The Billy Cart Project

Kate and I arrive in Melbourne and before you know it we have hired two bicycles for the duration of our visit from Bay Cycles, picked up Big Bert Bender for the weekend. Damn if the boy hasn't grown even further since my visit early July!!! Full of beans and as excitable as ever. Suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as they say in rural Otago. Bert, Kate and I get through to saturday afternoon when the topic of conversation turns to this weekends homework.

Bert needs to design a Billy Cart. Thats a Soapbox Racer. We chat about the engineering limitations, aerodynamic considerations and an appropriate budget for a 12 year old. Log on to Youtube and spend the next 30 minutes laughing at the Billy Cart crashes that previous lads have filmed.

Bert does the sketch for his version and i do a plan for a billy cart modelled on The Stealth Project.

Off to bed a bit late after grilled Rockling and rice with steamed veg. 

Burleigh Heads Qld

After a few very full days burning the candle at both ends catching up with colleagues from around the globe Kate and I fly out of Sydney to Coolangatta (The Gold Coast airport) to be met by my lovely sister Sue. She drives us to her flat at Burleigh Heads where we relax on the balcony and catch up on her news. Sue is a Chef and has been winning awards at the Broadbeach Sofitel Hotel where she works. Sue has taken off a few days to spend with Kate and I. The weather is sensational and its not long before we are bodysurfing the famous Burleigh break. Fresh seafood on the local park BBQ and a walk around the National Park.

Burleigh beats Santa Monica hands down. What a lucky sister to live here.

slip slop slap and the sunnies too.

Update on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 10:36AM by Mark Bender

We meet up with Michelle and Rob who have recently moved back to The Gold Coast from London. Michelle and Kate worked in the same City of London clinic and they have missed each other so lots of love in the room. Rob is a fellow Kiwi and we banter sport and life. New jobs. New houses. Family... and the joys of being a Coaster (living on The Gold Coast)....and the All Blacks. Michelle is famous for her rice paper rolls and Rob keen to fire up his new BBQ.

I am in heaven.

Update on Friday, October 9, 2009 at 06:15PM by Mark Bender

Kate and I drag ourselves away from the hospitality of Burleigh Heads and the amazing beaches back to the airport for a flight to Melbourne. The next 3 weekends with Bert Bender my lovely son. He lives in the quaint seaside suburb of Brighton with his Mother. I am so excited at the prospect of having some Bert time. Kate has a job keeping me calm.

Bye Sue.....hello Bert xxx

sister sue on her balcony with a view of the beach

Craig Purdham AIS Legend

Just as the Conference was starting to get a bit dull the Big Guns from the AIS came out blazing. Craig Purdham and Peter Blanch inject some clinical realism into the proceedings. I feel like a stalker as Kate and I do dinner with the crew at a Chicago Rib style place on the Harbour. Some Honey Smoked Ribs and a few bottles of Barossa Shiraz. Great combo. Weather has changed though and its tropical downpours aplenty.

Wet wet wet.

tendon injuries in volleyballers.

Sports Physiotherapy Sydney 2009

Kate and I are still awake by the lunch break. We meet up with Rod Maclean an ex colleague from Six Physio in London. Now working in Brisbane at Xphysiotherapy. Then trouble....i spy Flo from the AIS. Decide that the afternoon session will be too dry....academics and all that. Off to The Waterside Bar at Darling Harbour. Sensational weather and we catch up. Kate and Flo get on like old muckers. How many Mojitos was that ?? Not enough for one day. Kate and I leave PB and Flo and a random crew at about 7pm to head back to Potts Point. We have Dave and Sky over for dinner. I burn the broccolli (is that ever possible without drinking all day and jet lag ?) Another 4 days of this !!!

Update on Friday, October 2, 2009 at 02:00AM by Mark Bender

I hate to name drop but so good to see Jenny Mcconnell on great form delivering the lecture of the Conference to date. All about the Clinicians...and Glut med and the Hip. Jenny  Mcconnell has been my inspiration for more than a decade. She remains as fresh and free spirited as ever. We get the chance to catch up in one of the break out sessions for 10 minutes. Biggest surprise is to see Val Frost the Old Dog for a coffee with his lovely fellow yachtie. Val has just finished a season skiing in Jinderbine NSW. He will come visit us in Val d 'Isere early next winter. We see Ryan Kenrick at the Trade Stand selling his very cool Posture Pal taping concept.

Even Craig Phillips shows his face.

Asiana Airways

The most hilarity ever. Well Kate has been working over the last few months while I have not. So I have had chores to do....including getting the tickets sorted for our trip to Australia. We arrive at the check-in for our flights via Korea on Asiana Airways. Never heard of them before ??? Neither had we til we were quoted fares of £480 each. PROBLEM...Kate needs a Visa which she hasn't got. The flight closes at 8.20pm and its after 8pm and the Electronic Visa still hasn't gone through....the ground staff tell me that the cheap tickets dont allow for any reissue or change of flights. 8.19pm with ONE minute to go before a rather embarrassing and costly mistake the E visa clears and we sprint through the boarding gate and onto the plane. The flight was a real anticlimax with good food and wine. Lots of leg room and the stop over in Seoul for 4 hours a blast as we managed to get into the Club Lounge for £13 each...

That meant Pink Champagne, a shower and some noodles while we read and chatted. Kate Henry gets my vote for low maintenance travel companion and the Seoul Club Lounge best value in the East. Another 10 hours and we will be in Sydney attending the Australian Physiotherapy Association Conference.

seoul club lounge. very chilled after a shower and a glass of bubbles

Update on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 01:34AM by Mark Bender

I watch "Angels and Demons"  (the sequel to The Davinci Code) on the flight to Sydney. I continue to read D Day by Antony Beevor and more noodles with chilli paste and a glass or two of white wine. Got to keep hydrated in the air. Kate and I arrive into Sydney at 0630 and grab a cab to catch Monique the holder of the keys to the Potts Point apartment that Clare and Matthew have let us use. Sydney cabbies....speak a different language and dont know Sydney topography, so after a trip over the Harbour Bridge we get to meet Monique and the keys. Drop the bags off at the flat...what a view!! And off to the morning session of the conference.

Physios everywhere and too many familiar faces.