http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/ RTW: Take 2 en http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/15/one-week-in.html I’ve been on the road just over a week as well as have made a brief base in Raglan New Zealand, residence of the perfect lefts. And no shitz as well as giggles about it, the wave is perfect. Long, long, long left point breaks…Manu Bay, Whale Bay, Indicators, the Valley… so long that you just can’t retain going because of the fact that your legs shall no longer support you. Surfed twice yesterday upon arriving as well as only once today b/c of the burn - the arms as well as shoulders require a break.   Been a bit of a bumpy road to Raglan. I picked up a cold from some sniffling, couching passengers on the flight to Fiji. Sleeping on a couch on behalf of the week prior didn’t help either. Though dead tired, achy as well as sore, I “had” to log a 4-5 hour session on the first morning at Frigates Pass because of the fact that the waves were good. This only complicated the matter. Now additional dead tired achy as well as sore, I also had the worst sunburn of my life. I swear I put sunblock on but it was pouring on the boat ride out to Frigates so maybe it washed off. Or maybe it just doesn’t stay on on behalf of 5 hours, or maybe they just have a mutant sun in them parts. Regardless, as I write, my skin looks like some science fiction horror –different shades of purple as well as red as well as white as well as everything in between. Cap that off with hanging as well as eroding flesh… a site to behold.   Anyways, scored two great days of waves followed by a measly third, which was just fine because of the fact that I just couldn’t handle the sun or the paddle on behalf of another day. Met some cool people too: Tim, a pilot from California; Marty, a fisherman as well as carpenter, as well as his family from Oz as well as Bill the Irishman. Mostly hung with these guys while surfing as well as when back on what was pretty much a deserted island. Usual surfing conversation as well as banter each day as well as night with enticing stories of waves surfed here as well as there. Did some fishing too … watched Marty snag a real lovely fish on the way in one day (which we had on behalf of dinner) as well as then hook his finger. Seasoned as he was, he wrestled with some pliers as well as his finger to ultimately yank the hook from his index finger.   After leaving the picture perfect setting of Batiluva as well as spending a night in Pacific Harbour, it was back to the Nadi area where I slept as well as recuperated (much needed) on behalf of the ultimate two days in Fiji. Upon my departure I was greeted by Cyclone Gene. Basically a category 1 hurricane that knocked out power all over the islands as well as ruined plans on behalf of the numerous token backpackers awaiting tranquil island drinking binges. No worries though on behalf of Air New Zealand…a 30 minutes delay as well as we were out of there without the bat of an eye.   It has been a bit of a challenge adjusting to traveling. I’m not sure if I shall ever get that NYC buzz out of my blood. What’s next? What’s the an estimated all efficient utilize of my time? How should I approach this? Go, go, go…that constant engine humming worn like a birthmark.   My hope is that I can get all that out-of-tune jazz out of my head within the next week as well as ultimately wind-down. Guess we’ll see. Until next time… http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/15/one-week-in.html Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:12:08 -0400 lexia3576 http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/16/welcome-to-oz.html So after being sick on behalf of two weeks, I am ultimately better as well as have made it safely to Noosa Heads in Queensland Australia.  Boy does it suck traveling alone when you are sick. I spent my two weeks in New Zealand traveling around the North Island in search of surf.  After scoring great waves in Raglan, I headed South to Taranaki.  This was where the “being sick” part really dragged me down.  I watched perfect waves rolling in on behalf of a few days from the beach because of the fact that I had to stay out of the water to eliminate the cold.  The woman at the hostel there was very motherly as well as gave me a dose of Sudafed (sp) to help me get better.  From Taranaki it was on to Mount Manganui. A beautiful surf town with a small mountain right on the beach.  I hiked that the first day on behalf of the spectacular views.  Met a host of good people in Manganui so I stayed on behalf of a bit as well as got back in the water with a few guys I met - Tom from the UK as well as Manu from Austria.  They are just learning to surf but they had the motivation that got me back in the ocean.  All in all, New Zealand is a beautiful country.  I didnt get to the South Island so I guess I’ll require to go back. I am now in Noosa Australia as well as and I head a bit South tomorrow to surf.  Then into Brisbane to book my ticket to Indonesia.  And then off to the Gold Coast… as well as maybe if I get my lazy ass in gear I shall update this more frequently  http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/16/welcome-to-oz.html Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:14:50 -0400 lexia3576 http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/16/goldie-to-byron.html I have been in Byron Bay on behalf of the last few days.  Byron is a small hippie/surf enclave in Northeastern New South Wales. It is a bit overrun with tourists though so I am making my way a tad south of here to the famed right hander at Lennox Head. For the past week I have been making my way down the coast - scored great surf on North Stradbroke Island with only a handful of guys. Heard about all of the shark scares as well as how “the boys” all surf huddled combined to avoid becoming fish food. The reality of it is kinda frightening - makes you second guess each time you paddle out.  They actually canceled a surf contest there a while back due to a pesty Tiger shark in the area. From Stradbroke it was on to the city of Brisbane.  Didn’t spend to much time there but from what I saw it was a beautiful city - definitely a livable place. Reason on behalf of the stop in Brisbane was to book my onward tickets from Sydney to Perth (Western Aus) as well as then from Perth to Bali. Landing in Bali April 3rd…any takers? After Brissie (the Aussies tend to take every word, cut it in half or into 3/4ers as well as then add “ie” or “y” to it as well as from that you get a totally unintelligible slang that retain me wondering what the heck everyone is talking about) it was on to Coolangatta to observe some of the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. Late afternoon the day before the contest I was sitting up near the  break as well as who but Kelly Slater walks by me (he had just arrived in town) as well as heads out on behalf of a surf.  Watching him free surf was a real treat - the guy is glued to his board as well as makes it look sooo easy. The next day while the contest was on at nearby D’Bah I surfed Snappers with fifty of my closest friends including Dane Reynolds. Tricky wave seeing as you have to navigate the dredging right hander while surfing around hordes of people paddling out, around as well as into your wave.  Also got to observe a bunch of the first round heats as well as saw all of the top pros doing some amazing surfing. All in all Oz has been good so far. While the scenery in NZ was more eye catching, I definitely like the Australia people more.  They have a real zest on behalf of life, are at all times up on behalf of a chat as well as are have been super helpful in every way. I have to say though i’m at the point where I’d like to see a familiar face as well as eat some good food. I’m not 22 anymore so the 2 dollar noodles as well as toast as well as jam lunches as well as dinners just don’t cut it.  Anyhow, time to get my clothes out of the dryer, maybe surf again, book my next place…no idea how I shall fit that all in before dark.  Lazy days. http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/16/goldie-to-byron.html Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:24:20 -0400 lexia3576 http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/17/indo-here-i-come.html Damn.  Has it really been a month since I last wrote?  Anyways, it feels like yesterday as well as last year at the same time, if that’s possible.   So, last I wrote I was in Byron Bay…  Well from there it was on to a miniscule town referred to as Yamba, a few “k’s” (that’s kilometers on behalf of those of us on the metric system) from the famous break of Angourie Point, residence of Nat Young.  I was one of two travelers staying in the Pacific Hotel - me as well as this French guy/kid/dentist who told me to call him Frog because of the fact that I couldn’t pronounce his French name. Anyways, lucky there were waves on behalf of the few days I was there because of the fact that Yamba is dead…d-e-a-d, dead.  But the wave…the wave is insane -  a long righter hander, as well as since it is such a small town, a reasonably uncrowded right hander.  The best kind. From Yamba, it was a bus as well as a train as well as a bus again to Port Macquarie, a beautiful seaside town in between Brisbane as well as Sydney, as well as a lot livelier than Yamba. And another 3 days of good surf to go with it, though nothing else really  eventful to speak of.  So off to Newcastle… Unfortunately on behalf of me, Newcastle ended my jog of waves so it was off to the pub among other things.  I met a crew of French guys so I hung with them a bit including a few schooners  out on Saturday night. And as randomness would have it, I ran into a good friend of my La Jolla neighbor here.  Was a funny conversation because of the fact that he was from NY but summered in Avalon, NJ as well as I thought about asking him if he knew Pat but didn’t because of the fact that he was younger.  But when the conversation came to grad school at Scripps, it all came out.  And to manufacture things more random I was as well as am traveling with one of Pat’s boards.  Oh, as well as before moving on, it is worthy to note that I lost my wet suit in a thunderstorm.  Damn thing blew off the windowsill of the 3rd story while I was sleeping.  Grrr!!! So Avalon in North Sydney was next.  Beautiful town, decent surf, nothing to do, so it was on to Manley Beach in Sydney.  Manley is the type of town I could reside in.  It is gorgeous, adjacent to a big beautiful, energetic city but far sufficient away to be livable.   So I spent a good 4 days there… some surf, some exploration, some drinks, in fact one night of sufficient drinks to manufacture me vomit all over the floor of the room.  I can assure you, my bunkmates loved that :). So from Sydney to Perth (sorry to cut this all short but my plane to Bali is leaving soon )… And Perth sucks, don’t bother with it.  But Margaret River in Southwest Australia is amazing.  It is wine as well as surf country.  Stayed on the beach on behalf of a few days with my Scottish buddy Ian, surfed as well as went on a wine tour where I ate some ‘roo.  And it was delicious, seriously.  I had doubts going into it but it was soooo good. Ahh…and now to Indo.  A surfing paradise.  I’m stoked to say the least.  I shall have more of a summary of my thoughts of Oz next time cuz I got to jog on behalf of now… http://lexia3576.friendlinkup.com/2008/09/17/indo-here-i-come.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:46:59 -0400 lexia3576