Okay, so I forgot to post this one before my last and final post, so let's just pretend...
Australian cities I visited:
Sydney x 2
Katoomba (Blue Mountains) x 2
Melbourne
Pakenham
Wheeler's Hill
Tourquay
Lorne
Apollo Bay
Adelaide
Clare
Quorn
Parachilna
Wilpena Pound
Rawnsley Park
Coober Pedy
Ayers Rock
Kings Canyon
Alice Springs
Cairns
Magnetic Island
Airlie Beach (Whitsunday Islands)
Maroochydore
Noosa Heads
Surfer's Paradise
Coolangatta
Byron Bay
Coffs Harbour
Newcastle
Number of different places/beds I slept in while in Australia = 21
Kilometers driven in Australia = 3,956 (including Great Ocean Road Trip)
Number of car accidents/tickets = 0 (that I know of - I hated those speed cameras)
Notable Differences:
Toilets in AUS have half-flush or full-flush
Speed cameras everywhere and slow speed limits
Major highways are much smaller
Lanscape/scenery is so lush and green (except of course in the outback)
Many more smokers than in the states (includes visitors)
Drinking age is 18
A lot of bars stay open until 4am
Botanical gardens in almost every city
AUS hasn't destroyed their tree population yet like the US has
No ozone layer
AUS radio and TV sensors are not as strict as US
Driving on the other side - which means running on the other side too!
The wildlife - kanagroos, emus, camel, koalas, and birds galore.
Things I missed from America:
Goldfish (the crackers)
Turkey sandwiches
Instant Oatmeal
Dannon yogurt
My loofa
My body pillow
Stride gum (although I brought some with me and Mark brought reinforcements)
Propel
Easily available Pepsi products
Ketchup
What I will miss from Australia:
Cadbury chocolates
White sand (big beaches)
The accent
Warm ocean water/clear water
Driving on the other side - I actually really enjoyed it
Arnott's Biscuits
Bushwalking
The ease of public transportation
Gelato stores everywhere
The Outback sky at night
What I won't miss from AUS:
THE MILLIONS OF BIRDS LIVING THERE! :)
Some great Aussie sayings/words:
Fair dinkum'
Good onya
How you going?
G'day, mate!
Gridiron (American Football)
Pokies (slot machines)
Biscuits (cookies)
Chips (french fries)
Hire a car
Booking (reservation)
"Oz, Oz, Oz, Oi, Oi, Oi"
"In Australia, we drive on the left side."
Arvo (afternoon)
Bathers (swimsuit)
Bloke
Bottle Shop (liquor store)
Heaps (a lot)
Brekkie (breakfast)
Maccas - Macker's (McDonald's)
Lollies (candy)
Chupa chups (lolly pops)
Budgie smuglers (speedo)
No worries!
Bush (the outback, hiking areas, etc)
Grog (beer)
Ripper (something is great)
Servo (petrol station)
Petrol (gas)
Thongs (flip flops)
That's all I can think of for now...maybe I will add to it later.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
There's no place like home...
Yup, that's right, I'm back!!! I flew out of Sydney on Sunday, March 9th at 1:55pm and arrived back in the US on March 9th at 1:20pm. Yes, kind of confusing.
Sunday morning was very eventful. I got up and went for my last run in Australia. It was okay running in the city again, but not my favorite. Mark and I had some last minute shopping and then it was check out time and head to the airport. This was not fun. We got lost all over the city not being able to turn left or right or where ever we needed to go. Then there was traffic into the airport. Once we finally got there and returned the keys, I only had 2 hours before my plane departed - plenty of time, right?!?! Wrong...It took 1.5 hours just to get checked in and then I had to rush through customs and security check. Mark and I didn't even get to say "Have a nice flight!" - we were on different airlines. I made it to my flight though and took a last look at one of my favourite countries before heading to Fiji.
The flights were flights and not much to say about them except I got no sleep. The seats are so small and uncomfortable - I can't imagine what taller people go through when flying. Luckily though, my feet didn't swell this time, WOOHOO!!
Unfortunately for Mark, he too had flight problems and had 2 of his flights cancelled. He did make it back though, so all is good now.
Flying from Fiji to LAX was interesting because it was the first time in two months I have been surrounded by all Americans. I talked to a lot of my neighbors and we shared vacation stories. Mostly everyone around me couldn't believe I was in Australia for 2 months, just traveling and alone. Ahh, the American view on things is so different than what I have been surrounded with the past few months. It did make me feel good though that I had accomplished what most of them said they could never do. I will take so much away from this experience, I can't even begin to explain what the past two months has done for me.
After what seemed like forever, I finally arrived in LA only to wait about a hour for my bags to come out to collect - I think the crews kept taking coffee breaks in between unloading... Then of course I zipped through customs and headed toward the sign that said "Exit To Los Angeles". Turning the corner, one of the first faces I saw was my mom...it was so great to see her smiling face. Once I got through "the walkway where a million people watch you waiting for their 'loved one' to come out", I saw both my mom and dad and was welcomed with big hugs and smiles (it may have been an act, but felt great!). :) Just to add to my long day, my dad decided to take a "tour" of the city of Torrence...yes, in other words, we got lost...but finally made it back and headed home. The scenery here is so different, I almost forgot what it was like. As much as I love American, Australia has it beat on views and landscapes.
I did have to make one quick stop...my good friends Joey and Leslie had no idea I was coming home today, so I thought I would surprise them. Only Joey was home, but he sure was shocked...I would pay money to get a picture of his face when he saw me standing at the door window. I think the dogs were more happy to see me though.
I then finally made it home and unpacked a few things - or as Dad says, made my room look more normal...you know, with stuff all over the floor. I promise I will clean it up (when I move out again...)!!! We then met with a few people for dinner - MEXICAN!!! It was wonderful...nothing beats Mexican in Southern California...
Now here I am at 11:15pm, shouldn't I be asleep by now?!?! Why can't I sleep?!?! I'm hoping staring at the computer screen will help lull me to bed...maybe it is starting to work.
Well, this is it. My Big Adventure is over and on to the next phase of life. What is that, you ask. I have no idea, but I'm sure I will figure it out - one day at a time.
Sunday morning was very eventful. I got up and went for my last run in Australia. It was okay running in the city again, but not my favorite. Mark and I had some last minute shopping and then it was check out time and head to the airport. This was not fun. We got lost all over the city not being able to turn left or right or where ever we needed to go. Then there was traffic into the airport. Once we finally got there and returned the keys, I only had 2 hours before my plane departed - plenty of time, right?!?! Wrong...It took 1.5 hours just to get checked in and then I had to rush through customs and security check. Mark and I didn't even get to say "Have a nice flight!" - we were on different airlines. I made it to my flight though and took a last look at one of my favourite countries before heading to Fiji.
The flights were flights and not much to say about them except I got no sleep. The seats are so small and uncomfortable - I can't imagine what taller people go through when flying. Luckily though, my feet didn't swell this time, WOOHOO!!
Unfortunately for Mark, he too had flight problems and had 2 of his flights cancelled. He did make it back though, so all is good now.
Flying from Fiji to LAX was interesting because it was the first time in two months I have been surrounded by all Americans. I talked to a lot of my neighbors and we shared vacation stories. Mostly everyone around me couldn't believe I was in Australia for 2 months, just traveling and alone. Ahh, the American view on things is so different than what I have been surrounded with the past few months. It did make me feel good though that I had accomplished what most of them said they could never do. I will take so much away from this experience, I can't even begin to explain what the past two months has done for me.
After what seemed like forever, I finally arrived in LA only to wait about a hour for my bags to come out to collect - I think the crews kept taking coffee breaks in between unloading... Then of course I zipped through customs and headed toward the sign that said "Exit To Los Angeles". Turning the corner, one of the first faces I saw was my mom...it was so great to see her smiling face. Once I got through "the walkway where a million people watch you waiting for their 'loved one' to come out", I saw both my mom and dad and was welcomed with big hugs and smiles (it may have been an act, but felt great!). :) Just to add to my long day, my dad decided to take a "tour" of the city of Torrence...yes, in other words, we got lost...but finally made it back and headed home. The scenery here is so different, I almost forgot what it was like. As much as I love American, Australia has it beat on views and landscapes.
I did have to make one quick stop...my good friends Joey and Leslie had no idea I was coming home today, so I thought I would surprise them. Only Joey was home, but he sure was shocked...I would pay money to get a picture of his face when he saw me standing at the door window. I think the dogs were more happy to see me though.
I then finally made it home and unpacked a few things - or as Dad says, made my room look more normal...you know, with stuff all over the floor. I promise I will clean it up (when I move out again...)!!! We then met with a few people for dinner - MEXICAN!!! It was wonderful...nothing beats Mexican in Southern California...
Now here I am at 11:15pm, shouldn't I be asleep by now?!?! Why can't I sleep?!?! I'm hoping staring at the computer screen will help lull me to bed...maybe it is starting to work.
Well, this is it. My Big Adventure is over and on to the next phase of life. What is that, you ask. I have no idea, but I'm sure I will figure it out - one day at a time.
The Sydney Splurge
So Saturday was Mark's last night in Australia and he finally made a decision!! No hostel, we would stay at a hotel in Sydney. I looked some up and found the Amora hotel near "The Rocks". We woke up Saturday morning to dense fog up in the Blue Mountains and I went for a cold run - first in over a month! The day before, we found out that marathon "The Six Foot Track" was actually being held on Saturday - Mark tried to get me to sign up for it last minute and as much as I really wanted to do it, I just don't think I was prepared for it, so I decided not to run it. Maybe it will be something I come back to do...who knows...
We got everything packed up and drove down into the city. WOW, I almost forgot how much I hate driving in cities and Sydney is now on the top of my list...after many turns, u-turns, a trip across the bridge and back, we finally made it into the city. We had to run a few errands first, but finally made it to our hotel around 1pm. We parked the car and I was thrilled to not have to drive anymore - we will walk around the rest of the time in the city.
Our room was on the 28th floor, but the view was mostly of other tall buildings around us. We could catch a glimpse of the Opera House, so I guess it was something! I wasn't complaining though because we had our own room, comfy beds, big pillows (I took the extra one), robes, slippers, a bathtub, WASHCLOTHS!!!, mini bar, TV, ironig board, pens to take, etc - you get the point?!??! In other words, I haven't had many of these luxuries in the last two months...
Next we headed out on a tour around the Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Botanical Gardens so Mark could get some pictures and take a tour of the city - it was a clear, sunny day, so hee lucked out. Then we did some souvenir shopping (my first since arriving here). Mark wanted a digeridoo, but after seeing the prices, he had to get a beer before allowing himself to fork out that cash. We got a Toohey's at the Mercantile Hotel (voted bestt Irish pub in Sydney) and then went back to to the booth so Mark could spend some more money! That was all he wanted too see/do and since I have seen it all before, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the pool and hot tub - for free!!! Yes, the things you miss while backpacking. I totally needed both and it was so refreshing.
After the relaxing part, we walked back down to The Rocks area for dinner. We both had pasta with seafood (another splurge!) and it tasted wonderful. I felt so out of place, but it was nice to actually sit down in a nicer restaurant and enjoy the beautiful evening. After dinner, we went to Jackson's on George for another drink, but were stuft and tired, that we went back to the hotel after one drink. It was so nice to lounge around in the room, watch free movies and be able to lay all my "crap" out too sort out and repack.
Even though the beds were a deluxe size (about 3 inches wider than a normal sizee), they were very comfortable and I slept really well. Much needed rest after another long and exciting day!
We got everything packed up and drove down into the city. WOW, I almost forgot how much I hate driving in cities and Sydney is now on the top of my list...after many turns, u-turns, a trip across the bridge and back, we finally made it into the city. We had to run a few errands first, but finally made it to our hotel around 1pm. We parked the car and I was thrilled to not have to drive anymore - we will walk around the rest of the time in the city.
Our room was on the 28th floor, but the view was mostly of other tall buildings around us. We could catch a glimpse of the Opera House, so I guess it was something! I wasn't complaining though because we had our own room, comfy beds, big pillows (I took the extra one), robes, slippers, a bathtub, WASHCLOTHS!!!, mini bar, TV, ironig board, pens to take, etc - you get the point?!??! In other words, I haven't had many of these luxuries in the last two months...
Next we headed out on a tour around the Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Botanical Gardens so Mark could get some pictures and take a tour of the city - it was a clear, sunny day, so hee lucked out. Then we did some souvenir shopping (my first since arriving here). Mark wanted a digeridoo, but after seeing the prices, he had to get a beer before allowing himself to fork out that cash. We got a Toohey's at the Mercantile Hotel (voted bestt Irish pub in Sydney) and then went back to to the booth so Mark could spend some more money! That was all he wanted too see/do and since I have seen it all before, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the pool and hot tub - for free!!! Yes, the things you miss while backpacking. I totally needed both and it was so refreshing.
After the relaxing part, we walked back down to The Rocks area for dinner. We both had pasta with seafood (another splurge!) and it tasted wonderful. I felt so out of place, but it was nice to actually sit down in a nicer restaurant and enjoy the beautiful evening. After dinner, we went to Jackson's on George for another drink, but were stuft and tired, that we went back to the hotel after one drink. It was so nice to lounge around in the room, watch free movies and be able to lay all my "crap" out too sort out and repack.
Even though the beds were a deluxe size (about 3 inches wider than a normal sizee), they were very comfortable and I slept really well. Much needed rest after another long and exciting day!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Coffs Harbour and back to the Blue Mountains
Wednesday was spent in Coffs Harbour as well. What a great town...it reminds me of Carlsbad and I loved it. Only about 18,000 people live in the town but it is very long so there is a lot to look at and visit.
I got up that morning and dropped Mark off at the local golf course. Then I went back to Karen & Mick's and went for a run around the town. It is great to check out new areas and I got to see a lot more of the northern end of the city. After the run, I did lots of fun stuff - laundry, made reservations for Blue Mountains, cancelled some reservations for other stuff, etc, etc...it all needed to be done, so at least I got it out of the way. After picking Mark up, we headed back down to the beach. It was another great day - a little more clouds, but still sunny and beautiful. We somehow have lucked out on the weather...especially since Cairns just got 600mm of rain and is now flooded...
The beaches down this way are much different. Big waves, but since it is in the harbour, they break every which way. It is really weird too because there are sandbars all over, so you will go in a couple feet and all of a sudden be waist deep, but then two feet later, you are standing in 2 inch deep water. It can be a little freaky if you aren't paying close enough attention. The beach is really sandy too, so we were covered in it when we got out.
We again met Mick and Karen after work, and Mick took us to Heritage Park - a local suburb. This suburb was built right in the middle of kangaroo grazing areas, so there are kangaroos all over the place. In people's yards, on the street, in the grassy areas. Needless to say, Mark was finally happy that he got to see kangaroos in the wild. I enjoyed it too, but since I was driving, had to pay more attention to making sure I didn't hit one!
That night, Mick took us to the Sawtell RSL Club (Karen was playing squash) . The RSL clubs are great! Cheap food, cheap drinks and you get to people watch all the locals. I must say though, out of all the ones I have visited since arriving in Australia, the one in Sawtell is by far the busiest and nicest looking one I have been in. For dinner, I had Barrimundi...it was great! On the side were veggies and potato and pumpkin...yes, pumpkin...it is very popular here and you can usually find it served anywhere. Although, I have yet to find pumpkin pie. If I asked for it, they would probably think I meant a meat pie with pumpkin in it...
Side note: Since I have done a ton of driving, the main thing I have noticed here is that there are a million round-a-bouts and half of them are in Coffs! I do like the round-a-bouts though because that means there are less stop signs. And the answer is no for those of you wondering if I have pulled a National Lampoon's round-a-bout...if you don't know what I am talking about, don't worry...
After dinner, we just hung out back at Karen and Mick's. I think Mark enjoyed being around locals and talking with them about the differences between Australia and the US. I again just enjoyed spending time with friends and lounging around in a house. I must say, the Steven's family (and extensions) have made my trip to Australia so much better - what can you say about great friends other than just feeling lucky to have them!
On Thursday, we got up early and headed to the Blue Mountains - I knew Mark would like it up there as much as I did, so that is where we will spend his last few days in Australia. The drive is about 8 hours, so we stopped in Newcastle on the way. It is another great little beach town about 150km north of Sydney. We just drove down to the local beach and hung out there for a few hours. Mark went in and said it was too rough, so I just got wet enough to cool me down, but stayed out of the water.
We walked around a bit and checked out the local salt baths and Newcastle Beach. This sand has the "barking sand" as well. I should try to figure out why it makes funny noises like that - something to do when I get back to the states and have a bunch of time on my hands!
The drive to the Blue Mountains wasn't too bad, but it is so frustrating because half the time we are doing 40, 60 or 80kph because the construction on the roads is everywhere. I will have to come back in 5 years and see if it all has been completed. Maybe then the laws will allow you to drive 110kph for more than 10km!
Well, this trip to the Blue Mountains is completely different from the first trip - basically because it is sunny and warm! It was so warm last night, that I could barely even sleep...I was so uncomfortable.
We got up this morning (and after a quick run), hiked for 4.5 hours. It was great to get out there again and Mark enjoyed all the scenery and birds. Too bad we both don't like them...I could care less and keep walking but he wants to sit around and watch them for hours!!! Oh well...my shoes have definitely had it because my feet were killing me after the hiking. Next time, I will have to buy hiking boots before coming to Australia - it is definitely a must for bushwalking here.
Since we finished hiking around 2:00, we walked around town and got free chocolate samples, looked for digeridoos and just enjoyed the beautiful day. We hung out at the RSL club for a little bit and people watched - oh my, there were some characters in there tonight! Very entertaining. It was crazy, when we got out of the RSL club, all of a sudden the fog had rolled in and we couldn't see much at all. The weather did a 180 from when we went in there. I was kind of bummed because we were going to check out the Three Sister Illuminations tonight, but now we won't be able to see anything, so we won't even bother with it. It has been nice though to hang out up here again - I really do love it up here and it is so relaxing. We head to Sydney tomorrow...
Story from Byron Bay: I totally forgot this story from Byron Bay. The first night we stayed there, a group of French or Italian guys were having a birthday party for one of the guys. They had the whole deck area reserved and were going crazy. I think they were all drunk by 6pm. So by 9pm, they were throwing up and being loud and obnoxious. Then, the birthday boy (after throwing up) decided it was a good time to go swimming...but he of course could not go in with his clothes on, so next thing we know, he is running around the hostel completely naked holding himself so "the women don't see him"...it was quite amusing. The funny part was the older lady next to us all concerned and trying to get his friends to put him to bed...AHHHHH, maybe you had to be there...
I got up that morning and dropped Mark off at the local golf course. Then I went back to Karen & Mick's and went for a run around the town. It is great to check out new areas and I got to see a lot more of the northern end of the city. After the run, I did lots of fun stuff - laundry, made reservations for Blue Mountains, cancelled some reservations for other stuff, etc, etc...it all needed to be done, so at least I got it out of the way. After picking Mark up, we headed back down to the beach. It was another great day - a little more clouds, but still sunny and beautiful. We somehow have lucked out on the weather...especially since Cairns just got 600mm of rain and is now flooded...
The beaches down this way are much different. Big waves, but since it is in the harbour, they break every which way. It is really weird too because there are sandbars all over, so you will go in a couple feet and all of a sudden be waist deep, but then two feet later, you are standing in 2 inch deep water. It can be a little freaky if you aren't paying close enough attention. The beach is really sandy too, so we were covered in it when we got out.
We again met Mick and Karen after work, and Mick took us to Heritage Park - a local suburb. This suburb was built right in the middle of kangaroo grazing areas, so there are kangaroos all over the place. In people's yards, on the street, in the grassy areas. Needless to say, Mark was finally happy that he got to see kangaroos in the wild. I enjoyed it too, but since I was driving, had to pay more attention to making sure I didn't hit one!
That night, Mick took us to the Sawtell RSL Club (Karen was playing squash) . The RSL clubs are great! Cheap food, cheap drinks and you get to people watch all the locals. I must say though, out of all the ones I have visited since arriving in Australia, the one in Sawtell is by far the busiest and nicest looking one I have been in. For dinner, I had Barrimundi...it was great! On the side were veggies and potato and pumpkin...yes, pumpkin...it is very popular here and you can usually find it served anywhere. Although, I have yet to find pumpkin pie. If I asked for it, they would probably think I meant a meat pie with pumpkin in it...
Side note: Since I have done a ton of driving, the main thing I have noticed here is that there are a million round-a-bouts and half of them are in Coffs! I do like the round-a-bouts though because that means there are less stop signs. And the answer is no for those of you wondering if I have pulled a National Lampoon's round-a-bout...if you don't know what I am talking about, don't worry...
After dinner, we just hung out back at Karen and Mick's. I think Mark enjoyed being around locals and talking with them about the differences between Australia and the US. I again just enjoyed spending time with friends and lounging around in a house. I must say, the Steven's family (and extensions) have made my trip to Australia so much better - what can you say about great friends other than just feeling lucky to have them!
On Thursday, we got up early and headed to the Blue Mountains - I knew Mark would like it up there as much as I did, so that is where we will spend his last few days in Australia. The drive is about 8 hours, so we stopped in Newcastle on the way. It is another great little beach town about 150km north of Sydney. We just drove down to the local beach and hung out there for a few hours. Mark went in and said it was too rough, so I just got wet enough to cool me down, but stayed out of the water.
We walked around a bit and checked out the local salt baths and Newcastle Beach. This sand has the "barking sand" as well. I should try to figure out why it makes funny noises like that - something to do when I get back to the states and have a bunch of time on my hands!
The drive to the Blue Mountains wasn't too bad, but it is so frustrating because half the time we are doing 40, 60 or 80kph because the construction on the roads is everywhere. I will have to come back in 5 years and see if it all has been completed. Maybe then the laws will allow you to drive 110kph for more than 10km!
Well, this trip to the Blue Mountains is completely different from the first trip - basically because it is sunny and warm! It was so warm last night, that I could barely even sleep...I was so uncomfortable.
We got up this morning (and after a quick run), hiked for 4.5 hours. It was great to get out there again and Mark enjoyed all the scenery and birds. Too bad we both don't like them...I could care less and keep walking but he wants to sit around and watch them for hours!!! Oh well...my shoes have definitely had it because my feet were killing me after the hiking. Next time, I will have to buy hiking boots before coming to Australia - it is definitely a must for bushwalking here.
Since we finished hiking around 2:00, we walked around town and got free chocolate samples, looked for digeridoos and just enjoyed the beautiful day. We hung out at the RSL club for a little bit and people watched - oh my, there were some characters in there tonight! Very entertaining. It was crazy, when we got out of the RSL club, all of a sudden the fog had rolled in and we couldn't see much at all. The weather did a 180 from when we went in there. I was kind of bummed because we were going to check out the Three Sister Illuminations tonight, but now we won't be able to see anything, so we won't even bother with it. It has been nice though to hang out up here again - I really do love it up here and it is so relaxing. We head to Sydney tomorrow...
Story from Byron Bay: I totally forgot this story from Byron Bay. The first night we stayed there, a group of French or Italian guys were having a birthday party for one of the guys. They had the whole deck area reserved and were going crazy. I think they were all drunk by 6pm. So by 9pm, they were throwing up and being loud and obnoxious. Then, the birthday boy (after throwing up) decided it was a good time to go swimming...but he of course could not go in with his clothes on, so next thing we know, he is running around the hostel completely naked holding himself so "the women don't see him"...it was quite amusing. The funny part was the older lady next to us all concerned and trying to get his friends to put him to bed...AHHHHH, maybe you had to be there...
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
More of the Tour and Coffs Harbour
Yesterday (Monday), I got up and went for a run around Byron Bay. It was nice to see more of the area. I ran up to the lighthouse and when I say up, I mean it. It was about a mile long steady incline/hill up to the top. There was a path that continued on past the lighthouse, so I kept going and ended up getting to the "Most Easternly Point of Australia Mainland." Of course I didn't have my camera with me, so I was not able to take a picture. Byron Bay is a great little town with beautiful beaches and some great waves. There didn't seem to be much to do in the town other than going out diving, kayaking or snorkeling, but you can pretty much see the whole town in a hour or so.
After eating breakfast, Mark and I walked around the town to see some more and take some pictures. We decided to drive back up to the Quicksilver Pro Tour again today to hopefully watch Kelly Slater surf in the competition. We weren't even sure if the competition would be on, but we headed back up there. When we arrived, we found out that it would start at 10am. Kelly would be in the 3rd heat of the day, so we stuck around to watch. We had to leave the area around noon to get to Coffs Harbour by 5pm. The first two heats were good, but it was crazy to see all the spectators come out of nowhere for Kelly's heat. Where we were sitting, we got some great shots of him sitting in the "Surfer's Area" getting ready for his heat. (Erin - he is hotter in person!!!) The best part was when he came down to the beach and headed out to the water, he walked right in front of where I was sitting. I'm not kidding, I was about 3 feet from him - great picture opps! He had an awesome heat and it was amazing to see him surf in person. What a talented guy. He just made it look so natural and easy. We were so impressed and glad we make the trek back up to watch more of the competition - it was well worth it!
Next, we were off to Coffs Harbour - a four hour drive from Coolangatta. The landscape is still so beautiful. I don't think I have seen any place with so much great scenery. We haven't driven through one area not worth driving through again. The weird thing though is that we have been on their main highway the whole time and yet the majority of it is just a two lane road. There are a lot of overtaking lanes, but still, we have gone over 2,000km and the most we have seen is a 4 lane road. Also, the speed limit here is 100km/hour (62mph)...it is soooooo slow! The car doesn't have cruise control, so it has been a little frustrating a times. They have speed cameras all over the place, so I have to be very careful and really can't go over the speed limit by more than 5km/hr. I am learning to be patient...
Side note: Funny/bummer thing for Mark...he so badly wants to see wild koalas and kangaroos, but has not had any luck. We see warning signs all over for the animals, but he still has only see a couple kangas. I have seen heaps, but he is starting to think I am just pulling his leg and there aren't any really in the wild. I think they are all just hiding from him...
We arrived in Coffs and met up with Mick and Karen Stevens (Kim and Fiona's parents) at their store in the downtown area. Since we got in later in the evening, we just stopped for coffee and groceries and then headed back to their place to eat and hang out. It is so nice to be in a house again. It felt great to have a home cooked meal and was nice to just sit on the couch for the night. I'm glad Mark will get some "Aussie" experiences while he is here.
We were both obviously very comfortable in the house because both of us slept until 8am...not having to worry about checking out by 10am or getting on a tour at 7am made it easy for us to relax. I went for a run to check out the neighborhood and then Mark and I headed down to Coffs Harbour Jetty. It is such a great town here and the weather was perfect today - not a cloud in the sky! We walked out on the jetty and up Muttonbird Island to get some great pictures of the town. Afterwards, Mark rented a surfboard to go surfing and I hung out on the beach soaking up some more sun. The water is getting colder as we have gone further south, but it was still pretty decsent - especially when it is so hot out. Then we walked around the Coffs Harbour downtown area and checked out some local stores.
Tonight, we met Karen and Mick and went to their local RSL club for Bowls Night. Mark subed in for Karen and played with Mick and another guy. He did pretty well and caught on quick. They unfortunately lost, but had a great time. It was a nice night because Karen and I got to sit around and chat and catch up on things. It is nice to be around friends again...
After eating breakfast, Mark and I walked around the town to see some more and take some pictures. We decided to drive back up to the Quicksilver Pro Tour again today to hopefully watch Kelly Slater surf in the competition. We weren't even sure if the competition would be on, but we headed back up there. When we arrived, we found out that it would start at 10am. Kelly would be in the 3rd heat of the day, so we stuck around to watch. We had to leave the area around noon to get to Coffs Harbour by 5pm. The first two heats were good, but it was crazy to see all the spectators come out of nowhere for Kelly's heat. Where we were sitting, we got some great shots of him sitting in the "Surfer's Area" getting ready for his heat. (Erin - he is hotter in person!!!) The best part was when he came down to the beach and headed out to the water, he walked right in front of where I was sitting. I'm not kidding, I was about 3 feet from him - great picture opps! He had an awesome heat and it was amazing to see him surf in person. What a talented guy. He just made it look so natural and easy. We were so impressed and glad we make the trek back up to watch more of the competition - it was well worth it!
Next, we were off to Coffs Harbour - a four hour drive from Coolangatta. The landscape is still so beautiful. I don't think I have seen any place with so much great scenery. We haven't driven through one area not worth driving through again. The weird thing though is that we have been on their main highway the whole time and yet the majority of it is just a two lane road. There are a lot of overtaking lanes, but still, we have gone over 2,000km and the most we have seen is a 4 lane road. Also, the speed limit here is 100km/hour (62mph)...it is soooooo slow! The car doesn't have cruise control, so it has been a little frustrating a times. They have speed cameras all over the place, so I have to be very careful and really can't go over the speed limit by more than 5km/hr. I am learning to be patient...
Side note: Funny/bummer thing for Mark...he so badly wants to see wild koalas and kangaroos, but has not had any luck. We see warning signs all over for the animals, but he still has only see a couple kangas. I have seen heaps, but he is starting to think I am just pulling his leg and there aren't any really in the wild. I think they are all just hiding from him...
We arrived in Coffs and met up with Mick and Karen Stevens (Kim and Fiona's parents) at their store in the downtown area. Since we got in later in the evening, we just stopped for coffee and groceries and then headed back to their place to eat and hang out. It is so nice to be in a house again. It felt great to have a home cooked meal and was nice to just sit on the couch for the night. I'm glad Mark will get some "Aussie" experiences while he is here.
We were both obviously very comfortable in the house because both of us slept until 8am...not having to worry about checking out by 10am or getting on a tour at 7am made it easy for us to relax. I went for a run to check out the neighborhood and then Mark and I headed down to Coffs Harbour Jetty. It is such a great town here and the weather was perfect today - not a cloud in the sky! We walked out on the jetty and up Muttonbird Island to get some great pictures of the town. Afterwards, Mark rented a surfboard to go surfing and I hung out on the beach soaking up some more sun. The water is getting colder as we have gone further south, but it was still pretty decsent - especially when it is so hot out. Then we walked around the Coffs Harbour downtown area and checked out some local stores.
Tonight, we met Karen and Mick and went to their local RSL club for Bowls Night. Mark subed in for Karen and played with Mick and another guy. He did pretty well and caught on quick. They unfortunately lost, but had a great time. It was a nice night because Karen and I got to sit around and chat and catch up on things. It is nice to be around friends again...
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Quicksilver Pro Tour
http://www.aspworldtour.com/quikpro/
Well today, was almost exactly like yesterday except for the fact that it was the men's day to compete. We stayed in Byron Bay last night, so we had to get up early and drive back up to Coolangatta for the event - luckily, there is an hour time difference, so we didn't have to get up too early. We made it up there around 7:45am, but of course they did not start the competition until 9:45am because they were waiting for the swell to pick up.
Since we got there so early though, we were able to secure some space under one of the tents set up for anyone. It made a huge difference with sitting out in the sun again all day. We still got a bit of sun and heat, but after yesterday, it was nice to be covered up for most of it.
So again, I had another Carlsbad nostalgia going today. In the third heat, I got to see Taylor Knox compete - he is another hometown surfing legend. He won his heat and will advance to the next round. After he finished, I went up to take his picture and saw him talking to some lady...I went up after and asked if she was friends with Taylor and if she was from Carlsbad/USA. She said she was friends with him, but not from Carlsbad - although she is also friends with the owner of Carlsbad Pipeline Surf Shop. We talked for a few minutes and I asked her to let Taylor know there were 2 Carlsbadians there cheering him on. Hopefully the message got passed.
We watched 10 heats - including Mick Fanning (currently ranked #1 in the world) and Taj Burrows - a major threat and one of the fastest guys on a board these days. There are 16 heats, but they called it after 10 to continue tomorrow. Kelly Slater is in heat 13, so we didn't see him compete, but as soon as they called it, he went charging into the water for a free surf session. We watched him for a little bit. Never have I seen him surf and now I have watched him in real life twice in three days - CRAZY! We haven't decided yet if we will go back tomorrow or not. We haven't done anything in Byron Bay and will be leaving tomorrow for Coffs Harbour.
The weather at the competition today was nice, but here in Byron Bay, it is kind of cold and raining on and off...hopefully we still get some sun in the next week so I can keep my great tan going!!! :) I don't think I have ever been this dark!!!
Well today, was almost exactly like yesterday except for the fact that it was the men's day to compete. We stayed in Byron Bay last night, so we had to get up early and drive back up to Coolangatta for the event - luckily, there is an hour time difference, so we didn't have to get up too early. We made it up there around 7:45am, but of course they did not start the competition until 9:45am because they were waiting for the swell to pick up.
Since we got there so early though, we were able to secure some space under one of the tents set up for anyone. It made a huge difference with sitting out in the sun again all day. We still got a bit of sun and heat, but after yesterday, it was nice to be covered up for most of it.
So again, I had another Carlsbad nostalgia going today. In the third heat, I got to see Taylor Knox compete - he is another hometown surfing legend. He won his heat and will advance to the next round. After he finished, I went up to take his picture and saw him talking to some lady...I went up after and asked if she was friends with Taylor and if she was from Carlsbad/USA. She said she was friends with him, but not from Carlsbad - although she is also friends with the owner of Carlsbad Pipeline Surf Shop. We talked for a few minutes and I asked her to let Taylor know there were 2 Carlsbadians there cheering him on. Hopefully the message got passed.
We watched 10 heats - including Mick Fanning (currently ranked #1 in the world) and Taj Burrows - a major threat and one of the fastest guys on a board these days. There are 16 heats, but they called it after 10 to continue tomorrow. Kelly Slater is in heat 13, so we didn't see him compete, but as soon as they called it, he went charging into the water for a free surf session. We watched him for a little bit. Never have I seen him surf and now I have watched him in real life twice in three days - CRAZY! We haven't decided yet if we will go back tomorrow or not. We haven't done anything in Byron Bay and will be leaving tomorrow for Coffs Harbour.
The weather at the competition today was nice, but here in Byron Bay, it is kind of cold and raining on and off...hopefully we still get some sun in the next week so I can keep my great tan going!!! :) I don't think I have ever been this dark!!!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Roxy Pro Tour
http://www.aspworldtour.com/roxypro/
Check it out...this is what we did today! The ASP World Tour Roxy Pro competition was on at Rainbow Beach/Snapper's Rock in Coolangatta and we got to see the women compete.
We left the hostel at 8am and got to the competition around 8:30. We were there the whole day and didn't leave until 3:30pm. It was a great day with pretty good swells and amazing weather - they had been calling for rain, but there were just a few clouds here and there. It did get pretty hot though and yes, I got sunburnt. How could I not...7 hours in the sun. I have never seen a whole day surf competition, so it was great to watch it all. I may have to start watching more of those back home...
When we got there, the first thing I did was check out who the competitors were. I didn't really recognize any of them and there is only 1 girl from Cali and 2 others from Hawaii - all the rest are Australian or South American. Then all of a sudden the announcers started talking about Julia de la Rosa Toro - formally known as Julia Christian - as in the Julia Christian - graduate of Carlsbad High! I couldn't believe it. Here I was watching a surf competition in Australia and one of the competitors is from my home town. She has actually been off tour lately, but just happened to join this tour last minute. The other thing too is that she now lives in Peru with her husband (Magoo de la Rosa Toro) so she was listed as surfing for Peru (sellout!)...It was great to sit there and cheer her on. She made it to the quarterfinals, but unfortunately had some bad luck with waves at the end of the heat and didn't make it on to the next round. I tried to talk to her at one point, but she couldn't hear me or was ignoring me - who knows! It was still pretty cool to see her competing.
Afterwards, Mark and I were walking back to the car and just saying to each other "How amazing is it to watch a pro surf competition in Australia and not even have planned it but just happened to be in the area?!?" It worked out great for us. The men are scheduled to compete tomorrow, so we are going to head back up to Coolangatta to watch them (Kelly Slater is on the program - should be great!). We had already planned to stay in Bryon Bay tonight and tomorrow, so we kept those plans and since it is only 70km south of Coolangatta, we will just head back up there in the morning tomorrow.
Hopefully my sunburn will be okay for tomorrow - otherwise I may have to find an umbrella to rent for the day.
Oh yeah, we did eat at the Mexican restaurant last night. We both had enchiladas and it was pretty good...especially for Australia...it was funny though because I don't think I have ever been served Mexican from a white Australian - almost didn't feel right. But we decided we had to compare it to the real stuff, so we broke our promise of not eating any Mexican on the trip and indulged...
Check it out...this is what we did today! The ASP World Tour Roxy Pro competition was on at Rainbow Beach/Snapper's Rock in Coolangatta and we got to see the women compete.
We left the hostel at 8am and got to the competition around 8:30. We were there the whole day and didn't leave until 3:30pm. It was a great day with pretty good swells and amazing weather - they had been calling for rain, but there were just a few clouds here and there. It did get pretty hot though and yes, I got sunburnt. How could I not...7 hours in the sun. I have never seen a whole day surf competition, so it was great to watch it all. I may have to start watching more of those back home...
When we got there, the first thing I did was check out who the competitors were. I didn't really recognize any of them and there is only 1 girl from Cali and 2 others from Hawaii - all the rest are Australian or South American. Then all of a sudden the announcers started talking about Julia de la Rosa Toro - formally known as Julia Christian - as in the Julia Christian - graduate of Carlsbad High! I couldn't believe it. Here I was watching a surf competition in Australia and one of the competitors is from my home town. She has actually been off tour lately, but just happened to join this tour last minute. The other thing too is that she now lives in Peru with her husband (Magoo de la Rosa Toro) so she was listed as surfing for Peru (sellout!)...It was great to sit there and cheer her on. She made it to the quarterfinals, but unfortunately had some bad luck with waves at the end of the heat and didn't make it on to the next round. I tried to talk to her at one point, but she couldn't hear me or was ignoring me - who knows! It was still pretty cool to see her competing.
Afterwards, Mark and I were walking back to the car and just saying to each other "How amazing is it to watch a pro surf competition in Australia and not even have planned it but just happened to be in the area?!?" It worked out great for us. The men are scheduled to compete tomorrow, so we are going to head back up to Coolangatta to watch them (Kelly Slater is on the program - should be great!). We had already planned to stay in Bryon Bay tonight and tomorrow, so we kept those plans and since it is only 70km south of Coolangatta, we will just head back up there in the morning tomorrow.
Hopefully my sunburn will be okay for tomorrow - otherwise I may have to find an umbrella to rent for the day.
Oh yeah, we did eat at the Mexican restaurant last night. We both had enchiladas and it was pretty good...especially for Australia...it was funny though because I don't think I have ever been served Mexican from a white Australian - almost didn't feel right. But we decided we had to compare it to the real stuff, so we broke our promise of not eating any Mexican on the trip and indulged...
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