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After eight long months of technical problems, my Photo Gallery is back and functioning properly again!!!  Now you can freely visit all five pages!!  I couldn't believe it when I saw it... I'd almost given up hope, to be quite honest!

Thanks to the BigBlog technicians - it took a while but better late than never!

So enjoy my Photo Albums again, everyone!

Hi there.  If you've been regularly checking my site and thought I've been rather quiet on my blog lately - that's because I recently went to Tunisia and the Netherlands for five weeks and just came back last week.  I'm hoping to write about the trip in the near future, so stay tuned...

DON'T EVEN THINK about placing a bet on...
TABOO 1: RUGBY UNION - The Wallabies, when they are playing the All Blacks at a venue ANYWHERE in New Zealand in slippery and/or freezing conditions.
TABOO 2: RUGBY LEAGUE STATE OF ORIGIN - Queensland, when they are playing New South Wales at Sydney's ANZ (ex-Olympic) Stadium in ANY conditions.

MAY 9, 2008: I ATTENDED the much un-hyped-up rugby league Centenary Test between Australia and New Zealand at Sydney Cricket Ground - and I guess I can repeat that to the event's marketing manager as well.  The ticket sales had been quite sluggish and the organizers had been worried shitless that the stadium would be half empty on such a special and historic night.  Even the players were practically begging the public to come and see them play.  At the eleventh hour, though, quite a few walk-up spectators turned up, pushing up the attendance figure to a near capacity of 34,571 - and the organizers were spared from utter embarrassment.

The match itself got off to a flying start - quite literally - with an acrobatic 6th minute try by Australia's Greg Inglis-Mark Gasnier combination.   He's a freak, Inglis - he chased the ball in the air that was ALREADY over the deadball line, leapt skywards and flicked it backwards over his head for Gasnier to score.  Just for this try, I'd say the crowd got all their money's worth.

But they ended up getting even more entertainment than they'd bargained for - and it had nothing to do with the match.  During the second half, several separate fights broke out in the stands not too far from where I was sitting and, while the Kiwis were ferociously attacking the Aussie goal-line defense, no-one around me was watching the game.  One of the offenders - believed to be a woman, although I'm not completely sure - was dragged onto the ground and led away by security guards.

Moreover, just as Kiwis goal kicker Issac Luke was lining up for a conversion after the full time siren, a male spectator jumped onto the pitch stark naked, even eluding a tackle by a security guard as he ran.  If the guy had had the football, he would have scored a length-of-the-field try, easy.  Channel 9 didn't show the incident on TV - only the bemused Kiwi players were seen laughing onscreen.  ...So, there you go.  To those who decided to stay home and watch it on TV - you'll never know what you've missed out on!!!  And full credit to young Luke, who lined up again and kicked a flawless conversion after all the fuss.

Although they lost, the Kiwis fought well, particularly in the second half.  And the final score of 28 - 12 was much more respectable than last October's 58 - 0 demolition by the Aussies.  With their new head coach Stephen Kearney and assistant Wayne Bennett - the outgoing Broncos coach - they should improve even more, come the Rugby League World Cup time in October.

Finally, the night's Best Banner Award goes to: "Bennett 08 - Welcome 2 The Dark Side"...

IN THE MEANTIME...

Despite the success of the Centenary Test, Sydneysiders' 'can't-be-bothered' attitude towards representative football remains a huge headache for the rugby league officials.  I think the World Cup organizers were wise to schedule the November 22 final match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and I commend their foresight.

There's even talk that two of the three State of Origin matches might be awarded to Brisbane on an annual basis, and I AM ALL FOR IT!!  Queenslanders embrace the Origin AND their rugby league with far more passion than Sydneysiders ever have shown, and they definitely deserve it.  I'm seriously considering attending an Origin match in Brisbane next year, just to soak up the atmosphere.

I've attended an Origin match at Sydney's ANZ Stadium (ex-Olympic Stadium) several years ago, and that one occasion was enough to convince me it's not really worth watching it there.  You are slapped with a fair amount of admission even for a worst kind of seat ('cause it's the Origin!), and what you'll get is a pathetic view of ant-like players moving around on the field.  ...Well, sorry, but that's not my idea of fun.

I can go on record to say I SO HATE watching football matches of any codes at ANZ; it's just not a football-friendly venue.  The inclination of the stands there is not as steep as that at the Sydney Football Stadium and, as you go further up, you also go further AWAY from the pitch.  I still attend the odd finals matches at ANZ whenever my beloved Broncos are involved, but I'd rather they played at SFS.  And I don't like the Cricket Ground, either - simply because it's round and not rectangular!

If you can't fill ANZ Stadium but don't want to give two Origin matches to Queenslanders annually - well, then I say get the New South Wales Origin games back to SFS.  I know the ARL marketing team wouldn't particularly welcome the idea, but at least it gives the fans much closer views and that in turn should ensure a much better atmosphere.

Here's my burning question Vol.2 - for the New Zealand footballers.  When I was having my initiation into the world of New Zealand rugby in the late '80's, I loved watching Wayne 'Buck' Shelford - then captain of the All Blacks - lead the haka with such fierce determination and great resolution.

...But HOW do the All Blacks - or the league side Kiwis - decide who's going to lead the haka??  Over the years I've observed that it's not necessarily the captain who leads their mighty war cry.  Do they pick the haka leader because A) He has the scariest face and/or physique; B) He has the most intimidating voice; C) He has the longest tongue and/or the biggest eyes; or D) All of the above???

I have just finished reading The Heroin Diaries co-written by Motley Crue songwriter/bassist Nikki Sixx and music journo Ian Gittins - and I can tell you, it's been a great read.

Subtitled 'A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star', the book is a compilation of the diary Nikki kept in 1987, and various quotes from his family members and friends, his band mates and other rock stars, the band managers and roadies, etc. etc.  He was helplessly addicted to heroin, cocaine, alcohol and God knows what else, and he had to die a couple of times to finally sober up.

1987 was the year Motley released their highly successful Girls, Girls, Girls album, which went on to become No.2 on the US chart but which Nikki claims should have been No.1 instead of some album by Whitney Houston.  Motley subsequently toured the US to support the album, and the excessive 'sex, drugs & rock 'n' roll' lifestyle (but not necessarily in that order) enjoyed by the band members - Nikki, drummer Tommy Lee, lead singer Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars - was beyond us mere mortals' wildest imagination.  Jack Daniel's gets a mention ever so often they should have sponsored this book.

Amazingly though, what Nikki wrote in his diary is remarkably coherent and lucid.  Swearing words aplenty, for sure, but it's hard to believe that a hardcore junkie like him was able at all to write all this stuff, with so much junk and booze in his system.  And it's quite obvious that Nikki really is an intelligent and charming individual.

The impression I got first and foremost from the book  was how desperately lonely he was despite all the fame and fortune he commanded.  Nikki - along with his Motley band mates - kicked just about every single ass in the world, but the only thing he couldn't kick was his drug habit.  And I must say I admire the brutal honesty not only of the author himself, but also of those who contributed to the book by providing their quotes.

Despite the torrid tales depicted in the book, it still maintains a sense of humor intact, and you are certain to crack up many a time.  One of those funniest moments comes courtesy of Slash - then lead guitarist of up-and-coming Guns N' Roses, who were about to release their first album, Appetite For Destruction.

Nikki would sometimes 'pick girls' from a strip joint, invite some musician friends etc. to his house and have a wild booze, drugs & sex party.  He writes that on one of those occasions Slash was so completely drunk that he 'pissed in the spare bed in his sleep'.  There is also a quote from Slash himself admitting it, and his honesty is actually quite endearing.  (Wet his pants in his sleep?  This mega-rock star?!?!  No f...ing way...!)

Nikki's reaction to the 1987 Los Angeles earthquake is another hilarious incident, although I won't reveal it here...

I must admit I didn't pay much attention to Motley Crue back in the '80's when they were on top of the world - but I'm digging them now, some two decades later.  As I write this, 'reformed' Motley is preparing to release their new album, Saints Of Los Angeles, in June and I'm really looking forward to it.  And I'm glad to know that Nikki is much happier and in peace with himself now.

P.S. - Warning to the fans of a certain mega-group from New Jersey: If you want to protect the squeaky clean image of a certain lead singer you admire, DO NOT read this book...

Here's a bit of an online survey: Just how many of the first grade rugby league (or union) players would admit ever having farted into an opponent's (or teammate's!) face during a match???  (If you are a first grader reading this, be honest with me...)

APRIL 4, 2008: What a mouth-watering rugby league double-header it was...  At Melbourne's Olympic Park, the reigning premiers, the Melbourne Storm, faced their old foes, the Brisbane Broncos, in yet another 2006 Grand Final rematch.

Unfortunately, the scenario didn't quite go according to my desired plan and the home team defeated Brisbane quite comfortably in the end (here goes my ten bucks on the Bronx down the drain...).  The champions turned around their dismal performance on the previous weekend and lifted themselves.  At least I know what to blame: it was the return of their 'lucky charm' Michael Crocker from shoulder surgery.  He now boasts a perfect record of 24 wins for 24 matches he played for the Storm.

Losing international center Justin Hodges to injury on the game day - on top of in-form hooker PJ Marsh - didn't help the Broncos' cause, plus their captain and five-eighth Darren Lockyer is not yet 100% following his knee reconstruction seven months ago.  But the final score of 28 - 8 belied the quality of the game by two top-notch teams in the competition.  Though I wasn't happy with the end result, I thought it was a highly entertaining football match.

And what about Storm fullback Billy Slater?  He's in the 'Zone' right now and so exciting to watch!  He's as quick as lightning and covers all corners of the field in milliseconds; wherever you go, he is BANG! in your face to counter you (Hello, Slater...).  No disrespect to the Bronx' own talented fullback Karmichael Hunt, but I think it's one of the Seven Wonders of the World that Billy is NOT a regular among the Queensland State of Origin squad...

Around the same time, at the other Olympic Stadium (aka ANZ Stadium) north of the state border, much anticipated grudge match between the Bulldogs and the Sydney Roosters was taking place.  The latter have four ex-Bulldogs among them, and the latest 'defector' Willie Mason was thrown right into the line of fire.  But the media hype surrounding the 'ex-Dog' Willie Mason vs. 'loyal Dog' Sonny Bill Williams saga was way over the top...

On the game day, I groaned when I saw huge photos of Mason and/or Sonny Bill spread over the front AND back pages of the Daily Telegraph, PLUS the cover of the Main Game footy insertion.  The Sydney Morning Herald opted to run a story on Sonny Bill - both on the front page and the cover of its sport section (groan again).

It must have been a dream scenario for the NRL marketing team as well as Channel 9, but the match itself was something of an anti-climax.  The Roosters defeated the Bulldogs with a rather lopsided score of 40 - 12, and in doing so declared themselves as serious contenders for the 2008 crown.  ...So it's Willie Mason 2 (for his two tries), Sonny Bill Williams nil - for now.  But it was great to see the two embrace after the match.  It is, after all, just a game of football...

NOVEMBER 14, 2007: My final destination in the Cook Islands was Atiu, the land of fierce warriors.  It is said that in ancient times, ferocious Atiuans raided just about every surrounding island.

The average number of visitors to Atiu is about eight on any given day, and there are only two restaurants on the island to cater for them.  But when things are a bit slow, or if one or both of the restaurant owners are out of town, you'll somehow need to find ways to feed yourself...

I stayed with Marshall Humphreys, who operates Atiu Tours and Homestay.  Originally from England, he has vast experience in tourism - not only on Atiu, but also in New Zealand.  His wife Jeanne is a well-known local artist and was away on a business trip to Rarotonga at the time of my visit.  When they decided to relocate to Atiu, they dismantled and moved their house - quite literally - from Rotorua to Atiu, and rebuilding of their house exactly to the original plan caused quite a stir among the locals...!

If you are into eco-tourism, Atiu is just the destination for you.  Marshall was glad that I was staying there for a week.  He lamented: there were lots to see on Atiu, yet the majority of visitors came to the island almost as an afterthought and stayed only for a couple of days.  On departure, though, most of them would regret that they didn't stay there long enough.

Along with Marshall's island tour, 'Birdman' George Mateariki's eco-tour is also popular with visitors.  You are in luck if you happen to go on a Sunday, as he cooks a traditional feast for picnic lunch.

Atiu is also famous for its fine coffee, and the two plantations on the island both offer coffee tours.  A few bags of coffee beans will make a great souvenir, too!

ISLAND OF CAVES

Atiu has several interesting caves, and Marshall operates cave tours to two of them.  The first, called Anatakitaki, is home to Atiu's native Kopeka (aka Atiu Swiftlet).  The bird looks similar to the swiftlets (or swallows) that are commonly seen in Japan or Australia, but a major difference is that the Kopeka is not migratory and nests only inside this Anatakitaki Cave.  When they are out and about, they chirp like any other swiftlets; but once inside the cave, they switch to 'clicking' and maneuver in the complete darkness - kind of like bats!!

The other cave, Rima Rau, is one of the many burial caves on the island, and you can see quite a few skulls and bones inside.  Some of the skulls even sport what look like ax-inflicted holes (!!!).  Over the years, Marshall has also accumulated quite a few artifacts such as adz heads, food pounders and sling balls from the cave.  The visit to Rima Rau is jokingly called a 'Fat Test', for the cave is quite narrow and, if you are too fat, you just can't enter there!

While inside the cave, I asked Marshall whether I would be cursed if I took photos of these skulls - to which he cheerfully replied: "Nah, only if you take them out of the cave.  Two European visitors once tried to remove one of the skulls from another burial cave, but one of them ended up dead on the flight back to Rarotonga..."

So I DID take photos of the remains in the cave - but I'm not quite sure what would happen if I post these photos on my blog: I might incur the wrath of the dead warriors and end up dead myself, or they'd be so pleased with the publicity they might reward me with eternal life...

EPILOGUE

I must say the Cook Islands has exceeded all my expectations.  After my Himalaya Expedition in 2006 (see separate entry on this blog), I thought it would be very hard for any other destinations to even come close to the divine experience.

But the Cooks has proved itself to be a pleasant surprise and each island has its own unique character.  Cook Islands Maori are closely related to New Zealand Maori, and you'll see quite a few familiar Polynesian faces - Benji Marshalls, Nigel Vaganas and Roy Asotasis - though I didn't quite encounter a Sonny Bill Williams.  Their football season had already finished when I visited there, but it would have been interesting to see how the local lads played - complete with the haka!

Whilst on Rarotonga, our island tour guide showed us the house that belonged to New Zealand rugby league icon Kevin Iro.  Looks like his house has become one of the tourist attractions there...

You'll also see quite a few Konishikis and Akebonos (Hawaiian-born sumo wrestlers) - but what's really intimidating is the fact that many of these sumo types are actually women... (be afraid... be VERY afraid...!)

After my Himalaya trek, I'd become even more laid-back and somewhat slack - and my visit to the Cook Islands did nothing but to enhance these characteristics (sorry, boss!).  The locals work to the so-called 'island time', and I experienced it firsthand when I booked a cab to go to the airport at midnight - which would have given me plenty of time to check in for my 2:10a.m. flight back home.  So I waited... and waited... and waited... for the cab to turn up.  But nobody came to pick me up, and it was already past 12:30a.m.  Eventually, the night warden at my accommodation took pity on me and offered me a lift...

On arrival at the airport, I learned that my flight was running late by TWO hours (Shock! Horror!).  That meant I'd have to wait until 4:10a.m.  It seemed like even Air New Zealand had adopted Cook Islanders' attitude to time.  Well, it's gonna be a fun trip back home...

P.S. - My biggest shock upon returning to Sydney in late November: Since WHEN Willie Mason is a ROOSTER?!?!?!?

What a difference a half year makes.  I went to see the Roosters vs. Broncos Round 2 match and then the Roosters vs. Storm Round 3 encounter at Sydney Football Stadium, and it was hard to believe that the Storm had given the Broncos an absolute belting (40 - 0) in their first finals match last September.

Both the Sydney Roosters and the Brisbane Broncos played well in their traditional Good Friday fixture, and the latter were probably lucky to get away with a 20 - 14 win after a try to the Chooks' winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall was disallowed.

Roosters five-eighth Braith Anasta deserves an honorary mention, too.  After copping an accidental shoulder charge by Broncos fullback Karmichael Hunt halfway through the first half, he bravely returned to the field in the second half with a broken nose.  Not only that, he later offered support to Hunt should he have to face the NRL judiciary - saying he 'slipped into it a bit' and that there was no malicious intention on Hunt's part.  (He's such a good sport, Anasta!)

But it was a very different story for last year's premiers, the Melbourne Storm, the following weekend.  They looked pretty ordinary in attack and didn't once look like threatening the Roosters defense.  They just lacked that edge that had taken them to the 2007 premiership.

Are the Storm suffering Too-Much-Football Syndrome, like the 2006 premiers Brisbane did at the start of the 2007 season?  Quite possibly.  Eventually, they went down to the Roosters 10 - 6.

Fullback Billy Slater was a clear standout among the tired-looking Storm squad.  Not only did he score the team's only try, but he also ran down and tackled Roosters counterpart Anthony Minichiello, who was flying down the sideline and looked certain to score a near length-of-the-field try if not for Slater's effort.  He also displayed some aerobatic skills that would have made any AFL coaches proud: he soared high into the air to catch a bomb, with his leg collecting the head of hapless Roosters teenage halfback Mitchell Pearce (oops!).  At least this incident has proved that some white men CAN jump...

Now that Brisbane and Melbourne's respective away games at SFS are over, I will have to be content with watching some of their remaining matches on TV...  Next up is Round 4 Storm vs. Broncos clash on Friday night (yummy!) - and the Bronx will probably beat the s**t out of Melbourne, judging by the way things are going right now...

P.S. - What a coup for the Broncos to snatch teenage sensation Israel 'Izzy' Folau off Melbourne for the next four years!  But it wouldn't have bothered me either way - as long as he doesn't go to any other clubs... (hee, hee, hee...)  The Broncos' next target: Storm coach Craig Bellamy...

P.P.S. - I don't mind watching the Roosters play, but why do I always have to contribute to the Chooks' pocket by attending their home games to see the Bronx or the Storm?!?!?!  It doesn't make sense...

P.P.P.S. - Has anyone bought the newly issued Centenary Of Rugby League postage stamps yet??  I've just bought a whole sheet of the Broncos/Storm/Cowboys/Sea Eagles combo, and they are sooooo... cool!!  (Stamps of 16 teams are divided into 4 sheets, with each sheet containing 4 teams.)  I could have used the Scotty Prince (Gold Coast Titans) stamps instead of the Sea Eagles ones to make a complete Queensland/Melbourne combination, but never mind.  If you haven't bought yours yet, run to your local post office, NOW!