11 days in the land of Oz...
After Ethiopia, I came homeand worked the Thanksgiving holiday. Like last year, I spent actual Thanksgiving eve with Molly from the NICU and her family, staying in their lovely Los Altos home. Thanks Mols!
After a very busy 4 days at work I again was off on a jet plane! First stop…Sydney, Australia!
I was met at the airport by Gravy Johnston, one of the two Aussie boys I had met while rock climbing at Lover’s Leap a few years ago. He had the perfect plan for a jetlagged traveler - Manly beach and snorkeling! Such a great way to spend an afternoon after loads of traveling!
Manly Beach!
And the famous blue groper named George showed up and let us pet him!
The next day, Gravy, Chelsea and I met up with James and Cassie for a weekend bouldering trip outside the town of Canberra. James, known for his daring kayak voyage across the Tasman Sea (the first ever! read about it at crossingtheditch.com.au) brought his awesome van, Sunshine, for which I was quite jealous!
Camp!
Not normally a boulderer, I was super surprised at how much fun I had! This place was newly developed and had some awesome routes! We worked (and Gravy sent) this rad roof V7 that required a double toe hook and a huge reach. So neat!
What is a weekend bouldering without some crashpad antics?
Or slacklining?!
Or deadly spiders?? Funnel Web...
At this point, I started to get nervous about my plans for the week; or really, my lack of plans. The boys had to work and I…I had no idea what I was going to do. Luckily, on the way home from climbing, Cassie suggested a friend of hers that lived in Melbourne and had the week off. Sure, I’ll buy a plane ticket 36 hours before the departure to meet up with and hang out with (for 2 straight days) a complete and total stranger! Sounded like a great idea! (and boy was it!)
I spent Monday biking around downtown Sydney, seeing the sites and trying not to forget to bike on the left side of the road!
Sydney is such a beautiful city!
Up at the crack of dawn again (what jetlag??) I am off to the airport and off to Melbourne! I am met at the train station by James, lunch, a surfboard and a general itinerary for a surf filled next two days! We make a quick stop at his cousins work to pick up a wetsuit for me (really!? This guy is great!) and off we are for Torquay Beach and road trip down the Great Ocean Road!
Melbourne Station
A little lost along the way, we pull over and ask a young girl walking down the street…she’s heading the same way and hungover as so, in she gets! Ha! She was 15! Too funny! I was starting to realize how fun and random the next few days were gonna be!
Torquay Beach!
Just beautiful! And I got up on my first wave! I was super psyched on the smaller board! 6’6”! I’ve only ever used long boards!
Our destination for the evening was the free camping on Johanna Beach. But not before seeing some classic and beautiful Aussie sights! Along the Great Ocean Road -
We saw him jump tree to tree!!
Classic!
At Johanna Beach, we set up camp and head down to the beach to play in the sand and catch one of the most amazing sunsets…
We stayed up late playing cards and giggling and playing ‘20 questions’. Just awesome!
The next day we head off to see more beautiful beaches and the 12 Apostles! Awesome sandstack formations!
Back to Melbourne, we shower, nap and grab some bikes for a tour around the artsy aussie town!
More beautiful aussie sunsets!
Who is this guy?? Such an awesome random new friend!
Street artist
Outside the casino!
and on the pier...
Up early the next AM and off to the airport back to the boys place! Time for some bouldering in Sydney hotspot, the Baulkens!
Friday and Shev has the day off so...lets go wakeboarding! First stop, the cable park!
It had been 10 years since I last set foot on a wakeboard, but fortunately its like bicycle riding and comes back pretty quick!
Yea Shevvy!
Then that afternoon? The real deal! Out on the river with some friends!
Wakeboarding is so much fun!!
The next day we are up early for a drive to the Blue Mountains and some awesome sport climbing!!
Everyone but Zander and I heads back to Sydney, but we set up camp and prepare to do "Bunny Bucket Buttress" 9 pitches of grade 18. Great fun! Got mega lost on the approach but we found it eventually!
The aussie bush!
Rappin' in!
Aren't the Blueys amazing??
Comin' out on a super fun roof pitch!!
Success!! Such a fun mellow route!!
Carrots? Bolt Plates? Silly aussie antics!
Back to Sydney for my final night and what should we do?? How about a barby??
Cheers guys!!
After a very busy 4 days at work I again was off on a jet plane! First stop…Sydney, Australia!
I was met at the airport by Gravy Johnston, one of the two Aussie boys I had met while rock climbing at Lover’s Leap a few years ago. He had the perfect plan for a jetlagged traveler - Manly beach and snorkeling! Such a great way to spend an afternoon after loads of traveling!
Manly Beach!
And the famous blue groper named George showed up and let us pet him!
The next day, Gravy, Chelsea and I met up with James and Cassie for a weekend bouldering trip outside the town of Canberra. James, known for his daring kayak voyage across the Tasman Sea (the first ever! read about it at crossingtheditch.com.au) brought his awesome van, Sunshine, for which I was quite jealous!
Camp!
Not normally a boulderer, I was super surprised at how much fun I had! This place was newly developed and had some awesome routes! We worked (and Gravy sent) this rad roof V7 that required a double toe hook and a huge reach. So neat!
What is a weekend bouldering without some crashpad antics?
Or slacklining?!
Or deadly spiders?? Funnel Web...
At this point, I started to get nervous about my plans for the week; or really, my lack of plans. The boys had to work and I…I had no idea what I was going to do. Luckily, on the way home from climbing, Cassie suggested a friend of hers that lived in Melbourne and had the week off. Sure, I’ll buy a plane ticket 36 hours before the departure to meet up with and hang out with (for 2 straight days) a complete and total stranger! Sounded like a great idea! (and boy was it!)
I spent Monday biking around downtown Sydney, seeing the sites and trying not to forget to bike on the left side of the road!
Sydney is such a beautiful city!
Up at the crack of dawn again (what jetlag??) I am off to the airport and off to Melbourne! I am met at the train station by James, lunch, a surfboard and a general itinerary for a surf filled next two days! We make a quick stop at his cousins work to pick up a wetsuit for me (really!? This guy is great!) and off we are for Torquay Beach and road trip down the Great Ocean Road!
Melbourne Station
A little lost along the way, we pull over and ask a young girl walking down the street…she’s heading the same way and hungover as so, in she gets! Ha! She was 15! Too funny! I was starting to realize how fun and random the next few days were gonna be!
Torquay Beach!
Just beautiful! And I got up on my first wave! I was super psyched on the smaller board! 6’6”! I’ve only ever used long boards!
Our destination for the evening was the free camping on Johanna Beach. But not before seeing some classic and beautiful Aussie sights! Along the Great Ocean Road -
We saw him jump tree to tree!!
Classic!
At Johanna Beach, we set up camp and head down to the beach to play in the sand and catch one of the most amazing sunsets…
We stayed up late playing cards and giggling and playing ‘20 questions’. Just awesome!
The next day we head off to see more beautiful beaches and the 12 Apostles! Awesome sandstack formations!
Back to Melbourne, we shower, nap and grab some bikes for a tour around the artsy aussie town!
More beautiful aussie sunsets!
Who is this guy?? Such an awesome random new friend!
Street artist
Outside the casino!
and on the pier...
Up early the next AM and off to the airport back to the boys place! Time for some bouldering in Sydney hotspot, the Baulkens!
Friday and Shev has the day off so...lets go wakeboarding! First stop, the cable park!
It had been 10 years since I last set foot on a wakeboard, but fortunately its like bicycle riding and comes back pretty quick!
Yea Shevvy!
Then that afternoon? The real deal! Out on the river with some friends!
Wakeboarding is so much fun!!
The next day we are up early for a drive to the Blue Mountains and some awesome sport climbing!!
Everyone but Zander and I heads back to Sydney, but we set up camp and prepare to do "Bunny Bucket Buttress" 9 pitches of grade 18. Great fun! Got mega lost on the approach but we found it eventually!
The aussie bush!
Rappin' in!
Aren't the Blueys amazing??
Comin' out on a super fun roof pitch!!
Success!! Such a fun mellow route!!
Carrots? Bolt Plates? Silly aussie antics!
Back to Sydney for my final night and what should we do?? How about a barby??
Cheers guys!!
