January 2015

Jan 1 – Kicked off the new year in style. First full day of Pop’s visit to Australia, we took the ferry from Parramatta to Darling Harbor, walked over to explore Circular Quay, then took the ferry over to Manly beach. Spent much of the afternoon there, then bought Ben and Jerry’s and enjoyed the cricket and food at the Ivanhoe pub before heading back. Terrific day and great to catch up and spend some quality time with pop. Going to be a fun two weeks.

(Pop enjoys Ben and Jerrys in front of a Christmas tree on a hot New Years Day)

Jan 2 – Rain cancelled plans for the blue mountains, so went and enjoyed a great day at the beach instead. Started at Bondi then spent time at Tamarama and finished in the rock pool at Bronte. Interesting situation at Bondi as the authorities closed off the water while they went looking for and escorting out a bull shark from the cove. Finished the day at the Australian Hotel pub in the Rocks, got some ice cream at Circular Quay and called it a day. Also learned that the smoothies at Tamarama are quite good.

Jan 3 – Explored the city with pop today, highlights include the Sydney Tower Eye and an opera – La boheme – at the Sydney Opera house. Began the day with a workout and a throw with pop, then headed down to town hall, walked around world square, by the qvb, up in the tower eye, through the gardens and down through to the harbor. Had a nice dinner at circular quay then headed in to the show, which was much more entertaining than initially expected. The opera house was every bit as nice as expected, and the talent of the performers was extremely compelling. The Italian language in the opera was quite beautiful, even when used to sing about trivial things. The production was of the highest quality, and it was quite enjoyable. This was my first and certainly won’t be my last opera. Getting some rest now and then will head to Fraser Island tomorrow for the start of the weeklong trip.

(Royal Botanical Gardens)

Jan 4 – Travel day to Fraser Island, we flew to Hervey Bay, got a cab into town for lunch and then a cab to the ferry drop off point. After an hourlong ferry ride we had arrived and even had a chance to enjoy the beach and pool before heading in for the night. One drawback of the day was that we realized how expensive everything was on the island. It made it a bit more difficult to relax and enjoy ourselves when we know we’re paying so much to be there, but it was still a great time.

Jan 5 – Since the initial plan of driving around the island ourselves wasn’t happening, we decided to lay low the first day and tour the island the second, which is tomorrow. Today we took a beachwalk down to an old jetty during high tide, so we had to swim a fair amount on the way down. We nearly stepped on some sting rays buried underneath the sand but didn’t run into any dingoes. After the walk we relaxed by the pool, had a throw, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It’s nice having no set schedule and doing whatever we want whenever we want. Eat when we’re hungry, swim when we’re hot, read when we feel like it, etc.

Jan 6 – While we initially weren’t thrilled with having to tour the island with a bunch of other tourists in a bus, after doing the tour I think this was the best choice for us in our situation. We began the day with a stop at Lake MacKenzie, a pure freshwater lake in some of the most pristine sand in the world. The lake is extremely refreshing and apparently where many folks go to wash fine jewelry. Next we stopped at central station for a quick bushwalk through the rainforest, where we walked along a silent freshwater stream. As it is a sand island, the pure water flowed freely and quietly, and does not even show up in photos. Following this, we stopped for lunch at another resort and then hit the 75 mile beach. The first stop here was the Maheno shipwreck, which is when pop and I decided that we’re into shipwrecks. The next stop was some cool sandstone formations, and then we drove back down to Eli Creek. A silent freshwater creek with a bed of sand in a rainforest that flows into the ocean, this was perhaps the best part of the day. The strong current allowed us to float down on our hands, which we did multiple times like a couple of kids. The day ended with a meal and sit down by the pool.

Jan 7 – Travel day to Palm Cove, we still had a half day at Fraser to relax by the pool before heading off. The travel, as always, took a while, and it was nice to finally settle into our great resort just north of Cairns. The plan is to lay low tomorrow and then see the reef the next day.

Jan 8 – We had a very relaxing day by the pool and the beach. It was wonderful to not have to worry about a clock for the entire day, as we had no set schedule. However, with the pool, beach, plenty of food and sweets around, we had plenty to do. The beach was a bit rough but we got in anyway, which is where we came up with the idea of adventures with Dan. In short, I’ll be going on some sort of adventure with each of the family members when I come home as a way to catch up. The day ended with some homemade ice cream and Big Bash league cricket. To the reef tomorrow.

Jan 9 – Yeah, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef is definitely one of the coolest experiences one can have. We were picked up by a bus and then took a 90 minute ferry out to the edge of the reef where we got in. We docked at a large stable floating thing, which was big enough to hold a full kitchen and serve a buffet lunch to everyone. There was a large area of open sea roped off for us to explore, which we did for just about all of the three hours we were out there. While the surface doesn’t look much different, below the surface there lies a wonderful and beautiful ecosystem with fish, corals, and plants of all shapes, colors, and sizes. These are the type of views that simply don’t get old. I could have stayed out there snorkeling all day (or even all week) and still wouldn’t have felt like I had given justice to the natural beauty. This is a must add to any bucket list.

Jan 10 – Travel day back home, we left early to catch a flight to Brisbane, and then spent our five hour layover shopping and minigolfing at a place near the airport. Got home late and stopped at El Jannah for a feed before crashing at home.

Jan 11 – After having beautiful weather most of the visit, we finally had to change plans due to the rain. Since the Blue Sox were rained out we instead went to the Blacktown Workers club with Bobby, Cathy, Cathy’s brother and his wife. The buffet was delicious, and afterwards we took Pop on a quick tour around the Blue Sox stadium anyway. After a bit of shopping for family presents and we were home again and spent the rest of the evening on the couch watching the Kerry Packer series and the cricket, enjoying a bit of time to relax.

Jan 12 – Despite a poor forecast, we headed out in the morning towards Woolongong with Bobby to explore the area. We drove through the Royal National Park, through heaps of small towns including Woolongong, and through to Kiama. The highlights were the mountains running right up to the beaches (similar to Cairns), the bridge over the ocean, manmade harbors in most of the small towns, the blowhole (and kebabs) in Kiama and Fitzroy Falls. We finally made it home for dinner and more cricket, prepping for a big day of the Blue Mountains and Asian Cup soccer tomorrow.

Jan 13 – One of the best days of the trip, we began the day on the long train ride to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. A fun little mountain town, we walked through the town to Echo Point, where the views of the Three Sisters and the rest of the Blue Mountains below were spectacular. Pop was a gamer and up for the Giant Staircase, roughly 600 stairs downwards on the side of a cliff. We made it to the bottom with no issues, and then wandered all the way across to Scenic World and the former mining area. We’re both big bushwalking fans and the Blue Mountains is a great place to do it. With ice creams in hand, we headed back to the train.

Following a quick turnaround at home, we headed off to Olympic Park to see the Socceroos take on Oman in the Asian Cup. We had great seats, just 24 rows back in the corner, and despite not really being soccer fans, really enjoyed the game. Soccer is much better live than on tv, as one can get a better sense of the speed of the game, the individual skills, and the tactics used on both sides of the ball. I’m definitely going to try to go to more soccer matches.

Jan 14 – Pop’s last day here was nice and hot, and a good way to finish off the holiday before heading back to the cold American winter. We began at the SCG and Allianz Stadium for a tour, so he could get a sense of the cricket despite not being able to see a match. Saw a few of the blokes on the Australian Cricket Team in the nets and on the pitch, which also meant that we couldn’t go into the change rooms. Did get to walk around the Member’s Stand and Ladies Pavilion, see the museum and plaque for the late Phillip Hughes, and so forth. Not as good as the MCG tour, but was still fun.

(Pop in the famous member's stand at the SCG)

Following this, we headed back towards central station, stopped at a café in Surry Hills for lunch, and then wandered around Circular Quay one last time. Bought a few cricket hats for ourselves too so now we look like regular Aussie blokes. This is when it really started to hit pop that this was his last day here.

Went home to rest up for my start that night, which went ok. Wasn’t as sharp as I could have been, but for not stepping on a mound in four weeks, pitching into the seventh inning wasn’t a bad result. We ended up losing a close one, 5-4. It was nice for Pop to be able to see me throw and get a sense of the state league down here.

Jan 15 – Took pop to the airport early in the morning, bring an end to a terrific few weeks of holiday. His flight was early so I came back home afterwards and got some sleep, and then took care of a few chores around the house. In the evening I headed off to Olympic Park to watch Iran take on Qatar in the Asian Cup. A very exciting game that only cost $15 to get in, Iran won 1-0.

Perhaps more significantly, this event showed once again how sports bring people together. Sitting with some Iranian blokes at the game, it didn’t matter the we were of different race and religion or that our governments rarely get along, what was important was that in that moment, the only thing that mattered was our appreciation of good football. Supporting this, it was very nice when the guy (I don’t even know his name) ordered some fries and insisted that we share them, presumably as a token of friendship. Experiences like this make me question how anyone can be a racist. It just doesn’t make sense.

Jan 16 – First day back at work, good to get back in the swing of things and oriented for the upcoming New Zealand trip. Cut out a bit early to go to the cricket, this time featuring Australia and England in an ODI in the Tri-Series at the SCG. Sat in the sun in the new stand, and even though it was bloody hot it’s quite fun watching a sporting event for eight hours. Few, if any other sports are like that, and cricket has a way of keeping one entertained for the duration of the match. I’m really starting to enjoy the cricket, especially as I continue to learn more about the game and its history. Off to New Zealand tomorrow night.

(Nice night to see Australia dominate England in an ODI at the SCG)

Jan 17 – Took it easy in the morning, got a quick workout, and then headed to the airport. Met Boss at the airport, flew over to Christchurch with him, and then took a cab to our hotel where I met Marko and a few more of the guys. Got in pretty late but still had a chance to get to know everyone before mailing it in for the night. Lack of directions from the schedule so not exactly sure what is happening tomorrow, but do know that I’ll be helping out at the clinic in some capacity. Glad to be in NZ safe and sound.

Jan 18 – What a day. Began the day in Christchurch with two Training With the Pros sessions that went just about as well as I could have imagined. Not only was the turnout and the kids a pleasure to work with, I got to be a part of the whole thing as a coach with the rest of the Diamondblacks. They, along with everyone else involved, have been extremely welcoming and even though they all knew each other beforehand and have played for the Diamondblacks together, they’ve made me feel right at home. The passion from the kids at the camp was also terrific. They’ve received little to no quality baseball instruction, so they were careful to soak up every little bit of baseball acumen. The local club coach said he is adding two players per week, a great rate that bodes well for the future of the game in the Christchurch area.

Speaking of the Christchurch area, following the clinic the local coach took us on a drive around the area to see the damage from the still-recent earthquake. While we drove, the coach showed us cars still trapped under rocks, houses dangling off of cliffs, and collapsed buildings that have yet to be touched. The CBD is essentially nonexistent, but the spirits of the town are strong. It’s going to take a while, but I’m confident that they can rebuild and make the town great again.

After that we flew up to Auckland and drove to our hotel, Skycity, which is probably the nicest place in town. After hopping out of the valet we cleaned up and headed downtown to a woodfired pizza shop, where we were treated to pizza and drinks. We were all pretty tired by this point but we still sat there until about midnight, still relishing the great camp earlier in the day and enjoying the beautiful evening, delicious pizza, and each other’s company. Won’t be getting a ton of sleep tonight, but with days like this, it doesn’t matter.

Jan 19 – First full day in Auckland, got up early and headed out to Pakuranga for the camp. Here we met up with many more members of the Diamondblacks, and there must have been about 15 coaches for the 40 odd kids who showed up that day. Jamie and I ran the outfield ground ball station, which is fun because I’m a pitcher, and then I just helped out where I could the rest of the day. One of the most rewarding parts of the clinics is the opportunity to talk to the kids and coaches and gain a broader understanding of the state of baseball in New Zealand. Auckland features roughly 16 teams at the youth level, which doesn’t sound like a lot for the biggest city in NZ, but when compared to the four in Christchurch, it’s something to celebrate.

Went back to the hotel after this, grabbed some delicious Indian food, and headed out for a walk around the city. Went down to the marina, out to the Town Hall and commons, through the technological college, and back through Albert Park. From this brief walkthrough, the city seems awesome, with friendly people, clean streets, and plenty to do. Came back to the hotel and found a bunch of the guys hanging out in Marko’s and my room, so hung out with them before a few of them went out for the night. This has already been an immensely fun trip, but the best may be yet to come tomorrow night with the charter fishing trip Tom’s been planning.

(Coaches from the NZ Training with the Pros tour)

Jan 20 – Another great day at camp. I’ve really been enjoying showing up to the clinics each day. We work hard and try our best to help the kids in any way we can, and the results have been astounding. From Christchurch through today, many of the kids have improved dramatically over the course of just one day. The knowledge of the game here is still not terrific, and sometimes all the kids need is an easy pointer.

The evening was even better than expected. Todd (the skipper), his first mate, Tom, Adam, a bunch of the Diamondblacks, and I headed out into the harbor around 4:30, drinks, chips, rods and bait in tow. We hadn’t gone far when we caught a rope and had to pause while Todd went under the boat to get it out. We saw this as a golden opportunity to jump off the top of the boat into the warm water, which we did multiple times. That may have been the highlight for me, as the roof of the boat was essentially a high dive, but instead of just a pool surrounding it, we had the gorgeous Auckland harbor. I only caught one small fish, but that didn’t matter as it was a beautiful evening with a great sunset and a great vibe on the boat. We finally returned around 9:30pm, a good five hours later. I grabbed some Indian food from the same place and then headed to bed.

Jan 21 – Last day of the NZ tour. Got up early again for the clinic, which again went wonderfully. The kids on the tour have been great and it’s truly been a pleasure to work with them each day. We left just after lunch to ensure we could make it to the airport on time, and it was somewhat depressing to leave. I hope I can go back and involve myself in baseball in New Zealand in some capacity in the future.

After this I flew out with Boss and Alan on a massive Emirates flight and after a quick pit stop at El Jannah, finally made it home. Tired, but it was a good tired.

Jan 22 – After a workout and a trip to the bank in the morning, I made it in to work at about 11am. It was nice to see everyone and catch up after the trip, and I was able to get a lot done on the event report. After work I wandered over to Darling Harbor for a mango lassi before heading home and relaxing for the night.

Jan 23 – Second day back at work, got a lot done on the event report again, had a great chance to catch up with more coworkers, and then headed to Olympic Park to the Japanese Blue Samurai take on the United Arab Emirates in an Asian Cup quarterfinal. The crowd was a bit disappointing and the large number of Japanese fans remained quiet for most of the game, but the few hundred UAE fans in attendance gave it all they had. They yelled and sang and danced for almost the entire game, which made it even sweeter when they pulled out the dramatic victory. After scoring quickly within the first few minutes of the game, the UAE dropped back and defended most of the game, which worked until Japan finally broke through with about ten minutes to spare. The rest of the time and both of the overtime periods went by without goals, although Japan came very close many times. In the PKs, Japan’s superstar Honda missed the opening shot, although the UAE missed a shot later to even the score at 4-4 after five kicks each. Another miss from Japan and a make from the UAE resulted in a huge upset win that set the UAE fans in attendance off. The passion exhibited by the UAE players and fans was a joy to watch as they match clearly gave them a massive amount of national pride. As the UAE players came to our end of the field to sing their national anthem, many fans were hugging each other and crying, which demonstrates how important this match was to them. International sports are so cool.

(UAE players sing their national anthem with their supporters following their upset win over Japan)

Jan 24 – A day to relax. Apart from having a throw and a great workout, took care of some things around the house and watched the Big Bash semi finals. This was a few weeks in the making.

Jan 25 – Another pretty low key but good day. Got up and hit the gym early then headed down to Gilchrist to watch the NSW U16 Grand Final and catch up with some of the Oriole boys. Then came back and watched the Big Bash again. Even though everyone is either working or out of town tomorrow, I got a ticket to the Australia v India ODI at the SCG. Sitting in the Aussie army, it’ll certainly be an entertaining Australia day.

Jan 26 – Australia day was cool and drizzly all day. Hung around in the morning and then headed down to the SCG for the ODI against India. Unfortunately the rain wouldn’t go away and so six hours at the ground only resulted in 16 overs. Even so, a day at the cricket is rarely a bad day. It was great to see so many Indian fans at the ground today. They were extremely passionate and supportive of their team, especially Kohli. It would have been fun to have some cheering back and forth between the sides, but there should still be plenty of cricket in my last few months here, especially during the world cup. Back to work tomorrow.

Jan 27 – Rain washed out training so just a usual rainy work day.

Jan 28 – Another rainy day, the game was washed out so this turned into a pretty typical workday. Came home and watched the Big Bash Finals afterwards. I appreciated how everything was set for a fairytale ending to Brett Lee’s career but the dude missed a fairly routine runout chance so the Scorchers beat the Sixers by a run. Even though my Melbourne Renegades didn’t fare so well, the Big Bash has been immensely fun. I guess I’ll have to get an Indian Premier League and a Caribbean Premier League team now.

Jan 29 – Pretty normal day of work. Got a good workout before and then headed down to the Botanical Gardens afterward to have a read in the nice weather. Found a great spot on the edge of the water in partial view of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. I may do this more often as it was quite relaxing. Only have a little over a month left but I noticed this week that I really like my job. Especially as I get more responsibilities, it’s very rewarding to do meaningful contributing to the growth of the game down under.

Jan 30 – Long but good day at work, highlighted by the discovery of a reasonably priced Indian restaurant near the office. After work went straight out to the Blue Sox playoff game and enjoyed it with other interns and O's teammates who had made it out.

Jan 31 – After spending some of the late morning and early afternoon catching up with the family, which was nice, I made the impulse decision to head down to Olympic Park for the Asian Cup final. Tickets were expensive, but this was a sporting experience unlike anything I’ve ever seen and well worth it. 76k fans packed into Stadium Australia and all were wearing some form of supporter’s gear. A large South Korean section made this even more fun. The inside atmosphere was electric, with everyone into the game and hanging on every kick. The Socceroos scored first, and just when we thought that they’d hang on for the 1-0 win, South Korea scored in stoppage time to tie it, which absolutely shocked the entire stadium. You could have heard a pin drop in the yellow-clad sections, and the look of shock was widespread. However, at the very end of the first extra time period, Tomi Juric somehow evaded a trap and sent a cross through, which the goalie deflected right to one of the Aussies who made the easy finish. The Socceroos held on for the 2-1 extra time win and got to celebrate their first title on their own turf. Seeing the ceremony, the awards, the crowning of the Socceroos, the confetti, and the victory lap was incredible and not something many get to see, especially for their own team on their own soil. This Asian Cup has been heaps of fun and has done wonders for my increased love of international sport.