Jesse Cary's Travel Blog

Respect for "The Silver Shark"

2010-11-06T06:09:00.000+13:00

Early this year I inherited my grandmother's 1986 Honda Accord 2-doot hatchback, which Claire and I lovingly refer to as "The Silver Shark". Any car this old needs a nickname after all. Despite its age, the car only had 107k miles on it when we acquired it...Nana apparently only averaged 4500 miles per year, so it still runs great except for a transmission issue I recently found out is likely due to a certain cousin (ahem, cough, cough CARY) who put it through a little abuse as an underage driver. Of course it's all in the family and I maintain a healthy respect those sort of shenanigans, so I feel this just adds character to the Shark beyond the rust anyone could plainly see with the naked eye.

Introduction aside, fast forward to last weekend. Claire and I drove the Shark from Philadelphia up to New York City for the weekend. After tuning in to 1010 AM radio on a tip and finding out the tunnels were jammed up, we pushed north to take the GW Bridge approach, which led to a hell-raising jaunt down Park Ave. I revelled in the opportunity to take the Shark to its limits, changing lanes at will, cutting off anyone and everyone necessary to get from Harlem to SoHo in the best time possible. Claire was not amused, and when a cabbie honked and motioned for me to roll down the passenger window at a stoplight I assumed he wasn't either.

I tried to reach over and roll the manual window down myself, but it was a bit awkward and after a half-hearted attempt I looked at the cab driver and shrugged suggesting that I was absolutely incapable. But he persisted and motioned again, so I figured I would take whatever I had coming deservingly and asked Claire to roll down her window.

To my surprise, instead of calling me an asshole for cutting him off, which I expected even though I wasn't sure if I had or not, he asked in a Pakistani'ish accent, "Hey man, what yeeah is thees cah?"

Surprised by the question, I had to lower my defensive attitude for a moment and think a little. Finally I worked it out and muttered, "Uhh, it's a nineteeeeen eeeeeighty....six".

"And eets still good running?" he inquisitively and ungrammatically shot back, rolling his "r".

"Yeah", I said, "It runs great", not bothering to mention the low mileage.

He just grinned at me, looked me in the eye and slowly nodded, "I like thees car", then sped off.

Respect The Shark.

Honeymoon in Spain

2010-07-04T14:24:00.000+12:00

Running a Half Marathon for Nana

2009-11-03T09:26:00.007+13:00

In honor of my grandmother Mildred, who is being so brave, strong and positive after beginning her treatment for a malignant brain tumor, I am running a half marathon on November 22nd and pledging to make a donation to the American Brain Tumor Association with any money I can raise. I ask that everyone please donate something, even a dollar from everyone I know will allow me to donate hundreds... Or make it fun and donate per mile (it's 13.1 miles)

Click the link to donate or email me for my address if you want to mail a check.
Donate

How Good of an Idea is This?

2009-07-30T16:11:00.003+12:00

I just applied to be on "Wipeout", ABC's obstacle course show where you can win $50,000. I can't wait to glide over the big balls and dominate the Wipeout Zone! Who thinks I could win it all? I do. This could kickstart the continuation of this blog. Come on ABC, send my audition notice already!

JesseCary.com Photo of the Day

2009-01-31T18:42:00.000+13:00

So I went to Valley Forge Park after work today because it was sunny out and I thought I'd get a nice colorful photo before dusk. By the time I drove down there (10 minutes) the sun had tiptoed behind the clouds. Bogus. Instead of going for a walk, I just drove around for awhile since without the sun it had become pretty cold. After not getting any decent shots I thought, why not get out of the car and at least try. It was about two minutes after I made that decision that a small snowstorm descended upon me. It only lasted the 5 minutes I spent out of the car. As soon as I got back in it stopped, like a sign telling me to just pack it in and not bother. At least I didn't fall on the sheet of ice covering the footpath. Still, I think this photo sums up my feelings right now. It's pretty cold, dark and lonely here considering my last residence was warm, colorful Hawaii and my fiance is in another country until we get this horrible visa situation sorted...I miss you Claire. But look closely. There IS a light at the end of that road and it's not too far away.

The End...For Now

2008-11-22T06:19:00.003+13:00

It's amazing to think that I started this website just over 2 years ago. I had finished college and bought a one-way ticket to Australia. Some people thought it was a good idea. Others thought I was nuts. I just wanted my endless Summer and had little expectations otherwise. But after 2 years and 2 laps around the world, I'm back in Philadelphia, engaged to a beautiful girl from England and pondering how quickly I just went from surfing 15 foot waves in Hawaii to staring at the snow falling outside my window. Despite the change in atmosphere, most other things haven't really changed. I still want to make websites, take photos and surf just like when I left, but now I have more direction with it all. It's good to be home, but I'm already thinking of the places I still plan to see eventually...there's so much I still want to experience.

The Big Island in 48 Hours

2008-11-11T10:58:00.003+13:00

We arrived in the evening, threw our bags in the minivan we rented as both our transport and accommodation and headed for Kilauea, the world's most active volcano. We parked the van just outside the rim of the volcano and realized the seats in the van only folded with the cushion side down (never again Chevy!) . We had to move the middle row captain's chairs behind the rear bench and try to sleep on the leftover floor space, which besides being too cramped and hard anyway turned out to be freezing due to the elevation. Dang.

The next morning we headed off at dawn since we needed to maximize our time and the van floor wasn't the most comfortable place anyway. We spent the morning driving through the national park, stopping every few minutes at the awesome sights along the way.

From Big Island Trip

We were so impressed with this place. It's like nothing we've ever seen before. It's like being on another planet.

From Big Island Trip

I looked back at the photos I took and I don't think they do the place much justice. Gazing at hundreds of acres that were once covered in lava is a sight to behold.

From Big Island Trip

The warning signs throughout the park remind you that this is in fact still a very active volcano.

From Big Island Trip

This just adds to the thrill of being there. People die in this park, although rarely and usually due to not heeding the warning signs. Still, it gives a sense of adventure like you are an explorer in uncharted territory.

After our morning in the park, we drove around to the west side of the island. This is where you will find Kona, home of the famous coffee and Captain Cook, named after the famous explorer who was celebrated as a god here upon his arrival but later killed and dismembered after overstaying his welcome. How's that for Aloha?

From Big Island Trip

We picked up some coffee beans at the local video rental store off a tip from a local and scored a couple giant pillows at a thrift store to make the van tolerable. Then we went snorkeling in a protected reserve before dinner. We got a second tip that manta rays could be viewed from the Sheraton Resort instead of paying for a boat trip. They shine floodlights on the ocean and this illuminates the plankton that they feed on. It was an amazing sight. One looked to be about 12 feet across, gracefully gliding through the water.

From Big Island Trip

After viewing the manta rays, we decided that the covered sun loungers by the swimming pool might make a more comfortable bed for us that night. Exhausted from the long day with little sleep, we drifted off but never really fell soundly asleep. We both had been running scenarios through our heads of what would happen if someone confronted us. Finally, a hotel employee came by with a flashlight and asked if we were ok, probably thinking we got drunk at the bar. I responded that I was fine and rolled back over. The man walked away without a fuss but Claire, having apparently practised a routine in her head over the last hour, went through with it anyway. "C'mon honey, let's go back to the room." We lay there laughing and decided we felt too guilty to have a good sleep despite the comfort. We headed back to the van and slept in the Sheraton parking lot, much more comfortable than the first night thanks to the extra pillows.

Day 2:

We started the day with another snorkel hoping to spot some turtles. We saw everything but. It was really good visibility and there were thousands of fish, but we couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed not seeing any turtles. Then someone told us to go to the other side of the harbor, which was another protected area. We didn't even have to put on our snorkel gear. There were seven turtles within a few feet of the water's edge.

From Big Island Trip

Claire was satisfied having seen the turtles so we decided to press on. After the best coffee we've ever tasted at Kona Moutain Coffee, we continued on our clockwise route to Mauna Kea, which at 13,796 ft at the summit has some incredible views. Of note, when measured from the sea floor Mauna Kea is about 32,000 feet making it technically taller than Mt. Everest. Our van wasn't 4 wheel drive, so we didn't risk the summit road, but we got close enough. The view is breathtaking, both figuratively and literally since the air is noticably thin at that altitude.

From Big Island Trip

We took some photos and scrambled back to the van to head for our next destination, the Mauna Loa macadamia plantation just south of Hilo. We listened to the live election coverage on AM radio as we descended through the foggy hills. We made it to the plantation just before closing and scored some cheap chocolate covered macadamias.

From Big Island Trip

We had one stop left...

While visiting Volcanoes National Park the day before, we found out that there was an active lava flow going into the ocean, but it was outside the bounds of the park and would have been hours out of the way to Kona so we gave it a miss. We decided to try and make it down there to have a look before heading back into Hilo for our flight. When we first got there it looked like the road just ended. There were warning signs and beyond was a very dicey looking road.

From Big Island Trip

Claire expressed some uncertainty as to whether we could safely continue. I ignored her and floored it. Turns out there was a parking lot and about a hundred people at the end of the scary road which made us feel much better. They had marked an apparently safe trail to where you could catch a glimpse of the flow in the distance. The lava is brittle and pretty dangerous to walk on. We slightly regretted not buying flashlights from the vendors at the entrance for the walk back which was in darkness, but we stayed near people who had them. Even though the viewing area wasn't as close as I anticipated, seeing earth in the making was something I'll never forget.

From Big Island Trip

In 48 hours the Big Island had delivered.

Jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-10-14T21:33:00.004+13:00

I took this photo today from my house. This is considered 6-8 foot in Hawaii. I went out yesterday when it was just as big but more crowded. I can't describe what it feels like to be out there in the lineup. It's very humbling. I didn't take any drop-ins. I was ill-equipped with only a 7'8" (you need a serious gun). Plus I was too scared to sit inside and risk being wiped out by the occasional set of bombs that came through, but in the end I should have tried because I DID get nailed anyway. A monster set came in and two people had to ditch right in front of me, forcing me to ditch my board also. A mass of people and surfboards went over my head and snagged my leash, breaking it instantly and busting a gash in my leg from the force. I suddenly realized my worst fear had come true...I was going to have to swim back to shore through the impact zone and I was dead tired already. Somehow I made it in. I didn't beat the monster that day but I felt proud to have survived my first battle with it. Now that I'm confident I can make it even if I lose my board I'm gonna charge when my leg seals back up.

My first "Hawaiian Tattoo"
This is what your shin looks like after your leash gets pulled hard enough to eventually snap off.

Stoked.

Aloha!

2008-10-11T09:58:00.005+13:00

We've been on the north shore for over a week now and not much going on. I surf every day. Today I'll go spearfishing to try scoring a free dinner. I keep e-mailing people on craigslist who want websites done but no one even responds to say they already found someone else. Remove your ad if you already found someone people! It's rude. It's a shame too, I have so much free time I could make a nice site for a good price.

Anyway here is my back yard.

And here is Claire with a monk seal that took a nap outside our house. The seal was kind enough to let me take a few photos.

Bula!

2008-10-02T18:17:00.001+13:00

When we arrived in Fiji, we went straight to the domestic terminal and got a flight to Malololailai to avoid the bustle of Nadi and the main island. Claire was apprehensive about the flight because of the aircraft's size, but I think if I showed her this image of the Malololailai runway she may have kindly requested we take the ferry.

From Fiji Narrative

The pilots were friendly although our pilot seemed to be in training and the seating was a little cramped... The co-pilot had a laminated card in his hand with a checklist of what to do before starting engines, before taxi, before takeoff etc. At least if they couldn't remember what to do they had that!

From Fiji Narrative

Here is the resort from the air. This picture is a bit misleading though. The whole resort is within the first quarter of the photo from the right side.

From Fiji Narrative

After landing we needed to take a boat to access the resort.

From Fiji Narrative

We were two of five people at the resort. They were busy during Christmas according to the bar woman. They must have been bored for the last 9 months.

From Fiji Narrative

Sunsets in tropical places are always nice.

From Fiji Narrative

The waves are good on occasion too. My most exiting moment at this break was when I got obliterated by a set nearly twice the size of this one. I'm not exaggerating here. I was loaned a 6'10" board for the day that was a bit awkward to duck dive. I tried to get under but it was like having a building dropped on my head. After what was easily the longest hold-down of my life, I was nailed by two more before I ended up at the back of the lineup, at least 150 yards from where I took the first beating. I was just glad it was high tide so I didn't touch the reef. I dare not estimate how close I was though.

From Fiji Narrative

From behind at Wilkes Passage.

From Fiji Narrative

And from the front at Restaurants just across the channel. This break is privately owned and sits right next to the famous Cloudbreak. Both are part of the Tavarua resort. We were supposed to surf Cloudbreak that morning because on Saturday it's a changeover day for the guests and others can sneak a few in, but some friends of the owner showed up and we got turned away. Still, I got a good ride. That's my head sticking out the top...

From Fiji Narrative

Another nice sunset...

From Fiji Narrative

The only annoying part of Fiji besides the high cost of food was being food for these bastards. That's my ankle.

From Fiji Narrative

I dabbled in fashion during our stay as well, impressing Claire with this handbag I weaved from a coconut branch.

From Fiji Narrative

Last sunset I promise

From Fiji Narrative

"Levi" was really nice and made us kava one night. He cooked us some fish as well. He wanted to give the "real" Fiji experience, which doesn't mix with the capitalistic approach of a resort, since the Fijians want to give away everything for free.

From Fiji Narrative

Cliche paradise photo.

From Fiji Narrative

The last highlight was a snorkeling trip we took. They let us bring spears and I speared two fish, one of which the resort chef prepared for us as an appetizer that evening. The other one was too small to be more than a couple bites, but I thought it demonstrated my accuracy with the spear at least. Joe, our captain, joined in the fun and bagged about ten fish. He made it look really easy. One of the others was frustrated and asked him "How do you spot them so easily?" to which he replied with a sly grin, "I smell them." Then he laughed, dove under and shot another fish. Word.

Goodbye New Zealand

2008-09-25T08:39:00.004+12:00

Well it's that time again. Time to keep pushing on. It's our last full day in New Zealand and it has arrived so quickly. We fly out tomorrow just after lunch time, taking 4 days of sun in Fiji before we arrive in Honolulu. I can't believe we've been here for 6 months. We have been working so much it felt like it went faster than the 5 months we spent here last year.

Our last week has been really nice. We've spent a lot of time with our friends who we will miss a lot more than the rainfall here. It's too bad we only spent 2 winters here. I think we'll have to come back one summer to stamp the damp memories.

We were lucky to sell our van within a few days of advertising it, which took away a huge potential headache, but we have been unlucky in finding out that our baggage allowance on the way back is HALF of what we were allowed on the way here...and because we planned on staying for awhile we brought a lot of baggage. It's been tricky deciding what is really necessary, but we've thinned our bags out enough that they won't be charging $600 for excess.

Sadly, my surfboard was bulky and had to go. I had just bought a case for it to bring it home but luckily I sold it online for a good price. I hope they rent boards at the resort we booked because Fiji has some of the world's best waves and I'll miss out if they don't. I'd be really upset about all this except we'll be living in Hawaii by next week and they have cheap surfboards and apparently a few decent spots to surf too. I'll live.

I will miss:

The friends I've made here of course
High wave quality to crowd ratio at the beach
Hollywood Bakery steak and cheese pies

Not so hot:

Mostly depressing weather while we've been here
Take-away food closed at 9pm on the weekend
Ee-vr'y-thing is so ex-peen-sev hee-ah
New Zealand Dollars make everything expensive when you leave also...

Despite its drawbacks, New Zealand was an interesting place to live for a year and an experience I'll never forget. Furthermore, if it wasn't for their relaxed immigration laws, Claire and I would have really been screwed after our disastrous attempt to live in Australia for a year that ended up being a month. We have a lot of great memories here. Thanks New Zealand.

Last ride at Piha

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-09-19T18:26:00.003+12:00

Hopefully everyone can see the passport theme now. I still need to tweak things to make the text on the site more legible. Whatever. Here's a pic of a pine cone.

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-09-18T10:33:00.001+12:00

Landscapes, motor-racing, fashion and now some macro for y'all...

New Look ( Slightly )

2008-09-18T10:33:00.000+12:00

I've begun putting together a portfolio site for my photography and web design as I run out of travel content for this blog, but while that is taking up time behind the scenes I thought I'd do something quick to spruce the look of this blog before it becomes an archive. I've largely ignored the design of it over the past couple years, only changing the look once or twice with the pre-made templates. I thought I would make it a bit more personal. Since my travels are nearly over, I thought I would bring this blog to a close by reflecting on where I've been. The stamps say it all I guess.

Claire and I are leaving New Zealand next Friday. We will tough it out in Fiji for 5 days before heading for the North Shore of Oahu for a grueling 2 months of going to the beach and avoiding sunburn before we make our way back home.

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-09-10T09:16:00.003+12:00

I am the photographer for the new "Claire Louise" range of high fashion handbags. Here is a sneak preview of material I produced that will soon be in a magazine ad near you.

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-30T14:57:00.006+12:00

Here's a picture from Castle Combe Circuit for those who are getting bored of landscapes

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-26T23:44:00.005+12:00

Lake Wakatipu

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-26T23:11:00.003+12:00

One Tree Hill Revisted

Mt. Manaia Madness

2008-08-25T22:47:00.004+12:00

Mount Manaia

Following a failed, freezing foray for fish, we made a mad, malted march up Mount Manaia and savored the spectacular sunset scenery. But it was our daring and dangerous descent down in darkness that will definitely demand discussion. Alliteration aside, it amounted to an amusing adventure...

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-19T23:46:00.004+12:00

Somewhere between Tekapo and Twizel

Last one for today...

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-19T23:33:00.004+12:00

Glenorchy, New Zealand

While this photo of the day idea is new, I can't resist adding several photos in just one day (how motivated!) to get things started.

jessecary.com Photo of the Day

2008-08-19T23:04:00.004+12:00

I have so many nice photos but not enough time to publish them all, so I thought I'd make a more realistic goal of sharing one nice photo at a time whenever I feel like it. I'm going to backtrack from more recent photos, so here is one I took last week just down the street. If you want a full resolution version that you can print at up to poster size, please let me know. I'll quit my job and start selling these instead.

2008-08-12T10:12:00.000+12:00

I'm all over the place recently.

Nevis Bungee

2008-08-05T08:53:00.002+12:00

When I jumped, I gasped in awe once I gained some velocity. I wasn't nervous about jumping (statistically it's probably more dangerous crossing the street) but once airborne I thought to myself "so this is how it ends" just for a second before the bungee started decelerating my descent towards the river. The view after you finish bouncing around is incredible. I wanted to just hang out for awhile but alas, they hoisted me right back up.

Here is video I took with my hand-held during the jump...

The South Island

2008-08-04T10:43:00.003+12:00

Finally I have something post-worthy for any die-hards who may still be reading this blog. I realize that my attention to this site has taken a nose dive recently, but all that happened during the month of July in Auckland is a new record for most rainfall in recorded history. I think it literally rained every day.

Anyway, I'm back and fresh after a 10 day vacation to the South Island. I flew to Christchurch, stayed there for 3 days and then rented a big camper van with Claire and her mom and drove it to Queenstown, the action capital of New Zealand.

We rode the Shotover Jet Boat, did New Zealand's highest bungee jump, had a day of skiing and of course took tons of photos. We tried to go hang gliding, but windy conditions canceled our trip. I was even invited back to Queenstown in September for the final round of a karaoke contest after I thrilled the judges in my preliminary heats with gutsy renditions of Bon Jovi and Billy Idol classics.

Some Leisure Time

2008-07-14T19:42:00.000+12:00

My future mother-in-law Lesley arrived from England last week and she, Claire and I spent a really fun weekend together. Friday night was a dinner out at the Skytower restaurant with a little stop at the casino after. On Saturday we had brunch in Mission Bay and visited the Auckland Museum in the afternoon, then went to the Warriors game on Saturday evening. Sunday was the first nice day we've had in a while and it couldn't have come at a better time. We spent the morning at Muriwai beach then went to nearby Woodhill Forest where Claire had booked us for Tree Adventures, an obstacle course in the trees.

Piha Beach

2008-06-19T18:55:00.001+12:00

A day at Piha when the wind was actually calm (rare). The waves were much better than my previous attempts.

The Wave

2008-06-03T13:03:00.005+12:00

It's been awhile since I posted anything, but this weekend was a holiday so we drove Ron to Raglan where I managed to catch the best wave I can remember at Whale Bay and Claire managed to get most of it on camera. I went so far that by the end of the series all you can see is whitewater. I actually exited the wave standing up, which gives a better idea of how big the wave was, since you can't see me at the end.

More Anzac Weekend Fun

2008-05-03T10:56:00.001+12:00

Anzac Weekend - Saturday

Van Boarding

Not quite like Memorial Day...

2008-04-30T23:04:00.004+12:00

On a national holiday weekend at a beach no more than 2 hours from the city center and you can have all the waves to yourself. Try that in New Jersey or California... This is one thing about New Zealand I know I'm going to miss one day.

Anzac Weekend

2008-04-28T16:34:00.005+12:00

It's been over a month since we moved back to New Zealand, and this weekend was our first time back on the road. Friday was Anzac Day, a national holiday which gave us a long weekend to take our new van "Ron" to his limits. Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and is a Memorial/Veterans' Day for New Zealand.

We packed so many activities into three days it felt more like seven. We drove around for probably 800 km and saw the magnificent kauri tree forest, visited no less than 7 different beaches and almost had to kick an old Scottish man's ass in a holiday park.

So far I only have one picture gallery up. I'm sure most people haven't had a chance to wakeboard off a van, especially on a beach pronounced "you're a titty". Observe please.

Van Boarding

More Thailand Photos

2008-04-06T13:03:00.002+12:00

Click to see the whole Gallery

From Elephants and...

For Anyone Shocked By The Last Post...

2008-04-03T22:56:00.002+13:00

Home Sweet Home

2008-04-02T00:03:00.001+13:00

Things have taken another strange turn. We just moved into a new place yesterday and although the sunset provided for a strangely wonderful looking sky this evening, we have decided to make another run for the border. After another job and visa foul-up, we have decided to head straight for Hawaii next week to have a quick beach wedding so we can settle there forever. We realize that many friends and family will be disappointed that they will miss our wedding, but our life together has been filled with too much stress with visas and work permits so we just want to end it all quickly. The good news is that you all have 9 months to plan your trip to Hawaii to come meet the whole family. We have a little track star/surfer on the way!!! We can't think of a better place than Hawaii for a child to grow up.

Thailand Photos Part 1

2008-03-15T17:19:00.006+13:00

3 Galleries are up so far. Click a slideshow to activate the controls...click a photo to jump to the bigger version in the gallery.

Bangkok

Full Moon Party

Ko Phi Phi

24 Hours in Bangkok

2008-02-22T10:56:00.003+13:00

we climbed in a tuk tuk, 150 baht to the night market. scary deathtrap of a machine...must go for more tuk tuk rides!

driver: you want to see a ping pong show?

us: ok is it near the market?

driver: yes.

taken to shady place where they said the market is 3 blocks away, jumped back in the tuk tuk and asked to please be taken to the market, which was much further than 3 blocks!

at the market, people follow you around asking if you want to see more ping pong shows...

we walked into a bar and watched two kids doing thai boxing in a bar full of businessmen and prostitutes.

we browsed the market some more, went to another bar full of hookers that featured a talented lesbian band. Claire danced with some hookers. I took pictures.

heard some good club music coming from a side street that was packed with bars... and turns out the bars were all packed with gay little boys

we took an air-conditioned taxi back for only 67 baht.

next morning, tried to find a ferry to the grand palace. first one wasn't operating. finally found a ferry where claire didn't realize she was standing too close to a monk (he was behind her) the woman was screaming for everyone to get in the boat but she was about to have a claustrophobic panic attack.

a young man just stopped us in the street. don't even know why. gave us things to do because the grand palace was closed for a holiday. got suspicious when he asked me to hold his umbrella but he just wrote some places for us to see and got us a personal tuk tuk all day for 40 baht (turns out this is a common scam, the palace was likely open and the tuk tuk ride is so cheap because he gets commission on the places he would take us to). Anyway he took us to see a wat(temple) then the driver went for lunch while we waited. Then we saw a very big budda, went to Voglee the (claimed) Armani maker and got custom fitted for a wedding suit. After failing to sell us anything at the travel agent I think the driver finally got his commission by getting us on a boat tour because he didn't wait for us on that one.

After the boat tour we paid a landing fee (which would be the first of many more random costs and fees that are annoying yet so small that they are hardly worth complaining or getting upset about, like paying for toilets) then cruised through a market.

We went back to Voglee for suit fitting number 2, then to the massive MBK mall. A jazz band was playing in the food court. How nice.

Back to the hotel for some rest after 24 hours in Bangkok. We woke up at midnight jet lagged and couldn't fall back asleep, so we stayed up until it was time to go at 4 am for our flight to Samui.

Surfing the North Sea

2008-02-06T00:59:00.000+13:00

Tynemouth Beach is a famous surf location in England. Considering that I had been out of the water for a couple months during my visit home except for one quick freezing session in Long Beach Island, it's no wonder I was keen to get in no matter how cold it looked. After all, we were staying right down the road. Unfortunately, the day I decided to go happened to be when the air temperature dropped below zero and the water wasn't too far from that. Being out of shape didn't help for what turned out to be at best a laugh, because I certainly was closer to catching hypothermia than any waves. From the shore it actually looked quite good, but I didn't really appreciate the scale of the lineup area. Nor did I predict that I would suffer through what seemed to be at least a 30 minute struggle to make it out the back, after which I would be frozen, exhausted and incapable of getting myself to any of said nice waves. When I finally paddled into a wave, I found that the cold had actually rendered my legs useless, so I ended up sitting on the board...backwards. It wasn't pretty. The look on my face below says it all. At least there was a photo of my ass in the newspaper the following day as I duck dived a wave, the only idiot out there.

Notes on the Super Bowl From England

2008-02-04T06:57:00.000+13:00

I just watched the Super Bowl on Sky Sports here in the north of England and I felt happy to see the Giants win, although my happiness probably stemmed more from watching the Pats lose. Anyway, I have a couple complaints since it's 4:30 am at this point and I'm a little delerious. My first complaint is that it's 4:30 am. I've stayed up so late watching the damn game that now I've gone into the twilight zone where it's hard to actually get myself into bed. But before I digress, my real complaints are related to the broadcast. I understand that I'm in England so it would be useless to advertise American products here, but for the love of God they aired shitty English ads. No high budget American glory. I'm gonna have to watch the f***ing things on MySpace now. Oh, and apparently some annoying English guy named Scott McCready was a wide receiver for Brady (probably in the shower too) and they managed to get him and two other absolute jackasses to report useless crap while America was enjoying TV timeouts. My only redemption was the look on his face after the game. He said he felt sick watching them lose!!!! AH HA HA HA HA.

Thanks Wikipedia for the following:
Scott McCready (born February 1, 1977 in London, Great Britain) is a British national (citizen) who was a wide receiver in the American sport of gridiron football who, most recently, played for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europa from 2005 until the league's closure in 2007. Previously he played for the Scottish Claymores from 2002-2004, and was named to the All-League team on multiple occasions. He is the only British national to have won the Super Bowl.
McCready moved to the United States at the age of fifteen and he played college football at the University of South Florida before turning pro.
He was a member of the New England Patriots' practice squad for the 2001 season, becoming the first Briton to have won a Super Bowl ring for Super Bowl XXXVI even though he didn't even participate in any game. He also spent time in camp with the Carolina Panthers.
McCready is now a regular analyst on Sky Sports coverage of the National Football League, along with Nick Halling.

So, all that talk about playing with Brady and he never played a game! What a loser. God was he iritating.

Footy Footy Footy Part 2: GOOOOOAAAL!!

2008-01-17T01:59:00.000+13:00

All in a day... After my castle tour with the girls, I got dressed and headed straight to St. James Park with Alan for another Newcastle United match. This time I recorded the audio of the entire game and got what I was hoping for, a sound clip of a home team score. To make it even better, all season ticket holders write on a card what they think will be the time of the first goal and Alan guessed it to the second, winning us a bottle of champagne.

The Northumberland Coast

2008-01-17T01:50:00.000+13:00

Northumberland Coast

Today I got a taste of English history when Lesley, Claire and I took a drive up the Northumberland coastal road to Bamburgh. Northumberland is home to more castles than any other county in England, so we dropped in on a couple. Our first stop was Warkworth Castle in the charming little village of Warkworth. Then we stopped for some fish and chips and a pint of ale in Seahouses on the way to Bamburgh, which is home to the castle featured in the Harry Potter films. This has turned the castle into a hot place to book for birthday parties. Apparently David Beckham paid for a couple's entire wedding to be moved elsewhere, including first class tickets for all guests, because they had booked on his son's birthday.

History buffs who want to know more about the castles click here.

Kickin' it Olde School

2008-01-14T01:50:00.000+13:00

Beamish

Today we went to the Beamish Museum in...Beamish. It's not really a museum as you'd normally think of one though. It's an experience. As cliche as that may sound, Beamish really is different. It's a time warp. They have created a small town with historic buildings imported from around the country and filled it with people who act as if the year is 1913 or something.

When you arrive, an old yet fully functional trolley whisks you into town at a pace barely bettering a lazy jog. You get to visit the confectionery and watch a man make candy like they did "back in the day" and there's a dentist who shows off the finest teeth recovered from the battle of waterloo that your rich daughter might sport to attract a wealthy man, since by 21 her nasty teeth would have mostly rotted away anyway! Hooray for that!

Because it was off season, not everything was open, but we benefitted from the lack of crowds...all the actors were free to give personal history lectures. Very interesting stuff, even if you're not big on history.

Caesar's Way

2008-01-12T23:42:00.000+13:00

We must have watched one too many episodes of The Dog Whisperer when we were in America, or maybe we watched just enough to get our blades on and wear out the pooch. We took her to St. Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay.

Footy Footy Footy

2008-01-03T13:00:00.001+13:00

Tonight Alan took us to the football match against Manchester City. I had a great time despite the bitter cold winds and the disappointing result, a 2-0 loss, since it was my first time attending an English Premier League game. Newcastle's squad has been on a losing streak, and the stadium was dead quiet in general except for the Manchester supporters, who apparently had 90 minutes worth of songs and chants prepared as they didn't shut up or sit down for the entire match and had a perimeter of police surrounding their section just in case. My only disappointment was that Newcastle United didn't score at least one goal, mostly because I wanted to hear how loud the resulting roar of loyal English soccer fans would be.

2007-12-30T13:35:00.000+13:00

Although I don't have any photos from Newcastle yet, I can report that the north of England is how you might expect in December: dark, cold and rainy. But the people (at least Claire's family) are warm, friendly and inviting which provides a welcome contrast to the weather. I can understand most people here well enough, but occasionally I do have to ask people to repeat themselves if they catch me off guard with a thick Geordie accent and an unexpected phrasing.

Run to the new JesseCary.com!

2007-12-13T15:58:00.000+13:00

Jesse Cary's Travel Blog is now at JesseCary.com so it's easier to refer your friends to my site. I am in the process of building another site where people can order prints of some of my best travel photography. When that goes live next year there will be a link added to this site.

For now, no big new adventures to report on besides a fun weekend in New York City and a newly aquired XMAS tree. In New York we had a delicious dinner in Little Italy, ice skated in Central Park, visited the Natural History Museum and Chinatown and had a few too many at a sloppy holiday party downtown.

The Engagement

2007-11-28T18:34:00.000+13:00

The rumors on Facebook are true...I asked Claire if she would marry me one week ago today. Believe it or not she said yes. The proof...

Now we just have a few minor things to work out, like when and where to get married and where to live once we've had enough laps around the globe. Planning all this while traveling should add +1 challenge bonus to our imaginary life score.

Quick Visit to LA

2007-11-17T18:05:00.000+13:00

We had a really nice weekend in LA on the way home. Our thanks to Gid and Nina for everything. It was really nice staying with you guys. Additional thanks to Rock Star for being our tour guide.

Of course we couldn't miss the Writers Guild strike and get in on the action...

Below you can listen in and hear how capable we are in a new city...

Travel Itinerary

2007-11-13T20:52:00.000+13:00

I'm going to do a lap around the world in the next 4 months, so I thought I'd post my stops here, as I'm hoping to catch up with friends and family along the way. I'll include flight numbers for anyone meeting me at the airport. I should add that this itinerary is not only subject to change, but most certainly will change as this seemingly endless trip continues to take me where it feels like it. Here goes...

November 15 - Auckland, New Zealand --> Los Angeles (Qantas 25)
November 17 - Los Angeles --> New York JFK (Qantas 107)
December 26 - New York JFK --> London Heathrow (British Air 112)
December 27 - London --> Newcastle (British Air 1326)
February 19 - Newcastle --> London (British Air 1335)
February 19 - London --> Bangkok, Thailand (British Air 9)
March 4 - Bangkok --> Sydney, Australia (British Air 9)
April 2 - Sydney --> Auckland, New Zealand (Qantas 43)
April 9 - Auckland, New Zealand --> Nadi, Fiji (Pacific Air 410)
April 12 - Nadi, Fiji --> Honolulu, Hawaii (Pacific Air 820)

I think the flights will go as planned until Thailand. I have a contact who owns some mega-yachts there so we might be able to score jobs on one of them if we're lucky. Not sure how this would work out, but in any case Asia is meant to be so cheap I can see us extending our stay while we live in luxury at little cost. Obviously, updates will follow...

Time Flies - One Year Gone

2007-11-05T18:45:00.000+13:00

Today marks a year since I left America in my search for adventure, some decent waves, new friends and myself. Actually, I just wanted an Endless Summer and as little responsibility as possible for awhile. It's amazing how quickly a year has gone by, but it's equally amazing how much has happened in a year. I got some experience hitch-hiking, got dunked by a Bra Boy in Maroubra, learned how to scuba dive, saw crocs, sharks and the world's most dangerous bird in the wild but only managed to be attacked by jellyfish and leeches, took a 2600 kilometer road trip, looted a hostel, surfed a spot from the original Endless Summer movie, bathed in thermal beaches and rivers, and even met Borat. I've made new friends from Australia and New Zealand, England and Queensland, Wales and New South Wales, Holland, France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, and Korea. Sadly, I've also lost one friend and nearly witnessed the loss of a second when Davy went down a waterfall. Thankfully, I've gained a parter who is about to become the ultimate souvenir. I'm bringing her home!

My Endless Summer is on hold for now. I did manage to get about 1 straight year of "Summer" before I ended up in rainy Auckland which brought the good weather streak to a halt. I've had some fun here in New Zealand for sure, but the weather is too depressing for me and some recent bad luck has brought me to decide that I don't want to stay here any longer. As soon as I made the decision to leave and took some action in that direction my luck turned around, so I'm sure that I'm making the right decision.

I'll post an update once my flight is booked, but I'll soon be home for several weeks before I head off again. Australia is now offering one-year work visas to Americans so I'm heading back in March next year with a stop in Thailand after spending some time at the Taylor's in England...

All in a long weekend

2007-10-23T17:06:00.000+13:00

Taranaki to Nowhere

The Forgotton Highway to Taupo

Moon Craters

This weekend was Labor Day weekend in New Zealand where people disappear to who knows where for 3 days. There was a lot of talk about traffic jams to be expected etc, and in typical NZ style those claims were highly exaggerated. These people have clearly never seen the Garden State Parkway southbound on Labor Day weekend in New Jersey.

We personally managed to disappear ourselves, turning a 2 hour trip into a 20 hour trip out of sheer madness when near-perfect waves in Raglan just weren't good enough for us anymore. I mean REALLY though, the breeze was slightly onshore and it was chilly! We ended up doing a lap of half the North Island or so it seemed. Click to see our route... Maybe this is why Kiwis exaggerate distance and time. You wind around tiny mountain roads at such a slow pace it really seems like forever getting anywhere. Checking the total distance though, we covered about the same distance as a one way trip from New York City to Charleston, South Carolina. We drove to a volcano, tasted local organic beer, saw the world's best trout fishing lake, went for a hike, saw a nice waterfall, bathed in a thermal stream, walked amongst thermal "moon craters", stopped to do some window shopping, nearly got stranded on "The Forgotten Highway", and didn't go surfing twice. That's a hell of a weekend...

Moon Craters:

One thing I forgot to mention in my list of things I've learned about New Zealand so far: Lots of people don't wear shoes here. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. It's not warm here.

Another Title. The Legend Continues

2007-10-15T13:46:00.000+13:00

This weekend was Vodafone's IMEI Awards party, where various awards are given out for outstanding work in the company. We had the choice of coming in formal dress or a costume, so I naturally opted for a costume. The theme was "Fairy Tales" and not to be outdone, I showed up dressed as a fairy, complete with magic wand. I knew others would come dressed as fairies, so I didn't shave for weeks so I would stand out as the "hairy fairy". I made the mistake of drinking too much and not eating enough and managed to become the first person ever to win "best costume" and be kicked out of the party not once but twice. I raised my arms in victory as if I'd just won the Olympics. I'm still not sure why I was asked to leave the first time, but it certainly wasn't the best idea handing me a bottle of wine as the prize for best costume after unleashing into that party again.

Many thanks to Jamie and JP who secured me a cab so I wouldn't get jumped on the way home and to Claire for laughing this one off.

Things I've Learned About New Zealand So Far

2007-10-09T14:03:00.000+13:00

If you want to speak like a local, simply switch the vowels 'e' and 'i'. If you want to play cards, make sure someone brings a 'dick'. You get the idea...
Cars here are judged mainly on how loud the exhaust is, with extra points awarded to tacky rims, tackier spoilers and springs that lower the car enough to scrape the lines off the road. It doesn't matter if your ride is a late 70's Toyota compact that doesn't do 0-60 at all. As long as you throw a cherry bomb on the muffler and make a huge racket, [local] girls will apparently respect and hook up with you.
Possums are considered pests and deserve to die by any means.
If it's sunny when you leave for work, be sure to have a heavy raincoat handy because by the time you get to work and exit your car 10 minutes later, you might be pelted with hail stones propelled by 80 km/h gusts of wind.
There are, in fact, shit-loads of sheep here. I'm still not sure why lamb and veal aren't $1/kilo. They must export most of it.
Kiwis heavily overestimate travel times and distances. This is the exact opposite of what Australians do. If a Kiwi tells you "Wow, you're going to Paihia? It takes like five hours to get there" then it probably takes about three. If an Aussie tells you "it's just up the road" it's probably a ten hour drive.

This isn't getting old for me yet...

2007-09-24T13:29:00.000+12:00

Beautiful Lines

Yes, that's me.

We took another weekend in Raglan and guess what...the waves there simply don't change. I caught the longest wave of my life (not even the one pictured) and nearly got in a barrel, except that I didn't. I just got knocked in the head and fell when I tried to duck into something that was like a tube, but less hollow. I also got cramps in both legs at the same time just as I popped up on a would-be epic wave, causing me to veer right (not the direction you want to go here). There I lay, knotted and in agony in the freezing water. I probably could have used a stretch and a 4/3 suit. I'm not sure if the Summer will be better in this regard as I'll be trading the cold water for bigger crowds...

We also drove to the Waitomo Caves and saw real glow worms. Does anyone remember that cartoon from the 80's? There really are glow worms!

Barrels of Fun

2007-09-17T21:19:00.000+12:00

This weekend we tried another new spot, Muriwai Beach. The weather was overcast, but that didn't stop the fun. Link goes to more pics of Claire and her beloved new board. When I set up with my camera on the beach, several people approached me to ask "Are you photographing that girl in particular?" to which I replied, "Yes, yes I am." A few seconds later I realized that these people thought Claire was a pro surfer and I was a pro photographer doing a shoot for a magazine. The same few seconds later, these people saw Claire take a wave to the face and realized that they wouldn't be surfing with any pros today.

Raglan is hitting. Bye!

2007-09-08T12:52:00.000+12:00

I only have a minute because we are about to leave for Raglan, but check out the surf report for my new favorite spot this weekend. :)

Last Weekend In Raglan

2007-09-03T22:33:00.000+12:00

Last weekend we took a little trip to Raglan, a nice little surf town with some legendary waves as featured in Bruce Brown's original Endless Summer. I can't wait to get back down there for some goofy-footed glory. Click the post title to see more photos. (Thanks to Claire for getting the shots of me on the wave)

This weekend we tried the Coromandel peninsula, but it was flat as a lake. I still have some nice photos on the way.

Who seems happier in bed?

2007-08-21T22:43:00.000+12:00

Weekend in Whangarei Pics Are Up!

2007-08-14T22:34:00.000+12:00

Whangarei

The Delica running strong in Whangarei

2007-08-11T22:21:00.000+12:00

And We Have Wheels!

2007-08-09T21:17:00.000+12:00

First fill-up. It didn't go so smoothly. The pump credit machine didn't work, and then I forgot to go back inside to pay. The worker ran out and banged on the door just as we were rolling out. A slight embarassment.

Major Brownie Points Scored Here

2007-08-09T21:12:00.000+12:00

Can you imagine my reaction when I returned from work the night we went to pick up our van, already an exciting event in itself, and found this surprise gift beside the bed?

I had spent that afternoon thinking about how I could pay for this near mint board, which was offered at a bargain price that I still couldn't afford. I thought about how to explain to Claire that despite being broke, it was a worthwhile deal. When I got back she told me that the board had been sold to someone else for $100 more than what it had been offered to me for. I was disappointed, but I knew it was worth at least that much, so I accepted that it wasn't meant for me. I can't remember the last time I've been suckered so badly and surprised so nicely. :)

Ready to Roll

2007-08-05T18:41:00.000+12:00

After a few weeks of searching, we found ourselves some wheels. We'll be traveling in style in our 1987 Mitsubishi with no less than FIVE sunroofs! Check it out!

Family Ties

2007-07-30T21:29:00.000+12:00

I thought it was a coincidence to see Abby in Newport, RI last Summer, but this is just ridiculous!

BMW Art Cars Come To Auckland

2007-07-26T22:11:00.000+12:00

Not wasting any free time, we took a stroll to see the cars the day after the rugby match. Click to see some photos from the special exhibit currently at the Auckland Museum including Andy Warhol's BMW M1.

Have a Heart and Donate!

2007-07-25T23:17:00.000+12:00

Warning: Shameless Grovelling Post Alert! (Do not read if you have no money.)

Faithful readers may notice a new button on the right column of this blog. My blog's new "Donate" feature allows readers to donate money towards this blog. No, there is no amount too small. Yes, your donation will be recognized in the form of an entry describing where the money went unless you make a request to remain anonymous. For instance, if you make a big donation, an entry may appear thanking you for the new camper van. A more modest donation might result in a post about how I was able to order my quarter-pounder with cheese instead of having to go without. Rmember, Santa is watching you all. We'll see who's naughty and nice this year.

This was inevitable.

NZ Sports

2007-07-23T18:43:00.000+12:00

This weekend we went and saw a national rugby match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies. The photo is of the All Blacks doing their famous "haka" pre-game dance ritual. More info here if you like. Rugby is THE sport in New Zealand. They are consistently the world champions. The game was highlighted by a torrential downpour during the warm-ups that soaked the pitch and the unfortunate spectators who bought the cheap, uncovered "terrace" seats...that would be us.

Lazy Sunday

2007-07-17T23:07:00.000+12:00

Don't you just love this tree? We sure did. That's why we went through the trouble to take this AMAZING photo, even with the rain beginning to drizzle down on us again... I recognize the fact that this photo may lack any serious amount of technical photographic merit, but I believe that it does serve its purpose in showing that we are indeed enjoying ourselves here despite the weather. I'm trying way to hard to make this sound interesting. Urs, here's another photo. Look everyone! It's me and Claire!! YAAAAAAAY!!!!

Home Sweet Home

2007-07-07T19:31:00.000+12:00

It's true what they say about living with an English girl...they cook you dinner in a minidress. It's a hard life as usual for me.

2007-07-01T14:01:00.000+12:00

Some joker outside my window is, um...well I'm not entirely sure what the point of all this is.

Before and After I Found a Place to Live

2007-06-30T13:38:00.000+12:00

It took just over two weeks, but I finally have a job and a place to call home. This morning I was released from prison, aka Oceanic Hostel and moved into Club Med, aka a sweet apartment. At Oceanic I endured eating with no utensils, the constant sound of whiny sex through my thin wall and a 4am fire alarm.
I'll post pictures of my new roommates soon, but for now leave you with the before and after shots that represent how much better I feel having found a permanent residence.

Got a Real Job

2007-06-22T15:57:00.000+12:00

I start on Monday as a camera salesman at Photo Warehouse. I walked in to the downtown location yesterday and the man working said someone was leaving next week at the Mega Store location, so I breezed in to the Mega Store at noon today and just got a call back. I won't be able to make my spot on Shortland Street, but I may still get some evening or weekend work as an actor. I also did a trial for a job last night at Minus 5, a bar made out of ice. They liked me there and it's likely I'll get a call back from them as well to work part time. I'm making up for all my time not working now...

The Dog

2007-06-22T11:00:00.000+12:00

American Stafford and Boxer mix. Great personality. Just wants to be your friend. Wonder where she gets it from?

The Host with the Most

2007-06-22T10:52:00.000+12:00

This is Paul, the Kiwi fella whose house I'm currently residing in while I find a job and then a place of my own. Paul must be the nicest person I've ever met. I found him on couchsurfing.com and he has given me my own room (bed has an electric blanket), cooks me dinner every night, gives me rides into town and to the ferry, lets me use his bicycle and even gave a couple tours around the north shore. He won't even let me do the dishes. I have to be sneaky to try and help with anything. He even has a nice dog named Lily I get to play with. I keep waiting for the catch, but apparently there are people in the world who are just nice.

Beautiful Auckland Winter Weather

2007-06-22T10:39:00.000+12:00

I don't know what everyone is complaining about. The weather here is great! Ok, it's great for me because I can get 3 jobs to pay off my credit card and it won't be like sitting in an office in Sydney watching the waves I'm missing on my computer screen. That was torture. I say bring on the hail stones!

For the Not So Holy

2007-06-22T10:35:00.000+12:00

I wonder if these people get a lot of dodgy customers and can't figure out why. Or perhaps they moved to this address on purpose because they really do offer happy endings...

Kiwi Sense of Humor

2007-06-22T10:31:00.000+12:00

I saw this while walking around Auckland looking for work yesterday. I was laughing out loud so I thought it would be worth sharing.

A Local Semi-Celebrity

2007-06-21T16:02:00.000+12:00

I've been in Auckland for one week now and things are slowly taking shape. I'm still looking for full time work, but now I'm looking for work at a bar because I need to keep my days free for acting jobs. I registered with a talent agency today...they already got me a spot as an extra on a New Zealand soap opera. I'll be either a patient or someone waiting for a patient in a hospital. How funny is that? Hopefully I can score some commercials beacuse they pay the best. Extra roles only pay $12.50 - $18 per hour so it's not enough to live on. That's where the bar job will come in handy. Wish me luck and watch for me on TV! Oh wait, no one watches soap operas from New Zealand. I'll have to settle for the status of local semi-celebrity.

One Tree Hill

2007-06-17T13:48:00.000+12:00

View from the hill in Auckland. Link goes to more photos.

Next Chapter

2007-06-15T11:27:00.000+12:00

I arrived in Auckland yesterday after only slight drama at the airport. Firstly, I wasn't informed by my sponsor that I needed to have my ticket out of NZ with me when I checked in. I thought the visa took care of that since I already had to show it to get the visa. Luckily the agent took care of things for me. Then I got pulled aside at immigration on the way out. I thought it was because of two unpaid citations (Drinking a beer whilst walking on the sidewalk and riding a bicycle with no helmet. Screw you Queensland) but it could have been because I left on the day my visa expired. They never told me what the issue was. The man just came back out of the office, grinned and me and said I was free to go. By then it was getting late and when I got through security they were making the final boarding call for my flight, so I got to run down the terminal. As usual I made it at the last second. No f'in worries mates!

Final Goodbyes

2007-06-13T17:29:00.000+12:00

I was lucky enough to get in touch with some of my friends from Sydney before I left Oz. I was in an internet cafe when my friend Toshi from Maroubra called to say he was going for a surf. I jumped out of my seat and ran in my flip flops through Sydney to my hostel, grabbed my wetsuit and hailed a cab to Maroubra. Toshi left his extra board outside for me to borrow and although I didn't find him in the water, I got one great ride and caught up with him and our friend Storm back at home. The following night (my last night) I met up with friends I met through Mitch. It was great to see everybody one last time.

More Fun Aussie Style

2007-06-06T14:06:00.000+12:00

Sean and I got a tip about going to Crystal Cascades from a girl he met at a bar the other night. She told us to take the little path from the parking lot, not the big obvious one. Then we would find the secret waterfall that only locals go to. Well, one problem with hiking an unfamiliar trail barefoot (that's how I roll now) is that the trail might lead you straight up the side of a mountain that has lots of sharp rocks, leeches, and waitawhile plants. Those are the ones that grab you, hence you have to wait a while. They hurt. Anyway, Sean and I brought my Japanese friend Keita along with us, as well as two of his Japanese friends from his English school. They were less prepared than us, despite the fact that all we had were boardies and cameras. Keita was wearing a shirt that looked more at home in a night club. At least Sean's pack had some water. That came in handy at the summit, when we realized the only reason we hadn't turned around an hour before was the fact that we had all gotten jacked up on some Korean energy drinks that cost half the price of Red Bull, but pack twice the wallop. We eventually found the waterfall (pics coming) and convinced the Japs to jump in with us. I don't know why they needed convincing at this point. It was nice to rinse off all the blood and sweat and we were proud that our only fatality was one Japanese sandal. Sean and my feet were cut up but only to the status of near fatality.

2007-05-31T18:12:00.000+12:00

On Tuesday Sean and I flirted with danger again. This time we went to Josephine falls, where you can slide down some rocks. It's good fun, but the fact that it had been raining for a week straight meant that the water was running strong which made it difficult to get back across the river. The two Swedish girls we brought along took pictures and wondered if the keys were in Sean's pocket in case we didn't make it back. I'll try to secure those pictures at some point to prove my story, but I believe they are in the middle of nowhere picking tomatoes at this point, so we'll have to see about that.

2007-05-22T17:09:00.000+12:00

What a terribly unlucky weekend. My friend Sean has a small business selling sandals and this weekend we took a trip to Townsville (3 hrs south) to sell them at a market. His friend was staying at a really nice hotel and was meant to put us up for the weekend. Instead, we both managed to lose our phones and not sell any sandals, so we had no money and no way to find his friend. Sleeping in the van was ok, but the second night I woke up on the roof. Luckily I didn't roll any further before I woke up or I would have plummeted down the cliff we parked on. Next time I'll admire the stars from a safer place in case I fall asleep. At least Vodafone says I can keep my number.

A seagull took a shit on me in the Lagoon today, so at least I have a sign for better luck.

Back on Land - Reflecting on the Sea

2007-05-19T13:35:00.000+12:00

I got back from my boat trip yesterday. My 5 days aboard the Ocean Quest were fun and exhausting at the same time. The boat was at full capacity (48 guests and 14 crew) all week and I was the only volunteer they had. Needless to say I had to wash a lot of dishes. I also got to vaccuum the whole boat daily and wash a fair number of coffee mugs all day, but the important part was that I enjoyed myself. During the week I found the time to log 14 more dives, giving me a total of 23 dives on the Great Barrier Reef to date. I swam with countless creatures of the sea, the highlight being an oceanic silvertip shark (considered dangerous) that looked about 8-10 feet long. Luckily neither he nor the 4-5 foot barracuda I saw on the same dive wanted a taste. The only sad part was that I couldn't afford to take any photos because waterproof housings for my camera cost $1000 or more, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I got to play God, shining my torch on small fish at night and watching giant trevallys swoop in for the kill. I also got bitten by Nemo. Don't be fooled by Pixar...clownfish defend their homes from poking fingers but fortunately have very small mouths. It's impossible to describe how impressive the reef is. You'll never see so much life, activity and variety of species in one place, and of course not all of it is easy to spot like big sharks. Taking it slowly and looking closely into the various parts of the reef gives glimpses into tiny little worlds within the reef, which is just as rewarding as seeing the popular stuff like turtles and sharks. Watching octopuses and cuttlefish change color instantly is a sight to behold, and so is finding beautiful little nudibranchs. I hope I get a chance to go back one day, but I know I'll be diving in other places I travel from now on.

Official Plans Update

2007-05-03T16:25:00.000+12:00

As a nomadic master of non-commitment, my life is more full of maybes, mights and probably's than definitely's. (I know those last two aren't real words Ursi.) The airline industry creates exceptions to this wonderful life of last-minute decisions. Sure, I could buy a ticket on the last day of my visa hoping to score a good deal, but who knows where I'd end up? So as you sharper readers may have discerned by now, I bought a plane ticket this week and I'm just trying to make it sound more interesting. I already have my ticket to New Zealand. I arrive there on June 14. Problem is, I'm not allowed into NZ until I can show that I have a ticket OUT. That's the one I had to buy this week. And my destination is...drumroll please...ok if you read my blog this week you guessed right: I'm heading to Hawaii on October 8, with a 3 day stopover in Fiji just for kicks. I don't think I need to explain how excited I am. Hawaii offers world class surfing, diving, hiking, mountain biking and endless photo opportunities. Plus, no more work visa bullshit! I can get a job there and keep it! There will be some downsides of course. I hear the cost of living is high. Fair enough, I'll just sleep in a freakin' hammock and get better at spearfishing. Maybe I'll even fulfill my childhood dream of being a private investigator who crashes at some billionaire's pad and rocks a Ferrari around the Island. If not, I could always grow Magnum-sized pineapples in my garden. Aloha!

Comments Wanted

2007-04-28T19:19:00.000+12:00

If you know me you may have noticed that I love attention and getting reactions from people. That being said, I'd like to direct your attention to the little comments link that sits below each post I make. Look at all those poor, lonely comments links. They ain't gettin' no love people! Love my photos? Jealous your whole life isn't a vacation like mine? Think I'm ugly? Let me know you're there and post a comment saying so. It could make this site way more lots tons betterer! Believe me, it's possible.

New Photos Posted

2007-04-28T19:08:00.000+12:00

Wildlife Gallery has been updated:

Wildlife

Cape Tribulation photos from last week added:

Cape Tribulation

4 New Photos from the end of my road trip:

On the Road Part 3

Great News: I got a job on a boat this week as planned. I'll be helping to keep the boat clean for 5 days and 4 nights out on the reef from May 14-18. In return I'll get free food, accommodation and best of all free dives! I'm guaranteed 2 dives per day plus a night dive if everything is nice and tidy early enough. In the mean time I'm just relaxing in Cairns, working hard on my tan. It's a hard life, but someone has to live it.

Want to see me in a movie for a couple seconds?

2007-04-26T17:35:00.000+12:00

It is a little known fact that I briefly pursued a career in acting before I left for Australia . When I say briefly, I mean you could have blinked and missed my acting career, which spanned several seconds as an extra in one movie before I split for the land down under. If any of you back home are having slow Friday nights recently, you might want to try and spot me in funny 18th century clothing as an alternative to the usual options. Here's a free hint: I'm a guard in a pub. Anyway, the details are below.

Media Bureau presents the first complete screening of the Historical Science-Fiction movie project Order of the Quest. Order of the Quest is an essential series of Historical Science-Fiction features that unravel ancient bloodlines, secret societies, and monarchies fighting for control of the Planet Earth through history. This is the first tale of that series…

Friday May 11, 2007

Screening times – 9pm, 11pm, 1am

Live Music by Chuck Treece and Schoolly D

RSVP necessary – 215-592-1059 – quest@mediabureau.com
Media Bureau
725 North 4th st.
Philadelphia PA 19123

http://www.orderofthequest.net/
http://www.myspace.com/orderofthequest

Update from Cairns

2007-04-26T16:35:00.000+12:00

Has it really been almost 3 weeks since my last post? Sorry to keep you all hanging, but I've been fairly busy doing lots of nothing followed by lots of diving. I arrived in Cairns on the 13th and in the last two weeks I saw a great concert, sat around for a week doing jigsaw puzzles, then did a five-day dive course followed by a two day trip to Cape Tribulation.

The dive course was obviously the most exciting part of my stay here so far. I spent 2 days doing classroom theory and pool training then hopped on the Scuba Pro for 3 days out on the Great Barrier Reef. My group did a total of 9 dives on the reef. The first 4 completed our training as open water divers and the last 5 were free dives except one, which was a guided night dive. I swam with sea turtles, Nemo and his crew, and even a couple sharks.
The feeling when you first jump in the water and find yourself among such abundant life is incredible. There is so much to see it's overwhelming. It's fun to try and identify what you see after a dive, especially if it's not a common species. The night dive was quite special...being an eager beaver I was the first in the water from my group. As I waited at the surface for the others to jump in I took a peek under the boat just using my snorkel and almost immediately I saw a shark silently cruising under me. I suddenly became VERY aware of being the only one in the water for the moment. It's exciting enough to see a shark in the daytime, but at night you really gain an appreciation for the fact that you're on their turf. This is probably because you can't see for shit and are just hoping not to get bitten by anything too large. I'm not sure if they can see well at night but certainly they can smell you coming. We saw a turtle the size of a compact car (slight exaggeration) and a lobster that looked deliciously huge too.

My overnight trip to Cape Tribulation was highlighted by a Daintree River tour where we got to see some wild crocs. We also did some exotic fruit tasting on a permaculture farm where a couple grows over 150 kinds of tropical fruit. We got to try 10 of them, all quite delicious. We also learned that licking a green ant's ass tastes like lime because they secrete citric acid when threatened hoping it will make their bite sting a bit. I licked lots of green ant ass this week. MMMMmmm!

Photos aren't up yet, but I'll post a note when they are. For now I'm looking to find a job on a dive boat where I can just work for free meals and dives since I can't have a real job anymore on my visa. Maybe I can get an advanced diver certification in the next month if I'm lucky enough to find such a job. In the longer term, I will be headed back to Sydney by June 1 to sort my visa for New Zealand. I leave Sydney for Auckland, NZ on June 14th. The big question is where I'll go next...I have to buy a ticket out of NZ to get my visa, so a decision has to be made pretty soon. I'm thinking Hawaii. :)

From Surfie to Jackaroo

2007-04-07T20:11:00.000+12:00

What You've All Been Waiting For...

2007-04-07T19:21:00.000+12:00

Finally I have proof that I have indeed surfed in Australia. After many requests from my loyal fanbase, I lent my camera to Davy to get some shots of this previously unseen phenomenon. The shot is from Agnes Water, a town that neighbors the Town of 1770 where James Cook first landed. I wish you all could see the waves I surfed in Maroubra that were double the size of this one, but this will suffice for now.

I am currently in Airlie Beach, which is a popular launch site for Whitsunday's and the Great Barrier Reef. What this means is that I'm done surfing for awhile...the reef blocks all the waves from here on up north and even if it didn't I would risk death by jellyfish and crocs by going in the water.

The surf will be missed, but the reef offers plenty of exciting opportunities. Tomorrow we are all going sailing for the day and according to the travel brochure you should all keep your eyes peeled for some "paradise island" photos in the next week.

I have only one week remaining on this road trip. It's amazing how quickly the last several weeks have gone by. We will arrive in Cairns on the 14th and from there I will probably try to find a ride to Ayer's Rock for a completely different aussie experience. Stay tuned...

Update from the road north

2007-04-02T15:26:00.000+12:00

It has been 12 days since I left Sydney in the Platypussy Lagoon and I'm happy to report that I'm still alive and doing well. We are making plenty of headway (too much in my opinion) and have decided to slow down a bit if we find a spot we really like.

I was recently tempted to jump ship in Noosa...there are perfectly shaped waves, a beautiful park where I saw my first wild koala, and a small town with an upscale feel that doesn't hate on the camper crowd. It's what Byron Bay should be and probably was not too long ago. There was a strong pull that I couldn't explain. It wasn't that different from some other places on paper, but being there was special. After catching one of the longest waves of my life, I walked a couple kilometers down the track that runs along the cliffs to become witness to the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen in my life. The fact that I knew it was without question was striking. I froze in my tracks and just watched the sun set, more in awe of the sight than disappointed by the fact that my camera was nowhere close to capture the moment. Sorry about the lack of pictures from Noosa...I needed more time. Mom and Dad, please retire here. You'll love it too.

In other news, I still suck at spearfishing. I haven't speared one fish yet. I keep ending up in places with good visibility and no fish, or poor visibility and probably shitloads of them laughing in circles around me. All I know is that eventually I'm going to blast one of the bastards and enjoy the feeling of self-sufficient-satisfaction one can only get from spearing a slippery sea sucker. I saw a couple of sea rays which I could have shot in the head execution style as they seemed to think their flat bodies and sandy color somehow fooled me into thinking they weren't there, but I haven't heard of anyone eating them, so putting my frustration from the lack of any tastier critters aside, I let the dumb things go.

In the photos:
We almost lured one of Noosa's tasty looking wild turkeys (or whatever the hell they are) into our van for a potentially savage dinner. I think it was best for everyone that it ran away. We have been on such a tight budget that slaughtering local wildlife has become a sensible sounding proposition.

Did you check my pictures yet? The My Photography link is on your right. Enjoy.

Introducing My New Travel Mates

2007-03-27T15:24:00.000+12:00

My work visa expired a couple weeks ago, and I decided it was time to leave Sydney and see more of what Australia has to offer. After putting some ads up in popular hostels, I got a call from two French people who were heading to Cairns in a camper van, expecting to arrive on April 14th. I jumped in the van with them last Wednesday almost a week ago. Since then we have made our way up the coast and are currently in lovely Byron Bay. I got a bit burned yesterday after enjoying the surf for just a few too many hours. Check the photo page soon. The coast is beautiful everywhere you go.

After 3 attempts, I still haven't speared any fish with my beloved new speargun. On a positive note, at a camp one night I spoke with an Aussie who gave me some guidance on spearfishing and because Byron's waters are protected, I just haven't been able to try the better method yet. Also, the water gets warmer and more full of fish the closer we get to the Great Barrier Reef, so expect news of some free fresh fish feasts soon.

Pictured Above: Davy, Amandine at the Byron Lighthouse

Bra Boys Part 2

2007-03-15T21:13:00.000+13:00

Last night the Bra Boys movie was shown a day early at the cinema near Maroubra, so I went with a few friends to check it out. Former pro surfer and producer Sunny Abberton and his brother, big wave surfer Kobe Abberton were there for a Q&A after the movie and I had the chance to chat with them afterwards, since they just walked across the street to the local bar; very uncelebrity like by American standards.
The Abbertons were the ones who started the Bra Boys and both were very friendly and easy to talk to. I asked Sunny to call off Frog and he said that I had dropped in on 3 people that morning. Oops. I remembered one other guy, but not two. He assured me that Frog is a really good guy, someone I could go up and talk to. I also told them about my situation having to move out of my apartment early because I wasn't on the lease and he said if I talked to some of "the boys" they could help me find a place looking out on the beach. A nice offer, but I'm heading out of town so I'll take them up on it next time.
Kobe was easy going as well. I got him to sign my Surfer magazine which featured an article about him. Search for him on YouTube. He's been pulled into waves by the likes of the legendary Laird Hamilton. Good company to be in as far as the surfing world is concerned.
By the way, Frog was indeed in the movie. During 2003 when race riots broke out in nearby Cronulla Beach, Lebanese vandals staged a retaliatory attack on Maroubra, which was uninvolved in the riot to begin with. Regardless of this, the Bra Boys organized to protect their town and guess who was leading the charge? In the movie, Frog has blood splattered on his face and shirt and as he walks past the camera mutters something along the lines of, "It's nothing". He drew a laugh from the crowd, his comment an obvious understatement of whatever he had just been involved in. Frog is a badass. Frog has also made me a better surfer...I will always have my head up from now on. Better than having it held down.

Always Good for a Laugh...

2007-03-05T21:46:00.000+13:00

Throwing giant water balloons from your friend's balcony on the 25th floor of Regis Tower. Click the picture and look closely at my face, then try and imagine how satisfying it was for me to let that sucker fly. I know, I'm sick.

Ooohh AAaaahh!!!

2007-03-05T21:41:00.000+13:00

Yesterday a storm passed by giving us a pretty good light show. Here is one of many photos I took from the balcony. Probably not a good surf day...

Mitch Parsons R.I.P.

2007-03-02T19:31:00.000+13:00

I regret to report that Mitch, my roommate and good friend here in Australia has died. May he rest peacefully beside his beloved cat Bonnie, who passed away earlier this year.

Mitch was a generous and kind-spirited person with a great sense of humor. He did all he could to help me while asking nothing in return. I offer his family and friends my sincerest condolences. We will all miss him.

A Double Dunk

2007-03-01T20:31:00.000+13:00

This morning the waves were pumping, so I decided to go for a surf before work. In true form I surfed for 3 hours, going to work late. This isn't the interesting part of my day though. It was my exit from the water today that stood out. I nearly had the crap kicked out of me by one of the "Bra Boys".

I had seen the guy earlier...he was short, but had a neck that was beyond tangent to his shaved skull and a leathery face that said "don't mess with me, I'm a time bomb waiting to go off on you." Just looking at him was a bit scary. Little did I know, I would get a much closer look soon enough, from some interesting angles to boot. Most notably, from underwater.

Anyway, I took a wave that I thought was all mine, but apparently I didn't hear the fellow behind me calling me off. He must have come around a big section because I didn't see or hear him until it was too late. When I finally saw him I exited the wave as quickly as I could, trying to make up for my surf etiquette faux pas. It didn't help. When I saw who I had burned, all I could think was "oh, shit".

He paddled towards me spewing explatives as I expect from any local I burn. I tried to apologize and pointed out that I had left the wave as soon as I realized my mistake, but this wasn't going to satisfy the beast. After asking me a string of rhetorical gems like, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he must have gotten the idea that I would provide better answers submerged, so he began dunking me like a child in a backyard swimming pool. Luckily I've been doing some breathing exercises lately and I can hold my breath for nearly 3 minutes. He didn't hold me down for nearly that long, but when he let me up my gasps for air must have satisfied him, and he contently paddled back to his gang after ordering me to paddle in.

Despite the reputation of the Bra Boys, I inexplicably disobeyed the order for a moment. I nice girl (the only female out) who I chatted with earlier was nearby and asked if I was ok. I was fine; after all it was mostly shouting and a little dunk. I began to question why anyone would act like that etc when I realized my 30 seconds was up...Frog was paddling back over for round 2. (I later learned that's what they call him. Must be the no neck/good swimmer thing. I wasn't kidding about that.)

I became slightly more worried about him returning, since I assumed he might have got it in his head that a good dunk wasn't enough to deter me from his turf. A bunch more noise ensued, with more rhetorical winners like "Do you want me to fucking bash you?" and then I was summarily dunked again. This time after I tried to turn and paddle in. After the first dunk I told him I was heading in and as I got on my board and turned he grabbed at my leash and legs, pulled me off the board and held me under again. This time I waved my arms to get myself deeper and out of his reach. I was totally calm. I'm not sure why, but all I noticed for a moment was the way the sun's rays were penetrating the water around his silouhette. After getting under his reach I tried swimming backwards a bit so I wouldn't be so close when I came up, but damn he was a good swimmer! I found out later this was due to him being a Maroubra Lifeguard(!) aside from being a surfer. I won't even bother explaining the irony here.

In the end, I only sustained a little verbal abuse and got to appreciate the clarity of the water here. I guess I endured the humiliation of having to leave as well, but I think most people saw Frog as the fool here. At least I hope so...

I don't know about the U.S., but here in Oz the Bra Boys Movie premieres on March 15th. Apparently this guy is in it. I'll have to make a follow-up report on whether that's true or not so you can see him for yourself. Luckily I've been growing a beard for a week, so I think if I shave tonight and surf on the South End (the not-so-gang-controlled-end) I think I'll be fine for the next couple weeks until I hit the road in search of less crowded waves.

No worries!!!

2007-02-28T20:26:00.000+13:00

Just saying a quick hi to everyone. I had a nice day yesterday...woke up with a text from a friend saying it was heaps clean out at middles. I thought, f*** work. Actually I didn't even think that, I just got out of bed, grabbed my board and ran down for some nice clean waves. Got a lift to work and strolled in around 11:45 with no boss around. I ended up with nothing to do anyway, should have just stayed out the whole day. Ahhh, Australia. :)

A Berry Nice Weekend

2007-02-20T16:14:00.000+13:00

This weekend was a lot of fun. I went with Toshi to his friend Alex's house in historic Berry, about 2 hours south of Sydney. Alex and his family are some very welcoming and hospitable people. We ate like kings for the weekend and had fun with all the animals. We did a little bushwalking as well, resulting in some sore legs. The stars were brilliant without the light from the city obscuring the view. Click the picture to see the album.

Berry Trip