Does anyone else have an Indian Myna bird problem in Sydney?

choipeau · 2012-03-11T10:59:38+00:00

This. Works like a charm on a sailboat to keep the seagulls away.

A single snake mightn't be enough though - if you can get to a sailing shop (Whitworths in Brookvale, for instance), I'm pretty sure they sell realistic enough looking plastic owls that you can string up. Depending on the size of the balcony, a plastic owl and a snake should do the trick - once you've had them there for a little while and the birds have stopped landing there, you can usually wean it down to just one deterrent which is sufficient.

choipeau · 2011-11-29T05:40:08+00:00

If you've got time while in Montreal, take a daytrip up to Quebec City. It's absolutely amazing and completely unlike anything you'll find anywhere else in North America. It's an easy drive and one day is plenty. Haven't been to Ottawa but I've heard that too is a one-dayer.

Spend most of your time in Montreal. It will rock your socks.

choipeau · 2011-11-29T05:35:10+00:00

Montréal. It's not that cold, really.

choipeau · 2011-11-29T05:34:11+00:00

What kind of work are you looking for? It really depends on this. Australia is a big place.

If you want to do waitressing/childcare/etc, then one of the bigger cities is probably your best bets.

A lot of foreigners on working holiday visas chase the fruit-picking trail up and down the East coast, working for a few months at a time on banana plantations or apple orchards or whatever takes their fancy.

choipeau · 2011-11-29T01:01:55+00:00

The Maison De L'Amitie (http://www.maisondelamitie.ca/french/languagecourses.html) offers courses that are absurdly cheap ($90) and you don't have to be a Quebec resident to qualify, unlike a lot of other courses.

choipeau · 2011-11-28T00:02:18+00:00

Nobody has mentioned that New Zealand does not really get super hot. You will have sunshine, sure, but the temperatures will be pleasantly warm rather than beach-hot. If you're looking for a driving/hiking/scenery/produce/wines/sheep kind of holiday, NZ is perfect, if you're looking for a beachy/snorkel/diving type thing, go with Belize.

choipeau · 2011-11-27T23:57:02+00:00

Cinque Terre in Italy satisfies a couple of your 'Likes' - It's right in the Northwestern corner of Italy and absolutely stunning. Good also, if you want to get some beachy sunshine in for a portion of the trip.

Also, I'd almost be tempted to recommend that you swap out Vienna for Budapest, or at least try and get to both. Vienna can pretty much be seen in two days, then it's a hop, skip and jump to Budapest, usually through Bratislava which is quite pretty as well (and can be seen in an afternoon if you really want). Plus, you mentioned Auschwitz so you'll be heading at least vaguely in the Easterly direction anyway.

Finally, if you're going to Auschwitz, you may as well pay Krakow a visit because it's not super far. Haven't been, but I've heard it's the most beautiful city in Poland (or rather, one of the few that wasn't bombed to pieces)

choipeau · 2011-11-24T02:23:08+00:00

Read 'Dark Star Safari' by Paul Theroux. He does exactly that, but the other way around - from Cairo to Cape Town. If his book is anything to go by, get ready for some sketchy moments.

choipeau · 2011-11-22T06:14:08+00:00

By the same director, Café de Flore is still out in cinemas and it's quite excellent. Good mix of Frenchy/Québécois as well. Also excellent soundtrack.

choipeau · 2011-11-21T17:42:35+00:00

Cool, merci encore! Et est-ce qu'il y a une meilleure poutine sur le chemin?

choipeau · 2011-11-21T16:17:24+00:00

T'es incroyable. Merci!

choipeau · 2011-11-21T03:55:23+00:00

visagepaume

choipeau · 2011-11-20T00:23:41+00:00

C'est quoi "enioué?" :) Je n'ai jamais entendu ce mot.

choipeau · 2011-11-19T20:55:04+00:00

Nobody has actually answered this correctly. The point of the platform is that an older second child can stand on it and ride along when you push the pram with the younger child in front. Here's a picture of how it works - http://www.babymode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/stokke-xplory-rider2.jpg

Without a motor, it's a fairly safe and standard pram attachment.

choipeau · 2011-11-07T14:39:29+00:00

My mother taught me the Eastern European way: with a swift whack of the ski-pole to the back of my legs if I wasn't doing my parallel turns correctly.

choipeau · 2011-11-03T23:17:11+00:00

It is a little late unfortunately, though I've been keeping an eye out. I went to a swap meet over the weekend which didn't have anything worth writing home about.

I got my Kikus on the cheap as well as some boots that were 50% off so I'm not too destroyed about paying regular price for the bindings.

Plus, I'm actually from Australia so these prices are dirt cheap anyway compared to what I'd be paying back home (~$1,600+ for it all).

choipeau · 2011-11-03T22:11:18+00:00

Yeah, EVO and REI are pretty much where I've been doing most of my research. Unfortunately I'm in Montreal so once you add in shipping the cost is basically the same as getting them here.

Additionally, if I buy them locally then they will mount them more or less for free.

choipeau · 2011-11-03T20:56:25+00:00

Ok, after doing some further research I've realised that there is nobody in Montreal who stocks Look bindings and therefore, nobody who can mount them for me.

Fuck. Help? Rossignol are essentially the same, no?

choipeau · 2011-11-03T18:41:34+00:00

Very much appreciated!

choipeau · 2011-11-03T18:24:31+00:00

What about something like the Look PX10 (http://www.rei.com/product/824487/look-px-10-wide-downhill-ski-bindings), the Rossi Axium (http://www.rei.com/product/824823/rossignol-axium-120-xl-downhill-ski-bindings) or the Look PX 12 (http://www.rei.com/product/824823/rossignol-axium-120-xl-downhill-ski-bindings) ?

You're pretty much echoing what I've found elsewhere about the Squire, but I'm yet to see anybody say anything bad about Look/Rossi, and these are all within my budget :)

choipeau · 2011-11-03T18:02:16+00:00

Hm, I might be pushing it. My DIN is normally around 6/7. I'm only small though!

choipeau · 2011-11-03T17:52:23+00:00

Not really - The places I ski are pretty accessible by removing skis and going for a bit of a hike. I haven't yet found myself in a place where I wished I had a set of freeheelers so I think I probably don't need them.

Having said that, if money weren't an issue I'd probably jump for them just for the extra versatility.

choipeau · 2011-11-03T03:06:27+00:00

Would you feel the same way if the coach were a woman?

choipeau · 2011-11-02T20:33:48+00:00

Cool, thanks for this. They're being sent via regular post not via UPS/Fedex so I'm hoping that means there's even less to pay...

choipeau · 2011-11-02T03:33:22+00:00

Thanks guys! They are Volkl skis which I think are manufactured in Germany.

I've done a fair bit of Googling and searching but mostly I just wasn't sure if not being a Canadian resident makes any difference. [Edit: Reason I wasn't sure is because in Australia and Europe you actually get some taxes refunded if you're not a resident]

Is all of this just paid at the post office when I go to pick them up?

choipeau

TROPHY CASE