is there such a thing as a best trip? no trip can be the best in every category?
Day 22 - Sydney
Last full day in Sydney. And last post. On the agenda is shopping, surfing and hiking at manly beach. wow i really didnt accomplish any my items yesterday. who care im on vacation. no agendas just like to do. find out that kevin also wants to go to manly i we head out together knowing for sure it will be difficult to surf. but i can surf at home i can only meet new people in sydney now. we take the ferry w/ adam from scotland. talk is minimal we are all a little hungover from last night. we chill on the beach. and i'm reminded if i come back i would like to stay here at manly beach. bars, surfing, and girls in bikinis every day. we grab a bite to eat at a roof top pub talk about politics in one of those famouse these guys know a lot about american politics but i know nothing about holand new or politics. am i stupid? of course not just a victim of my environment. At least thats what i tell myself. I've learned a lot about people on this trip through these types of conversations and in turn learn a lot about myself. thats really the reason why i travel and the sights are gravy. we do a bit of the bay hike and the day is flying i have to hope on the ferry to catch Greg and Kavita for drinks and dinner. It was awesome seeing them. I told them all about my trip as they are just getting started and wanted some tips. One of there friends i forget her name was even taking notes and asking very detailed questions about my Frasier Island trip. She was a self proclaimed "insecure paranoid". Sarcastic yes but i could tell it was based in reality. I gave her the benefit of the doubt as the just flew in at 7am and had a full day. But it made me realize the benefits of traveling alone cuz she like other people I would find it difficult to travel with. We go eat at this really good thai place. We talk about australia, stuff going on w/ you kids back in SF. They are exhausted and for some reason i'm ridiculously tired as well. But open for another drink after dinner. Everyone except Kavita calls it quites. I find golden ale again! but tap is dry. ouch. We chat about the girl i met in byron bay and the feasability of long distance relationships. There is none. We say goodbyes and agree to try and meet for breakfast in the morning. I head to hostel and the group of guys i partyed w/ the night before are heading out to Gaff on Orchid st. I'm in holey shorts and by Girls Gone Breakers shirt. I dont want to hold them up, plus dont even know if i'm going to rally (i'm beat), so i tell them i might meet up w/ them later. Miami boy are pared of w/ german girls and other that that just one other guy (i think chris who just got back from melbourne he like me was in the hostel before). It's my last night and i desperatly want to make it good but am in a funk. I say fuck it and charge. Chris wants to lay low. I head solo. I go to 2 bars, have 3 drinks and don't say a single word to anyone. Yes I was out of it. Shitty end to an Amazing trip. Thanks for reading. Till next time.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Day 21 - Sydney
Day 21 - Sydney
So since I've already been in Sydney for 3 full days there is really not much on the agenda. Some last item shopping, surfing, check out darling harbor. I decide to walk from the hostel to sydney opera house via the bay walk some other kids in the hostel told me about. It was nice and I only got almost lost once. Ended up in the botanical gardens and stumbled upon the museum of new south wales. Went in not expecting much but was pleasently surprised three floors of 17th/18th centurary european art, Australian artists, Contempory, Asian artifacts. And in fron two statues were inclosed by houses and the statues were turn into room art. Kinda hard to explain but cool. I'd have to show the nonexistent pictures. In all I spend over 2 hrs there. Wow. Free too. I walk threw downtown realizing i havent done that yet. Watch some skaters. One kid trying to jump off a 10 step drop some professionally photogropher were shooting. He didnt land it though. Walk further west to darling harbour. Basically our Pier 39 but accepted by locals and tons of people celebrating friday happy hour. There is a wildlife exhibit, aquarium, imax 3d, chinese garden, martime museum and more restaurants and bars than you know what to with. I people watch then grab a ferry back to Circle Quey main harbor. The ferry was smooth as hell and gave a great vantage point of this gigantic luxury crusier, harbour bridge and sydney opera house. head back to the hostel. play more drinking games. meet more people in my room. one dude kevin is from amsterdam just came from buenos aires. were he met a chick from sydney who told him she would be having a welcom back party in sydney tonight. we get there 10 before midnight and they tell us wecant come in cuz place close at midnight. really? midnight. bull shit. we head back to kings cross. on place is free but empty we bounce. another place is empty looks cool but wants 10 dollar cover. pass. world bar is bumping but says its guest list only. sugarmill looks cool but $10 cover. lame. i'm begining to not like this neighborhood. It is way too North Beach. we end up at bourbon w/ free entry passes we picked up on the street. Place is packed but again mainly guys and clicky girls. I get rejected by this girl. which is fine but what are you at the club for? I notice some girls from my hostel back in rainbow beach for Frasier Island. Another example of a Small World along a Backpackers route. They actually were in my room but i didnt get to know them thatwell at Frasier. We talk the hottest girl its her last night, Aly. I try to move in but lose track of her and she is gone. A few of her friends stay back and we head back to the irish pub. Mistake, 2 drunken guys start hitting on the girls to the point where they want to leave. We try to recover at the next place but the chemistry was kinda broken and we go our seperate ways.
So since I've already been in Sydney for 3 full days there is really not much on the agenda. Some last item shopping, surfing, check out darling harbor. I decide to walk from the hostel to sydney opera house via the bay walk some other kids in the hostel told me about. It was nice and I only got almost lost once. Ended up in the botanical gardens and stumbled upon the museum of new south wales. Went in not expecting much but was pleasently surprised three floors of 17th/18th centurary european art, Australian artists, Contempory, Asian artifacts. And in fron two statues were inclosed by houses and the statues were turn into room art. Kinda hard to explain but cool. I'd have to show the nonexistent pictures. In all I spend over 2 hrs there. Wow. Free too. I walk threw downtown realizing i havent done that yet. Watch some skaters. One kid trying to jump off a 10 step drop some professionally photogropher were shooting. He didnt land it though. Walk further west to darling harbour. Basically our Pier 39 but accepted by locals and tons of people celebrating friday happy hour. There is a wildlife exhibit, aquarium, imax 3d, chinese garden, martime museum and more restaurants and bars than you know what to with. I people watch then grab a ferry back to Circle Quey main harbor. The ferry was smooth as hell and gave a great vantage point of this gigantic luxury crusier, harbour bridge and sydney opera house. head back to the hostel. play more drinking games. meet more people in my room. one dude kevin is from amsterdam just came from buenos aires. were he met a chick from sydney who told him she would be having a welcom back party in sydney tonight. we get there 10 before midnight and they tell us wecant come in cuz place close at midnight. really? midnight. bull shit. we head back to kings cross. on place is free but empty we bounce. another place is empty looks cool but wants 10 dollar cover. pass. world bar is bumping but says its guest list only. sugarmill looks cool but $10 cover. lame. i'm begining to not like this neighborhood. It is way too North Beach. we end up at bourbon w/ free entry passes we picked up on the street. Place is packed but again mainly guys and clicky girls. I get rejected by this girl. which is fine but what are you at the club for? I notice some girls from my hostel back in rainbow beach for Frasier Island. Another example of a Small World along a Backpackers route. They actually were in my room but i didnt get to know them thatwell at Frasier. We talk the hottest girl its her last night, Aly. I try to move in but lose track of her and she is gone. A few of her friends stay back and we head back to the irish pub. Mistake, 2 drunken guys start hitting on the girls to the point where they want to leave. We try to recover at the next place but the chemistry was kinda broken and we go our seperate ways.
Day 20 - Whitsundays/Sydney
Golden Ale is my favorite Australian beer. Have only been able to find it at a handful of bars in Sydney.
Day 20 - Whitsundays/Sydney
Last day on the boat. Slow trek back to the mainland. There is a certian level of somberness. We exchange emails and promise to write. I'll make an attempt but though I got along w/ everyone I didn't see the value in keeping connected w/ anyone on the boat. The 3BC boys jump off the boat into the water though being specifically told to not too. The guys were incredible in there freedom and quest for stupid antics. I have 2 hours to go get my pack and get my money back for scuba and head back across town. I don't know where the bus station is though to get my to the airport to fly back to sydney. Ah it wouldnt be an adventure if there wasn't some suspense. And im good at that. Cuz not only did i pick up my bag and get my scuba money back I also checked email, bought gifts, grabed food, and talked to a few groups on the boat along my walk across town. Very small town you see everyone repeatadly cool but could get annoying after weeks. But still I wanted to stay and relax by the lagoon and party w/ backpackers at night. But to leave for sydney on the weekend would have been $200 buck more so rushed out. Found the bus stop and went to a 2gate airport in proserpine. Transferred in Brisband and was in Sydney by 8pm. Stayed at the same hostel. And and noticed as expected a lot of the same faces. 2 miami kids bryan and kevin both had new german girls well done guys. In fact Bryan grew a beard and he was telling me how he think thats what attracted the german. Luckily for me i had a similar story to share. We play drinkng games. Shoulders. 21. and another one i forgot the name off all fun and will be sharing at the cabin this year. The guys at the hostel are broke and don't go out. I'm not broke and only have a few night left in this trip. I rally solo and head to sugarmill dead, a club which is pathetically dead, then find the irish pub omalley's. I walk in and imediatly notice the guy that I met at Cheeky Monkeys in Byron Bay 2 weeks ago. Small world indeed. Not really though since I've met many people traveling the east coast and they are all staying at the same places drinking at the sam bars. But still cool. We catch up. Eventually join a group of girls and one guy. Girls are from the states, florida. They are all nannies. Funny i always think cute german girls as aupairs in america never americans as nannies in sydney. They are fun. One girl takes a liking to me. She is cute but her grill is fucked up. I'm talking UK grill fucked up. And yes i'm trying to offend as many people as possible. Including myself cuz I end up making out with her by the end of the night.
Day 20 - Whitsundays/Sydney
Last day on the boat. Slow trek back to the mainland. There is a certian level of somberness. We exchange emails and promise to write. I'll make an attempt but though I got along w/ everyone I didn't see the value in keeping connected w/ anyone on the boat. The 3BC boys jump off the boat into the water though being specifically told to not too. The guys were incredible in there freedom and quest for stupid antics. I have 2 hours to go get my pack and get my money back for scuba and head back across town. I don't know where the bus station is though to get my to the airport to fly back to sydney. Ah it wouldnt be an adventure if there wasn't some suspense. And im good at that. Cuz not only did i pick up my bag and get my scuba money back I also checked email, bought gifts, grabed food, and talked to a few groups on the boat along my walk across town. Very small town you see everyone repeatadly cool but could get annoying after weeks. But still I wanted to stay and relax by the lagoon and party w/ backpackers at night. But to leave for sydney on the weekend would have been $200 buck more so rushed out. Found the bus stop and went to a 2gate airport in proserpine. Transferred in Brisband and was in Sydney by 8pm. Stayed at the same hostel. And and noticed as expected a lot of the same faces. 2 miami kids bryan and kevin both had new german girls well done guys. In fact Bryan grew a beard and he was telling me how he think thats what attracted the german. Luckily for me i had a similar story to share. We play drinkng games. Shoulders. 21. and another one i forgot the name off all fun and will be sharing at the cabin this year. The guys at the hostel are broke and don't go out. I'm not broke and only have a few night left in this trip. I rally solo and head to sugarmill dead, a club which is pathetically dead, then find the irish pub omalley's. I walk in and imediatly notice the guy that I met at Cheeky Monkeys in Byron Bay 2 weeks ago. Small world indeed. Not really though since I've met many people traveling the east coast and they are all staying at the same places drinking at the sam bars. But still cool. We catch up. Eventually join a group of girls and one guy. Girls are from the states, florida. They are all nannies. Funny i always think cute german girls as aupairs in america never americans as nannies in sydney. They are fun. One girl takes a liking to me. She is cute but her grill is fucked up. I'm talking UK grill fucked up. And yes i'm trying to offend as many people as possible. Including myself cuz I end up making out with her by the end of the night.
Day 19 - Whitsundays Islands
Day 19 - Whitsundays Islands
The crew wakes up early and i'm forced to do the same since i got one of the last beds cuz I was late and forced to sleep next to the kitchen. By the way the crew is cool. The captain Glen is quite but friendly. 2 guys Liam and Jesse are a riot. Liam talks like a pirate...perfect. And then there is Claudia she is in training and is helping out. She is beutiful. From england. We talk as we sell past these huge mansions on one of the islands about wealth and fulfillment. Yeah I know kinda deep for a first convo. Highlight of the 2nd day is Whitehaven beach. Huge white sand beach. Sand consists of 98.9% Silica supposedly can't be found anywhere else in the world. This stuff doesnt' get hot now matter how hot it is. Was used in the making of the huble telescope. Can be used to polish jewelery. Fun facts may or may not be true but interesting neverytheless. We swim in the ocean w/ stinger suits. Stingers = Jellyfish. One girl gets bit on the foot despite the suite . Bummer. She shakes it off though. 3 BC boys are frolic in the water. Getting wet then diving face first into the sand. Right next to each other. Not minding the stinger suit rule at all. Boys will be boys. We hope back on the boat and get ready for an afternoon of diving. Though I've divin before I start to get nervous. I notice the boat has no scuba gear. I ask and Liam say the dive boat called in and had to cancel. WTF. But honestly slightly relieved. Butstill that was my chance to dive great barrier reef and it was cancelled. Kinda fucked up. Isnorkeled anyways and noticed the visibility was pretty shat. Well at least compared to Thailand and Hawaii. Maybe the dive spot would of been better but i doubt it. We sail to our night time destination watch another increadible sunset surrounded by islands. Really a very romantic experience and you would be hard pressed to find one person w/ out a significant other not wanting to have a significant other right there at that moment. Minus the BC boys of course. They were too busy singing drinking songs. They had a convo argument of Tyre vs. Tire and one of the crew, Jesse, had to wake up and tell them the etomology and to shut up. Also the stars are amazing. You can see everything. The milky way and at times the southern cross. Very magical.
The crew wakes up early and i'm forced to do the same since i got one of the last beds cuz I was late and forced to sleep next to the kitchen. By the way the crew is cool. The captain Glen is quite but friendly. 2 guys Liam and Jesse are a riot. Liam talks like a pirate...perfect. And then there is Claudia she is in training and is helping out. She is beutiful. From england. We talk as we sell past these huge mansions on one of the islands about wealth and fulfillment. Yeah I know kinda deep for a first convo. Highlight of the 2nd day is Whitehaven beach. Huge white sand beach. Sand consists of 98.9% Silica supposedly can't be found anywhere else in the world. This stuff doesnt' get hot now matter how hot it is. Was used in the making of the huble telescope. Can be used to polish jewelery. Fun facts may or may not be true but interesting neverytheless. We swim in the ocean w/ stinger suits. Stingers = Jellyfish. One girl gets bit on the foot despite the suite . Bummer. She shakes it off though. 3 BC boys are frolic in the water. Getting wet then diving face first into the sand. Right next to each other. Not minding the stinger suit rule at all. Boys will be boys. We hope back on the boat and get ready for an afternoon of diving. Though I've divin before I start to get nervous. I notice the boat has no scuba gear. I ask and Liam say the dive boat called in and had to cancel. WTF. But honestly slightly relieved. Butstill that was my chance to dive great barrier reef and it was cancelled. Kinda fucked up. Isnorkeled anyways and noticed the visibility was pretty shat. Well at least compared to Thailand and Hawaii. Maybe the dive spot would of been better but i doubt it. We sail to our night time destination watch another increadible sunset surrounded by islands. Really a very romantic experience and you would be hard pressed to find one person w/ out a significant other not wanting to have a significant other right there at that moment. Minus the BC boys of course. They were too busy singing drinking songs. They had a convo argument of Tyre vs. Tire and one of the crew, Jesse, had to wake up and tell them the etomology and to shut up. Also the stars are amazing. You can see everything. The milky way and at times the southern cross. Very magical.
Day 18 - Whitsundays Islands
are the bars in SF which cater to backpackers?
Day 18 - Whitsundays Islands
Barely make check out and still buzzing from big night of drinking. I grab breakfast right next to the hostel and gear up to start reading my book. When I guy I noticed came and sat next to me. We start talking and I realize he is in my hostel room and I meet him last night while very intoxicated. Very chill guy. I would even say sweet and pure. Don't take it too gay. He is from New Orleans and we chit chat about travel the states his work in Africa as an Electrical Engineer on an oil rig, south africa, girls at the club last night. Convo is going really well and i quickly get the feel that this guy I will keep in touch w/ in the future. I have to drop my bags off in luggage storage for the island trip but we agree to meet for a beer down the street after i'm done. I also grab my booze for the boat. 4 liter of wine aka Goon and a 6 pack. 2 days 2nights on a more sail less party boat this should be fine. I grab a tall pint of Tooheys Extra Dry. Not sure why the exceptionally big glass. Plus Extra Dry has higher alcohol content. We're shooting the shit. Agree that I'm welcom to stay w/ him whenever i come to New Orleans and him the same in SF. I look down at my watch and realize it's 120pm and I need to get to the boat at 130pm. Shit. I book it but it's a farther walk than i expected. I get to the meeting spot and no one is there. Mild panic sweeps over my body. It's a huge harbour and I have no idea how i'm going to find my boat. I ask someone sitting down at the cafe. And some how he just happens to know where my boat is. I run down the dock and hope on. Tardy and sweating. The briefing has already started. Just a bit awkard. But I stand right next to Barbara a girl who was on my Frasier Island trip and some comfort is redeemed. The boat is amazing. I want to 70 feet or so. Sleeps up to 30. Called the British Defender and has a rich sailing racing history. Our groups is about 20. 3 characters stand out imediatly. The are all wearing matching sailing captain hats and obviously drunk already. They have been RV across Australia 1 guy from England 2 dudes from BC. Young and ready to party. They were great and totally turned the tide of the boat. Everyone else was cool but not really there to party they kept it live and provided plenty fo entertainment. They comedy walked the fine line of homo-erotic sexuality. Applying sunscreen on each other excessively taking shots of goon then spitting it in each others mouth by basically kissing each other. It was colleg frat antics at their finest. We get into some hard core sailing quickly all bodies on one side of the deck to keep balance. And before we know it we come up to this cove to swim and watch the sunset. It was beutiful. As I swam in the middle of 74 islands in the pacific ocean and watched the sunset I realized how special this trip really was. We drink and talk the night away. There is a big anti-social group from germany but I met two cool sisters from DC and 3 ladies from BC. One of the cute single girls from BC and I have an emotionally (for some reason) charged convo about my family, brother and dad. After she says she's going to go hang with her friends and I feel somewhat violated (not really but thats kinda funny right?).
Day 18 - Whitsundays Islands
Barely make check out and still buzzing from big night of drinking. I grab breakfast right next to the hostel and gear up to start reading my book. When I guy I noticed came and sat next to me. We start talking and I realize he is in my hostel room and I meet him last night while very intoxicated. Very chill guy. I would even say sweet and pure. Don't take it too gay. He is from New Orleans and we chit chat about travel the states his work in Africa as an Electrical Engineer on an oil rig, south africa, girls at the club last night. Convo is going really well and i quickly get the feel that this guy I will keep in touch w/ in the future. I have to drop my bags off in luggage storage for the island trip but we agree to meet for a beer down the street after i'm done. I also grab my booze for the boat. 4 liter of wine aka Goon and a 6 pack. 2 days 2nights on a more sail less party boat this should be fine. I grab a tall pint of Tooheys Extra Dry. Not sure why the exceptionally big glass. Plus Extra Dry has higher alcohol content. We're shooting the shit. Agree that I'm welcom to stay w/ him whenever i come to New Orleans and him the same in SF. I look down at my watch and realize it's 120pm and I need to get to the boat at 130pm. Shit. I book it but it's a farther walk than i expected. I get to the meeting spot and no one is there. Mild panic sweeps over my body. It's a huge harbour and I have no idea how i'm going to find my boat. I ask someone sitting down at the cafe. And some how he just happens to know where my boat is. I run down the dock and hope on. Tardy and sweating. The briefing has already started. Just a bit awkard. But I stand right next to Barbara a girl who was on my Frasier Island trip and some comfort is redeemed. The boat is amazing. I want to 70 feet or so. Sleeps up to 30. Called the British Defender and has a rich sailing racing history. Our groups is about 20. 3 characters stand out imediatly. The are all wearing matching sailing captain hats and obviously drunk already. They have been RV across Australia 1 guy from England 2 dudes from BC. Young and ready to party. They were great and totally turned the tide of the boat. Everyone else was cool but not really there to party they kept it live and provided plenty fo entertainment. They comedy walked the fine line of homo-erotic sexuality. Applying sunscreen on each other excessively taking shots of goon then spitting it in each others mouth by basically kissing each other. It was colleg frat antics at their finest. We get into some hard core sailing quickly all bodies on one side of the deck to keep balance. And before we know it we come up to this cove to swim and watch the sunset. It was beutiful. As I swam in the middle of 74 islands in the pacific ocean and watched the sunset I realized how special this trip really was. We drink and talk the night away. There is a big anti-social group from germany but I met two cool sisters from DC and 3 ladies from BC. One of the cute single girls from BC and I have an emotionally (for some reason) charged convo about my family, brother and dad. After she says she's going to go hang with her friends and I feel somewhat violated (not really but thats kinda funny right?).
Day 17 - Airlie Beach
i miss watching american sports
Day 17 - Airlie Beach
Arrive early in the morning about 9am. Walk out the bus and it is hot as balls. Already so early in the morning it will be a scorcher. I've gotten far enough North that every day is 90+ DegF. I go the Whitsundays Sailing Office and reconfirm my trip. Sign up for a Scuba session. Conveiniently my hostel is next door so I drop off my bag. Walk around town. It is pretty much one main strip filled w/ beach & souvenier shops, hostels, snack shops, and backpacker hostel's. Placed is definitely a launching pad for backpackers to go to whitsundays. Which is what I am and probably why I imediatly felt comfortable in the place. Grab some breakfast and eat it in a huge outdoor beer garden which is part of Magnums Hostel. Place screams party as well as Beaches hostel down the street. I spot several clubs. Hope on the internet a bit but realize if I don't get sleep i'll be worthless in the night. Walk past the Lagoon on the way back to my hostel. Tons of people laying on the grass sun bathing. I come to the conclusion that there is a shit load of backpackers that hang out at the lagoon by day and rage at night. Not a bad life. Take a nap. A few of the other guys in the room have the same idea. Meet one irish guy who tells me about his sail trip and and after sail party at Phoenix. Cool i have an option. Grab food and a beer at Beaches. Sitting alone about half way done w/ my first beer and a guy walks up and sit down next to me. Chill friendly guy from BC. We talk bout our travels. Through the talk I get a sense of a bit of socially awkward vibe from him. Can't really give an example just that feeling. He tells me about how he has gone out in the past and has gotten thrown out of bars. Another negative sign. But he is social and every time i get up to piss he is talking to new people on either side of us. So I meet them. A couple from Adeliade. They guy very cool. He works for the the starforce basically australian SWAT. But how pimp would that be what do you do? Oh. I work for STARFORCE. Boom! To the right are two girls from england. Friendly girls and end up hoping to the next bar w/ them. There is guitarist playing covers. In fact at the last bar also a guy playing covers. (side note MGMT *might be the whole album. yes!* is on in the internet cafe right now and right about now there getting ready to rock Treasure Island Music festival. Fuck i'm missing it). Stay there for a bit. But my BC friend is getting hamered and I'm not sure what he said but the girls are starting to look at him funny and are obviously losing interest. I just think the whole thing is funny. We head to Phoenix i see my Irish hostelmate. He is on his way out to shenanigans. I stay and dance there for a bit good dj. Head to shenanigans solo. Guy bails w/ new girls i suspect. Girls get tired and want to go home. Booo. Shenanigans had a live band. I dance with the cute indian girl. Not sure how that one got a away. Meet more guys from my hostel room. And we head to mama africa's dance club across the street. A little more swanky. Which I found in australia means more guys and the few girls that are there are pared off or are having nothing to do w/ you. Whateves fun enough w/ the hostel mates and overall a great bar/club hoping night.
Day 17 - Airlie Beach
Arrive early in the morning about 9am. Walk out the bus and it is hot as balls. Already so early in the morning it will be a scorcher. I've gotten far enough North that every day is 90+ DegF. I go the Whitsundays Sailing Office and reconfirm my trip. Sign up for a Scuba session. Conveiniently my hostel is next door so I drop off my bag. Walk around town. It is pretty much one main strip filled w/ beach & souvenier shops, hostels, snack shops, and backpacker hostel's. Placed is definitely a launching pad for backpackers to go to whitsundays. Which is what I am and probably why I imediatly felt comfortable in the place. Grab some breakfast and eat it in a huge outdoor beer garden which is part of Magnums Hostel. Place screams party as well as Beaches hostel down the street. I spot several clubs. Hope on the internet a bit but realize if I don't get sleep i'll be worthless in the night. Walk past the Lagoon on the way back to my hostel. Tons of people laying on the grass sun bathing. I come to the conclusion that there is a shit load of backpackers that hang out at the lagoon by day and rage at night. Not a bad life. Take a nap. A few of the other guys in the room have the same idea. Meet one irish guy who tells me about his sail trip and and after sail party at Phoenix. Cool i have an option. Grab food and a beer at Beaches. Sitting alone about half way done w/ my first beer and a guy walks up and sit down next to me. Chill friendly guy from BC. We talk bout our travels. Through the talk I get a sense of a bit of socially awkward vibe from him. Can't really give an example just that feeling. He tells me about how he has gone out in the past and has gotten thrown out of bars. Another negative sign. But he is social and every time i get up to piss he is talking to new people on either side of us. So I meet them. A couple from Adeliade. They guy very cool. He works for the the starforce basically australian SWAT. But how pimp would that be what do you do? Oh. I work for STARFORCE. Boom! To the right are two girls from england. Friendly girls and end up hoping to the next bar w/ them. There is guitarist playing covers. In fact at the last bar also a guy playing covers. (side note MGMT *might be the whole album. yes!* is on in the internet cafe right now and right about now there getting ready to rock Treasure Island Music festival. Fuck i'm missing it). Stay there for a bit. But my BC friend is getting hamered and I'm not sure what he said but the girls are starting to look at him funny and are obviously losing interest. I just think the whole thing is funny. We head to Phoenix i see my Irish hostelmate. He is on his way out to shenanigans. I stay and dance there for a bit good dj. Head to shenanigans solo. Guy bails w/ new girls i suspect. Girls get tired and want to go home. Booo. Shenanigans had a live band. I dance with the cute indian girl. Not sure how that one got a away. Meet more guys from my hostel room. And we head to mama africa's dance club across the street. A little more swanky. Which I found in australia means more guys and the few girls that are there are pared off or are having nothing to do w/ you. Whateves fun enough w/ the hostel mates and overall a great bar/club hoping night.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Australianisms
1 Australian dollar is worth about 90 cents american
You can get beers in pints or schooners. You gets jugs not pitchers.
they drink espresso (not really coffee) and call it flat white, short black, or long black. i started w/ long black (for obvious reasons) but has since taken a liking to flat white.
Burger King is Hungry Jacks
They have the same cars but call them different names
for the boys urinals you stand on a metal grate
meat pies are popular.
i've been drinking like crazy and I haven't seen a single Fosters beer tap, can, or bottle.
when girls go clubbing they dress to the nine. short skirts and high heels a must.
You can get beers in pints or schooners. You gets jugs not pitchers.
they drink espresso (not really coffee) and call it flat white, short black, or long black. i started w/ long black (for obvious reasons) but has since taken a liking to flat white.
Burger King is Hungry Jacks
They have the same cars but call them different names
for the boys urinals you stand on a metal grate
meat pies are popular.
i've been drinking like crazy and I haven't seen a single Fosters beer tap, can, or bottle.
when girls go clubbing they dress to the nine. short skirts and high heels a must.
Day 16 - Rainbow Beach
seperate post of australianisms is about to go down.
Day 16 - Rainbow Beach
Woke up feeling much better than the previous two days. Beer is better for the hangover for sure but pricey need to consider my Whitsunday sailing trip alcohol strategy. I don't really have anything going on today. Kinda stuck. I have a bus that doesn't leave till 7pm. In rainbow beach there is nothing. I do a lot of reading and Internet, walk along the beach see a couple of really good surfers but can't rally myself to hope in. Definitely feel a cold coming on from my frasier island shenanigans. read some more - in case your interested i've read about his stories from his parents and grandparents of when he was young, his memories of indonesia and hawaii, and am now reading about his community organizer work in Chicago. He's just decided to apply to law school. And I think the last section of the book is about him traveling to Kenya and resolving the mystery that is his father and his african family. Good read. I do decide to take the hostel tour of the Carlo sandblow which was beautiful. one end falls into the pacific ocean the other end into a tropical forest and the community of rainbow beach w/ an amazing sunset. The tour also gives me a chance to be social as well. Tell the new backpackers about how amazing frasier island is. By the way i'm backing on one of my frasier island teamates to send out an email to all to share pics. However this one person didn't do anything to help out on the trip so chances of getting pictures are not high. I hop on the bus and try to fall asleep but can't. It is getting annoying and i try litteraly every possible position through the night. Sitting up, leaning against the window, laying on my side taking two seats, lying on my back tacking two seats, legs pressed against the window. Fuck! oh and i brought a loaf of bread onto the bus for dinner/breakfast, we hit up a truck stop, get back on the bus, turn on the lights and notice my bread is covered w/ what apppears to be coakroaches. FML.
Day 16 - Rainbow Beach
Woke up feeling much better than the previous two days. Beer is better for the hangover for sure but pricey need to consider my Whitsunday sailing trip alcohol strategy. I don't really have anything going on today. Kinda stuck. I have a bus that doesn't leave till 7pm. In rainbow beach there is nothing. I do a lot of reading and Internet, walk along the beach see a couple of really good surfers but can't rally myself to hope in. Definitely feel a cold coming on from my frasier island shenanigans. read some more - in case your interested i've read about his stories from his parents and grandparents of when he was young, his memories of indonesia and hawaii, and am now reading about his community organizer work in Chicago. He's just decided to apply to law school. And I think the last section of the book is about him traveling to Kenya and resolving the mystery that is his father and his african family. Good read. I do decide to take the hostel tour of the Carlo sandblow which was beautiful. one end falls into the pacific ocean the other end into a tropical forest and the community of rainbow beach w/ an amazing sunset. The tour also gives me a chance to be social as well. Tell the new backpackers about how amazing frasier island is. By the way i'm backing on one of my frasier island teamates to send out an email to all to share pics. However this one person didn't do anything to help out on the trip so chances of getting pictures are not high. I hop on the bus and try to fall asleep but can't. It is getting annoying and i try litteraly every possible position through the night. Sitting up, leaning against the window, laying on my side taking two seats, lying on my back tacking two seats, legs pressed against the window. Fuck! oh and i brought a loaf of bread onto the bus for dinner/breakfast, we hit up a truck stop, get back on the bus, turn on the lights and notice my bread is covered w/ what apppears to be coakroaches. FML.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Day 15 -Frasier Island
seeing tons of people w/ rv campers and thinking if you have two people that would be the ideal way to go. learned that a couple bought one for $8000 and is planning on selling it for $8500. If it works it's a brilliant idea.
Day 15- Frasier Island
Shit i'm completely drunk when i wake up. Don't remember most of the night. Apparently i got caught eating late night snacks in the back of our truck. don't have any idea that happend. also i took a shovel, the toilet paper, and a glass of goon to go take a shit in the woods. don't have any idea that happend or how i didn't lose anything. I passed out for a bit on the side of the truck but somehow manged to get back to the tent. don't have any idea that happend. but probably the funniest of all was one guy from another team mistankenly crashed in our truck. i apparently told the other guys and danny an american from new york ended up tea bagging this poor guys. the picture was hilarious. two balls square on the guys forhead. there was some slapping of balls on the forhead as well. the guys said i was laughing like a school girl. the rest of the day i wandered what they did to me? we load our gear and head to lake wabby. a solid 7km round trip sand hike to the lake. we come across this huge sand blow (sand dune) which was amazing. surrounded by tropical forest is a sand blow (sand dune). crazy. it gets crazier. over the sand dune ledge it rolls straight down into a fresh water lake. the view is stunning. dune to lake to rain forest. we roll down the hill into the lake and i end up in the pool w/ a dizzy splash. hang out there for a bit but it starts to rain and we head off. booo. the day is kinda wasted cuz were pinned at the beach due to high tide cutting of up and down beach access. so we spend our last moments on the beach reading, whale watching, and wrestling. in all the guys were amazingly fun to party with but the girls were all pretty lame. there were other party crews and there there were party hard crews. one group missed the planned barge trip back and were apparantly shit faced when they returned the car. classy. the mechanic looks over our ride and says he has good news and bad news. we ask for the bad news first. we broke a spring. fuck! they told us that would be $1000. good news we didnt have to pay for it. wow that was close. head back to the hostel and i'm glad i don't have to drive that beast anymore. it was fun but nerve racking at the same time. another night at the hostel bar w/ cheap beer. i talked to a bunch of people learn about this cool pool game called ? basically each person up to whatever pays in $1.you start with 3 lives. if you miss a shot you lose a life. if you make a shot you keep yourlife. if you hit the black ball you gain a life. fun for a bunch of people. there was one point where i though i had a chance w/ two different girls both were on either side of me. wierd so i made a go for the ginger from holand. but unfortunatlely it didn't pan out.
Day 15- Frasier Island
Shit i'm completely drunk when i wake up. Don't remember most of the night. Apparently i got caught eating late night snacks in the back of our truck. don't have any idea that happend. also i took a shovel, the toilet paper, and a glass of goon to go take a shit in the woods. don't have any idea that happend or how i didn't lose anything. I passed out for a bit on the side of the truck but somehow manged to get back to the tent. don't have any idea that happend. but probably the funniest of all was one guy from another team mistankenly crashed in our truck. i apparently told the other guys and danny an american from new york ended up tea bagging this poor guys. the picture was hilarious. two balls square on the guys forhead. there was some slapping of balls on the forhead as well. the guys said i was laughing like a school girl. the rest of the day i wandered what they did to me? we load our gear and head to lake wabby. a solid 7km round trip sand hike to the lake. we come across this huge sand blow (sand dune) which was amazing. surrounded by tropical forest is a sand blow (sand dune). crazy. it gets crazier. over the sand dune ledge it rolls straight down into a fresh water lake. the view is stunning. dune to lake to rain forest. we roll down the hill into the lake and i end up in the pool w/ a dizzy splash. hang out there for a bit but it starts to rain and we head off. booo. the day is kinda wasted cuz were pinned at the beach due to high tide cutting of up and down beach access. so we spend our last moments on the beach reading, whale watching, and wrestling. in all the guys were amazingly fun to party with but the girls were all pretty lame. there were other party crews and there there were party hard crews. one group missed the planned barge trip back and were apparantly shit faced when they returned the car. classy. the mechanic looks over our ride and says he has good news and bad news. we ask for the bad news first. we broke a spring. fuck! they told us that would be $1000. good news we didnt have to pay for it. wow that was close. head back to the hostel and i'm glad i don't have to drive that beast anymore. it was fun but nerve racking at the same time. another night at the hostel bar w/ cheap beer. i talked to a bunch of people learn about this cool pool game called ? basically each person up to whatever pays in $1.you start with 3 lives. if you miss a shot you lose a life. if you make a shot you keep yourlife. if you hit the black ball you gain a life. fun for a bunch of people. there was one point where i though i had a chance w/ two different girls both were on either side of me. wierd so i made a go for the ginger from holand. but unfortunatlely it didn't pan out.
Day 14 - Frasier Island
Beer is expensive here. Wine is cheap. A beer cost typically over 5bucks. You can get a 4 liter case of Goon (wine) for $10.
Day 14 - Frasier Island
Wake up w/ shitty hangover. The wine i remember kills me. I black out and get a throbing headache. And sure enough i blacked out last night and don't remember anything that was discussed between me and the italian last night. makes for a slight awkward drive to indian head. i can't ask her any questions really cuz she probably has already told me the answers. we cruz in silence. we eat breakfast and decided that we need to move the cars to just north of the head cuz the tide is coming in and could potentially sweep the cars away. awesome. we get to a much nicer beach. we hike up the cliff which is is indian head and post. claims of good whale watching are said to be had according to our operator. we wait 30min. nothing some people head back down. but then we see it. not sure what type of whale maybe humpback, maybe blue, definitely not sperm, that's in my pants (sorry couldn't resist). it was really cool to watch the whole group got giddy, ohhh ahhh. we hike to the champagne poopls but since it was hide tide no pool action was had. we drive too eli creak after some lunch. great fresh water creak that you can just float down laziley. I was w/ two of the other guys and we were closely tracking these two under age girls right in front of us walking the creek. kinda creepy that we were floating low on our stomachs (cue jaws theme). We make our way to the campsite for the night and the drunken revelry continues. Only this time much harder. It's our last night after all and we have a bunch of goon to drink. I try to get closer to the italian girl but no luck she goes to be early again. freak that i'm here to party. i got to pee and spot a dingo. fucking scary. they are wild after all and could get agressive. not good since my pants are down. this is a chill one and go's on his way. i play some drinking games, chat with other. party is in full force. i got to pee and see two campers fucking on the beach road. just going at it. a car comes by with it's headlights shining on them and they don't even flinch. impressive. i black out hard and have to wait the next morning to hear all the funny stories.
Day 14 - Frasier Island
Wake up w/ shitty hangover. The wine i remember kills me. I black out and get a throbing headache. And sure enough i blacked out last night and don't remember anything that was discussed between me and the italian last night. makes for a slight awkward drive to indian head. i can't ask her any questions really cuz she probably has already told me the answers. we cruz in silence. we eat breakfast and decided that we need to move the cars to just north of the head cuz the tide is coming in and could potentially sweep the cars away. awesome. we get to a much nicer beach. we hike up the cliff which is is indian head and post. claims of good whale watching are said to be had according to our operator. we wait 30min. nothing some people head back down. but then we see it. not sure what type of whale maybe humpback, maybe blue, definitely not sperm, that's in my pants (sorry couldn't resist). it was really cool to watch the whole group got giddy, ohhh ahhh. we hike to the champagne poopls but since it was hide tide no pool action was had. we drive too eli creak after some lunch. great fresh water creak that you can just float down laziley. I was w/ two of the other guys and we were closely tracking these two under age girls right in front of us walking the creek. kinda creepy that we were floating low on our stomachs (cue jaws theme). We make our way to the campsite for the night and the drunken revelry continues. Only this time much harder. It's our last night after all and we have a bunch of goon to drink. I try to get closer to the italian girl but no luck she goes to be early again. freak that i'm here to party. i got to pee and spot a dingo. fucking scary. they are wild after all and could get agressive. not good since my pants are down. this is a chill one and go's on his way. i play some drinking games, chat with other. party is in full force. i got to pee and see two campers fucking on the beach road. just going at it. a car comes by with it's headlights shining on them and they don't even flinch. impressive. i black out hard and have to wait the next morning to hear all the funny stories.
Day 13 - Frasier Island
is it true, the ski season has already started!?!
Day 13 - Frasier Island
Today is the big day. Wake up at 7am for free pancake breakfast. two small pancakes w/ jam not nearly enough but it's free so no worries. we have our last briefing. basically more about the cars how to load them and for the drivers how to drive them. 11 people per car. And it looks like our car only has 4 drivers. Honestly i'm getting pretty nervous for several reason. I've never drivin a car on the left side of the road. That part though isn't so tricking it's just that the shifter is on the left side now plus blinker and windshield wipers are swapped. I've never driven in the sand either. That on top of being responsible for 10 other passengers makes the whole task pretty intimidating. But i'm committed to 4x4 on frasier island! Adam is the first driver. Pretty much as soon as we get on the beach to head to the barge to take us to the island. The first truck get's stuck in the sand. since we are right behind them we get stuck too. let the digging and pushing begin. this is both funny and exciting. w/ the operators help we get the trucks on stuck and onto the barge. coming of the barge it's my turn to drive. here we go. I'm supposed to drive this huge truck for the first time of this gigantic boat onto a deep soft sandy beach. fuck. it takes me a while to get going getting familiar w/ all the placement of the components. i'm supposed to be the first one off and the guy directing me off is obviously getting frustrated. no pressure. i get going and successfully make it to the inland track w/ out getting stuck plowing through w/ high revs fish tailing the entire way. holy shit this is crazy. cruz the inland track listening to Adams ipod. great mix of music. green day, killers, artic monkeys, snoop, jay-z. music helps me relax a bit. ok back on the beach and i get stuck while the guys behind cruz by. bummer. we get out fairly easy. but that incident gets in my head and i'm tense the rest of my time driving. if it was just me no big deal but to put out 10 other people every time i get stuck kinda blows. plus you got the back seat drivers saying to fast or slow down or moaning at every little sway. i mean really guys if you think you could do better give it a go. my pleasure. we make it to our first destination lake mackenzie on one of the sandiest, windiest, bumpiest roads i've ever been on. traveling at near dangerous speeds just to keep up momentum so I don't stall. we get there nevertheless and the place is amazing! hug crystal clear lake w/ a beutiful white sand beach. the water was amazing not cold at all and completely fresh. one the guys jokes about how whenever your swimming at outside of a pool like the ocean or a lake you never really know what animals might be in there. here though you have none of that. really a magical place and we frolic the day away. all 4 trucks (44 people) camp at the same site. and a huge all night dance party commences. shit was crazy. instead of beer i go way of the goon (boxed wine) option. this my friends may have been a mistake..... i don't remember much but somehow manage to make it to my tent. i play footsies w/ the italian girl (one of the most amazing bodies i've ever seen) in my tent after talking to her earlier in the night. but go through periods that i'm convinced that it was the wrong girl, maybe the german girl?
Day 13 - Frasier Island
Today is the big day. Wake up at 7am for free pancake breakfast. two small pancakes w/ jam not nearly enough but it's free so no worries. we have our last briefing. basically more about the cars how to load them and for the drivers how to drive them. 11 people per car. And it looks like our car only has 4 drivers. Honestly i'm getting pretty nervous for several reason. I've never drivin a car on the left side of the road. That part though isn't so tricking it's just that the shifter is on the left side now plus blinker and windshield wipers are swapped. I've never driven in the sand either. That on top of being responsible for 10 other passengers makes the whole task pretty intimidating. But i'm committed to 4x4 on frasier island! Adam is the first driver. Pretty much as soon as we get on the beach to head to the barge to take us to the island. The first truck get's stuck in the sand. since we are right behind them we get stuck too. let the digging and pushing begin. this is both funny and exciting. w/ the operators help we get the trucks on stuck and onto the barge. coming of the barge it's my turn to drive. here we go. I'm supposed to drive this huge truck for the first time of this gigantic boat onto a deep soft sandy beach. fuck. it takes me a while to get going getting familiar w/ all the placement of the components. i'm supposed to be the first one off and the guy directing me off is obviously getting frustrated. no pressure. i get going and successfully make it to the inland track w/ out getting stuck plowing through w/ high revs fish tailing the entire way. holy shit this is crazy. cruz the inland track listening to Adams ipod. great mix of music. green day, killers, artic monkeys, snoop, jay-z. music helps me relax a bit. ok back on the beach and i get stuck while the guys behind cruz by. bummer. we get out fairly easy. but that incident gets in my head and i'm tense the rest of my time driving. if it was just me no big deal but to put out 10 other people every time i get stuck kinda blows. plus you got the back seat drivers saying to fast or slow down or moaning at every little sway. i mean really guys if you think you could do better give it a go. my pleasure. we make it to our first destination lake mackenzie on one of the sandiest, windiest, bumpiest roads i've ever been on. traveling at near dangerous speeds just to keep up momentum so I don't stall. we get there nevertheless and the place is amazing! hug crystal clear lake w/ a beutiful white sand beach. the water was amazing not cold at all and completely fresh. one the guys jokes about how whenever your swimming at outside of a pool like the ocean or a lake you never really know what animals might be in there. here though you have none of that. really a magical place and we frolic the day away. all 4 trucks (44 people) camp at the same site. and a huge all night dance party commences. shit was crazy. instead of beer i go way of the goon (boxed wine) option. this my friends may have been a mistake..... i don't remember much but somehow manage to make it to my tent. i play footsies w/ the italian girl (one of the most amazing bodies i've ever seen) in my tent after talking to her earlier in the night. but go through periods that i'm convinced that it was the wrong girl, maybe the german girl?
Day 12 - Rainbow Beach
the red dot on my eye has gotten lighter but also bigger...
Day 12 - Rainbow Beach
wake up at 5:30 am to catch my 7 am train. packing was miserable since it was still dark and i was trying not to make too much noise and wake the others up. kinda hard when your on the top bunk of a squeky bunk bed. met a cool girl from the states at the train station and we talk on the bus ride till she gets off at Noosa. Sweet girl who is in new zealand teaching, currentl traveling australia, originally from D.C. and is no at school in Montana. She is an avid snow boarder...rad. On the way to rainbow beach we almost leave a girl at the rest stop. this bus thing can be tricky. A bunch of people get off at Rainbow Beach and we get hearding into the hostel litterally across the street. An employee gives us the run down of the town the schedule and about 1 of 3 prep sessions were going to have for Fraser Island. Since this is a self guided tour that give us a ridiculous amount of information and stress caution w/ the trucks. It got to the point where i was scared to drive the thing for worry of fucking something up. Don't get salt water under the body, lock the hubs when on the island, H2, H4, L4... stop it already let's just get there and party. i met my dorm mates and we decide to be on the same group. our group seems friendly enough but kinda of quite not sure if they'll be fun to party with. night is reletively chill enjoy $10 jugs of beer and play some pool with the guys. Apparently the place closes early like at 10. And since there is nothing to do in this small as town (not even 1 bar) we are pretty much restricted to the night life of the hostel. bummer. meet a fun group from australia while playing pool. Then security makes his precense known. mentions closing time in a not friendly way to one of the aussies. the aussie guy jokes back. and the security guy snaps back at him raising is voice and shaking his hand violently. the rest of the night the ausie is ripping this guy a new one. the security guard is short and stubby. the ausie starts calling him danny, short for danny devito. the aussie guy is hilarious. the group smokes me out in front of the hostel and i hit the sack.
Day 12 - Rainbow Beach
wake up at 5:30 am to catch my 7 am train. packing was miserable since it was still dark and i was trying not to make too much noise and wake the others up. kinda hard when your on the top bunk of a squeky bunk bed. met a cool girl from the states at the train station and we talk on the bus ride till she gets off at Noosa. Sweet girl who is in new zealand teaching, currentl traveling australia, originally from D.C. and is no at school in Montana. She is an avid snow boarder...rad. On the way to rainbow beach we almost leave a girl at the rest stop. this bus thing can be tricky. A bunch of people get off at Rainbow Beach and we get hearding into the hostel litterally across the street. An employee gives us the run down of the town the schedule and about 1 of 3 prep sessions were going to have for Fraser Island. Since this is a self guided tour that give us a ridiculous amount of information and stress caution w/ the trucks. It got to the point where i was scared to drive the thing for worry of fucking something up. Don't get salt water under the body, lock the hubs when on the island, H2, H4, L4... stop it already let's just get there and party. i met my dorm mates and we decide to be on the same group. our group seems friendly enough but kinda of quite not sure if they'll be fun to party with. night is reletively chill enjoy $10 jugs of beer and play some pool with the guys. Apparently the place closes early like at 10. And since there is nothing to do in this small as town (not even 1 bar) we are pretty much restricted to the night life of the hostel. bummer. meet a fun group from australia while playing pool. Then security makes his precense known. mentions closing time in a not friendly way to one of the aussies. the aussie guy jokes back. and the security guy snaps back at him raising is voice and shaking his hand violently. the rest of the night the ausie is ripping this guy a new one. the security guard is short and stubby. the ausie starts calling him danny, short for danny devito. the aussie guy is hilarious. the group smokes me out in front of the hostel and i hit the sack.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Day 11 - Brisbane
the blue parrot in sydney is still the best hostel i've been too. and i'm going back!
Day 11 - Brisbane
Other dudes in my room wake up way earlier than i wanted to and start making noise. i can't go back to sleep. i roll around till noon but didn't exactly get that slept in kinda rest. I wake up and my eyes are blood shot beyond belief. ok so my eyes are always blood shot first thing in the morning but even after applying eye crack my right eye was still shot. fuck. i looked closer and there was a fat red dot just right of my pupil. wtf. i think a little bit harder about last night and remember getting violently poked in the eye. it was an accident of course but it was hard. and just didnt think twice kept drinking and dancing. but the poke fucked me up. my eye is still red as i write this and i'm not sure if its going to get better (reminds me need to do some eye poke research on line). well if you see me with a red eyeball you know the story. decide to do my laundry and book the rest of my travels. i try to multitask and it completely backfire. the bookings took way longer than expected. only one person at the office and though she was extremely helpful (andcute) she was busy doing 3 different things at all times. i continually forgot about my laundry. 4 washer. 2 dryers. hmm not the best setup. i find my shit out of the dryer in a wet lump. fuck. dryer is full again. take my shit to the laundry mat. but booking took for ever and i nearly forgot my shit. that would of been bad since my bus leaves at 7am the next morning for rainbow beach. finally everything booked. bus/flights & packages to and from frasier island and whitsundays getting back to sydney next thursday. relief all that is done. camera still broke but i picked up an adapter and have a phone again. pass on dinner and instead make an effort to be social at trivia night. meet some more english kids this time a few more girls. we win a jug for best team name "fuck a duck" but dont win any of the other rounds. grand prize being a trip to frasier island. ironic. one of the girls sara is super ansy. saying shes bored and wants to dance. but whining in a british accent is hilarious. think of the "charlie that really hurt" you tube video. we chat and i can tell she wants some "action". and i get drunk enough to give to it to her.
Day 11 - Brisbane
Other dudes in my room wake up way earlier than i wanted to and start making noise. i can't go back to sleep. i roll around till noon but didn't exactly get that slept in kinda rest. I wake up and my eyes are blood shot beyond belief. ok so my eyes are always blood shot first thing in the morning but even after applying eye crack my right eye was still shot. fuck. i looked closer and there was a fat red dot just right of my pupil. wtf. i think a little bit harder about last night and remember getting violently poked in the eye. it was an accident of course but it was hard. and just didnt think twice kept drinking and dancing. but the poke fucked me up. my eye is still red as i write this and i'm not sure if its going to get better (reminds me need to do some eye poke research on line). well if you see me with a red eyeball you know the story. decide to do my laundry and book the rest of my travels. i try to multitask and it completely backfire. the bookings took way longer than expected. only one person at the office and though she was extremely helpful (andcute) she was busy doing 3 different things at all times. i continually forgot about my laundry. 4 washer. 2 dryers. hmm not the best setup. i find my shit out of the dryer in a wet lump. fuck. dryer is full again. take my shit to the laundry mat. but booking took for ever and i nearly forgot my shit. that would of been bad since my bus leaves at 7am the next morning for rainbow beach. finally everything booked. bus/flights & packages to and from frasier island and whitsundays getting back to sydney next thursday. relief all that is done. camera still broke but i picked up an adapter and have a phone again. pass on dinner and instead make an effort to be social at trivia night. meet some more english kids this time a few more girls. we win a jug for best team name "fuck a duck" but dont win any of the other rounds. grand prize being a trip to frasier island. ironic. one of the girls sara is super ansy. saying shes bored and wants to dance. but whining in a british accent is hilarious. think of the "charlie that really hurt" you tube video. we chat and i can tell she wants some "action". and i get drunk enough to give to it to her.
Day 10 - Brisbane
every since the gusty start the weather has been great down here.
Day 10 - Brisbane I wake up early. Hungover. It's hot and I have one of those cold sweets going. Uhhh. Figure out best way to get to brisbane is via train. Can't get any sleep cuz i'm too woried i'll miss my stop and end up in the outback somewhere. Roll out of the train and hit up a park by the station. The theme of this trip has been go to a new town w/ no accomadations planned but figure it out when i get there. read my travel book. hope on the internet. find a place called Bunk which seems cool enough, pool, bar, club and in the party district of brisbane know as fortitude valley or the "valley" for short. spend a good amount of time blogging. pretty damn time consuming and may need to trim the posts. have in mind that i'm going to stay two night even though brisbane doesnt have much to see i figure it would give me a chance to rest and do some arrons (get camera fixed, outlet adapter, postcards, book frasier island/whitsundays, etc.). Hmm I don't even remember eating dinner that night. Maybe i didn't? Maybe that expains my light wait behaviour later that night. I'm beat and decide to take a late nap. I thought twice about it considering it was very possible i sleep through the nap and not go out that night. I did it anyways cuz i was exhausted and basically worthless. Some how i wake up. But not in a social mood at all. Some how manage to push myself out of bed and grab abeer for $7 at the bar. expensive. quickly learn i could of got a jug (~3.5 beers) for $10. game on. introduced myself to a dude at the bar. he's from england, chris. meeting a lot of kids from england and they are all really friendly. he is there w/ a mate. they turn me on to "snakebite" a mixture of beer, cider, and black current (or rasberry flavor) they have an interesting story. chris pulled is friend w/ him on this trip but has apparently fallin in love w/ a girl that he had only know for 3 weeks back in england. so every night he is drunk texting/calling her and not wanted to go out. sucks for his friend who like most travellers whats do go out and chase tale. before you know chris is hammered and excuses himself. we agree it's just a front to talk to his girl. mushy. oh yeah i grabbed a kebab w/ his friend (can't remember his name now). btw kebabs are the best drunk food in australia always at least one spot open late night. i alway see a bunch no my travels but not that many back in the states for some reason. friend retires soon after. i'm alone at the club which is attached to the hostel. good beats no people. keep in mind it's monday in brisbane and even though its a huge city it's kinda sleepy. i decided to explore but have to change out of shorts and flip flops first. bouncer points me to this one club. i get there and place is pretty amazing. i quickly meet a very talkative dude who is very excited that i'm from the states. i think there was some discussion about san jose. fuck though another place with a shit lot of dudes. what is going on australia. at this point it gets kinda hazy. but i recall more the next morning...
Day 10 - Brisbane I wake up early. Hungover. It's hot and I have one of those cold sweets going. Uhhh. Figure out best way to get to brisbane is via train. Can't get any sleep cuz i'm too woried i'll miss my stop and end up in the outback somewhere. Roll out of the train and hit up a park by the station. The theme of this trip has been go to a new town w/ no accomadations planned but figure it out when i get there. read my travel book. hope on the internet. find a place called Bunk which seems cool enough, pool, bar, club and in the party district of brisbane know as fortitude valley or the "valley" for short. spend a good amount of time blogging. pretty damn time consuming and may need to trim the posts. have in mind that i'm going to stay two night even though brisbane doesnt have much to see i figure it would give me a chance to rest and do some arrons (get camera fixed, outlet adapter, postcards, book frasier island/whitsundays, etc.). Hmm I don't even remember eating dinner that night. Maybe i didn't? Maybe that expains my light wait behaviour later that night. I'm beat and decide to take a late nap. I thought twice about it considering it was very possible i sleep through the nap and not go out that night. I did it anyways cuz i was exhausted and basically worthless. Some how i wake up. But not in a social mood at all. Some how manage to push myself out of bed and grab abeer for $7 at the bar. expensive. quickly learn i could of got a jug (~3.5 beers) for $10. game on. introduced myself to a dude at the bar. he's from england, chris. meeting a lot of kids from england and they are all really friendly. he is there w/ a mate. they turn me on to "snakebite" a mixture of beer, cider, and black current (or rasberry flavor) they have an interesting story. chris pulled is friend w/ him on this trip but has apparently fallin in love w/ a girl that he had only know for 3 weeks back in england. so every night he is drunk texting/calling her and not wanted to go out. sucks for his friend who like most travellers whats do go out and chase tale. before you know chris is hammered and excuses himself. we agree it's just a front to talk to his girl. mushy. oh yeah i grabbed a kebab w/ his friend (can't remember his name now). btw kebabs are the best drunk food in australia always at least one spot open late night. i alway see a bunch no my travels but not that many back in the states for some reason. friend retires soon after. i'm alone at the club which is attached to the hostel. good beats no people. keep in mind it's monday in brisbane and even though its a huge city it's kinda sleepy. i decided to explore but have to change out of shorts and flip flops first. bouncer points me to this one club. i get there and place is pretty amazing. i quickly meet a very talkative dude who is very excited that i'm from the states. i think there was some discussion about san jose. fuck though another place with a shit lot of dudes. what is going on australia. at this point it gets kinda hazy. but i recall more the next morning...
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 9 - Coolangatta/Surfer's Paradise
there was a bunch of little australian facts that i wanted to share but i'm totalling having a brain fart. next time.
wake up. say bye to steve. see matt the canadian from my first hostel in sydney. small world. may meet up w/ him in brisbane. and go to the surf shop to swap my board. they either have a really long one (~9.5ft) or a short one (maybe under 7ft). all boards are heavy and cheap. i go with the short one. the beach is off the hook. it's a great sunny day w/ no wind and the waves are clean and large. i chose greenmount beach which is filled with long board surfers who are really good. i try to get up on the short board but no luck. again i'm progressing backwards. would that be regressing? may be my last surf day unless i a sneak a day in when i get back to sydney. went out a bunch but didn't get as good as i would of hoped. ahhh there is always the bar. head to the pub and watch the australian leagues football championship. it a good game. probably shouldnt of stayed for the whole thing it's dark. i need to get to surfers paradise and i don't have a hostel for the night yet. but i'm committed to the adventure. grab the bus. fall asleep on the bus. miss my stop. have to back track 5 minutes. no biggie. really how are you really supposed to know when to get off when you don't have any signs or the bus driver doesnt say anything. a bit tricky. i finally get to surfers. i start walking down one of the avenues w/ a hostel on it from my guide. get to the hostel it's completely booked. not a good sign. it's about 8 at night at this point. i go to one a little down the road. they have a bunch of availability. not sure why, kinda crazy. hang out in the movie room for a bit. cool set up and i'm reminded of my first hostel in sydney. the more places i go the more i realize how special that place was. family guy is on. hilarious i need to watch that show more. i head out, grab a kebab and eat at the beach. walk around the place is definitly party central clubs and bars all over. young travellers abound. head to an irish pub. a couple of friendly aussies introduce themselves and we chat. one says go talk to his girlfriend who can give me the run down on cool stuff to do while down under. friendly and cute she is. bump into a guy who is drunk of his as. stumbling. spilling. i slam my beer before him and tell him he has to buy me a drink. bad idea. i get into a racial conversation w/ him at the bar. booo. escape him chilling alone on the balconey guy calls me over. and says something racist to the effect that i can speak in tongues. wtf? two racist encounters on the same night at the same bar. havent had any problem w/ this till now. chalk it up to the bar and head to the next joint. it is a sausage fest. the one girl that i try talking to is not having it. really? again chilling at a table and fell cold water splash on my back. turn around and i can tell a dude tossed it at me. i confront him. ask him what's his problem. and that we should go outside to handle it. as i'm walking outside i realize that this probably wasnt a good idea he is way bigger than me and i start having visions of traveling w/ a mangled face for the rest of my trip not fun. i get out there and his boys are talking shit. great 3 vs 1. i play smart and tell the bouncer then take off. call me a pussy but i'm not trying to get in a fight. oh by the way the guy who wanted to fight asked me where i'm from and though he didnt say anything racial i could tell his tone that he was a bigot. fucking a man this place is garbage. luckily the next bar is way better. meet a cool guy england/australia we talk about his travels to the states. close that place down head to a club called sin. place is killer inside with a good dj but again a meat market filled w/ sausage. girls are more interested dancing w/ themselves then meeting people. i heard surfers paradise blew. now i know for myself. i'll catch a bus to brisbane first thing in the morning.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Day 8 - Coolangatta
no phone. no camera. no way to tell time. ahhh freedom.
Day 8 - Coolangatta
i wake up way early. refreshed. yesterday was the first day and probably only day on this trip that i didnt have a single drop of alchohol. so yesterday at the beach i saw no one surfing. i knew this town had a bunch of beaches so i go on a surf hunt. coolangatta beach nothing. greenmount beach nothing. rainbow beach nothing. clim danger point and pear over the cliff two lonely surfers grabbing some solid waves at duranbh (?) beach aka D beach. i grab breakfast at the point, read a bit. an hour leader pear back over the cliff and dozens of surfers. this is were i need to be. but it's a trek w/ a board. whatever i do it. grab a board for 1 day rental. board is heavy as shit it's one of the cheapo boards not a big fan. In short D beach makes me D bitch. Seriously i had one of those ohh fuck moments and decided quickly to check out the other beaches. rainbow beach had solid surf and was were i needed to be. i couldnt get used to the heavy ass board though. again a coupld wobbely stands up and i'm starting to feel that i'm getting worse on this trip. not cool. head back to the hostel. wash up. go grab a bite. all the restaurants are fully reserved it's saturday night on the beach i guess it's a big night to go out. it gets windy i find a mexcian spot with a decent chicken mole. over hear a couple behind me, one says to the other "do you know what a burritto". funny. head to one club line out the door plus $10 cover. no thanks. head to another club. no cover but guy say it's empty (um your job is to get me in) and i can't wear sandals. so i head back to the hostel and go to the default club downstairs. i'm the 4th guy there. comment "it's packed" to one of the guys. we chat and kick it the rest of the night. cool guy name is steven from brighton, england. the girls eventually star to arrive. young and dressed to the nine. all in slutty little black numbers. very posh. the opposite of mission. very marina. it's clicky. and i can tell i'm going to need to get drunk. i'm not even making an effort to meet other girls you can tell from their body language that there not having it. it's the type of place where you get the "i'm dancing with my girlfriend" and have potential to get a drink tossed at you if you say the wrong thing. and yes both happened to me. it was fun enough with steve and couple other american girls from his dorm. meet one girl in the bar next door. i mention some obscure anchor man reference and she goes off w/ a bunch of quotes from the movie. keep it classy san diego.
Day 7 - Coolangatta
funny my camera stops working the same day i find an internet spot where i can upload pics.
Day 7 - Coolangatta
Check out of the very lame Nomads hostel. Grab brekky (yes thats what they call it here) figure out where i could possibly stay the night in Coolangatta. And meet up with Yve. We head north along the pacific highway. Talk about school, jobs, religion. She's catholic. But non-practicing just like the rest of us. We talk about crazy relatives who try to ram religion down our throat. I guess we all have them. We get to coolangatta in no time. It's not at all what i expected. I thought it would be a small beach town even smaller than byron bay. nope. full of high rises and you can't even see the beach from the main strip. I find a tourist office and getting pointed to a much closer hostel in downtown. Whew i was about to be 2km out of town in a cabin/camping situation. Instead i'm at a hostel which is on top of a bar, a restaurant, a small casino (slots) and a club and next door to a wine cellar all within 1/2 a block of the beach. wow. can you say vegas? we grab some snacks head to the beach. it's huge. immediatley she takes her top off. i try play cool but come on this never happens in the states. if it does it... no it never happens. but i'm not complaining. body is bangin. we listen to her ipod she has a shit load hip hop and r&b. i'm talking old school stuff too like biggie and 112. plus all the new stuff. rad. her favorite group is artic monkeys (i'm listening to them right now, not bad) head to the cafe for some luch/early dinner and spend hours hanging out talking. random shit there is a baby in a onesy (?) and i tell her about my idea for pods' bday. yes grown men dressing like babies! it's getting ot the point in the day where the plan was that she would drive back to byron bay today but neither of us want this to end. we got back to my hostel. i'm in a 4bed dorm. no one is there. we test the lock. it doesn't work so any one could pretty much come in at anytime. that doesn't stop us. music starts blazing. apparently my room is right above. great? i was pretty sure at this point she would stay the night but she starts talking about that she really needs to go. i try to get her to stay, but no luck. we say our goodbyes. i give her my email (will she write?), she cries as she leaves. not in the mood to hit the club and i force myself to bed. bass thumping downstairs. miserable. i do remember them playing mgmt kids though.
Day 7 - Coolangatta
Check out of the very lame Nomads hostel. Grab brekky (yes thats what they call it here) figure out where i could possibly stay the night in Coolangatta. And meet up with Yve. We head north along the pacific highway. Talk about school, jobs, religion. She's catholic. But non-practicing just like the rest of us. We talk about crazy relatives who try to ram religion down our throat. I guess we all have them. We get to coolangatta in no time. It's not at all what i expected. I thought it would be a small beach town even smaller than byron bay. nope. full of high rises and you can't even see the beach from the main strip. I find a tourist office and getting pointed to a much closer hostel in downtown. Whew i was about to be 2km out of town in a cabin/camping situation. Instead i'm at a hostel which is on top of a bar, a restaurant, a small casino (slots) and a club and next door to a wine cellar all within 1/2 a block of the beach. wow. can you say vegas? we grab some snacks head to the beach. it's huge. immediatley she takes her top off. i try play cool but come on this never happens in the states. if it does it... no it never happens. but i'm not complaining. body is bangin. we listen to her ipod she has a shit load hip hop and r&b. i'm talking old school stuff too like biggie and 112. plus all the new stuff. rad. her favorite group is artic monkeys (i'm listening to them right now, not bad) head to the cafe for some luch/early dinner and spend hours hanging out talking. random shit there is a baby in a onesy (?) and i tell her about my idea for pods' bday. yes grown men dressing like babies! it's getting ot the point in the day where the plan was that she would drive back to byron bay today but neither of us want this to end. we got back to my hostel. i'm in a 4bed dorm. no one is there. we test the lock. it doesn't work so any one could pretty much come in at anytime. that doesn't stop us. music starts blazing. apparently my room is right above. great? i was pretty sure at this point she would stay the night but she starts talking about that she really needs to go. i try to get her to stay, but no luck. we say our goodbyes. i give her my email (will she write?), she cries as she leaves. not in the mood to hit the club and i force myself to bed. bass thumping downstairs. miserable. i do remember them playing mgmt kids though.
Day 6 - Byron Bay
reread some posts. already known, my spelling is no better than a retarded monkey. her name is singular Yve not plural, Yves.
Day 6 - Yve didn't sleep over but we agreed to meet back at the same spot we first met later tonight. i decide that i want to stay at nomad's one more night considering the new found benefits of having your own room. unfortunately a group is moving in to my room and i have to change rooms. shit to lazy to go look for another hostel at this point i take the room, and put my shit down. one person sleeping. one couple in bed watching a movie. still haven't met anybody from this hostel. reiterates how opposite it from my place in sydney.
i grab breakfast, eggs & bacon (our ham) on toast is big here, figure out how to get to the next town coolangatta, supposed to be great surf, buy a bus ticket. cool got that out of the way no focus on getting a board and surfing. minor issue. the only surfable beach that i've found is far away and i'm not sure even how to walk there. no problem the surf shop sorts me out. the walk actually wasn't that bad. the break is weird, coming into the beach diagnolly at one position then if your a little farther out it comes straight in or even slightly diagonal the other way. so i'm pretty busy trying not to get in peoples ways. i eventually find a beginner area and catch a few wobbly waves. perhaps i'm giving my self to much credit for just finding a shop, getting a board, and making it to the beach. i'm finding i'm not pushing to hard when i get there to get better. may just be a "i'm on vacation, relax" thing. on top of that i don't have any way of telling time so i'm always afraid i'm going to fall over and get charged up the ying. so i left way early and could of road some more. oh well i'm on vacation. chill at a couple cafes, read a lot, eat this amazing banana walnut bread w/ syrup dipping sauce and a rasberry glaze. don't even eat dinner it was huge. go get changed and hit the pub. i walk in the place is slammed. surprising for so early. they have some kind of raffle/prize night. Dude standing on a chair spinning numbers. the prizes are, check this out, raw meat products. yeah raw steak, sausage, even cartons of eggs. WTF. so the bar is full of men drinking beer w/ random raw meat products placed through the bar. i'm trying to think of something funny to say perhaps tie it into a drunk degenerate easter bunny w/ a meat fetish...but i got nothing. have a few beers and head to beach hotel to meet Yve. She is there a bit after meeting time but well before the time i have to start thinking when is it appropriate to bail. Grab a drink share stories about her day. She really is not feeling her friends and her negativity to be honest is a bit of a downer. luckily we quickly change topics and the chat is smooth the rest of the night. go grab a bottle of wine at this place called the balcony. sweet place with; you got it a large outdoor balcony that wraps around the place. only draw back the waitress starts hurding us to another section of the restaurant, apprantly there starting to close. we end sitting w/ an older couple from australia. talk about random stuff, but i remember a conversation about min wage and tips. how in usa food service wage is lower but tips are larger and in australia wage is much higher but no tips. which is better? i don't know. i don't care. luckily we got onto another topic. we try hitting up another spot but nothing is really open except clubs. neither of us being interested in this option we opt for the make out session behind the bus stop. damn it sucks not having you own room. i walk her back to her place and she offers to drive me to coolangatta. sweet! friends we may have the making of an australia romance.
Day 6 - Yve didn't sleep over but we agreed to meet back at the same spot we first met later tonight. i decide that i want to stay at nomad's one more night considering the new found benefits of having your own room. unfortunately a group is moving in to my room and i have to change rooms. shit to lazy to go look for another hostel at this point i take the room, and put my shit down. one person sleeping. one couple in bed watching a movie. still haven't met anybody from this hostel. reiterates how opposite it from my place in sydney.
i grab breakfast, eggs & bacon (our ham) on toast is big here, figure out how to get to the next town coolangatta, supposed to be great surf, buy a bus ticket. cool got that out of the way no focus on getting a board and surfing. minor issue. the only surfable beach that i've found is far away and i'm not sure even how to walk there. no problem the surf shop sorts me out. the walk actually wasn't that bad. the break is weird, coming into the beach diagnolly at one position then if your a little farther out it comes straight in or even slightly diagonal the other way. so i'm pretty busy trying not to get in peoples ways. i eventually find a beginner area and catch a few wobbly waves. perhaps i'm giving my self to much credit for just finding a shop, getting a board, and making it to the beach. i'm finding i'm not pushing to hard when i get there to get better. may just be a "i'm on vacation, relax" thing. on top of that i don't have any way of telling time so i'm always afraid i'm going to fall over and get charged up the ying. so i left way early and could of road some more. oh well i'm on vacation. chill at a couple cafes, read a lot, eat this amazing banana walnut bread w/ syrup dipping sauce and a rasberry glaze. don't even eat dinner it was huge. go get changed and hit the pub. i walk in the place is slammed. surprising for so early. they have some kind of raffle/prize night. Dude standing on a chair spinning numbers. the prizes are, check this out, raw meat products. yeah raw steak, sausage, even cartons of eggs. WTF. so the bar is full of men drinking beer w/ random raw meat products placed through the bar. i'm trying to think of something funny to say perhaps tie it into a drunk degenerate easter bunny w/ a meat fetish...but i got nothing. have a few beers and head to beach hotel to meet Yve. She is there a bit after meeting time but well before the time i have to start thinking when is it appropriate to bail. Grab a drink share stories about her day. She really is not feeling her friends and her negativity to be honest is a bit of a downer. luckily we quickly change topics and the chat is smooth the rest of the night. go grab a bottle of wine at this place called the balcony. sweet place with; you got it a large outdoor balcony that wraps around the place. only draw back the waitress starts hurding us to another section of the restaurant, apprantly there starting to close. we end sitting w/ an older couple from australia. talk about random stuff, but i remember a conversation about min wage and tips. how in usa food service wage is lower but tips are larger and in australia wage is much higher but no tips. which is better? i don't know. i don't care. luckily we got onto another topic. we try hitting up another spot but nothing is really open except clubs. neither of us being interested in this option we opt for the make out session behind the bus stop. damn it sucks not having you own room. i walk her back to her place and she offers to drive me to coolangatta. sweet! friends we may have the making of an australia romance.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Day 5 - Byron Bay
yes australians use "mate" and "no worries" like it's nobodies business
Day 5 - Sleep in. Still no one in the room. Hang out the hostel's common room. Only a few people. Again this place is a huge hotel turn hostel. It's really not condusive to meeting people unless the are in you room. No luck for me. I've considered moving to a different hostel. Grab a hawaiian chicken sandwich and head to the beach. The sadwich is amazing. Wind is blowing hard, a constant theme at the beach during this trip. I'm thinking related to the aftermath of the dust storm somehow. I don't see anyone surfing and i'm a bit puzzled. So walk south down the beach toward the light house and the most easterly point on the australian mainland. On my way I met a swedish girl named tez. Good chat we talked about the states, school, proffesions, traveling in australia. She leaves and i regret not trying to met up w/ her later and her "friends". The hike to the lighthouse is pretty and i come across a lot of wildlife. Tons of birds that I've never seen in the states and nearly step on a huge iguana. Yes this is the rainforest. Climb the light house and peer down just south of Byron Bay and see Tallows beach. Boom! Covered with surfers this is it this is where I'll ride. But i'm on a cliff and don't see a clear way to get there. Plus it's pretty far from downtown and all the surf shops. Oh well i'll figure it out tomorrow. Head back to town. Enjoy a fine thai meal. Get back to my room. Still no folks. Booo! Take a nap and slowly slip into a funk. Tired not sure where to go out. But break out and hit up a bar drink some Stone & Wood a local Byron Bay brew. Watch some cricket. I'll tell you I haven't seen so much cricket and australian rules football in my life. I think i'm starting to understand the games. Eventually i head to the Beach Hotel. A huge place w/ and inside a big patio outside and this outside but really inside music hall w/ a chill band dowing laid back covers. I pull up a seat. Again by myself. Thinking this isn't going to be the easiest place to meet people. Groups partioned off at tables and my crutch (top 40 dance music) no where to be found. I'm nearly two beers deep contemplating where i'm going next when a group of three girls comes over. 1 hot (an 8 and i'm being conservative) and 2 not as hot girls. It was wierd the 1 hot one leads the way talks to me and after getting introduced the other 2 girls break off and sit at a table off to the side. This girl is super easy to talk to. Her name is Yves from Hannover, Germany. Her english is great. She talks about her time in california. I talk about my time in Germany. We click. Grab another beer we all head outside. The other 2 girls start to talk about going home but we convince them to come to a club. Club is stupid packed w/ a 30min line and who's no how much cover. 2 girlfriends aren't having it bail but tell Yves that she should stay. She need no convincing. This is earily too easy. Hot woman walks up to me at a bar. Starts chatting me up. Then is down to hang out w/ her friends. Keep in mind all the while I was the lone guy at the bar. Porno's are made out of this kinda stuff. So me and Yves hit the bar across the street. Chat some more then get interupted by a guy who was obviously on something. My guess cocaine. Later i find out it's ectasy. He is a riot but a bit too much. Yves can't fully understand his rants and i'm getting the vibe that this guy doesnt really give a shit about meating us but instead wants attention. He is with two girls .We have a disjointed conversations about where we are from, drugs, and how hot Yves is. We escape them and head back to the club. At this point no line and a $10 cover. reasonable. he head in we dance. we drink. we dance. i show her the fact that all urinals that i've been too in australia you stand on a metal grate. wierd. she give me a lap dance. too good to be true. we joke about how im gay. telling her about how i met the guy from london at cheeky monkies sets her off. I go with it. We roll out the club. She grabs a smoke. And i use a line that i have to admit not the first time. It was inpired by the Woody Allen film Annie Hall which i saw a dolo movie night this summer. He is on a first date with Annie and the hit it off. They are walking on the streee and he say something to the effect, " you know we should just kiss now cuz if we wait till later, you know the whole at the door step thing, at that point it will be surrounded with too much pressure. it'll happen. let's just get in out of theway". Sounds like garbage. But i referenced the movie and it worked. Good thing no ones in my hostel room.
Day 5 - Sleep in. Still no one in the room. Hang out the hostel's common room. Only a few people. Again this place is a huge hotel turn hostel. It's really not condusive to meeting people unless the are in you room. No luck for me. I've considered moving to a different hostel. Grab a hawaiian chicken sandwich and head to the beach. The sadwich is amazing. Wind is blowing hard, a constant theme at the beach during this trip. I'm thinking related to the aftermath of the dust storm somehow. I don't see anyone surfing and i'm a bit puzzled. So walk south down the beach toward the light house and the most easterly point on the australian mainland. On my way I met a swedish girl named tez. Good chat we talked about the states, school, proffesions, traveling in australia. She leaves and i regret not trying to met up w/ her later and her "friends". The hike to the lighthouse is pretty and i come across a lot of wildlife. Tons of birds that I've never seen in the states and nearly step on a huge iguana. Yes this is the rainforest. Climb the light house and peer down just south of Byron Bay and see Tallows beach. Boom! Covered with surfers this is it this is where I'll ride. But i'm on a cliff and don't see a clear way to get there. Plus it's pretty far from downtown and all the surf shops. Oh well i'll figure it out tomorrow. Head back to town. Enjoy a fine thai meal. Get back to my room. Still no folks. Booo! Take a nap and slowly slip into a funk. Tired not sure where to go out. But break out and hit up a bar drink some Stone & Wood a local Byron Bay brew. Watch some cricket. I'll tell you I haven't seen so much cricket and australian rules football in my life. I think i'm starting to understand the games. Eventually i head to the Beach Hotel. A huge place w/ and inside a big patio outside and this outside but really inside music hall w/ a chill band dowing laid back covers. I pull up a seat. Again by myself. Thinking this isn't going to be the easiest place to meet people. Groups partioned off at tables and my crutch (top 40 dance music) no where to be found. I'm nearly two beers deep contemplating where i'm going next when a group of three girls comes over. 1 hot (an 8 and i'm being conservative) and 2 not as hot girls. It was wierd the 1 hot one leads the way talks to me and after getting introduced the other 2 girls break off and sit at a table off to the side. This girl is super easy to talk to. Her name is Yves from Hannover, Germany. Her english is great. She talks about her time in california. I talk about my time in Germany. We click. Grab another beer we all head outside. The other 2 girls start to talk about going home but we convince them to come to a club. Club is stupid packed w/ a 30min line and who's no how much cover. 2 girlfriends aren't having it bail but tell Yves that she should stay. She need no convincing. This is earily too easy. Hot woman walks up to me at a bar. Starts chatting me up. Then is down to hang out w/ her friends. Keep in mind all the while I was the lone guy at the bar. Porno's are made out of this kinda stuff. So me and Yves hit the bar across the street. Chat some more then get interupted by a guy who was obviously on something. My guess cocaine. Later i find out it's ectasy. He is a riot but a bit too much. Yves can't fully understand his rants and i'm getting the vibe that this guy doesnt really give a shit about meating us but instead wants attention. He is with two girls .We have a disjointed conversations about where we are from, drugs, and how hot Yves is. We escape them and head back to the club. At this point no line and a $10 cover. reasonable. he head in we dance. we drink. we dance. i show her the fact that all urinals that i've been too in australia you stand on a metal grate. wierd. she give me a lap dance. too good to be true. we joke about how im gay. telling her about how i met the guy from london at cheeky monkies sets her off. I go with it. We roll out the club. She grabs a smoke. And i use a line that i have to admit not the first time. It was inpired by the Woody Allen film Annie Hall which i saw a dolo movie night this summer. He is on a first date with Annie and the hit it off. They are walking on the streee and he say something to the effect, " you know we should just kiss now cuz if we wait till later, you know the whole at the door step thing, at that point it will be surrounded with too much pressure. it'll happen. let's just get in out of theway". Sounds like garbage. But i referenced the movie and it worked. Good thing no ones in my hostel room.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Day 4b - Byron Bay
keep the comments coming kids. i'm getting a kick out of this. still haven't found a place that will let me load pictures so use your imaginations.
Day 4b - So the day i chalk up as a travel day. They blow but you kinda have to go with it when traveling long distances. Especially when you didn't plan shit like i did. Long wait at the airport before i board the smallest plane ever. It had propellers on the wings. Seriously. Propellers? Come on! Obvious a bumpy flight but landed in Ballinas aka BFE of New South Wales. But luckily i catch the last bus to Byron Bay. I was stressin for a bit there since the flight was delayed. Vision of sleeping in the airport started filling my mind. But it worked out. Bus ride was beautiful up along the coast. Passed lenox head a pretty famous surf spot and my short glimpse out the window rewarded me w/ one of the sickest surfers i've ever seen live. Landed in Byron bay at night. Booked at Nomads Hostel. Place is geared towards "flashpackers". Modern backpackers who are hype and connected. So the place was clean, bright, ikea like, with flat panel tvs, and internet cafe, travel booking desk, coffee shop, basically a business. Impressive but no personality. On top of that i was the only person in my room. Hmm really 8 person dorm and i'm the only person in it. Good cuz its clean and doesnt smell. But bad cuz who am I going to party with tonight. On som many levels this place was completely different from my hostel in Sydney, the Blue Parrot. I crash in my bend and honestly get kinda poopy, partly cuz i'm beat, partly cuz i'm at this huge mega hostel with it's preformed clicks but kicking it in room by myself. I get out of my funk and head to Cheeky Monkeys. Yes Cheeky Monkeys. Read about in the guide as a party destination. That it was and then some. Think Cancun spring break. Complete with MC on loud speaker, group drinking contests, dancing on tables, and a shady every shifting drink price. It was ridiculous. When i first got there it was $8 for a pitcher. Then it moved to $5 for a beer. Then by end of night it was $8 for a beer. What!?! I spent that first pitcher alone sharing a table with another dude. Awkward...just a bit. Finally i broke the silence when I commented on how ridiculous the waitresses outfits were. They were wearing coyote ugly themed costumes complete with cowboy hats and assless chaps. Cheesy! Well at least it started convo. I talked with the guy for a good hour or so. We was from just south of london traveling alone in the opposite direction as I, down to Sydney. Solid guy and we swapped round for a while. Until the place got just too crowded and he bailed cuz he couldnt afford shit. Luckily i met some locals who clued me in on the $3.50 local deal for mixed drinks. I was set. By the way I freely was giving these guys shit for coming to a tourist trap bar to pick up on young naive drunk women. "Like shooting fish in a barrel" i said. No arguments from them. Music was top 40 so I inevatbly danced w/ half the bar. Yes I got on the tables that were constructed to be danced on again pretty tacky. Danced dirty with a girl that I never got her name or where she was from but somehow was making out with her hard core. Ridiculous.
Day 4b - So the day i chalk up as a travel day. They blow but you kinda have to go with it when traveling long distances. Especially when you didn't plan shit like i did. Long wait at the airport before i board the smallest plane ever. It had propellers on the wings. Seriously. Propellers? Come on! Obvious a bumpy flight but landed in Ballinas aka BFE of New South Wales. But luckily i catch the last bus to Byron Bay. I was stressin for a bit there since the flight was delayed. Vision of sleeping in the airport started filling my mind. But it worked out. Bus ride was beautiful up along the coast. Passed lenox head a pretty famous surf spot and my short glimpse out the window rewarded me w/ one of the sickest surfers i've ever seen live. Landed in Byron bay at night. Booked at Nomads Hostel. Place is geared towards "flashpackers". Modern backpackers who are hype and connected. So the place was clean, bright, ikea like, with flat panel tvs, and internet cafe, travel booking desk, coffee shop, basically a business. Impressive but no personality. On top of that i was the only person in my room. Hmm really 8 person dorm and i'm the only person in it. Good cuz its clean and doesnt smell. But bad cuz who am I going to party with tonight. On som many levels this place was completely different from my hostel in Sydney, the Blue Parrot. I crash in my bend and honestly get kinda poopy, partly cuz i'm beat, partly cuz i'm at this huge mega hostel with it's preformed clicks but kicking it in room by myself. I get out of my funk and head to Cheeky Monkeys. Yes Cheeky Monkeys. Read about in the guide as a party destination. That it was and then some. Think Cancun spring break. Complete with MC on loud speaker, group drinking contests, dancing on tables, and a shady every shifting drink price. It was ridiculous. When i first got there it was $8 for a pitcher. Then it moved to $5 for a beer. Then by end of night it was $8 for a beer. What!?! I spent that first pitcher alone sharing a table with another dude. Awkward...just a bit. Finally i broke the silence when I commented on how ridiculous the waitresses outfits were. They were wearing coyote ugly themed costumes complete with cowboy hats and assless chaps. Cheesy! Well at least it started convo. I talked with the guy for a good hour or so. We was from just south of london traveling alone in the opposite direction as I, down to Sydney. Solid guy and we swapped round for a while. Until the place got just too crowded and he bailed cuz he couldnt afford shit. Luckily i met some locals who clued me in on the $3.50 local deal for mixed drinks. I was set. By the way I freely was giving these guys shit for coming to a tourist trap bar to pick up on young naive drunk women. "Like shooting fish in a barrel" i said. No arguments from them. Music was top 40 so I inevatbly danced w/ half the bar. Yes I got on the tables that were constructed to be danced on again pretty tacky. Danced dirty with a girl that I never got her name or where she was from but somehow was making out with her hard core. Ridiculous.
Monday, September 28, 2009
got to today. and yes i'm stuck at the airport with a shit load of time to kill cuz i was trying to be adventurous and head north w/ absolutley nothing booked, no bus, no flight, no hostel. so far it is backfiring. but what are you going to do. your going to give a two part post that's what your going to do.
Day 4a - Airport/Byron Bay- Well i guess i basically told you what happend today. Wow. That was lame. But really. Wake up say my good byes. Get some emails. Lady at the check out counter asks where i'm going and how i'm getting there i say confidenlty north not sure how i'm getting there. she laughs. ask if i'm sure i want to check out w/ out sorting out transport. i say yes. i should have listened. internet at the hostel was booked. that would of helped. i chose plane. on a quest for the infamous $80 ticket to ballinas just west of byron bay. I end up paying twice as much. Bright side. I got the Blog on lock down. And am going to dig deep on this Obama book Wish me luck on the rest of the day.
Short footnote: The girl that i mentioned at the hostel behind the desk. Is smoking hot. And ridiculously friendly. Not fake i have to be nice cuz i'm working friendly. But geniunely friendly and helpful. Again it's as if she broke the Hot /Bitch - Ugly/Sweet Girl contium. My head is still hurting. And I remind myself i still need to go back to sydney to catch my return flight...
Day 4a - Airport/Byron Bay- Well i guess i basically told you what happend today. Wow. That was lame. But really. Wake up say my good byes. Get some emails. Lady at the check out counter asks where i'm going and how i'm getting there i say confidenlty north not sure how i'm getting there. she laughs. ask if i'm sure i want to check out w/ out sorting out transport. i say yes. i should have listened. internet at the hostel was booked. that would of helped. i chose plane. on a quest for the infamous $80 ticket to ballinas just west of byron bay. I end up paying twice as much. Bright side. I got the Blog on lock down. And am going to dig deep on this Obama book Wish me luck on the rest of the day.
Short footnote: The girl that i mentioned at the hostel behind the desk. Is smoking hot. And ridiculously friendly. Not fake i have to be nice cuz i'm working friendly. But geniunely friendly and helpful. Again it's as if she broke the Hot /Bitch - Ugly/Sweet Girl contium. My head is still hurting. And I remind myself i still need to go back to sydney to catch my return flight...
Day 3 - Sydney
ok this was yesterday and i remember a bit better. and yes i will be giving a blurb before every entry. cuz putting the blurb in the entry just doesnt make sense (duh!).
Day 3 - Wake up at a reasonable time. About nine and already have plans w/ two girls one american one from taiwan to back to manly beach. again thats what's great about this hostel. it is impossible not to met and hang out and drink w/ new people everyday. A grab a bit first w/ the american here name Ilana ( and yes i remembered her name with an autin powers reference "My name is I-wana. I-wana Hump-a-lot" And already i can tell this girl has the potential to be annoying. 1. Has a bag filled with a bunchy of useless shit. 2. Very picky about food. 3. Admits she is anal within the first 5 min of our morning conversation. However she is a nice girl and harmless enough. We grab food in Pott's Point. It's where my hostel is and pretty upscale neighborhood. You know one of those places that has a shop that just sells fresh fruit. And then another shop that just sells fancy pasteries. And another shop for you cheeses. Kinda cool. Hit up the hostel gram the taiwanese girl, Sandy and head to the beach. I'm kinda the ringleader (trouble) cuz i was the only one who had already gone to manly. Doesn't stop me from gettign lost in the subway though. rad. we ask for directions and before you know it we do train the ferry to manley. Head to the beach. Again it still kinda cold and windy. What up with this? I again sit on my ass and stare at the ocean like mute until i figure get yur soggey ass out there and surf. $20 buck for an hour. Still pretty shitty waves. I stand up half way once and that was my surf day at manly. Wack. But i'm getting out there and 2/3 days surfing is not a bad start. We grab some overpriced fish and chips get raped my seagulls ( you can imagine Ilana is not a big fan) but they get distracted once bird man starts feading them crumbs right below the sign that say "Don't feed birds" All the while this guy has a sick grimace (i love that word by the way). I talk the girls about, relegion and relationships for hours. Move to a beach side bard which is playing great tunes. Obscure MGMT, Gorillas, I think i even picked up a Matt & Kim song. If you don't know about them check em out. Ilana was bummed she missed the sunset. And I told her she is not going to see the sun set over the ocean. She doesnt get it. I tell her the sun doesnt work that way. She doesnt get it. I tell her how the sun is stationary and earth rotates and it will always rise in the east and set in the west. She kinda starts to get it. She is from conneicut and i ask here has she every seen an east coast sun set over the atlantic. It finally clicks. Eureka! But it's too late she has lost all credibility. Again a nice girl though. We head back the hostel. It's a big night three of the ladies are moving on the next day. And everyone is dressed up to party on there last night. I slowly get around to shower, dress, and red bull and booze. Met them at sugarmill. Place is jammed. Music is great. And literally (not really) every nation is represented. I even met a nigerian. No. No i didn't. But it was great meeting diff people. Guy from LA. getting warmer. Cool girl from munich. Who dissed my friend from Hamburg i thought that was pretty cool. Smoking hot girl from australia. Dancing. Shots. Dancing. Pints. Dancing. Pitchers. I'm trying all my luck w/ the ladies. Keep in mind it's my last night in Sydney too (wink). Ended meeting this very horny french girl. Not hot french but down french. It was a good night.
Day 3 - Wake up at a reasonable time. About nine and already have plans w/ two girls one american one from taiwan to back to manly beach. again thats what's great about this hostel. it is impossible not to met and hang out and drink w/ new people everyday. A grab a bit first w/ the american here name Ilana ( and yes i remembered her name with an autin powers reference "My name is I-wana. I-wana Hump-a-lot" And already i can tell this girl has the potential to be annoying. 1. Has a bag filled with a bunchy of useless shit. 2. Very picky about food. 3. Admits she is anal within the first 5 min of our morning conversation. However she is a nice girl and harmless enough. We grab food in Pott's Point. It's where my hostel is and pretty upscale neighborhood. You know one of those places that has a shop that just sells fresh fruit. And then another shop that just sells fancy pasteries. And another shop for you cheeses. Kinda cool. Hit up the hostel gram the taiwanese girl, Sandy and head to the beach. I'm kinda the ringleader (trouble) cuz i was the only one who had already gone to manly. Doesn't stop me from gettign lost in the subway though. rad. we ask for directions and before you know it we do train the ferry to manley. Head to the beach. Again it still kinda cold and windy. What up with this? I again sit on my ass and stare at the ocean like mute until i figure get yur soggey ass out there and surf. $20 buck for an hour. Still pretty shitty waves. I stand up half way once and that was my surf day at manly. Wack. But i'm getting out there and 2/3 days surfing is not a bad start. We grab some overpriced fish and chips get raped my seagulls ( you can imagine Ilana is not a big fan) but they get distracted once bird man starts feading them crumbs right below the sign that say "Don't feed birds" All the while this guy has a sick grimace (i love that word by the way). I talk the girls about, relegion and relationships for hours. Move to a beach side bard which is playing great tunes. Obscure MGMT, Gorillas, I think i even picked up a Matt & Kim song. If you don't know about them check em out. Ilana was bummed she missed the sunset. And I told her she is not going to see the sun set over the ocean. She doesnt get it. I tell her the sun doesnt work that way. She doesnt get it. I tell her how the sun is stationary and earth rotates and it will always rise in the east and set in the west. She kinda starts to get it. She is from conneicut and i ask here has she every seen an east coast sun set over the atlantic. It finally clicks. Eureka! But it's too late she has lost all credibility. Again a nice girl though. We head back the hostel. It's a big night three of the ladies are moving on the next day. And everyone is dressed up to party on there last night. I slowly get around to shower, dress, and red bull and booze. Met them at sugarmill. Place is jammed. Music is great. And literally (not really) every nation is represented. I even met a nigerian. No. No i didn't. But it was great meeting diff people. Guy from LA. getting warmer. Cool girl from munich. Who dissed my friend from Hamburg i thought that was pretty cool. Smoking hot girl from australia. Dancing. Shots. Dancing. Pints. Dancing. Pitchers. I'm trying all my luck w/ the ladies. Keep in mind it's my last night in Sydney too (wink). Ended meeting this very horny french girl. Not hot french but down french. It was a good night.
Day 2 - Sydney
Wow my spelling is shit! No apologies expect more of the same...
Day 2 - Slept in till about 1. Feeling not so bad. Which pretty much ment i was still drunk. No problem my goal today is simple. Get to Bondi beach and surf. Stop off a the farmers market and buy a bacon sausage and egg sandwich (fantastic!) and dump all my change from the night before. Australia is one of those countries where the dollars are actually in coin. So you inevitably end up with this wad of change that you get to lazy (more like fear of embrasment) to count before paying for stuff. Anywho read my book - It's called "Dreams from My Father" by a guy you may have heard of - Barack Obama. Actually there was guy who dressed like him last year for Halloween and had a bunch of Secret Service Agents it was hilarious. I regress. Book is awesome though. Go back to the hostel luckily run into Jon dude from London I was raging with the night before and get his email. Grab my jacket. Yes it is windy and cold. Boooo! But fuck it i'm surfing today. Hope on the train then the bus and travel all the rest of the tourist to the beach. The beach my friends is solid. The sand pristine. The water crystal blue. Not much surf though. So i ponder what to do. Eventually i man up. Grab a suit (they rock 2:3 mm) and a board. Guy cuts me a deal for an hour only $10 AUD (~$9 american). Homies water is frigid. Not pacifica cold but but write up there with santa cruz cold. Wasn't expecting everyone is suits. Kinda blows. But what are you going to do. Pretty stoked i get up on my first attempt. And I can say I've surfed one of the most famous beaches in the world. Highlight to lowlight as i get out of the water and get changed and naked at the corner of the beach/park. Sketchy. Grab some beers after. And head back to the hostel. Everyone is chillaxing and nobody has big plans to go out. It's a movie slash drinking game night. Funny how this amazinglly social hostel sucks you in. I should be partying every night but when cool international people want to play drinking games. you play drinking games. learn a lot about the folks. where there going. where they've bin. many are in australia for months no weeks. some are working. some work at the hostel for free stay. mostly guys. but some girls. hamburg germnay is a popular origin. so is ireland and england. couple of cool peeps from miami (bitch!!!). i cruz through a six pack and find out one of the girls has had sex at the hostel. dirty girl. american from pensylvania. she has just met up w/ a couple irish girls and they will travel and work for months to come. this shit never happens in america.
Day 2 - Slept in till about 1. Feeling not so bad. Which pretty much ment i was still drunk. No problem my goal today is simple. Get to Bondi beach and surf. Stop off a the farmers market and buy a bacon sausage and egg sandwich (fantastic!) and dump all my change from the night before. Australia is one of those countries where the dollars are actually in coin. So you inevitably end up with this wad of change that you get to lazy (more like fear of embrasment) to count before paying for stuff. Anywho read my book - It's called "Dreams from My Father" by a guy you may have heard of - Barack Obama. Actually there was guy who dressed like him last year for Halloween and had a bunch of Secret Service Agents it was hilarious. I regress. Book is awesome though. Go back to the hostel luckily run into Jon dude from London I was raging with the night before and get his email. Grab my jacket. Yes it is windy and cold. Boooo! But fuck it i'm surfing today. Hope on the train then the bus and travel all the rest of the tourist to the beach. The beach my friends is solid. The sand pristine. The water crystal blue. Not much surf though. So i ponder what to do. Eventually i man up. Grab a suit (they rock 2:3 mm) and a board. Guy cuts me a deal for an hour only $10 AUD (~$9 american). Homies water is frigid. Not pacifica cold but but write up there with santa cruz cold. Wasn't expecting everyone is suits. Kinda blows. But what are you going to do. Pretty stoked i get up on my first attempt. And I can say I've surfed one of the most famous beaches in the world. Highlight to lowlight as i get out of the water and get changed and naked at the corner of the beach/park. Sketchy. Grab some beers after. And head back to the hostel. Everyone is chillaxing and nobody has big plans to go out. It's a movie slash drinking game night. Funny how this amazinglly social hostel sucks you in. I should be partying every night but when cool international people want to play drinking games. you play drinking games. learn a lot about the folks. where there going. where they've bin. many are in australia for months no weeks. some are working. some work at the hostel for free stay. mostly guys. but some girls. hamburg germnay is a popular origin. so is ireland and england. couple of cool peeps from miami (bitch!!!). i cruz through a six pack and find out one of the girls has had sex at the hostel. dirty girl. american from pensylvania. she has just met up w/ a couple irish girls and they will travel and work for months to come. this shit never happens in america.
Day 1 - Sydney
So I'm going to give this blog thing a shot. I'm not that good with online technology so not sure what to expect. Is it like the book of faces? or maybe more like MySpot? Well I've been here for 3 days now and going to rewind to day 1...
Day 1 - After a pretty unremarkable flight minus the fact that I lost an entire day of my life. I'm mean come on, Friday September 25th never really existed in my life. Weird! Arrive at 6 am at Sydney airport with very little sleep kinda of out of it. The first thing that I see coming off the plane is this hilarious poster of who I assumed to be an australian man in speedos (i'll post pic once i get to a hostel which allows uploaded of such things - porn problems i suspect) next thing i see is the day sky, dirty, hazy kinda like LA smog air on crack. I'm like shit is this how it's going to be? Luckily the sky turned blue and i had one of the fullest days of my life. Waited at a cafe while my hostel opened and experienced a great (or bad) bum argument between a man and a women, dropped off my bags, took train to sydney harbor, checked out the botanical gardens, sydney opera house, the rocks (historic distric turn upscale flea market), roof top beer garden were a random started chatting w/ me he was from new york but has traveled to cali and pretty much all over the world and now lives in sydney. he told me about the dust storm and how literally he thought it was the end of the world to the point were he was promising if he could just live through this he would be a better man. guy was kinda pissed and honestly pretty creppy. friendly enough though. bailed from him. realized that to do the sydney bridge climb it was going to cost $200 so instead i did the sydney bridge walk for free.99. ended up at this coney island like place called luna park. for kids but adults were totally celebrating something, all dressed up in golf gear, guys in plaid vests, women in short plaid skirts and high heel steleto's. rad. hoped on the ferry back to sydney harbor then imediately hoped on to another ferry to manly beach. great view of sydney and the opera house. manly was pretty impressive. kinda like an upscale sant cruz. cool shops, bars, and plenty of surfing to be had.... i ended up in a bar and watch the a championship game of australian rules football. close game got intense quite a bit of yelling and i had time to sample wide selectin of ausie beers. bartender's favorite golden ale, mine too shit was good. cooper which supposedly tastes like fat tire really tasted more like shit. and toohey's which is their bud/coors. hope back on the ferry kinda pissed make it to my hostel and now everyone is up and about. hostel is great, friendly social people, playing card games, watching movies, bullshiting. imediatly make friends with my roomates and we head out to dinner talk about life and travel. my pizza takes +30 min everyone else got their shit right away. awkard. decided to go back to the hostel to rally the troops for nightlife but instead massive drinking games are being had. me and jon (cool guy, economist from london) head out to place called bourbon meet some cool new peeps, 4 bars later, about 10 rounds things are blurry, i remember hard core dancing, sneaking into places we shouldn't of been, places we regretted going into, a 21 year old bday party, supposedly some hostel mates, a meat pie, and oh they don't stop serving!
Day 1 - After a pretty unremarkable flight minus the fact that I lost an entire day of my life. I'm mean come on, Friday September 25th never really existed in my life. Weird! Arrive at 6 am at Sydney airport with very little sleep kinda of out of it. The first thing that I see coming off the plane is this hilarious poster of who I assumed to be an australian man in speedos (i'll post pic once i get to a hostel which allows uploaded of such things - porn problems i suspect) next thing i see is the day sky, dirty, hazy kinda like LA smog air on crack. I'm like shit is this how it's going to be? Luckily the sky turned blue and i had one of the fullest days of my life. Waited at a cafe while my hostel opened and experienced a great (or bad) bum argument between a man and a women, dropped off my bags, took train to sydney harbor, checked out the botanical gardens, sydney opera house, the rocks (historic distric turn upscale flea market), roof top beer garden were a random started chatting w/ me he was from new york but has traveled to cali and pretty much all over the world and now lives in sydney. he told me about the dust storm and how literally he thought it was the end of the world to the point were he was promising if he could just live through this he would be a better man. guy was kinda pissed and honestly pretty creppy. friendly enough though. bailed from him. realized that to do the sydney bridge climb it was going to cost $200 so instead i did the sydney bridge walk for free.99. ended up at this coney island like place called luna park. for kids but adults were totally celebrating something, all dressed up in golf gear, guys in plaid vests, women in short plaid skirts and high heel steleto's. rad. hoped on the ferry back to sydney harbor then imediately hoped on to another ferry to manly beach. great view of sydney and the opera house. manly was pretty impressive. kinda like an upscale sant cruz. cool shops, bars, and plenty of surfing to be had.... i ended up in a bar and watch the a championship game of australian rules football. close game got intense quite a bit of yelling and i had time to sample wide selectin of ausie beers. bartender's favorite golden ale, mine too shit was good. cooper which supposedly tastes like fat tire really tasted more like shit. and toohey's which is their bud/coors. hope back on the ferry kinda pissed make it to my hostel and now everyone is up and about. hostel is great, friendly social people, playing card games, watching movies, bullshiting. imediatly make friends with my roomates and we head out to dinner talk about life and travel. my pizza takes +30 min everyone else got their shit right away. awkard. decided to go back to the hostel to rally the troops for nightlife but instead massive drinking games are being had. me and jon (cool guy, economist from london) head out to place called bourbon meet some cool new peeps, 4 bars later, about 10 rounds things are blurry, i remember hard core dancing, sneaking into places we shouldn't of been, places we regretted going into, a 21 year old bday party, supposedly some hostel mates, a meat pie, and oh they don't stop serving!
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