February 14, 2007 by zankbennett.

Arrived without missing a flight into Melbourne on the 10th after an overnight flight from Bali.  Not much sleep going on there.
Arrived and got in touch with a friend of a friend, Liz.  Spend the first night in a hostel and the next night at Liz’s house with the parents and all.  Really good people.  Liz, you rock!  Thanks so much!  That Sunday was the St Kilda festival in St Kilda.  Out of control.  Like 100,000 people (more?) in the streets for a giant, free live-music festival with X-games events and dance stages.  Really good time, and right on the water.  Had a full day there.  I’m getting so sunburned from the doxycycline I’m still taking as a malaria prophylactic and it increases photo sensitivity
some pics….

Diego, Liz and I…somewhere dancing…

St Kilda Festival!  Having way too much fun.

Sunset…more of my antics

The next night, coordinated to get together with another friend of a friend in St Kilda, Spado.  We have had a great couple days and I’m seeing tons of the city.  Good times.
 Then, on Monday, took a tour of the Great Ocean Road, going south from Melbourne.  Lots of amazing coastline.  Koala bears in the trees and great people on the bus…save the driver!!!  He must have skipped the stabilization drugs that day.   He actually left four of us at one point and took the 20 others to the next site…ok, so we hitch-hiked to the next spot ourselves…as he passes us, coming back to look.  It was hilarious, or at least it really is now.  His name?  Boom Boom Eddie.  I kid not.

The crew at Loch Ard Gorge. Tenia, me, Eimear and Tony.   Gorgeous location.

Group antics…on our own, private tour!

Thanks for the pic, Tony!

Sunset from the gas station.

Still keen for the jump.

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February 14, 2007 by zankbennett.

Left Bali after far too few days.  Had tons of great surfing and really enjoyed meeting the people there.   They are just simply the kindest, gentlest people I’ve encountered on this trip.
Managed to step on a sea urchin…something I’ve always wondered about…how would it feel?  The walk across the reef was so punishing….about 150 meters at medium to low tide, which took me about 20 minutes!

The reef-walk out to the break.  Amazing wave…but F A R out there.

Sunset north of the town.

How priceless is THIS!?

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