...and then she stood up

It has been a fantastic week - rock climbing, surfing, boozing with the world...


Last week my Indian roommate and I went to a rock gym. Its been a while since I've belayed. Its been a long time since I've worked out anything other than my neural pathways or my pre.frontal cortext. It honest - to god - hurts to sit.
 

At this beautiful, and challenging, rock gym I managed that trickey one in the middle there. That vertical one, that goes more upside down and stuff than vertical. It hurt, but it was worth it getting up there.

At this gym, I also met her. A blonde, sarcastic, Aussie chick with dimples and perfect teeth. She was busting my ass about me having a hard time getting the damn harness on.

Things are backwards down here - not just the way you drive - your damn harnesses too.

So her name is Jen, shes hot, funny, and just graduated in chemical (freaking) engineering. Which means shes going to be rich too. Blown away by this opportunity, I finally got my harness (and my shit) together and attempted to have a conversation with Jen.

She and I had a bit of a chat, and then I realised I haven't seen her stand up yet. Shes been sitting behind the desk at this gym for quite a while. And then she stood up...

She was, 6'3" maybe 6'4"

That's how a lot of the ladies down here are - freaking huge. Its humbling seeing them towering over me when I go to a bar to grab a drink or stand next to one on the train.

So needless to say - I found my way out of that conversation.

...although, our kids would be tall...

Moving to more fun stuff: Moolooalaba. 

It was 85 degrees the whole time. It was freaking brilliance. With 85 degree weather, comes a sun with a rage. The ozone layer down here has been depleted, and is usually at its worse in March. I found this out the other day after I sat down with my massive sunburn - even after using damn.near a bottle of sunscreen.

Surfing wasn't hard - but it wasn't easy. I figured i'd learn as i went. I understand the general principle - STAND. Thats not that hard to me. Like skiing, its just standing, and not falling over. But, the whole process of turning into the wave was much trickier than i thought it was. thats where a majority of the falls took place - where the saltwater would find its way down my esophagus. Wiping out - as they call it - is kinda a blast.

Its just fun to go from..."this is awesome I'm standing. I'm surfing, mwahahahhahahahhaha"

to...

"...owe"

That night I headed back to Moolooalaba backpackers hostle; which is where I was told to go back to my room because they have a 10:00 curfew.

...child please. 

So my buddy Chris and I found a spot that was far away from this Nazi who's running this backpackers joint and sat down on a curb in Australia. I sat with my sunburn, beers, whiskey, and Mumford and sons. The moon peaks it's way thru the palm trees, the ocean roars from down the street, and the air smells like salt.water.

Joining me on this gorgeous night is Chris - a 45 year old Aussie bloke - he has been blinded by a brain tumor and balded by a pituitary gland tumor. He cannot grow hair, he cannot see, but he is one of the coolest guys I've ever met. He's got 2 tumors and diabetes. Hopeful, apathetically-confident, laid-back, generous, and care-free don't begin to explain this man.

I told him I would be at the beach around 9 am tomorrow - he's more than welcome to come down with me - he told me that half of his day is gone by then...

Damn...

Live high, ya'll.

James Squire Brews a Good Beer: Victory Beers at Coolangata and Brisbane Caught on Fire for a Night

I didn't know iPhun's could take panoramas...

I love the names Australian's have named what needs to be named. We passed the Pimpama River, we went through Woolangaba, drove by Mudgeeraba and Tallebudgera, and finally we went through Tambourine until we got to Surfers Paradise and eventually ended up in Coolangata.

Brilliant names Aussie's. Good on ya.

Speaking of brilliant names, another one? Riverfire. Riverfire is a fireworks show the Brisbane City Government puts on every year - its a tribute to the armed forces of Australia. That is part of the reasons there were F-18's flying around the city all day...check it out.

Like an old, old, man, I was walking to pick up my dry cleaning and I look up to see this F-18 all of 300 feet above me. I didn't hear it til it passed, it was so damn cool. Those pilots kicked off the show, but the fireworks streaming from the top of the skyscrapers downtown took the show over.

Here are the fireworks:

Seriously, it looked like Brisbane was on fire.

So that was my Saturday night. I've just finished the semester "break" (which was spent writing papers), and the way I ended my week off was with Riverfire, then a trip to Coolangata.

It was amazing, but cloudy. Relaxing, but a bit windy/cold. We started in Burleigh Heads then drove all of 15 minutes down the coast to Coolangata which was much "cooler."

haha, see what I did there?? COOLangata. Haha, haha....hah.

Anyway, this walkway, led into...

this...

...and this is where I tripped on a Koala bear.

Ok, not a koala bear - as much as a rock, but...

...that is where my walk took me.

Ending the trail on this beach. No one was using it, so I took it upon myself:

The water was freezing, but really clear. It was almost green, not quite blue. After leaving this brilliant place Annan and I headed down to the local pub.

James Squire makes quite a pale ale, 

and that is what I had during my victory beer at Coolangata.

He really does make a good beer. 

Ideal for this pub on the sand, perfect for that ocean, brilliant for my exhausted mind, and the definition of a victory beer.

Live high ya'll.

Winter brilliance: wait, its August.

So, this is where I write this blog tonight:

during a brilliant laser show...

and here it is when i wake up...

and in the middle of the day.

 

The semester has started, but, not without a glorious month off: 

That was Gracie, an 8-year-old female koala. Freaking. Awesome. It wouldn’t let go of me when I tried to give it back to home girl the koala-keeper. Few other pics:

 

a dingo ate your baby?!?

 

  

(largest lizard we never saw...)

TAZMANIAN DEVIL?!?

That was the koala sanctuary. Which is honestly one of the best times I’ve had since I’ve been here, the Aussie zoo is right up the street but takes an hour to get up there and requires LOTs of planning (Yates, 2012 - Alec and I have been planning now for 7 months, still can't find a time to get it done).

So, that was my month off as I am still awaiting a job from a professor-friend of mine as a research assistant – maybe I should have taken that ER job I interviewed for a few weeks ago. I’m gonna need a job.  

Now its 4 classes - which have me busy, but professors assigning papers due all at the same time has me busier. I’ve got a 9-5 class on Saturday this week, a bit lame, but it has to be done.

Girl roommate: Danielle. She's good people. She’s a long-island.ite going to school at UQ but getting her degree from a school in St. Louis. She has been quoted as saying the words:

“Its actually clean in here, I’m pleasantly surprised.”

So HA!!!

Anyway, you may notice I’m in a suit, yes. I took a challenge: A friend of mine said “guys look 45% hotter in suits” and another friend of mine overheard it...we took the challenge.

That was Thursday night, a brilliant evening with the Quest group of UQ. Friday was good times, our apartment through us a party down at the pool and I got to meet all the new students coming over for their first semester. The building manager didn’t even ask me why I haven’t paid rent; he was more concerned about my plans for a motorcycle.

Ah, nother funny story from the other day after leaving Indro shopping center (I went to have an eye appointment – I’m old). I was walking back to the bus stop in my normal attire, jeans a t.shirt, a backwards red-sox hat and a pair of sunglasses. Normal for me...

(Random Aussie guy on the street): Ya know mate, you wouldn’t need those sunnies if you turned your hat around.

(Me): Hm, well played.

So that’s the Aussie life that I didn’t really expect; koalas who won’t let go, suits, girl roommates (who say its clean in here), building managers talking bikes, and random aussie guys telling me I look tool-ish with a backwards hat. Seriously, that’s not cool here apparently. Whatever, neither is me saying “ya’ll.”

Live high, ya’ll.