7 March 2006

Having just returned from Bear Essentials 10 and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, I don't really think I need to offer much more than a little background here; The images below really do speak for themselves.

I arrived in Sydney Tuesday night in time to head to the Oxford Hotel to pick up my BEX registration pack at the Meet and Greet. I caught up with a few people and just missed a few others, but that's really what bear events are all about.

I was dismayed to find that I'd mistakenly not booked the chocolate tour, the main reason I'd arrived in Sydney so early. But thanks to Wade, I got to go along anyway, so it was all good. Thanks Wade!

We toured several chocolateries and a liqueur retailer but it was Haigh's that will be the real danger for me; Their chocolate is amazing! I'll definitely be visiting when I go to Adelaide in May!

After the chocolate fix, I trained it up to Katoomba to see Steven and shared a lovely evening with him and his housemates, polishing off most of the choccy samples in the process! I got a bit snap happy in his backyard; His house backs onto a nature reserve so virgin bushland is his outlook. Breathtaking!

Back in Sydney, I met Steve for lunch, and Wade and Richard came along too. I spent a LOT of time with Richard over the next few very pleasurable days. He's a lovely guy. Unfortunately, his dad was having surgery on Saturday, so he couldn't make the march.

Finally, we come to the march itself. I've marched before and while I remember it being an absolute buzz, the whole of Saturday night just blew me away; Lots of excitement, lots of amazing sights as I wandered amongst the floats pre-march, and I got a photo with Bob Downe not to mention with Ed & Steve!

So that's it... I said I'd be brief! Now I just have to settle back into the real world!

Cheers, Rob :P