In Boardies and Flip Flops

Australia is treating me very well, sorry haven't posted in a while Jonny, too busy shopping online. Everything is going well this side of the planet with allot of adventures and good waves, company and memories. I have being following the cricket world cup and have now fallen in-love with the sport. Obviously backing the best team, South Africa. The boys and I ventured down to The Manuka oval the other evening to watch South Africa take on Ireland in the World Cup. Was good fun chirping the SA players in Afrikaans, besides the fact that they never acknowledged me once...suppose staying focused in the key to success. After a couple of beers and banter we ventured home. The game was a good one, pitty no South African support or biltong.

The weekend was near and a South Coast trip was in need and so was a long surf. Leaving early on Saturday morning to head down to a small surfing town called Broulee where there the water is blue and the waves are absolute perfection.  The waves where good fun and the locals were alot nicer than I expected even being the only bodyboarder in the water. The one guy said I was brave to paddle out into a line up of Surfers but manged to skollie my way into the pecking order only to score one of the sickest waves for a while now. To describe the break, it was a beach break with crystal blue water, shallow sand bank about 100m out, a A-Frame beaut! Standing barrels for surfers that is. Apparently the break hasn't worked like this in years so my timing was perfect!

After a good, long surf I decided to walk the coast line and see what I can find, maybe jump some cliffs or even find a cave. In boardies and flip flops I walked from a small beach called Surf beach for about 6km passing thee coolest things any human would want to see. I felt privileged and spoilt...

I had a moment, looking across the ocean I though to myself what everyone back home was doing and that maybe someone was also looking across the ocean from my hometown but the anti-climax came and I realized I was looking towards New-Zealand and the complete opposite direction as to where South Africa was...

After a walk up a little cliff I came across a little bay, So secluded from everything else. Tucked into a little bay and protected from the waves, as tropical as can be was this little beach. No name or people. It felt like I was stuck on a tropical island. I ventured down deciding that this is the place I will stop for a swim then will head back for the Sunset. On the beach I realized I wasn't alone but had the company of some girls tanning on the beach...the views across the beach got even better. Hoped into the water which was about 24 degrees and crystal blue. I swam out until I got tired which was about 10m then swam down to the bottom, if only I had goggles I'm sure I would of seen some amazing things!

It was time to head home and get some food, fish food was on coarse, I'm afraid wasn't like home but was still fresh.

Bed Time.

The next day was home time but a definite swim in the salty sea first. I was lucky to fit in a short sneaky surf before heading home to welcome the new Gappie into the Flat from South Africa. Was so stoked to have another South African in the house.

We had some spare time so we stopped in a small town called Braidwood, Very similar to a country town in America, with rodeos taking place and horse carriages all over the place and only one bar that you too scared to go to because you might be challenged to a duel. I was a peaceful town and worth a cold beer and pizza.

Would like to Welcome Mark Boshoff to the Chamber of Secrets.

Im finding Kangaroos very difficult to find and a very rare species of Australian Animals. I still haven't seen a kangaroo but have seen 16 dead ones on the side of the road, until this evening after a hike up red hill and seeing a couple of them which convinced me that they are real. A good hike it was up Red Hill. Looked over the whole of Canberra for the first time.

That sums up my last couple of weeks and will be posting soon. The plan for the weekend is live my gap year and drink beer with good mates. Be safe back home!

The New Lady in my life! Rides like pro!

SA vs Ireland World Cup

My mom and dad having a good time back in SA! Miss you Guys!

Surf Beach

The Bay of Beauty is my name to it

Will visit soon

Abstract of Braidwood

Another

The Gecko Gang!

On my adventure

Opporsite Coasts

Perfect view and swim

One of my favorite pictures 

Broulee 

Broulee entry

Place to be 

With love from OZ!

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