It’s official … my trip is over.  I’m now waiting for the shuttle bus that will bring me to LAX (Los Angeles airport)  and in less than 12 hour I should be back in Montreal where I started my trip 3 months ago.  But in a certain way, the person that gonna land today in Montreal is not the same one who left.  In 3 months I did more exciting things that in the last 3 years!  Those experience definitely changed me.  Things that used to scared me don’t scare me anymore, I’ve learned new stuff, made new friends, experienced different cultures … (no Pat, it’s not what you think you perv!)

So this trip is over, but it’s also just the beginning of my life of adventures.  So I say goodbye to all my new friends and to my old friends … I will see you soon

 

weather

Originally uploaded by DavidPaquet

I’m now in Sydney and going to LA in 2 days. But look at this image and tell me if you can believe this !?

I can understand Sydney being cooler since it’s Fall (but it’s colder than usually) but LA !? I thought California was hot !?

I came back yesterday from my 3 days/2 nights scuba diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef. It was incredible, one of the best feeling I had in my life! c It’s definitely a sport that I will continue to practice.

Since I took the advance open water course Im now also qualified to dive up to 30 meter and I supposedly know how to operate a compass which mean that in theory I shouldn’t get loss in the water

I also took a couple of shots underwater : http://picasaweb.google.com.au/david.paquet/GreatBarrierReef

(note : the first 15 pictures without a date in the bottom are not from me but are from the same area)

Wow! I just came back from my first experience of skydiving! Surprisingly I was not really stressed and I was really looking to it (even when I was in the plane).

On the ground, I met with my tandem master, Toby. He shown me how to be a good banana (whoever has done skydiving will understand), how to lift my feet and 5 minutes later we where in the plane. We were joking around, looking to the window, trying to scare the girls and then somebody looked through the window, thought that we where high and said to one of the tandem master :

First time diver :”Hmm we are pretty high now, or we gonna jump soon?”

Tandem master : “Hmmm we are only a 6000 ft right now …”

Holyshit, still 8000 ft to go ? That when I realized that what I was doing was crazy ! Then after a few minutes, I learned that I was going to be the last one to jump. Everybody started jumping, some seemed eager, some a bit less … “NOO I DON’T WANT TO G…..” I didn’t hear the rest because she was already out of the plane

Now it’s my turn, my feet are outside the plane, my tandem master push us … … FREE FALL … WOOOOWWW, INCREDIBLE, AWESOME, AMAZING (that me trying to scream). Seriously I can’t describe the feeling. it’s so good ! After about 60 seconds, he opened the parachute he we started gliding through the clouds for a few minutes then we landed on the beach …

Whhaatt it’s already finish ? I want to go again !!!!

For people who don’t know, Bondi rescue is a reality show in Australia about the lifeguards of Bondi Beach, the biggest beach in Sidney.  Why I’m talking about that ?

Well, I was on Magnetic Island and decided to go do some snorkeling.  Since you are always suppose to go snorkeling with a buddy, I asked around the pool and after a few minutes I found someone.  We went to rent our equipment.  Since it’s the jellyfish season, you have to wear a sexy (yes, I have a picture) stinger suit.  So we put our stinger suit, go on the beach,m put our fins, our masks and go in the water …

We are not even 20 feet in the water that the guy, Ross (just told me his name), start to scream “DAVE WE HAVE TO GET OUT”.  I start swimming back to the shore while looking around but I don’t see anything.  I turn back to him, he try to mumble something, go completely white and start to shake like a leave.  Not even 5 seconds after that, He become  rigid like a steel rod and water go over is head.  I quickly remove my fin and my mask throw them on the beach and start pulling him back on the shore (luckily, he managed to come back a bit).  He is still shaking and he seem to be unconscious so I run to the scuba diving center to get medical aids.

I get someone to come with me, we run back to the beach where Ross is still laying down but he is not shaking anymore.  He regain consciousness so the lifeguard start to ask him a few questions “Do you remember your name, do you know where you are … etc”.  Turn out that the guy is epileptic and had a seizure … phewww … nothing to worry about heh ?

So, I’m still waiting for the team of Bondi Rescue to call me and offer me a job

Came back yesterday from my sailing trip to the Withsunday.  I took a catamaran called Pride of Airlie and slept on South Molle Island.  The island wasn’t bad and I had great time partying with some new friends from Switzerland, England, Germany and Estonia.

BUT, the boat wasn’t that enjoyable.  The fact that the boat was slow as a turtle and the weather not that great (rain and wind) mean that we spent alot of time on the boat with 30-40% of seasick people.  Having the luck of not being prone to seasickness, I spent my time on the deck with the few people crazy enough to stay outside in the rain playing a game called “Riding the Wave”.  (basically, jumping around and floating in the air for a few seconds).

On a final note, I’m now in Magnetic Island, a few day away of doing rafting AND skydiving for my first time… can’t wait !!!

This will be a short post because I only have 7 min left of internet.  I just finished Fraser Island (biggest sand island in the world) which was really good.  We were lucky because it was raining for 4 or 5 days just before we arrived !  Basically, they give you a Landcruiser, camping equipment, a suggested itinerary and 10 other mates.

I was with 2 Canadians girls from Edmonton and … 8 germans ! Let just say that now, I know a few words in German …

We saw alot of beautiful lakes, sharks (from afar), dingoes (from very close!), a mini desert and had a big party on the beach with other groups (around 75 persons).

*Oops, only 2 mins left now.*  I’m now going to Airlie Beach (13 hours in bus…) to sail the Withsunday’s Island … can’t wait!

43 sec… goodbye everyone!

I’ve stayed at the Arts Factory last night,  it’s quite funky !  The best hostel I stayed in Australia yet.  It’s kind of a hippy small village where I stayed in the room called the Wagon (a biiiig tent).  They had a talent show by the pond and was quite funny :)  I have a few videos but I can’t post them from here…

 http://www.artsfactory.com.au/

Hi everyone!

 I’m now in Byron Bay, a nice little town (but quite crowded) on the east coast.  It’s the meca for surfing and there is a good mix of party mood/quietness.  Oh and I just booked all my trips (the good stuff!).  In the next month, I’m going to sail the Withsundays, do a 4wd safari on Fraser Island, do rafting, skydiving (oh yeah!) and a scuba diving trip in Cairns. 

After all that, I think I will need vacation from my vacation

Tomorrow morning I’m leaving on my way toward Cairns.  It should take 1 month and I’m pretty exited because it will be the real backpacker part of my travel.  New places to visit, new people, new adventures… Ze Life !
Oh and I also posted a couple more photos for who may be interested….

See ya !

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Tags: Australia, EastCoast