I had lots of projects over the Easter long weekend.   One was to revive my photography.   After checking out some photo blogs last week like TheSelby I was motivated to start shooting again.   At some point in time I want to create my own photo book.  I’ve admired so many other photographer’s work I think it’s time that I gave it a go myself.  I just haven’t quite worked out how yet.  I have plenty of content already.

I love the Qantas 747 but on the next trip to the USA in May I will actually get to fly on the Qantas A380 for the first time.   This will be QF94 from LAX to Melbourne.  I actually paid a little more to get onto this flight.   The other flights are all on Qantas 747s and an American Airlines 767.  The routing is:

Melbourne – Sydney – San Francisco – New York – Los Angeles – Melbourne

I will be staying for 6 nights in San Francisco and another 6 nights in New York.   Can’t wait!

The photo above is the Qantas Airbus A380 just about to cross Sepulveda Blvd in LA.

What’s going on?   It seems that cupcake shops are becoming just as popular as 7-Eleven stores across the city!   I woke up this morning to find that a “Cupcake Bakery” is opening right in front of the Loft.   There is another one (pictured above) just 1 block away.   I love these little devils but putting one right out front is a bit dangerous.  My block is almost becoming a snack and treats strip.   Of course I’m hoping for opening specials.

Well this is very exciting news.   I have been holding off talking about this until all the bookings were actually made.   The last time I tried to book a trip to the US this close to the departure date it all fell apart because I could not get all the bookings I wanted.

I’ve booked to travel to San Francisco 7th May and New York 13th May.   I’m staying at the guesthouses where I stayed on previous trips.   They both have a really nice feel about them.   And since I am travelling alone it’s always nice to meet other travellers which rarely happens in a big hotel.   Both cities are very exciting and I have friends in both places.   It will be my 8th visits to San Francisco and my 5th visit to New York.

Now I’m hoping this huge collage of my previous visits to the US will load okay.  You may have to download it to see the full size.

It’s time to start booking travels again for this year.   I have already booked and paid for trips to Thailand this week and Argentina in April.   But because of the operation I am missing the trip to Thailand with all my family and the trip to Buenos Aires (pic) has to be changed to later in the year.   And since Buenos Aires has the same weather pattern as Melbourne, it needs to wait until at least September when it warms up over there.   So here’s what I’m thinking.

The options are:   Melbourne – Buenos Aires (BA) – New York – BA – Melbourne

Melbourne – BA – Rio De Janeiro – BA – Melbourne

Melbourne – BA – Mexico City – BA – Melbourne

As you can see I’m looking for a side trip from Buenos Aires.   Another option is Bogota or Caracas.   I would go for a couple of weeks and spend one week in Buenos Aires and one week elsewhere.     Prior to that I am thinking of making another trip across to San Francisco.   I still haven’t tried the clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf yet.    So San Francisco possibly in August/September and Buenos Aires in September/October.    Sounds okay?

I’m not sure which hurt the most this past week…  my hip or my hip pocket.   I’ve been paying the high level of health insurance possible for the past 23 years and last week I had my first trip to a hospital.   With all the fees (and the bills still seem to be arriving) the following is who paid what of the $5833.99 bill.

Medicare (Govt) $1040.65
Health Fund       $1096.80
Phillip                  $3696.54

I could have had it done for free in a public hospital but I would had to have waited a much longer time (like years).   I was really surprised by the breakdown of the costs.  I always thought that my health fund would pay for everything.   I pay around $2600 a year for my health fund and usually make around $300 worth of claims each year.   It really makes you wonder whether it is worth having.

The photo above is the entrance to the Mercy Private Hospital in Grey Street, East Melbourne.

We had another fantastic storm in the city yesterday.  But this time a massive amount of ice fell.   But by the time I took this video the river of ice had melted.   he falling ice made an incredible noise!   This video was taken from the front window of the loft to show the trapped people on the tram out the front.

Things can only get better from here.

Yesterday I checked into the Mercy Hospital in East Melbourne.   Have you ever noticed that TV hospital shows always talk about the other hospital in the area being the Mercy Hospital.  Both Grey’s Anatomy and ER do this.  So I checked in for a “Hip Scope”.   Sounds like fun right….   mmm…  well the only fun was the mixture of temazapan and zanax I was given before being wheeled to the theatre.   I must have almost shaken the operating table to pieces before the anesthetic took over.    I woke up back in the ward bed 5 hours later.   It was all done and I was feeling like I had just left a Mardi Gras party after the last song at 10am.

Today I was fairly sick as I headed home…  actually jumping out of the cab to hurl before I got to my place.   About an hour later I was fine.   I still have a few affects of the drugs left now.  I really hate the druggy feeling.  I still have to take pain killers for the next few days as my hip heals.   I had to have my leg dislocated and some rough bone removed from within my hip joint.  So I guess I won’t be doing those squats at the gym anytime soon.   I now have a week to recover before I have to start working again.  My little brother told me tonite that I needed to update the site so this update and photo is for him.   Photo taken by Jake at the Mercy earlier today.

I’m not looking forward to this week at all.   I have known it has been coming for the past 6 months.   This week I will be checking in to the Mercy Hospital here in Melbourne to fix an old injury in my hip.   Some damage to my hip has caused a bone spur to grow over time and eventually limiting my leg movement.   Late last year it started to become very painful.   So this week I will be undergoing something called Hip Arthroscopy with one of the best orthopedic surgeons in town.  It’s only a short stay in the hospital and will be on crutches for a little while afterwards.   I just hope I do’t have to see the torture devices (above) before I go under.   This machine will be used to dislocate my leg.  That’s right…  REMOVE MY LEG!

I’m really not looking forward to it at all.   I have been having lots of sleepless nights.   I can’t wait till this time next week when it’s all over.

With everything happening in the post above I’m trying to think about happier things…  like when am I going to travel again.   It’s seems that since taking 7 weeks off work last year I have finally ran low on vacation time.  I’m actually thinking about possibly buying more time off from work.  I only get 5 weeks off a year at the moment.  I’d like to have 7 or 9 weeks off.  That would allow me to travel more often.

For this year I have already bought a return flight to Buenos Aires.  I just have to work out when I can take it.   It was meant to travel in April but I am delaying it because of the surgery.   And May is the beginning of their winter, so it will most likely happen around October now.   So that means I should fit in a trip before that…  and why not visit my old favourite…  San Francisco!   I’m thinking about an end of summer thing there would be nice.   Perhaps another trip to the Folsom Street Fair again?   The above shot was taking in SFO in Mel’s Diner last year just moment’s before I met Armistead Maupin eating there.