Mt. Kosciusko

Its Saving time!

Saving is on my list at the moment due to a trip that all the gappies have planned. I plays out like this...a flight from Sydney to Brisbane...one-way and hiring two camper cars, driving them down the East coast of Australia, surfing all the spots we can possibly get to, seeing all the sights to be seen, having a absolute jam in a van! We will be camping ontop of the cars every night, not aloud to wear different clothes and we have to bath in the ocean...I might as well go to heaven. I'm like a little boy the night before his birthday! It will be the time of our lives living like absolute bergies. I hope everyone is jealous! Will be looking forward to capturing every moment and sharing it with the loved ones who read my story.

So that is what is planned for the first holiday which I am excited for.

But on the another note today I hiked up the tallest mountain in Australia. Very un-aware as to what this journey might be like I just took it as a matter of going on a hike up Table mountain on a sunny day so I wore my tekkies, some sport shorts and a t-shirt. Oh and as my mom always say "pack a top in just in case it gets cold". 5am wake up, because I had to be at the bus by 6:15. 

I woke up at 6:10am and managed to fit a shower and pack my bags in 5mins. So as I was saying I took it as a trip up Table Mountain and listened to my moms life lesson I took a top thinking it would be extra weight that I wouldn't want. 2 hours later we arrived at our destination and took one step out of the bus to figure out that it is 11 degrees on the lowest part of the mountain...that hoodie I brought was no extra weight. It was flippen cold and little Robbie's hands and rest of body was about to fall apart. From complaining about the heat in Australia I would never have thought I would complain about the coldness. We approached the mountain which apparently in two months becomes a ski resort and wowey it was high up. 


I was ready to take it like a man but daaaaaam it was cold. Luckily the weather was on my side and the sun came out which increased the temperature to 15 degrees. We managed to hit the summit at about 3;30pm and after some stops, okay alot of stops we managed to see thee most amazing view of the mountain range. After about 100 selfies we started our decent simply because it was way to cold to eat lunch on the summit. We stopped off at this lake called Blue Lake which is formed from a glacier or something scientific like that...it was really cool though I must say. We eventually got back to the bus after about 8 hours of hiking and headed back home, it took me about a minute to fall asleep on the way back...I have never been so cold in my life.


Love from OZ!

The Beginning

Snow River

The Landscape

The Summit

The Proof

11 degrees

Blue Lake in the distant

Blue Skies

Caught a fish out the blue lake

My Favorite 

My Best

My Bestest

Perfection 

Blue Lake

The View from Lunch

Profile Picture time.

And the party pic of the week with Johny upset he got

the ugly flavor lollipop...

Surfer town of Manly

So my first trip to Sydney was pretty top notch I'd say.

Bus was booked and we were ready to head up to Manly, Sydney for the weekend. We left Canberra at 9am looking like proper tourists with our bags on our backs. After a long bus trip we arrived in Sydey at about 11:30. 

Strolling through Sydney center I saw some cool things, I saw my first bergie, I was so excited about it I felt sorry for the guy and gave him a dollar. Never seen such a big smile in my life. We arrived at Circular Quay Station to hop onto the ferry to get to Manly area, We were set to go. I was buzzing like a true tourist would, my camera was out and I was basically taking photos of everything around me. We managed to sneak to the front of the boat and had the perfect view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House. Was quite the experience I must say! After a long boat ride we arrived at the Wharf in Manly to meet up with some of Paddys mates who were taking us in for the night. 

I had basically arrived in paradise...srrn nothing like it before!

To describe the scenery it was a buzzing surfer town with everyone cruizing on skateboards with surfboards under their arms. Everyone is a beach mood with tans and flip-flops on, Then there was me, as white as the foam on the waves with my traveling clothes on. We eventually got to our accommodation in a flat that over look the whole of Manly, just one problem, we had to fit 11 people in a 2 bedroom flat...but we did it

I couldn't wait any longer, all I wanted to do was get down to the front and be apart of the action! Was such a cool place, everyone was in a stoked mood, waves were good and the women...omg! People from all over the world were basically gathered to have a good time and watch some surfing. We went to have a look around and see whats happening. 

After not eating since the night before we eventually grabbed some food at 5 then heading down to the beach to watch Vance Joy play, was a crazy experience and one never to forget. Reminded me allot of South Africa. It was a good day on the shores of Manly and by the time we finished being soaked up by the attractions there was no more time to go for a surf so we headed back to the flat and had a few cold ones before heading out to the town for some more cold ones. Very busy but a nice vibe, after a couple of drinks we head back to the flat to get a good nights rest for the surf in the morning down at Queenscliff. Was bleak I couldn't get any picture of the beach but it was honestly the closest thing I've seen to perfection. We had about a 2 hour surf in 24 degrees water then head down into Manley for a shopping spree...I left empty handed but was later persuaded into buying myself a speaker that I will never regret.

After a decent walk we arrived back at the bus station to drive back to Canberra for a week of work to come. 

What a weekend it was! So happy I decided to go and will be going there very soon again! 

Here are some pics. Enjoy!

Sydney Bridge

I like this one

Theres the proof

Opera House

En Route Manly

Doing the tourist thing

Surf Photogarphy wall of fame

...

VanceJoy

Jonathan, Rob, Patrick

Hurley Australian Open of Surfing

Just surfing vibes all around

Skate park next to beach

Leaving Manly going to Sydney 

Have a look at a little video that the one British Gappie (Jonny Harvey) made to get a good Idea of the trip. Shot mate!

Decisions, Decisions and Tim Tams

So my week started of with a mind set of saving my money for my hopeful trip to Bali or Fiji...the week ended with me falling to peer pressure. Its not like me to do so but the boys have an excellent skill of being able to persuade someone to spend their money by chanting 'BUY IT, BUY IT" and Paddys words of me feeling so guilty go like this..."I'm not angry with you for deciding not to come with us, I more disappointed". 

I am talking about a little adventure of ours to a beach in Sydney called Manly...I know its odd for me to say not to an outing to the beach but one day young ones you will understand the terms of saving and making the right decisions....So looks like I'm going to Manly this weekend, sleeping on a floor with 4 other gappies, drinking Goon (Doos Wyn for the South African readers) and eating my new favorite snacks called Tim Tams.

This week is going really well and I am glad. I started off with me feeling really homesick and missing all my friends and family back home but then I realized I still have 300 odd days in absolute paradise...What was I thinking?!, I do still miss everyone back home though. I actually had some words that went through my head saying to me that 

"I paid out of my arse for you to go over to Australia, there is no way you are coming home" - Wayne Cooke (my dad) 

So after some wise words from friends back home and some indoor footy I was feeling on-top of the world. I didn't want them to think I'm an emotional wreck either goodness...

Happy Birthday Max. 

So it is a Thursday today here in Australia and I am heading out in Canberra tonight for a chilled drink for Max's birthday...well the drink is going to be chilled drink, not to sure about Max"s night though. A very busy weekend this weekend that lays ahead if I think about it, I will be heading to go watch the Brumbies play the Reds tomorrow evening, I will be wearing my shirt that says I'm a die hard stormers supporter even though I don't know much about rugby, It will then be an early start on Saturday to Manly for The Hurley Pro Surfing comp. I will indeed be watching Vance Joy on Saturday evening and will depart from Manly on Sunday evening at six. That basically sums up my weekend for now. I will stay safe and stay away from any cafe. 

Connor decided to let Paddy shave his head which is a good idea until it actually happens. I felt bad at the time when we forced Connor to buy his own hair shaver that was on a special and we were worried it might break within the duration of the haircut. It is like almost telling a victim to buy a gun before you shoot him with it or in my terms telling me to buy a steri-stumpi before you drink it. At the end of the day it was good fun and we had laughs aaaand Connor was now bald. 

This was a just a little post of my week so far, I will be sure to post some images of the weekend to come. Once again Excuse my Grammar I'm In A Gap Year...

Happy Birthday Max.

The Hair Cut 

Paddy, Me, Johnny

  

Connor came back

Still couldn't find Max

 

Life Starts Today...

So my journey started on the 29th Jan 2015, I departed from Cape Town International saying goodbye to friends and family knowing I won't see them for a year...I was very content with the situation and didn't know what to expect from my first overseas trip in almost 7 years...and the fact I was heading over all by myself was another frightening thought. 

After a couple of tears from my family, especially my brother Michael Cooke I finally left Cape Town at 12:20. I approached the airlines desk about to board only to find out that I was about to board on to the wrong plane. A lovely old lady then helped me along to the right gate and I was A for Away. I was told by my mother Carin Cooke to never ever trust anyone at the airport, so thinking about the old lady helping me I took about 15min searching through my bags to see if any drugs or illegal substances were placed in my hand luggage. It was clear and I could now settle down for my trip to Jo-Berg. 

The flight was nice. 

I then sat for about 3 hours in duty free, eating chocolate and drinking coffee listening to peoples names been called out because their flights were about to leave, I must say with the buzz from the chocolate and coffee it was a nervous time for me..maybe I could get my name to called out. I had to now board the big plane to fly for 11hrs 55min to Australia for a year. All aboard and ready to go. As my brother said you will hear the accents of the Australians hostesses while baording the plane and realization will hit you that life actually starts today.

5 movies later I eventually landed in OZ. Then boarded my flight to Canberra which was like 45minutes and sat next to a nice guy who told me everything about Australia. 

I was met by a guy named Sarge who is kinda my boss for the year and was a Sergeant in the Australian army something cool like that. Absolute Legend I'd say! 

I then was transported to my accommodation, which is a cool little flat and inside this chamber lay 3 British boys named Max, Paddy and Johnny and 1 Canadian fella named Connor. Awesome bunch of lads. 

My first night was a early one after long travels and an early wake up at 4am due to a lovely thing called jet lag...its a bitch! 

It was a good week or learning the ropes and grasping the realization of a working man.  

I then was taken for was my first night out in Canberra, being it only my second night in Australia I hadn't even seen the place in day light yet and the boys were keen for a big one so I couldn't say no...We started off at a cool little joint called Uni Bar then wondered off into a place called MooseHeads which is apparently where the party is at. I spent a total of $50 which is the same as R500 and the night wasn't even a big one so I was now understanding why people say its expensive in this part of the world...Waking up the next day at 4'oclock in the afternoon was a great feeling and the latest I've ever woken up so I then came to senses at to what it is like being on a gap year.

The guys in the flat are absolute legends! Its a year I'm sure I will experience with good people! I will learn the lessons of life and push through the tough times, I will get home sick and at some stage like now have no money to waste but that is what a Gappies life is all about. 

Life in my eyes has started!!! 

Good Bye Cape Town

Window seat?

Goodbye Family 

Its Official 

My little room of dreams

Perfection

One thing I love is beer and FIFA 

Front entrance

That Castle is the Dinning Room