h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well that's it, uni is all done with and I am returned to the world of regular internet access and needing to find job(s) with which to fund my next exciting venture. It's very daunting to have finished everything (apart from this one teensy assignment which I still have to do - old habits die hard ), they're going to have to give me one of those degree thingies and I'm going to have to work out what comes next .

So how to sum up the past 6 months?

There was a lot of skiing there for a while, while the snow lasted - tele skiing of course, none of this fixed-heel business for me! A couple of trips were back-country camps, one was teaching kids and the other just for fun, but most were day trips up to a resort nearish to us. I've been busy with assignments and with catching up with everyone before they all disappear into the never-never, a friend and I organised our course ball, which was a night of fun and debauchery - 220 hippies all dolled up in one place and nary a tree to be seen. I've also had to move out of my house and vowed to never again accumulate crap - you know, the 'I might want this someday' type of crap which takes up space and you just end up throwing out anyway - we took three ute-loads, a station wagon and trailer load to the tip (where we were pulled over by the cops for a routine breath test and they failed to notice that a) my car is unroadworthy, b) the ute is unroadworthy, c) the trailer lights weren't working, and d) that it was 10am on a Tuesday morning and they would be bloody lucky to find anyone who had been drinking by then) and two ute-loads to the op-shop...yes, that is between 5 girls, but still a lot of crap. In the future I will lead a 'crap-free' life.

For the past week or so I've been galivanting around the cliff faces, had one *scary* fall (you should see the bruises! ) and was pulled over by the cops for speeding...and then let off (it had absolutely nothing to do with the top I was wearing, honest) - and now I'm just killing time until I start work next week - they've given me about half the shifts I was after, so I'm still looking for high-paid cruisy jobs, if anyone hears of any.

Come January I'm going up north for New Years - mates have a house near the beach and we're going to live the high life for a couple of days, and then my mum is taking me and my brother to Vietnam after she WON a trip there! Who wins anything off the internet, let alone a holiday?!

So in the meantime, I will probably be around a lot more than I have in the last three years, doing my best to catch up with y'all.

Just *how* teensy is this teensy assignment? I handed in 2 essays, 10000 words between them, late, and they decided not to take off late penalties! I was happy

Hmm, let's see... debauchery, blind police officers, random assortments of crap... yup, situation normal

When you say 'scary', do you mean if you hadn't gnawed your arm off you'd be in *real* trouble now? I shan't comment on speeding fines, or the lack thereof

We're going up North too... driving up past Brisbane leaving Boxing Day, coming back a week after New Years... we're a little bit insane Fantastic trip! We've been thinking of going to Vietnam, this-ish time next year...

Ah, this really is a teensy assignment - just a summary, a page or two long, no worries.

Yes, lucky for me my teeth had just been sharpened and I was able to gnaw my arm right off (did you see that guy on the Panel last week? He's incredible!). Nah, a bit of rock broke off in my hand and I went for a bit of a swing, smashed back into a rock wall and had to be hauled up to the ledge. Lucky I was wearing my helmet so that I was able to tell my friend how to set up the ropes to haul me up properly! After that we went to the pub. Some days it's just not worth it!

The drive up north should be ok, isn't that normally the time when everyone stays home and groans and gets drunk and stuff? You'll be right. We're only going to Vietnam for a couple of weeks (only!), I can't wait

Nice to have you back for awhile Cafram and to hear of your adventures.


KC, I heard an interview recently with the man who had to cut off his arm to survive. I was quite impressed, having thought it was going to be another die hard type macho thing. But I enjoyed his spiritual and consciousness expanding perspective on what happened to him.

Vietnams become very "flavour-of-the-month" lately, hasn't it. I can name about ten friends of mine who are going there next year.... and now you two are talking about it too.

Personally, I prefer to buck the trend...... I'm going to China!

Btw, please accept my heartfelt (almost) congratulations on your (almost) degree, Cafram.

silmupost on the armhacking man...


We've had a Scottish TV drama on here about a small town search and rescue team. It was quite interesting but I had to stop watching after awhile because the rescue scenes were too scarey.

Ah, just a page or two, so you can happily put it off for another month or so

Didn't see the guy on the panel, no, but read about it in the paper... we... don't own a TV you see...

Sounds like the pub was definitely the place to be that day! Glad you're all sensible about safety

The drive... well, we're hoping so, but we're going up the coast (only way to stay in hostels) so it might be a bit more holiday chockers...

ellie's parents just got back from China... a package tour, but there were only four of them, and it was a 'backroads adventure' tour, so it was a bit better... personally I'd rather go to South America or Finland, so we'll see what ends up happening

No package tour thingy for this little black duck. A good friend of mine is working in Yichang at the moment and for at least all of 2005. My original plan for 2005 was to go to South America (more particularly Machu Pichu), but my friend raves about China so I figure I may as well go and see a bit of it while he and his wife are over there. Now all I have to do is learn a little Mandarin...... important phrases like "Where's the pub", "Two beers please" or "Do you serve counter meals" should be sufficient.

I hate to break it to you ER, but I suggest "Oh, look, rice for breakfast again" and "I'd love some more green tea, thanks!" might be more useful

I can learn those phrases too. I'll also learn the words for "Bloody Marys" and "Beer" so that, when needed, they can be used to replace "rice" and "green tea" respectively.

I'm sure your optimism does you credit

Well I didn't choose where my trip was to, can't fight with the lady who won it and all. I too shall be learning the phrases for 'more beer' and such - what better way to enjoy a culture than to get drunk with the locals?!

My friend is at the moment in Guatemala, heading down to Costa Rica soonish to build schools and whatnot, he says it's just incredible (although very dangerous) - it's definately on my list of things to do. When I get a job and money and all those things.

Sorry to be an idiot, but what's an "ute?"

My friend won tickets to the Isle of Wight music festival online- the thing is, she asked for my tent, but didn't opffer me the other ticket- cheeky!

China VS. Machu Pichu- my frind from Uni went trecking to the latter and loved it- himself's ma went to China the other year and loved that too. I bet you'll hit a winner whichever you choose. Or you could save up and do the other one in a few years

A 'ute' is a truck in the states, not sure what you guys call it...short for 'utility vehicle' - a car with a tray on the back, usually just two seats in the cab. Often drven by farm boys and country hicks

I believe that a "ute" may also be referred to as a "flat-bed" truck in the USA.

Btw, Machu Pichu is now the planned destination for 2006.

We call it what you call a "ute" a "pickup truck" ... or just plain "pickup", ER ... since it's normally used to pick up stuff ... and haul it around. A flatbed is usually a larger truck used for hauling heavy equipment and larger loads of "stuff". As the name implies, a "flatbed" truck has a flat "bed" (or platform) above the wheels and has no permanent sides ... usually nothing more than flimsy side rails, mesh, or tie-downs to prevent the load from falling off.

Should read ...

"We call what you call a "ute" a "pickup truck"... "

Of course, it's entirely possible that the backward areas of the US that you visited may have referred to a "pickup" as a "flatbed" ... but they would be WRONG!

Well, certainly when I pointed to what I would regard as a "ute" in North Carolina, I was told it was a "flatbed" truck (it wasn't *that* much larger than a normal "ute"). But you're right AW, "pick-up" is a much more common term for what we would regard as a ute. Oh btw, the person who told me it was a "flatbed" was originally from....... OHIO!!!!!! Washcloths in glass houses.........

American auto makers also seem to have made a kind of artform out of manufacturing outrageouly large utes. I saw many which could, quite concievably, have hauled the Titanic across state (on a suitably desinged and re-inforced trailer).

That would be the Titanic as it was when it was built, before it hit the iceberg.

We don't call them flatbeds in Ohio! Your friend is obviously hiding a false identity and is undoubtedly an illegal alien without a green card.



I want to drive one of those outrageously large pickups ... the height gives one the opportunity to see what is up ahead while driving ... sometimes as much as 250 miles ahead ... I can see Canada from atop one of them babies.