Time really flies when we’re in OZ; it’s not that we run around filling our days. By 8am most mornings we finished training, except Sundays, then after that we just chook around at the beach and the days just roll away. I know you probably think it is a tad weird getting up at 5 am to go training but the sun gets up around 4.30 am and she’s about 24° C and bugger all cars about. So it’s perfect!

Sundays its long ride day which is always 150 km plus which usually gets us back around ss10 – 11 am mainly because we ride every hill and mountain range on the Gold Coast Hinterland. About 3 weeks ago I pulled the pin and stayed in bed and it’s a good thing too. Before the boys even got 500 meters down the road a bunch of young lads who just had stumbled out of a night club called out “nice pants”! Without any hesitation Nathan had dismounted and helped one of them to the ground with his knuckles and before the rest of the group had turned around and got back to him he had already downed another two of them, dancing around in his cycling shoes. I mean what a way to start the day! It was bloody 5 am! Nuts! The first 6-7 weeks the weather was absolutely perfect. The last 3 weeks were a little bit to be desired mainly due to the mini cyclone off the Queensland Coast which just didn’t want go away. All the surfers were running as if they were dogs with two dicks because the weather brought 3 meter swell land perfect waves were on there way!

I got in early for a wave before it got too big and heavy and before the crowds. A friend of mine has a jet ski and he’s fully geared up for tow surfing which basically eliminates any paddling you have to do and you get 10 times as many waves. The way the do it is with about a 10 meters ski rope tied to the back of the ski and a special surf board which is a bit narrower and with foot straps. You basically get towed onto the wave, and if you get caught inside the ski tow’s you back out! Nice! Two days later one of the boys got fully worked by this monster and in the process his shoulder socket ended up in his arm pit and the only advantage of that is being able to scratch his knee while standing with ease! The rest was nothing but pain! Another good reason for me getting out there before the got too heavy.

About 2 weeks after the rain started the dams had finally filled up after about 10 years of waiting and then the overflowing water began to make its way down the valley in a real hurry. So many people were stranded and a lot of them loosing big chunks of there land as the little streams became raging rivers, taking everything in their path to the ocean. The beautiful aqua water and golden beaches became the hinterland dumping ground. There were even dead horses and cows getting washed up on the beach. So there was plenty of meat for the BBQ, hey!

We were really dreading the flight back particularly because the one on the way down was a complete disaster. Lucky enough we ended up with three seats which meant the little fella got his own which was a real win because before we’d even reached our altitude he was asking for his bed! He slept 5 ½ hours on the first leg to Kuala Lumpur and the flight was only 7 ½ so we couldn’t believe our fortune! We had a Hotel for the day in KL from 6 am and our flight out wasn’t until midnight that night! We checked into the Hotel about 6 dumped our bags in the room and went down to the café in the foyer for some toast and a latte. Then we got the bright idea to head into town and check out the city Petronas Towers and the aquarium. The towers were ok and the aquarium wasn’t open until 11.30 so we got back on the train and headed straight to the Hotel Pool.