Sydney Once Again

We spent another weekend in Sydney. Hopefully the last for a while. On Sunday we spent the day at the Eastern Creek Raceway for the Soundwave 2009 music festival. Once again we were sorely disappointed by the shoddy organization of the event. We waited in line for nearly three hours just to get through the gate. I have never been more frustrated in my life. We missed three bands that we really wanted to see (Less Than Jake, Goldfinger and Attack in Black) and were in a cranky mood for the rest of the day. Phil and I decided that afternoon that we are done with music festivals. The crowds, lineups and overpriced food just aren’t worth the effort. Fortunately the bands that we did see at Soundwave made up for the frustration we experienced. Once again the festival put together an amazing lineup that would be impossible by North American standards. Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains, Bloodhound Gang, Billy Talent, New Found Glory, Finch, Moneen, Attack in Black, Bedouin Soundclash and many, many more. We were excited to see Moneen again as we have seen them countless times over the past eight years. I love that band so much. They put on a great show that was just like old times in the small, dark, sweaty clubs of Thunder Bay, Guelph and Toronto. Billy Talent was also excellent as was Alice in Chains. But the highlight of the night was definitely Nine Inch Nails. I have never considered myself a huge fan of their work, but after seeing them live I have a whole new perspective. They put on one of the best concerts I have ever seen. It was loud and flashy which doesn’t always work for me, but it was amazing. Trent Reznor is a brilliant, brilliant man. Unfortunately the band announced just prior to this tour that they would be calling it quits for a while. I guess I shouldn’t have waited so long to see them.

2.5 Hours Worth of Lineup

Moneen

Billy Talent

Nine Inch Nails

Crazy Slingshot Ride (as seen previously at Trackside in Canberra)

On Monday we took the ute in to get the LPG system fixed as it has been backfiring a lot lately. It was a relatively easy fix which was good news, so I had time to pop by Ikea and pick up a mattress for our new spare bed before we headed home in the dark and rain. It was a long, painful drive. We got home kind of late which has made this week extra challenging. But Friday is a day off for me and I’m looking forward to sleeping in.

And the Tire Woes Continue

Last Friday I set a new precedent for flat tires. As I was driving to work I encountered a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. The dirt roads are narrow at the best of times, and we were on a hill with a blind corner and didn’t have much time or space to react. As I pulled over to the side of the road to make room for the vehicle to pass, my rear left tire struck a large rock which blew a massive hole in the sidewall. Luckily my tire changing skills haven’t softened any over the past couple months, however my new (less than 5,000km new) $250 tire was a complete write-off. It never ends!

A Rainy Weekend

After three very long, very dry weeks we are finally getting some rain. Our lawn couldn’t be happier. Today is windy, cool and overcast and I must admit that I am enjoying an excuse to stay indoors and be lazy. The Bedjerabong races are on this afternoon but I think we’ll give them a miss. It’s also Valentine’s Day but we don’t have any plans.

I’m still playing catch-up with travel photos and videos. Here’s a snippet of Phil playing in the crazy waves at Yallingup. He’s the smallish blob in the middle of the frame. We’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s now wonder this beach is ‘beloved of surfers’. I took a massive beating from the waves on our first day there and decided to stick to the kiddy pool after that. Phil was much more determined than I. Crazy bugger.