Surf's up!

I'm really digging my surfing at the moment.

For those that don't know, Clare and I decided in October last year that we'd learn how to surf over summer. I've loved every single minute of it...some may even remark that I am now a bit of a findick waxhead who holds a personal account in the greenroom.

I've managed to go from being pretty shit, only being able to stand up on 20% of small 1ft waves, to being OK, able to stand up on most waves up to 3ft, turn across the face both ways, and am getting more confidence jumping onto some of the bigger ones.

My parent's live just north of Coffs Harbour - it's absolutely awesome for the surf. I've managed to get out a few times since I've been up here, each time being as they say in the business, totally gnarley. The 'sea tractor' (my large, 8'2" plough of a mini-mal board) and I have had some good times together.

Being home means I can have a beach to surf all for myself, in pristine surrounds, without the worries of my surfing lines running into and dismembering small children on body boards, or some local giving me a steely 'piss off' look for entering his sacred wave zone (in truth, I've only ever gotten this at Queenie on Sydney's Northern Beaches).

Nearby Woologoolga Beach has to be my favourite (see picture above), with its nice long, even break...here's a few pictures from the last few days surfing around Coffs:

Beautiful day, beautiful surrounds...

Probably not close enough for this one, but I had a go anyway

Nice size for the Sea Tractor...

Finishing up after a two-hour session at Park Beach

Buggered...

29th

It only happens once every four years, so happy birthday to all of those 'leaplings' born on the 29th of February!!

...including Ja Rule who is 8/32 today.

Reactions

I've received a heap of different responses since announcing that I'll be heading over to live in Bangkok.

My parents, whilst seemingly a little reserved that another one of their children is venturing overseas, know and support how excited I am about finally being able to do something I've wanted to do since I left school. My sister Cass has been one of the most supportive people, recognising the sea of opportunity waiting for Clare and I when we touch down. And my other sister Amelia, well, I don't think it's so much Bangkok, more the movement. Judging by our final farewell the other morning before she flew back to Sydney, we'll miss each other's company like two peas being pulled from their pod.

My mates have all been really supportive too. Most showed some surprise at Bangkok being the city of choice, as opposed to London or Edinburgh. "Random", many have said...but all in all they know that Clare and I will have an absolute rip roaring time together.

Work was also a little surprised, with some superiors questioning Bangkok as a career destination, but understanding my adjacent personal motives.

There has also been the odd negative reaction as well. Whist at a recent family birthday celebration, a cousin of mine was incredulous as to why I would ever want to go and live in a city where the traffic, heat, taxi drivers, smells and food were beyond recognition. Needless to say, the poor bloke only spent four days in Bangkok...all of which being dragged from shopping mall to market to shopping mall by his wife in search of gifts for the kids and crew back home!!

After four days of continuous shopping anywhere in the world, I'd probably want to extricate my eyeballs with a credit card as well!! Maybe he'll come back and visit me one day for some $1 beers...

And I also went into a local sports store the other day looking for a mouthguard and a new set of studs for my footy boots (I'll be resurrecting my rugby career!!). The bloke at the store asked who I was playing for; I mentioned that I'll be heading over to Bangkok to play for a local rugby club. His response?

"You'll be able to smash a few of those slap-heads, eh?"

Riiiight.

And one older guy also asked me the other day, "Do they had tar roads over there yet?". What the!!

Now those reactions are right at the other end of the spectrum. But it does demonstrate a small vein of ignorance that I've noticed in some people toward our northern neighbours. I wonder if Thai people with hold similar misconceptions about Australians?

Can the different reactions be segmented along generational, experiential or simply personal lines? I'm not too sure. Probably a bit of it all.

Either way, I can't wait to find out for myself.

Call me old fashioned, but blogging sucks!

OK, so you may notice some slight changes to my blog. Like my links are no longer there, or the fact that the lovely photo of the couple drinking a beer has decided to disappear.

Well, that's probably because I tried to get all geek on myself and mess with the HTML. Now I've lost my widgets and links!!

And what's worse - it's 1am on a Saturday night and I'm at home blogging. Oh god.

To bed!!

Call me old fashioned, but blogging rocks!

I just received a comment from Leslie, a wonderful woman who I stayed with over my last few weeks in Sydney. She's the mother of a couple of mates of mine - she also surprises me time and time again with her super-savvy approach to life.

Despite not being born into a hard drive like the kids of the 80's and beyond, Leslie seems to be willing to learn some new e-skills and give blogging a bit of a go.

And this is what I dig about social media...providing people of all generations, interests and computer abilities the opportunity to communicate the world over.

Naturally, it will be the little friend and family moments I'll miss most when I'm overseas - so seeing a couple of pictures of Dave and James pulling beers down at Picton, an update on the dogs, a description of the latest trip to Bali, or simply a Wednesday morning harbour sunrise will make the distance seem so much closer.

Leslie's first, brand-spanking new blog can be found here.

A Canklism chuckle

This from Pharmacy Daily:


Be vigilant, people.