All-singing, all-drinking weekend!

Do you ever crawl back from a big weekend and think *I'm too old for this shit*? Me too but here's the rundown anyway :D

After a quiet Friday and a glorious Saturday afternoon in the lab *cough*, dancinghula, Kt, Junie, Rao and ...I can't remember his name... invited me out to find out who was Australia's next Asian Idol. Yes, there was a lot of Jay Chou, LeeHom...hell, I even gave Teresa Teng a shot (Mum would be so proud of me :D). The funny thing is that things got kinda crazy even though the karaoke night was completely dry. Yes, public singing without the aid of alcohol, I have come a long way. The place we went (a new place in Melb Cent) was very nice - none of the cracked vinyl seats in some old places that will remain nameless, but the English selection wasn't that fantastic - I can't believe they didn't have Don't Look Back In Anger. What kind of karaoke place doesn't have that!? It's the perfect karaoke song!!!

I hung out there until nearly 2am whereby I crashed at kahuna's place because I had to board a bus at 8:45am (on a Sunday?!?!) to go grape grazing in the Yarra Valley. I can't believe I never took a photo of the nifty retro double-decker bus we took to get there. At least, it was pretty nifty until it started moving and I realised I could probably run faster than it could drive. It was a pretty hot day and possibly not the best for getting drunk in the sun...or the conditions were perfect! You may decide.

The *before* photo

The first stop was the Train Trak Winery where sure enough, a disused train track passed by the winery gates. I didn't photograph that either.

Some vines

Some views

This place offered chopper rides for the absolute bargain rate of $50 for 5 minutes

Yes, this guy was storing his own bottle of wine in his back pocket

The next stop was the Rochford Winery. This place was much larger with less shade and a bigger band playing. I did not mosh, but with the help of John IT's friend Johno, I experienced the joy that is a champagne with calippo - it tastes a bit like a fruit tingle.

The crowd
More crowd

Perspective started getting skewed after so much drink and sun

I hit the ground with a smile on my face

Another way to keep hydrated

Alas, some assholes picked a fight on the bus ride home. I am proud to say that I played the cool and logical scientist rather than jump on in like the crazy hot-headed artist of my youth. Or it could have been a combination of the heat, alcohol and age catching up with me.