Eak & Shahn's Globetrotting Shenanigans

Friday, October 12, 2012

Chinchilla Foam Party

The Chinchilla Foam Party...

The small town of about 7,500 put on a huge party in the old showgrounds building, right next door to where Eak lives, so we just had to stumble home! There were a huuuuge amount of Kiwi's there, busting out some moves to Kiwi classy classics like "Swing" by Savage and cutting some shapes to "Slice of Heaven" by Dave Dobbyn and the Herbs.

Just about to head out. To explain this..... the op shop was closed and the only other store in Chinchilla left open was the Reject Shop - so naturally we bought the most random shit in the store and made it work!

Shahn raging with Marcello and Candice, Aaron in the background (with the tigger hat on)

Same as above but illuminated

See now you can really appreciate the LED lights I had on - genius!

My lights and pink hair were the "light" of the party! haha. Apparently while I was grooving people were patting my hair and I was called Pinky all night!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Sun, sand and cetaceans in the Great Sandy National Park

View Larger Map

The map of where we headed from Noosaville to Rainbow beach via the beach about 45km. Then up the tombolo to Double island point, through the bush to the west and out onto the beach at Rainbow beach (Wide Bay). Man I need to get a surf board, every time I see the sea I wanna get in it.

Just a random rolling his truck just outside of miles, I needed to put this somewhere...

Starting the Ferry crossing man was it busy, just letting the tyres down so we go a bit of traction on the sand.

Loads of people all looking to go camping and have fun on the beach, although the weather was average as.

Start of the trip heading up the beach

A few of the campers about half way up

Still heading North passing car after car, but we were about the only one heading north started to wounder if we were a bit late as the tide had just turned.

Stopping for a Ice cream on the way.

After getting all the way to the top and climbing towards the lighthouse.

A nice yacht sitting just east of Wide Bay.

Looking South from near the top.

The light house taken from the eastern island.

Just chilling on the Eastern Double Island point, weather not too flash still warm as.

Looking south from the light house you can just see the dune faces in wide bay (far right)

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) heading south.

From the top again looking south, not too far away a plane went down on 1/10/12 in the bushland.

Climbing down the rocks, just making sure we can get out and not get trapped by the tide.

Looking for whales......

A nice little breach.

Looking towards Double island Point on dusk.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Outback Wildlife

Just while out and about driving around for work, ran in to a Bearded Dragon, an Echidna and a Shingleback... I will keep adding new creatures as I go.

Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata). Think I have identified this little guy correctly.

Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa aspera). I got this little fulla displaying

Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and I should have got a few eggs...

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Getting the 80 ready to rumble

Working on the Toyota Landcruiser 80 series

After buying the 80 Series, I just wanted to give things a good going over so that it was done. All of it was fine but I was concerned about the condition of the radiator, so while doing all of that we did the water pump, changed the belts, gave her a service and just general tidy up.

Richard getting inside the engine bay, it is just too high to try and work over the guards.

We had to take out the radiator, waterpump, timing belt and fan.

All the gear ready and the new radiator sitting in the OEX box.

Just about to take the waterpump off.

Just working away.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

I'm baaaaaack!

Hello lovelies,

I finally get to write a blog post after 3months of letting the boss man have my laptop to secure himself the frigging excellent job he has now, and therefore Eak has been writing the last few posts (as I am sure you can tell!).

I've been in Rockhampton for what seems like an age! I have been thoroughly enjoying working for CQMI, they have been so amazing to work for - very understanding and since it has been a casual contract they have given me an awesome start back into radiography after having almost 6 months off (due to going home over Xmas, down south to the farm and then working in the cafe in Emerald).

The boss offered me a permanent contract, which I was seriously considering since Eak had applied for a job near Rockhampton so I was thinking, 'Finally, things are working out' - BUT NO! Eak landed the awesome opportunity to work in Chinchilla on the APLNG projects in that area (the work that he has been posting on here). So off to Brisbane he went to get orientated and didn't have the pleasure of seeing him until a month ago (17-19 August 2012), I drove over 1,100kms that weekend to see my lovely man, shit I am good!

My great aunt, Hazel and her daughter (my second cousin) Debbie are living in Rocky too, so it has been fantastic to catch up with them a bit, since they have lived in Aussie for many years I did not really know them very well. So it has been lovely to get to know them better, spend time with them and yarn!

Mum and Dad came over for a week in early August, it was so lovely to see them. Nana Jo and Grandad Brian were travelling up the coast in their caravan, they spend about 3months of the year in northern QLD to escape the shitty New Zealand winter. So our paths all crossed and caught up in Rocky the day that Mum & Dad flew in, then we drove the 5hours north to Airlie Beach to spend a long weekend in the lovely Whitsunday region.

Mum, Dad, Grandad & Nana Jo looking lovely in the sun!

Shute Harbour, took some pictures to show Eaky so he could see how pretty it was, and all the spenny as sail boats. But the Whitsundays region is just stunning! I probably will not get an opportunity to get up to Airlie again, but I would love to go back - its very chilled and very tropical (I got a few mozzie or midge bites too which sucked).

One can only dream....

Having a Hahn beer with my Pappy on my apartments' balcony. What a fantastic life!

I have saved the best news until last!
I have just accepted a full time, permanent job for Clarke & Robertson Radiology, they are part of the I-MED company whom I have been working for for the last 3.5months . The are located in Ipswich, QLD which means that its a 3hour drive West to see Eaky and a 45min drive East to Brisbane. My boss from Rockhampton rang these guys to tell them that they should hire me because I am awesome (haha) so then I had to drive down to meet with them Friday (31/08/12) so by 3pm that afternoon it was all locked in and they were ready to sign on the dotted line.
I was offered a 4day/week job with Toowoomba Public Hospital but after being offered $5/hr more by the Private I-MED company, full time work with CT training on a brand new 256 slice Phillips CT scanner (booyah Radiography peeps, maybe its an overkill - really what do you need 256 slices for?) anyway I am excited to get CT training, potentially Mammo & MRI training too!
I start on the 19th of September in Ipswich, so I need to find a place to live then get some furniture etc and I will be ready to rock n roll - I am pretty excited and very fortunate to have the opportunity to have a wicked boss to get me this sweet gig! I am very relieved to have a permanent job to go to, as I left Fulford just over a year ago and have not had a stable job or place of residence in over a year. Strange to think that I have been out in the big bad world outside of the safety blanket that was Fulford Radiology and New Plymouth for over a year!

Will keep you posted with any more progress. Hopefully still more exciting things to come!!
xxxx Missing everyone lots!
Lots of love, Shahn