. b e n j a m i n .

Palm

2006-08-19T07:03:00.000+10:00

The End.

2006-08-15T13:21:00.000+10:00

Well my time in Australia has come to an end, and there's so many photos that have not been published. So i present to you the remaining highlights of my trip, as i worked my way up the coast, through airlie beach, the whitsunday islands and up through magnetic island and Cairns, ending at Cape Tribulation, one of the most beautiful places i've ever been. My final evening back in Sydney was spent singing karaoke in China town with Jill, Tom and Rob. A great way to end it.
Lots of these photos are from time spent with my good friend Richie, who had me stay at his place in maroochydore, where we surfed, skated and soaked up the rays. Then it worked out for us to go on a 3 day sailing trip in the whitsundays, where the snorkelling was unreal. Plenty of highlights are worth noting, including coming accross a crocodile while strolling along a beachside creek. That was a real treat. But I'll share those stories next time i see you.

To everyone who's followed along, it's been great having you along. This is the end of my Australian Blogging. Many thanks for all the witty comments over the past seven months. Each one i got was another pumpkin in my pie. Thanks to everyone who gave me a place to stay, showed me around that sensational country, or picked me up along the road.

Back log

2006-08-04T20:58:00.000+10:00

Currently in Cairns, i write to you from an internet cafe. Much has happened since i last posted, and there are far too many photos i wish to share with you. But time is a factor, and it's quickly running out, as i'll be flying accross the pacific ocean this time next week.

Country Boy

2006-07-20T13:49:00.000+10:00

Finally, for your enjoyment, here are some photographs from my time spent inland Australia, in Muswellbrook and Tamworth. Great times were spent with my mates Toby and Luke, and it was a real treat breathing the fresh country air.

In Muswellbrook, we had a big prawn and octopus cookup... tasty.

Mates of State

2006-07-18T13:27:00.000+10:00

In Brisbane, I had the pleasure of attending a Mates of State show. I went on my own, but had a whale of a time. The Show was two thumbs up. They played a bunch of the new stuff, and some old classics, much enjoyed by the sold out crowd.

That's all for now... I can't seem to get my own pictures up due to techinical difficulties. But i will tell you this. The surfing is phenomenal. Went out for a few waves last night as the sun was setting. It was a real treat.

Time winds down

2006-07-14T18:00:00.000+10:00

Ok, so I promised heaps of new posts, and that hasn't happened. But i suspect that i'll be able to get some up in the next few days, as i've arrived in Maroochydore for an extended period of time. I just came up through Muswellbrook and Tamworth, then up through Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Brisbane... It was good to hit some of the familiar spots from my trip up the coast with Mark.

I'll be announcing my next travel plans soon, as i'm in the process of looking into some flights...

I hope everyone in Canada is enjoying the summer weather. I look forward to returning soon and having a few pancakes with maple syrup.

Melbourne, Again!

2006-06-25T11:14:00.000+10:00

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, here are a bunch of photos from melbourne. I spent last week there, and had a great time. We went to lots of tasty restaurants and checked out some tres cool bars in back alleys. It was cool to see Melbourne from a different perspective. I had done all the touristy things already, so we just checked out the rest of the city. If i were living in Australia, Melbourne would be my top pick.

I got to check out an AFL (Australian rules football) game. It was great to see a new sport, and all the spectators proudly wearing the team scarf.

Here's Docklands. I'd never been down there before, but it's a new development on the harbour with a lot of interesting architecture, and some cool views of the city.

One of the coolest things in the city is all the graffiti art on the walls of the back alleys. You could stand there for hours looking at all the pictures. Really top notch stuff.

Each night, big towers along the river by the casino, shoot out giant fireballs. My sources tell me they spend 10 grand on it every time.

nose in the books

2006-06-11T13:42:00.000+10:00

Yes, it's been ages since my last post. And i'm running dry in terms of good photos. However, sometimes one must put his head down and plow through that which we call exams. Not to say that i have too much to do. I've got 2 coming up, but they're split up by 2 weeks, one of which will be spent having an awesome time in Melbourne. That'll be my second visit to the city, and i'm sure there will be plenty more photos to be seen soon after by YOU.
So, needless to say, my time here in Newcastle is nearly up. But I still have 2 whole months here in Australia. I plan on heading north, where the sun is shining, and the beach calls my name. I'll be retracing some of my steps from my sensational trip up the coast with Mark, and spending some time again in Maroochydore, the infamous setting for the broken surfboard incident. After that, i'm planning on checking out the Great Barrier Reef, and who knows what else? Can't wait to hit the open road once again.
Seeing as i haven't got photos, i'll share a song with you all that i've been tapping my toe to lately:

Matt Suggs Song

from orange to purple

2006-05-26T16:23:00.000+10:00

Spelunking

2006-05-15T22:28:00.000+10:00

My last big activity on my stint in New Zealand was Spelunking. (i had to look up that word for the spelling). I met some fun loving travellers, and we set off for the caves. Stalagtites, Stalagmites, wormholes and glow worms. The whole bit. It was a dandy day. Plus, after a cold day in the wetsuit, we got to jump into the hot tub and enjoy a large sized blueberry muffin and a compimentary beer. That hit the spot.

ICE CITY

2006-05-10T16:47:00.000+10:00

Back to the Photos. Here's a little documentation of a day i spent hiking all over the FRANZ JOSEF glacier.
(here's a shot of old franz)

First, a quick story about my trip TO the town of Franz Josef. I got out of bed in queenstown one morning, packed up my bag and walked to the road. I felt pretty silly sticking my thumb out for the initial minute or so, but I got over that. I was now a hitchiker. And It worked great. I never waited more than 5 minutes for a ride. Plus, i spent most of the day with an older lady named Margaret. She drove me about 4 hours up the coast! We even made some stops to see some sights and we ate lunch at a salmon farm. If you ever go to NZ, don't bother paying for your way around. Hitching works great.
So, that night I booked my Glacier hike. I went up with a group, and a guide, who cut steps with his ice ax all day. They gave us little mini icepicks, just so we felt special, i think. And let me tell you: i sure did.
The day was long, sometimes cold, and turned my legs to jelly. But that was ok, because afterwards I slid right into the hot tub back at "chateau Franz" with an ice cold Speight's Ale.

And, by the way, thanks for the comments... I think more often than not, the video worked. So i'll be throwing down some more vids in the near future.
Yours Truly,

Benjamin Stevenson

Kangaroo Break

2006-05-10T16:37:00.000+10:00

This post is basically a chance to see whether or not i can post videos on this blog. Here's one of me sneaking up on a kangaroo. I guess i wasn't sneaky enough.

I'd appreciate a little feedback on this one. Could you see the video properly, and did it take very long to download?
Leave me a comment, and i'll be forever grateful.
This is a small intermission between New Zealand Photos. Plenty more to come.

And, if this video works, there JUUUSt might be some videos up more frequently.

Milford Sound

2006-05-07T14:25:00.000+10:00

This place is pretty hard to capture in a good picture. Partly because of the rain, but partly because it's just so doggone nice. Milford Sound is this river sort of thing out to the ocean, with giant mountains shooting up straight out of the water. Plus, there's about a billion waterfalls coming down everywhere down the mountains after it rains. Quite a sight to behold.

Christchurch

2006-05-04T09:32:00.000+10:00

When arriving in new zealand, I flew into Christchurch, and spent my first day walking the city. It was a grand spot. Really nice scenery, architecture, and a good "feel" in general.

Putting the Zeal in Zealand

2006-04-29T12:34:00.000+10:00

As you may have gathered from my Audio Post, I spent the past two weeks travelling new zealand. I managed to get around the south island in a variety of ways, mostly for free, all the while with my belongings tied around the end of a stick in a polka dot hankerchief, a blade of wheat nestled in the corner of my mouth, and a sparkle in my eye. Everywhere i looked there were snow capped mountains, baby blue glaciers and shimmering lakes around every corner. The place was magical. You need to pay a visit there someday.

Now, i thought i'd start with your typical "rolling mountains" type shots, but there's lots more where that came from, so stay tuned. I'll be posting a few times this week with more and more shots of many kinds.

2006-04-22T16:58:00.001+10:00

2006-04-22T16:58:00.000+10:00

A day at the Races

2006-04-18T09:46:00.000+10:00

Saturday was spent at the Randwick Races in Sydney. People were dressed to a tee. You should've seen the crazy things hanging from the ladies' hats.
The day was great. In the end, i came out on top, which paid for my aussie style burger with fried egg and beetroot. TASTY.

Recap: Fraser Island

2006-04-05T18:15:00.000+10:00

During our time in Maroochydore, Mark, Richard and myself spent an overnight on Fraser Island. It was by far one of my top spots along the coast. Anyone who's been there will recommend it to you. It's a sand Island, with bright blue freshwater lakes in the middle. You can't swim off the beach because of the sharks, but you CAN drive like mad on it! We had a blast in our troopie. I nearly rolled it on a close call with another 4x4... Well, it felt close to me.
Keep in mind that all these fun pictures happened over a month ago. I'm currently living the study life, hibernating in my dorm room with a calculator, and no tan. Not to worry. I'm not having as much fun as it seems.

Thanks for all the comments. Each one i get is like another chocolate chip in my cookie.

If you don't have a blog account, just select "other" as your identity when you post a comment.

Hidden Camera

2006-04-02T09:15:00.000+10:00

disclaimer: All of the people depicted in these photographs have signed release forms.
OK, maybe not, but i'm sure they'd be happy to see themselves on the ol' Web.

Either these guys are professional models doing a photoshoot, or tourists trying to convince their friends at home that they actually went windsurfing. But one thing's for sure: that speedo is just plain unacceptable.

Check out the latest in sun-brella technology.
These seemed to be doing a lot of good.

Signs and Symptoms

2006-03-31T16:13:00.000+11:00

There are some very informative signs here in the southern hemisphere.

This sign gives great advice about acceptable viewing of crocodiles.
I've always stuck to the basics: don't get eaten.
Whoever first drew that guy that's on the men's bathroom signs must get alot of royalties.

This sign has plenty of tips about kangaroos. If there's a video out there called "kangaroos and you", then i would like to rent it. However, if there is no such thing, i'll be sure to make it. My two favorite tips are:
-Don't touch joey in the pouch.
-Only feed them "special kangaroo food"
What IS special kangaroo food? I bet it's tasty.

what a rush

2006-03-24T13:39:00.000+11:00

Again, going back in time, i thought this was worth a look. Here are the infamous pictorials documenting my climactic moment of intensity, six thousand feet up. Just looking at these brings me back to the churned up stomach feeling i experienced afterwards.

BUSTED

2006-03-24T10:34:00.000+11:00

If you're a consistent blog-reader, you'll recall my story of the broken surfboard:
http://benjaminstevenson.blogspot.com/2006/02/newcastle.html
So, here are the photos from post-board-bustage.
I'd like to thank Weir's surf shop for not holding me accountable for this incident.

Colours

2006-03-20T19:49:00.000+11:00

Here is a virtual cornucopia of photos containing what i think are nice colours.

And in case you were wondering, yes, i did look up "cornucopia" in the dictionary.

cornucopia |ˌkôrn(y)əˈkōpēə| noun a symbol of plenty consisting of a goat's horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and corn.

Me and Fuzzy things

2006-03-15T15:24:00.000+11:00

Many of you know that i'm not much of an "animals" kind of guy. Dogs are ok, i guess. Cats scare me.
So, here's some awkward shots of me with animals.
I like that i'm not too sure what do to with the koala- whether to look at it, or the camera. But keep in mind: they may look cute, but those things have giant vicious claws of death.

the harbour

2006-03-11T19:57:00.000+11:00

Some might tell you that Sydney is over-rated. But go there on a clear night, and you'll never want to leave. Mark flew back to Canada yesterday, and it was great to hang out once more before he went.
Have a great one.

The Metro

2006-03-06T19:21:00.000+11:00

Saturday night was spent standing in the Metro Theatre, while a virtual buffet of musical greatness filled my ears. Broken Social Scene put on an outstanding performance, playing everything I could have hoped for, and more. New Buffalo started off the night with an enjoyably relaxed set. Just a gal, her organ and the occasional guest accompaniment.
But seriously, Broken social scene made the night one of my favorite shows ever. Here are a couple photos to gander at:

In other music news, that wasn't my first show in Australia. I got the chance to see Comeback Kid in Newcastle the night after I arrived here. Of course, they put on a great set, and brought on some serious energy. I went on my own, but met some nice local fellas. Australians are a friendly nation.

Rewind to the Great Ocean Road

2006-03-02T16:16:00.000+11:00

Well, I've finally got my own computer. It arrived in the mail yesterday, and i'm now up and running, ready to blast you with electronic internet awesomeness.
Let's take a few steps back to my second week in Australia. As previously mentioned, i spent 3 days on a tour of the Grampians mountain range, as well as the Great Ocean road. That's on the bottom of Australia, if you're interested in geography. Now, the tour was sensational, and there were many great sights to be seen. I'll give you a little taste of it with the following photo-post:

Academia

2006-02-23T09:48:00.000+11:00

Another day, another dollar. It's raining cats and dogs here in Newcastle today. I'm soaked to the bone, but it's nice to be cooled off a wee bit. In other news, I won my first ebay auction last night. I decided it would be nice to have a computer in my room. Oh, the luxuries we have. I'm a lucky guy, that's for sure.
I may hop on the train down to sydney for the weekend and spend it with mark and jill, which should be a grand old time. Ooh- i just realised i have five minutes to get to my tutorial. keep it real.

Newcastle

2006-02-20T11:17:00.000+11:00

This post has been a long time coming. So much has happened, and so quickly. After a great trip up the coast, and a relaxing week in Maroochydore, as well as a weekend trip to Fraser island, i moved to Newcastle. I'll pick out a few highlights from the past couple of weeks:

1- I rented a 9 footer surfboard- a beautiful red malibu- and headed out with mark and richie to catch some waves. Things were going well for the first ten minutes, when i caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a beautiful, but dangerously giant wave. Well, i paddled into it, and it broke right over me with intense power. Lost in a world of whitewater and confusion, i surfaced to find that my beautiful board had been split in TWO! Yep, i cracked it right in half. Gnarly. Photos to follow later on.

2- Upon arrival at Newcastle Airport, I was greeted by a driver in a suit holding a sign that read "stevenson". He was a nice bloke, and we talked australian bands all the way to the school.

3- I spent several hours in the pool yesterday, which is a stone's throw from my basement room.

Now, here are a few extra photos that haven't been published yet. Check back soon for the latest and greatest of the recent past.

Falling out of the sky

2006-02-13T18:08:00.000+11:00

Announcement: I'm a member of the Australian Parachute Association. Yep, this morning i launched myself out of a plane, six thousand feet above the ground.

However, i'm in a library, and the computer's about to shut down, so there will be more to come soon, PLUS pictures.

I'm flying to Newcastle tomorrow to start school, so tune in for more frequent blogging, with all the bells and whistles.

NOTE: I changed the settings: ANYONE can now post a comment without signing up. So comment away, i love getting them.

Byron

2006-02-04T19:12:00.000+11:00

Currently in byron bay, we've been here a couple days. This might be my favorite place yet. Our campsite backs onto the beach, which stretches as far as I can see. There are weird looking turkeys flapping around, and giant lizards running all over the place. At night, the hippies play their drums on the grass near the beach, and the whole town is packed with people walking the streets.
We met up with our friend Richard last night, who we hadn't seen in 5 years, and we had a good night out. Our next plan is to hit surfer's paradise on the way to Brisbane, where we'll drop off the van, and make our way up to Meroochidore, where Richard lives.
This place is amazing. And I'm a lucky fella to be here. It may sound crazy, but sometimes it's so hot, that I wish it were snowing. I hope to get some more photos up in the next few days, as i'll have more time on the internet.

Bondi - Beach of the Beautiful

2006-01-29T15:29:00.000+11:00

OK, it's been awhile since the last update. But life's been busy, and the travelling's been grand. Mark arrived on friday, and we've been all over the city this weekend. Manly beach via ferry yesterday, and finishing with beers and wedges. Then today we're at bondi beach. The weather has been consitently hot and sunny. Just right. We're heading out tomorrow in a campervan:

for now, here's a few photos from the weeks past:

city on the yarra river

2006-01-25T12:38:00.000+11:00

Here are some shots of melbourne. I've been checking out some cool art museums. They're a great place to experience some air conditioning, and a little culture on the side.

photo time

2006-01-20T16:49:00.000+11:00

these are from my first week in sydney. i'll catch you up on the melbourne photos soon.

Melbourne

2006-01-19T12:50:00.000+11:00

i find myself in the most southern part of the globe. Melbourne is a nice looking city, with neato architecture and pretty slick museums. last night mark and louisa took me to a cool 'night market' where we sampled the food, and tried on straw hats. i may stop by the australian open to pick up a few tips for my tennis game. currently i'm in an internet cafe, typing on greasy keyboard. i get the feeling the guy before me was eating a bowl of wedges. speaking of wedges, here they are served with sour cream and chili sauce. it's a real tasty treat.
anyhow, more photos soon to come. for now, i'm going to book myself a tour of the great ocean road.

the tourist

2006-01-16T12:27:00.000+11:00

so, i've been in sydney for a few days now. here are some photo highlights:

McKangaroo Burgers

2006-01-15T23:30:00.000+11:00

To my dismay, they don't exist. And I still haven't seen one hopping around. But one of these days it'll happen, and i'll have my camera on hand to capture a kodak moment.
You wouldn't believe it. This place is sensational. The weather's great, and the views are breathtaking. seriously, at the first beach we went to i almost passed out....... well, not quite, but everything looks pretty dang nice.
Just to start things off, here's a quick shot i snapped while on my long trek through the airports of north america.

and..... leave a comment, why don't you?