The Surf, The Sand And The Sharks

Yup. Perhaps it is a good idea to put a map in. So people will know where I am talking about.


I thought the campsite we had was really good cos its literally just next to the river. Easy to launch the boats...


...and paddle out to the ocean!


But getting back up to dry land can be an up hill task for some...tsk tsk tsk. Tell her to lose weight already but still...


Just to accommodate to the ang moh group, I decided to turn 'Aussie' for all my meals just for this trip. Also good lah. I don't even have to do the cooking.


Here are our feathered friends who drops by our campsite everyday. They act as my wake up call in the mornings especially the white ones, Cacatua galerita or simply called cockatoos. Did I mention that they love to be fed with high cholesterol food?


So...its time to surf...the waves were not too bad and pretty clean at some stage. Everyone wanted to try surfing with the kayaks cos I guess they never really done it before and maybe more fun than the boards. I gave them a quick crash course on how to kayak surf and the pointers to watch out for. I must say it was easy to teach them as they pick it up fast. I discovered that it also helps by having a good learning environment.


This is what I mean: Here is Tom and Amy catching the same surf. At the start, Amy was able to change her direction of surf quickly and it gives me great satisfaction of teaching them after watching this...minus the last part that Tom got trashed. Haha...They were able to do all this just after two days. As for me, I know how it feels surfing inside a tube (the tunnel of the wave) without crashing. Shiok man!


Other than driving along the coast to look for good surf, snorkeling was the next best thing...not for me. Seiow! So cold still ask me to swim around to look at nothing!


This is the other reason that I don't go snorkeling or diving in Australia. Found him outside a fisherman's shop with his teeth brushed.


It seems like there are quite a few of them around but all dead. Ali picked up another one along the shore. She then decided to return it back into the sea...in hammer throwing style.


Are the activities that I do dangerous? "The general public considers adventure activities to be dangerous even when appropriate safety procedures are used, typically because they have the difficulty differentiating between real and perceived risk"(Priest & Gass, 2005). So before you comment, would you consider yourself as the general public? Maybe horse riding by the beach might be a better choice...

The Road To Lorne

As part of our course work, a group of us are to plan an outdoor trip to wherever, doing almost whatever and whenever we want. So we planned a four day trip to Lorne, along Great Ocean Road to participate in a couple of sea activities...aiyah. Simply just go there and play. Here are the clowns...



From top left to bottom right: Lisa, the girl from Queensland with weird diet. Amy, the slacker. Tom, with a big ego. Ali, the super enthu one. And theres of course there is the yellow one...me.


One playboat, three surf boards, one body board, helmets and PFDs. All the stuff that I can squeeze in my car for the trip.

The rest of the ang mohs got into Ali's Pajero together with the rest of the boats.

The drive was long and sometimes it either brings out the best or the worst out of individuals during the trip.

Our planned outdoor trip even got time to stop by other towns to do shopping.

Welcome to Anaconda at Geelong. The biggest departmental store for outdoor gear. This cylindrical wall in the middle of the warehouse is to test out climbing gear you might consider buying. There is also a pool to try out kayaks!

Nice quote even when you decide to take a crap in one of the public toilets. Its a sign...but only recently I discovered that my exam dates will prevent me from making a trip back. I sort of prepared myself for that but still feeling the effects of it...sigh.

Welcome To My Shed

As requested, here is the place I am staying at the moment. 35A Race Street...just further down the "mad house" where I formally stayed.





It is a simple place for my Macau housemate and myself and the occasional visitor. Going for 160 AUD per week and just five to ten minutes walk to uni (depends if late for class or not). What can we ask for more?


Here is one of the visitors, Sus. Just here for three weeks to discuss her thesis with the lecturer before going back to Singapore again. She is practicing how to make bak kwa during her free time.


Had a small gathering and did a barbecue Asian style...as how my housemate would put it. So I got Nam Jin's pit which was collecting dust in pastor's garage and put it into good use. Here is one of my church cum fellow Singaporean, Desmond enjoying the barbecuing together.


Woohoo! Its the Aussie super sized lamp chops! For those who got a chance to taste them, don't gian okay? I am taking orders and try to bring back some more the next time I get back.


After all that food, I had to go work it all out. Went for my usual long ride. Only to remember that day light savings is over...too late. Ended up riding the return leg in the dark...and cold.

More Random Stuff

Witness a protest in Melbourne on one of the Sundays. It was for world peace and against terror...whats new. Still kind of interesting when the police have to escort them and causing a massive jam in the middle of town.


My hard caps got nicked when I parked overnight in Melbourne. Bloody Melbourne people! like that also want to take!


Time to zng my car! Bought a new FM transmitter for my ipod over from home. A good companion to have during long drives. A lot of time to practice singing also...


This is one of my 'playing with dirt' assignments. We had to pair up and go bore a one meter hole in the ground to do test on the different layers of soil. Sometimes it is difficult to understand why am I doing all this.


Apparently this hole in the rock is said to be a historic aboriginal well and such sites in my school backyard is suppose to be of great cultural value. To me, its another hole in the ground.


Here is my evidence of cooking beef and vegetable soup for dinner. Must show...if not kana nag at. Dave, thanks for the cooker.


Okay. I am getting the hang of being alone now a days...here is a nice shot during one of my long rides.

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.” - Anne Frank

Easter & Mid Semester Break

Uni here a bit slack...not even half way through the semester already got mid semester break!


Okay. By looking at this, can guess what I did during my break. Anyway, this is the right side of central gully at the Araps. Good multi pitch climbs with good views; something like Thaiwand wall in Krabi but maybe view cannot fight with Thaiwand wall.


Bygone, grade 11, 30 meters, will never forget this climb. I was leading it the previous day then rain and it got too dark to complete. So ended up leaving some protection on the wall overnight. Dave (abseiling down) and I went there early, scared the ang mohs kope my protections. Started the climb with good sunny weather then it started raining and the wind!!! I was climbing in shorts and tshirt...cold until cannot think properly while setting anchor and belaying. Lesson one: don't trust the weather forecast.


Dave ended being my climbing buddy for the day. Here he is on the third pitch of Sirens. If you look carefully, two of his first five protection came off! Lesson two: life here becomes very short when you get a buddy like Dave.


Example of anchor set up with natural protection but not a very good one. Just imagine trusting your whole life on three small pieces of metal stuck in the crack. Lesson three: bolts vs natural pro; choose bolts anytime.


Here is an example of a grumpy climber carrying all the extras for a short single pitch but sometimes I tend to run out of choices of protection on longer climbs. Lesson four: rather be grumpy carrying extras than having big run-outs and having few protection. Be safe. Not sorry.


I brought my whole Easter chocolate fudge cake for lunch but before we can eat it, kanna smudge on the tarp. So Lisa did me a favour by licking it off for me. Hungry what! What to do.


Later that week, I went for church outing...go to this place which is near mine to make and throw boomerang. Never knew it existed.


Here is mine. Not bad for a half an hour effort and it cost only ten bucks. Willing to sell for the same price. No labour and creativity charge. Guarantee fly back one. Any takers?