Yes, finally, no treading water here in primo Backpacker land, finally the people are starting to come and we are loving life. 

There is so much happening, it’s just not funny, but I am amused however. Not having a larf at myself, but realising that I am so flat out with a number of tasks at hand, that I have trouble finding time to write this bloody blog. Bad on me. I should in fact be prioritizing it on a daily basis. Why, because it’s cool I guess… maybe just because I want to. 

Now, does it matter that I should have been at a BBQ 40 mins ago with some clients and Japanese princesses? No, not really. What really matters is that I should be writing the good stuff that directly relates to the good of our business and all that sort of stuff. But I have run out time..~!! You get that.. or at leats I do. So much for time management, lucky I have got to dancing my two fingers over this keyboard so I can type a little faster than daze gone by…

I should be writing about ATE, WYSTC, our websites, BQ, TNQBHA, Aboriginality, travel… but I gotta go check the bar before I head to my BBQ…

Lata Ron..

Baa.

Well what can we say… I guess I know but you don’t yeah??!~~!!!

Live from Zibar once again, the scene of the crime for last nights entertainment and the Cairns party that we threw. Thanks to the whole crew at Base, AKA Palace. 

Thanks Brendan and the whole crew, gotta go and get on the road again, just like a tour for a rock band, we just an’t play any instruments and the only talent we have are a few good looking chicks~!

Lata ron..

Here we are live at the Zibar, @ Base Backpackers in Brisnyland. We have a gig here tonight wit all the local travel agents/hostel mobs to launch or new Backpacker brand for the tropical north, ‘Great up top, fun down under’. Mr Sleigh, Mr Way, Mr Scott and Mr McKenna. Should be a great night ahead, making silly buggers of ourselves in order to leave a lasting impression. Go Cairns~!

lata.

This Friday we have a very wonderful function happening at Zanzibar. We are blessed to have a number of Aboriginal performers from different communities put on a show here. Tjapukai will kick things off with a smoking ceremony, handing over to Pamagirri Dancers treating us to their dancing delights, and then to Brandon and Linc Walker taking over for some didgeridoo playing and a general jam among the Aboriginal folk that will be here.

It’s a networking function for our local Backpackers association, but really it is to showcase the beautiful side of the culture of the traditional custodians of this great land here in the tropics. Such a vital part of our history, and indeed our future, I am proud to have all the crew come here an put on a show. 

Also, Aboriginal tourism must be brought forward and shared with both the tourists that come here and the locals that live here. It is in fact an integral part of our Australian culture and is our point of difference to other destinations that we are competing with around the world. 

We will be filming it, so those of you who can’t make it here will be able to see it on our websites and youtube before too long. 

Respect.

Whoever invented mundane Mondaze, please slap yourself and take the rest of the week off. On that note, can I have the week off too? It’s all so exciting isn’t it, Friday arvo that is. The bulk of the human race in the civilized world will feel that kinda fun feeling when the working week draws to a close. Then you get into the weekend, sometimes misbehaving, sometimes over doing it, or whatever tickles ones fancy. Some of us don’t know when to call it quits, others pre-empt the inevitable and be responsible in having an early night Sunday to be on top of the game Mondane morning. Some burn the candles at both ends and end up having a whinge at the whole situation that eventaully is bestowed upon us… pain, both mental and physical. 

Why am I going on like this? Don’t really know. But I am wondering which of the previous categories I fall into, just that I know I can’t get out of first gear today. 

So blah, and have a happy week to us all in Backpacker Land.

Alrighty then. Live from the Darwin Convention centre, I will blog, and Twitter for as long as my MacBook Pro battery will allow me. I knew I should have bought myself a new one before leaving Cairns…

Ahh, cool, have found a powerpoint that will keep me going on the whole gig. 

What a wonderful industry we have here the Backpacking/Youth & Adventure Industry. Such a pleasure to be involved so heavily and to meet with peers ad colleagues that can teach you so much. Especially today from Master Xebidy who hasn’t even spoken at the conference today, but will do later. I have been tweeting all throughout the morning but wasn’t aware to put #atec at the end of my posts in order for them to be seen by others tweeting in the room. 

Oh dear, I forgot about my blog after all this great stuff and didn’t finish it all… continued tomorrow, bye for now~!

Here in Darwin, they really know how to drink beer and stuff. Not feeling too flash after an afternoon with the NT family, am @ the Youth Shack here, thanking Deb, John and Tuesday for their awesome hospitality. The rest of the crew will arrive later today and we will have a BBQ at the Turner household.

But not until I go and swim with some saltwater crocodiles in ‘the cage of death’ across the road. Gotta go and do this now, not sure what I am in for but I will find out soon enuff..

May the cage be with me…

Baa.

Again, bad blogger. It has been a busy week, and next week is shaping up to be the busiest week of the year to date. Actually, the next 2 weeks are shaping up to be all happening. 

Last week I spent the week doing a brochure drop with Simon Way from Base. We headed south stopping at all the working hostels and dropping brochures. The first day proved to be an eye opener for Simon, and it continued for the whole journey. We spent the first night @ Base on Nelly Bay Magnetic Island. Wicked place, always a pleasure to stay at. Todd and Kurt took great care of us, including a meal and of course many a beer. Such a fantastic place for our travellers to stay, right on the beach overlooking the Great Barrier Reef. Such a peaceful sleep, maybe due to the beer, but wonderful to wake up to the sound of the beach…

Next stop, Adventure Island, in the Whitsundays, Airlie Beach. Now, this really blew both of us away. Cousin Roo’s new business toy, and on that note ours too. Did you get that Cuzin Neil and Crutches Keith?? We have a new best place to hang. He has done a great job in getting it to what he wants it to be. Gone are all the families and rug rats, hello to 160 Backpackers having a blast. The gardens are tidy, the rooms too. The center point is a huge olympic pool surrounded by thatched roofs, leaving you wondering if you are on a Pacific Island, Thailand or even Jamaica. Great stuff, I look forward to getting there again very soon. 

Airlie was the next sleep, and we had a blast there too. We resigned to the fact that we were tired and had to get an early night… yeah right. We had a knock off beer at 5 after dropping brochures at all the agencies and hostels, with all the sailing company owners and crew. It was very cheeky of us to get all of them together at the one table, I don’t know when the last time they did this was! 

Then, along come Sid, Beaver, Scooter and Sconsey, our beloved Oz experience driver/guides. That was the end of us. We took the to KC’s for a feed and yes, some more beer. Then to Beaches for, yes you got it, more beer. Simon and I looked at each other at the bar before ordering. “just have 1 glass of wine then call it quits eh?” was the call. Then it was Simon’s shout, he came back with another glass of wine. Then it was my shout again, so I had to bring back a bottle. then it was Simon who came back with a bottle, and so on…

We left Airlie a little hazy and hit the road north again. We had a networking function on at The Pier for our Backpacking Industry here in Cairns. Our return journey was a mission, dropping in at a few more places and putting brochures around. We eventually made it back to Cairns and into the function at 6pm, 2 hours after the gig began, but it was a great opportunity to have Simon meet everyone that he hadn’t already. Yeah, then the Lounge Bar, a midnight self imposed corfu, and an early rise on Saturday morning to get simon to the airport. 

Today has been a wonderful day here in the Tropics. Have already been to the Bungy site, Bunnings for some therapy, then continued in the garden here at my beautiful house. I have a few coming over to watch the Cowboys defeat the Sharks, have some very healthy rolls to make for lunch. It’s a great day in life again…

However, I do need to get my act together to prepare for the week ahead. Tomorrow I have to TNQBHA local association meeting to chair, Tuesday I have my long awaited time management course to sit through ( looking forward to this, I hope they can talk in Mac language on not just PC ) Wednesday I fly to Brisbane and drive to the Gold Coast for our next Backpacking Queensland that I will chair. I come back from the Gold Coast on Friday at 1:30pm, get on a charter flight to Airlie for the official Adventure Island gala opening, and fly back Saturday morning. Saturday arvo I fly to Darwin for a weeks work with BTAP and the ATEC Backpacker conference. So, it’s all happening over the next couple of weeks, I certainly hope I find time to get back on this blog and share my stuff with… well someone… I guess.

Baa.

Yup, that’s me. It has been so long since I blogged, even longer since I have had any lovin’, but you get that… I certainly hope that the tide is turning, as I am actually blogging right now, aren’t I ??

All’s good here in the tropics, winter is just around the corner, the weather is sweet, and of course the funky tunes here @ Calypso make you want to move your feet to the beat! 

Lots has happened since I last logged in, too much to tell and anyway it is all old hat by now. Some things I may refer to if that works. 

Winter means busy Backpackers here in the tropics happy happy people all around making the flavour of this great place. Especially here, we have lots of things coming up. The TNT girls arrive this weekend so we must get our party hat on. Fast approaching is a Qantas party here @ Zanzibar, 150 groovers with their feet on the ground here, but no doubt still flying high~! Stand by for that one on May 3….

So Easter is here, don’t quite no what that means for the religious thing, can anyone enlighten me? No, that’s good ’cause I don’t really give a *#~@! All I know is that this Friday is good Friday, and god nows why they gave it that name, ’cause absolutely nothing is open, can’t get even a newspaper or whatever… what’s good about that??

Anyway, happy whatever makes y’all happy. I am off to meet our new Tourism Minister…

over.

In all my flat outness, it’s just dawned on me that our next and final  http://www.backpackingqueensland.com.au/  meeting @ TQ HQ in Brisbane next Thursday. Now that means I gotta get prepared and all organised like. “Yikes” as Scooby Doo’s off-sider used to say when seeing a ghost.

So, anyone out there have anything controversial to table at the meeting? Anyone out there actually reads my blog?? 

Now that’s gotta be a rhetorical question or what?

Baa.