so today is my last day in margaret river/western australia. i have to drive up to perth this afternoon and i fly out tomorrow morning to sydney. i really love western australia because the people are so mellow and pretty much everybody is out to have a good time. the surf is usually really good down here in margaret river but i got skunked this week. it was rainy and onshore the whole week. not a big deal because i know that i will be back here. the heussemstams are always so accomodating and they are really good chefs so the food is good as well. this style of life is definitely different from back home. for example, yesterday i went with karl (oldest son of the heussos) out to film these twelve year olds doing burnouts in a beat up car in a sheep paddock. then afterwards they came back to have some beers and get a tattoo. going out at night is different too because you go to taverns instead of bars. i know they seem to be the same but once inside youd see theyre quite different. plus all the good looking girls have boyfriends. this is because there is an abundance of guys and not that many girls, especially good looking ones. the taverns are really fun but after they close everyone gets a taxi home because nothing is within walking distance. well i didnt know this and got separated from karl and i ended up having to walk six miles home in the pitch black. i walked in the middle of the street because i could see the white lines and nothing else. every now and again there would be a car and i would try to hitch a ride. i didnt get a ride until i got almost all the way to the house. and even then i got picked up by this guy that was wasted and swerving all over the road. he almost killed us by running into a pole but swerved at the last second and only ended up grazing the side of the car. i didnt want any more trouble so i just had him drop me off there to let me walk the last quarter mile. of all the adventures to be had in western australia that is one ill be okay with if i dont repeat it.
sydney is next, get there in time for the melbourne cup. this is a horse race comparable to the kentucky derby in stature but its a way bigger party. apparently the whole country shuts down and parties. ive heard that the day after is like a national holiday because no one goes to work. so that should be fun. im going to try to get up to the gold coast and surf a bit up there. the weather is nice up there so ill at least get some beach time.