Bill Hunter – Magician also knows as Magic 500 or the Indy 500 magician.http://www.youtube.com/user/MagicB500 see more here. And his websitehttp://magic500.wordpress.com/
Here he works with Slither the snake to find my card.
Bill has a website, known as Magic 500: http://magic500.wordpress.com/
A Facebook page: Bill Hunter Magic 500
He also has some videos on Youtube including: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LRmum_xIDU
So Here I am in Los Angeles, California, USA.
This is me!! …….. or will be soon!
Currently sunbaking in the backyard of my friends house and it’s about 72 degrees Farenheit. or 25 degrees celcius. Lovely!
I’m staying here with my famous Cuz Bill, you can learn more about him at his very own website- http://www.magic500.wordpress.com. This is his friends house in San Gabriel and we’ll be here for 11 days. So happy.
Yesterday we went to Torrance, CA, to visit the private museum of INDY 500 Winner from 1963, and my personal friend, Parnelli Jones. I met Parnelli back in 2009 with my magician cuz when he was performing in the suites. Parnelli and his son PJ Jones were there for the qualifying weekend.
His museum is full of trophies, cars, pieces of car, memorabilia and gifts from fans. It’s incredible and I was so lucky to see it. Jim, a friend of my cousin and Parnelli’s mechanic for years was also there and such a gracious host. They spent an hour an a half showing us around.
Today we are off to the Justice Brothers business. My cousin knows Ed Justice, also from the racing circuit, and also a magician.
Tonight I will go to a gig with my friend Jenn who I met on Australia day in London haha random. We’ll go to a vietnamese restaurant at – Viet Noodle Bar- 3133 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039.
then the gig is:
- This is the band i’m seeing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1An2pjS4mKE
I’m really looking forward to our time in LA!
Off to Venice beach and Santa Monica tomorrow! Tough life
This is a poem written by an American Sailor in 1944 when he was serving in Australia with my Cousin, Bill Hunter.
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This is about the Australians from the American sailors:
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Down below the South Pacific
In the sunny Tropic Sea,
There lies a country called Australia,
which once was new to me.
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Since the time that I have been here,
Which is several months or more.
I’ve met the people, learned their ways
And would like my home once more.
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For I’m sick of mates and cobbers,
Trams, pubs and teatime too,
And i’m damned tired of these Aussies
bumming smokes the way they do.
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It’s uncle this,uncle that
More planes, more bombs, more guns
and when the nips are whipped
Don’t ever ask who won
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Cos you will hear the Aussies holler;
“We Anzacs are the ones
Just give me 2 bob and a cigarette,
I’ll tell you how twas done”
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Yes, i’m tired of Australia
and the whole of this Anzac race
If anyone wants to trade
they sure as hell can have my place
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Cos now i’ve seen Australia,
and when this war is won
This bloke is going right back home
and on the bloody run.
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Recited by William Hunter
(aka Bill “Magic 500″ Hunter)
for more info on this time period
go to Ozatwar
see stories about Frank Morill
CHICAGO
So after 6 hours of travel ,again, and 2 hours of sleep I arrived in Chicago. A wreck! Exhausted, bit over it and 6 months of travel starting to hit me like a tonne of bricks- that’s it! Time to go home.
So I changed my flights in order to arrive home on Saturday not Monday and would surprise EVERYONE!
That afternoon, Memorial Day, I was lucky enough to go a little out of town to a stunning town called Wilmett to meet my PR Guru Mr Jim Martin and his lovely family. I was so lucky to have an evening with this kind family and learn a lot about my study area PR.
One day in Downtown Chicago. It’s a fantastic city with amazing parks, buildings and great shopping. I enjoyed seeing the bean in Millennium park, the harbour and the river going through town. I also got to enjoy a famous Deep dish pizza pie- the best! But the rain came at 4pm and I had had enough, time to go back to my Cuz!
That night I was happy to be back in Roscoe, Illinois for some well earned rest!
Last Days ILLINOIS
My last days were spent soaking up every last bit of fun I could with my cuz and just enjoying his company.
I was very lucky to get to meet the amazing man Gary Haun, who penned the book VISION OF THE HEART which everyone must read. (http://www.flipkart.com/vision-heart-gary-haun/141073918x-4nx3f98m4p) Gary is blind and has not let that stop him one bit, he has climbed Kilimanjaro and swam with sharks, he is also a magician, but best of all he has the kindest heart! It was a pleasure to meet this wonderful man!
I also got to meet a few more of cuz’s wonderful friends like John and Doug and got to see where he grew up in Monroe, Wiscosin- home of the cheeses! James joined us again for my last day.
There were many tears shed at that last time at the bus stop and the bus ride itself was difficult.
A 36 hour journey ahead of me but I was ready. It’s time to go home.
Again we pick up on my 6 month big trip with me now arriving in Illinois with my brother and cousin and then heading off to the INDY 500, The World’s Greatest spectacle in Racing!
Roscoe, ILLINOIS
Roscoe, Illinois a small town towards the border of Illinois and Wisconsin, A lovely little place and of course my cousin was there, so it was lovely. I met lots of his friends and even got to go to the local ROCKFORD T.V. station to watch the filming of the morning show, very interesting indeed. Also briefly visiting a wonderful friend Wayne in his little town of Warren where he has just become the Mayor. Yay. James came a day after me and then we were off to a thrilling weekend at the INDY500.
INDY500
My first cousin twice removed is actually my Grandma’s direct cousin. He is 86, has been doing magic for 65 years and has been working in the pits, garages and suites at Indy for 41 years. My brother James and I were blessed to go with him to the Qualifying weekend, receive an all areas and all access pit and garage pass as well as hang out in the suites when we weren’t down there.
So many stories from only 4 days but a lot of them involve the names of drivers and friends which a lot of people wouldn’t know. But we were very fortunate to meet some of Cuz’s good friends and race legends A.J Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Johnny Rutherford and Mario Andretti just to name a few. Indianapolis itself is a lovely quiet and clean city and Speedway is a very cool place to hang out at in the month of May.
