Friday 26 January - Australia Day

5pm - Boston's Logan International Airport

Never before has an Australia Day carried as much excitement as this one in the US. I’ve brought over from Oz my Australian International Rules jumper, pretty much especially for the occasion. However, I’m sitting here in Boston’s Logan International Airport, again frustrated by the inability for domestic airlines to provide a smooth flight. Today I booked a flight from Boston to New York’s JFK for 4pm, with a scheduled arrival in NY of 5:30pm. The plan was to arrive at the Australian themed 8 Mile Creek hotel in Manhattan by 7:30pm, when the other Aussie secondees had indicated they’d head down there. Sure enough – flight delayed to 6pm. This time the culprit was Delta Airlines. So I’ve switched flights to a La Guardia-bound flight, leaving 5:30pm (my original planned NY arrival time). In a statement that’s apt for the day – because its Australia day – I currently feel that the US airlines couldn’t organise a root in a brothel here.

Many Beers Later - New York

All “Australians” – I put that word in quotation marks as it involved those who really were Australians, as well as those who went along for ride in the hope that they somehow could be recognised as Australians – Brits, South Africans, Collingwood supporters – met up at 8 mile creek, an underground bar marketing itself as an Australian pub. It’s good to get a taste of home in NYC, but they do miss the boat on a couple of things, including:

• Australia day should mean nothing but Australian music. Unfortunately they failed dismally tonight after a promising start.
• More cubicles, including an old fashioned pee-trough for the men, instead of the single cubicle each for the blokes and the sheilas. A tree for the men wouldv'e sufficed!

However, we were able to lay our hands on what I think might be the best Australian beer – a James Boags Premium stubbie - and they were showing a replay of the cricket (the Australia Day one-dayer between our men and the Poms from Adelaide), so we were very appreciative of that.

The NY secondees – including the ring-ins – had all gone to the trouble of making their own t-shirts, complete with legendary Aussie icons and images such as Alf from Home and Away, Harold from Neighbours, Rodney Rude, David Boon with the number 52 (the infamous flight to London), Kath & Kim. I spoiled the party a little with my International Rules Jumper (stood out like dogs balls in this group), however since I’d brought if over largely for the occasion, was obliged to wear it.

3 votes definitely to "Wayne" Carey, who must surely have been the best thing for this bar’s profits. Myself & Libe left him and a lot of the crew about 1. I doubt Barrel had led his last “Aussie Aussie Aussie” for the night, despite the fact that his voice had left had left the 8 Mile Creek hotel before I'd arrived (the unfortunate consequence of back-to-back sessions for the King).