The 1000 Day Holiday

Hanging out on the Gold Coast for a week. Chasing wind and discovering how I dont have my kitesurfing muscles any more!

Just booked my flight back into Asia. $439 one way to Phuket! Cheap and tasty.

Dejavu hit me as I arrived in Port Macquarie to hang out w Jamie. Ah yes, I think I stopped for lunch on my east coast trip. And found nothing happening, so carried on!

Never mind. A great couple of days hanging out. Its a bit disconcerting at first; everone loves to chat, and chat, and chat!

All very friendly, which is quite a change coming from Sydney. Although Jamie said when he goes for a run along the waterfront, he ALWAYS gets a comment from people he passes. ‘Ironman was last week’ ‘not far to go now’ ‘keep it up’ ‘shake that ass’

Went out on Wednesday night for a bit of a party. Downunder bar. Karakoe & Pop. The crowd made up of a sample of the  complete demographics of the local population. Jamie pointed out the Port demographic mysterys to me:

There is lots of very young girls everywhere 17-19 years old. very few in their 20′s and then an abundance of 30ish single mothers.

I have developed a theory based on my gorilla studies in Africa.

When the girls hit 20, being a small town they are at risk of being ‘left on the shelf’. So they raid other family goups (Cities near by- eg brisbane) to replicate and keep the blood lines fresh. Much like the head Silverback gorilla raiding the other families for the young females.

Once they have replicated they return to their family group (the Port) for the family support.

Cessnock.

Where the young locals roam to find a husband. I dont feel safe outside.

Hanging w the family for easter.

Tis very odd to be back.

I have a compelling need to suddenly be connected again. mobile, car etc.

quite disconcerting. Cheap flights are going to vietnam.

424 Days down, 576 to go…
01/03/07 Arraial d’ Ajuda
02/03/07 fly Porto Seguro – SP. Uni Orientation party w Marcelo
03/03/07 Trance party at the golf course w Juliana and crew!
04/03/07 Bus to Rio – Stayed at WOTB
05/03/07 Beach day – ipanema
06/03/07 clubbing at Bomba (30reais for 3 hours open bar)
07/03/07 Rio
08/03/07 Rio. Club near Mellow Yellow
09/03/07 Rio. St party in Lapa
10/03/07 Rio, Tour to the forest and cristo statue
11/03/07 Fly to BA!
12/03/07 Detox (all you can eat $4!)
13/03/07 Detox
14/03/07 Run to Boca…Museum (the Club!)
15/03/07 Fine Art Gallery
16/03/07 Run, to Boca…Sunset Club
17/03/07 Paddys Day!
18/03/07 Soccer: Boca Jrs Vs Gimnasia (5-1)
19/03/07 Air Tahiti!
20/03/07 fly BA – Panama – LAX.
21/03/07 Greyhound to San Francisco (Green Tortise Hostel)
22/03/07 Alcatraz, Fishermans Wharf
23/03/07 Chinatown, mmmm. GT Pub Crawl
24/03/07 Farmers Market
25/03/07 Run, Coit Tower, Windy st….
26/03/07 7pm SFO – LAX, 11.40 fly to Tahiti
27/03/07 out to Moorea (Camping Nelson)
28/03/07 Exploring the beaches
29/03/07 Diving with Moorea Fun Dive
30/03/07 Papeete (What a hole!)
31/03/07 2am Fly to Sydney

Started off the trip in French Polynesia in grand style by getting $1200 out from the ATM at the airport, thinking it was giving me $100.

Would have been actually very easy to spend that in 4 days. However fat catting it solo is about as fun as a pot of noodles and tomato sauce.

$17 for a watermelon the size of my two hands? a main meal at a little cafe on the road $40. a dozen eggs $5. A Big Mac $6 (is this on the Big Mac Index??) Everything here is spency..

No worries tho! And I didnt eat any boiled pasta w tomato sauce.

1/2 roast chicken from a little further down the road. Special Island Price every day: $8.60!!!  Loving it!

Did a couple of scuba dives around moorea yesterday. Lots of sharks, hard coral and not much else. a bit dull really

I cant believe the flight Im just about to board is going to take me to Sydney. Unreal.

This is a fine fine city. The first few days were glorious weather, which was perfect for visiting Alcatraz. Island prizons really are quite cool. Audio tours are wicked. Maybe its just cause the player has a lanyard and you walk around like sheep to your own tune.

Everyone doing exactly the same route, stopping and looking up etc. just not in time with each other. Brilliant!

Have had some great food as well. With chinatown down the street, my tastebuds have been getting a nice workout.

Lots of people wearing funny clothes though. Frikken Hippys!

I fly at 7pm to LAX, then 11.40pm to Tahiti.

a 32 hour commute and Im here in San Francisco.
It would have been around 22 hours if I had booked a cheap flight from LAX-SFO. But instead I got to enjoy the comfort and excitement of the Greyhound.

The excitement being provided by one of the other passengers breaking an arm rest and threatening to kill another passenger with it. I guess its good that everyone gets patted down, pass a metal detector and carry on bags are searched when boarding. I suppose theyve had gun or knife fights break out! hah

Within minutes of leaving the greyhound station in SFC, I love it. Feels like Wellington, or maybe Vancouver.
Time to go explore.

They really do hire the friendliest people in the world to work the immigration desks at LAX.

The first one didnt want to deal with any tourists, even tho every desk was listed as Resident/Tourist. So back into another queue.

The second officer questioned me for about 10 minutes.

Why have I been to the USA 5 times? (only 3). What do I do? (computers, worked for CA. last 2 trips were business….). How long are you here for? (5 days).  You have been travelling a lot. (yes, 15 months). What company gives you 15 months off (No job any more). How can you afford to travel for 15 months? (Worked in computers.. kinda well paying!). show me your return ticket (show him my LAX - Tahiti ticket dated for 20 Jan 07! and try and explain to him…). Do you have enough money? (yes). .. .. .. .. .. .. Then he gives my custom form some big red writing and sends me on my way.

The big red writing turns out to mean i should have my bags searched and be questioned more thoroughly. However the next dude was much more lovely. 5 questions and he understood everything and didnt even search my bags! yay.

Fly at lunchtime to Panama and onto LA. Arrive just after midnight. Where I will get a transfer to greyhound, and Bus it to San Francisco! Its going to be a long day. But hey.

Could have flown if I was organised earlier.