Photo courtesy Ian Banks, Diving the Gold Coast.  

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Whoa...Finally made it.  My first dive, and on Australia Day.  What a way to celebrate.  The Underwater world is really something else.  Calm, peaceful, only the sound of yourself breathing and the ping of the machines.  hummm...

Weightlessness is truly achievable and controllable.

Although the visibility was only down to about 5-7 meters, it was amazing what there was to see under there.  Fish, individual and by the school, not really bothered by our intrusion into their world.  Quietly searching for food and hunting.  The coral just sitting there being coral.  The colours, although not spectacular today, were present, showing through with their contrast to the dull colours of surrounding rocks and sand.

And the divers, swimming back and fro, coming together/colliding silently and then slowly separating and going their own way.  Dark silhouettes in the murky water, intently exploring their new surroundings and discovering the numerous treasures near and upon the ocean floor.  All giving off the aura of professionalism due mainly to the uniformity of their attire and equipment.  Strangely autonomous!!!

I am inspired, but we will see how long it all lasts.  I would love to go far on this new found adventure and who knows... future occupation???

the next trip out is Monday, 28th Jan.  I am sure that the second outing will reveal new skills and discoveries.  

There were actually 10 of us there, the 9th is taking the photo and nr. ten??? see if you can find her.

BTW... Looks like I've found a buyer for the bike.  An "Older" gentleman.  He only saw the bike on Friday and Rang last night with the news...

I'm excited now.  Ridding myself of the material ties here.  That's a big step, an important step onward, into the future.

 

baby mellow my mind

make me feel like a schoolboy on good time,

Jugglin' nickles and dimes,

Satisfied with the 

fish on a line.

What it means, I have no idea but I now feel sad...hummm

Only 5 days to go :-)

My motto: The difference is Fashion.

The search for truth inspired by a 1970's fashion.

What can I say...

This shall have to become my travel "uniform" 

The safari suit.  Leading me into the unknown.

I have been advised to dress conservatively, you can't be any more conservative than that...or???

And the best thing is...

I fly to Dubai first, then get a 12 hour stay over in a hotel and then fly on to Saudi. That means that I can drink as much as I like from Australia and get a "sober-up" sleep over in UAE.

That must have been done on purpose :-)

Sounds great to me, but 12 hours in a hotel room during the day???  Only good if there's alcohol. Rule 45 definitely applies in this instance.

As you may have been aware, or not.  I received my e-ticket today.  29th flying out and that's great. Gives me a weekend, Australia day weekend and Australia day itself.  Then off, like a frog in a sock.  Hope to get the PADI cert completed.  Should be going diving on Wednesday, out to Cook island or somewhere the like.

Now the only thing left to do is sell my motorcycle.  

WANNA BUY A BIKE

ONLY RIDDEN BY AN OLD LADY, TO THE SHOPS AND CHURCH ON SUNDAYS.

I thought it was a good try!!!

I'll even leave the FOR SALE sign on if you like.

Tyres are new (only 6,000kms)

Went for a ride today to get the bike seen and to visit ben.  Although I don't think to many people will want to buy it from me if I continue to ride past them, whilst showing which way is up, with my middle finger (Wankers!!!)

But seriously, the last of the important stuff to get done before I go is to get rid of the bike.  Seeing as I finally own it outright, I have decided to dispose of it.  I guess that this decision was mainly made based on the fact that I have a 20 kg baggage allowance and that I can't take it as carry on as it contains too much Fluid.  As if I could blow up a plane with the fluids on my bike, except for the petrol.  Oh, and the brake fluid might do a bit of damage too.  Okay, and the battery fluid.

Grrrrr!!!!!!!

Anyway! As I was saying, Visited Ben today.  Seems that he's such a big-girls-blouse that playing with a one year old is too hard-core.  Turns out that he sustained a fractured rib from rough play with Grayson, at least it wasn't my fault this time.  Damn, and I was hoping to get in some quality riding and rock-climbing before I leave...hummm maybe he did it on purpose???

Looks like I'll have to concentrate on getting my PADI open water cert finished.  Lo-and-behold, it didn't rain this weekend.  Hopefully the waters are starting to clear up and visibility improving.  Should the weather remain as it is, there should be some underwater activities undertaken.  

Damn, it was hot today...30 degrees and humid as hell

But when I look at Berlin, 6 and Riyadh, 11 I get to feel as though I've missed something.  Winter.  I complain about it when I'm there and complain when I'm not but, really I miss the winters of Germany.  The stark contrast between summer and winter.  The difference in the colours, bleak grey and dull winter and the colourful summer.  The need to "rug-up" and get cosy.  The constant slush underfoot when one goes out and being wary of the "black-ice"

The only jacket necessary here is the bike jacket that I wear to protect myself as I fly past those blind-inbred-recipients-of-my-directions-to-heaven whilst avoiding the odd speed camera and random police patrol.  

At least with the warm weather can one ride without fear of rain, or other non-biking conditions.  

Might head up Tamborine Mountain some time this week...

So there you are...more popart by me.

Except this time it is REAL fake art.  

Made a trip earlier this week to the Warhol exhibition this week.  It was held at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Brisvegas.  5 Booths were provided for children's entertainment of which I made good use.  Along with the floating goon bladders (Whoa everything moving soooo slowly) 

According to the copywrite agreement signed by GoMA, the employees have the right, and infact are obligated to, shout at any visitor who looks like they may attempt to photograph any of the exhibition.  Beware the woman near the red ring.

For those of you who are blissfully unaware, I shall be taking up a job in Saudi Arabia later this month.  So, have decided to finish my PADI course.  On Wednesday, I went to the Currumbin pool and undertook my first controlled "dive" to a depth of about 1.8 meters.  

Woo-hoo, but it was certainly different.  Performing manuevers such as: removing one's gear whilst in the water, removing and replacing one's weight belt (why), cramp removal, running out of air, and then swimming 200 metres and treading water for 10 minutes without any gear (but, I'm going diving, without my gear???)  Maybe I forgot to put it on???

Unfortunately, with all the debris washed off-shore recently from the rain and floods, I'll have to wait some time before completing the course.  With visability a mere 5 metres it makes no sense to go down and perhaps would be too dangerous.  Might be attacked by a dead cow or its calf.