On The Set Of ‘Home & Away’

Went for a quick look around Manly Harbour around lunchtime before finally catching up with Robbie. Along with JamboKev and Richard we took a bus to Palm Beach which was about an hour and a half out of the city. This provides the backdrop for the ‘Home & Away’ beach and surf club scenes and the latter was where we first arrived at to see the “Summer Bay Surf Club” sign including proprietor Mr A. Stewart.

There was plenty of unimaginative graffiti on the walls so needless to say we all added our own comments. We took some photos here and of the wooden fence area in front of the beach where they often walk along during filming with the lighthouse prevalent in the distance.

We then walked the short distance over the road to the boatshed and fishing harbour area which also feature occasionally in ‘Home & Away’. After that our hour to be had in Palm Beach was over and we took the bus back to Manly where Phil had a few remaining sausages and burgers ready for us from the BBQ a few people had had at Wharf Backpackers hostel.

The ride home thereafter proved to be a nightmare as I missed my stop at Balgowla on the first bus and again going back on the second bus when I’d also asked the driver to stop there. A very long uphill walk to Seaforth and many calls on my mobile to Andy resulted consequently.

Meeting A Soap Star

Went on a mission first thing to see if both Richard Richard and I could get some Big Day Out tickets but was shocked and gutted to discover that it had completely sold out. We walked around many of the city shops in search of a new pair of trainers for Keisuke before I met up briefly with two familiar faces from my Australian past.

First of all I went to Lush soap shop in the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) to re-unite with Canadian Lynnette who I hung around with in Brisbane. Secondly, I had a chance encounter with Ruth (the friend of Rhian & Sally’s from their hostel during my initial stay in St Kilda) in Rebel Sport.

Later in the afternoon, Richard Richard and I split from the Japanese guys for a while in order to go in search of ex-Home & Away actress Rebekah Elmaloglou who played Sophie Simpson in the soap about 12 years ago. I had been told about this and given directions by Lisa in Byron Bay as to which trendy second hand clothes shop she now worked in. We turned into Crown Street off Oxford Street and walked up the left side in anticipation and had nearly given up altogether when I saw her and ultimately got stage fright and very nervous and turned back round.

In the meantime Richard Richard just marched in and asked about any available jobs before coming out and persuading myself (who was pathetically about to not bother going in at all!) to go in. We went in and our immediate impression was of how short she was before making complete ar*es of ourselves and talking complete b*llocks to her.

Ultimately though we got our photos taken with her and as we departed and headed off down the street I was probably (as was Richard Richard) on one of the biggest highs of my life.

At night we all went back to Kings Cross area to use the unlimited internet service.

The Big Screen & The Small Screen

Another budget outing to Piccadilly Cinema but this time to see ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary‘ and then it was back to the smaller screen at the hostel where I watched the usual tripe; ‘Beauty & The Beast’, old ‘Neighbours’, ‘Home & Away – The Early Years’, ‘First At Five News’, ‘The Simpsons’, ‘Neighbours’, ‘Home & Away‘ and so on until it was time for bed

Immature Behaviour!

Met up with Rhian & Sally in the Mall for a bit and after watching old ‘Neighbours‘ and ‘Home & Away‘ episodes I went next door for the hostel’s free evening meal at the Rattle & Hum restaurant. I then went to work on finishing off my wine whilst watching the Premier League highlights show. The wine was further consumed on the balcony with Andy whilst throwing sweets at cars before we ended up wrestling in the room as he was very drunk.