Also, true to traveller-form, I have continued to push out and past my normal boundaries, trying all kinds of 'terrifying' things.
Terrifying thing #1 - I did a 10m high jump off a cliff into the water at a local 'quarry'. Before jumping, my biggest worry was that I would hit the water at an angle and wind up with a big bruise. And as luck would have it, that's exactly what happened. Despite my sore butt, it was still a blast, and I think almost even better thanks to my 'injury'; ie seeing that my worst-case-scenario fear wasnt such a big deal after all.
Terrifying thing #2 - I performed in the hostel's weekly talent show! Me and another guest named Phil cracked out a version of Joni Mitchell's "Case of you" about two hours before the show started. Neither of us have really performed in front of people before (I maintain that Karaoke doesn't count...) Performing was so much fun, I think I'm a tad addicted to it now, I just might do something next week!!
Since I've spent so much time here in Byron, I decided to start doing a little work-for-accomodation in the form of driving the hostel's nightly shuttle bus. It brings guests into town, and runs every 7 minutes till 4am. The motivation in offering this service, however, has much more to do with reducing complaints from the neighbors about loud, drunken backpackers roaming their streets at 3am, rather than some well thought out business strategy. Of all the accom work, this job is considered one of the best, since you only do it twice a week ( 2 x 6h shift) and it doesn't really take up much usable time (10pm- 4am.) Plus, how many jobs let you crank out your own tunes, mock your 'clients', and have a friend sit with you as you work? I've even taken to photographing people as they stream thru my litte bus-world, helps the time pass, provides some really interesting souvenirs of this job... And a final perk of the job: the snacks I get given from stoners doing 'pie runs' in the middle of the night (aka nipping into town to the all-night bakery for some munchie-induced snacking) I'd have to give the rum ball and hedgehog two thumbs up, and the asperagus-corn-cheese pie is NOT to be missed! .
Which brings me to terrifying thing #3: I have learned to drive a manual! I kid you not, people, it has actually happened. Opportunity presented itself when the automatic bus almost ran out of fuel one night and resulted in a friend offering to teach me on his own van. (he's crazy, I know.) And I'm not kidding when I call this one terrifying: my first reaction was to run screaming. I had a hard enough time learning how to drive in the first place when I was 19; somehow I managed to make turning corners into a huge feat. BUT, a 2 hour lesson later i had almost mastered hill-starts, and then drove the manual bus that night for my 6 hour shift, almost without incident. I only stalled, hmm... 10 times maybe? And almost NO bunny hops. Ok, a few. many. shut up. At least I learned!!
The surf goes on, though my body is giving out bit by bit. Or at least it was until I discovered that occasional breaks from surfing, or a one-on-one-off schedule are more suitable for my extremely out of shape and unathletic self. My surf-induced cuts and grazes have been saved from becoming sea ulcers thanks to some self-maintenance-education from local surfers and chemists. But hey, i've graduated off the softboards, also know as 'boats', and my paddling is improving a hell of alot, so I'm pretty fuckin' happy!
hugs and kisses to all of you from byron, missing you lots.
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