6.25.2005


He didn't actually stand up on the board per se... but it was his first time and the surf was choppy and the wind was strong.... next time.... I got a bodyboarding lesson from Renee.... very exciting... and quite a workout. The waves can knock the hell out of you. No one documented my bodyboarding experience. But I wore this wetsuit that was too large for me... i looked amusing.


I thought I should document the very special moment.

Surfing 101


Today Renee and Jimmy (our current housemates) took Alexi out for a surfing lesson. It was a scene straight out of Point Break... the tall guy was Keanu Reeves... funny.


Then I did a bit of whale watching... quite beautiful when the pink sky reflects on the ocean....

Vehicle Malfunction and Rainbows


so there seems to be ANOTHER problem with the van... the initial engine issue was fixed.... and the good news is the engine is currently in very good working condition. But we were told we needed a simple wheel alignment, only about 40 more dollars. We brought the van to a garage that did this sort of thing, and there we got a full inspection of the underbelly workings of the yellow thing.... during this inspection, the mechanic noticed that the upper ball joint in one of the front wheels was ruining the suspension and was the reason for the misalignment of the wheels and it needed to be replaced... so that'll be 40$ for the alignment, $84 for the new ball joint and $55 for labour... all this shall be executed on Monday and paid for with Visa.....

Which means that the stay at Steph's will be made a little longer...

After finding out all about these expenses and in great need of relaxation, Alexi and I took a little walk along the beach. About an hour into that, the sky filled with TWO rainbows... you could see where both rainbows started and finished. It was ridiculous; straight out of a movie or something. Everyone around was staring at the sky in awe.

6.23.2005


a full moon glistening off the ocean.... what more would i need?


the sun side...


the moon side

Humpback Whales


yeah, just off this peak i saw a whale frolicking about... Humpback Whales pass through here during their migration this time of year.... they mate in some warm cove near here... nice location to have sex i'd say....




mount warning... apparently, its peak is the very first part of the country to get hit by sunlight every morning....

the Lighthouse


we just happened to take a wrong turn coming back to Lennox and foudn ourselves on our way to see it and we got there at the most perfect time... sunset/moonrise... it was happening on either side of the lighthouse... it's a huge tourist attraction in Byron

Byron Bay


yesterday we went into the town of Byron Bay... it's about a 20-minute drive from Lennox. it is an adorable town that we hope to live in alittle bit down the line, but when winter is over and it's hot again... it's a total hippie-town here.


at the end of our fish 'n chip dinner that night, we all went for a moonlit walk along the coast up to a lookout... it's quite nice to see your shadow at night...


around here... when the sun sets, if you look around you'll see the moon rise....


ducks did visit us as well.


needless to say, it was nice here.

Tea Tree Lake


lined with tea trees, the lake's water has become tea... pretty... and it has medicinal attributes so they say... and in the summer it's as warm as a bath...


we went for a short walk along the ocean, and then went to visit a lake made of tea...


after the van controversy, we retired to the beachside in Lennox Head.

6.22.2005


so we are still here in Lennox Head. it is a truly wonderful place. we were gonna head up the coast to warmer weather and jobs, but we ran into a little problem... noticed the van was leaking gas yesterday... scary. not a lot, but gas nonetheless... completely terrified we drove it to a garage that Steph and her roommates frequent with their cars. i assumed a huge bill and terrible news and the depletion of my tiny little bank account. but, the world didn't crash all around me.. no, no, the mechanic informed us that we'd need to change a little part in the carburator or something like that... and it'll cost us about 60-80 dollars.. not so bad... we bring her in tomorrow, so we're FORCED to stay in this place for a few more days... the horror!

6.19.2005


and now we've arrived at my good friend Stephanie's house in Lennox Head... we drove through her little town when it dark.. so it was only this morning that we truly got to see this view from her bedroom window... not bad to wake up to every morning. We'll be here for the next few days as we discuss and actually decide what we'd like to do. Go further North to warmer weather or get a place in this little piece of paradise...


so yesterday we drove pretty much the entire day up through the north coast. covered a total of 600 kms.

6.17.2005


and then we hit the road again...


and then we found Birubi Point... not bad at all... apparently you can find whales swimming off the coast here... we didn't see any... sad...


a truly wonderful place...


so, if ever you find yourself in Nelson Bay, look for Zenith Beach...


cool.





i was impressed.


...hobbs was moderately excited.... ya know whatever....


...the rumble was coming from the largest waves i've ever seen...


... from one side of a small hill as we entered a sandy path, we heard a loud rumble.. thought it was the wind... it wasn't.



first stop.... little beach in Nelson Bay.


the first night sleeping in the van at random road-side rest area . OUTCOME: comfy bed; definitely not enough blankets... i think it dropped below freezing.. coldest night ever...


co-pilot


on the road


0 to 100 in 15 minutes...


pretty organized...


We finished constructing a bed frame/base for the 20$ mattress we bought to enable us to sleep in the back of our yellow van. so yesterday, after having installed the bed, we packed everything up and took to the road to head up north to Lennox Head to visit my friend Yank.

6.15.2005


as you can't really see.... they fly around and gasp on to trees and hang upside down or crawl along the branches... please note the eyes though....


at night however it an entirely different place. there are huge bats that take over the backyard in the dark. They are enormous as well, probably about 2-3 feet in length when they're flying over our heads. And they cry out these little whines, rather child-like crys.

The Raptor


this is a super loud parrot... its wing span must be about 3-feet... they are these giant birds that actually sound like the raptors from the movie Jurassic Park... I realize that that sounds very.... random, even stupid... but it's true... they are loud as hell but they're very pretty... There are also smaller parrots that live here that don't make such piercing sounds. They come in all colors.


there are crazy plants and and flowers as well...

The Jungle


this is our balcony that looks out into the backyard .frest/jungle.. there are many many species of birds who hang out back here... all of whom are loud...