Fame at last! That's Annika and her friend Meg in the The Age newspaper last Sunday in an article about go-go dancing and Australia's premier provider: Miss Anna's Go-Go Academy. You got a glimpse of her skills last Christmas and Milly has converted from belly-dancing to this new (old) form. Where does go-go rate on your list, Damien?
Dom has broken his thumb in a rugby tackle he hardly even remembers. Twelve valiant Box Hill Under 18s were struggling against a full team from Powerhouse so tackles were the order of the day. He broke it in the first five minutes but played out the rest of the game, probably not improving the situation. He goes to a hand surgeon this Wednesday and will have surgery at some stage in the near future. It's likely to involve a pin and six weeks or so in plaster - no more writing (it's his right hand, of course), sport, guitar and the rest of it. Just what you need when you've just turned 17...
You know I'm not one to gossip, but Milly, who spends most of her working time reading crap magazines, entered a competition in "In Style" magazine and won a trip for herself and four members of her family to a luxury weekend in, you guessed it, Melbourne! She's invited her grandmother, mother, her favourite sister Alaine and cousin Annika to join her. First reserves are Stuart and myself who feel we could do the weekend justice but, since Yellowglen is the major sponsor, Marianne is probably a good choice. The Roff Report looks forward to a detailed report...
InStyle and Yellowglen are giving one lucky reader and four friends the chance to win a weekend of vintage style!
Escape to Melbourne, the city of style with four of your family! You will fly to Melbourne where you will spend two nights at the Westin Melbourne. Chic and elegantly understated, The Westin Melbourne is one of Australia's most awarded hotels, surrounded by theatres, galleries, boutiques and top tourist attractions.
You will then be collected by A Vintage Outing for a day of vintage shopping, where you will each have $2,000 to spend at vintage-inspired stores including Alannah Hill, Keshett, Leona Edmiston and more. Lyn Gardner and Danielle Pumo from A Vintage Outing will be on hand to act as your personal stylists and you will also stop at Madame Brussels to enjoy a delicious lunch and Yellowglen Vintage Bubbly.
Grant and Julia, I have actually been to the beach that you visited (as seen above).
Yes, I'm back, but Julia is staying in Vietnam for another two weeks for more holidays with her mate, Libby, who arrived the day before I left. I would love to have stayed but, apparently, some students want their first semester results and it involves me doing a bit of marking. Here are some more pics for your edification.
We had an afternoon on this beach which was bliss and we could have stayed in one of the huts instead of a night on the wild Cat Ba Island but we didn't know it was an option. Next time.
We were dropped at an island and bicycled to a remote village where we left the bikes and trecked through a rainforest to a cave full of bats. Julia fell in the dark cave and has the bruises and scars to prove it. The other people in the pic were our gang on the boat.
This is the view from our cabin on the Junk we were aboard on Ha Long Bay. Our junk looked like the one you can see here. Three days and two nights with everything included cost about $100 each. Do it while it's still available at this price!
One last motorcycle picture: we crossed a low river and had to push our bikes for about half a kilometre across a mud flat on a loose, bamboo track. If the bike (or you) fell on either side, it would never be seen again. Julia is making it look easy but it wasn't. Geeze it's cold back in Melbourne...
Here we are in Vietnam again, this time for a motorcycle trip and, for Julia, a longer holiday with a friend after my two weeks here finishes. We've finished the bike part and it was excellent. Nights were spent in traditional houses with local families and the roads were a constant procession of bends over mountain passes and through rice-growing lower areas. Julia got her motorcycle licence again for the trip but it was still a big ask to ride so far in such a strange environment (including having to ride on the right hand side of the road) Getting out of Hanoi was by far the hardest part but dodging the buffalos, chooks, trucks, busses, and the thousands of other motorcycles on the road required lots of attention. The picture above is at our first stop out of the city. Hey, Jake, can you photoshop some crossed bullet belts onto Jules and have the tip of an AK-47 peeking out over her right shoulder?
Road conditions constantly changed. Here we had to ride up the drains on either side of the digger to get past.
This was our last night as guests in a Dao ethnic minority villiage. The rice wine flowed freely and Julia married all our children to the son and two daughters of our hosts. The girls are very attractive but there's a complication for Annika in that she has to bring a buffalo with her when she arrives.
Julia is making great use of the Vietnamese she's been studying in Australia. She had quite a conversation with this 80 year-old we met at one of our frequent stops.
Here we are with our new in-laws. Start packing, Dom, Nick and Annika. We're having a rest at the moment but have another adventure planned in Ha Long Bay starting tomorrow.
Hi. Still cannot remember my password so here goes.
I am retiring the much-loved Camry as of next week as my new package includes a new car. Whacko! A brand spanker to drive the economy.
I have been offered $500 as a trade-in so any enterprising cousin might like to offer the same and utilize what I think has more value even if sentimental. 253K kilos completed, mostly Mudgee, Lismore, rural NSW and Victoria, and potentially 250K more to go. No rego as of 30 June, and may need new tyres. Some dimples of love as modeled by Kimi below (in front of the Mudgee mansion) that make it perfect for on-street parking. I decked a kangaroo on the weekend which merely bounced off the bonnet without a scratch (to the car). But a spot or two of rust courtesy of 10 years in Manly. Complete with 2002 Sydney Street directory, a B-52’s driving tape and some stray Indian movie music (as I grade up to CD’s). Kimi not included but lunch could be provided on pick-up (when she gets back from Japan). And a nice number plate too that might help at a Dennie (?) Muster.
Any interest?
Brendan
Grant was right. It was only a matter of time before I was discovered... by a Port Macquarie Radio DJ on a mission - He interviewed me about my Johhny song. I'm glad someone out there backs me up!
This is Tegan and Miles getting married, and that's bridesmaid Annika on the far right. The wedding took place in Moe recently and Annika's job was to get the three kegs down in the Camry she shares with Nicholas. She also knitted the shawls you can see the picture. In fact, the dressess were a combined effort of the bridesmaids involving sewing evenings and a total cost of around $200. The reception was in the bush so God picked up bill for venue hire. As Damian would say, "That young man looks like trouble to me..."
