The Long and Winding Road

Hi All,

It’s been a 2 month hiatus, but there’s a very good reason for it. I’ve been back up to my old tricks and creating my very own carbon footprint travelling to wonderful places like Australia and New Zealand. It’s ok though. I’ve now started recycling my plastic bottles (otherwise I’d be fined/prosecuted) so feel like it’s now a fair balance!!

It’s been a whirlwind start to the year…

I moved into my new apartment on the 5th Jan (see address below for any postcards, presents, dirty underwear etc) and have been having a lot of fun doing it up. It’s now equipped with all the mod cons an irresponsible 28 year old would need, including the latest addition – a fancy surround sound system – episodes of Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy have never sounded so good!!

Sport-wise I’ve been a bit lame. Joined a gym, but my appearances have tailed off recently. I had a few free personal training sessions, but can’t justify the 100 bucks an hour they want to charge for anything more permanent. Cool guy though – his name’s Lemar, he’s built like a house!!. The downfall started when I turned up to a kickboxing class and found I was the only guy in there. Just as Lemar walked past and gave me this look of disdain as to what I was doing!!!

Also struggling to find a football team. From playing 3 times a week in Singapore, I’m down to once every 2 weeks here. Either they don’t like the cold or they don’t like outsiders here. Anyone got any bright ideas?

And 2 memorable trips…

The first was to my favourite source of culture….Vegas!! A crowd of my Berkeley friends descended on the city of sin for a long weekend in January and had a cracking time. Highlights were boozing in Pure, coming out evens on the tables, being spanked at a German beerhall and using all 3 of the bathrooms in the suite we got upgraded to at the Bellagio!

And then the big trip of the year – to Australia and New Zealand. 6 of us (which quickly turned to 4 as Paul and Nicole decided they couldn’t hack 2 weeks with 4 immature boys!) rented a car and toured the south island of New Zealand (cue “long and winding road” reference!). A truly wonderful country with so much to see and do. The first few days involved a lot of driving, intermixed with swimming with dolphins, kayaking in the national park and hiking through the Franz Josef glacier. After a minor speeding fine, we off-loaded the car and chilled out for 5 days in Queenstown. When I say we chilled out, we went on the luge, white water rafting, sky-dived, and of course…bungy jumped!! The 3rd highest in the world and safe to say, a pants soiler!! But so so much fun. Check out the pics and video on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=154432&id=512991087&l=28e0ca26bb

Then, what feeled like the whole Cardiff jewish community landed in Sydney for Shippo’s wedding. The snob in me couldn’t hack the hostel we booked into so I went in search of finer digs for the weekend. Was great to see everyone – the Saturday was gorgeous and 30 of us went to Manly for lunch and to the beach. We made a “Bring It On” style human pyramid which came crashing down when my old man put sand down Shippo’s shorts!! The wedding on Sunday was gorgeous and the one with the long hair looked very pretty in his suit – as did his wife!!!

Long flight back on the Monday, 21 hours in total, was made a little easier when I got a partial upgrade. However it was to a middle seat and next to one of the fattest guys I’ve ever seen in my life!! I gulped, but for some crazy reason the guy in the window wanted me to swap with his daughter a few rows in front so they could sit together. I happily obliged!!

And back to reality…

Check out this article Emily found…a few too many similarities for my liking!!!

http://www.observer.com/2010/wall-street/portrait-banker-29-year-old

Keep in touch

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 646 269 3323
BB Pin: 2559be92