What's up?

It was great to get back home and spend some time with friends and family, but it went so damn quick - plus I forgot to take a camera so my blog will have to wait a while before I get the disposable developed along with my films from the last few months actually... Should get that done.
My stop over in Bangkok was good - definitely gonna do that again. Bought some things for friends and something to wear for the wedding. I got told off by this Thai woman at a stall for not buying a necklace after I said I would, I looked in my purse and decided I should buy dinner instead. She shook her finger at me and said 'You bad woman, I already have in bag, you say you buy, you bad woman...Where you from?!' To which I said 'I'm really sorry, can't get it' and walked off.
I landed on Tuesday night last week - the 23rd I think it was. I always seem to travel around the twentieth of the month, strange that. Julianne picked me up from the airport with her new bloke. Nice guy and really big-like a giant with a beard. Stayed there on Tuesday night and caught up with the summah dog too. She slept on my bed which was lovely - kept me warm it was cold back in Melbourne - brrr.
On Wednesday I caught up with Toby at his new place. It was kind of disconcerting being back for the first few days. Everything feels more different each time I go back, and I guess I've changed a little too. Anyway was good to see Tobe, play some pool which both of us are pretty crap at, unless Toby was playing at my skill level...hmmm Stayed up all night drinking rum (yum) and caught a tram home in the morning. That's definitely one thing I love about Melbourne - trams. Better than the ones in Amsterdam too.
On Thursday Julianne had the day off so we headed out to the huge Savers in Sydney Road (think it's Sydney Road) and played dress ups with the clothes. They had this wicked long white space vest/martian outfit there with loads of sparkly bits on it which was way fun and some cool sixties kinda sandly shoes which I got to strut around in for the whole of our 'browse'. Bought a hat and had the yummiest souvalaki, if only they really knew how to make them here. They are so damn good!
On Thursday night I headed out to catch up with Jen. As I left the train station I was walking down the road texting for directions and walked straight into a bike rack, bent right over it, 'cause the top part of me with my back pack kept going and the bounced upright again. Didn't hurt anything but my pride when some guy came up really concerned to ask if I was OK. I walked off muttering to myself so I possibly looked a bit od.
We got hennaed and hammered for Jen's hen's night. Was a good laugh and at her friends place who is also really nice. Jen attracts the loveliest of people, she's got such light about her. It was great to catch up and have a laugh before the 'seriousness' of the last days before The Wedding - Which was absolutely gorgeous and a lot of fun.
Jen arrived first and then the guests came. The hall was bedecked with gold and red, coloured flags and a small stage was adorned with a gold mendap in which sat two gold chairs, one which held a very regal and serene looking Jen. Personally I would've been packing it. As things started to settle a bit Craig arrived and after a little prompt from the celebrant all the kids and women rushed to the door where he paid us all in the finest currency know to man - chocolate coins. Craig was escorted to where Jen sat and a hush came over the room as the celebrant did her thang. Seven of Jen and Craig's friends got up and formed a horse shoe kind of shape and the be gilded and jeweled couple in their gorgeous clothes walked the seven steps of marriage, Jen receiving a flower for her bouquet each time and finally at the last step a garland to place around their necks. As they sat down they were exchanged as a sign of something. After the vows an all 5 or so Indian dancers turned up on the dance floor and started getting on down Indian style, and then a few of the guests learnt a few dance moves to ad to their repartee.
After that, or even while that was going on people got up and were mingling and topping up drinks. Em and Aaron were there along with a friend of mine from Primary and Secondary school that I haven't seen for something mad like 11 years. I also met some other great people and drank possibly too much. Still I remained respectable.
Speeches made me cry, but then I cry at lots now days, blood diamond made me weep like a baby as did that track Starry Night a few days ago. I'm getting soft!
I hitched a lift to Warragul with Em and Aaron the next day after a pit stop brunch at Craig's family's. It's always great to see Aaron and Marie, all be it a little strange to be going back to the same place I did the most of my growing up. Every nook and cranny have a number of memories attached to them - like walking into the front room and seeing myself in my minds eye singing to Def Leopard into a hairbrush, or making up 'water dances' to Kylie Minogue in the swimming pool. Mind you Melbourne is a bit like that too, although I didn't often walk down the streets singing cock rock into a hairbrush, drive definitely, but not walking. It's very much Aaron's and Marie's now though with all the work they've done! Every time I turn up something new is going on, just finished and about to take place. It looks fantastic. They're kicking goals as Aaron would say and both seem happy with the way things are going which is brilliant. Kerry came around for dinner on Sunday night and she's doing well for herself now too, happiness all round for everyone!

The Gul


Aaron took they day off on Monday so we hung out a bit and I had the chance to go through my stuff, pack what I could and drop a few boxes at Jen's. I did get to take my CD collection with me this time although it made up the majority of my weight allocation on the plane. Cook books come next time!
On Tuesday morning I headed back to Preston and caught up with Toby and Briony that evening. We went to the Tote where we met up with Briony, what a trip seeing Bri again! But a good one, some mates don't change and you don't change with them either, Toby and Briony are like that, or maybe we change in the same direction? Who knows.
Next day I caught up with a friend of mine who's recently been inducted into Police-dom. He seems pretty happy with the change but in true Leo style is looking for his next challenge. I think I was still pissed from the night before so had a beer with my breakfast - postpone the hangover an' all. I got some souvenirs and walked about with Tony for most of the day then jumped on a tram again back to Julianne's.
Thursday rocked around and all too soon it was time to jump on a plane again. It's always good to get home again though and seeing the lovely Mark when I knocked on the door was worth however many hours it took to get there... ahh, in 'at sweet?