Bike sold - success!

YAY! Sold my bike for the price listed on Kijiji.
that's one success and few more to go.
I'll miss it a tiny bit. but not much.

I still have my faithful supercycle which traveled with me for many and many kilometers! Major trips that were accomplished on my $100 supercycle: TO-NF (about 145km), NF - TO(145km), NF-NiagaraOnTheLake-NF (50km), TO-Port Credit-and partially back to TO (200km), few rides on DVP (50km and 75km), and tons of city cycling. It was tuned up with thin road tires, had issues with brakes and wheels... but it's still here and performing well=))

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Getting rid of stuff

Berlin, a photo by Neesa R. on Flickr.

You would think getting rid of things is a pretty easy thing to do. But it definitely isn't so when you're actually trying to get rid of things fast.
Well in my case I actually am trying to sell some stuff I haven't used ever or used few times knowing that when I'm back in a year I probably won't suddenly start using that particular thing and I better off having some cash now vs useless apparatus in a year.
So a list of things I posted on CL and Kijiji:
- bicycle
- tent
- ski boots
- camera lens & camera bag

Somehow I was sure I'll get a ton of response for the ski boots.... but it's all quiet... I guess people are not in winter mood yet, eh?... the only item that actually stirred some interest is the bicycle... and while one person already bailed (after we spent time exchanging 20 text messages back and forth trying to organize a meeting just for him to realize that one can't take a bike on the subway during rush hours and then that person wanted me to deliver this bike across the city at 8am???) and the next one is tomorrow.... fingers crossed I'll get rid of the bike.

But if in my case the pricing might be what holds people off jumping and tearing things our of my hands, in my friend's case, who came here just for 10 days or so to clean up her storage, the stuff is FREE! She's giving most of her stuff for free in hopes to get rid of them faster. She posted that on CL/Kijiji/FB and not only people didn't flock to that immediately .. they were actually bailing.... this is mindboggling.

Now.... what else should I get rid of?....

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How to lose and gain faith in humanity in one day

It's interesting how in a span of a day your perception of humanity might change drastically from completely negative and to absolutely positive.
I read this article earlier and was shocked at what some people can do to those around them. to those they supposedly promised to love and protect for the rest of their lives together.
And I especially don't understand when evil things like what's described in the article happen to kids. How can anything be their fault if they are not making any decision yet?...
and I'm referring to this acid attack in iran here


But then at the same time there are people who make me proud being a human being. These are shots taken all over Russia from driver's POV.

And even more faith in humanity I have after reading this about adopted kids. And of course this is only one side to the whole adoption situation and there are kids who are molested or abandoned after they're adopted.... but does that mean adoption has to be banned?....

Faith in humanity remains... for now....

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IT ARRIVED

IT ARRIVED!!!! Came home today to face a fat brown envelope, stuffed with my medical/travel insurance policy, tickets booking confirmation, an Australia magnet and Australia bookmark and a thank you card from my travel agent Ryan=)
IT IS HAPPENING!!!! ta-da-da-da!

Few words about the travel agency. At some point of my Oz research I found this website that connects you with country specilized travel agencies near you. If you pick TO there are only two agencies that are located here and specialize in Downunder. I contacted both, but the quote sent by Downunder Travel was considerably cheaper.

Here is the list of agencies I contacted and round trip fare offered to me with a one week stopover in LA:
Downunder Travel $1845.34 + $75 service fee + $250 fee for a date change on the return ticket*
Vision 2000 Travel Group $1756.94 + $25 ticketing fee + $425  fee for a date change on the return ticket
Aspire Downunder  $1753.43 +$300 fee for a date change on the return ticket
TravelCuts  $2196.51 (didn't even ask about the fees... too expensive as is)

*Note from the travel agent: Now since you are flying with Qantas and we have a great relationship with them there is a very good chance that we can get the $250.00 waived and you would only have to pay the $75.00 (plus any change in fare/upgrade).

So if I'm actually going to have the date change fee waived (all saved in emails and I'll fight for this!) then I got myself the cheapest possible option flying Quantas both ways!

And then there were of course all these amazing search engines:
Google Flights
Kayak
Skyscanner
Fly.com
and bazillion of others but I decided that it's just less stressful to organize all the tickets with the stopover via one agent and also easier that way to change the return date so it will be them working out all the connection routes for me.

Oh yeah, I also got medical insurance with the same travel agent. All of the above offered approximately same price for medical+travel insurance for a year - of about $700-750.

I feel very poor now

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Winter elements

I might say this a bit too often... but I LOVE WINTER! yes yes yes it wasn't a typo. Winter is when I ski! when I fly down a mountain/hill with adrenalin rushing through my blood and endorphines popping up in my brain. With all that said introducing my new awesome piece (or rather two pieces) of winter equipment!

they are called Dalbello Krypton Lotus and I'm in love officially!=)
Isn't it nice when your company covers your sports equipment purchases?.... I will miss this side of working here... oh well...
It's a bit sad to bid adieu to my old faithful pair of Rossignol XenaX8 but they served me well since the winter of 08/09. they went with me to Quebec and Banff, they were worn in rain and on ice, they took me through races and to half pipes. it's time for a change....

also great review of my old boots HERE. My skies are now in tune up and rossignol boots are on sale online. I'm all ready for winter.... which I will have to miss.... mixed feelings...

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Rainy Day

sometimes rainy day turns into a photographic treasure. mistiness left after all the moisture in the air. a bit of darnkess combined with long exposure. fast moving lit up objects and a bit of patience.
this photo wasn't taken today. but today definitely was a loooong rainy day. because of that my so expected trailblazer club's ride in barrie was cancelled. We were supposed to ride 75km along the abandoned railway tracks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Simcoe_Railtrail

I joined the club just last week but it was on my to-do list for aaaages ever since few friends who are captains there told me about it. This is a great incentive. It allows vision impaired people learn and enjoy cycling and is a great social club in general. Really hope I can make it to the Rouge valley ride on the 5th of october!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006AqhjV9XQ

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Talented kids

I've always wondered how do some kids get so seriously amazing in sports. I watch kids on ski hills and they are usually doing great. some of them are performing mindbogling tricks with jumps and backflips at the age when I didn't even know about skiing. I see kids rock climbing and some of them are superstar monkeys that can hold onto anything and swing their bodies in a way I didn't think is possible. Then there are few amazing kids in capoeira that I saw perform tricks that only experienced capoeira instructors do.
and then there are dancing kids that dance so perfect that it takes your breath away. and this video of B-Girl Terra who's only 6 years old is what reminded me of these thoughts
http://colorlines.com/archives/2013/09/meet_b-girl_terra_the_flyest_pre-school_dancer_around.html

And when I see these kids I always wonder: is it something they actually like to do? do they have silly childhood like we all have? is it something their parents force them to do to piggy back on their child's potential fame?
Or are these questions irrelevant and it's just great that they're so amazing in what they do never mind the way  they achieved it?
I don't have the answers to any of these but I do somehow always feel a bit sad (along with amazed) for these kids because I feel that they are missing out on childhood the way childhood should be - silly, reckless, happy, no 9am-5pm trainings, etc etc etc

but anyway. the video of this girl dancing is just mindblowing!

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back?...

soooo.... last post over a year ago... is that how consistent I can be? I'm sure I can be better.... now my mind is consumed with the ideas of creating a travel blog. I also need to make sure that I will update that new blog on a regular basis. Which bring me to a question: will I have enough of something to discuss on a regular basis? will that be interesting to anyone to read? will that be useful for the humanity (ok that last one is only a side wish... I doubt I can create humanity changing blog) anyway this post caught my eye recently and I want to experiment making cookies too

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Getting prepared....

so what have I been reading for the past few days? oh many interesting books. and all of them are about Australia, Oz, DownUnder=)
these travel guides are full of useful information. Most of them I took from the library. and one I borrowed from a good friend.
So here is what I am reading:
1.
Australia gap pack : all the facts and expert advice for gap working in Australia. 2006 
2.
Gap years for grown ups New ed., rev. & updated. 2006 by Susan Griffith
3.
Work your way around the world 15th ed. 2011 by Susan Griffith 
4.
Lonely Planet Guide: Australia 15th ed 2011
5.
Rough Guide Special: First time around the world

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Vancouver 2012

Vancouver 2012, a set on Flickr.

кратко описание поездки в ванкувер и викторию:

Мы ходили гуляли по городу в первый день моего приезда в Ванкувер в вскр а в понедельник умотали в Викторию. нас было 5 - Алекс, Надя, надин бф Филип, надин друг Дэн и я. на пароме мы переплили в Викторию где провели 3 дня у друзей дэна. эти 3 дня мы провели совершенно бестолково. тусили с новыми знакомыми, пили, гуляли по паркам и немножко по городу и спали. еще съездили на очень красивое озеро, где провели почти весь день.
Там же я нашла отличную беговую дорожку и одним утром устроила себе раннюю пробежку.

После этого сложились некоторые проблемы с каучсерфером в Ванкувере и поэтому планы поменялись, и мы поехали в рядом лежащую местность Сквашим. где мы с палатками провели 2 ночи в лесу с медвядями и озером. Там же устроили поход в гору с водопадами http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stawamus_Chief очень красивый вид и мой первый раз в настоящих горах (ну не считая гималаев которых я не помню). залазили мы на самую верхушку долго. останавливаясь для фотографий, ланча и купания в ледяной воде водопада.
спускались гораздо быстрее как горные козы вприпрыжку.

Через пару дней вернулись в ванкувер и жили у других друзей дэна все семером... или восьмером... нас было много.
От Ванкувера очень курортное ощущение и чувсвуется какая-то богатая жизнь. мне очень понравилось. а еще странное ощущение температурное: там при температуре +17+20 было так же тепло как здесь при +25 я не могла этого понять но зато нагулялась в платье и юбке и шортах=)

В последнии дни у меня была капоэйра. Воркшопы в пят. А в суб фестиваль. Там я сидела фотографировала конкурсные бои. Под конец вышли два парня которые кроме капоэйры еще и ММА занимаются. Им сказали чтобы не дрались очень жестко. Но они все равно дрались во всю силу. В итоге один вылетел прямо на меня . я закрыла лицо рукой, но все равно со всей силы ударила в зуб который раскрошился на 1\3... я испагулась. пошла в пункт скорой помощи. мне заклеили ранку на руке и сказали идти к дантисту. я себя в зеркале не видела т.ч. на ощущение казалось что зуба нет на 3\4... через полчаса пришли надя с алексом и филипом и сразу меня успокоили. оказывается у нади тоже такое было и потом еще два парня с капо подошли и такие же истории порассказывалаи и я успокоилась немного.
после этого я получила свой пояс и в вскр мы туда пришли тока на полчаса и больше я ничего не фотгографирговала.

Следующее в списке: починить зуб.

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методы раскрутки блога

некоторые методы:

написание качественных материалов
не только “интересный контент“, но и “нужный контент“
необычная тематика
кросспостинг в различные блог-сервисы

надо бы мне этим серьезно заняться... как-нить в будущем...

больше инфы здесь

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germany trip YAY!

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YUK for Gelatin!!!

that's just terrible!
Gelatin is "following" me
First the discussion about gelatin (as per Wiki: "substance, extracted from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones") started in regards to jello which is part of Bubble Tea
Luckily this type of jello is usually is coconut jelly (not always though so I have to check next time I'm ordering bubble tea)
Now I discovered that YOGURT has gelatin in it!!! The yogurt I eat EVERYDAY!!!!
Luckily there is solution to that and it's available in Canada - Naturalia yogurt by Danone
which has no gelatin in it.
So at least life is not THAT unfair (can't imagine my breakfast w/o yogurt!)

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how to get to listen to an adventurous travel story

huh... so I went to buy my climbing shoes.
who knew they are ALL made of leather? I hadn't... until I read that on the sticker attached to the shoes
so I went:
- Ooooooh... I can't climb!
the store clerck:
- what's that?
- they are all made of leather!
- ? mmmm why?
- I can't have leather shoes....
- vegan?
- uhum
- Oh never even thought about such a problem... well yeah they are all made of leather...
the other clerck:
- here are some vegan ones - pointing to 4 pairs
the first clerck (Adam)
- oh cool then=) Yeah my friend is vegetarian... it's very hard to be one
me:
- it is apparently for climbing
adam:
- not only. when he went to the south asia trip he had to start eating meat again cuz such countries as Laos don't serve vegetarian food or even if they do then the food is cooked in the same pan where meat was
- oh so you traveled too?
- yeah we spent 6 months in asia - great place...

and the story went on for 1hour until the store closed=)
the moral of the story: be vegitarian/vegan and it will make ppl tell you cool stories=)

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FLICKR UPDATED!!!!

woohoo! woohoo! woohoo!
excitmentttttt=0))))
I did it!!!
at last FLICKR is uploaded with some great Cuba and winter photos!!!

phew it took me a while!!!
THANKS again to Gail for her gift of flickr=) which advanced me to a Pro account=))

Now if only someone knew how can I embed flickr slideshow at blogger....cuz seems that the slideshow embeding link doesn't work for google blogs=((

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WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Woooohooo indeed=)
After 4 hours of wasted time I found an ideal temporary blog background: 2 columned, stretched and more or less warm colored
However as I've already mentioned it's just a temporary stuff as I'm planning to work through photoshop blog tutorial and learn how to do blog background myself...
phew... now I can go to sleep=)
and french tomorrow!!!=)

p.s. that's how the blog looks now btw (I hope it will look somehow different soon!!!=))

From Blogger Pictures

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Response to the Surprise BDay party!=)

Millions and millions of thanks/merci/gracias/спасибо/дякую/danke to all those wonderful people involved in the party organization and video creation!!!=)

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surprise BDay party

That's an aaaaaaamazing Video BDay present from Anf (director/producer and idea generator) and all the friends to my 24th Bday!=)
It was accompanied by a major surprise party at Garry's. Which was so totally unexpected by me, that I wasn't even able to understand what's happening for the first few moments=)
So the 8th of November me, Jazz and Edmond celebrated our BDays on my surprise party where everyone was wearing reeeeeeed=)
I was too drunk with excitment and endorphines so I don't really remember what was happening and what did I say and do=P
But it was great great great!=)))

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I'm a famous ZOMBEE!!!=)

Thanks to my famous photographer friend Kayvan I became famous...hmmm... I mean my zombie face became famous to TO=)
hahahaha=)
The photo was printed on York Uni's newspaper cover page=)) LOL!=)

From Blogger Pictures

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MP3 Experiment - Improv Everywhere

29ого было очень прикольное мероприятие, типа флешмоба=) нам всем разослали инструкции по мейлу, где говорилось что надо скачать файл с ссылки которую они давали, на плеер, взять с собой воздушный шарик и зонтик, одеться в красную\желтую\зеленую\синюю футболку, прийти в парк и включить плеер ровно в 2 часа дня=)

ну конечно же собралась целая толпа каучсерферов. я решила тоже такое дело не пропускать
т.ч. в 2 часа я уже была в парке как и 1000 других людей, которых оповестили об этом событии.
Плеер нам говорил что делать=) вначале все разминались, потом обнимались с человеком в футболке другого цвета, потом шагали под зонтиками, потом играли в живой твистер (это было самое классное - голос на плеере говорил типа - руку на голову человека в зеленом, стопу к стопе человека в красном=))такая была каша=))) а в конце была битва=) красные и желтые были против зеленых и синих=) воевали мы надутыми шариками - а потом все "погибли"=) на этом веселеь закончилось=)
это было очень смешно и эксперемент контроля массового сознания прошел на ура=)

---

just a quick update of the last sunday=)
we went to a very mega funny event hosted by Improv everywhere
MP3 Experiment -
we had to download an MP3 file that was sent to us and then go to Riverdale aprk on sunday and turn on the mp3 file at 2pm exactly and then follow the instructions of the voice=)
we also had to wear red/blue/green or yellow tshirt, bring umbrella and inflated baloon=)

woha it was so funny=) we were doing stupid random stuff as marching under umbrellas, playing real life twister (everyone was a twister dot with a corresponding t-short color and the others had to by following instructions of the voice put their hands on the head/hand/shoulder of the person whose t-short colored was announced)and it ended with an EPIC battle between 2 armies - yellow/red and green/blue=)

fun-fun-fun=)

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