Entries this day: Departure bondi_beach

Departure

7:11am EST Sunday 5 April 2009 (day 14256)

Helped Jax pack up her tent. It had a rain cover with a front porch. I took time to carefully tie up all the ropes so they'd be available and untangled next time the tent was unfolded.

9:29am EST Sunday 5 April 2009 (day 14256)

Headin' out. Happy that Simon had to work, so Jax got to come with David and I.

bondi beach

6:26pm EST Sunday 5 April 2009 (day 14256)

Chilled with Jax a bit at her apartment and took a shower, ate half a cantaloupe each, and then she was like, "Sorry to flake on you, but I'm gonna take a nap."

As I was debating just takin' a nap or going straight to the airport, she was like, "you can go to the beach; it's just down the street," I was like "yah yah beach;" I sorta didn't want to go outside; seeing a lot of people just seemed like too much craziness for my still semi-spaced-out brain. but decided it couldn't hurt to go check it out. Perfect weather, and just a short 2 blocks away.

To sweeten the deal, I inquired about food. "Is there any place where I can get a good vegetarian sandwich?" There was, so I left Jax and went and enjoyed chewing the crispy bread, sauteed mushrooms plus risotto cheese and spinach, while a little baby girl with blue eyes gnawed on bits of bread from her mom's sandwich and then a stalk of celery while gazing happily at me. Her parents were like, "so you got a new boyfriend, eh?" and after a bit, while the mom went out to do a bit more shopping, leaving dad to keep the celery under control, I pulled out Uncle Cow which the girl enjoyed petting a little. Mom came back all, "where'd you get the cow?" and I said it was an engagement offering. Laughter and celery gnawing ensued until they headed out.

I then walked 2 minutes to Bondi Beach, a veritable paradise of lovely water, waves, surfers, sand, seagulls, a skatepark, plus a hotel with a pool into which ocean water frequently frolicks.

I wandered along the beach, enjoying the water and watching surfers enjoy the waves. Interestingly, just during the hour I was there, the waves progressively reached higher toward sunbathers (launching them from their previously dry positions) and enthusiastically protected sandcastles (launching new wall building campaigns).

As I headed back, I realized Jax forgot to tell me "be sure to check out the skate park;" fortunately I noticed a skater doing some tricks nearby and was led to the Bondi Skatepark. "come over and SK8 my brains out!" was part of the phrase painted on the small blue pool with a circular deep end and a cute shallow end, several people around the rails watching a few skatin' guys and one little 8 year old girl who got air going from the deep end up into the shallow end.

      Video goes here.

I took a bit of video which I'll splice together and post soon (?)

In just those few hours at Bondi Beach, and yammerin' with Jax, I realized how much I miss that type of play. So good hang wif Jax and get a sense of what life can be like, instead of me suffering along in my small apartment and small to non-existent paycheck... not sure wtf I'm doing in Tokyo anymore; it's time to roll out.