ITS 2009 was a huge success, many new experiences, great friends, excellent facilities and training. SBN Mike and BSBN April were amazing hosts and everyone worked so well together.
With the excellence of ITS 09 now wrapped up we announced ITS 2011 and the host country - SYDNEY, Australia. Now is the time to start planning for October 2011 and the next ITS!
Regards
GM G
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I still call Australia home
The Price Clan Here:
We are sitting at JFK airport - it is 6:25pm local time and 8:25am in Sydney. So, good morning everyone.
The last 2 nights and 3 days in New York have been fast. I felt like I was travelling in slow motion while all the locals around me were whizzing past. Here is what we did:
Central Park in a horse drawn buggy, Ground Zero, Times Square, Toys R Us, M&M Store, Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, Grand Central Station, up the Empire State Building, into the Russian Tea Rooms for a photo, took the Ellis Island Ferry and got close up to the Statue of Liberty and had some great times with Donna, Sir Pete and the boys because they were also in NYC. We stayed in the same hotel and got together for dinner both nights. The first day we arrived Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron and Sarah were with us before they flew back to LA. They dropped their bags in our hotel room and then we all ran around Times Square quickly picking up souvenirs and admiring Times Square in the pouring rain. Sarah even dropped an I Love NYC T-Shirt in a puddle so she could take home some real NYC mud off the floor.
The first night here we (The Dilonardos and Price Clan) went to Familgias for pizza and then walked in what was the most torrential rain we've all ever stayed out in. Being from England I've seen much worse weather but never been daft enough to walk around in it. But, hey, we only had 2 nights here so Donna and I weren't going to sit in the hotel room watching the rain were we. A girl's gotta shop!
The rooms we had in the Salsbury Hotel were suites. We could have all done with these in Lancaster. In fact ours and Donna's rooms were so big here in NYC that all of the team at the ITS could have fitted in it. Just ask Sir Jimmy. When 7 of us were in the suite it wasn't even crowded.
Donna and the boys left the hotel at 9:15am today for Florida and more theme parks in the lovely warm weather. We left the hotel at 4pm to head to JFK airport. The traffic was mental and we thought we were going to miss our flight. Lucky for us the flight was delayed. Being an airport expert I threw the biggest tantrum and demanded a supervisor .. no, I wouldn't be my own worst nightmare now would I? We've got great seats on QF though .. row 71 of a 75 row aircraft. I'll be sleeping anyway.
Well, it's 'ta-ta' from me for now .. I know I've been a bit of a Blog Hog. I've only got 20 minutes free internet access here at JFK and I had to watch a very painful hotel selling video to get the free access. So, I better go now before I get kicked off it and our flight is being called for boarding. See you in Sydney :)
Jane, Colin, Nick and Sean
We are sitting at JFK airport - it is 6:25pm local time and 8:25am in Sydney. So, good morning everyone.
The last 2 nights and 3 days in New York have been fast. I felt like I was travelling in slow motion while all the locals around me were whizzing past. Here is what we did:
Central Park in a horse drawn buggy, Ground Zero, Times Square, Toys R Us, M&M Store, Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, Grand Central Station, up the Empire State Building, into the Russian Tea Rooms for a photo, took the Ellis Island Ferry and got close up to the Statue of Liberty and had some great times with Donna, Sir Pete and the boys because they were also in NYC. We stayed in the same hotel and got together for dinner both nights. The first day we arrived Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron and Sarah were with us before they flew back to LA. They dropped their bags in our hotel room and then we all ran around Times Square quickly picking up souvenirs and admiring Times Square in the pouring rain. Sarah even dropped an I Love NYC T-Shirt in a puddle so she could take home some real NYC mud off the floor.
The first night here we (The Dilonardos and Price Clan) went to Familgias for pizza and then walked in what was the most torrential rain we've all ever stayed out in. Being from England I've seen much worse weather but never been daft enough to walk around in it. But, hey, we only had 2 nights here so Donna and I weren't going to sit in the hotel room watching the rain were we. A girl's gotta shop!
The rooms we had in the Salsbury Hotel were suites. We could have all done with these in Lancaster. In fact ours and Donna's rooms were so big here in NYC that all of the team at the ITS could have fitted in it. Just ask Sir Jimmy. When 7 of us were in the suite it wasn't even crowded.
Donna and the boys left the hotel at 9:15am today for Florida and more theme parks in the lovely warm weather. We left the hotel at 4pm to head to JFK airport. The traffic was mental and we thought we were going to miss our flight. Lucky for us the flight was delayed. Being an airport expert I threw the biggest tantrum and demanded a supervisor .. no, I wouldn't be my own worst nightmare now would I? We've got great seats on QF though .. row 71 of a 75 row aircraft. I'll be sleeping anyway.
Well, it's 'ta-ta' from me for now .. I know I've been a bit of a Blog Hog. I've only got 20 minutes free internet access here at JFK and I had to watch a very painful hotel selling video to get the free access. So, I better go now before I get kicked off it and our flight is being called for boarding. See you in Sydney :)
Jane, Colin, Nick and Sean
Monday, April 20, 2009
Day 8 Leaving Lancaster
Day 8 morning - NYC Here We Come
From The Price Clan:
Who loves packing? Me neither, but it had to be done because this morning we checked out of our hotel. Raj the hotel manager seemed genuinely sad to see us go. Some people never learn do they?
Some of the team got up really early today, 4am, to head into New York on the Amtrak. Bob, Paul, Jenny and Tara were first to leave at about this time so they could spend a few hours in New York before their early evening flight straight back to Sydney.
We – Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron, Sir Emanuel, Sarah, Nick, Sean, Colin, Laura and me (Jane) – are on the Amtrak as I type. The wind and rain on the platform was the first hurdle, followed closely by having to lift our suitcases over our heads to put them into the overhead shelves. The lactic acid in my muscles meant that Nick had to lift mine (teenage boys are handy to travel with and they believe anything their Mums tell them!). Jenny and Tara, I don’t envy you having to lift all your extra shopping into the overhead shelvesJ
Lori was leaving with ‘Da Fins’ about 4am. Lori was originally taking the Amtrak, bought a ticket and everything, but when Da Fins turned up at the hotel last night with their hire car – A Cadillac – and a very snide one at that – it was too much for Lori. Amtrak or Cadillac .. hmmm .. no competition or second thought so she hitched a ride with them in style. Got to say Lori, I think you made a smart move on that one.
We have just arrived at Philadelphia Station – it’s 10:45am. The Dilonardos are on the train that leaves Lancaster at 10:30am. The Price and Dilonardo Clan are together in New York for the two nights so that will be good fun. We are staying in the Salsbury Hotel together. Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron and Sarah are off to LA today for three days of non-stop roller coaster park hopping. Hope it’s warmer in LA for you than it is in New York for us. Laura is heading to Salt Lake City today to spend time with friends of her family until 8th May and then onto a Contiki Mexico tour from 8th to 22nd May. Sir Corey is flying back home today with a bag full of dirty washing for ‘the lady’. Sir Adrian and Mira are also continuing on with their personal travels.
The Amtrak is just like a city rail train. We’ve been at the station now for 15 minutes without announcement so I think now is a good time to try and get a power nap in before Penn Station, New York City! Hold on, now the train is moving backwards and we are freaking out thinking that we should have changed trains. OMG/FOFL/LOL .. Sir Aaron’s not coping. Zah! Sir Jimmy, the ever cool customer is fast asleep and is non the wiser to Aaron and I doing the big eyed stares out the window while Colin knew all along we didn’t have to change because he checked before boarding. Communication is the key!
We left at 9:33am from Lancaster and ‘hopefully’ arrive in Penn Station New York City about 12:10pm just in time for fries and a coke – would you like cheese with that!
Jane J
From The Price Clan:
Who loves packing? Me neither, but it had to be done because this morning we checked out of our hotel. Raj the hotel manager seemed genuinely sad to see us go. Some people never learn do they?
Some of the team got up really early today, 4am, to head into New York on the Amtrak. Bob, Paul, Jenny and Tara were first to leave at about this time so they could spend a few hours in New York before their early evening flight straight back to Sydney.
We – Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron, Sir Emanuel, Sarah, Nick, Sean, Colin, Laura and me (Jane) – are on the Amtrak as I type. The wind and rain on the platform was the first hurdle, followed closely by having to lift our suitcases over our heads to put them into the overhead shelves. The lactic acid in my muscles meant that Nick had to lift mine (teenage boys are handy to travel with and they believe anything their Mums tell them!). Jenny and Tara, I don’t envy you having to lift all your extra shopping into the overhead shelvesJ
Lori was leaving with ‘Da Fins’ about 4am. Lori was originally taking the Amtrak, bought a ticket and everything, but when Da Fins turned up at the hotel last night with their hire car – A Cadillac – and a very snide one at that – it was too much for Lori. Amtrak or Cadillac .. hmmm .. no competition or second thought so she hitched a ride with them in style. Got to say Lori, I think you made a smart move on that one.
We have just arrived at Philadelphia Station – it’s 10:45am. The Dilonardos are on the train that leaves Lancaster at 10:30am. The Price and Dilonardo Clan are together in New York for the two nights so that will be good fun. We are staying in the Salsbury Hotel together. Sir Jimmy, Sir Aaron and Sarah are off to LA today for three days of non-stop roller coaster park hopping. Hope it’s warmer in LA for you than it is in New York for us. Laura is heading to Salt Lake City today to spend time with friends of her family until 8th May and then onto a Contiki Mexico tour from 8th to 22nd May. Sir Corey is flying back home today with a bag full of dirty washing for ‘the lady’. Sir Adrian and Mira are also continuing on with their personal travels.
The Amtrak is just like a city rail train. We’ve been at the station now for 15 minutes without announcement so I think now is a good time to try and get a power nap in before Penn Station, New York City! Hold on, now the train is moving backwards and we are freaking out thinking that we should have changed trains. OMG/FOFL/LOL .. Sir Aaron’s not coping. Zah! Sir Jimmy, the ever cool customer is fast asleep and is non the wiser to Aaron and I doing the big eyed stares out the window while Colin knew all along we didn’t have to change because he checked before boarding. Communication is the key!
We left at 9:33am from Lancaster and ‘hopefully’ arrive in Penn Station New York City about 12:10pm just in time for fries and a coke – would you like cheese with that!
Jane J
ITS Day 7
Day 7 – Sunday April 19th
The day after the night before.
It seems like only yesterday that we got on the mats for the first time in Lancaster bowing in for what was promised to be an awesome seminar by Master Geoff. Who would have thought that 7 days would pass in the blink of an eye and we would be bowing off the mats and thanking our partners for training by Grandmaster Geoff. Very proud moment for all of us I am sure.
When one door closes another one opens….and the door of Sir Mike’s school in Lancaster was forever open but Sir Mike, Ma’am April and Ma’am Nancy’s hearts were even more open to each and every person on the mats regardless of belt colour, rank or age. Hapkido really does come down to what is inside us and not what’s tied around our waist. That is only one thing I have learnt from this week. My brain is so fried with information overload that I know for me that the saying ‘what goes on in Lancaster stays in Lancaster’ – this is because part of my brain and a few body parts are still reeling from awesomness on the Lancaster Dojang floor J This is a word Sir Aaron would use but his brain might be fried too so I don’t think he’ll notice I’ve used it until he reads this?
Okay, let’s think that stepping on the mats for day 7 might have been a bit of a rest day. No. We were straight into session two of gun defence, followed by Sir Adrian with tips and tools of using non-resistance and redirection to improve locking and throwing. Next we broke for lunch (more fries and even more cheese) and continued on with Grandmaster Geoff sharing the love with cane self defence (apparently Donna and I were oohing and aahing so loud that Sir Adrian thought we were scared? Honestly Sir, you underestimate us because it was cries of amazement at the technique you could hear!!!).
Ma’am April was up presenting takedowns with choke finishes. Sir Emanuel, thanks for loaning me your neck for this session. Grandmaster Geoff was then back with reversals, followed closely by Sir Jimmy with offensive throwing - and this was fun but pretty offensive so late in the week! Just when you recovered from one offensive throw, bang, you’re back staring at the ceiling. You know the feeling. The seminar was rounded off by Grandmaster Geoff with Korean Special Forces.
This is my final ITS 09 Blog. I can hear the sighs of relief now. Oh no, it’s not sorry. We’ve got two nights in New York yet.
Grandmaster Geoff, thank you. It has been an absolute honour to have been on this journey. There are key moments in everyone’s lives that are stand-outs and ITS 09 in Lancaster is right up there.
For the Price Clan as a family within the Hapkido family our feedback is that we are exhausted, beaten, broken, pistol whipped (that gun defence is nuts), sleep deprived, jet lagged and about 10kg heavier than when we left Sydney because of all the fries, coke and cheese (and they’re only side orders). But hey – we’re still smilingJ
See you on the mats – can’t wait for that warm up session with tunnel of death and 250 star jumps?
As Grandmaster Geoff would say – GO ON THEN YOU SLACKERS!!!!!!
The day after the night before.
It seems like only yesterday that we got on the mats for the first time in Lancaster bowing in for what was promised to be an awesome seminar by Master Geoff. Who would have thought that 7 days would pass in the blink of an eye and we would be bowing off the mats and thanking our partners for training by Grandmaster Geoff. Very proud moment for all of us I am sure.
When one door closes another one opens….and the door of Sir Mike’s school in Lancaster was forever open but Sir Mike, Ma’am April and Ma’am Nancy’s hearts were even more open to each and every person on the mats regardless of belt colour, rank or age. Hapkido really does come down to what is inside us and not what’s tied around our waist. That is only one thing I have learnt from this week. My brain is so fried with information overload that I know for me that the saying ‘what goes on in Lancaster stays in Lancaster’ – this is because part of my brain and a few body parts are still reeling from awesomness on the Lancaster Dojang floor J This is a word Sir Aaron would use but his brain might be fried too so I don’t think he’ll notice I’ve used it until he reads this?
Okay, let’s think that stepping on the mats for day 7 might have been a bit of a rest day. No. We were straight into session two of gun defence, followed by Sir Adrian with tips and tools of using non-resistance and redirection to improve locking and throwing. Next we broke for lunch (more fries and even more cheese) and continued on with Grandmaster Geoff sharing the love with cane self defence (apparently Donna and I were oohing and aahing so loud that Sir Adrian thought we were scared? Honestly Sir, you underestimate us because it was cries of amazement at the technique you could hear!!!).
Ma’am April was up presenting takedowns with choke finishes. Sir Emanuel, thanks for loaning me your neck for this session. Grandmaster Geoff was then back with reversals, followed closely by Sir Jimmy with offensive throwing - and this was fun but pretty offensive so late in the week! Just when you recovered from one offensive throw, bang, you’re back staring at the ceiling. You know the feeling. The seminar was rounded off by Grandmaster Geoff with Korean Special Forces.
This is my final ITS 09 Blog. I can hear the sighs of relief now. Oh no, it’s not sorry. We’ve got two nights in New York yet.
Grandmaster Geoff, thank you. It has been an absolute honour to have been on this journey. There are key moments in everyone’s lives that are stand-outs and ITS 09 in Lancaster is right up there.
For the Price Clan as a family within the Hapkido family our feedback is that we are exhausted, beaten, broken, pistol whipped (that gun defence is nuts), sleep deprived, jet lagged and about 10kg heavier than when we left Sydney because of all the fries, coke and cheese (and they’re only side orders). But hey – we’re still smilingJ
See you on the mats – can’t wait for that warm up session with tunnel of death and 250 star jumps?
As Grandmaster Geoff would say – GO ON THEN YOU SLACKERS!!!!!!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Team Bonding
Here are some photos from Grandmaster Ji's visit.
Grandmaster Ji asked who was the biggest and strongest on the mats and then invited Janne and Aaron to show him how strong they are. Here was the result.
Next was Janne - similar result. Grandmaster was demonstrating that strenght can quickly be taken away
Grandmaster Ji asked who was the biggest and strongest on the mats and then invited Janne and Aaron to show him how strong they are. Here was the result.
Next was Janne - similar result. Grandmaster was demonstrating that strenght can quickly be taken away
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Day 6 - April 18th
Price Clan Here:
The kids had a seminar from 10am and we were at the Dojang at 1pm today. Sleeping in late was appreciated.
The afternoon brought some more cool stuff. Butt Butts, Grazing, Distractions to name a few.
Sir Mike showed us level 1 gun defence. We all had a go of this. Sir Mike, Sir Corey and Ma'am April could spot who had never been exposed to gun defence and travelled the room helping us out. It puts a whole new perspective on 'stop, I don't want to fight'. Should have played more cowboy and indians with the boys when they were younger.
Sir Jimmy demonstrated some distraction kicks. He looks so impressive. As impressive and easy as Sir Jimmy looks the distraction theory is also something that is very useful.
The presentations at dinner tonight were great. The food was good too. Moving around the room it was good talking to everyone and celebrating the achievements of the black belt promotions.
Sir Mike, Ma'am April and Ma'am Nancy have opened their Dohang door and their hearts to us all week without hesitation and I think we got our message across tonight that we are truly grateful to them. Being our first ITS, on behalf of the Price Clan, I feel confident saying that it has been absolutely brilliant. Last day tomorrow.
Before I sign off for tonight we're a bit worried about a Fin man called Paulie coming into our room saying 'I've lost the Fins'. Since I've been typing he's been back three times. He sits on the bed shaking his head and saying it. Very funny. He doesn't have a hotel key but he hasn't quite worked out that the front desk has a master key or that the Fins he is looking for are just down the corridor chatting. Maybe the beer in Lancaster is stronger than in Finland.
Ever seen Dory in Finding Nemo - there's a sequel - it's Paulie in 'Finding the Fins'. I've mentioned before that they are funny, but he took the cake tonight.
Last day tomorrow .. noooo!!!
The kids had a seminar from 10am and we were at the Dojang at 1pm today. Sleeping in late was appreciated.
The afternoon brought some more cool stuff. Butt Butts, Grazing, Distractions to name a few.
Sir Mike showed us level 1 gun defence. We all had a go of this. Sir Mike, Sir Corey and Ma'am April could spot who had never been exposed to gun defence and travelled the room helping us out. It puts a whole new perspective on 'stop, I don't want to fight'. Should have played more cowboy and indians with the boys when they were younger.
Sir Jimmy demonstrated some distraction kicks. He looks so impressive. As impressive and easy as Sir Jimmy looks the distraction theory is also something that is very useful.
The presentations at dinner tonight were great. The food was good too. Moving around the room it was good talking to everyone and celebrating the achievements of the black belt promotions.
Sir Mike, Ma'am April and Ma'am Nancy have opened their Dohang door and their hearts to us all week without hesitation and I think we got our message across tonight that we are truly grateful to them. Being our first ITS, on behalf of the Price Clan, I feel confident saying that it has been absolutely brilliant. Last day tomorrow.
Before I sign off for tonight we're a bit worried about a Fin man called Paulie coming into our room saying 'I've lost the Fins'. Since I've been typing he's been back three times. He sits on the bed shaking his head and saying it. Very funny. He doesn't have a hotel key but he hasn't quite worked out that the front desk has a master key or that the Fins he is looking for are just down the corridor chatting. Maybe the beer in Lancaster is stronger than in Finland.
Ever seen Dory in Finding Nemo - there's a sequel - it's Paulie in 'Finding the Fins'. I've mentioned before that they are funny, but he took the cake tonight.
Last day tomorrow .. noooo!!!
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