My stay on the ranch was lots of fun, it reminded me of home actually. I have been dying to hear some country music, seems there are no country fans down under. I tought my English friends how to line dance while we were there. There were a number of goat-based activities laid out for us, the first of which was the team event. Myself and Jo teamed up for the female power team. In this event there was one goat let into the ring, and we had to catch it, pick it up, and carry it to the centre, kneel on it and pretend brand it. I managed to snag a front foot in no time at all, but as soon as I had him I could feel his little leg popping, I thought I was breaking it. His leg must have been up past his back he was struggling so much. Then I managed to get ahold of 2 more legs and get him to the middle where I stuck my knee on his chest. The whole thing seemed rather cruel. The goat roping was hilarious. I was pretty good with the lasoo just practicing, but when it came down to it with the actual goat, it wasn't so easy to hit a moving target. They put us in a pen with 25 or so goats, and we had to pick one that we were going to get, and if we got that one, we got 5 seconds knocked off our time... yes, this was a timed event. I almost got my goat on the first throw, but I only hooked one horn, and it slid off, then they all started running, and things went downhill from there. My strategy after that was simply to throw the loop into the stampede and try to hook something, even a leg would have been fine. I finally got one just as my 1 minute was running out. So my first goat rodeo under my belt, I am thinking of going pro next year. Later on in the evening I put on a clinic on the mechanical bull. Yes, in true Canadian style, I won the bull riding contest, managing to stay on for 12 bucks (12 seconds or a bit more). After the 12th buck I jumped off since my hand was numb and tingling. I have had a stiff forearm ever since. What a grueling sport. That night was the worse sleep of my trip, the dogs howled until sunup, at which point the millions of birds took over squaking and chirping, and the "rustic" accomodation were the most uncomfortable ever. During the night I felt something with multiple legs crawl across my face, and threw a small spaz. We were on the bus for 10 hours the next day, and played a game of lawn bowling on our way to Airlie Beach. What a stupid sport, just like curling, only on grass, with balls that aren't round. I sucked. Now, I am in Airlie Beach, and suffering the worse stomach flue known to mankind. I have spent 2 whole days in bed, I hope to be better by Thursday when I leave to go sailing for 3 days though.