Waves Surf Weekend Trip

Matty and I went on or surf trip this past weekend. We got picked up on Friday evening and rolled into surf camp around midnight where we spent the night for an early rise and our first surf lesson. Below is the outside of the cabin we slept in (similar to what I would call a hunting camp) with nothing but a room full of bunk beds a loft and a couple of bathrooms. 

 

The view from our cabin back to the main building where they have somewhat of a dining hall/bar. Again I would say it's very similar to a hunting camp back at home. All the land surrounding the camp is  farm land, both old and some still being used.

We got up for an 8a.m. breakfast and about an hour ride out to our first surf spot. We didn't party too hard on Friday night so it wasn't that bad but Sunday would be a whole different story.

The fist day was also extremely rainy and cloudy the whole time, I was actually even pretty cold for the first time since I've got here but they have you always surf in wetsuits to actually usually protect you from the sun. Apparently even though everyone who comes to Australia worries about sharks, crocodiles, spiders and jellyfish and any of the hundreds of dangerous animals, the sun is actually the number one killer. Because the ozone has been depleted so much over Australia the sun is actually far more severe and it's no joke how you can actually feel the sun burning you if you don't make sure to put on sun block all day.






So we finally arrived at our fist surf spot. It was called Crowdy Bay and according to the instructors it was perfect conditions to learn to surf. It was actually pretty funny because before any of us got out on the water you could tell we all thought the waves looked kind of pathetic and there was going to be no way we could surf on those tiny waves.

I actually wasn't able to get pictures of people surfing or many actions shots this day because like I said before it was pretty bad weather all day long. The view all around us was still pretty amazing though. The craziest part of this day was that, of course after we went surfing here, the instructor told us that it was the spot where a man was attacked by a great white the week before. Yea you read that right, a great white. I had heard about the attack the week before but I had no idea it was actually at the spot we were at. The instructors said the guy was kind of asking for it though because he went out surfing at night and I guess thats feeding time. We always came in by 4:30.

So after a long day of surfing we went back to the camp and had a well deserved meal. Surfing is actually quite a bit more tiring than you might expect and we weren't even in very serious waves this day. It's actually about 80% paddling and only 20% surfing when you're out there. And that's only if your able to stand up. Which I was able to because they start you out on pretty easy boards to almost guarantee everyone getting up at least a couple of times. 

Getting ready for the dinner and enjoying a few jugs of cold beer.

And the partying begins. One of the most dysfunctional flip cup games I've ever been a part of.

Matty and I after being the last to survive a little adult version of musical chairs. We'll just say it ended in a dance competition and this was the shot we were awarded with one of the instructors

This is only 10:30 at night and the aussies started throwing toilet paper and frisbees and really anything they could pick up across the room. Broke a fan in the process but it turned out to be a great start to even better night

This lovely woman is the owner of the place. You can make your judgement calls about her because everything you may be thinking is probably right haha. She's seriously one of the coolest people I've met though. She really just wanted everyone to have a great time. 

And we'll end the party here. If you can't really see what's going on, one of the aussie instructors decided to light the TP that was spinning around the fan on fire. Don't worry though the place didn't burn down because he put it out with alcohol....

So finally off to the next day of surfing. And as I said before, the hangovers were a bit more serious this day but the weather was amazing to say the least.

One of the most beautiful beaches I think I've been to since coming here. It was extremely private with only maybe 5 other people there with us the whole day

Would absolutely love to live in t his house. There are so many places like this by all the beaches but this is definitely one of my favorites. I can only imagine the views they get to wake up to every morning. Even though I'm sure whoever  owns it only uses it as a vacation home. 

The combination of fighting off the headaches from the night before and the extremely rough surf had us beached fairly early

Even the instructors weren't surfing for too long (middle of the pic in the blue). He was basically our head instructor for the weekend and when I asked him about his job he said he only does this during the summer. For the other about 8 months out of the year he's an aluminum miner and pulls in about $4,000 a week! You be the judge from my pictures but having that for a job and being able to do all this throughout the summer seems like a pretty good life to me.

Headed up for a little lunch after the struggle in the surf

One of the instructors headed out after lunch to try and catch a couple good waves. 

Some of us giving it one more shot after lunch. The waves we're so intense though you actually just couldn't get out far enough to catch any good waves. It was still a great day to enjoy the sun and the beautiful beach though. 

One of the instructors waiting for the right wave. I was actually watching him for about 30 minutes trying to get a good shot of him riding one of the massive waves when I noticed something in the water right next to him. It actually turned out to be a school of dolphins swimming literally only feet away from him. There were about 5 just playing in the waves and you could see them every time a wave began to break. 

I promise I tried like hell to get a picture because it was really amazing but it was tough to get them at the right time and be looking at the right spot. 

And actually only moments after this shot the instructor just rode a wave in like a boogey board out of nowhere. Turns out he saw a huge fin of a shark and just got the hell out of the water. Apparently they see them all the time and you're just supposed to be aware of your surrounding and not panic. Try telling me not to panic with a great white swimming at my feet though.... Pretty unlikely

Pretty much symbolizes how we were all feeling by Sunday afternoon. It had been a long weekend but was absolutely awesome and Matty is even planning on buying a board to keep surfing for the rest of our time here. It really was a ton of fun. 

And so we packed up and rode back to camp. Another successful and awesome trip done, and keep following because I know there will be more to come. Hope you're still enjoying and I'll try my best to keep updating whenever possible. Missing you all back at home but loving life in Australia. Will have more soon.

St. Patty's Day Cancelled...

Due to rain, first of all what? why is there rain here? It's been nothing but clear skies and gorgeous and then the past 3 or 4 days have been nothing but crazy amounts of rain. I might have jinxed myself from earlier posts bragging about how beautiful it is here... oops. But regardless so they cancelled the big parade they were supposed to have yesterday and apparently they had plans to make it the biggest one in the world this year. They also said they have no current plans to reschedule, so we can only hope they will eventually and look forward to the surf trip this weekend.

The Absinthe Salon

Took our trip to the Absinthe Salon last night. It's the only one in the world and has been open for a year now in Sydney since new laws have passed to make it legal. For those of you that don't know exactly what Absinthe is (mum), its a type of alcohol that is generally derived from wormwood and has a liquorish sent to it. It's said to be able to make you hallucinate if you drink enough of it, but don't worry they cut everyone off after the third drink and aren't aloud to serve anyone after 10pm.

The place had a kind of goth atmosphere and was definitely unlike any bar or salon I've ever been to. The majority of the absinthe drinks came from France and a lot from Sweden, with only one coming from Germany. Each drink is ranked on the menu from 45-74 to tell you its strength and with each order you have to order one stronger than the last because it will numb your tongue and you wouldn't be able to fully taste the next drink that is weaker than the previous.

The Salon is just in one very small room, said to seat 30, but I don't know if that's even possible and this is what the set up is at each table. The middle fountain is full of ice water which will slowly drip over a sugar cube that dissolves into your glass of absinthe.

Don't know how I pulled off this shot on my second round of an absinthe drink, but caught both drops of water in action as they dissolve the sugar. 

Although we only had three drinks you can definitely still feel a different kind of buzz from alcohol. No little green ferries or leprechauns start running around the room but your face and body got a little bit warm and numb and you would just feel extra relaxed. The owners told us they were impressed we took our 3 drink limit and that people usually only do 2 for the first time. Anthony (on the left) insisted he could do 5 or 6 but the owners were certain he might feel differently if he were to have tried. We'll let you be the judge by the picture in the middle of round 2 of drinks.

Me with the owners. They were really nice people and extremely passionate about their absinthe.

And the whole crew after our Absinthe visit. Another once in a lifetime experience in the books. It was an expensive one but definitely something people should try out if ever given a chance. If you want anymore info on the place check it out, I attached the link below.

www.absinthesalon.com.au

St. Patty's Day

First day of St. Patty's day celebration in the books. Wish I had a camera last night to show the midget a club had hired to get up and dance around on a table dressed like a leprechaun. It was priceless.

We're headed to the Absinthe Saloon tonight though, and there's a huge St. Patty's Day parade on Sunday so keep posted this weekend and there will be a lot more interesting photos and experiences to come. I've posted everything I've done up to this point on facebook too, from rugby, to wine tasting, to Mardi Gras and more so check out my photos up to now there and I'll keep them running here from now on.

Happy St. Patty's Day to everyone at home!

Feeding the neighborhood birds

This little guy just showed up to our window making a deafening screech looking for food.

So Dan figured why not try

He's thinking about it...

and SUCCESS

The new home and just where I live around Coogee

So here's my first official post everybody. Some of the pictures you may have already seen me post up on facebook but from now on I'll be doing all my updating of my time in Sydney on here. I've got a whole lot more that I'm just organizing and getting into albums of other places I've been and things I've seen and they'll be up as soon as I figure all this out.

For starters though, this is where I'm living. From my apartment to the beach down the street, the cafes and shops and the awesome gym next door I get to try and keep myself in shape at. I know I've said it 1000 times but the weather has been nothing short of amazing here. With the occasional cloudy sky and rain drop or two, it is literally gorgeous 98% of the time. The people don't fall anywhere short of beautiful either . Way less fat people than in the states and I even every mother that pushes their babies up and down the beach in strollers is a bombshell. Granted I'm convinced it's because the food is too expensive to eat down here so they aren't given a choice, but non the less the people are beautiful and on top of that extremely friendly.

There are 4 of us that live in my apartment, Paul, Dan, Matty and I, all from the States, and within our whole complex is nothing but old people. Not good for hanging out and drinking goon (what they call their cheap wine here), but for the most part really nice people. Just don't let Ron (the 90 year old tenant above us) catch you for an afternoon conversation in passing on the street, nicest person in the world, but literally will talk to you until the sun comes up. Anyway that's enough of my babbling for now and I hope you enjoy the pictures and following my time in aussie land.

Dan admiring our freshly cleaned (courtesy of Matt), innovative coffee table

The Room

Bathroom, watch out for the shower
it either burns you, or freezes you out

The sports field out our front window. Rugby has yet to start but we couldn't figure out cricket for the life of us.

The past 4 are of our roof, this is where we get to hang our laundry (which sucks but the view makes it easier) and where we like to hang out and drink some goon. The neighbors aren't fans of that though...

This is a little water hole off to the side of the beach. It sort of blocks off some of the waves with the surrounding rocks and you'll find a lot of people swimming in it during high tide. I'll have pictures later of me jumping into it off the cliff that overlooks it.

The bus stop down the street

Alfreda Street, just tell everyone you live on the street with the McDonalds, or Maccas when you're talking to a local

Hard to tell but this street is loaded with little cafes and shops. Pretty much
an endless amount of good places to eat but there for the most part expensive
so it's really a treat when we actually go out.

The infamous Garlos serving up meat pies all day and most importantly late
into the night when you get the munchies from being over hydrated

The nicest gym I've ever been to. Only a few houses down.

The best part, the huge windows that let in the ocean breeze the whole time
you're there. It's a bit counter effective though because it usually just makes
me want to go to the beach

Thats all for now. My first go was a little hectic but I started figuring it out by the end and will have the next few a little better organized. Hope you liked it and keep checking it out for my life down under.