Walking with Giants

Awww... Much has happened since the last post and at the same time nothing at all. Im sitting here possible still fighting off jet lag 3+ months later writing at 1:00am which is actually pretty decent hour back home. Just on Tuesday we returned home from a trip down south with Benno, his wife and family (Jules, son Kye (mullet), daughter Jesse Jade), and my great mate Jason and his wife Alex. If I have not said if before Jason and Alex have been extremely influencial in our stay here. they are about our same age, and Jason is my assistant coach. He has been a wonderful help to me and sometimes I feel really guilty that I have kickbacks and he doesnt. He is so helpful not only to me but also the club, and has been a great and generous friend. I know for a fact that we will stay in touch in the future. Anyway, we all headed south to the Karri Valley, the land of the "giants" to spend a weekend away from cell phones, ovals, and coaching. It was fantastic. Benno set the whole thing up, rooom, wineries, chocolate factories, fishing, hiking, and climbing trees. All be it known that I did not climb the tree like my wife and Alex did. I wanted nothing to do with it. The Karri trees are definitely different than any trees I have ever seen. They are tropical in sorts, shooting very, very, straight into the sky. Only showing foliage at the top, all fighting for a spot in the sun, no need for the lower levels of indirect sunlight. They literally looked like telephone poles, only 200+ feet high, with leaves and all that jazz at the top. A canopy of sorts. Extremely gorgeous, and different. There was a tree named the "bicentennial tree" which was 68 meters (225 ft) high. About 75 years ago someone decided it would be a good idea to hammer metal pegs into the side of it so people can climb it in a sort of heavenly spiral staircase. There are a few feet between each peg making it very hazardous. I wanted no part of it but Lizard scurried up with no problem until she got to the top, I could see she was experiencing what I was afraid I would run into. The freeze, no up or down, then she got to the top and stayed there for about 40 minutes till she could make it down. Thats my girl, someone has to hold the Jones name up because when I pulled on one peg and it shook and bent I was going nowhere near the top. Afterward I was giving her props, as I cannot explain, only the photos can, that one false step would be your last. Liz only said, " I hated every minute of it, it was terrifying..." Glad I didnt go.

Later that day we went trout fishing on a trout farm wich was fun and really fun for Benno's kids. His kids are great, and a little spoiled in a good fatherly way. He did not have much as a kid and wants the best for his kids and its very moving to watch a very hard tough literally very hard as nails bikey treat his kids the way he does. Benno's wife is also a very funny, fun loving sweet woman and I hope that we stay in contact with them in the future. Benno always wears the same thing, black jeans, and a blue long sleave denim like shirt, like a dickies shirt. He is fully tatooed I mean head to toe, and is about 6'5, and weighs about 300. A beast, and trained in Mixed martial arts as well. He owns 6 businesses and is a Coffin Cheater. Notorious biker gang over here like the Hells angels. But He is a teddy bear if he likes you. But I seriously, would never want to see him mad. I have heard numerous stories and will always stay on his good side. Which is easy to do if your not an asshole, or a bikey from somewhere else..hahaha...anyway he likes liz and I and that is good. After Fishing we went to a winery. We tasted some wine and Liz picked out a bottle she wanted then Benno was tasting reds, he found one he wanted and the guy made a comment like " well if you really like that you can get the 3 litter bottle of it, and laughed. Benno said "Is that the biggest?" the soft man said well we do have a 6 litter and laughed. Benno replied, "Wrap it up." the man informed him it was 500 dollars. Benno again said "wrap it up!" and the man said, "I have never sold one before, I have to make sure we have one," at this point he could see Benno's face and knew he was serious, and said " I am sure we do somewhere." We all laughed as Benno craddled the bottle like his newborn cloe, who was on the trip too (sorry!) and we left. The man at the winery was on the phone the minute we left calling people. Ha!

Later that night 10-15 parrots came to our cabin's deck whistling, we went out and started giving them bread and crackers, soon enough they were eating from our hands. There is something so strange about seeing a flock of parrots eat from your hands in the wild, listening to laughing Kookabura's and then going out to play catch on a field while Kangaroo's literally are 10 feet away from you with babies in there pouches.

Later in the night Benno, Jason, Kye and I went down to have a fish on the lake. Thanks dad for all those trips because I was officially "the man" when it came to fishing, I was taking all the hooks out, getting people out of snags, baitings hooks, tieing on lures, and showing Kye how to set a hook. It was pretty sweet. The sun went down, and the water was still. The Karri trees outlined the lake perfectly and we drank Port on a dock while I listened to Benno tell me how he was going to take me up north to fish and shoot Kangaroo's out of a helicopter. He said "mate, we have a harness for you, you just hang out the side with a gun and take a few out, then we go down and clean them, they are a nuciance for farmers up there!"

That night I ordered a Kangaroo steak and it was unbelievable. Only later did I think it was somewhat like eating the Bald Eagle. Except the Kangaroo's here are definetly not endagered and are trouble for the farmers and herders. Anyway not a moral blog just lettin ya know....