Handsome Sandwiches set to take over the world

Some of you may remember my blog of January 2006 concerning the rise and rise of one of the great fast food franchises the world has seen. One year on and we can report that the handsome sandwich empire is going great guns. In fact the buisiness now not only makes the finest sandwiches this side of the pacific, but has branched out into a laundry empire and gasoline franchise. In another great marketing campaign, customers can now get their shirts washed leaving them "clean and good smell for ten years" The Handsome gasoline product line even makes your bike run fast. Needless to say the tshirts, sandwiches, boat trips and gasoline are all going out the door quciker than you can say, double cheeseburger extra bacon. Jan and myself were so impressed by recent events we both bought our second T shirts... Hooray for Handsome

Give me ten, Seriously

John Howard, our beloved, hopefully soon to be ex prime minister, descibed it as the technological and innovative centre of Australia. He was of course talking about North Ryde. To foregners, think of the Sydney Opera House and head away from all the tourist sites, bars, restaurants towards the new age christian districts in the outer suburbs and you'll find Foxtel the current place of my work. It's a place of space age light fittings... except those aint lights and serve no purpose except to pretend to staff that you arent in the middle of the suburbs surrounded by expressways and the closest restaurant a 10 minute drive. Blended in amongst the walls are little inspirational lines such "never say never", "achieve your best" "act decisively without reserve".

The latter line I have indeed taken notice of. Because the big news is i have been offered a job at Channel ten, in the city, a short bike road from home, groovy building opposite the fish market. It will be my third time at ten.... First in 1989, then 1995-1996 and now 2007. In fact my third decade. now thats something to take seriously

To be honest I will miss the people out here, but will not miss the politics, the drive, and the heavy depressing feeling about being in an industrial park in the middle of nowhere. Give me ten anyday.

The lucky buddha visits Thailand

Now for those of you unaware of Chinese astrology, this year is not just the year of the pig, but the year of Golden pig. It's all terribly auspicious what with Kate herself being a pig, and the baby to be born a pig it all seemed so impossibly lucky. That was what we were thinking on arrival in Bangkok airport until the customs officer singled us out ala shapelle corby style. But just as I was about to abandon Kate and deny all knowledge of this criminal, the customs man gave me the thumbs up. The sort of right on look a bloke gives another bloke after he's come back from a successful first date. And from that moment on the lucky buddha and her escort were greeted as Thai royals everywhere we went. The Thais love kids and pregnant women and they love it even more when westerners bring their kids along.

Our last ditch life before screaming child comes along holiday was mainly spent at Thong Nai Pan Noi Beach in Koh Phan Gan and is the best little slice of paradise I've ever come across. We were joined for our little adventure by Jan the swedish hitman who travelled all the way from Scandanavia to worship at the altar of the Lucky buddha. I'd love to tell you about all the wonderful daytrips, adventures, dives, fishing trips and kayaking that we did but no all we did was good old fashioned nothing which was just what the doctor ordered. So if you're looking for the best place in the world to do absolutely nothing... here it is.... as for me... I feel like I've been away for 6 months. If I remember correctly the word hammock pretty much sums it all up

new Ecuador photos

After giving up on losing our photos from Ecuador, thay were recently recovered from Kate's mum's bottom bedroom drawer, along with all the missing socks in the universe. So here are a few highlights

Arent reptiles just sooooo cut.....
That's be an albatross

Kate versus the bug

another local fiesta

and another...this one to do with hats

the condor in action

another crappy fiesta part 50

Galapagos mud

two cuties who followed us for miles

the lovely albatross

Burmese Encounter

So there we were admiring the view at West head, when quite remarkably the view behind us was even more surprising. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man of burmese appearance who looked quite familiar. It was one of those moments when worlds collide. I approached the man and asked "Do you by any chance come from Burma?" A very surprised "yes" was the answer.

My psychic powers continued with " Would you hapen to own a hotel in a very obscure non touristy town called Taungoo". And that would make you a doctor?"...Yes and Yes.

It was Dr Tin the owner ofthe Myanmar Beauty Guest House which wouldn't recieve more than a hundred visitors a year and yet here he was wandering around Sydney. escape from Burma per se a remarkable feat. Seems our Doctor and his wfe were the guest of another Aussie couple who visit the town regularly and now his parents were escorting around Dr Tin. The always eloquent Dr Tin summed up the encounter with a classic "This is globalisation for you"

Baby paparazzi hits womb

EXCLUSIVE: ITS A GIRL

It's official. After a chase around the placenta, the first shots of baby browne reveal a girl. In scenes reminiscent of Britney hopping out of her limo, baby Browne exposed herself to photographers thereby revealing her sex for the very first time. Once the paparazzi were spotted, in true celebrity style she tried hiding her face

The monkey like appearance has led top a range of Newspaper headlines around the world. The Sun in England referred to her as "Planet of the Brownes" . The Mirror went for "Baby Browne in the mist", while the more conservative Guardian led with "human mother to give birth to Monkey".

Baby Browne is expected June 2007

Snakes and hammocks

Behold mother nature in all it's terrifying beauty. The snake in the above photo, Carpet python to be exact, has just devoured a baby wallaby. We spent three nights at Pittwater YHA, a gem of a place in the Ku- ring Gai National park and to celebrate our arrival, Craig the carpet snake put on a bit of a show. Right next to the kitchen, he decided to spend the next 3 days recovering from his own christmas feast. After loading up with food we headed down to Church point where we got a ferry to Halls Wharf and headed up the hill to spend the next few days with an assortment of Australian native wildlife. Aside from Craig we saw his brother Terry the carpet snake, who surprised us on our walk one day and far from being scared, he moved steadily towards us which meant we had to abandon our walk due to sheer fear. (this was before we knew he was a friendly old carpet python).

Wayne the wallaby was around all the time, as were his extended family shane, sheila, warren and Trevor. Gary the Goanna popped over as did Barry the black Cockatoo. Yep it was world class views, interactive wildlife experiences, only an hour from the centre of Sydney and all for 60 bucks a night double room. And to think down the road people are paying 28,000 a week for their palm beach holiday home...

So for all those British tourists out there... Australia's a terribly dangerous place full of crazy critters ready to devour you in one sitting... and that's just the cricketers

Ho Ho Holmes and a very merry Browne

Santa came to Leichhardt this year and splashed orage paint all over our walls. Yes we now have the suburbs happiest house as seen thru the eyes of the idiot above. Kate hosted her family Xmas which by all accounts went swimmingly( except the odd complaint from a pregnant woman who had to stand up all day long preparing everything while the in laws stood around watching her and chattering).

As for me I was at Northbridge where my sister Meredith hosted a gala event which included lots of ham demolishing, present unwrapping and tennis ball throwing at hyperactive nephews...

Kate browne is pregnant

Is that a baby in your stomach or are you just fat?

The answer is ...14 weeks up the duff. yes baby eddie is on the way and daddy is doing just fine but mother is wee bit sick. Yep kate has been leaving the odd kerbside quiche (cook philip carpark in the city) not to mention to be the first to spew up at a friend's party in newtown.... hers was before everyone started drinking.
So from freewheeling world travelling nomads to whitepicket fence, renovating up the duff couple in just 8 months.
if there's anything we learnt from travelling overseas it's that everyone else in the world is reproducing and if you're not on the team you're nowhere.
so goodbye fancy restaurants, sleep, bars, fun times and hello nappies, tears and responsibility..... woohooooooo. can't wait

Spashbacks and Caeserstone

Question.... what causes more pain? the western ascent of Everest without oxygen or kitchen renovations? I think anyone who has had tradesmen beat a path to kitchen base camp at 7 each morning will agree that renovating is a total nightmare....

But alas, we have made the transition from sauna to caeserstone

must admit, thought I'd be a little bit more inspired about this blog but no.... i think all the inspirtation was taken out by tradesmen over quoting, and finding last minute problems that need vast amounts of plastic money to fix.... ahh...the sacrifices to have those pull out pantry's.

Chloe the cat was'n't too fussed by it all... as long she got her daily quota of tins

and thanks to my sister Meredith for sponsoring the project and my friend Emma for the design

The Lion Thing

"Head over to the enclosure at the northern end of the park and the keeper will feed you to the lions"remarked the witty zoo warden. So off we went to what I thought would be a lame "lion encounter" and 50 bucks down the drain but I was quite pleasently surprised. Well maybe not pleasently surprised, perhaps, scarily surprised. We were at Western Palins zoo in Dubbo . It was Kates idea, that of feeding some raw meat to the king of the jungle. Sure there was a 4 metre high fence in between us, but let me tell you... that's about as close as you want to come to a lion. One look into those eyes is enough to wake you from any hangover. Our lioness was roaaaaaaaaaring, snaaaaaaaarling and climbing the walls to get at the measly bits of dead cow we were handing over with barbecue forks in her general direction.
But captive cats can't be be choosers and she should thank her lucky stars she got anything, let alone a a couple of my digits. All in all a great weekend ... as long as you don't add the actual town of Dubbo to the list of highlights

2 pizzas, a bottle of coke and one house in leichhardt please

After a year overseas and mountains of debt, there's only one thing to do... Grin and ignore and buy a house in a trendy suburb. Yes thanks to the ANZ bank Kate and I are now homeowners and plan on a life in the suburbs with dog, cat, white picket fence, lawn mower and weekly feuds with the neighbours. Not content with pissing everyone off about our trip overseas we're rubbing their noses in it by buying a house in record time.... First one we saw actually... which is either crazy or visionary. If we manage to sell our flats in time it's visionary but if not.... you may call me ed the ridiculous. In other suburban news I'm working two jobs in North Ryde, and for those of you not from Sydney, North Ryde is Australias contribution to nothingville. it's a world of freeways, light industry and nothing else. In fact it's so bad that I can't even get a park. A nuclear wasteland with not a corner shop in sight. But hey I can't complain.... I've got a mortgage to pay off and a lawnmower to buy...

Around the world in 365 days ...and 98 bus trips

After 361 hours aboard quite bumpy buses, 36 luxurious hours aboard trains, 43 hours on rather overcrowded ferries, about 135 hours in cars, 69 hours on planes, some of them the dodgy propellor type, 22 hours on horses, 4 hours on camels, 21 hours on mopeds ( a few of them rather precarious) one hour on an elephant, 6 days aboard a 19th century buccaneer vessel 10 hours aboard motorized canoe 16 hours on the back of a bumpy pickup and about 15 hours on a mountain bike WE HAVE ARRIVED HOME
we have raced around the world and discovered that a) there is a very big world out there b) it's quite interesting c) Australia is a very nice place to live as long as you don't mind sticking your head in the sand so here you go.... a best of collection of the photos and stay tuned for really interesting anecdotes about North Ryde .....
Leoncio the puma, still sends shivers down my spine

Hans the monkey man

Martin the incredible fanta drinking monkey
Cult of the Birdman Easter Island... to join, jump off cliff and first one to round the pointy Island and return alive wins

Where trains go to die, Bolivia

Picnic in the Salar Bolivia

Bridge cycling the latest Burmese adventure sport

Llamas in Southern Bolivia

There's just way too much sitting around in Bolivia

The Bolivian Salar

We're on a road to nowhere


mmm eating.... cant talk hungary

I said only one bucket of cucumbers

Hooray for Elephants

You aint going nowhere french man


Excuse me, is this bus air conditioned?

Early morning in Bagan, Burma

Schwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Burma

Warning... smoking can seriously improve your ability to be photogenic



Fascinating those rocks isnt it


Burmese days with the Browne

Sorry Marco you're dropping out


hats are definitely IN in Huaraz Peru

Sacred Valley Peru



water's awful salty said the thirsty horse to the parched llama


So you hear Jose has a new job herding llamas

Pass the salt please
Burmese Unbrella convention


The only way to travel Burma

Life at 4000 metres, Santa Cruz trek, Huaraz Peru


World's windiest valley Santa Cruz Trek Peru


Beware of men in tight green shirts and donkeys near the edge of cliffs

Living on a floating island aint what it's wobbled up to be


somebody give that boy a haircut

Machu pichu- Soon to be seen on a christian calender near you


Gotta love that Inca stonework



Is that 50 chickens on your bicycle or are you just glad to see me

You can never wear too much sunscreen in Burma

Ladies and gentleman the lovely Kate Browne

Ed versus the Baby Elephant

Indiana ed and the Temple of Browne

Oy... stop trying to look up my girlfriends dress

Applying sunscreen elephant style

Does my bum look big in front of this elephant?

So how clean do we have to get this guy?

Elephant mahout Thailand

Temples of Bagan ( Burma)

Temples of Bagan ( Burma)... with model

Who took all the trees?


Somebody offer the man a job at National Geographic

Lake Titicaca Peru and the colour blue

Dinosaur tracks in the wall, Sucre, Bolivia

So you're telling me the Spanish arrived here 400 years ago and you're still wearing the same hats?

Whats with the stoney face dude?

And the winner of the world's biggest head 2005 goes too....

Quiet Please...Adventurer in action

Who ate all the Bolivian pies?

Now that's what I call a bad hair day

Angkhor Wat, Cambodia