked down to her univeristy (Queenland University of Technology / QUT), located aside the Botanic Gardens. We went to the fenced off area of the gardens to catch this evening's film screening at the Sunset Cinema. For AUS$13 each, we caught "Adaptation" with Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep. We walked into the inner square, handed the gatekeeper our tickets,

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1068302113276876532003-10-28T08:34:00.000-06:002003-11-08T08:35:10.983-06:00

I quit my job. Four days after I began. No regrets. The job just didn't fit. Promises of quick money in just days did not justify the long hours, daily footpain, sunburnt lips, a tie in 34C degree weather. My quality of life diminished; I did not travel all the way to the other corner of the globe to work 60-80+ hours a week. This job really wasn’t made for me and vice-versa. I am too

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-106726567622903892003-10-27T08:41:00.000-06:002003-10-27T08:48:07.666-06:00

As of last Thursday (24 Oct), I now have a job! (Insert heaps of relief, here.) Being trilingual, degreed, and with a strong I/T background, what kind of work do you think that I have found after several fruitless weeks of responding to on-line job ads ranging from Lotus Notes DBA to night shift stocker at the local supermarket; phoning people about posted work announcements in the Saturday

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1067158186135547272003-10-26T03:49:00.000-06:002003-10-26T03:49:45.313-06:00

Earlier today, I was in the Myer Centre, a large 4-story mall that fronts the pedestrian Queen Street here in Brisbane. While in the food court, I came across a New York Fries fast-fooderia. On the menu was "poutine", a Quebec invention involving fries, brown gravy, and white cheddar cheese to which my friend David Pinard introduced me when I was visiting him in Montreal in 2000. Huh? How does

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1066354434016211092003-10-16T20:33:00.000-05:002003-10-16T20:33:53.663-05:00

Two Sundays ago, 05 Oct (or maybe Monday, I don’t remember), Robin and I invited our neighbors David and Karina to our apartment for a Mexican dinner on Thursday, 09 Oct. We decided to make the meal entirely from scratch -- no mixes, no shortcuts, no easy-way-outs, and definitely NO OLD EL PASO KITS. Food is love, simple as that. Mexicans believe that food absorbs the emotions that the cook

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1066222859765330402003-10-15T08:00:00.000-05:002003-10-15T08:00:59.920-05:00

Earlier today, Robin and I attended our first Rugby World Cup match -- actually, our first rugby game, ever. Fiji v. USA. Most Americans probably don't know where Fiji is located (just NE of Australia), but then again, most Americans probably don't know where Canada or Mexico is, either. We found our seats 40 min into the game, Aisle 640, Row 66, Seats 30 & 31. Some bloody wanker was

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1065193279135564342003-10-03T10:01:00.000-05:002003-10-03T10:06:52.603-05:00

Today was my first of two days of volunteering at the Brisbane Writers Festival. I function as a "Venue Technician", which means that after the panel of speakers is done with their talks, I walk around the room passing the microphone to audience members so they can ask questions to the panel. I did this for four panels. The first one discussed the Advancing Public Debate Award that was

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1064845423058098392003-09-29T09:23:00.000-05:002003-09-29T09:23:42.876-05:00

Last saturday night after the Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final [the "Australian Rules Football Superbowl"], Robin and I came home from an all-day BBQ and somehow got stuck watching 80s videos on TV until about 2AM --- Madonna, Blondie, New Edition. Ah, the 80s. The are becoming "cool" from right under my nose, and I am powerless to stop it. Watching the videos reminded me of a

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-106484320441609122003-09-29T08:46:00.000-05:002003-09-29T08:46:43.906-05:00

Brisbane is the capital of the State of Queensland, Australia. Tomorrow, I am planning to visit the Queensland Museum. It is only about a block away from our building. While surfing on the museum's website earlier today, I learned heaps of Queenslander things to whet my appetite of what I will see. One of the exhibits that I think is supahkool but whose mere thought I know will make the girls

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1064750865475726492003-09-28T07:07:00.000-05:002003-09-28T07:08:09.536-05:00

Our roommate Julia has joined the South Bank Fitness Club, just around the corner from our apartment building. No, literally --- about 25 metres from our front door. Anyway, I found out tonight that if I sign up with the fitness club and mention her, then Julia receives a FREE BOTTLE OF WINE! How Australian! And, if Robin joins and mentions Julia sent her, then, yes, ANOTHER bottle of wine!

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1064626713250468752003-09-26T20:38:00.000-05:002003-09-26T20:38:32.860-05:00

(From Brisbane's newspaper The Courier Mail:) "Here's a site you'll want to bookmark and visit again and again as Brisbane's city-dwelling peregrine falcon Frodo's family hatches and grows. Keep Frodocam open on your screen and watch these spectacular birds care for their eggs and young. " FrodoCam (This is an excellent way to spend oodles of seconds. JRG)

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1064213270429894412003-09-22T01:47:00.000-05:002003-09-22T01:47:50.093-05:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3127814.stm Skippy to the rescue A female kangaroo has saved an Australian farmer's life by alerting his family that he was lying unconscious in a field. The kangaroo banged repeatedly on the door of the family home in the state of Victoria, until the farmer's wife came out. In a scene reminiscent of the 1960s Australian children's television series

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063940269682320262003-09-18T21:57:00.000-05:002003-09-18T21:57:49.016-05:00

I had a job interview today to be -- get this -- an XBOX DEMONSTRATOR! Yup, that's right, I am trying to be a smarmy salesman in the mall that peddles gizmo boxes to Aussie families and university boys. A high-tech drug dealer. "Your first game is free, kid, but the next time you gotta fork over a wad of Aussie dollars for your next hit." HA! I'll make friends superfastquicklike, just like a

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063796900698290082003-09-17T06:08:00.000-05:002003-09-17T06:08:20.743-05:00

When Robin and I were in Sydney earlier in the month, we passed a busker (street musician) who was playing steel drums with a Trinidad & Tobago flag sticker on the outer rim of one drum. What was he steeldrumifying? "Fernando" by ABBA. As of a few days ago, we discovered that he has followed us up the East Coast of Australia to the Queen Street Mall in Brisbane. All I could think of when

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063721011057756662003-09-16T09:03:00.000-05:002003-09-16T09:03:31.263-05:00

Happy dieziseis de septiembre! Happy Mexican Independence from Spain in 1810! I miss Mexico today. I miss the food. I miss the colors. I miss the aromas. I miss the homemade tortillas. I miss all of Texas being Mexican for a day. I miss the tequila, margaritas, Dos XX, chips & salsa, and horchata. It's good to miss things, tho. Yet, am I one to sit around and wallow in nostalgia?

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063350063980478432003-09-12T02:01:00.000-05:002003-09-12T02:01:04.030-05:00

Spring in Australia started 01 Sep 2003. As in Austin, the arrival of spring in Sydney and Brisbane fills the calendar with so many overlapping events that grab my attention and hold it like honey in a sopapilla. Today is the Multi-Cultural Fest on the Queensland University of Technology (Robin's uni) campus, along with a Moon Fest. Across the Brisbane River is the weekly Arts & Crafts market.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063258881462531412003-09-11T00:41:00.000-05:002003-09-11T00:41:21.410-05:00

Australia loves pumkin, as do I. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin slices butterily sliding down your tongue along with the other vegetables in the meal I ordered at Thai Panic last night, just a few blocks from out apt. I love pumpkin, but not only because it is orange. Since a kid, I've always gorged on pumpkin empanadas and always looked forward to punkin pie on Thanksgiving. MMM....

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1063006852388780342003-09-08T02:40:00.000-05:002003-09-08T02:40:52.453-05:00

Sydney wears black like rice wears white. Speaking of black, I walked into a cafe this morning at 07h30 and ordered a large espresso. (OK, OK, for those of y'all wondering why Julian is awake at 7h30AM, let me remind y'all that there is a 15-hour time difference between Austin and Sydney, so 07h30 in Sydney is 20h30 (8h30PM) in Austin, which is right about when I'm normally waking up. HA!)

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1062902224414725462003-09-06T21:37:00.000-05:002003-09-06T21:37:04.436-05:00

OK, OK, I know that I often bring up odd references to my name, and I how I never find any things (like keychains, pens, etc.) with my name on it --- although there are plenty of personalized things for people named Jennifer, Stephen, Quintana, Ignacio.... What I don't understand is how my name is not that unusual yet skips the lists of named trinkets. Think "Julius Caesar", "Julian Lennon", or

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1062449737305724522003-09-01T15:54:00.000-05:002003-09-01T16:03:32.363-05:00

(I arrive in Sydney at 06:10 AM on 05 Sep. After a quick nap, I'm gunna hop all over Sydney like a 'roo. Then, I'll tidy up to attend this concert.) Sydney Opera House Acclaimed British composer Tolga Kashif will conduct the mighty Sydney Symphony and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in a six-movement symphonic work based on musical themes from 13 of Queen’s best loved songs. Over three decades

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1062052104953234482003-08-28T01:26:00.000-05:002003-08-28T01:29:01.130-05:00

A friend just sent me this snippet from a forwarded e-mail that I am positive will arrive in your Inbox soon: --- "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you've started." So I looked around to see all the things I started and hadn't finished. So, today I have finished one bottle of vodka, a bottle of red wine, a bottle of Jack Daniel's, my Prozac, a small box of chocolates

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061935778986191572003-08-27T01:40:00.000-05:002003-08-27T16:26:50.783-05:00

Julian Rocks, NSW "According to a story from the Bundjalung people a jealous husband threw his spear at the canoe of his wife and her lover. The canoe broke in two and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Only the back and the front of the boat stuck out of the water, creating a rock formation just 2.5 km off shore."

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061794377088893092003-08-25T20:11:00.000-05:002003-08-28T15:00:00.416-05:00

"Nostalgia will destroy me" should be written on my tombstone. Only 9 more days until I enDorothy meself and ride a United tornado to Oz, yet I am already letting thoughts de lo que me hecha a menos run rampant in the grey matter. Of course, I am returning to Austin after mon sejour australien (well, can anyone ever really leave Austin?), yet in the interim, there are things that I will miss (a

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061822976257163712003-08-25T09:49:00.000-05:002004-03-11T22:53:36.483-06:00

* eat tortillas, specifically from la tortillera amarilla on E. 5th * drink cheap beer on the back of Jill's porch while playing frisbee with Otis * laugh * eat tortillas * tour the UT Tower, scene of a sniper shootout in 1963 * frequent the art galleries, of which many abound * eat at the County Line * visit the LBJ museum * eat at Quality Seafood * attend a mass at one of the Vietnamese

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061822794206330682003-08-25T09:46:00.000-05:002004-03-11T22:53:21.403-06:00

* IH-35 * rude drivers > esp. those that do not use their blinkers/indicators/clignotants nor wave "Thanks!" in the rear-view mirror when I have allowed them to pass me * skinny, white boys that have a haughty attitude yet work minimum-wage jobs like some at I (heart) Video * lack of manners * Round Rock - bleh * pincH-E-B Yup, that's it. I didn't think that the list would be this long.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061233558869344972003-08-18T16:17:00.000-05:002003-08-20T14:08:50.536-05:00

As part of my work-exchange program, the org. that sets up the exchanges (BUNAC) sent me the latest copy of Lonely Planet: Australia - incidentally, envelopped in my favorite colors of magma orange and deep navy blue (it must be a sign, no?). Devouring the pages, I think that after my 4 months of work in Brisbane, I have this devilish idea of cycling the State of Tasmania for a month. Then,

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1061002963708583372003-08-15T22:02:00.000-05:002003-08-15T22:02:38.243-05:00

I've created a new weblog to gather the random stories and events for my trip to Australia. I call it "OZtin". Cheesy. Corny. Cool.~~~JRG

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1060980267826826262003-08-15T15:42:00.000-05:002003-08-15T16:07:34.460-05:00

How the hell did I collect so much junk, and why do I continue to clasp it? Why can't I just throw it out. Maybe I should just take digital photos of everthing of which I can't seem to let go.

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5685196.post-1060976310450114242003-08-15T14:30:00.000-05:002003-08-15T15:51:52.383-05:00

19 days to go till I take off again. Destination: Brisbane, by way of Sydney. I arrive in Sydney on 05 Sep, where I spend a few days for orientation, hugging a few koalas, and chasing some kangaroos. Then, I'll take the slow train to Brisbane, stopping along the way. Why not? I'm not in any rush. I am truly stunned by how many people that I know have some kind of connection to Australia, whether

Kiwi Cowboyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15184900637122616491noreply@blogger.com0