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DAY 158

Week 23

TERRANORA (New South Wales, AUS) to SYDNEY (New South Wales, AUS)
via COOLANGATTA (Queensland, AUS)

Saturday November 25th, 2006

TODAYS MILEAGE – 445 miles or 716 kilometres

TRIP MILEAGE – 28063 miles or 45163 kilometres

Fitzy's 40th!!!

Today, being the 25th day of November, will be a day to remember for more reasons than one. Not only was it the 158th day of this "Where The Farq Is Fitzy" walkabout, but I had scored some tickets to the Gillette Tri–Nations final between the Aussies and the Kiwis at Aussie Stadium in Sydney (New South Wales, AUS).

I didn't want anything other than to celebrate the milestone on the quite, so few of my good mates – Fluxy from Townsville (Queensland, AUS), Philthy from Terranora (New South Wales, AUS) and another mate "Browny" from Darwin (Northern Territory, AUS) all flew in from around the country to Sydney for the weekend.

Once we we're all on the ground, we jumped into a Taxi Combined Services cab and copped the $45.95 hit to the wallet. I thought the price was excessive and asked about it and was given an answer that it was because of the tunnel toll fees that made for the high cost. Normally I take the airport shuttle bus to the hotel, which doesn't go the route the cab went, so I just accepted it. I came to find out later that it only costs just over $20.00 to do the correct route.

We pulled up for a bite of lunch, a sherbet or two and Day 3 of the Ashes cricket test. Settling at the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel was a spot on choice. Do yourself a favour, check out the sensational $6.00 feeds and icy cold beers. From there Fluxy needed a little "nanna nap" due to representing at a vendors Christmas gathering the night before, so the rest of us choofed on over to Rebel Sports to get a larger Australian Rugby League jersey, that Fluxy and Sonia so kindly got me for my birthday.

Around 6ish we headed over to Aussie Stadium for the game and found most of the Poms were going for the Kiwi's. Sucks to be them – three times losers i.e. cricket, rugby AND supporting the Kiwis. It was a bit of fun, all the banter and slinging of shit between the various fans was all in good humour and made for a great night.

As stadiums go, there's no way Aussie Stadium holds a candle to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, as the latter has a better atmosphere, better viewing and you are not jammed in like sardines.

Australia ended up winning the game in extra time after a pretty big effort from both sides. As close as the media reported the game, it simply wasn't the case. The referee was very ordinary to say the least. In fact, he missed so many penalties in regards to the Kiwis not being back the required 10 meters in defence, that even the Kiwi supporters around us thought he was a joke.

A good result in the end for the Aussies and a great birthday present for me. We joined the throng in a mass exodus from the stadium and headed to Star City Casino for a feed and some rehydration. To round out the sporting theme involving all things Aussie that day, we spent the wee hours of the morning chewing the fat over a couple of sherbets while watching the Wallabies defeat the Scots 44 to 15 in the rugby union.

Not sure if 3 in the morning is an early to bed or a late to finish, but is sure was a big day.

• SYDNEY ~ Aussie Stadium: Tri-Nations Final (New South Wales, Australia)