Australia

So it's back to Sydney, Australia where I did my undergrad @ UNSW. Nice to be in a place I am familiar with, also somewhat nostalgic to get back to where I had lived only 4 years ago.

Caught a plane up to Brisbane (1000 k's north) to catch up with a mate of mine from UNSW, Mike. Brisbane is a nice little city--very modern, clean, livable. There is a great tidal river that runs through the city/suburbs, that, even though heavily flooded in the 70's which has made it forever muddy, contains dolphins and small sharks...So no swimming.

Checked out a great Andy Worhol exhibit at the art gallery.

It's interesting how the Aussie's (other countries) can have such insight into the life and times of American culture/history through such figures as Worhol. For example, they had display of his work and newspaper clippings depicting the drama of the JFK assassination that would move anyone. An insight that we (or at least I) get little of in America about the culture/history of other nations...

Mike and I took a drive up to the Sunshine Coast, drove down Steve Irwin way (near Australia Zoo) and went for a hike/climb in the Glasshouse Mountains. A steep climb up (and down),


but right on the coast, it made for great views.

Then over for a visit to the really nice little spread of towns along the Sunny coast, where beaches abound and families congregate for 'Surf Life Saving' events--that they start as young as we start soccer (5-6yo). Even Santa Clause made a visit: driving by on a boat, waving to everyone on the beaches....yes, very strange.

(including those silly hats, whose purpose is entirely unknown/forgotten by the Aussies I've asked)

Popped up to Noosa for a few days, the northern most part of the Sunshine Coast but south of Fraser Island (which I did not make it to). A nice place that has become an Aussie vacation town. But both the weather and the water were warm, the beach was real nice,

and there was a great section of national park to walk through. Including a coastal walk,


with turquise water that made for great snorkeling,

and a section of "tanglewood forest,"

and these weird things,

So did I mention how big surf life saving is in Oz? Instead of pick-up soccer or basketbal, these kids got together to practice racing out about 50 meters into the water...over and over again.

Surf sports are not exclusive to humans either. This dog was getting in on the action with the help of his owner standing and rowing from the back of the surfboard. When the dog fell off,the guy would stand close the end, dipping the board under the water, allowing the dog to climb back on. Very cool.

Here catching a wave (if you can make it out).


I did some surfing myself. The couple of hostels I stayed in gave free use of boogie boards, surf boards and kayaks...being one to always try and get my $'s worth, I did all three. Even though I was able to catch a few waves surfing, I was punished for not wearing a shirt--a rashy as they call them here--and got a pretty bad rash on my chest... my nipples were screaming.

Back at the backpackers that night, I got a dorm bed for a night where I had a snorer/restless sleeper shaking the bed above me and one of the worst snorers I've ever heard in the bed next to me--I swear he had a chainsaw stuck in his throat. Worst of all, they were both huge British guys with lots of tattoos, so I wasn't about to throw something at them or anything. It was horrible, I barely slept. At one point I just yelled out, "Oh my god!"...which did not stir them, of course.


Took a bus back down to Maroochydore and met up with Yasmin, the Aussie chick I traveled with in Thailand. She took me for a great walk in the Kandalilla national park of the Sunny Coast.
Amazing flora




and a really cool swimming hole.


The quality of life up here in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland is very high, I reckon. Warm, clean, not too developed, long stretches of amazing beach...I think I could live here (anywhere between Brisbane and Noosa). Who couldn't live in a place where you can do your yard work, or even walk into a supermarket (yes, i've seen it), like this :)

Between the abounding lawn bowling clubs, surf life saving clubs, beaches, parks, and weather that permits them to be outside most of the year, it is a lot easier for people/families to spend quality time together than places like Boston. I reckon it contributes (significantly) to why Australian's seem to be more chipper and amiable than other peoples. And maybe it helps that they have road signs like, "smell the roses, make time for loved ones."

Then it was back to Sydney for a week around Christmas. As weird as it is to be in the hot sun on the beach around Christmas, I'm finding some way to get by. .. Difficult :)

Stayin at a kickass house of 5 guys with a 2 terabite server full of movies, TV shows, etc., 2 couches, 4 lounge chairs, and huge love sack. With people stopping by most every night, it was a happening place to hang out. Here Toaks rocking out on Wii 'guitar hero'

On the recommendation of a friend, I went for a snorkel at Gordon's Bay Marine Reserve between Clovelly and Coogee beach (why I had never thought to do it in the 3 years I lived there, I don't know).

It was pretty cool. Dove down and smashed the little muscle things attached to the rocks and heaps of fish swarmed in around me. I did it a few times and created a bit of a following, pretty bloody cool. Although I didn't see any of the stingrays I'm told live down there.

The weather in Sydney had, for the most part, been pretty crappy: overcast, cool, some rain. So I was going to go and ask for a refund on my plane ticket, but on my last day--of course-- the sun came out to play and I was happy.
Dave and I at Maroubra beach,