So wow it's been ages since I last posted, just when I think i'm on top of the blog I realise just how quickly the weeks are flying by and how much more i've done. Infact, im sure time is speeding up...it's definately faster than when I was at school, definately.
How can this be possible? The best solution I could come up with was that the earth, sun, moon, the whole solar system is moving perpetually faster and so we're not feeling it. If everything's speeding up at the same time then it'd be easy not to notice losing an hour here and there right??
Anyway, i'm rambling so what's been going on over here in Oz? Back at the end of October the amazing Amanda (who was gutted at not being given a blog entry sooner lol!) took Loz and I on a whirlwind drive down along the local coastline ending in a tasty finale watching the Michael Jackson cinema documentary 'This is it' and dipping marshmmallows, strawberries and banana bread into the most incredible chocolate fondue at Max Brenner. Max.B is an insanely gorgeous chocolate restaurant and since that day has become a delicious addition to the diary, you can't go wrong and i'm very pleased there are more branches in Sydney!
A couple of Tuesdays ago we were lounging in Perle with some Mojitos and randomly decided to go out to the classily named 'Sin City' nightclub. I still remember Loz and I walking down Orchid Avenue (The strip) on our first night in Surfers and seeing Sin City and its very dubious clientell waiting in line outside and from that moment it became a sort of joke that we had go in at least once.
The persuading factor was it being Ladies Night which meant free entry and free drinks all night so within half an hour we'd gone from the maturity of cocktail smoozing to plastic champagne flutes and lycra mini skirts. Highlight of the night was having photos with the two guys from 'Man Power', their rippling abs were a nice shade of mahogany.
I've managed to do some more kitesurfing which is cool, it's now obvious that when we arrived here it really was still
winter for Australia and with that, non-existent winter winds. But now it's a different story, as summer has subtley crept in the days have got gradually lighter for longer, the heat hangs about later and the sea breezes are getting stronger daily. It's a shame that once we get to Sydney i'll be putting the kiting to bed untill i'm back in the uk but i'm not really progressing up here anyway because of the waves so not tooooo much is lost. The problem is the man made sand bars that have been put in place to create artificial waves. It means the sea becomes a turbulent vast mass of scary dark water, riding and falling in huge chunky mountains and to be honest, makes me so uncomfortable i'm not able to try any tricks or jumps for fear of landing badly and being crushed by a wave! Oh well, hopefully i'll rip it up back in england (surfer talk for get better)...
What else...well, work at the club is going ok but i'll be more than glad to say my goodbyes! 6 weeks of night work and having to chat to wasted idiots is kinda doing my head in. There are a few regulars who come back week after week and obviously recognise me, even approcaching like olds friends but I just have no idea who they are! I just smile and use the old line 'Ah how you going? Back again eh?' while thinking...."Who the hell are you?". It's alright money though and tops up the funds for Sydney and NZ so can't complain.
On Monday the 9th of Nov Amanda and I took Jules to sample some more Max Brenner at Marina Mirage, home to the world's first and only fashion hotel by Versace (I also just found out this is the hotel they take the celebs too before and after the jungle on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!) We also had a little browse around some stores including a trendy furniture shop and picked out what we would buy if we were rich. I chose a cow hide and chrome chair for $3,500, nice.
The next day Jules, Martin and I jumped on the bus down the coast to visit Sam at Nobby's Beach. Sam works next door to the bear shop and kindly sald we could borrow his surf boards for the day and teach us the basics. We started early and after a couple of hours had built up enough of an appetite to indulge in some local fish and chips, it's been ages since i'd had such a uk dish!
My fish burger was made with a type of fish called Dori which made me think I was eating Dori from Finding Nemo with every bite.
Between working and organising our trip I found myself down amongst the sand dunes one late afternoon. It was one of those days where you find yourself somewhere, not really sure how but are just glad you did. I spent a couple of hours watching the wind blow the sand into a constantly changing landscape of mini mountains and crevices while listening to the calming but contradictory tones of my Winter Chill album. I guess I just had one of those deep moments which I love to dwell in as the afternoon sun set behind the buildings and the shadows crept further and further up the beach.
Last Wednesday Jules, Martin and I spent the evening at an awesomeeeee little bar (actually a converted old house) called Swinging Safari. It was the kind of place i'd love to set up and own myself, nothing in there the same, everything random, a kind of delapidated Alice in Wonderland film set. We sipped our drinks while listening to the echoey tones of French music and a life drawing class drew burlesque dancers behind us.
Then it was time for the long awaited trip to Wet n' Wild and I wore my most robust bikini in preparation for any waterslide wedgies coming my way! Loz and I managed to get in for a discount by pretending to be Jules and Martin which was good but truth be told it was a bit overrated, smaller than we thought and quite kiddy. There was one very steep one which I overcame my fear of and managed to do but it just feels so wrong to launch yourself down a near vertical piece of plastic so many meters up. It definietely gave me a chance to stretch those vocal chords by screaming at all the drops.
That evening I caught up with Michelle on Skype as there's lots of planning to be done as December approaches, I can't believe i'll be meeting her at the airport in under 3 weeks, it's pretty exciting! It really feels like a transitional stage is about to begin and then the backpacking part of the trip begins in the new year.
That weekend I worked as usual but Loz and I found time to grab a drink at The Secret Garden. It's a tiny inconspicious alleyway that leads from the pavement into an overgrown jungle like garden patio which has been converted into a mini restaurant/cafe, such a cute idea! If it was in LA i'm sure all the celebs would go there to remain all hidden away...infact there probably are these types of places in LA. The couple that run it even have a big wild iguana living there called Dan who sat by our table and posed for a photo.
On the Sunday afternoon I went for a quick kitesurf to stretch the legs and watched the Australian Idol final...sorry this is getting really boring i'll move on!...
...So that brings us to Monday just gone where Amanda, Loz and I went to Max Brenner yet again(!) and to see the new Twilight movie at the cinema which was awesome...and then yesterday when Jules, Martin and I all hired a car for a little road trip to Nimbin and Byron Bay. Nimbin was home to the 1972 Aquarius Festival and not much has changed since, it's home to almost 100% long haired, wrinkly hippies smoking joints and seriously chilling out. The buildings are painted multi-coloured and emblazoned with murals of peace, love and harmony, defo an interesting place to visit!
As Nimbin only consists of one road we were ready to move on pretty quickly so we drove on to the beautiful Byron Bay for the late afternoon. It's a lovely little surfer town with a great vibe so i'll be very keen on staying in it longer when Michelle and I pass back through on the way up through Queensland next year.
So there's lots coming up...tomorrow i'm going to be filmed making a bear for a travel program! They're trying to show that the Gold Coast can be family friendly as well as a party town so that'll be fun. On Sunday i'm heading back to Swinging Safari with Jules and Martin for another abstract drink, next Tues we're doing our final tapas and cocktail evening, Saturday i've got the Build-a-Bear Christmas/leaving do party and next Sunday is the Stereosonic music festival in Brisbane ...so much to look forward to.
As my time in Surfers Paradise comes to an end it's easy to start planning the next sections of this adventure...Sydney for Christmas and New Year, camper vans around New Zealand in January, then March onwards...Adelaide, the Great Ocean Road, Melbourne, Byron Bay, Noosa, Fraser Island, The Whitsundays, Cairns, Cape Tribulation and maybe Perth..,
...wow, it's exhausting even thinking about it!
P&H (peace and hugs.....yes, we have a peace and hugs bear in the shop) xxx
