Skmo Knows

Macau oh yeah!

2006-11-24T15:07:00.000+10:30

While in HK me and Erik made a ferry trip to Macau. It is like a chinese/portuguese version of Las Vegas I guess. casinos everywhere. Big casinos. And heaps of undeveloped land that is soon to become casinos. It's also more humid than HK and there are no bars really (well at least not open on a Monday night).

So we wandered around, ate a lot of bakery treats filled with cream, and marvelled at the weirdness of Chinese people speaking Portuguese. We tried to find a place to have a beer but the only thing we could find was beers from Circle K (like 7/11) and drinking in the exercise park.

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/3425scd&.src=ph&.tok=phmjS3FBZ4KWjTu4

Honkers part 2

2006-11-24T15:03:00.000+10:30

Not much to say, just a few more pics from Hong Kong. These are mainly pics from the Kowloon side looking at Hong Kong Island from the ferry.

So shiny!

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/a60ascd&.src=ph&.tok=phNuR3FBqsVHe3ov

Ahhh Durham

2006-11-24T13:57:00.000+10:30

So my friend Suzie, a Northern lass, took me to her mum's house in County Durham. This was after the Fringe in Edinburgh had finished and we needed a break. Her mum's place was lovely, I believe I've described it before. We also went on a daytrip around the countryside and she's just sent me some pics! There's pictures of Durham Cathedral (where bits of Harry Potter are filmed), and of the local endangered Pipstrelle bat. Too tiny to focus on it seems. And a pic of me outside the awful, horrible, Walkabout pub. They're everywhere, even in Durham.

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/c516scd&.src=ph&.tok=phZiQ3FB7V4fTzUb

no pictures...

2006-11-16T17:27:00.000+10:30

...just an update. Obviously Honkers Part 2 is slow in comin to you. But I have reasons. Mainly that I am back, back in the city of churches, but not the city of peak traffic, the festival state, which is also much of the time the non-festival state.

While enjoying the freedom that being jobless entails, I have been getting in a spot of sleeping, watching tv and occasionally socialising. Not much to write about is it? So I'll stop. Now.

A bientot mes amis!

Honkers Pt. 1

2006-10-24T13:06:00.000+09:30

I'm in Hong Kong now, staying at the wonderful Chez Erik et Nicole.

I'm eating lots of crazy foods - go the dessert restaurant! - and seeing the sights. Benji & Nick were here when I got here, but they've now gone off to Japan (lucky bastards). But we got in some eating with them too.

I went to Victoria Peak, where there was a children's ballroom dancing competition going on in the balzing sun at one of the highest points on the Island.

I saw an ace movie "Exiled" set in Macau, where I will be visiting before too long. I've also visited Kowloon, Mong Kok and that part of town, and gone out in Soho, Causeway Bay and Lan Kwai Fong.

Oh and I visited an amazing amusement park called Ocean Park. So many rollercoasters, and the biggest aquarium you've ever seen - it was three storeys high!

Without further ado, here's a shitload of pictures!

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/1b01scd&.src=ph&.tok=phBdDtFBnXWK4VFN

Apologies once again for the landscape pics for some of these that should be portrait format. All I can say is, hey, wha happened?

Germany

2006-10-24T04:36:00.000+09:30

Well Germany was great. I met and hung out with a lot of nice people. Finally got to meet Nell's ... husband! And attend my first wedding. Sightseeing too...Krupp's castle, Essen, my lovely lil' Ferienwohnung.

Wedding first: ttp://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/f034scd&.src=ph&.tok=phUa7sFBCb6iC53o

Sightseeing: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/d194scd&.src=ph&.tok=phl37sFB4rAPYW7O

Thanks Nell & Marco, I had an awesome time! Hi to Sue, Max, Toby, Bernice, Laura, Margret & Paul, as well as all Nell & Marco's friends, especially Eva & Rene who drove us everywhere, and to Klaus for showing us Essen and also his rock collection!

PS if the portrait format pics only display in landscape, don't blame me! I tried over and over, but Yahoo just feels like reformatting them today for some reason :(

Oldies...but goodies!

2006-10-22T21:22:00.000+09:30

Here are some some London pics I hadn't had a chance to get uploaded before.

Fabric: it was crap. Too many people, too much smoke, and the DJs weren't at their best either. The club itself is awesome though...a converted abbatoir! Pity about all the jerks (not you Renee!)...http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/3c13re2&.src=ph&.tok=phDUgsFBOovB6euo

Doon is a lil club in Trafalgar Square that I went to with Liv and her friend the Sultan. It was nice...and there's also a pic of a Hummer Limo...what the? http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/7063re2&.src=ph&.tok=phxIgsFBvyNaBNO7

Went out with Liv, Susie, and Liv's housemate Carly in Hoxton Square. Here are some pics of it: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/14cdre2&.src=ph&.tok=ph3JgsFBbEx2BYL1

And finally a random gallery with pics I couln't be bothered making individual galleries for! It inlcudes pics of Sean Lennon at the Raindance Film Festival (were I was volunteering in London), a pic from when I went to be in the adience at the MTV studio in Camden Town, pics from the hostel, the UV madness at Cyberdog, and a wonderful cafe me and Lucy went to called "Cafe Picadilly". Canelloni was soooo cheesy!...
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/5b5bscd&.src=ph&.tok=phhA8sFB7EkAUNTN

2006-10-11T07:11:00.000+09:30

and so, the end is near...

internet place is full of psychos so this one's short...pics galore!

Random pics round london: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/2d06re2&.src=ph&.tok=phCmroFB423emrG1

Ooops! That's all I have time for folks...til next time!

Ooh more photos!!!

2006-09-24T08:50:00.000+09:30

So it's been a busy week! I'm pretty tired now.

Last week I went to the Natural History museum with Renee. It was an amazing building with really decorative animals filling every conceivable piece of stonework. I took pics. Also, especially for you Piet, I took pics of the 'rock' room. So many freakin rocks. Including meteorites. So pretty. Took lots of pics of the giant animatronic T-Rex too...of course not giant if you consider T-Rex was a lot bigger, but it was a big robot anyway.

Wednesday night was Therapy Sessions at Herbal. Awesome. Can't say much more than that, it was a dark heavy night...if you really want to imagine it go to Bass Drive and download the night's recordings, whilst watching my pics at: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/730fre2&.src=ph&.tok=pheqGjFBSAZ4PV7z

Next day, after crashing in Renee's wee room at Northfields, we decided to go to the Tate Modern. Both feeling like shit, but still keen for oodles of modern art, the place was predicatbly amazing. I combined the Natural History Museum pics with the gallery from the Tate, as well as a couple of random "look, we're in London" pics I took after the Tate with Renee & James.
Here they are: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/51f7re2&.src=ph&.tok=ph0pGjFB_GzFiuxl

Then Friday I met up with Olivia & Gaetano who I worked with in Edinburgh. Gaetano works at an awesome vintage magazine shop in Soho. We went to a cute lil' Italian Restaurant for a drink then parted ways. I, on the verge of going home, decided instead to check out a dubstep night I'd read about earlier that day. At Plastic People, a club in Shoreditch, was the 5th birthday of a night called FWD>>, I went in, paid the 7 squid (!!!) and entered a dope filled dark den full of people and full of bass, and lots of it. When I say dark, I mean there were no lights save for a red globe above the turntables. The bar was lit (a bit) but was separated from the dancefloor by heavy curtains. Perfect atmosphere to experience the fullbody assault of dubstep in a club. Luckily for me, becasue it was a celebration night, the djs were awesome. For Seb, Benji & Piet, that means: Hatcha v N-Sign, Slimsy (sp?) v Geenius, Youngsta v Loefah. The MCs were crazy whacked out ragga bad bwoys. It was great. Sorry you kids couldn't be there...but I took pics!
http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/6799re2&.src=ph&.tok=phwvGjFBB8i49KAG

So there you go. Tomorrow I'm going to see Talladega Nights with my friend Nat who I met while in Edinburgh and who I bumped into at Reading, then going to Herbal again for Grooverider's weekly night, 'Grace'. Tonight, I'm catching up on sleep dammit!

PS some other non-photo related stuff. I had a haircut at Vidal Sassoon training academy. It's a bob now, not too indistinguishable from before...but enough for me.

Ciao!

Wow! That was quick!

2006-09-14T22:32:00.000+09:30

So that was quick!

Here are the other photos I promised...

First Hyde Park & the Science Musuem...
Where I'm staying is just oppposite Hyde Park. I was meeting up with Renee, Benji & Nick to go to the Science Museum (coz an Aussie girl B&N met at the Lowlands Festival works there). THe Science museum is on the other side of Hyde Park from me so I decided to walk. It was lovely. Fountains, Peter Pan Statue, The GIGANTIC Royal Albert Monument, and fields of dogs and squirrels running around teasing each other. Hmmm :)

The Science museum was really cool. Really huge, full of spaceships (inc Sputnik! My Favourite Satellite!) and science things. There is a pic here that shows a jumper on a table next to a sheep. The Jumper is made from Dolly's wool. It's a clone-wool jumper! The two sad looking kids are early crash test dummies. Because B&N's friend worked there, we got to go to the IMAX for free and saw a 3D under the sea movie, narrated by Johnny Depp & Kate Winslet, with a crazy sound track by Danny Elfman. THere was footage of Humboldt Squid eating stuff! They're not GIANT squid, but they were about 6' long. Big-ish I guess.
Pics: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/3f16re2&.src=ph&.tok=phHh_fFBQIPGcg0R

So that was only yesterday. But on Sunday, at a loss for anything else to do, I decided to hop over to Shoreditch and go to the Brick Lane Festival. So, it turned out, did 60,000 others! Then as I was about to leave, I met up with Benji and his two English friends who he's been staying with. They bought a football and a stuffed dog. I bought an awesome card and some awesome food. Then on the way outta there I took some pics of the local street art. Local street art is pretty cool when Banksy's a local...check out the rat and the Pulp Fiction Banana's.
Pics: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/5da3re2&.src=ph&.tok=phPx_fFBaJopraMJ

So yeah. That's about the size of it so far. I'm just gonna go meet Renee now and we're going to the Natural History Museum. If it's good I'll post some pics orright?

xoxoxoxox

B

PS I have to thank Jess once again for the lovely hosting. It's is a godsend!

xx

Short but sweet

2006-09-14T22:19:00.000+09:30

Hey kids,

time for some more pics...and a wee update.

So I'm in London now. I've been hanging out with Renee and her boy Simon. We went to see John B at a club in Soho called Madame Jojo's. It was an electro night, but JohnB was playing...weird...sorta. In the end it was a great night. Here are some pics. http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/deafre2&.src=ph&.tok=ph7a_fFBNg8m88II

The night after Benji and I went to an underground hardcore rave in East London called Bang Face. In a disused Paintball venue, with no pass-outs, minimal UV lighting and a packed, and crazy crowd it was the most insane thing I have ever been to . Ever. Photos. Benji has a LOT more. My battery died. http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/deebre2&.src=ph&.tok=phSa_fFBXId_pJga

Have also been to the Science museum, Hyde Park, Brick Lane in East London. Will post pics of that stuff next time.

Miss you all! xxxB

Photos!

2006-09-07T07:37:00.000+09:30

Yeah so I tend not to put my pics up here...and this is no different! Hope y'all can handle this...it's a big photo dump. Especially the Reading album.

For Pics from Reading: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/ce7cre2&.src=ph&.tok=phjEfdFBis6Eqd5m

For Pics from Edinburgh: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/f8fdre2&.src=ph&.tok=phfHfdFBVHrAbPQS

For Pics from London: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/56b1re2&.src=ph&.tok=phnVfdFBNq7IXYlk

For Pics from Cabaret Voltaire: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/68fbre2&.src=ph&.tok=ph0UfdFBl1Sz9m3

xoxoxox

X-posted to LJ & Myspace

More Northern than a Yorkshire Puddin' mate!

2006-09-01T07:02:00.000+09:30

Hi kids,

So, I went to Reading. It was the dirtiest display of Brits letting their hair down this side of Ibiza. No bins, no water pressure, and no idea that burning tents is bad for the atmosphere = trash, shit and black smoke. Mmm! Sure, you can make a bonfire of plastic bottles and your manky shoes!

Aside from the filth though, it was definitely an experience! After having the stress of being told (just as I am arriving in London town after an all-nighter bistrip from Edinburgh) that 'sorry love, i can't get you in after all', then deciding to risk it anyway, then carrying too much luggage all around London, getting a train to Reading, carrying said luggage from station to festival then blaggin (yes, new word!) my way in with the help of lovely Chris, I eventually got to relax (sort of) and enjoy what was on offer. I won't bore you with the details but instead will show you some pics. But not yet, because I left my camera at Renee's in London. Soon children. Soon.

So I got back to Edinburgh for the boozy staff party, stayed a night, then got a train with new friend Suzy, to her mum's home in a village (Newsham), out of a larger village (Barnard Castle), out of a town (Durham) which is somewhere out of Newcastle. It's a perfect English Cottage, in a perfect English Village, with homemade raspberry jam and plenty of gin. Nice! It's been a nice break between packing up in Edinburgh, and moving to London, which happens next Monday.

Thanks to the wonderful Marlaina for nudging me to contact the wonderful Jess who's running a hostel in London, so that now I have free accomodation there! Oh the joy!

So yeah, I think that may be as good as an update as I can be bothered with...is it enough kids? Is it?

Oh one last thing. Today me and Suzy went to a cathedral in Durham (Durham Cathedral in fact) which is where some bits of Harry POtter was filmed!!! Ans there were some tiny bats there...Pipistrelle bats I have been reminded. There were a few of them there just lying o the ground. Apparently the teenage ones go out at night and get disoriented (drunk) then can't find their way home, so they just pass out on the stones until they recover their sense of direction. Just like us hooman beans.

Yes.

Anyway.

Bye!

This is bordering on prolific!

2006-08-14T22:55:00.000+09:30

I'm posting coz I can, not coz I have a lot to say. Thank for all your comments friends! You may have noticed I reply individually rather than via comments. I dunno why, it's easier?

Have a dinner date tonight with Anna from Sydney. I met her the first day I got here, we went to the botanic gardens. I think we're going to go to this vego restaurant called Susie's Diner. Coz I've been there before and it's awesome.

Still trying to sort out Reading. It may be that I'll have to take 5 days off from the Fringe, those being the last 5 days of the festival season. I'd prefer not to, but there may be no other way...hmmm...

Hmmm...this is a boring one for sure! Maybe I should have held out til something AMAZING happened!

Umm...well I have become the badge queen at the Gilded Balloon. All the comedians here, well a lot of them, they give out badges to people who come to their shows n stuff. I have this great big badge with a pic of Bush Jnr on it, with Moron on his forehead. When celebs see it, they give me a badge of theirs. Now I have about 10. Everyone's soooo jealous :P I did refuse a guy's badge the other day though: Stephen Grant. He's a twat in my opinion but everyone seems to think he's hilarious?! He gives out crapola yo-yos and badges that just have the name of his show 'life's too short' on them. Well actually he makes us hand them out and throws a hissy fit if we don't. He came up to me, saw my badges, noticed I'm the only one who is not wearing one of his, and asks why I'm not. I said it didn't go with the symmetry I have going. He said 'awww come on' I said 'no'...pretty rudely I must admit. But fuck it! All the other badges I have are FUNNY, and that's the point. I don't want to wear a badge that is plain, unimaginative branding. Take Geraldine Quinn's (AU) for example: it has a line from her show on it "kick a dolphin in the dick". That's funny! Or Tony Law's (CAN): "Dear Stupid People of the Future...". Funny!

Yeah stuff Stephen Grant and his yo-yos.

Enough!

Next time I'll show you my badge collection :P

xoxoxo

This is a long one, don't say I didn't warn you!

2006-08-09T23:07:00.000+09:30

Hey! I found a library, joined up and now I don't have to worry about people in cafes with free internet access giving me the evil eye if I overstay my limit. Small victories people, small victories.

I can go into a little more detail about how things are going now, although things are settling into a bit of a routine, and I doubt this will really interest many of you...well, who knows? I read heaps of boring journals and blogs, and still find them interesting.

Anyway.

I got here, got a convenient bus from the airport to my hostel door (which are separated by a HUGE distance BTW. It was probably about 7 when I arrived...the manager was nowhere in sight and the only people there to 'assist' did not speak no english. well not enough that I could ask all the questions I wanted to, and expect concise, detailed and useful answers. Hmm, oh well!

I tried to be a little social, went down to a fish&chip shop round the corner and got a (deep-fired!!) burger, then sat in the kitchen with the kids. Luckily (oh so luckily) there was an Aussie girl (Anna), eager for conversation, who was actually really nice. We hit it off straight away, and are now good friends, even though that night was her last night in the hostel before moving into a weird house full of backpackers who couldn't find any rooms in hostels. People sleeping on couches and stuff...mmm...

Monday I was intending to get all my administrative shit done, but didn't, and I also had my first work meeting, and first experience of the Gilded Balloon (www.gildedbaloon.co.uk), where I would be spending the majority of my time in Edinburgh. After a 3 hour meeting, filled mith weird little dizzy spells, I headed back to the hostel, had another chat with Anna, then went to bed to sleep for 12 hours. God that was good. I still remember how good that was. Mmm...

...

...

Can you all tell I'm not getting a lot of sleep now? The Fringe has really, truly, officially started now. I have had 2 days off - one where I went to the Botanic Gardens with Anna, and one this Monday gone, where I spent time sleeping (mmmm....) and seeing shows. At my work, where I see them for free.

There are many reasons for which I'm not sleeping enough, and if you can take it, I'll discuss them below. Bye for all of you who are already bored.

1. I work fucked up hours. One day it'll be 10:45am - 6:45pm. The next: 5pm - 1am. Then 1:30pm - 9:30pm. Then 8:30pm - 4:30am.

2. On the days I finish before the building shuts down, me and the other kids I work with (mainly Aussie Olivia and English Susie) hang out, see shows, chat to famous people, and drink (see 2a).

2a. The bar only gives us a discount after midnight.

3. When I get home, late usually (i.e. after 4am), I head straight to bed. I am woken up by "shshhentjt mgutjeope hdvniefsbfn hfskshk sfnihk nckhfjdb ihfjsfnv" - the sound of my Polish neighbours (in the bunk next to me) talking and talking and talking. Non-stop. I ask them to shut it, they just quiet down, the start up again.

So I bought some wax earplugs. HEAVY DUTY. They work. I am happy, but the next 4 nights are either 5pm or 8:30pm starts, so I guess I won't be feeling to rested for the next week, no matter what I stick in my ears!

Enough! I hear you all shout...fine. I know. I dribble. But hey, I miss you all, and I don't get to chew your ear off in real-time so this is what you get instead.

xoxoxoxoxo

Becci

2006-08-08T23:44:00.000+09:30

A wee update follz, coz I've oustayed my welcome on the free internet computers at the Bongo Club and people are looking at me with rage in their eyes...

In case you don't know, I've uploaded some pics: http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/furry_clouds/album?.dir=/3384re2&.src=ph&.tok=phbyJSFB1YBIfRqR

Many from the Royal Botanic Gardens, so nice, and some others. I'm taking more, I'll let you know OK?

It's very nice to hear from you all, so keep commenting! Or emailing. You're all doing a better job than I am at keeping in touch.

Um, so update..OK.

I'm working 6 days out of 7, 8 hours a day, usually followed by trying to see as many free shows as possible. So far doing a very good job of it! So far...Rain Pryor (daughter of Richard) singin' da blues. Nice.

Tim Minchin, So Rock. "Tossers" - Jugglers of course. Tony Law and the Dog of Time - really surreal comedy from Canada. Reggie Watts - really surreal comedy/beatboxing/soundmaking from Chicago/London - look him up, he's awesome! Some other stuff, can't remember! Today before my 5pm-1am shift I'm going to see Fahrenheit 451 done as a play. I'm looking forward to that!

Other than that, drinking, avoiding the catalanos and spaniards at my hostel, spending too much money on transport and snacks and drinks. Yeah. Got a cheap flight to Germany though ($75-ish?). Gettin prepped for Reading too.

Gotta go or they'll slit my throat - eeek!

xoxoxo to you all!

Becci

2006-08-01T00:20:00.000+09:30

I have arrived!

Safe and Sound, but a bit dizzy still.

Could be the sleeping pills I guess?!?

Edinburgh is just gobsmacking.

Soooo old, old like we don't have in Australia.

OLD.

My hostel is in a lovely place by the water. Nice fish and chips last night for tea.

So many pubs, can't wait to start drinking!

I really have nothin else to say except to all those I know, I miss you! I wish you could all hang out with me here coz you'd love it!

I'm off to work now.

Oh and for any of you who read my livejournal...sorry I'm being lazy and posting this twice :P

This is what it really looks like!

2006-07-13T09:47:00.000+09:30

So I'm just starting this off a little, in preparation for my travel ramblings to come.

Poor lil blog shouldn't be completely empty before I leave, or it may wither and die before I get on the plane.

If you want to feed the Skmo Knows blog, go ahead...it likes to eat comments, and photos and anything you want to give it.

Right now I'm going to give it a picture...hhhmmmm...

ah, one of Adelaide seems fitting. Yes.

Time to go I think before this gets TOO silly :)