Robe Easter Perfection

Beautiful one day, perfect the next....and no folks, i am not talking about the Gold Coast.

The annual easter voyage (its about my 5th easter robe trip now) started a little bit chirpy. I managed to score a lift with Charlie and his new girlfriend Joe, Robe debutee, who couldn't dare the thought of spending 5 days without her beloved Cockatele who happen to sit next to me in the car and didn't stop chirping for a solid 5 hours! First stop thou was the morgan family farm which eddie runs. Having about as much experience something funny, eddie showed us around the farm and even let me shot a gun for the first time. I have just got my hearing back. It was a .243, apparently thats a powerful rifle. The highlight was definetely seeing the new born pups which were 4 weeks old. Very cute.

How could you say no!

First surf

From the farm, it was a quick 1.5 hour drive to Robe. Robe has been a traditionally holiday for the morgan family for about the last 40 years. Its situated on the coast about 3.5 hours south of Adelaide. The morgans own one of the historic old pubs that has been converted into a B&B and a family holiday home.

Robe locals. They set up the couch at Stonies while drink musket from a flaggen!

The program for robe is simple..
Surf
Breakfast...big egg, bacon, sausage cook up
Let it sit for a few hours
Surf or sail in the arvo
Montrous dinner.

Boys sailing at long beach

This goes on for a number of days. This year we were treated to unbelievalbe conditions everyday. Light offshore wind and 2-4 foot surf created perfect clean waves. The boys even got a really good wavesail in at longbeach due to a out of season sea-breeze. I unfortunately couldn't go windsurfing due to my foot injury from christmas, but i could still surf. The pictures prove the conditions.

Clean as a whistle.

Me nose riding the webber at Stonies

Once again, the Easter Weekend was heaps of fun and a big thumbs up goes to the morgans for hosting once a again a memorbrale Easter Weekend.

Cayyse, Will ya hold me hair back!

Yo Fabian, what’s up? “Dude I need you to come out with me tonight and be my wingman. Me, “sorry man, I have a 21st”. Fabian, “21st!, who the hell do you know who is 21!”

Last Saturday night, junior of URS, Stephen Haack had his 21st at the Drifters Alibi in Port Melbourne. Never refusing a free night on the piss, a large contingent from URS came along to celebrate Haack’s 21st birthday.

Hey Sel, you really should get that mole checked out…it could be cancerous…

Well haacky must have thought all his birthdays came at once when the usual suspects Sel and Kath rock up dressed to impress. Ife had pulled out her previously once worn Two Tribes Dress covering all not that much and Kath wasn’t to be outdone with a very enlightening black dress which I think young Haacky was having the odd fantasy about and probably still is.

After the speeches, the two bad ladies took over the dance floor and went nuts. Not to be felt left out with the moon boot and all, Katherine proceeded to carry me around the dance floor (impressed). Casey was even rumored to grace the dance floor and Ife and Kath gave Haacky birthday present he will never forget by sandwiching him on the dancefloor all while ife was slamming down wines faster than barman could pour them.

The Petroni

After an hour or two of classic hits from Farnham, Barnsie and Jacko, Kath commented, “Sel is soo going to spew tonight”

The ride home was truly a memorable one. With kath driving, Sel in the front passenger seat and casey, myself and Danni crammed into the back, Sel thought it would be a good time to give all of us her benella impersonation a go while inhaling a couple of helium balloons from the party. It went something like this….

Caayyyyse, you’re the best..
Maaaarrry me Caayyyyse....
Caayyyyse, put it in there....
Harder Cayyyse.....
Take my to IKEA Cayyse
I luv ya Caayyyyse …..for a solid 15 minutes…I don’t think Danni had any idea what was going on!

Kath...If i don't dance in the next 10 minutes, its going to be ugly

And just thinking that this was possibly the best entertainment ever, Selina out did herself by projectile vomiting out Katherine's car at Hoddle Street. Then twice at home! And 4 times in the morning….

Oh yeah, Happy 21st Haacky.

Dunc Goes Country

Benella. Its dry. Its flat. Its hot. Its a little bit country. Its a place where if you don't have a V8 ute (sporting a big UHF antenna), a slab of VB in the back, and a wife beater tan, you may as well turn straight back around to Melbourne.

Upon Arrival

Well thats what myself and two bad ladies (Selina and Katherine) risked when Casey Robertson invited us to spend Australia Day with him at ferrels annual Australia Day Tripple J Hottest 100 bbq/party

Cans...

Always a little sceptical about heading anywhere away from the coast on a sunny day, the girls and i where already encountering problems with Sels parents car overheating on the drive to Benella. From Melbourne, Benella usually takes around 2.5 hours to drive but we managed to stretch that out to 4 hours due to regular stopping to let the honda cool down and for sel and kath to yell at absolutely every bloke who they thought is a bit of "auuurlright''.

Sel took this one?

When we finally arrived, we fronted up to what reminded me of uni days at a college party. Ferrell was very kindly relieving himself in the middle of the lawn for all to see, cockeye was doing a layback, deano was in a bit of a tussle, blocka was just being blocka and most bits of furniture were strewn around the yard and there was no shortage of empty beer bottles scattered around. So whats one to do? Start drinking very quickly and enjoy the festivities.

Given the intial shock of the scene, i was soon enjoying myself by mostly just watching other people. It was kind of like a nature show. "what we can see her are two males performing in a ritual seal crawl to attract the attention of the surrounding females"

After a 6 pack of beer and a few Johnnie Walker's, it was time for every country tradition. A parma at the local pub. Beautifully located on Benella lake, we enjoyed our parmas in ambience reading ourselves for the nights activities at another pub nearby.


The backdrop from the Pub. From the left we have Kat, Sel and me!

Well the rest of the night was a bit blurr. Sel and Kath were well and truely warming up with a gathering of local boys sniffing around. I think its been a while since two single 25 year old ladies have visited Benella.

Robbo and Kath

The night went into the wee hours. There was nudity...skinny dipping...drinking...and a little more drinking. Kath, Sel and myself enjoyed our little country adventure, but we think it might be a while before heading back.

Margarets 50 Year Storm

The scene was set for a week mahem...surfing, windsurfing and whatever in between! I headed over to Western Australia after boxing day to meet up with my mate John Brown who recently moved over there in the search for better weather and pristine desolate perfect barrelling waves.....well it may of been because his girlfriend had moved over and was busting his balls to come over as well!

The gear i lugged onto the plane.

Lugging the usual quiver of surfboards and windsurfers on the plane, Virgin you are the best by never charging me a cent for excess luggage, John picked me up from the airport sporting his new, well 1984 ford van he picked up for a lazy $1,800 clams! We headed straight down to Margrets where he had booked us into the caravan park at boganville...sorry Dunsborough. However, the weather was very unseasonal with cloud cover and rain....Was something brewing.

After the 4 hour drive, we rocked up to the beach to be fronted by a growing swell and onshore messy conditions. Due to the considerable swell size, we hunted around for a protected bay and found this peaky little beach break with a million shark biscuits on it and too many grommets who rip.

Crowds...You could swear they were sitting in a lake

After the surf, the rain persisted and increased. Eager to find out what the hell was happening to the weather, we checked out the forecast to discovered that a massive storm was brewing..http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1820750.htm

Labelled as one in a generation storm.

This meant one thing for the Western Australian Coast Line....BIG SWELL AND A HONKING SOUTHERLY WIND PERFECT FOR WINDSURFING AT MARGRETS!

Well the next morning definetly didn't dissapoint. Rocking up to Prevally Main Beach (AKA Margaret River) i was encountered with 8 to 10 foot surf and 30 knot cross shore winds. Rigging up in the carpark were the 2005 wavesailing world champion, Scott McKercher, Peter Voltwater and 2nd in the womens world wavesailing, Karin Jaggi. Knowing that going out in these quite extreme conditions for me (well not for the locals as its like this a bit but i haven't had a wavesail in over a year), i knew i would be kicking myself if i at least didn't give a shot, or get wet and say i went sailing...who would ever know!

Rocking up to Margarets to this....They still look big from 600m away.

Fate...Destiny...Stupidity...FUN! For the windsurfing lads, i had a 4.2m rigged flat.


Warm up wave!

Sailing out and jibing around on what seemed like a moving mountain of water, my balls crawled up to my throat as i dropped in to the biggest wave i have ever surfed. Luckily enough, i managed to survive by being a bit of wuss and hugging the shoulder. As my confidence grew, i started having a awesome time by taking off deeper and deeper. As always when one confidence grows a little to quickly, mother nature soon puts an end to that by being wipped out by mast high white water which John later told me held me under for a good 8 seconds. I had 2 sessions that day and no one could wipe the smile of my face for the whole night...well to 9pm when i went to bed because i was so knackered.

Gramps..AKA Scotty! World 2005 Wavesailing Champion and local to Margret River (believe it or not, this man is only in his mid 30's and truely looks like he has spent a good portion of life in the sun)

Peter Voltwater. Professional Windsurfer
Nice off the lip.

Big Forward

John cuddling up to a beer.

The next morning saw very similar conditions with the swell still around 10 foot and the wind slightly more off shore and lighter at around 25 knots. Things were alright until i mis-timed a top turn and ate it. Unfortunately my foot got stuck in the foot strap with the board going one way, and i going the other way! The consequence was....

Big wave...

then.....

HOSPITAL



I suffered severe bruising to my foot (it felt like i had a car run over it) and was on crouches for the remainder of the trip:(

For the next 3 days, i was succombed to brides maid and just watched John attempting to surf while picking up a bit of a tan as the 50 year storm had passed and weather had resumed back to normal WA bliss of not a cloud in the sky.

John Surfing

Even thou the trip ended earlier than expected, it was still well worth it because is vicco, conditions like those don't come around to often and if they do, i am most probably at work. The next plan is to move to WA and find a rich girlfriend who has a holiday place down Margrets way...Thats not asking to much!

Cheero

I"M BACK BABY

Its over. The search has ended. My thoughts....Where do I start. Being the engineer, I think its easiest in point form!

favourite Place - Well Tarifa was my favourite destination I visited due to its chilled and relaxed atmosphere with the Spanish culture and so called best windsurfing in Europe. Rome was definitely my favourite city I visited.

Least Favourite Place - Brussels. Not a bad city, just non eventful or exciting.

Did i find what i was looking for? Well I wasn't really looking for much I guess. I was having a fun time in Melbourne and to keep the good times going I thought it was the perfect time to see a bit of the world and experiencing different cultures which I have heard so much about but experienced none.

Home! The Corona still going strong and boat number 3 ready to set sail!

Most Beautiful Women - Difficult one...I would say the roman women very closely followed by the women in the south of Spain

Least Beautiful Women - Next question

Number of nights I saw the sun come up - 5 to 10. To hard to be exact. I know on the Greek island of kos we had a few.

I guess the biggest thing about Europe is its history. Being from such a young country, Australia has so little history compared to Europe. Everywhere you look there is something different and the most amazing thing is you only have to travel a couple of kilometers and you can be in a completely different country with a different language, food, customs..everything.

Scariest Moment - Fab's cousin driving home after a couple of drinks and a few spliffs at 200 km/her in his BMW convertible with everyone insisting I don't wear a seat belt. As If!

Funniest Moment - Tim busting his penis. The phone call to his father who is a doctor was truly memorable.

Favourite Food - Kebabs. There is a kebab shop on every corner in Europe.

Least Favourite Food - Kebabs. There is a kebab shop on every corner in Europe.

For a Aussie guy, the night life Europe has to offer is the best by none. There is no waiting at queues in clubs only to be told you can't come in because you have no girl with you. Clubs aren't full of sleazy morons and most have more girls than guys. I am not sure if it was because I am on holiday and in a different country, but everyone is more accepting of everyone. Its awesome! And in Europe, when you order spirits you actually get spirits. None of this measuring out one shot crap. They just pour and keep pouring to when say when!

Number of spews - First night out in Rome (embarrassing - Didn't realize how much vodka the bar tender put in my drinks. Standard European practice!) and the farewell party from Lanzarote

My old room at my folks house which is being used as a junk room!

Money Spent - Put it this way, i have moved back home for a bit. At a guess, i would say around $12,000 - $15,000 (includes money that i earnt working)

Best Surf - Secret spot with Dave and Matt. Never had so many waves in perfect 4 foot left handers that walled up for miles. Photos to prove it.

Best Windsurf - Costa Teguise. Solid 30 knots, 2m swell, perfectly powered on the 4.0m with the 69L JP Radical Wave. Big Jumps!

Most Memorbrable Moment/Time - Lanzarote. The team and local people at Lanzarote made my time so enjoyable. My lifestyle there was so perfect. From my bedroom, I could be fully rigged and on the water in 5mins. When the swell hit, there were countless point breaks with no one to surf them. I will never forget my housemate Oggy who on the first day when I moved in said he had spent the night in the slammer! Thinking this was a bad idea, we clicked and had some awesome times. Thanks Ogg! The crew at Windsurf Paradise were so good and heaps of fun.

Romper - Loyal. He acted like i never left

Best traveling adive - Don't be afraid to spend your money for fun. Too many backpackers are such tight arses that they end up doing nothing because they are on a budget. We met a group who wouldn't even pay 3 euro to get into a club! Your trip might finish a couple of weeks early, but you will have so much more fun. Also, try to spend at least 3 or 4 nights at each destination. Staying at places for 1 or 2 nights is too stressful and a pain in the arse. If you are a aussie guy, hang around euro's and not westerner's. It will pay off!

Europe has been a experience. The search has been full of everything. There were times when traveling sucks and the only thing I could wish for was my bed at home, but the number of fun times far outweighed these. Traveling western Europe has planted a small seed to explore a bit more of the world. In the pipeline would be a long surfing safari down the South American coast. A visit to Hawaii is a certainty and a snowboarding season will be on the cards if all the snow doesn't melt away from global warming!

And to answer my questions posted in my first blog http://duncanbanks.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_duncanbanks_archive.html

1) Didn't see the pyramids

2) Walked through the Sistine Chapel

3) Got pissed in every country i visited

4) No i didn't shag anything that walks. Only quality;)

5) Australian lasses are harder work compared to their European counter-parts.

So that's it. I will keep updating the blog occasionally with new trips and some things I think might be worth mentioning.

Thanks for everyone who has posted their comments and thoughts and request and to those silent watches as well. I know who you are!

The Final Destination!

Thialand, Phuket...
Hot, humid, crazy, weird, beautiful, seedy, unique, fun, sad and...... On my return flight home to Melbourne, i thought it would be a good idea to get some more sun and water and stop off in Thailand for 7 days and head to Phuket. Thinking it would be pretty much like Bali without waves, i was about right but just add in the seedy bit. Arriving late at night and finding a hotel, i thought i would have a brief walk around town to see what i am up for. Lets just say when i went to bed that night, I was well and truely thinking of leaving Phuket and heading to another island. Being a young striking single man, i was mobbed by thai ladies wanting to love me "long time"! It was overwhelming. I could not walk down the busy streets as i was surrounded by Thai girls trying to hold me back, kiss me, pull my pants down...anything to get me to stop. They saw some fresh meat on the market that wasn't some old dirty german guy and wanted it.

That night, i was, well i will just do day stuff. So I booked my scuba diving and island hoping tours for the next couple of days.

The scenary in Thailand was amazing. All the surrounding islands have these unbelievable limestime cliffs sticking out of the water in prestine clear warm water abundant with coral and sea life. I did a couple of dives and a day island hoping on a tour.

Heading off to diving destination 1. Rachi Rachi

Rachi Rachi

Determined not to be beaten, i headed out with some South Africans dudes i met on the diving trip. We had a awesome night which gave me some faith for the future night life!

Beach from the movie "The Beach"


Cheeky monkeys


Limestones cliffs. Amazing

Phi Phi Don Port.

The next night i headed to the most exclusive club in Patong..''The Banana". Paying a $10 Aus entry fee, i was hoping to evade the throng of thai girls. Funnily enough, i met these cool Thai girls from Bangkok who were at Phuket for a holiday. They took me under there wing and showed me around the island and the for a few nights out.

Jirayu and A

A was up for a bit of pole Action

Typical bar in Phuket. Yes, every bar had poles and girls dancing around the poles. Classey!

Last evening in Phuket!

Phuket is a strange place. There is such beauty, but around the corner is a seedy scene which kind of leaves you feeling sorry for the people in it. I had a fun time there but I think my asian adventures will be based around indo for the surf.

Off to Melbourne!

Good God, Theres more of them!

For the past week, I have been staying with my old mans brother and his family in the very not sunny district of Blackburn. Having never ever seen him in the flesh, and only talked to him very briefly on the phone, i was very excited to see the other side of the Banks family which i have heard so little of.

For the first 2 days, my dads brother Clive was home alone (looking after 3 dogs and 4 cats) as his wife Judy and their lovely daughter Sadie were on holiday in Ireland.

So first thing, Clive thought it would be a good idea to take a trip down memory lane and visit where they grew up in Rishton and visit my dads old grammar school where he apparently went down in history as recieving Dux's of the college which the records are still there now.

The Family Home

The Study house! Apparently Ernest's mum couldn't stand any books lying around the family home so he had to study at a family friends house.

Fathers Grammar School

When Judy and Sadie returned from their holilday, Clive, Sadie and myself headed off to the lakes district.

The lakes district was quote ''RICH IN VEGETATION'' (Sadie) and rather wet. It didn't stop raining all day.

Next we were off to meet aunty Christine as shown below.

From the left we have Jim, Aunty Christine, Sadie and Uncle Clive

Little Moses. The newest addition to the Banks family.

Preparing to show the youngesters how to have a big night out with Sadie's friends.

Clives wife Judy. She was hard to capture on camera but i got this one while she wasn't looking

Clive myself and Sadie

For my final day, the sun decided to pop out so we headed to Blackpool! Blackpool is home to Englands biggest fun park fittingly named the Pleasure Park!



The Blackpool Spire.

The Sling. A exciting ride which involved gettting winched high between two towers then slung over the ocean.

Clive, Judy and Sadie truely made me feel like one of the family during my stay. I had a ball staying at the Banks Household and i wish them all the best for the future. Rumour has it Clive and Sadie will be making a trip down under so look out Australia.