Can not

Clare and I were mooting a possible conversation she will likely be having as she goes to her bank to try and establish an internet banking account:

“Hello, I’m wondering if I could please register here for internet banking. I have all the relevant documentation and…”

“What? You want to be able to access your bank account online? CAN NOT.”

“Why?”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

“But it says on your website…”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

“But you’re the second-largest bank in Asia, you must be able to…”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

“But I thought being a multi-continental bank, with branches across the world, you’d have the technology to…”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

“Can you give any reasons for why…”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

“…or at least point me in the right direction?”

“CAN NOT” *smile*

My first international: The result

So Thailand has safely secured 61st position in the IRB world rankings, beating us 40-12 on Wednesday night. An enjoyable game, still feeling sore.

A report sent via email to my Dad earlier in the week...WARNING: tune out now if you're bored by rugby chat...

Ran all bloody night. Didn’t really feel like a game of rugby, spent a lot of time either in a scrum or defending. They were very good at turning over ball from our centres in the tackle (excellent back row), so I’d pop my head out of a dominant scrum, only to find the ball to be in their hands again!

Their backs we’re really good. Not big blokes, but amazing ball skills and ran some terrific broken play support angles. Also played a good territory game, so we tended to spend a lot of time in our own half.

Smashed their scrum, technically they were OK, but may not have the strength and size that we had. Their tighthead was not bad and was working a little angular curry, but my loosehead is pretty handy and we were able to split them a bit on their feed and win some ball as the game moved on.

Their lineout wasn’t too bad, a couple of uncharacteristically tall Thai blokes standing at 2 and 5, so made it a little tough with a slippery ball. I played OK, got a few good hits in, but didn’t play much forward stuff with so much defending to do.

Picture above - the team after the game.

My first international

I'm playing against Thailand's national rugby side tonight.

They're preparing for their Asian 5-Nations tournament and 2011 Rugby World Cup qualifier matches to take place next month on the Arabian Gulf.

Thailand is currently sitting in 61st place in the IRB world rankings list. That means if (when) we beat them tonight, we can viably say that we can own the 61st position, snuggled right behind the rugby powerhouses of the Niue Islands (buggered if I know where they are) and Slovenia (aren’t they still practicing socialism??).

And I don’t think it would be too far-fetched to request the IRB organize some other internationals in the lead-up to the World Cup. England, for example, clearly look like they need some Southerners schooling.

I'm rabidly trying to get through today...itching to get onto the paddock and smash some Thai national blokes.

It will be an epic match!

Thun-der-cats

Thun-dercats! "Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats...HO!" Thun-der-cats are, on the move Thun-der-cats are loose! Feel the magic, hear the roar, Thun-der-cats are loose! Thunder, thunder, thunder, thun-der-catsssss! Thunder, thunder, thunder, thun-der-catsssss! *Queue guitar riff* Thunder, thunder, thunder, thun-der-catsssss! Thunder, thunder, thunder, thun-der-catsssss! "RRRrraaaaaaaaa" *Whispered* Thundercats!

Porterhouse or Peking Duck?

An excellent article from this morning's SMH online.

Peter Hartcher discusses the diplomatic wrestling between the US and China and the influence their differing economic and political ideologies are having on their respective superpower statuses.

See it here: China flexes, and the US catches a chilly reminder

On a jet plane

Mobile blogging rocks. Not only am I able to blog from a bar at stupid o'clock in the morning (last night), but I can flick off a quick one before taking off on a jet plane back home!!

Could be an interesting trip - four kids under four to my right, a young man with a penchant for picking his nose on my direct left. I'm also mildly hung over after early morning bangkok drinking shenanigans with Karla and her beau James.

Can't wait to get home! Lets get this bus moving!! Woo!

With Karla

Karla just flew into Bangkok for a rock star tour.

This is a picture of her and an elephant at a street bar on Sukhumvit.

Classic moment. God I miss my friends...