Coming Out of My Cage

A long road snakes its way up to a majestic structure sitting atop a small hill.  The building facade is well lit with incredible uplighting, but even its beauty is overshadowed by the eeriness of its history and the stories of its past occupants.  A cold, damp evening along with a pitch black winter sky further accentuates the freakish feeling that surrounds the property.  

My train pulled into the Ararat station at 3:30pm.  Roughly nine thousand residents occupy this small town, and there is nothing unordinary or extraordinary about Ararat.  In fact, Ararat could just as easily be situated in Ohio as Victoria.  The Ararat residents are overly friendly and their streets are clean and quiet.  Ararat's main street turns into a ghost town by nightfall.  I arrived on a Saturday night, and aside from the two local pubs, everything else on the street was closed by early evening.  The city's quietness didn't bother me though, because I was in town to visit the majestic building that sat atop that small hill. 

Ararat wasn't always a sleepy little town.  There was a time, albeit a long time ago, when its streets bustled with activity.  The discovery of gold in 1857 transformed this city into a boomtown, and the structure I was there to visit wasn't even built yet.  Another eight years would pass before the ground was disturbed to build the structure that now draws people to this sleepy town.  The structure known as Aradale, which is now Australia’s largest abandoned lunatic asylum-their words, not mine.  At its height, Aradale consisted of 68 buildings and was home to over 2000 patients and staff, making it a self sufficient town.  The building hosted more than ten thousand people described as “lunatics” and “imbeciles” during its 100+ years of existence.  It was closed as an asylum in 1998, and has since been sold to the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE to establish a campus of the Australian College of Wine on the site.   The building and its history draws tourists in search of the paranormal and a good scare, which is the reason I was in town.  

The tour kicked off at 8pm, and the winter sky was already pitch black.  Roughly thirty people arrived for this particular tour.  A young man dressed in period clothing guided our group through a myriad of buildings.  We paused at various locations along the way to hear stories about the history of the building, a particular room, and its residents.  What a gruesome place this was!  The entire tour took about two hours to complete, but it was well worth the trip and the adventure.  I have met some loony tunes in my life, but I wouldn't send any of them to this place!  Well, maybe a couple of them…

I am quickly approaching the halfway point of my stay in Australia, and I can say that this adventure has truly been a life changing experience.  Being “alone” in a new country forced me to step outside of who I knew myself to be, and I am now discovering things about myself that I never knew before.  Some of you may not understand, and others will know what I mean right away, but I hope to never know myself ever again.  My complacency and ritualistic nature prevented me from experiencing everything that life has to offer.  Now more than ever I appreciate my mom and dad for all of the family vacations and the opportunities to explore new locations.  Finally I understand why Chris likes to move around (my words, not his) rather than root in one place for a lifetime.  I now realize that the friends in my life are true friends, and not just a byproduct of the place I call home.  

Up to now I have only explored the greater Melbourne area, and I have had a great time doing it.  I realize that there are many more places to see and experience while in Australia, and I am committed to experience as many of them as possible while I am here.  That said, I can’t forget that I am here to accomplish a job.  Electronic Arts believed enough in me to spend tens of thousands of dollars to send me to Australia and complete a mission of sorts.  I will complete that mission, and I will do everything that I can to ensure that its done completely and better than expected.  To be honest, I am not sure if the decision makers at Electronic Arts will ever understand how much they have impacted my life for the better.  It is really strange the way life works out.  I know that I am rambling now, but writing this entry brings a recent conversation to memory.  The conversation was with the bartender downstairs (shocker), and he was telling me how he worries about the future and what it holds for him.  

The bartender's name is Marcus, and he is here from Brazil.  Anyway, his story begins when he moved here from Brazil to attend university.  Once in OZ, Marcus had to choose a field of study, find and keep a job, and now figure out a way to become a permanent resident of Australia.  I listened to Marcus' story and then offered him a piece of unsolicited advice.  My advice was, “Don’t worry too much about what the future will bring.  Work hard and do your best at whatever it is that you are doing at that moment.  Never stop learning, be it from structured education or just plain observation, and know that life will unfold and provide you with experiences that you never imagined possible.  It is likely that you will not be where you thought you would be twenty years from now, but where you are twenty years from now is exactly where you should be.  As long as you keep pressing forward without giving up or getting lazy, life will reward you.  It may not be the reward you thought you wanted, but it will be the reward that you really wanted and needed.”

I am not sure if my advice to Marcus was meant for him, or if it was really me just talking to myself.  My life looks nothing like I thought it would twenty, or even ten years ago.  That said, I wouldn't change a thing.  As far as I am concerned, I am the luckiest man alive.  I have the worlds best partner, a job that I truly love, a loving family, and incredible friends.  Now that I think about it, I got exactly what I wanted! 

Since it has been a while, HERE is a hodgepodge video of my last couple weeks in Australia.  You’ll see a few clips of the Aradale Asylum in the video as well!  Additional pics below…

God Bless….

PS-I love you Chris & Moomy!

No Such Thing as Routine

When you are thousands of miles away from your family, you get to choose the ones in your life who become your new family.

-Victor

Two months have passed since I landed in Melbourne.  The newness is wearing off, and what was once fresh and new is quickly becoming my norm.  I have to admit that it feels a bit strange.  The streets that I explored with trepidation are now familiar to me and the events once worth chronicling now exist as unwritten stories.  In two months time routine replaced adventure. I still feel the emptiness associated with missing Chris and my family, but the rest is changed.  Is this another lesson?

How many times in life does this happen?  I experience something as new and exciting and as time passes it becomes my norm and all of the magic is lost.  Most of the time I don't even acknowledge that it has happened because I am so wrapped up in the day to day of whatever it is that I am doing.  Life as I know it becomes familiar, and I live it as such.  In this process I virtually kill off any possibility of excitement or thrill, yet I still expect to be excited by something and I become disappointed when I don't find it. 

Before the wheels of my plane ever touched down on Australian soil I had already created a vision of what Australia would look like.  This vision of mine was likely put together by the bits and pieces of information that I had taken in over the years from movies and television.  It was influenced by news stories and of course further tweaked by chance encounters I had with Australian natives.  The Australia that I created in my head looked absolutely nothing like the Australia that I encountered when I arrived.  It was not better or worse, it was just different.  The excitement came from discovering the real Australia.  Naturally it would be the real Australia as seen through my eyes and experiences.  When the experiences no longer felt new, well then it must be because I have come to know Australia.  HA HA HA!  That is a good one.

My lesson is that I created another zone of comfort.  This particular zone of comfort extends about four square miles.  I exist inside of this zone of comfort and I look for something to occur as new.  When nothing new occurs life begins to feel as routine.  Its pretty arrogant to think that I know Australia, or even Melbourne, given that I am only operating inside of my comfort zone of a few miles.  This is a bustling city filled with god knows how many people.  Each person has their own story and something to offer.  The trick in life, my life, is not getting so comfortable that the people and possibilities available no longer seem relevant.  It took me a while to open my eyes to this newest lesson.  The lesson is that life is much bigger than I know it to be, but I have to allow it to unfold and not get trapped inside of a comfort zone.  Excitement is all around me and there are stories to tell and experiences to share.  I have a choice in determining how my life looks and how it feels.  

I broke out of my comfort zone for just a few hours today, but it was long enough to inspire me and learn this valuable lesson.  Over the past several weeks I have become friends with many of the hotel restaurant and bar staff.  Victor manages both establishments in the hotel, and a few weeks ago he invited me to his wedding party.  He and his wife were already married but the party was being held tonight in the hotel penthouse.  Everyone knows that I get nervous when attending these types of events, but I was honored that Victor thought to invite me as his guest.  

The penthouse is extraordinary with sweeping views of the city.  I was initially overwhelmed by the number of people in attendance and the diverse makeup of the crowd.  Victor noticed me standing just inside the suite and he headed in my direction welcoming me with his usual smile and bellowing voice.  He instructed me to help myself to the food and beverages and told me to introduce myself to his guests.  If he knew me a little better he would have known that this was exactly the thing not to say to me because I tend to be quite shy.  I made my way through the room and found myself a spot on the balcony.  It wasn't long before I was talking to all sorts of different people.  My routine was replaced with something new, and I was still within the walls of the hotel. 

If it wasn't for Victor and his invite, I don't know how long it would have taken me to realize that I was back to my old self again.  I may have never realized that I was limiting myself and settling for routine.  His invitation was more than an invite to a party, it was an invite to reexamine what I was creating in Australia.  This country is full of great people and I am blessed to have met so many of them in two short months.  At one point during the party there was an opportunity for people to speak about Victor and his new wife.  In between the many people who participated, Victor took the mic and spoke a few words of his own.  I was stunned and honored when he acknowledged me as the newest member of his Melbourne family.  There is nothing mundane or routine about that!  

Thank you Victor, and may god bless you and your new wife!

Sunday Follies

Me:  Can I have a vodka, soda, and a splash of cranberry please?  

Bartender:  A what?

Me:  A vodka, soda, and a splash of cranberry please…

Bartender:  Well only if you say cranberry correctly!

Me:  Okay… May I have a vodka, soda, and a splash of crahhhhhhhnburry please?

I wasn't very amused and it was clear that the bartender wasn't either.  We exchanged smiles, each of us with our own meaning behind the smile, and then she poured my drink.   Time to eat my own words and not “create” her to be a… Well, you get the idea.  How did I end up at this place anyway?

Just like the days prior, Chris made me promise to get out and explore.  It was Sunday and I didn't feel like leaving the hotel, but I promised.  Off I went!  Since I didn't have a clue where I was going, I decided to play a game.  The game was actually kind of frightening too!  

I trotted over to the tram stand and waited for the tram.  Now keep in mind that there are six trams on this particular line!  Whichever tram came first was the one I would take.  There is only one tram that I haven't been on yet and it travelled to unknown territory.  Secretly I wanted that tram to come first, and it did!

The weather was crap on Sunday so the tram was relatively empty.  I settled into a seat and began to stare out the window.  The first 15 minutes or so was all good because the area was still familiar, but once we passed that point it was all new territory.  Anxiety began to set in as  the tram continued down the line.  Every stop was one stop further into uncharted lands and we all know that I am a nervous nelly when it comes to getting lost or doing anything new.  I was nearly 30 minutes into my tram trip when almost by instinct my arm raised and my hand grabbed the line signaling the driver to exit at the next stop.  Here we go!

Past exploration has taught me to watch out the window and signal a stop when the area looks exciting, or at the very least, interesting.  Unfortunately this time around the area I was traveling into looked less and less interesting, and more and more inhospitable.  I would imagine that was the reason my arm and hand decided to think for itself and grab the signal line.  The tram drops off in the middle of an intersection, so my first thoughts involved safe travel across the street.  Once safely on the sidewalk I began to take in my surroundings.  Nothing around me caught my attention so I decided to walk up a block, and that is how I wound up in the small bar (the only person) being served by the ever so friendly bartender.  Yuup…  Here I am.   

I had one drink at the bar and left to find someplace more exciting.  Suddenly there was a ray of hope!  I was standing on the corner waiting to cross the street when the 3a tram drove past, which means that if I followed the tracks I would be in a familiar area.  The fun begins.

To be continued…

Cheese, Wine, and Frank

Things always happen for a reason...

-Unknown

My blonde hates that saying, and I never understood why until the day I finally asked him.  As it turns out, I agree with his thinking on the subject.  Basically he said that people use the statement as an excuse for things in life that they don't want to take responsibility for but ultimately should.  His ex had used this statement on more than one occasion while they were dating.  Clearly it brought back bad memories for Chris.  Regardless, Chris' explanation made perfect sense to me and I agreed.  As of lately I am beginning to rethink things though.

A directive was given to me today.  I was told to explore the beach, not the beach that I have been exploring, but the real beach.  The real beach isn't exactly close to my location so I never agreed to see this directive through.  In fact, I knew from the word go that I wasn't about to take on such a task. This wasn't my first brush with disobedience, but it was the first time since arriving in OZ that I willfully decided to ignore a request from Chris.  It just wasn't happening.  He doesn't get how far the real beach is and I wasn't about to try to explain.  

The fact of the matter is that I didn't have a clue what I was going to do today.  I searched Google for "things to do in Melbourne, Australia today" and a bunch of stuff came up that I didn't find inspiring. It was already 5pm and still I hadn't left the hotel.  I didn't mind though.  It wasn't one of those days where I felt like I had to get out and do something.  I was content and didn't feel the need to go anywhere.  Yet there was still something tugging at me and telling me to get out.  But where was I to go?  I searched my tram map for someplace new so that I could shoot some video to post to the blog.  The last thing I wanted was to end up in one of my usual places.   Where did I end up?  St. Kilda of course, just like the four weeks prior.  

I settled into a small restaurant that was about four blocks off of the main street.  The restaurant was as new as it was going to get tonight.  It was a small but cozy little place attempting to be a wine and cheese joint.  I say "attempting" only because their selection of wine and cheese didn't compare to other places I had visited in the past.  The crowd was sparse but there was a good vibe in the air.  I ordered a glass of wine and a small sampling of cheeses.  Oddly enough, I am getting used to being alone all of the time.  I have never done so many things alone in my entire life until now.  Whenever I eat out, I always face the window so that I can watch the people walk down the sidewalk.   That's how I noticed Frank walk through the door.

Frank entered the cafe wearing a long trench like coat and a skull cap.  When he approached the counter to place his order he removed his hat to expose an aged and bald head.  For some reason I was watching his every move.  He was a tall and lanky man who looked to be in his mid to late 70's but in good shape all things considered.  After placing his order, Franks sat down at a table and waited just like I did.  Chris always used to scold me for watching people so closely, so in my head I could hear him say, "Tonka, quit staring!"  It didn't matter anymore now than it did then.  I continued to watch him for some reason.  

When Frank's order finally arrived I was shocked to find that he had waited so long for only a glass of wine.  He sat at his table and drank his glass of red, and for reasons unknown I kept watching.  It was strange, because we were both alone at our own tables but I kept waiting for someone to join him at his table.  It just seemed like he was waiting on someone.  I don't know, but it looked that way.  

It was time for me to leave so I went to the counter to pay my bill.  Before the clerk could hand it to me I asked him to add another glass of wine for the old man sitting alone.  The clerk responded, "Who, Frank?"  I gave  the clerk one of my famous looks.  How the hell was I supposed to know!?!  I responded, "I don't know his name, but just send him a glass of wine after I leave."

My mistake was going to the bathroom prior to leaving the restaurant.  The clerk didn't follow my request,  and Frank had already received the glass of wine I bought him before I could escape with my anonymity.  Naturally he stopped me on my way out, and the first thing he asked me was why I sent over the glass of wine.  Awkward!!!   For once in my life I was speechless.  When I did finally respond it was mostly jibber jabber.  The reality is that I didn't know why I sent over the glass.  I kind of felt sorry for him sitting there all alone.  In hindsight, I think I saw myself in him.  

After introducing himself, Frank told me how he and his wife frequented this restaurant on a weekly basis.  They have been married for 57 years and every Saturday they took a walk that ended with a glass of wine together at this place.  I asked Frank where his wife was tonight, and then I braced myself for the answer.  My track record is not very good after all!  As it turns out, frank's wife is still alive (thank god), but she suffered a fall a couple days back and was in the hospital recovering.  The prognosis was good, and there didn't seem to be anything to worry about in terms of her recovery.  I couldn't help but ask him why he was at the restaurant and not by her side.  Yes, I went there...  He chuckled at me and I thought for sure I was in trouble!  It turns out that his wife insisted that Frank leave the hospital to walk their usual route and to stop for their usual glass of wine.  The only thing unusual about this particular Saturday was that fact that she wasn't there to join him in the ritual.  He was reluctant to accept her directive, but eventually he caved and there he was at the same restaurant as always.  I cracked a small smile, shook Frank's hand, and wished his wife a speedy recovery before leaving the restaurant. 

Maybe on occasion things do actually happen for a reason?

Worlds Fastest, Tallest, Longest (hopefully) Roller Coaster!

The fastest, tallest, and longest (with a bit of luck) roller coaster in the world is life!  There are tons of twists and turns and on occasion it gets a bit bumpy.  One thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a second ride.  Make the best out of the first ride, because when the ride stops the park closes-permanently.  

The things in life that I pick and choose to get worked up over, or even those that I get excited about, often make me laugh when I stop to think.  In the end they are really just things, and I either put importance behind them or I don't.  I get to choose if I am happy, angry, etc.  Some people reading this might be wondering why I am writing about this today.  I started writing about "the roller coaster" a few weeks back but decided to leave the entry unfinished in my drafts folder.  Once I stopped thinking about the why, and instead just let life unfold normally it became clear.  

On a moment by moment basis things either make me happy, sad, mad, excited, and well you get my drift.   How I deal with those feelings could impact the rest of my day if I allow them to run unchecked.  Most of the time I am pretty good at not allowing that to happen.  Sometimes I fail, and usually I regret it afterwards.   When I do catch myself, and prevent anything negative from taking hold, the result is always positive.  Seriously, the results are always positive.  I will either make a new friend, gain a new insight, or overcome an obstacle.   Here is a stupid but true example...  There is one particular bartender in the hotel lounge that has bothered me since my arrival.  He is slow to serve, forgetful, and just not good.  That's what I told myself about him anyway, but yet I kept waiting for him to do something right to prove me wrong.  The guy didn't have a chance though.  I had already determined who he was for me, and that was the context that he was stuck in until I told myself otherwise.  Unfortunately it took me until yesterday to understand that the problem wasn't him at all, rather it was me.  As long as I had him packaged and labeled as horrible there was no other way for him to occur.  It didn't matter what he did or didn't do.  Everything shifted the moment I admitted to myself that it was me who was a jerk and not him.  I left his bar that night feeling like I received great service.  Nothing changed except my unreasonable way of thinking.  

Whenever I give up that there is something wrong with someone or someplace I experience a sense of relief and freedom.  The idiocy is thinking that something was wrong in the first place.  I mean, who am I to say what is right or wrong with people or a place?  Really??   The context that I create, anyone creates, is always decisive.  When I started with Electronic Arts I was on a six month contract.  Nobody ever guaranteed a permanent position after the six months ended, nor was it ever implied that my contract would be extended.   I took the position nonetheless, and I took it knowing that it was going to be an extraordinary experience no matter what the future brought.  Several people asked me, "Aren't you worried about giving up a permanent job for a contract position?"  I wasn't worried one bit.  My response was always the same.  I was accepting the position with the mindset that it was a permanent role.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't pretending, rather I was treating it as a perm role so that I would do the best job possible.  Had I treated it as temporary there is a good chance that I wouldn't be in a perm role today.  

Still you ask, "Where is this going?"   Let me just say this... I won the game I created for the month of May.  Context is decisive.   

Look out June, here I come!

Dora Who?

The weather was beautiful today!  A bright sunny sky and 70 degrees was enough to lure me out of the hotel and onto the streets.  Last night during my penguin hunt I noticed what looked like a lit up Ferris Wheel in the distance.  It appeared to be on the beach and a few miles down the road, but then again it was very dark outside and the only thing I saw were lights in the distance.  I decided to go find the source of the mysterious lights.

Tram #16 and #3a both head in the direction that I needed to travel.  For the life of me I can’t figure out the difference between the two trams.  Something must set them apart.  Being the expert tram rider that I am, my plan of action is always the same.  I jump on the first tram that arrives!  The lucky winner today was #16, but it was packed with people.  There is something weird about stepping onto a packed tram.  The doors slide open and the first thing I do is quickly survey the car to determine the number of people.  Step two involves locating a place to park my rear end.   At the same time, opening doors serve as a signal to all of the other passengers to stop whatever it is they are doing and stare.  Its just an awkward feeling all around, but I managed my way through the crowd of staring onlookers and found myself a perch to call home.

Fifteen minutes into my tram ride we pulled up to the St. Kindle Beach pier.  I thought I heard a penguin call my name, but I was determined to stay onboard the tram headed into uncharted territory.  What an adventurer I have become. LOL!   The tram closed its doors and continued down the tracks.  By now my palms were sweaty and I was getting worried.  What have I just gotten myself into?  At this point the tram had already travelled four stops past my furthest point on record.  Maybe I was pushing this a bit too far.  You know, baby steps.  I pulled the chord signaling the driver to stop at the next stop.

Disembarking the tram is pretty much the same feeling as boarding the tram.  Conversations stop, people stop what they are doing, and babies stop crying just to watch me disembark.  Not really, but I am a dramatic guy according to that blonde I know, so…  Okay, back to my spine tingling adventure.  I jumped off the tram a few stops beyond the pier and paused for a moment to collect myself before determining which direction I would travel.  That whole process by itself was kind of stupid because I really only had two logical choices.  I could either continue straight ahead in the same direction of the tram that I just departed, or I could turn to the left and travel in that direction.  Why only those two choices?  Well, if I travelled to my right I would end up swimming in Melbourne Bay within a minute or two.  If went the opposite direction of the tram it would make me a likely candidate for psychiatric evaluation since I would be back tracking towards home.  It was a pressing moment and a decision needed to be made quickly because I was just standing there looking like a moron.  At that moment a little kid walked by and said to his father, “Daddy, what is wrong with that guy?”   Not really, but it makes for a good line in my story.  :)

I decided to press forward in the same direction as the tram that I just departed.  Let me say that again… I decided to head in the same direction that the tram I just departed was going.  Do you get the irony?  Really???  Sometimes I amaze myself with my own brilliance.  As it turns out, it wasn't such a bad idea after all.  Hoofing it the rest of the way allowed me to fully take in my surroundings.  Seriously, there was a lot going on.  I spent so much time in my own head trying to figure out what direction to travel that I didn't even notice that there were vendors set up along the entire sidewalk peddling their wares.  LOL… “Peddling their wares.”   

The sidewalk vendors were pretty cool.  Nothing they were selling appealed to me, but it was fun to browse and pretend that I was a prospective buyer.  Mean and cruel, right?  I know… Its taken years of practice to become this good.  Hehehehhe   The last vendor was coming into sight when suddenly I saw a huge open mouth in the distance.  Seriously, I am not joking this time!  It was a gaping “mouth” and closing in on me quickly.  There is no need to worry though.  The “mouth” was part of a mural that served as the entrance to an amusement park.  You see, I wasn't going crazy!  I did see a Ferris wheel last night! (It was actually a roller coaster and not a FW)  Move over James Cook, Matt is in town and I’m a fearless explorer.  Did I stop at the amusement park?  No way!  I pressed forward and uncovered a new neighborhood.  Given the mobs of people everywhere, the neighborhood was clearly only new to me.  I stumbled upon St. Kilda, but I claimed it as mine and renamed it St. Matthew.  

St. Kilda is a bustling little neighborhood, and like many of the other areas that I conquered in the past, its streets are dotted with shops and restaurants.  The primary difference is that St. Kilda is in close proximity to the bay, so it is kind of on the water-kinda.   I explored each and every little nook and cranny of the main boulevard.  Eventually I settled into a small cafe and ordered lunch.  After lunch I paused long enough to rename the neighborhood in my honor, and then I boarded the tram headed for home.  Another successful adventure behind me 

Here are a few pics…

PENGUINS!

Okay, okay… So I was absent for a couple of days.  This past week was extraordinarily busy!  No joke, it has been back to back interviews, meetings, and everything else.  The good news is that I am on track to exceed my placement goals for May!  Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself.  The key to success is having a great team, structure, and support.  As an Electronic Arts employee I have them all, so if I fail it is all on me.  No worries mate!  It’s the weekend, so enough work talk!

Friday, after leaving Firemonkeys, I came back to the hotel and settled in for the night.  I was happy as a lark just sitting here and watching television.  Actually that is only half true. I did a whole bunch of sourcing while watching television.  For some reason I still can't sleep though.  It has been nearly two months (can you believe it) since I arrived in OZ so it surely cant be jet lag anymore!  Yes, Chris… I know… Melatonin.  Not going to happen.  It's not like I feel tired all day or anything.  In fact I get less sleep now than ever, and still I feel no different.  Everybody always told me that the older I got the less sleep I would need.  At this rate by the time I am fifty I will require 30 minutes a day.  

Today (Saturday) I had two things on my mind.  One of those items has been on my "to do" list for three weeks!  The first item on my list was a haircut.  I am still trying to get used to paying nearly $50 for a haircut. For 15 years I have been going to the same barber and I never paid more than $20 (pre-tip). Sheesh… I am starting to feel like one of those people!  You know the type… “I remember when I paid a nickel for a pack of gum”.  Yes, one of those!  The stylist shared a valuable piece of information while cutting my hair.  During our small talk he mentioned that there is a 10% national sales tax on everything in OZ.  No wonder everything is so expensive!  After my enlightening conversation with the barber it was back to the hotel before tackling the second item on my list-PENGUINS!

I may or may not have mentioned this (I probably did), but there is a colony of blue penguins that live among the rocks of the St. Kilda Beach pier.  The UK bartenders from a few weeks back told me about them when I visited St. Kilda Beach and the weather was crap.  Since that day it has become my mission to see the penguins for myself!  The first attempt was two weeks ago.  I charged up my GoPro and headed to the pier ready to film.  Unfortunately I arrived too early in the afternoon.  As it turns out, the penguins do not emerge from the rocks until dusk.   UGH!  No way in hell was I waiting around that long.  It would have to wait another week. 

My second attempt to see the penguins was almost a success.  The arrival time was perfect and the penguins were already out of their burrows and dancing on the rocks.  I wrestled my way through the people and managed to get some great video too!  That's what I thought anyway.  Did you see any penguin video last week?  NO!  I couldn't use any of the video that I took because it was too dark.  Outsmarted by penguins!  Can you believe this shit?  People say that the third time is a charm, or something like that, and I was certainly determined to win this battle of the penguin.

Today was the big day.  The final round of my battle of the penguin.  I outlined my plans carefully and kept them locked in my hotel safe.  God knows who might be working for those damn penguins!  It was going to be a sneak attack at dusk.  

I arrived at the pier just as the sun was setting on the horizon.  If I calculated everything correctly there should be just enough light left in the day to film.  The only thing I had to do was wait.  And wait... and wait...  Was this really happening to me?  Did somebody tip the penguins off?  No way was I leaving without filming a penguin!  Then, almost like it was on queue, the penguins started to call out to one another from under their rocks.  They are loud too!  Shortly after the penguin chorus began they started to emerge.  First one, then two, and then they were popping up everywhere!  They are the cutest little things that you will ever see!  

All of the waiting and watching finally paid off!  Watching them emerge from their sleep was incredible.  They popped their little heads out and then waddled up onto the rocks.  Yes, Chris, they walk like me.  Several emerged in pairs, so I can only imagine what all that noise was prior to their grand entrance.  The entire experience was really cool.  When I was a kid I used to go out at dusk to hunt frogs.  Tonight brought me back to those childhood memories.  I have always been fascinated with wildlife.  Mom and Dad always said that I would be a biologist one day.  Well, they were close… :)  

I hope you enjoy the video!