Collaroy Beach and the Beach House

Australia

Finally here. After a 9 hour flight from Bangkok with a stop in Malaysia, I have finally arrived in Australia. Chance would have it that the day I arrived was also Australia Day. The day that Capt. Cook discovered Australia in 1788, I think. All of the Aussie's seemed to be in a very positive celebritory mood. Wearing Australia flag capes and shorts and everything else that had a flag or symbol of Australia on it. I walked around and took in some sights but found myself more tired than I could stand, so did not party or celebrate that much. I booked my Hostel unkowingly in a place called Kings Cross, which turned out to be the red light district of Sydney. And once it got dark the crazies came out! I found it hard to walk down the street without getting propositioned by at least 4 hookers within a block. My room was on the back side of that street. In the afternoon that I arrived I found a cool 50m pool to swim in. Those aussie's like there speedos. I felt a little out of place but rolled with it. Havent run into an unfriendly one yet. The next day I found a different pool across the harbor, that much like the first was overloaded in chlorine, to the point it was hard to swim. I guess that is better than pee? After 2 days in Sydney I decided to get myself oriented with the place that I'll be spending most of my time at. I took a subway to a bus to a long walk to arrive at Collaroy Beach. The beach is amazing, there is another 50m pool that fills up with the tide. So all is well. I start class on Monday, met my instructor at the hostel on accident. He gave me some good advice, and things to expect. Should be really tuff, but I'll be sailing in Australia for 2 months. So how hard can things really be? More later..........

So you say you're a traveler? 70% of the Earth is covered in water. Not a diver? Enjoy that 30%!

I figured since I am now a certified rescue diver and in the ocean everyday I better put some more photos of it up. Here are some photos of, oh I guess the past week. Not 100% sure on that as its hard to even keep track of weeks much less days. The rescue certification was kind of brutal. I had to search and recover an unresponsive diver, which I found at about 60 feet laying on the ocean floor, surface diver, start rescue breaths every 5 seconds and swim about 150 yds in seas that were 7-8 feet. Once back at the boat (70 foot dive boat) I had to remove all my equipment, unresponsive divers equipment, and haul this 180 lb man up a 6 foot ladder. This sounds kinda tough, but try holding a 180lb body's head up above water in 7-8 foot seas with no flotation. The real trick was to climb up the 6 foot ladder, with the dead weight. The 6 foot ladder that I had to climb, due to the seas, would come all the way out of the water(exposing the bottom of the dive boat) and seconds later crash all the way under the water. Once i got the diver on the boat I had to start CPR, and administer O2 for another 5 minutes. Absolutely the most intense in-water experience Ive ever had. But I have conquered and am now moving on to another, AUSTRALIA!! 3 more days till my arrival and i would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it. It's wonderful to think that my journey is not even half way over. Keep it coming is what I say! Alright, gotta get to the beach. Adios!

Phi Phi to Ko Tao and beyond.....