finally feeling...

like I've settled in completely. I got my rhythm down. Nothing really gets in the way anymore. And when something does change, it feels weird. I like it. The past weekend was definitely a good one. Ya Boy SHWAYZE came to town, in fact, came to our favourite nightclub in town and performed an hour long set, introducing a new song.
"Australian girl, I think I found you, I think I found you, Australian girl, I think I love you."
A funny part about concerts in Australia, if they are performing at a nightclub, is they don’t start until around 1am. Little do our American minds know this fact and we are like first over there at 9pm making sure we get in on time, first in line, rushing. When we get to the door, the fat security guard is standing there eating a Kebab, which are freakishly popular here, and nodding his head to our questions since he looks like Alvin and the chipmunks’ fat uncle with his cheeks stuffed. The way he ate that Kebab was if his 300 lbs hadn’t seen a meal in 3 days or something, even though I’m pretty sure I saw the wrapper of his first Kebab at his feet. Setting him aside, we decide to stall at McDonalds with a wonderful Big Mac Meal (our fav!), upsized to a medium for only 50 cents! Making it about the American equivalent of a kid’s meal... Yeah their portions suck over here, which doesn’t explain why Australia is also one of the more obese nations in the world. Especially with their naturally outdoorsy slash active culture. Like last night, I and Jen went out to Al Fresco’s Italian Restaurant, which I thought was Alfredo’s. I end up ordering the largest possible pizza I can order of the menu, and I finished the whole thing. I don’t even eat a lot. Australia needs to get a portion check on their meals.

Anyways, so after that sumo security guard sent us on our way and we ate at McDonalds, we had a full on 400 metre sprint race to the bus stop. No Joke. If you are a driver on the street, this is what you see...
Five happy 20 year olds (yeah I classified myself in that category) walking down the street looking back every few seconds for a bus to come. Then one of them sees one. Mind you all five of these young adults are dressed up in button up shirts and dresses slash heels, depending on their gender of course. Then it’s like a foot just stepped on the ant hill and it’s a mad 400 metre scatter to the nearest bus stop. All five of them break up, the girls ripping off their heels to run while the guys look like white Michael Jordan’s running down the court like it’s the final seconds of game seven of the NBA finals and the Bulls are down by 1 pt. And you think I’m kidding. Luckily our man Scotty wasn’t blessed with Australian running genes and somehow, as we all found out sometime in about the 10 seconds it took him to get to the bus stop, has some Kenyan in him too. It was a glorious moment as he stuck his hand out to flag down the completely packed bus with drunks and druggies loaded in it. The bus ride back was nothing special and we went back to relax for a few hours and then headed back out to the Shwayze concert. We were still able to get literally in the front row of the concert. I gave Cisco a high five and gave Shwayze...eye contact?

It was definitely one of the better nights here and I was singing along with every song. Just stoaked that Nana finally got to see Shwayze, after one failed attempt in San Diego, and I got to see him for my 4th time in Australia! The next day I ran into my marketing buddy, who I think is the female Australian version of me with her likes of Shwayze and Cisco and was telling her how awesome of a time I had in the front row and everything. Then I asked her, “Did you go???!”
Here was her response...

“Matt. Did I go??!? What do you think? You won’t believe this. I was sitting V.I.P. with Cisco and Shwayze the WHOLE night. I met them at Titanium Bar and Shwayze kept buying us shots of Patron. Cisco was IN LOVE with me and he held my hand as we walked from Titanium Bar to Sin City so they could play their set. You know that ‘Australian Girl’ song? Yeah he wrote that FOR ME. He was pointing at me the whole time he was singing it. I kissed him the whole night. He invited me back to his hotel room but I said no. I wasn’t going to be his groupie. He said he respects that.”

And I thought I had a good night...

Welcome to Australia ya’ll.

blog lag...

This morning was a perfect morning. But first let me acknowledge the fact that I haven't blogged in over a week. Maybe close to two. I don't know. But this will be a nice glaze over what happened the past week or two...

Every other Wednesday is great. All my roommates have class at 8 in the morning and I don't until 2 in the afternoon. I say every other Wednesday because the other Wednesday I have a bio lab at 9 in the morning. So today I woke up at 10:30, went to our porch-balcony thing to see the waves and decided that they were pretty perfect for my abilities. 3-5 ft, glassy conditions, peaking for nice rights and lefts even though I push for rights on every wave, and just a perfect day outside. So I threw on my boardies, grabbed my new Noddy 6'5 board shaped right in my hometown, the key, and walked 50 meters to the lovely beach. It was pretty chill, with just a few other surfers out there, and a douchy sponger who kept his distance. After a couple duck dives and nice timing to get out there i was rewarded with one of the better waves of my life. Super pumped i paddled back out and caught a few more. Surfed for an hour in the tropical warm, clear water and called it. Came back, cooked myself a delicious spam omelette and bacon, kind of reminded myself of Hawaii. SPAM. Opened up a note my girlfriend left me this morning, turned on some Olympics and saw Australia get their butts handed to them in the snowboard-cross. Jumped in the shower and headed off just in time to catch the bus and was on my way to school. That’s all i want to do every morning. Pretty simple, relaxed, and chill. Usually Wednesdays are the days that 2204 doesn’t like but i redefined that.

Anyways, to review the past week. Byron Bay, Jupiters Casino, and Valentines Day. Not necessarily in that order, but who cares. Molly’s dad surprised her last weekend by coming to Australia. Nice suprise huh? So of course the roommates milk this surprise for everything it’s worth, which resulted in a free trip to Byron Bay. Byron Bay is in a different state, which i have already been to might i add: New South Wales. The home of Sydney. If you thought that Cooly was beautiful, Byron Bay would knock your socks off? Not really, but i’d say it may have been a level up from Cooly. It was just pure beauty. We went to a lighthouse that stuck out of the bay and had epic surfing on each side of it. There really isn’t much to say about it besides the fact that i could sit there all day and just be completely satisfied basking in the sun and taking in everything around me.

Next was Jupiters Casino. This was something that we waited too long to do. I swear every other Bond student has been there at least once a week and we were just getting out first stab at it. Got all spiffy and headed out with thirty bucks in my pocket, assuming that things could get pretty out of hand over there. It was nice going in to. It felt like a little taste of Vegas, except i was able to participate in any part of it that i wanted to. Jumped on some slot machines, hit up the bar, wanted to try my hand at black jack but probably made a better decision and didn’t. Next time. Came out minus 30 bucks, but only at the price of a few drinks and an hour plus’ fun gambling. It was a classy night.

For Valentines Day i kept it pretty simple, simply because i am not impressed by whoever’s stupid idea it was to create it. I’m not a fan. But since it is Valentines Day, if i don’t do anything i’ll definitely hear it. So i did. Made reservations at Jen’s and my favourite Thai place, Chaingmai Thai i think it is called. I made reservations to sit outside in the lit up seating, but when i went over there to check on my reservation, i wasn’t down. So we settled for a seat indoors, which was still nice. Bought the Jacob’s Creek Three Vines Semillon Sauvignon Blanc wine that we had the night i asked her out and had a romantic candle lit dinner. Duh. It was simple, relaxed, and chill just how it should be.

So to say the least we have had a pretty chill week here. This week shouldn’t be the same though. Tomorrow we are going to Don’s Tavern at Bond at night, something special is supposed to be going down. Friday, hopefully we hit up Broadbeach since i just met this guy who said he can get us into this $20 club for free. Saturday Jamie and Scotty should be coming down from Brisbane. And Sunday ya boy SHWAYZE and CISCO are coming to Surfers Paradise.

“While you hatin’ I’m livin’ it up. I-I-I-I’m livin’ it up.”
Peace.


P.S. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure we jacked a street sign and a Nando's chicken. Deckin' the apartment out!

good day...

So Thursdays are the beginning of my weekends if y'all don't already know that. So here's how today went. Woke up at 12:30 pm, Nanae was at McDonald's using their internet, Molly is at Bond studying and doing a group project. Jen is at the apartment with me and we don't have anything to do, so we did an intense cleaning. Mopped the floors, did the dishes, cleaned all the trash and took it out, reorganized the living area, and everything else we could have possibly done. So we are all done cleaning and we decide that we want to do SOMETHING. Why not hop on a bus to Coolangatta, this place I've heard rumors about, but nothing special so why not. Here's how it went...


oh the plumerias...


random wild animal park place...


the best australian lollies...


cooly...


typical australia, right when you want a smoothie of course...


just our lovely home...


pure bliss...


they call it the "mile-long ride"...literally...


nandos. duh...


all day...


"gnar gnar"...


bragging rights...


two states in one day? why not...


sunset with the lady...


So the next day, yesterday, we went to Cooly again, because I just can't see waves like that and not ride them. Before we went we picked up a cool $180 short board shaped in Burleigh, so it has a special place in my heart. Booked it over to Cooly and paddled out. I ripped a bit on the short board, but definitely ate water
more than ripped it. Took out the Na Papa long board and rode a "mile-long ride" for real. I took the wave from the top of the bay to the bottom, and rode it for about a minute and a half, dropping in at like 3 different breaks on the same wave. For some reason I see a lot of Australia in my future.