The Epic Trip: June 2006

Kurnell - Sydney in the background

Cronulla beach, near Sydney - good surfing

Monterey - Sydney area beach

Latest update...finally semi-settling in, found a really cool apartment in Melbourne, right on the kitebeach (awesome views of the bay) and 5 minutes from bars, downtown etc. In the heart of the action, we'll see how long I last. Next weekend I move there, will post some pics of the place.

Been here 3 weeks now, and have been travelling waaaay too much! Something like 9 out of 20 days in a plane! Ok so part of that was New Zealand (and worth it). Been to Perth, Melbourne (twice), and Queenstown NZ. There's an interesting story of how I forgot to change my clock flying back from NZ (nb 2 hours ahead of Sydney), and had a 0615 AM flight to Perth the following day, from Sydney. For another time.

For the rest, people are very friendly, colleagues/customers are super-cool, no problems - everyone helpful. Weather - well, 18 degrees and sun in Sydney right now, and it's winter. This is not what I would call "winter", coming from The Netherlands. But hey I'll take it anyday!

Will drive around Sydney area this weekend, and take some pics/upload to blog later.

View from the hotel room, Perth. Remains the best city to live in, I think...so far at least.

Ash birthday party

Everyone that counts is in the pic hahaha - Ash's birthday party

Blowing out the candles - Happy Birthday Ash!

This was something else...went for a ride in this stunt plane, where the pilot was engaging in gut-twisting aerobatics: barrel rolls, loops, stalls, flying upside down, etc. - was pretty fun!

New Zealand scenery

The gondola shuttling jumpers to/from the launch pod. This is where you really start getting nervous...and everyone is talking/stressing about the upcoming jump. Just made it worse

Rocketing towards the valley - yeeeehhaaa!

Nevis jump - the hardest moment

Amped for the jump

This is the view from above - high!

The Nevis jump pod...yep, you jump off of that

The bus ride to the 134m Nevis bungy jump - driver was playing hard rock, just to add to the dimension of nervousness.

Spending four days in Queenstown, New Zealand. Had to exit/re-enter Australia for visa reasons. My boss suggested Queenstown, I had no idea about the place...which turns out to be the adventure capital of the world! Awesome stuff onsite: FlybyWire, bungy (was invented here actually), aerobatic plane rides, jetboating, paragliding, hangliding, you name it they got it. And, New Zealand is a very beautiful place too.

Queenstown is also a prime snow/ski locations during July and August - the slopes are meant to open soon in fact. Might come back here to check that out.

Meantime, I've indulged in some sick rides, such as the CableSwing (a bungy jump with a twist) and FlybyWire - check out the pics. Tommorrow gonna do the Red Bull aerobatic plane ride + the Nevis bungy (135 metres high, 8.5 second freefall yahooooooo!). After which fly to and overnight in Christ Church, then Wednesday early flight to Sydney.

More pics to come :)

Another highlight of the day - "Oi", a friendly goat that likes to play with people, including playing a game of horn-ramming. What a pet!

FlybyWire - yeah, check out the height!

FlybyWire

FlybyWire - an awesome invention

Couldn't keep my body straight because of the arc pull - but man that was fun!!!

Take off - all good

Getting pysched for the jump

Canyon Swing jump site: 109m high, 60m freefall, 200m arc

The Canyon Swing!!!

Queenstown scenery

Queenstown view

Queenstown area

View of Queenstown - awesome

Downtown Queenstown

Queenstown - outskirts

New Zealand scenery

Queenstown airport

Landing in New Zealand, view from the sky

Arrived in Sydney last Sunday - and it's been a whirlind since. Working with my new colleagues, visiting customers, constantly moving around, welcome back to the real world. It's been great actually, the team are a fun group to work with, and everyone has been extremely helpful.

Even was in Melbourne for a couple days, didn't see much due to work and client visits, but hey.

Weather has been miserable, for the most part (just check the pics), I try and not take notice . We are approaching winter here after all - if this is winter, I'm not complaining.

It's a holiday on Monday, and, since I need to re-enter Australia for "administrative" purposes (I'll leave it at that), I get to go to Queenstown New Zealand for a few days. Supposed to be the adventure capital of the world, including aerobatic plane rides, jetboating, fly-by-wire (looks insane!), bungee, etc. I want to do them all :) . Queenstown is actually close to the skiing, but it's a few weeks early for the slopes - not a problem, plenty of other awesome other stuff to do.
Pics will follow....

And next week, Perth for business + a long weekend - and, Ashleigh's birthday!