The Day before Australia Day

Well, as we stated yesterday, we have finally found a place to lay our heads. It is a former hostel/hotel that is now slated to be demolished in the coming year. It was actually supposed to be demolished last July, but due to complications for the developers of the new high rise that will be put in it's place, the property still stands. Sounds enticing, I know, BUT, our place is a block to the beach and we can literally step onto our sidewalk and see the ocean. Oh, and it is dirt cheap. Our roommates consist of a German or Swedish couple (no one is quite sure) who are moving out this Sunday to go back to Europe, and 3 guys from New Zealand, 2 of which are cameramen for TV shows. Unfortunately we have not taken photos yet, but don't you worry, they will be posted soon enough.

Tomorrow is Australia Day, and the whole country stops to throw a massive party. At least this is what we are told. Parades, barbies, concerts, surf carnivals abound. Lucky for us we have a friend of a friend (I guess we can now consider him a friend since we spent an entire day with him and his friends) who has invited us to spend the day with his girlfriend and mates. It shall be a glorious time no doubt, but, these Aussies can really throw down so we are a little worried about Saturday morning.

Some simple observations we have noticed since we have arrived: they love to put spicey balogna on their pizza (what's up with that?), you don't have to tip waiters (so sometimes your service is a tad slower but no worries mate!), everyone here is all about taking public transportation (great for us not feeling like losers since we don't have a car), every Aussie we meet has a THOUSAND suggestions of where we need to go or things we need to do, a lot of people here barely speak any English (not too different from the other places we have lived).

Manly Beach is a brilliant place. It is a quick ferry ride to the city, yet it is removed from the majority of the hustle and bustle of big city life (except on the weekends when Manly becomes packed like a carnival). Our friend Jase lives at the next beach up from us, Freshwater, which is the site where Duke Kahanamoku introduced surfing to Australia. There is a statue of him (which we will soon be visiting) up on the cliffside and the board he rode is displayed at the surf lifesaving club. Great thing about this little tidbit is that it will provide the fodder for my first article as the Australian correspondant for Heavywater Magazine.

Our next post will be a detailed recount of our Australia Day extraordinare. Cheers!