New Zealand Part 1

Greetings all !!
Today we are in Hamilton New Zealand, relaxing and enjoying a day off in the sun.
We flew all night from Malaysia, drove 2 hours to the festival and played the show last night. The day was pretty crazy but the show was great. 30,000 in attendance!
NZ is beautiful, very clean and green, so glad we get time to enjoy it.
Tomorrow we head to Raglan NZ, a well known surf spot, for 2 days doing absolutely nothing but laying around by the beach. Should be incredible !!
So ill have more later, cant stand being inside while its so beautiful outside... currently 78 Degrees and sunny!
bye for now

jakarta

I arrived in Jakarta safe and sound but could barely keep my eyes open.
My bags were lost but honestly I've come to expect that anytime I fly over seas!!
Luckily i packed accordingly.... as least for one extra day.
We were treated so well in Indonesia, and I may have had some of the best food of my life!!
They even had a van wrapped in all Switchfoot that we were picked up in!!
I have included some pics of dinner and arriving in Jakarta.
We have the show tonight and leave tomorrow for a all day flight to NZ..more soon

Sydney Post 2

I just took off on a (2 hour delayed) Qantas flight headed to Auckland, New Zealand. We have been in Sydney for the past 4 days but now it’s time to move on, and I’m ready.
We will be in NZ for less than 24 hours, and then back to Australia for the rest of the shows. I know that might seem a bit crazy to most of you but its pretty routine for us.
Fly in..do the show..fly out!!
During the days off I ventured downtown to the Opera house and hopped on a ferry to see the harbors from the water, the view is so much better from out there.
The only bummer was the Opera house was closed for inside tours all this week due to some world leaders attending the APEC conference. Of course had to take some video of us doing our best Pavarotti in front of the Opera house staris!
I saw Air Force One on the way in early this morning..wish we were traveling around on that.
Need to sleep while I can
I miss sarah..

…..more tomorrow.

Perth, Australia

We flew last night from Sydney to the west coast of Australia for the show today. Its the first one we have done while over here. 5,300 sold out.!!
This morning we visited a wildlife preserve, got to check out some Kolas, Emus, Pigs, Crocs, Deer and a bunch more. Male Koala bears kinda smell like Urine….really.
Tim rode on a filthy dirty pig, Jon kissed a camel, Jerome head-butted a billy goat, and a crocodile peed on Chad's shoe..pretty funny.
So when we finish the show tonight we will head directly to the airport for a red eye (all–night) flight back to Sydney for an early morning load in tomorrow
…... the glamorous life of a rock and roll band.
I miss sleeping!
By the way if you ever decide to fly Virgin Blue airlines be aware that they charge 4 bucks for water!
Richard Branson you should be ashamed!!!

Sydney Day 1

So we all landed safely in Sydney with luggage intact. Today has been a day of exploring and trying to adjust.
I had my first flat white, an aussie speciality coffee. This was given to me as a gift that i learned later i auctally paid for....it really is the thought that counts!!
Our hotel is yards away from Bondi beach, which lends an amazing view from the balcony.
Some of the guys went surfing today even though the water was frigid Andy, Jerome and i went record shopping around town.
Tonight we had an amazing Thai dinner compliments of our hosts here in Australia but now ive stayed up all day (as recommended) and can barley keep my eyes open.
more tomorrow....

747

36,000 feet and 492 miles an hour Is my current status.
Well I’ve made it to hour 13 on the mighty Boeing 747 (my current favorite aircraft) Qantas flt 108 LA to SYDNEY, the longest flight I have been on. Almost 3 hours left to arrival in AUS. I managed to sleep for the first 10 hours.
(36K) A window seat with 2 vacant ones beside me. One couldn’t ask for much more except of course being upstairs in first class, where I Imagine people lay down flat, have a amazing meal, and arrive rested unlike the rest of us.
This is the furthest distance I have been away from my family and the ones I love.
Technology will make things much easier but, distance is difficult no matter how you look at it.
But if I may quote Britt Daniel “ i say let the distance bring us together again”

The sun is coming up over the Coral sea, its morning here and I need to adjust... somehow i just lost a day.

My view from stage right

Well i come here today from stage right, the fillmore audirorium, Denver Colorado.
Im tuning guitars getting ready for the show while the opening bands do what they do. No names here but almost every song they do sounds like something else and "of course" nobody seems to notice. I do and it bugs the crap out of me. Enough ranting, i think im just espically bitter beacuse of today, sept 16. I know that was a long time ago but that dosent make this day any less significiant. Im very big on dates,i try to keep up with birthdays of my friends and important dates in our lives. Mainly i think to look back since that date last year and try'n put it all in perspective.
Friends in trouble, what to do. Thats what im thinking right now, poor him poor her...what to think? how to feel? what to do for each of them?

Hotel rooms in Airports and Magic Kingdoms

Hotel rooms in Airports and Magic Kingdoms all add to the current clouds in my head.