Surf Camp at Crescent Head

The #1 rule


The camp


Surfing

When I decided to go on a surf trip I immediately started to have preconceived notions of what a surf camp would be like. I pictured a secluded cabin next to the beach, lawn hammocks and camp fires, surf boards nailed up on the wall, surfer girls in bathing suits all day, etc. And of course experience would tell you that it is never as you think it will be. I think I can safely say that this trip was the exception to the rule.

The name of the camp was Mojo and I'd have to say that it lived up to its name. A coach bus picked up the group from Sydney and we set out for Crescent Head which was a 6 hour drive north. There were about 20 people heading up for some surf and sand and a good portion of them were from Holland and Norway. But on any trip you'll always get a good mix of nationalities and this trip was no different. Canada, England, Italy, Germany and of course the US of A were all represented.

We stopped a couple times on the way up to get supplies for a good old fashioned beach party and arrived in the camp around 2pm, plenty of time to hit the beach and give this surfing thing a try. We all strapped on the wet suits and made our way down to the beach. What's funny is that I thought it wouldn't be all that hard. I expected to stand up the first time and be a natural. I was dead wrong. I worked some muscles that haven't been moved in decades. And then you have to deal with the waves crashing down on you and throwing you around like a rag doll, at least the big ones. But wow was it fun. I was able to stand up a few times on the first day and throughout the trip I progressively got better. It's a good thing the food was tasty because I was starving after each go-round.

We ate in an open air hut and slept large common rooms. Between surfing, eating and sleeping I dusted off my ping pong skills and played Canadian Phil in a friendly game, read my book in the hammock or laid in the sun on the lawn. Sometimes it gets old exchanging my story with every new traveler I meet but it's always fun to hear about other people's cultures. I found out all about the Norwegian accent from a girl named Cecilie as she bravely demonstrated it for me. I'll usually ask them to see if they can imitate the American accent and Cecilie did pretty well. My Norwegian accent on the other hand is lacking.

As for the actual surfing though the trick is to keep your head up and stay low and centered. The hardest part is getting up fast enough to actually be standing in order to catch the wave at the right time. Everyone got the hang of it though. By the end I had some wear and tear on the body as blisters were forming on my hands, my chest was sore from laying on the board, my feet ached, my neck was tweaked and my shoulders were hurting. It was a good pain though as it was all worth it.

Unfortunately for me I was only on a 3 day trip while the rest of the group was continuing on to Byron Bay on a 5 day trip. On my last night we all gathered around the camp fire and exchanged stories and jokes. I initiated a little impromptu karaoke with Taro, an English chap, and the Dutch girls tried to top us each time with a song of their own. Phil and I had a good laugh over Taro's last name as we were convinced it sounded just like an English butler's name. The name was Hallworth but we thought it sounded better with an S in the middle, effectively changing it to Hallsworth. We then proceeded to put on corny British accents and ask "Hallsworth" to carry the beer over to the fire as it was simply not going to carry itself over there. All in good jest.

All in all, it was one of the best trips I've been on over here and although I am not going pro in the surfing racket anytime soon I hope to try it again. So.............. surfing: check. Next up: scuba diving and skydiving.

Settling Down in Sydney

The New Year has come and it's no longer new anymore so now I have to get used to writing -/-/10 when I had gotten so used to writing 09. As for getting used to Sydney things are coming along at a smooth pace as I am easing my way into a routine. I've moved into the apartment on Harbour St. and have just been enjoying my days pool side or reading on the roof. When I get somewhat bored I keep reminding myself that this is apart of what I came here to do......nothing. It's quite nice.

I watched the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge from Macquaries Point. There were a few trees in the way but overall it was a good spot. I had to wait in what was probably the longest line I've ever seen. It went about 400 yards down a side walk and then snaked down a hill and then coiled in and around itself at the bottom. There were two sets of fireworks, one at 9 and then one at 12. I went with some folks from the hostel and we all enjoyed a good show.

As for the apartment I never thought I would find myself in such a situation but for the rent it is well worth it. And then I just have to remind myself of the pool and it really helps. I share a room with 2 Korean guys and 1 French guy. Yes, 4 people in this room. There's a few other roommates in the next room as well and I do have to say that although the language barrier poses some obstacles it really isn't that bad. The Korean guys are some of the nicest people I've met as they offer me to share in their dinner and are always very courteous. I went out with them, the Japanese and German roommates as well, one night to Jay's (one of the Korean roommates, not his real name but an English substitute) restaurant and ate Korean food and drank Korean whiskey. We played a Korean drinking game called 0-0-7-bang! which was actually pretty fun. We played another called Titanic but I am not sure where that one came from.

They were very excited to have me as a roommate because it gives them a chance to practice their English. Jay especially is filled with questions about how to pronounce certain words or what a word means when it is in a tense he has never seen. The Japanese girl, Nobu, is very funny and one of the most outgoing Asians I've ever met. She is addicted to Desperate Housewives as one of the roommates has all the seasons. Overall, I'm enjoying my new surroundings, especially the pool, and the location is perfect (right next to George St. which is the main street running through downtown).

I have a 3-day surf camp trip booked for next week and the forecast is supposed to be rain for two of the days. Hopefully they are wrong as usual. I've heard it is extremely tiring as the swimming alone wears you out, not to mention the paddling. I've done some site-seeing around the city but have yet to go to Bondi Beach. They really scare you about skin cancer here, and rightfully so, as there is some grossly large number of people who get it each year. I mean they really hammer it home with billboards, commercials, previews on movies, radio, etc. I got burned the other day after spending just about 30 minutes in the sun. That hole in the ozone is pretty big I think.

In the next week though I'll start looking for jobs and see what's out there. Evidently, in New South Wales, the only state that requires it's own special certification, you have to take a class to get certified to serve alcohol. Another way for the gov. to make money if you ask me. But it is essential and after planning the rest of my trip up until May I know it's necessary. First however, a little surfing is in order.