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A Day of Play | |||
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The main event for the Aussie Millions doesn't start for a few days.Today there was no poker on the schedule.Instead, there were three activities to choose from. 1) Golf. Most of the Full Tilt pros are addicted to the game, so those who participated in this outing could be sure to spend time with Erick Lindgren, Phil Ivey, and some of the others who can't get enough of the links. 2) Rest and recover from what might be a serious case of jetlag. And 3) An Outback Tour. This day trip wouldn't go to the actual Australian Outback, but would stop at some nice spots outside of Melbourne. I don't play golf, and I slept just fine last night, so I headed out with about 80 qualifiers and their guests on the tour. We loaded into three coach busses at 9:00 am and drove out of the city and through some suburban neighborhoods. Within an hour, we were in an area of rolling hills that were dotted with vineyards and fruit orchards. It was pretty, reminiscent of the wine region outside of Santa Barbara. Later in the day we'd return to the area for tastings and lunch. But the first stop was twenty minutes further on. We were headed to the Healesville Sanctuary, where we would see and learn about many of Australia's native species. Just beyond the entrance, we came upon this looker - an emu. Emu We learned that the emu, when threatened, won't attack with his legs and razor-sharp claws, but instead will stab repeatedly with his long neck and beak. Other highlights followed in quick succession: wallabies, dingos kangaroos, koalas, and my personal favorite, the platypus. Dingo Koala Sleepy wallabie After a couple of enlightening hours we were off to the Rochford Winery, where we started by sampling a series of wines. A Sauvignon Blanc was followed by a Chardonnay, a Pino Noir, and a Cabarnet. The wines varied in quality (skip the Pino) but the setting was lovely, overlooking a grassy valley and vine-topped hills. Then it was time for lunch in Rochford's large restaurant. The room grew noisy as players from all parts of the US, and their companions, got to know each other over an additional two glasses of wine. The mood was high, as everyone the company and the setting. Well-fed and tipsy, we moved on to Chandon, where we tasted one of their sparking wines. We were given cheese and a crusty bread to accompany the beverage. The pairing was lovely. We got back on the bus for the trip back to the hotel. On Coach 3, the driver and tour guide, both men in their sixties, held microphones and proceeded to use the bus's PA system to pepper us with information that might help us enjoy this country. Driver with tour member We were treated to discussions on the following topics (note that this list is not even close to exhaustive): * The Australia school systems (including vacation schedule). * The cost of traffic tickets and penalties for speeding. * The proper use of the tram system. ("Ask the driver, 'what tram do I take to get back here?' and he'll tell you.") * Prevalence of apartments in Melbourne. Only three or four percent of the population live in apartments because "they don't want to know when the guy upstairs is using the toilet." * How to shop at the Victoria market (a very large flea-market): Remember the three c's. Check the quality, check the price, check the location. Don't buy from the first guy, but write down his stall number on a piece of paper. And bargain. When you're offered something, don't make a counter-offer, but joke with him, saying something like, "come on, you can do better than that." * How the guard rails along the Australian freeways work. ("Like a slingshot.") * Transiations of Australian driving related slang: - Double-bubble = cop car - Nevil Kenevil = policeman on motorcycle - Pig in the air = cop in a helicopter - Radar gun = hairdryer. * How to make a right turn from the left lane. (Note that our driver took a less-than-direct route back so that he could find an intersection where he could perform this feat.) It was a lovely day for all. | |||
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