Recommended Reads
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Friday’s Recommended Reads – Double Edition

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Sorry!

 

Over the past month my travels have meant that I haven’t had the same amount of time I’d usually have to browse blogs, read, comment, and otherwise drown myself in a sea of vicarious experience. Between the recent Queensland trip and the four-day weekend festivities of my 10 year high school reunion, I’ve been crazy busy.

And that’s only been made worse by the fact I’ve had no internet for the last week and I won’t get it back until next Thursday. It’s torture, I tells ya!

But that hasn’t meant I’ve had plenty of time to focus on other things.

Aside from playing a freakish amount of Skyrim, I’ve also returned to work on my novel. Over the course of two days I’ve managed to churn out over 12,000 words in two evenings.

There’s also been random fun shenanigans such as my first NBL game, Mel from The Mellyboo Project’s 25th birthday party, Travel Massive at Hart’s Pub last night, and getting settled into my new house in Sydney’s cruisier inner west.

Life is not at all shabby.

But damned if I don’t want to get out on the road again.

And reading this week’s bumper crop of 19 spanking new posts has only made it worse.

So go, dear friends, and read!

 

The Destination Reads

 

Eating in Korea by The Aussie Nomad

The Aussie Nomad and I seem to have a lot in common. We’re both Aussie bloggers. We are both named Chris. We both have ‘Aussie’ in our blog names and we both have a knack for charming pretty American girls.

Recently Chris was in my former stomping grounds of South Korea and tackled the language barrier and the sometimes odd Korean cuisine. Reading about his experiences made me homesick for my old homeland as well as reminding me how young and naive I was when I first stepped into a Korean restaurant and gestured wildly in an attempt to order food.

 

World Travel Market 2011 – A Smashing Success by Adventurous Kate

A new addition to my ever-growing weekly Google Reader rotation, Adventurous Kate leads the kind of life that I pretty much dream of. That includes the whole hitting on Jon Stewart thing because – let’s face it – the man is the epitome of awesome.

Kate’s recent visit to the World Travel Market paints a fun (if not a tad intimidating) picture of the kind of networking event that I someday hope to attend as I move towards further monetizing Aussie on the Road and lessening my involvement in the accursed real world.

Go read her stuff, and not just this post. There’s a lot of fun and implausible tales.

 

Skydiving Over the Great Barrier Reef at Mission Beach by C’est Christine

The pictures alone tell a bloody brilliant story. Christine’s adventures in Australia put my own twenty something year existence on the continent to shame, and she adds another unforgettable one to her list as she throws herself out of a plane over one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders.

 

Sri Lankan Food: 40 of the Island’s Best by Migrationology

WARNING! Make sure you’ve eaten something before you read this one!

Mark from Migrationalogy counts down (with mouth-watering pictures) forty of the best local dishes from the island of Sri Lanka. It’s a real labor of love and testament to how much he must love the food, because each food also gets a short blurb about its flavors to compliment the picture.

I have a sudden urge to visit Sri Lanka for more than a one dayer…

 

Walking on a Glacier in Iceland by Don’t Ever Look Back

One of the most surreal experiences I’ve had while traveling has been hiking on Franz Josef Glacier in December last year. My amigos Amy and Keiron recently emulated the feat in cooler conditions while visiting Iceland and came back with some great pictures and an exciting story to tell.

Glacier hikes might sound like something that only Edmund Hilary can do, but they’re become increasingly accessible. A highly recommended activity and a highly recommended post.

 

Sydney: Sculpture by the Sea 2011 by Lakwatsera de Primera

I’m embarrassed to say I missed the opportunity to visit this very cool festival in my own backyard, but I was able to live vicariously through my friend Claire as she checked it out for herself.

I’m far from an artsy person, but her photos really make me regret missing out on the chance to check out some great artworks on one of Sydney (and Australia)’s most iconic stretches of sand and surf.

 

How I Almost Died on Dune 45 in the Namib Desert by Reclaiming My Future

I have the privilege of considering a great many beautiful and talented female bloggers my friends, and this week I’m happy to take Toni’s Recommended Reads virginity. I just hope I was gentle.

Toni recently had an envy inducingly good time touring Africa and has been sharing her adventures over the past few weeks. This one, about hiking up a massive sand dune and almost dying in the process (methinks she exaggerates) just adds more to my ever growing list of reasons to visit Africa.

 

Falling in Love with Sorrento by Seattle’s Travels

As a boy of 11 or 12, I remember my family holidayed in a dilapidated firetrap on the retirement mecca that is Bribie Island. My memories of the trip consist mostly of sibling squabbling, watching Cadfael in the dingy living room, and listening to Tina Arena’s Don’t Ask album on a seemingly endless loop. The track below, Sorrento Moon, was one of the tracks I heard countless times on that trip.

 

Seattle recently paid a return visit to the titular city of Sorrento and, as with all of her entries, uses her words and marvellous pictures to make it seem like the greatest place in the universe.

If there is a blogger out there who does a better job of capturing the beauty of a location, I’ve yet to find them. Seattle doesn’t disappoint as she does the cute beach-side city justice in this post.

 

A Few Days Away: Ford Focus Roadtrip to Tea Gardens by The Mellyboo Project

A few weeks ago now; Mel, Annie, a few of my friends, and I headed up to beautiful Tea Gardens on the NSW coast with the help of the people over at Ford. Driving the new Ford Focus, we had a blast uncovering a real hidden gem of the Australian coast. You can read all about my reflections on the weekend in my post, and now Mel has shared her thoughts and photos from the weekend as well.

 

Sydney and Craft Beer; They Do Co-Exist by The Wayward Traveler

Annie broke my heart a little bit when she told me excitedly about Sydney Craft Beer Week. I’d somehow managed to plan my recent Queensland trip at the same time as a festival of food and beer! How had I managed such a thing!?

Thankfully, Annie has done a more than sufficient job of covering the event and providing plenty of tummy rumble inducing photos to give me an idea of what her week in heaven must have been like. Foodies and beer enthusiasts will enjoy this one.

 

The Thought Provoking Reads

 

Living Better with Less by 1 Day, 1 Kid, 1 Crazy Adventure

Talon and Tigger’s adventures throughout Central America have been a source of a lot of joy to me. Seeing a father giving his child such a fantastic introduction to life and the world has been heart-warming, and it’s been made doubly so by Tigger’s seemingly boundless enthusiasm for new experiences.

What I might have seen had my parents been travelers!

This week’s entry sees Talon comparing the luxuries of the first world with the simple pleasures he’s discovered in the third world. It’s a great piece that’s sure to make you re-examine a few of your priorities when traveling, or in life in general.

 

Six Month’s Abstinence from Alcohol in South East Asia by Man vs Clock

I tried quitting drinking once. It was a rough two weeks…

In all seriousness, Anthony’s recent decision to quit drinking for six months came with a lot of reasons. His post discussing the seemingly mad decision to quit drinking while in Asia’s party region should provide some real food for thought.

 

We Are Engaged – Or How Travel Can Find and Build Love by Around the World L

Romance and relationships on the road are a real pet topic of mine, so it always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when I read about somebody finding the man or woman of their dreams while on the road.

I won’t spoil the narrative, but there’s some Hollywood level romance in this one, followed by some discussion on her experiences both with travel and with a blossoming romance on the road.

It’s a post bound to put a smile on your face.

 

Travel – Running Away from Something? On Suicide, Death, and More by Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler

Alexandra’s posts are usually a good mix of travel tips and pictures of the gorgeous girl, but this week’s post is of a much more serious matter. As somebody who has battled depression for the past ten years of my life, I definitely felt drawn to this very heartfelt post.

Alexandra discusses her experiences with depression and the tragic suicide of her brother as well as how these experiences have shaped her as a traveler and a person. Really moving stuff.

 

Travel Bloggers Give Back by Green Global Travel

Heading into this festive season, Jim from Holes in my Soles has brought my attention to a fantastic initiative headed by Bret of Green Global Travels.

The idea is simple.

Many of us are blessed with good health and the financial stability to be out traveling. We are lucky enough to soak in the natural wonders that business and overpopulation may one day destroy completely.

This initiative aims to use our privileged position as bloggers with followings by spending some time promoting charities that are near and dear to us. By raising awareness, we’ll hopefully contribute to raising money for the charities that are near and dear to us.

I’m already in the process of trying to arrange something with the wonderful Inspired Adventures crew.

It’s a great cause, so go ahead and get involved!

 

The Revolution Continues, Cairo November 20, 2011 by The Runaway Guide

Leif finds himself in the thick of the recent unrest in Cairo and if this piece doesn’t get your heart racing a little, you’re not human. I won’t spoil it – just go read about Leif’s brush with the civil unrest that has gripped Egypt and marvel at the fact the man lives to tell the tale.

 

The Helpful Reads

 

Open Letter to Hostel Owners by The Art of Backpacking

Recently Mel and Annie, two of my Aussie based travel blogging buddies, have talked with me at length about the prospect of starting up our own hostel someday. While we spit-ball ideas and talk about must haves and can’t stands, the folks over at Art of Backpacking have come up with a few bits of food for thought on the subject.

What you must have and can’t stand in a hostel is an ongoing debate amongst anybody who’s ever been on the road for long, and there are a few salient points here that are sure to have you nodding along in agreement.

 

Five Steps to Rockin’ a Camp Worthy Portfolio by Bitten by the Travel Bug

My good friend Nicole is pretty much my go to girl on the topic of working at an US summer camp, and lately she’s been putting out some really helpful tools on how to make your dream of being a camp counsellor a reality.

This week she’s put together five great tips on how to ensure your portfolio/resume is as appealing as possible when you turn it in. Well worth a look if summer camp work is in your future.

 

The 8 Pillars of Building a Location Independent Lifestyle by My Spanish Adventure

Will from My Spanish Adventure is the diabolical mind behind yesterday’s very popular ‘How Travel Bloggers Talk About Sex’ post and he puts out quality content at a rate of knots over at his own personal blog as well.

I stumbled across part two of this post and thought I’d direct you to where it all started – the first four tips from Will on how to achieve location independence and make money without being tied to an office. The man is living the dream!

 

In Case You Missed It

 

It’s been a prolific two weeks on my part. When I haven’t been taking inspiration from the incomparable Torre DeRoche and churning out pages on my new novel, I’ve been tapping away in spare moments at work to put together more posts for your (I hope) reading pleasure.

In case you missed any of them, you’ll find them below:

 

Not a fan on Facebook yet? Haven’t followed me on Twitter?

Haven’t subscribed to my RSS?

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Life on the Road

Guest Post: How Travel Bloggers Talk About Sex

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This one comes from Will over at Gap Daemon and My Spanish Adventure. Perhaps noticing a recent trend towards the ribald on the pages of Aussie on the Road, he’s put together a post about something near and dear to my heart.

I’ll be putting together a piece on teaching in South Korea for Gap Daemon real soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that one.

 

 

How Travel Bloggers Talk About Sex

Travel and sex go together like fish and chips. Both can be warm, salty and, at times, just that little bit crusty. Yet that still doesn’t stop us from indulging.

As travel bloggers roving around the world and dipping “in and out” of hostels, hotels and the like, the opportunity for a bit of slap and tickle is, unsurprisingly, rife.

But just how do we talk about travel sex on our blogs?

Judging from some of the top travel sites out there it’s a lot like the act itself. The writing? It all comes from a variety of positions!

 

The Downright Dirty

If you want your travel sex raw and dangerous look no further than Colin Post of Expat Chronicles. This American expat blogger living in Colombia delights in a no-holds-barred gonzo style of travel writing that is well worth spending a few hours reading. Especially for passages like this:

“They left. I fucked the girlfriend’s friend. She wouldn’t take her shirt off so I came on it. In the morning she woke me up for more. I did it again, cumming on her shirt again too.” Read in full.

And that’s just one instance. Crawl through Colin’s archives and you’ll unearth plenty of juicy tales about his debauched times in the brothels of Bogota and Cali cathouses.

This approach to talking about the two-backed beast? It’s certainly posed Colin a few problems. He’s twice been interrogated by the Colombian equivalent of the FBI according to Paula Delgado-Kling of Talking About Colombia.

Colin’s intention to: “only write to illustrate a normal night out in Bogota”? Not pleasing to everyone it would seem!

 

The Appreciative

Deviating away from that end of the spectrum are the more appreciative of travel bloggers out there. Those open to travel sex even when they aren’t the ones getting any.

Adventurous Kate’s writing is full of saucy examples like these. She’s one blogger that’s certainly not scared of playing out some good sex stories in her posts. Her experience at a Bangkok sex show just one good example.

“Isn’t that what many a college girl has said upon diving headfirst into labia for a night?” Read in full.

Kate’s definitely hit on a niche here. The lack of labia talk on most travel blogs is criminal if you ask me.

 

The Honest

Taking an honest approach to sex is always going to land you in hot water. But it makes for refreshing reading on any travel blog nonetheless.

Take Jeff, from Vagabond Kids, as an example. Travelling with a full blown family isn’t going to stop him from getting the horn.

“I must confess from the moment the hotel room door closes I start thinking about sex every 2 seconds, add in a few cans of the cheap expired beer from the mini-bar and I feel like a king in my palace and start to lounge in just my underwear.  Yes, I admit, I am a true travelling pig.” Read in full.

Now there’s an image! Jeff and Kristy breaking each other in like bloodthirsty boars.

 

The Educational

For the most part however, it appears that the vast majority of travel blogs are reserved for a more delicate approach to travel sex talk. That of the educational.

Runaway Jane, on a more prudish note, spoils all our fun when she goes down the rather old route of lambasting rutting hostel couples.

 

“Find somewhere in the common rooms, bathrooms, washing rooms, garden, beach, pool, or anywhere really except from the dorm!” Read in full.

She makes up for it rather nicely however with her post on the girl who “shat in the hostel common room”. A bit of scataphobia always goes down a treat in with the travel blogging world now and again!

 

The Infographic

Stepping out from the tired old educational approach to travel sex is Michael in Korea, who with his ace cartoon blog Say Sex Louder delivers some pretty pertinent information on doing the dirty.

“Why do girls always get the wet spot? Thanks!
Why wouldn’t girls get the wet spot? You discharge 700% more fluids than he does during sex, and it’s your duty to deal with the mess. It’s called assuming the proper gender role”. Read in full.

 

Check out his About page for a good laugh. Who’d of thought a drawing of an innocent banana could be so immoral!

 

The Accidental

Then there are the bloggers who stumble into travel sex writing largely by accident. Take Johnny from One Step 4Ward. He got more than he bargained for in Bangladesh having gone out on the pop late one night. The heavies even came around to threaten him while he slept in his hostel room.

“You’re having sex with a prostitute, it’s illegal. Why you do this in my hotel?!”

“What are you talking about? We shared a coffee left” Read in full.

Ah the old “I shared a coffee” excuse eh? I’ll have to remember that one myself.

 

The Suggestive

Turning our attentions back to the female travel blogging crowd it seems they too like to get a little suggestive with their tales of sun, sea and, erm, that other thing.

Nellie Huang, of Wild Junket, gives a lot away as a sex-on-the-beach aficionado, regaling us with some suggestively sexy details:

“Sex on the beach is definitely a sensual experience for a couple, who can’t get enough of each other! There’s no place more romantic and saucy than out in the open, with the lapping sound of the waves and sea breeze blowing. For the less initiated bunch, it’s time to get out there and get your body grinding on the sand!” Read in full

As does Lindsay AKA The Hogga, who gives us a little tiny glimpse into her nymphomaniacal world over on The Traveller World Guide.

“Since we have nothing better to do with our time when travelling, we spend almost every moment with someone we like. We hump, share some spiritual or emotional moments, then eventually part ways”. Read in full.

And we thought butter wouldn’t melt!

 

The Married

And last but not least let’s also remember, as Erica from OverYonder Lust reminds us, “married people have sex too”. In fact they’re some of the kinkiest in town.

So no matter how you like your travel sex, whether it’s wet, slippy or sandy, the travel blog communities got you covered. Dread to think what some of the writers have got covered in though…

——————

Will Peach is one of the site editors over at Gap Daemon, the community website for backpackers and gap year travellers looking for help finding work abroad.

Activity Review, Australia, Brisbane

Whale Watching on Moreton Island

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Whale Watching and Other Aussie Pastimes

 

The migration of the humpback whale is something of a tourist mecca here in Australia. As the beautiful creatures make their way south from the Great Barrier Reef towards the cool waters of the Antarctic, tourists and locals alike crowd beaches and board boats to catch a glimpse of the massive mammals and their newly born calves.

It is, up until very recently, an Australian pastime I’ve somehow managed to avoid. Like a weekend in Melbourne or the spectacle that is a game of Aussie Rules played in front of a packed house – there are still more than a few typically Aussie experiences that I need to check off.

Recently I was chilling out at beautiful Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island and the opportunity presented itself to take part in one of the last whale watching tours of the season. With summer approaching and the majority of humpbacks already enjoying the cold waters in the south, only the stragglers remained off the coast.

Courtesy of my boy Ben’s employment on the island I got to take part in the tour for half price, but even the full price of $110 for a tour from the mainland and a day on the island isn’t a bad deal. If you’re staying on the resort for a longer amount of time, the tour runs a bit cheaper again.

Me? I was much happier to pay thirty something dollars and put the rest aside for a carton of Strongbow later in the week.

I’m a man with priorities.

 

All Aboard!

 

After being blessed with hot and sunny days for my first few days on the island, the day of my whale watching experience dawned overcast and windy.

It was still far from cold though, and I’ve been Aussie long enough to know that you still lather on the sunscreen on the overcast days. Living underneath the hole in the ozone layer breeds a certain level of caution whenever you’re outdoors.

Despite it being the second to last whale watch of the season, there were surprisingly few people on-board as we pulled away from Tangalooma’s dock and chugged our way out around the sandbar and into the increasingly choppy seas.

A cool wind whipped in at us and threatened to snatch up unsecured hats, but Ben wore his signature straw hat with sheer arrogance. As if he were daring the wind to take a run at him.

The hat stayed on his head for the entire trip.

The view along the coast of Moreton Island was almost worth the trip on its own. The towering dunes and windswept beaches provided more than a few photo opportunities as we patiently waited for our first glimpse of the main attraction.

Tourists prepared their cameras as we pulled away from the resort.
One of two lighthouses on Moreton Island rising above the dunes
An expanse of forest along the coast in dire need of exploring.

 

Stormy skies over the Tangalooma Wrecks
Yes, the dunes really are that big.

Our complimentary lunch included cheese & crackers and a remarkably good chicken salad wrap, and we happily munched on ours over a shared can of beer as we moved farther away from the island and into the deeper waters where we would hopefully spot some playful whales.

Tangalooma boasts an astounding 80% success rate when it comes to spotting whales out on the water.

I felt quietly confident…

And sure enough, we caught our first tell-tale spray only half an hour into the trip.

Our first glimpse of a humpback whale

Like the smoke before the fire or the thunder before a storm, that first spray of water prologued what would be a solid hour of near constant whale activity around the boat. Whether they were lazily pushing to the surface to take in air, calves pausing to feed, or more athletic displays of whalish excellence – we were barely left alone for the remainder of the trip.

At one point a particularly inquisitive calf came so close to the boat that we could have jumped out and touched it. Its mother passed under the boat seconds later and set the captain off on an excited rant. Clearly not an everyday occurence.

We saw tail slaps, breaches, and spy hops and I loved it.

A spectacular breach. I captured this entirely by chance.
A second breach captured from slightly farther away. It's a baby!
A humpback slaps the water before disappearing into the depths
Surfacing to grab a little air
A humpback arches it back before diving deep

 

Worth It

 

I didn’t expect to be as impressed or as moved as I was by the display. Like so many things I’ve done in the past, there was initial reluctance on my part that gave way to appreciation. But being out there and seeing it all first hand made me grateful for the earlier than usual wake-up and made any short term tiredness feel entirely worth it.

How lucky we are to live in a world with such amazing natural beauty so readily available.

And how foolish we are for nearly robbing ourselves and our children of the opportunity to see them in the wild.

It may interest you to know that, prior to being a wild dolphin resort and whale watching location, Tangalooma was one of the most industrious whaling stations in the southern hemisphere.

Talk about your 180 degree turns, eh?

The entire experience was a refreshing change of pace from days spent alternately lying on the beach or perched at the bar. It was a nice dose of real travel experience amidst a sea of relaxation.

Whale watching is common across Australia between May and November, and if you’re in the area, Moreton Island’s tours are a good investment. The marine biologists onboard make sure you know exactly what is happening out in the water and the waters hold an abundance of whales that ensure you’ll get a few spectacular shots along the way.

 

 

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    • Australia, Sydney

    A Night at the NBL with the Sydney Kings

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    Reforming Perceptions of Basketball

     

    Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) does not get a great deal of play in Australia’s crowded sporting scene. With the rugby codes and AFL dominating the winter months and cricket and football (soccer) sharing centre stage through the summer, basketball is sometimes lost in the shuffle.

    It’s a sport that gets mentioned in the same breath as other ‘pseudo sports’ such as baseball and ice hockey. A sport that Australians play but, since they’re not necessarily world class at, don’t deem worthy of mainstream attention.

    While the league enjoyed its halcyon days during the nineties with record levels of popularity and participation, the league has experienced a sharp downturn over the past ten years that has seen it reduced from fielding teams all over the country in front of packed arenas to its current reduced state of nine teams doing battle in half full entertainment centers.

    In the past I’ve been guilty of taking the mainstream route and scoffing at basketball.

    “It’s an American sport. It’s crap”

    “It’s not a real sport. There’s no contact”

    But, truth be told, my reasons for dismissing basketball are entirely more personal. I’m a guy who loves his sport, and a big part of that has been a modest level of aptitude in any sport I turned my mind too. I’ll never be Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricky Ponting, or Darren Lockyer – but I can kick around a soccer ball, hit a respectable four, and throw a semi decent pass in a muck around game of any of those sports.

    But put the orange ball in my hand and I struggle to look human. I dribble like a nine year old girl, shoot with the accuracy of a sniper with Parkinson’s, and my defensive approach seems to be ‘foul the other guy until he’s in a coma’.

    To put it bluntly – I don’t got game.

    Rather than admit this personal defeat, it seemed easier to rubbish the game as irrelevant. Sure, I can’t play it, but who cares?

    No really, who cares?

    This is Australia! A country of manly men doing manly things. The land of rucks and mauls, spear tackles, melees, and… well… cricket isn’t very manly.

    They still stop for tea breaks, for God’s sake.

     

    An Invitation

     

    Sydney Kings
    The Kings posing at the office with my boss. Photo by Ross Lane.

    One of the perks of working for iiNet is that, as the league’s main sponsor, we get a little special treatment when it comes to the National Basketball League. My immediate superior is Sydney’s NBL ambassador and even had a few of the Sydney Kings‘ more notable players come through the centre a few weeks ago to meet some of the staff and sign a few autographs.

    It was like a preview for Skyrim. Giants towering over us while we tried to resolve billing inquiries.

    I might not have known who the guys were at the time, but my autographed Sydney Kings poster still went up on my wall when I got home later that day.

    Last night rolled around with my boss directing me to his recent blog about the Sydney Kings and the invitation to tag along to a game sometime. ‘Sometime’ ended up being later that day as the Kings played host to the Cairns Taipans at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

    I figured seeing some live sport with co-workers was a little more blog-worthy of slaying a few dragons in Skyrim…

     

    Game Day

     

    My immediate thought upon arriving at the Sydney Entertainment Centre was one of surprise. There were more people lining up for Thursday night basketball than I’d have imagined.

    My preconceptions of the NBL had me picturing crowds of several dozen, but here were just under 5,000 people turning out on a drizzly Thursday evening to see their team turn out. I passed merchandise stands selling real merchandise, children excitedly chattering about players they liked, and the kind of smoking hot cheerleaders who put rugby league’s listless tarts to shame.

    The arena, decked out for Sydney’s legends inductions, slowly began to fill as people filed in with hot dogs and mini pizzas and sausage rolls mingling to make my poor empty stomach tighten in frustration.

    Only six more hours until pay day…

    The evening started with the inductions and, if I’m being completely honest, I didn’t recognize a single name until former San Antonio and Minnesota three point specialist, Shane Heal was called.

    He would later play in a half time exhibition game and hit three pointers from almost everywhere. I don’t think I was alone in wishing he could have kitted up at halftime to help out the home team.

    I might have lied to my co-workers and nodded knowingly at other names but truth be told, my knowledge of Australian basketball extends only as far as Heal, Bogut, and Gaze. Anybody else might as well just be a tall man in a singlet.

    That would change by night’s end.

     

    Game On

     

    Photo courtesy of Sydney Morning Herald.

    With the formalities done it was time for the tip off.
    Far from the forced enthusiasm I hear from ground announcers at various codes across Australia, the Kings’ announcer’s passion for the team (or maybe for remaining employed) was obvious from the start. The crowd ate out of the palm of his hand every time he lead the chant for De-fence or began a round of Let’s Go Sydney.

    The music, upbeat and blood charging, carried far better in the confines of the entertainment center than they do on the open air rugby league grounds.

    The Kings’ mascot, a lion, prowled the sideline interacting with fans much like his counterpart might have in other codes – but in this smaller environment, I didn’t feel so far removed from the affair.

    Time outs called prompted performances from the Royalty Crew break dancers or the aforementioned hotness of the Harlequins Superchargers, and breaks were greeted with everything from free throw competitions to bowling to the very popular Kiss Cam.

    In a lot of ways, basketball can be far more engaging for the crowd than any other sport. Without the logistics of engaging a 20,000+ crowd in a vast colliseum, the NBL is able to make the entire affair feel inclusive.

    You weren’t watching the spectacle, you were a part of it.

    The game itself? I’m not really qualified to judge.

    I can’t imagine that it even begins to approach the quality of America’s NBA. The game seemed to lack the personality and the ego that seems so prominent in its American counterpart. By night’s end I might have been shouting ‘Unleash the Beast’ to Aaron Bruce or cheering for ‘The Quickness’ Luke Cooper, but the big personalities and slam dunking that you see in the NBA weren’t really there.

    Did that bother me? Not at all.

    I don’t get to see LeBron James every week, so to compare would be pointless. There were some missed shots and some dire defending at times, but I still got a thrill out of seeing Ben Madgen sink a three pointer, Jerai Grant fly high for a dunk, or big Julian Khazzouh pluck up a rebound and move it quickly down the court to start another attacking movement.

    The thrill of live sport is a universal thing, I feel, and by night’s end I found myself hanging on the near misses and swearing in frustration whenever a chance was squandered.

     

    Sydney’s Newest Fan

     

    The Kings might not have won (hell, they were hammered by the second last placed Taipans), but that was only a mild annoyance at the end of a night that turned out to be far more fun than I’d have imagined.

    I doubt it will ever unseat the A-League or NRL as the sport for me, and I’m still God awful at it, but I think there’s room in my busy schedule of Skyrim, blogging, and work to fit in a few more Kings games before the season is out.

     

    The Sydney Kings play out of the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Darling Harbour. It’s a short walk from the CBD.

    Tickets for adults range from $22-$30, but discounted rates are offered for families and for groups of ten or more. Food and alcohol are available on site.

    Australia, Brisbane

    Escaping to Tangalooma

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    Coming to Tangalooma

    I’ve been to Tangalooma once before, it seems.

    I didn’t know it at the time the boat tied up to the dock and I got my first look at the white sand and the water that Wikipedia informs me falls somewhere between Paris Green and Harlequin. I originally typed azure, but that’s much too blue. A picture paints a thousand words. So maybe I should just let one do the talking…

    This is the color! This!

     But I was saying I’d been here before…

    Upon my return from my week on Tangalooma, my mother informed me that my father and her had paid the resort a visit when she was pregnant with me. I might not have swam in the island’s warm waters or hiked up its gum lined dunes before, but I had heard the purr of the waves and the gentle rustle of coconut palms hopelessly out of their element.

    But my first thoughts upon arrival on Moreton Island were of Dead Island…

    Maybe I’d just been playing too much of the zombie shooter, but there were so many similarities. Palm trees, crystal clear water, white sandy beaches, ATVs humming in the distance, bikini clad tourists roaming the dunes, and the hot sun beating down from overhead.

    All that was missing were the ravenous dead and a nail-studded baseball bat.

    I shrugged on my pack and stepped out into warm Queensland air. Amidst a sea of photo snapping Korean tourists and mid fifties couples looking to kindle some fire in their marriages with cocktails on the beach, I managed to walk right past my old friend Ben.

    But how was I expected to recognize him?

    Ben when I lived with him in 2007
    And Ben on the island

    After collecting luggage and hauling it up to Ben’s mountain-top condo, it was time to become more acquainted with the island.

    Our lunch of fried calamari, Polish sausage, sweet chili sauce, and cheese on English muffins would become a fixture of our diet over the next few days. Healthy? Not at all. But bloody delicious.

     

    Snorkeling the Wrecks

     

    With full bellies we trekked down the treacherously steep stairs from Ben’s house to the resort proper. The week’s festivities almost ended tragically early when I slipped on a step and nearly went ass over tit down the hill.

    But I emerged unscathed and we made our way down the pristine beach and towards the ominous skeletons of the wrecks that act as both shelter for the island and artificial reef for scuba and snorkeling enthusiasts.

    Curlews nesting on one of the wrecks

    Lathered up with sunscreen and wearing free snorkeling gear borrowed from Ben’s very cool friends at Tangalooma Water Sports, we waded into the deliciously warm water and began to swim out towards the wrecks. At first I could see little more than silty water and the occasional flash of silver as a fish darted away, but soon I emerged into a thriving miniature ecosystem.

    Colorful fish swam in and out of jagged holes in the sides of sunken ferries. It was a most serene experience. The way in which nature has reclaimed these man-made monstrosities and transformed them into something that is almost beautiful. Where most of our actions seem only to harm the world around us, it’s nice to see that some of our actions can have a positive influence on the natural world.

    Free diving with the fish by the Tangalooma Wrecks. Photo by Stacey Emma Lambert
    Photo by Stacey Emma Lambert.
    Fun with the fish! Photo with Stacey Emma Lambert

     

    I don’t know why, but snorkelling always seems to awaken some primeval fear inside of me. Put a respirator in my mouth and a tank on my bank and I’m perfectly at home in the water.

    But put me on my stomach with only a cheap plastic tube between myself and drowning, and I go to pieces. From time to time I’d find some serenity and simply drift with the current, but then I’d get the taste of saltwater in my mouth and I’d flounder about like a horse trying to ford a river.

    Suffice to say, Ben’s time on the island had made him infinitely more comfortable in the choppy seas than I am. While I splashed about haplessly and rushed through the whole affair, Ben effortlessly glided over bits of wreck I was too cautious to explore.

    I paddled into the shore and emerged like a wet dog, invigorated but a little disappointed in myself for letting a brief spate of panic stop me from really enjoying the swim. I promised myself I’d be back to scuba dive the wrecks later in the week.

    But that didn’t happen.

     

    Fun in the Sun

    Ben dives desperately to salvage a point

    What I came to love most about Tangalooma were the people I met through Ben. While guests of the resort would probably have a different experience than I did, I came to meet a lot of the staff as a result of Ben’s two plus years of employment on the resort. By the time I left the island, half of the staff assumed I was an employee.

    One of the most memorable experiences I had on the island was on my second day there. Ben and I were fresh from my first brush with stand up paddle boarding and he spotted a crowd of staff members sunning themselves on the beach.

    A half eaten pizza sat in the midst of the group and one of them lazily strummed at a guitar. Why does everybody know the first few chords of Stairway to Heaven?

    While the guys discussed the logistics of a bit of beach cricket, gorgeous girls in bikinis sunned themselves and happily chatted away about the birthday party set to take place later in the evening.

    Beach cricket ensued. We managed to lasso a few Japanese students in to act as fielders. They looked almost as confused as the Canadian barman who attempted to join in. He couldn’t quite grasp why we had to bowl overarm.

    Against all logic, I somehow managed to out bat the much fitter guys on hand only to be run out when the aforementioned Canadian left me stranded by running on a half chance single.

    While the men (and one of the women) played the Australian game in spite of the blistering heat beating down on us, the girls liberated an oversized beach ball from a few of the Japanese tourists and took it out into the water. It all ended in tears when the wind plucked the ball out of their hands and whipped it out into the ocean.

    It was last seen heading towards Indonesia.

    Soon enough the heat got to us and we sprinted down to the ocean to cool off.

    I came to envy the lifestyle of the staff. Sure, they work hard, but when they’re done they’re not stuck in a dingy apartment. They’re not crammed onto a bus with a few dozen smelly commuters or forced to contend with drunken lads on the train.

    They knock off and they walk right down onto a gorgeous beach. Over the course of my five days on the island I saw impromptu games of beach volleyball start-up every afternoon. People on their breaks would stroll down to the beach and eat lunch in the sun. Staff would spend their weekends snorkeling or scuba diving or simply sunning themselves on the beach in an attempt to cook out their hangovers.

    They’re pretty much living the dream.

    At the end of a long day of drinking, swimming, and beach volleyball...ing

    Opportunity

     

    Over the course of my week on Moreton Island I got to know a lot of the staff.

    I chatted about world travel with Robyn from the massage cabana. I stumbled drunkenly along the beach with J from watersports and Quinn from the bar. Attempted to crash tackle Ben with the aid of Daniel and Clancy from the porters and had a chat over beers with Nichelle from Tanga Tours.

    On my second to last day on the island, Ben took me to have a chat with the resort’s HR staff about the possibility of me someday coming to live and work on the island for a while. The lure of living in something of a tropical paradise,working in what I came to recognize as somewhere between a group of friends and a family, and gaining some experience in an industry that interests me greatly is a pretty appealing prospect.

    But we’ll see.

     

    Not a review…

     

    I went to Tangalooma with grand plans to try all of their activities and post a series of reviews, but that didn’t pan out. Ben gave me more of an insider’s perspective and the staff welcomed me into the fold with such warmth that it was ridiculously hard to leave when my time came to return to the mainland.

    It was the same kind of camaraderie and community that I came to love about my time living and working in South Korea. How being a part of a microcosm can bring people of all different walks of life together and blend them into a close family. I obviously only got a glimpse of their lives while I was there, but it looks like a pretty sweet life to me.

    Muyrray, myself, and Ben saying our goodbyes after a fantastic week.

    That’s not to say I didn’t do anything with my time on the island. I soaked in as much as I could.

    • I had two-hour long (and ridiculously good) massages from the lovely Robyn.
    • I went on a whale watch tour (entry to come) and was amazed by the majesty of humpback whales.
    • I engaged in the age-old combination of alcohol and night swimming in order to save a drunken damsel.
    • Failed in an attempt to crash a Hen’s Night.
    • Caught up with an old friend when he came to the island for (far too many) beers.
    • Made some great new friends who just so happen to be from here in Sydney.

    I came back from the island with a tan, a renewed urge to get out and on the road again, a potential job lead, and having met a lot of fantastic people.

    I can’t wait to go back.