Viva Italia, la Patria!

Hello friends who actually read this blog, and my grandma. My mother recently had a milestone birthday. And for those of you who know her she doesn't look a day over 30, she's a hot mammacita. In celebration of this milestone Mama Holiber wanted to do something really special. So we have returned to our homeland, Italia. For the most part we will be residing in the amazingly beautiful town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast. We are staying in a ridiculous villa for 8 days. All the homes and villas are built into the cliffs and hills, one on top of the other. It is a very different world over here, hard to describe how magnificent it really is.

It is funny, I have travelled a lot but it has been a very long time since I travelled with my family. Inside jokes, being too loud, and stupidity make the trip already seem different from my previous travels. "The Bluds invade Italy" as my younger yoden cousin instagramed. The flight over had my brother, cousin, aunt and myself in one row. We were definitely the loudest on the plane. Nic made me get extra glasses of wine for him as he proceeded to put himself to sleep. I thought I was a hot sleeper, but Nic is a fireball, I thought I was sleeping next to a sponge. The flight wasn't too bad we slept most of the way.

Once landed we took a bus from Rome to Positano. Our driver was Salvatore and he was the man. Giving us the high speed tour around the high cliffs of the Amalfi coast. Unbelievable how everything is right on the edge. Listening to him speak Italian saying my moms name, Debra (Deh-bore-ah).

We touched down at our villa and we couldn't believe the view. Over looking the duomo, beach, and hill with all the houses.

We have week filled with activities that I can't wait for. If I end up looking 50 pounds heavier don't be surprised because I'm going to be doing a lot of eating. Speaking of, it is dinner time so I'm going to go get some vino è shellfish.

Ciao donna bella,
Francesco

Pics:

The Last Days

I'm sitting here in LAX trying to recap in my head what we did the last few days but some big slob just sat in front of me shoveling an old sandwich in his mouth, too harsh? Sorry I am not that sorry, I've been up for a while and had a shitty morning/half day. Anyways lets blog it will make me feel better.

I think I left off when we were tenting it up in Byron Bay. After a fun night out and some thoughts about "taking" a bus to Melbourne we hit the beach in the morning. Tom got some surfing in I chilled the best I could until I got bored and walked down the beach. Some really awesome waves/beaches in Byron. Walked around town in the afternoon then met Natalie's friends for dinner. They were quite the pair and it was an experience just meeting them. Lots of deep thinking. Tommy and I went out again figuring it was our last real night we could. So we did it hard and had too much fun acting like hoodlums, but who doesn't.

The next day we had an amazing drive up the Gold Coast through surfers paradise onto Brisbane. The scenery and beaches were beautiful. I can only imagine surfers paradise during the busy season and would love to return then for some babes and waves. Checked into a hostel in Brisbane for the night. We were pretty exhausted from the night before so we walked around awhile then saw Iron Man 3, which was just ok I thought. Natalie and I had our flight this morning, Tom who's going to Sumatra didn't leave till the afternoon. Cheeky bastard is surfing for the next month. Checking in at the airport was a bitch. I dropped Natalie's papers then almost lost her laptop. Didn't get much sleep on the plane and know I will be all jet lagged for a few days. The hard parts over.

I am excited to get home and eat some pizza. Not excited to check my work emails. But back to the real world we must go, to being a grown up, day dreaming of what we will do next. Travel as much as possible and have as much fun as you can.

There's lots that I probably forgot or left out but thanks everyone for reading. Lets grab a brew sometime.

Cheers,
Franke

Cheers Gipsy Plains (5/16)

The last day with the bulls will forever be known to me as the dustiest day of my life. It wasn't the most physically exhausting day but putting up with the wind and dust made us just as tired. We had about a pound of gunk and dirt on ourselves by the end. Dirt in our ears, nose, hairs, every where, but the worst for me was in my eyes. I would wipe actual globs of dirt out of my eyeballs. It was a fairly windy and slightly colder than usually, big overcast. All we had to do for the day was draft and load about 400 bulls onto the trucks but every time the bulls moved or anything moved the wind would blow the dust right up into our faces. Was difficult to talk without eating dirt. I also got to meet the largest private land owner in Australia, MacDonald, I believe it was. He has around 150,000 cattle and around 10 million acres, holy shit right. We got the jobs done, Robert shot a dingo, and then we were done for the day. Was a long week and got the next day off.

With our day off Tom and I cooked spaghetti and meatballs for everyone. With the help of Robert and Clayton we cut and minced the meat ourselves which was awesome, felt like a butcher, Nic you would've been all over that. The meat was lean too we barely put any fat in it. I think normal beef meat has 20% fat, I don't think we had over 5%, tasty. Made some good sauce, meatballs, and Tom made some bracioles. Cooked it all for like 6 hours. Came out great everyone loved it Mom and Mrs. Werney would be proud. Clayton crushed a lot of spaghetti and meatballs. I showed him how to clean the plates by using garlic bread to wipe up the cold sauce and his mind was blown and then we just started to dip bread into the sauce even though we were stuffed. Everyone was fat and happy. We had a big bonfire. Robert was in his element cracking the best jokes nearly had everyone on the floor. Was a great send off that I will never forget.

Thank you Gipsy Plains and the Curelys for all your hospitality and kindness you showed. You really took us in as one of your own. I will miss it.


So now Tom, Natalie and I are in Byron Bay for the weekend. We flew into Brisbane, said goodbye to Michael, he had a wedding to go to, then drove down to Byron. Awesome hippie beach town, very crunchy granola. We lodged up in a cool tent cabin for the night. Last night we went to the Byron Brewery and saw some stand up, flame throwing and CockatooPaul! Got drunk ate late night doner had a blast. Today we just plan on beaching, hard. Getting this farm strong body ready for the summer.

Hope everyone is well see you soon.

- Howling Wolf

The Bull Muster (5/12)

"Be careful with that one, he might charge you," Clayton said after he told me to push two bulls into the next yard. As I walked around to the back of him and started to tell him to move up he never broke his gaze on me. He was a big reddish brown bull. When I was about two meters away he put his head down blew air out of his nose and started to charge me. Having never been charged by a bull I immediately turned and ran my ass off in the opposite direction headed toward the fence. I jumped to get over the steal bar fence only making it about half way up, smashing my stomach and ribs on the top bar. The bull got about a meter from me before he stopped charging. He never fully charged at me but I freaked the hell out. Mr. Curly saw the whole thing and was laughing his ass off. Coming back down from the fence with the winded knocked out of me and probably a couple cracked ribs he was laughing at how I was running a million miles an hour but didn't make it up the bloody fence. I was just glad it didn't fling me over the fence. My first one on one run in with a bull, sure to be my last.

The bull muster is the toughest job they have during the year. There are around 1,300-1,400 bulls they must get together and draft. We did three mobs of about 400 each. The reason why bulls are some much more difficult than the cows is because bulls don't calmly stay in the group and sort of just walk along like the cows. The bulls just do whatever they want. Run, walk, don't walk, in every direction. So it takes a lot more work to keep them together and moving at a good pace. Sometimes it's fun to chase them down, sometimes it really sucks.

Once we get a mob into the yard we draft them. Each bull gets looked at and determined if it will go to a specific buyer, back out to feed, or the rejects (the meat works). Drafting is not the most exciting part and takes awhile. But needs to be done. And if you can imagine it gets a little dodgey sometimes when 400+ bulls are crammed together in hot, dusty, close quarters. And being moved around all the time. All bulls do is try to fight, eat, and have sex. Lots of testosterone going around. I have seen more bull balls and dicks in the last week than I care to speak about. Some are calm and just push on through and some are bullies. And sometimes they try to kick and fight us. But for the most part it goes smoothly.

We mustered for 3 days and drafted for 3 days from sun up till sundown, usually earlier and usually later. Rotating and moving bulls into new paddocks and into the yard. Tomorrow we are trucking meat works and bulls going to other stations. Then the job is done. It's been an awesome and exhausting job, ending each day covered in an inch of dirt and sweat with a couple of the best tasting beers I've ever had.

Nat, Michael, Tom and I only have a few more days here then we are headed for Brisbane. Michael is going straight home but the rest of us are going to Byron bay for a few days. Suppose to be a really awesome place. Hopefully it works out.

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful Ma. Without you I wouldn't be alive! But seriously thank you for everything and always supporting me and worrying for me even when I know you don't want me to go on crazy adventures. Happy Mother's Day to my grandma Mama Eileen I love all your emails and can't wait to see you this summer. And a happy Mother's Day to all the other moms in the world.

Cheers,
Franke

Mustering, Meat, Moo (5/5)

The last week or so has been a blur. I am unsure what day I'm on
here, I think it's day 8? Again I feel like I have been here a month.
It is amazing how fast it is going bye. Hard work and enjoyment make
the days feel short. And over the past week or so we have been doing
a lot of hard work, feels great.

Each morning and night we feed the weaners and set out new hay. Tough
job to do by yourself but takes about 45 minutes with a couple of
blokes.

We have done about 3 or 4 musters. Where we gather and drive the
cattle to the yard (fenced in area to keep the cattle in) from the
patics, which are the grazing fields. Sometimes this goes smoothly
sometimes it does not. The largest one we did was around 570 cattle.
It is a lot of fun. Sometimes on might get away and you have to chase
it down on horseback and bring it back. I am pretty shitty at this but
I get it every time and again and feel real cowboy. My riding has
improved, now I am less than pretty awful. The horse I have been
riding is named Naughty and is pretty stubborn and always want to eat
and go home. But when he has to work he does well and we get along.
Tommy rode him and another a couple times and I learning to ride. Mr.
Curly jokes that he's going to bend the horse in half cause he's so
big. Mustering is awesome. But next week we have the bulls, 1500
testosterone filled meaty bulls. We are going to so them probably in
4 but they said that they are the worst cause they don't just walk
along like the cows they go anywhere they want, lots of yelling. That
will be a trip. Natalie and Mr. Curly are amazing riders of course,
and could probably do it by themselves. A neighbor, Luke, has been
over for the week and is amazing just as well. He also competes in
the bucking bronco contests and is hilarious, jokster like most
Australians. My ass feels less sore after each ride.

After we bring in the cattle we draft them. Separate them by calfs,
weaners, older cows/bullacks, etc. Then we brand and clip the new
guys. Pretty intense process burnt hair, skin, and blood. Then we
send them out back with their mothers. Some cattle is sent out on
huge 3 set trucks to other fields or the meat house.

Speaking of meat. They showed us how you go about a kill out here in
the outback. Every so often they will kill a cow or nutless bull and
eat it. They use all the meat of course and save it. They hang some
up, salt a lot of it and cook some right away. The salted meat they
make into corned beef. Which is like a huge chunk of jerky pretty
much and is amazing. Tastes so funking good. It's so salty, salty
beef. We eat it a lot. So Tom, Luke, and I went with Mr. Curly and
Clayton to go make a kill. After they shot it they quickly skinned it
then start cutting the different parts of the cow. I won't go into
detail but it was bloody and awesome. Axes, sharp knifes and
manliness were involved. After everything was done we hung around
the freshly cut beef and had a bunch of beers, dried blood and dirt on
my hands and shirt. We went back home had a big bonfire, cooked some
beef, liver, and this stuff called sweet bread (sort of like a kidney)
along with risotto and other vegetables. Ate so much. I fell asleep
in like 5 seconds.

That's pretty much what's been going on here. We do other jobs that
are not so glamorous like cleaning trofts, moving hay, lifting heavy
things but we always find the fun in it and are always laughing. And
we got real cowboy hats now so we look awesome.

Tom also killed a kangaroo and we BBQed it and made Roo curry. Tom
will have to tell you about that experience.

Hope all is well on the other side of earth.

- F

*Note: I cannot post pictures onto my post because it makes it too
large and crashes. I will post a picture reel when I get back into
Brisbane.

Station life day 2 (4/28)

It has only been two days here on the ranch, called stations, and it
feels like five. We have eaten beef every meal except one I think so
far. Natalie met us at the tiny airport and took us down the road to
her cousins trucking building/shop. Her family name is all over town
and she knows everyone we pass. Get to meet her dad and brother for
the first time. Aside from the fact I can understand about 60% of
what her dad says he is the coolest guy in the whole world. Legend.
Tom and I had the pleasure of riding back to the station with him
after some work at the trucking stop. Surf boards were strapped to
the top of cattle truck also carrying 3 bulls, 2 motorcycles, and
horse lick. Tom, Mr. Curly and I all rode in the front seat. We
talked as much as we could about the area, how the mining corporations
are a bunch of cheeky bastards ruining everything in the area,
kangaroos and other wildlife, the worst drought australia has seen in
20 years, and the history of his station; 50th anniversary. This man
is one tough cowboy and always cracking jokes.

We ride the hour it takes and get to the station. Tom and I take our
room which is a screened in porch after we put the bulls in. Everyone
arrives we BBQ meet the wives have a bunch of laughs then get to bed.
Not only is the night time perfect weather for sleeping but the full
moon shines like a spot light and you barely need to put any lights
on. Good omen full moon the night we arrive. Howl.

I am woken up by the sunrise at my feet. Get up get ready eat some
Vegemite. We test some of the horses out, adjust saddles and what
not. In the afternoon Tommy and I ride around the whole station
checking all the water sources. They pull water up from wells by
wind, solar, and electric, so all the cattle have enough water. Only
problem is it hasn't rained since last June so there is no grass. It
really is the desert. We check water as set out feeds. As we are
driving around 3 in front again cause the back was full with feed I
spot a pig. Without saying a word or hesitation Mr. Curly stops takes
out is rifle walks about 10 meters and shoots him. Pigs were
introduced here and carry a lot of disease we learned because Tom
asked with every animal he sees, "can we shoot that" or "can we eat
that." We track to see where the pig is. It's still squirming around
so Mr. Curly puts him out of his misery. We didn't eat it. They
shoot pigs and dingos whenever they see them. There are also Emu,
kangaroo, wallabies, tons of birds and much more. He also calls
everything a cheeky bastard. And at lunch yesterday said. "there
would be no more wildlife left with these two fellas" in regard to us
asking what we can and cannot eat. He has many more awesome jokes but
some i cannot repeat. We BBQed again that night.

Today was the second day. In the morning we mustered about 155 cattle
into the stock holds. 4 of us were on horseback and 3 on
motorbikes/wheelers. Was awesomely dusty and a lot of fun. Had beef
shoulder for lunch then in the afternoon separated the cattle out by
big bulls, cows, teenagers, soft skins/weeners, and little ones. For
this we walked the cattle, which was even dustier. Was a very dusty
day. But a great day. My butt is already a little sore from this
morning and will probably be worse tomorrow. Tomorrow we may be
branding the young cattle that have not been branded yet. We will
also be learning to cut beef. Mr. Curly said there is no more meat so
we will need a new batch.

We had left over beef ribs for dinner.

Cheers,
Franke

PS Mustache update: I have abandoned growing out my mustache.

Cairns (4/26)

Yesterday we took the trip to see the Great Barrier Reef. How awesome it was! We went scuba diving and snorkeling. We have some awesome pictures of Tom and I but they are on a CD so you will have to wait to see them. We saw giant clams that were a couple hundred years old, tons of crazy fish and amazing coral. Was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Cairns is an awesome little beach town. There is a lagoon/pool along side the water free for everyone.

Lots of restaurants and travel/tourists shops. The bars are ok, bars are the same everywhere, except here they are have 18 years olds. Tom and I played trivia one afternoon at one of the pubs. We thought we were going to win the $100 bar tab, team name being BaBaBaBonesaw of course. Guy announcing the winners, "in last place team Ba ba ba bonesaw." We did horrible. But it was fun. We had plans to go out but after a day in the sun and a couple pitchers we passed out or like 16 hours, waking up at 3am trying to go back to sleep.

Last night was good, got dinner after the reef, then had some pitchers at the only Irish bar in town. Yesterday was Anzac Day, kind of like our Veterans Day. So there were a lot of sailors in be bar, girls crawling all over them, was funny to watch.

Today we are leaving Cairns and going to the ranch. We are excited. Can't wait to be a cowboy again. And eat beef and be grizzly and dirty. I will try my best to blog while I am there but my sure about the Internet access. Otherwise I will see you again in 3 weeks.

Cheers,
Franke

PS I am growing my mustache: week 1

Next Adventure - Australia

I'm back everyone!

It has been far too long since my last post and I am happy to say I have begun a new journey. For those who do not already know I am currently traveling in Australia.
About 5 weeks ago a friend of my mine, Natalie, who I met in Argentina asked me, almost out of the blue, if I wanted to come down and help her on her families cattle ranch for an extended period of time. Be a drover (Aussie accent) as they put it. So being the thrill seeker you know I am I jumped on the opportunity. If it all was possible with work, apartment, and parents then I had to do it, and would regret it if I didn't. It worked out. I have the best boss in the entire world, shout out to Damien. So I told my bloods I'm ganna be gone for a month they loved it. Lastly my folks, and even though I was already dead set on going and had most of it planned out, they gave the go ahead. With worried looks on their faces, and telepathically saying, "don't do anything stupid Franke!". But they are the best and I love them. I also asked friends if anyone wanted to come. One experienced traveler rose to the occasion. My pretty much older brother/cousin Thomas Werney has joined me on this voyage to be an Australian cowboy. He will also be going to Fiji to surf for a month after the ranch, lucky dawg.

My travelin bone was back.

After around a shitty 30 hours of travel Tom and I are in Cairns. The flight was NYC to LAX to Sydney to Cairns. I think i watched 5 movies, silver lining playbook was the best. Read 100 pages of Hunger Games. Most I read in about 2 years I thinks, you would be proud. We were on separate flights from LAX and mine ended up getting delayed and I was late into Cairns so they gave me a lounge pass while i waited in Sydney and it was glorious, free food and showers. I gorged my face with fruit, bread and Vegemite, then rinsed my smelly body. Finally got to Cairns missed Tom again, found each other in the city by the Main Street after a few rushed emails of a time and place to find each other. Smelly, sweaty, tired, and delirious we went into the closest hostel with Air Con, a must for big Tom. After a couple long showers we walk around got a couple beers then passed out at like 930. Odd sleeping since Cairns is 14 hours ahead of NYC. But I think now we are adjusted.
We will spend the next two days here checking out the sites. Cairns is a beach town located next to the Great Barrier Reef on the north east coast of Australia. Awesome town. Can't wait to go scuba diving or snorkeling or some cool stuff near the reef. I will post pictures if I can.
I would like to say I feel extremely lucky and privileged to be going on a trip like this. I wish all my friends and family could come with me. You all are always in my thoughts.

Hope you enjoy reading there will be more to come.

Con cariños,
El Patiperro