The past two weeks have been a complete blur and I have literally done something everyday, so it is hard to keep track of what and when.  But I've basically been beaching it up as of late.  I've headed to 4-5 beaches so far in the past few days and they are so different than what I am used to in the Northeast.  The rip, which is the current that heads back to sea, pulls hard, really hard.  I got caught in it, despite warnings, on the first day at Coogee and it was rough.  It was a constant pull on your body and even as I tried to swim sideways and slightly in, I felt like I was making no progress and I feel confident in my swimming. Also, when one should be standing ankle deep, there is a huge trench, because the rip takes the sand out to sea as well, so you really have to swim and beach yourself like a while.  So as you can imagine, if the rip is tough, the waves must be wild too, which they are.  They swell and crash like waves I have never experienced and maybe it is the pacific, but friends to agree they are bigger and stronger here.  They come in drones, one after the other and pund the beach.  It is quite intimidating, but a ton of fun to body surf.  I've been flipped quite a bit in the them so far, but like I said its a thrill.  On that note, I bought a surf board. A German named Jannik sold it to me for 220 as he was leaving to Thailand.  It was a little dented in the front and back but I fixed it up and it should ride no problem.  I'll be taking it out in a day or so.

Today was the Mardi Gra, one of the largest Gay festivals in the world.  A group of us got dressed up a little bit corky and headed out to the park, which is no more than a 8 minute walk.  Its basically right next to our dorm and is right in front of or even in our campus. There were tons and tons of tents, in every color with gay men and women strutting around.  Transgenders were everywhere, licorice such as willy watermelon was quite fancied.  It was an experience and it is amazing that there is this whole other world that exists.  Everyone was quite happy and it was a really great time.

Thats is basically that there is all to tell. I am quite sunburnt, sorry mom, but I swear a apply and re-apply sunblock and even zinc every hour or so. Its about 30degrees everyday which is around 90F, so you the sun beats down.  Everyone is generous and friendly, we had a big group breakfast today with pancakes and eggs, which was a ton of fun.

Miss you all, especially, Sara, who, If you read this I'll talk to you in the morning.

Cheers (aussie lingo)

ps. a bird swooped at my head twice already for my hat, which I guess is quite common here, but awfully frightening every time

shoot and sorry. When I headed to Bondi beach, which is huge by the way, I ended up meeting Bob Burnquist and Steve Caballero, profesional skateboarders and maybe one of the Godfathers of skating. The first day they were ripping a bowl with Bucky Lasek and a few others and there were about 25 others watching including us so it was just nuts.  They were there for Bowlarama a competition we attended yesterday, where a lot of the top skaters went head to head.  The tricks I saw blew my mind and the ease in which they did them I think accentuated my impressment even more.

 walking to Bondi (pronounced Bond-I) a new friend

 Bob

 Ferry back from Manly Beach

 for Nick

not jimmy