Away From Here

Thredbo,

Imagine that feeling you may have had once or twice only in life, that feels a bit like how, I figure, a vice clamping across your temples might start to feel; as a direct result of work related stress. I think I got to this stage with an unpleasent combination of long hours, cold weather, stressful factors at work and a pending cold, all creeping into my week together. It should've been for the best intentions; a good week whereby I had my sights firmly set on a great weekend. Unfortunately not.

Friday, the fight continued right through the day with my schedule getting stacked back toward clocking off time, just convenietly adding to the grey hair inducing stuff. I finally shook my last clients hand of the day, jumped in an elevator and decended down seventeen floors of green glassed skyscraper (as seen in the Matrix). Out on the street again, the urgence in my step was being driven by a new energy. A force aquired from the thought of where my body would be in 15hours time. The thought of what I would be doing and what I wouldn't be doing, gave my mind some solace.

An hour later I was home, and my good friend Rog was there with a Land Cruiser packed with his ski gear. All was left, was to add my snowboard gear and me... plus some long hours driving, petrol and the worst nights kip in a hostel of all my days. To speed past that, I found myself shivering whilst walking toward the same carpark I had parked in back at Easter in the centre of Canberra. Sleep depravated and still with lingering thoughts from the working week, some people may have questionned what I was doing when a choice to spend the whole weekend in bed could have been so easy to take.

As we made early tracks toward lake Jindabyne, it all became clear. Pastel shades painted a picture around us as the sun rose, almost a solid state rainbow with blues, pinks, oranges, yellows and greens eminating from the horizon in front of us. As we arrived in the Kosciusko state park, I was forced to hit the brakes to let a family of Kangeroos hop on across the front of our car (100% pure Australia!). This put a smile on our faces, a smile which would be with me for the whole weekend ahead in Thredbo.

With my T1's laced up, my Cartels latched and in perfect position, my little WorldWideWeapon gleaming, freshly waxed in the sunlight, it was time to slide down a slippery slope. I promised myself I'd go easy on my first run... I broke that promise as soon as I realised my legs had enough in them to warrant not having to go easy. A little shaky, never the less, I was back in a personal paradise. Cold wind on my face felt just as good as any beachy warm breeze today.

I've never needed such a fix of snowboarding as this weekend just gone by, and to think I have but 3 weeks to wait until the next excursion - well, I'm stoked.

Even though weekends in Australian resorts tend to get a name for themselves as being busy, I'd be the first to admit that things were really not too bad. The longest we ever waited for a lift was a couple of minutes, and once we'd found some enjoyable runs with good conditions, it was all the easier since T-bars tend to fend off large crowds by their very nature.

At the end of day 1, I think both Rog and I felt pretty overwhelmed, but still managed a few beers and games of pool before saying g'night to the starry night in typical fashion.

Sunday seemed to have sent some of the crowds home, so slightly less busy, the day involved me trying to get back to as close as I could to my personal best form of March 2005. I could certainly go fast, and I was grabbing mute and tails in no time. I managed some baby 360's and even got to riding some switch out of a couple of little 1's.

Aside from the muscular aches around my ribs, and dare I try to forget, my left groin I'm in great shape after the impromptu weekend of snow fun...

Again? Bring it on.

Dune Buggy

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The UAE consists of 7 Emirates (these are pretty much like States) and is just a short flight South of war-torn Iraq… though in saying that – it’s across a Gulf and there is no such trouble here. Dubai is a growing city – and growing fast. The Arabs are very keen not to be outdone by any other city and will basically stop at nothing to get one over on old New York, London, Sydney or Tokyo; the new ‘world’s tallest building’ is on it’s way up right now.

As I rode a cab ride from the airport to my friend Kats parents house, the citys skyline imposes itself on you – twinkling lights shining out from as many ‘in-construction’ skyscrapers as complete ones. Aside from very regular 30+ temps, Dubai’s got a heck of a lot that I'd never realised; Beachs, Advanced Sporting Facilities, Museums, Big Malls, Many tourist attractions, a huge club scene – as well as the stuff I did realise; sand, very plush hotels and one of the worlds most advanced indoor snowdomes.

After an evening settling after the flight with a BBQ and drinks, Monday gave me a jam packed day of fun. First off, I got to dust off ‘The Stud’ at ‘Ski Dubai’s’ 400metres of two slopes (one regular and one expert) with Kat. Perfectly groomed, no ice, a café half way down the slope, a quad seat chair lift as well as the enormous luxury Mall of Emirates underneath and sideways-on to the huge dome complex – so big it has aircraft warning lights fitted to the roof and a multi-story car park - underneath.

I started with a slightly shaky first run, but then started to gain my ‘snowfeet’. Riding my own board and gear for the first time since April 05 felt extremely satisfying! The two slopes off have several natural humps and bumps that you can pop the board off, with long landing zones – surprisingly empty at most times of my session. I think I needn’t say much more about how much I enjoyed this, since it is after all, snowboarding; my favourite past-time.

After this we met with Kats family for some traditional Dubai Kebabs followed by some ice cream, that, once I’d finished made me feel a little sick – though only due to the quantity I ate. However, the feeling of sickness would last well through the afternoon.

Arabian Nights Tours picked us up for the desert safari tour; a Toyota Landcruiser, the vehicle of choice. We arrived at ‘Big Red’, a huge mountainous looking sand-dune where some of the air pressure was let out of the cars tyres. Then, BAM! What I thought would be just another 4x4 sand dune tour; our driver, who never actually introduced himself (I’ll call him Ali for arguments sake) was possessed by Satan himself. The cars front wheels literally leaving the sand on one occasion, sliding sideways with the cars axis well off and near-misses of other tour cars quickly becoming the norm. As fun as it was (I do still have a grin on my face writing this), I was actually more scared at moments of this ride, that at any point of my skydive back in August. As we finished up with the scary stuff, the red Sun set over the dessert… but not completely before we had to pull another tour car out of a tight situation.

A quick visit to a camel farm, and then onto an almost traditional market where we could fulfil all our Arabian dreams… except maybe flying a magic carpet or finding a genie in a lamp. The site offers the guest the chance to drink Arabian coffee, smoke Shiesh (Apple, Pear or Orange flavour tobacco) through a large water bong, get Henna, ride a camel, dress up like an Arabian, eat traditional food, watch and take part in a belly dancing show and of course, buy souvenirs. Aside from the last option, we did the lot – my henna experience was a little disappointing though, I asked for a star – thinking I’d get an emo inspired design. What I got was a quick entrance to the witching club on my left ankle (I’m pretty sure the woman doing it wasn’t the spawn of the devil though). I guess I should’ve just gone for ‘Love’ & ‘Hate’ on my knuckles instead…

After digging the other tour car out delaying us, we got back home pretty late after the tour, and with an early flight for me the next morning, we had to leave the club-night till another day.

I packed up my snowboard, clothes, plus new & old backpack contents and said my thanks & goodbyes. As I got a taxi back to the airport, I got to see much of the city for the first time in daylight, and I have to give the Arabians credit for city beautification. Considering the task, so many streets are lined with grass & flowers, with monstrous skyscrapers standing like giants. One road has nothing but two parallel rows of skyscrapers – which almost look as if a set square was used to get them so straight and orderly. I would really recommend Dubai, I’ll definitely return some day to try out all the other stuff on offer like the 7* Burg hotel at around £1000 per night… well, maybe.

Pretty soon, I was back where I’ve been on average once every 2 weeks for a little over a year – flight no.28 in 54 weeks – and this was the longest one too.
I’m beginning to believe in air-karma. On my flight to Dubai I got the typically worst seat on an airplane – in the middle of 3 people, with the seat in front constantly reclined for my discomfort! This time I got lucky seat 25A – the one at the front of the economy rows with all the leg room and a much better tv screen – as well as the window seat without the inconvenience of having to move the person next to you each time you want to get up. 15 hours later, plus another 6hours ahead in international time zones, I landed back in Sydney at sunrise Wednesday, jumped straight in a cab and headed for my new home. Randwick is the next town inland from the beach town I stayed at last time; Coogee, so it’s an area I’m already more than familiar with.