8th October 2001 - One Step Closer

One step closer...Jerry (Ciya ciya) to India. Bummer, what a tour it's been. Someone wanted WWIII, could have just gone to a NZ v Pakistani one-dayer and had just as much entertainment! Welcome back Cairnsey. Home sweet home. I have to write...I can't stop to think how silly it would be for me if I didn't write down my thoughts as of this point at 3am on a Friday morning.

What a feeling it is when you come home from your little missions and realise how much you seek for knowledge, I'm at a point where if something doesn't go my way or I just have a 'bad' day, I'm at a level where I'm confident enough in myself to keep the same buzz, being that of up or down. I can't remember having a bad day for such a long time...okay, the simple disappointment of failure happens, especially in cricket, but it doens't worry me cos I know if I mantain my state of mind, which is knowing myself that I'll have a good day, a very good day, one in four sort of thing...this is cricket i'm talking about. Understand the free mind...once the mind is free, you are honest with the reality...you!!

September 19th 2001

What a day of adventure...got up at 8am after going to sleep at 3:30am...cheers mr playstation...funny night...

Well. Zombiefied driving to the oriental markets to park the car. $6 for the whole day! In Auckland too...not bad...Andre, Ardene and myself. Boarded the ferry to Waiheke, depart at 10am...Mills arriving 9.59 as per...just makes it...I have a sleep on the ferry for 39 mins.

Well, we popped over to Nashy's house. Mav just arriving and going fishing with other people, so we ended up spending 3 hours working and building Nash's huge front door. I sawed the fibreglass panels and the boys attached it to the metal frame...good times. Steak 'n' cheese pie and a lemonade later...chilled for a bit more, talked about the Auckland season and how we have to play to win the trophies this year.
I think the highlight is a photo going around with all the boys with their builders crack hanging out work on Dion's house...and where was he? In the background talking on his mobile moving his arm around as though he's in his first over against the might big Aussies. Go Nash boy go, you knick 'em, I'll grab 'em...classic photo, but how much work will one do with a tool belt, XL size, 4 triple pockets, stainless steal clip with 'I am all man' stitched on the pocket, with nothing in it...except his MOBILE!!...

Jumped into our running gears. Started tough, s & n cheese was still hanging around...it was just mental...sharp turns, logs to jump, slippery mud, water...but how good is NZ?. Four days earlier in India dreaming of this and now here I was sniffing it. Well, the race continued with Mr Mills lagging at each track point...up and down...how much the legs were burning, but love the pain. One hour later we are back to the start, missioned to the beach...12 degrees, huge gale force winds...but I was determined to be first into the water...would have chicken out normally but this year has seen my confidence and toughness take a littlle turn for the good, I hope... so in I go, then Nashy...Mills and Adams lugged in and out...but what a feeling. Too cold to feel the body after all that running...great buzz. Double action time...

Got out, sore toe, cut on a shellfish, ouch...huge cut...blood pissing everywhere, got back home and took my shoe off to show and it had somehow shrunk to the first impression...I got the piss taken out of me for being a little wussy...killed the credit of first into the water thingy.

Mission to a top notch restaurant...tight-ass Kyle Mills left early only paying half as much as his bill came too...typical Kyle Mills! Lost keys, so climbed in the window, ripped new puma pants, who had the keys? I got the blame, but little found in the car...an attack from mr invisible man who moves keys to get a kick...well, what a day.. all started 20 hours ago.
Gonite.

October 5th 2001

I'm in, got the nod for the Australian tour...wwoowee, pretty scary times, but what a dream come true! Anyway, heaps to write about, but I'm loving it...God bless...here I come!

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