Pictures From the Camping Trip

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Well here you have it folks. These are the pictures that were taken on the camping trip...














:D

Flop.2008.

Monday, July 7, 2008

This past weekend my friends and I ventured into the civilized-wilderness. We drove 3 hours north - near Algonquin Park - and camped out at a place called Mikisew park which is on Eagle Lake. And for the next 3 days we shared food, shower gels, bug repellent and tons of laughter.

But this weekend didn't start off as smooth as one would have liked. 12 hours before the trip started one of the drivers bailed on the trip leaving 3 people stranded, and 48 hours before that 9 people flopped. So this trip looked like it wasn't going to happen.

So with 9 people not coming and a driver calling in too sick to drive this, not only increased blood pressure, but also the cost of going. So to make a super long story short, after some debate we decided to rent a car at 7am Friday morning. And after calling and checking out a few car rental places, we got a car at 11am. This, I believe, saved the trip from not happening.

So 3 cars, and 9 people later, we finally got rolling around 1pm, which was 4 hours later than what we wanted, but at last we were on out way!

:D

2.5 hours later just when things couldn't get any worse, we decided to change car leader so the new leader has the GPS Navigator...I mean why now? We were leading...all is good, we've got the directions, wtf? But no, we needed to be guided by the GPS...10 minutes later we get lost. Don't ask me how...but we got lost...so after circling for 20 minutes the third car trailing finally arrives and saves the day.

FINALLY we've arrived at the camp site. our camp ground was perfect - it was almost the size of half of a football field. Tones of privacy, two fire pits, a huge tree leaning over giving us plenty of shade and right in front of us was the lake...it was paradise.

The second we pitched our tents, all my stress from work - home - and any other bs that was on my mind disappeared...we all placed out chairs around the fire pit, started a fire and from that point on we were just chillin.

It never got too hot because the breeze from the lake provided the perfect temperature to sit outside all day and the only bugs that were of any bother were dragonflies. We even had a chipmunk that would visit us every afternoon to munch on the sunflower seeds that we snacked on all weekend - we even name it Billie (cause we weren't too sure of its sex - so we played it safe :P ). We also had a family of ducks visit us in the morning and evening for their fair share of food. A couple of us were thinking roast a duck, but then the idea of cleaning it was not appealing.

No raccoons or bears were reported or seen.

The best though was the Comfort Zone, which is our bathroom and shower centre, but If you live in Toronto then you know that this used to be (I dunno if it still is) an afters party lounge club. In any case we always got a good chuckle out it every time someone announce that they were hitting the Comfort Zone...hahaha...

These showers pretty cool. It kinda reminded me of the 3 Shells in the movie Demolition Man. There were no knobs or handle to turn on the water - just this circular puck with three holes. After 20 seconds of trying to figure it out, turns out you just have to place your thumb over the middle hole and the water just turns on. You can't control the temperature but after 15 seconds of cold water it finally warms up nicely.

Funny story time: On the second day I was taking a shower and while I was drying myself, I got to my legs - so I propped one the ledge and started towel drying, which was conveniently covering my private area, because as I was switching legs a guy opens my door looks at me say,
'Oh sorry'. I look at him and say,'Oh! its okay!'. And we both started laughing. I was more embarrassed of course but it was funny nevertheless. As I was leaving he was waiting for the shower he tipped his hat, I tipped my head and never saw him ever again.

:P

Gross story time: So when we get there and after everything is set, we start a huge fire. We all then decide that its time to cook food. So I split my food with my friend whom I was sharing the tent with and we got Hamburgers - Brats - and Chicken. So we decided that because I can't eat Brats (pork) that I would eat the burgers for now...np...we had 25 sirloin steak burgers. For the first day and a half I had burger for Dinner (the night we got there), Breakfest and Lunch...so dinner time rolls around and at this point I am sick of burgers I had 12 and was not about to eat another one - but I did :(

Now for my 13th burger I did not cook it. It was slightly raw but I ate it anyways, primary because I had to wait 45 mins for it to cook (go figure). After 20 mins I wasn't feeling too well and it wasn't because of the slightly raw burger - it because I hadn't done #2 in 48 hours...I was a lil concerned. So now its 11pm and I'm not feeling all to well...I decide to walk to the Comfort Zone but a quarter way in I turn back and ask one of the guys to drive me warning them of the situation. In the end I drove myself with the fear of exploding in the driver seat!

I get to the Comfort Zone, run into the bathroom, made sure everything was cleaned and wiped down properly even though I was millimetres away of exploding in my pants...finally sat down and nothing wanted to come out...wtf!!!???!!! Just a lil fart! thats it! So I waited for 5 mins and then the fattest - longest piece of poop exited my ass. It was so long that it coiled around the hole of the toilet and by the time I was done it was above the toilet water! The worst was flushing is down...after 20 flushes and a stick to jab it all in, I was in the clear...and 10 pounds lighter :D

I did not eat another burger through out the duration of the trip.

All in all it was a great trip. I'll post pictures later. Have to wait ppl to put them on FB :P

So if your wondering why this entry's title is called Flop.2008.? Thats the name of our camp...Flop because so many people Flopped out last minute.

Yuck

Sunday, June 22, 2008

I met up with my best friend Shaun over the weekend. Got picked up - went over to his place and he offered some food that was in the kitchen. Now before I continue, I just want to say that I'm pretty much considered as their adopted son in his family...

So I'm going through his fridge scoping out something and he changes my attention from the fridge to the table. I look over and there are 2 food containers. The one had samosa's and these mildly spiced/lighly battered potatoes - which were yummy.

The second container had something that looked really interesting. There were about 10 pieces of rice wrapped with something, lets call the wrapping 'seaweed'(sushi reference), so these rolls were bite size like sushi rolls, but were deep dark red in colour.

I ask Shaun, 'Whats that?'
He said,'Pudding.'
'Pudding?'
'Yea, actually its called Guyanese Black Pudding'
'Oh, is it tasty?'
'Ah...yea, try one'

Now I should have had my doubts when he said that - but I thought 'Hey its a kind of pudding, must be sweet.' And I love food, and I'm willing to try new things.

I pop one in my mouth, and not only was is NOT sweet, but it had a horrid taste to it and it was so rubbery...but out of respect I kept chewing it and as some of it was going down my throat, Shaun explains to me what Guyanese Black Pudding is...

Its rice that has been mixed with herbs, cinnamon, grated coconut, which btw you do not taste at all because it is also soaked in 1 pint of cows blood!

Shaun was laughing while I spat out the yummy black pudding.

Never again.

Woof-Fest

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Today in Downtown Toronto, Most of Front Street was shut down for Woof-Fest - A Festival for Dogs - this festival is the closest thing to dog heaven. Free snacks, water dishes everywhere, people spoiling the dogs with attention, and the most important - unlimited butt sniffing!

I haven't see so many dogs in one day...

Though there is a downer to todays event - I actually forgot to put my charged battery in my camera today, I was so pissed - missed out on a lot of good shots. But the day was salvaged when my best bud Sam brought this point and shoot digital camera, so I did take a few pics that I will be sharing. Mind you I didn't take as much as I wanted because half the time I forgot I had Sam's camera because I was so pissed.

I went down to the festival with Sam and his dog Vegas (Doberman), later on his girlfriend joined, and then one of my favorite people to hang out with, Sahar came with her boyfriend and his dog Tito (Half Pit/ Half Lab).

Vegas is your Ideal big dog. He's 2 years old, bigger than most Doberman dogs, absolutely beautiful and pretty much obeys on command. Then you have Tito - heh - simply put, he is one powerful, fun-loving dog that does not know when to stop...get him excited, and it doesn't take much, you have to put your whole weight to stop him. And even though he is friendly - he can be unpredictable with some dogs...with Tito half the time you have people adoring him and the other half trying to stop him from running to every dog he sees. So you can imagine how much of a handful he was.


Here are some pictures I took while at the festival. The one thing that I learned about take pictures of Dogs is that not all dogs understand 'stay'. I spent 10 mins with this one dog on the right - Italian Greyhound - the lil guy just kept moving and dodging - just ruining every single shot I took. Along with him where 4 other pups - all of them jumping all over the place...at one point, while shooting the Greyhound - I got all tangled and in the end I had to unwind myself to get loose. Too funny.

My favorite dog - Vegas.

These two love the camera

The cutest lil things. Both these guys were just loving the attention = hard time for Haroon.

No Comment

Here is Tito (left) and Vegas playing in the pool area...Vegas actually wanted to play fight, but Tito was too distracted by the water and anything that had four legs.


It was really hard to hold back the urge to just punt it...


Me and Sam taking in the humid weather...
*note to readers I don't wear hats - ever - I just couldn't take the sunlight being blasted on my face

To end the entry I leave you with my two favorite dogs

>Vegas.................................Tito<

Do You Like What You See?

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Here is an example of my photography. Now if anyone is reading this and knows how I can display my photographs other than uploading them into posts please let me know. If not let me know anyways.

A Summer Massacre.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

June has finally arrived and I couldn't be more happy. Even though Toronto summers are generally on the humid side - I'm really not complaining - rather it be humid than six feet of snow.

So to kick of the month of June, it rained Saturday night. I was walking home and there is this strip of sidewalk that is pitch black and the only lights that are on are from the houses in the neighborhood.

Walking along, listening to The Strokes, enjoying the light rain and the cool breeze. And as I'm walking, each step is accompanied with a soft crunch, sometimes I get multiple 'crunching' noises...I am clearly amused. My High Score in one step: four crunchies.

The next day I'm walking to work and I come across the same strip from last night and I look down at the side walk and there are - what it seems like - hundreds of snails crushed. And within that instant it hit me that it was ME who had done this...I dunno what to say - I'm sorry? If anything I'm more grossed out...and in the past few days I've been reminded what I've done each time I walk by, by all the shells that cover over 50 paces worth of sidewalk.

I'm just happy that this time tomorrow its going to rain and hopefully, if any of the shells are caked on by the sun, will be gone.

Maybe a new batch awaits for me...

A New Taste...Armani Mania.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

So lately I'm finding myself eating my food in my room more often - Breakfast - Lunch and Dinner...the more I think about it, the more it seems odd to me. Anyways, so I'm getting ready for work and I have a bowl of cereal - Cinnamon Toast Crunch - on my computer desk. As I'm putting my cloths on, I'm eating my cereal. All is good.

So I'm all ready to go, but before I go I spray on one of my eight colognes - Today was Armani Mania - I ran out of the spray bottle so I went for the aftershave. Slab some on my hands - pat pat pat - I now smell Fantastic!

I'm walking to the bus stop and there is this Toast Crunch Stuck in my wisdom/gum area. I tried my hardest to dislodge it with my tongue - no luck. So I looked around to see if anyone was around - no one - and I quickly shoved my index finger, which is still amped with aftershave, in my mouth - went straight to the source and hooked it out - great success!

Now during the 'hooking' process, the index finger rubbed along the top left side of my teeth, rubbing all the teeth with after shave...and to be honest with you guys, after the cereal was gone and I licked my teeth...the aftershave tasted pretty damn good with a hint of Cinnamon still twirling in my mouth.

It definitely made my morning in the most bizarre kinda way.

Perhaps a New Begining...

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I think this is going to be my new home for blogging.

A little insight as to why I'm here. Simply put - I hate MSN Spaces. I've been holding it off for the longest time...though each site has their pros and cons, the main reason for holding on is the amount of time and writing that I invested.

I wish I could just transfer over my entries to Blogger, but I've tried everything in my power to do so...the only thing that I can or could do would be copying and pasting them...who has the time for that?

I will however leave a link along the side, so if you wanted to visit my life before Blogger then you may do so...

I feel a tear forming...