BBQ Brunch

Please bring your A game to the post wedding BBQ brunch.  This is mainly directed to those who's homes are girt by sea.  After an appauling effort at the Olympics, which I never heard the end of from expat Brits in HK, we have a lot of ground to make up.  COME ON AUSSIE COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The games will be run by Annie Oliver and she is a hard task master and will accept no cheating.  It's lucky Aussie's never cheat.  You can be also assured that she will NOT be conducting any urine tests, so your beverage intake at the wedding, and indeed at the post wedding BBQ can only be viewed as performance enhansing at this event.  Lance Armstrong couldn't make it, so at least we are guaranteed of the Americans not cheating their way to a medal.

Ones to watch:

Mick O'Donohue (Aus) - High Jump

Phil Sloss (GB) & Chris Sipidias (Aus) - Iron Man and Woman.  Chris has just come back from running around Norway 16 times with Slossy on her back, while riding a bike.

Brooke Nicholson (Aus) & Kate Babington (GB) - The giants of the netball pitch.  Big Blondes with boobs have a basket off.  Our version of beach volleyball.  Erin Raskas (Aus) in reserve with stilts.  Got the boobs, not the height.

John Raskas (Aus - well Greek, but we'll claim him, he is quick and he is family) & Briony McCarthy (Aus) - Bali Marathon.  These two love a marathon.  John because of his Greek ancestors, and Briony as there are generally fit blokes running in them.

Briony McCarthy (Aus) - Will also compete in the discus

Granny Madge (GB) - Gin and Tonic mixing

Ben Chandler (GB) & Tim Cairns (GB) - PCP.  Don't ask them what it is, just ask who the couple of emaciated blokes are walking around are, and be sure that you don't want to go near PCP for this wedding.

John Ferrier (Aus) & Justin Cava-Jones (Wales) - Wax off.  No not like the Karate Kid, for their hair.

Jessica O'Donohue (Aus), Simon Oliver (GB), Will Oliver (GB), Rob Oliver (GB) Simon Sims (GB) Billy Newsom (GB)  Ed Finch (UAE) - Ginger off.  Auburn Sunset will not be accepted as an excuse.  You are all Ginger.

Amanda Nicolle (Aus) Katy Chandler (GB) - known as White Wine Amanda and Ken.  Generally who they become after too much of said wine.  You don't want to get caught in the middle of this battle.

Fiona Cumming (Canto Scot), Audrey O'Donohue (Aus) Christina Murrell (Aus) -  Bump off.  Got my money on Fiona.

Porky (GB) & Margaret O'Heir (Aus)- Swear off.  You think you know some dirty words or ditties?  You are up against the gold medalists here.

Josh Forrow (GB), Rachel McIntosh (Aus) & Audrey O'Donohue (Aus) - 3 legged race.  Talk the leg off a hind donkey these three.  Will be providing legs for the race.

Rob Oliver (GB) Mick O'Donohue (Aus) Brian Pedretti (Aus) Dennis Jeffery (Aus) - Talking bullshit and drinking whisky while 'fishing'.  There are some serious contenders here.

Mary O'Donohue (Aus) & Annie Oliver (GB) - Granny off.  I wouldn't get in the way of this one either.

Cillian & Tracey Bourke (IRE) - A gold medal will go to anyone who can understand them. 

Clint Murrell (Aus)  - Knee reconstructions.  Not even Emma comes close to the master.

Tejus Trivedi (IND) & Jagjit Dhillon (IND)  - The Bombay brothers might be the ones to watch with the cricket bat.

Justin O'Donohue (Aus) Oli Read (GB) Richard Forrest (GB)- I look smooth in a suit and have great hair/smile - off. 

Karl McIntosh (Aus) vs Stamford Public School Boys (GB) - Karl's school is the poshest any of the Aussies attending have to compete with.  That's not saying a lot.  Wait till you meet the calibre of the man though.

Maree Oçonner (Aus) Claire Murphy (Wales, Ireland, UK we're not sure) - Neither of these two can laugh for less than 10 seconds without snorting.

Essential items to bring

1) Mozzie spray and suncream.  Jim prefers factor 2 coconut oil because he is British (although Mary was partial to baby oil in the day - lucky Mick!)

2) US$25 for the visa on arrival.  Around another US$25 if you have organised a rock star VIP transfer to your hotel/villa.

3) Power adapters for your gadgets that need charging

4) Drinking boots

5) Dancing shoes

6) Fabulous floaty things to wear poolside, or your budgie smugglers

7) Your A game for the post wedding Olympics

For the kids....

I found a great website to use for reference if you have your little cherubs in tow...

www.littlebalilove.com

Some great places to visit with the kids:

Bali Zoo
Elephant Safari Park (Ubud)

Avoid the Monkey Forest in Ubud, they are feral little things.

Don't forget kids welcome to drinks on Saturday 29th and recovery BBQ on the 2nd.  Bring swimmers and towels as both venues will have a pool for them.

GIFTS

In short, we don't want them.  We appreciate the great expense you have all had to get to Bali.  It is gift enough to us that you can all be there to join in our special day.

What we would love is if you could all grab a bottle of bubbles when you go through duty free as champagne is expensive and difficult to get in Bali.  If you could bring it along with you for the welcome drinks on Saturday night, Arie and Latiffa from the wedding planner will collect it from you, and have it nice and chilled for when you arrive at the venue on the wedding day!

We are really adament that we don't want anything due to you travelling so far, and also because we have been living in sin for a number of years now (Henry is our best example of that!).  We have everything we need, toasters etc. 

For a couple of you who have insisted, Myer, John Lewis or Lane Crawford vouchers would be lovely, but really your presence and a bottle of bubbly is all we really want.

The Stag!!!

Lads, join Jim for his last stand on Friday 28th at Made's Warung for drinks from 6pm, sit down for dinner at 7pm.  All guys welcome.

www.madeswarung.com


Made's Warung is cheap and cheerful local food and beers.  Plenty of bars in the local vicinity to çrawl' to afterwards.

Jim's Asian stag has just taken place in Pattaya, his European stag is just around the corner in Ibiza, so expect a new level in excellence of stags by the time he gets to Bali.


For more details email Jim, james.oliver@icap.com.hk

Very Important Updates....Please Read

1) Please make sure you have 6 months validity in your passport

2) DO NOT DRINK ARAK.
Arak is the local spirit, its made from god knows what and although it is cheap, it is lethal, literally.  23 people died from drinking a bad batch 2009 as it is often mixed with methanol.  An Australian tourist was also recently blinded by drinking it.  Stick to bubbles, beer and top shelf!

3) 7 weeks to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Accomodation options

There are plenty of hotels for choice, Poms take heed, Kuta will be full of Aussies.  Aussies, unless you want to be labelled a bogan, Kuta best avoided.  Therefore see most of you there.

Bali is famed for its beautiful private villa accomodation and we can recommend the following websites http://www.elitehavens.com/ and http://www.balivillas.com/ to give you an idea.  The Seminyak area is quite busy, anywhere in Canggu or the Umalas is around a 20 min drive out of Seminyak but has some great properties and is much quieter.  There are also villa options in Ulawatu and Jimbaran.

To the east of Uluwatu, Nusa Dua has a really nice stretch of beach and all the big hotel chains (Marriot, Hyatt, Westin etc) are there.  Here most of the dining options are within the hotel, unlike Seminyak.  Great for those of you with kids, if you are not staying at a private villa, as they are very kid friendly.

Seminyak also has some lovely ($$$$) hotel options for those of you who fancy a slurge, see The Oboeroi, The W, The Legian (not The Legian Beach - avoid at all costs)