Summer Vacation!

I've been out of College for almost nearly a month now.

I'm going to study in Oxford for the second half of the summer.

I finish my last exam on the 20th June. Then I've got a summer of work lined up. I need as much money as possible for univeristy, where I'll be studying economics. I probably won't have much of a social life during this period though as I'm working.

Off to Italy and France for two months. Going to be visiting my family whom I haven't seen for a while in Sicily, Rome, Milano, Florence, etc. Also will be visiting Paris, Nice, and Monaco.

Should be fun.

-Dan

I've been done for 6 weeks...I bummed around for a month, then was in Israel for 10 days, and am now working.

I have been out since like the 20th of may, It feels like Im working 24/7, but it shoudl pay off when I get my iBook :D

It isn't a lot of time I spend working, but this has been my schedule
9:00-10:30 - Wash dishes at the diner
10:30 - Go Home
12:00-1:30 - Go back and wash dishes at the diner
3:30-4:15 - Paper Route
6:00ish-9:00 - Go back and wash dishes and mop floors at the diner
9:00-11:00 - Try to get something done at home
12:00-8:30 - Sleep

Originally posted by Doug Gilmour
Off to Italy and France for two months. Going to be visiting my family whom I haven't seen for a while in Sicily, Rome, Milano, Florence, etc. Also will be visiting Paris, Nice, and Monaco.

Should be fun.

-Dan

Ahh, parla italiano?

I have a small place on Capri (beautiful island paradise about 1 hour south of Napoli by boat for those who don't know), my wife and I are Italian, we love it there.

Where I live it's always summer break, been thinking of taking a road trip up to San Francisco and Yosemite for some climbing, camping and mountainbiking.

And lots of BBQ's.

Damn you the rest of the world!

I have the rest of the month worth of exams, a two week break, then into another 13 week semester.

But enjoy your mid-year break everybody (notice how I'm not being stringent with a rule of thumb calling it summer? ;)).

Oh, I forgot, I'll be visiting my parents who live in New Zealand, but in late September when it's starting to warm up a bit.

Originally posted by Z10N
Ahh, parla italiano?

I have a small place on Capri (beautiful island paradise about 1 hour south of Napoli by boat for those who don't know), my wife and I are Italian, we love it there.

Si, io parlo italiano.

I know someone from the Capri area, that's along the D'Amalfi coast is it not? I'd like to visit that area, but would prefer to stay away from the inner-city of Napoli..

-Dan

Originally posted by Doug Gilmour
Si, io parlo italiano.

I know someone from the Capri area, that's along the D'Amalfi coast is it not? I'd like to visit that area, but would prefer to stay away from the inner-city of Napoli..

-Dan

Here's a map, they're pretty close. Yea, don't go to downtown Napoli if you can avoid it, it's not a pretty sight and a bit scary; however, Napoli and surrounding areas such as Capri does have the best food in Italia. If you get a chance to check out Siena (short drive or train from Firenze), it's a great little town, I've seen the Palio there, one of the coolest events I've ever witnessed, and IMHO Siena has the second best Duomo in Italia (my favorite is a Milano). Anyway have a good time, manga molto del gelato!

Sounds good.

Just curious, how did you come to speak the language?

Both my dad's parents were from Italia (Napoli & Taormina), so I had a bit of exposure growing up. I then studied La Lingua at Stanford (one of two majors), then studied a bit more while getting my Masters in Painting and Photography at Yale. I'm a bit rusty and get it confused with some of the other languages that I speak, jolly good times though.

Here's a shot of the Duomo a Siena for our last trip there (October 2004).

And the Amalfi coast.

Originally posted by Z10N
O heck yea! Always been a fan of Milan and Juventus, I like Lazio as well. I actually played for the US Nation teams for about 10 years, then I had to quit after college due to a horrible injury (bilateral compound tib-fib fractures as a U-15), I wasn't able to clear the physical despite being in phenominal condition, so I was on Alternate status up untill about 1999. Now I compete in Cycling and Triathlon which I love and aren't weight-bearing contact sports. My club team went to the Dallas Cup several times, in 95 we played the AC Milan farm team in the Semi's. We lost (2-1 I believe) but three of us were recruited by their scouts, myself included. They then lost to the Sao Paolo team in the final, all in all a great experience. I couldn't believe their upset to Liverpool in this year's Champion's League, I give respect to the "Red's" for coming back from the 0-3 deficit, but to loose it on lackluster PK's, that's a hard way to go.

Wrong thread :p I'm sure that Dan will refer you to the "best thread in the Lounge"

I'm jealous of you people that get to visit Italy. I've always had something for Milan...

Dang, a lot of interesting stories. Sorry to you Australians... My mom was actually an exchange student in Italy for a year or two. She isn't fluent but she can understand it well enough.

~Dan

Thanks. ;)

I'm going to visit Fidel.

the closest ill ever get to monaco is watching the f1 race on tv or playing gran turismo on the ps2. what i wouldnt give to have a condo right nest to the casino. drooooooolllllll......

still not 100% sure...

i know i'll be working.

I have a second interview thrusday for my 'real' job. If i get an offer, then i'll be in summer school finishing up my last class to get my degree.

If I dont get the offer, then hmmmmmm bumming it all summer, finishing up my last class anyways or... waiting til fall quarter to finish up and take some extra classes that i want to take.

well I've been done with classes for a month, but I do plan on taking the iPod with me as I help chaperone my church's youth group trip next week.

this is my first post here, by the way. I love iPL and have frequented it forever, and I'm excited to finally be part of the (new) forum.

:( I just finished my last full school day today and my exam week is next week. In august my family and I are going to go to Japan, then China and Mongolia over a course of 3 weeks. I can't wait to go to China. I've always wanted to get one of those electric tennis racket bug hitting thingys I've heard so much about.

had State Cup for soccer
went to D.C. for National History Day finished 4th place in the nation sigh no cash

goin to a couple soccer camps

goin to USA Cup in minnesota

not that great of a summer compared to others but next year goin to europe

I'm going back to my home in Germany! Can't wait for that! It's the house I grew up in.

So if I come back and start speaking jibberish in German, you'll know why! ;)

I'm gonna go hang out in California for a week.

Mmmm...In N out. :D

Can't wait for my vacation to begin...i will be going back to the US to see my family after not having been for 5 years !! :) I will be traveling in Europe a little before, to Belgium and France.

My surfing trip to Hawaii is only about 3 weeks away, I'll be going shark diving and I can't wait to ride some REALLY BIG waves!

Originally posted by Verita'
My surfing trip to Hawaii is only about 3 weeks away, I'll be going shark diving and I can't wait to ride some REALLY BIG waves!

What surfboard(s) do you own ?

Originally posted by Verita'
I ride Malibu's (hip surfer speak for "Longboard"). Specificly a Takayama Classic Noserider and a Takayama DT-3. I'll probably buy a third board in Hawaii, either a "Gun" or another Malibu.

Anybody can surf with a longboard, they are the size of small boats...Why not get a proper surfboard (6'4 at the longest) and surf on that.

Originally posted by Verita'
Mmmm, no. Shortboards are for noobs, unless you're competing you'll get laughed at on a "Thruster," especially surfing where I do, a Shortboard just won't cut it. You have to match the board to the type of waves, anyone can ride a Longboard in 1' waves, not everyone can ride a Malibu in 5'-10' waves. Surfing a Shortboard in most parts of Hawaii will get you killed (if not by the wave, then by the locals).

Also remember your typical surfer isn't a DBK amputee. ;)

Well this is where Uk and US opinions differ then. A longboarder here would be considered less skillful for riding a much bigger board. I know several people who surf daily in 4' - 8' waves (one of them being my boss) and the biggest board any of them uses is 6'4. They will longboard aswell, but only in maybe 2' waves or weak sets.

PS. Everybody in the world knows by now that you have had something chopped off, do you really need to mention it in every post you make...:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Verita'
there's just no may I could ride a Shortboard, let alone have any fun. I'd need fins just to catch a wave, then try surfing a Shortboard in 13" stilettos, then there's the fact that you can't ride the nose and there's basicly only one riding position.

What are you even talking about here....Of course shortboards have fins.
Are you telling me you are secretly a drag queen or that you can't afford surf boots ?

UK waters are like San Francisco waters, cold, mid-high waves, and tend to be more choppy... Shortboards excell in this environment. It has nothing to do with skill level,

It has everything to do with skill. Which is why i said that UK surfers predominantly ride shortbaords.

Originally posted by Verita'

It's not the board the determines the skill of the surfer, it's the wave. ;)

Yup! It's the quality of the pitch the footballer plays on and his boots that make his skills! Nope, practice doesn't matter at all.

Anyone can be a world-class surfer is he catches the right wave! :D

Hawaii sounds cool, Interpol. Have fun :D

Originally posted by Verita'

"The wave makes the surfer" means that only an expert surfer can ride certain waves, but an expert can and will use any board he or she pleases. Having this board or that board doesn't make a great surfer, but being able to ride this wave or that wave does make a great surfer.


Dude, you said "It's not the board the determines the skill of the surfer, it's the wave." and not "The wave makes the surfer." :rolleyes:

*must shut up

Anyway, I don't know what season you'd call it here but I'm going over to either Australia or Hong Kong for a week in September. I'm leaning towards Australia because of the beaches but I'd like to pick up a significantly cheaper PSP in Hong Kong...

Originally posted by Kristiano
Dude, you said "It's not the board the determines the skill of the surfer, it's the wave." and not "The wave makes the surfer." :rolleyes:

*must shut up

Anyway, I don't know what season you'd call it here but I'm going over to either Australia or Hong Kong for a week in September. I'm leaning towards Australia because of the beaches but I'd like to pick up a significantly cheaper PSP in Hong Kong...

You aren't a surfer, neither is iMacc, perhaps you two might consider not arguing purely for the sake of arguing with someone who isn't a Pro, but is an established expert surfer with many Semi-Pro and Pro friends in the sport. This ranks right up there with when you start arguing with me about Photography or Artistry; do you see me arguing with you about the ins and outs of publishing a magazine? NO! Try harder, much harder, to exercise better judgement.

That's cool Mel. I see sharks all the time, they're not much to worry about unless you see the big ones. I'd be scarred to bodyboard in Australia, at least with a longboard you have a huge 9"-12" surfboard to fend of any critters who might want to have a taste. I've climbed, done triathlons and mountbiked in Australia, I'll have to try surfing and diving there. I'll be in New Zealand later this year, can't wait to see "Middle Earth." :)

Oh, baggs is done for, I won't ever interact with him again. He still tries to reply to my posts thinking he can bait me into another flame-fest, but it's all in vain since I don't even read them. It's great now, seems almost as if he doesn't exist. I give more latitude to Kristi because he's going through the "I'm a teenager and I know everything" phase.

Do you see Dolphins at the beach? We have dolphins galore here (always a good sign for swimmers and surfers). They breach about 50-100 feet of the shore, you can just swim out and grab on for a ride, or if you have a mask and snorkle you can watch them play around underwater. Personally I'd be more afraid of a whale than a shark (excluding a large Great White or Tiger) due to their huge size.

You body surf too Adam. Great. I wonder if it's an Aussie thing. Where do you go surfing? Anyone else care to comment on whether they body surf outside of OZ.

I just remember my dad dragging me & my brother out at Surfers since I was about 5 or 6 and it was like dumped "Get up you're not hurt" .. sand in mouth "Get up you're not hurt" until I got it. Then you couldn't get me out. No wonder I turned into a tomboy for while + I had the best suntan at school !! We used to jetty jump too. My mum didn't know about that because legend was there was a huge groper that lived under the jetty. I never saw it but others said they did.

Anyway, by 15 I was at that who wants to go to the beach with their parents stage & my brother had a board. I was sitting as far away from my parents as I could get .. watching my brother. We were at Bribie so he wasn't that far out .. and I see this fin, definitely a shark fin as it glided straight across the surface. I screamed to my mother who ran down the beach screaming "get out" and he was going "what what" and then he turned around he yelled "shark" and you saw about 20 odd people scramble to the sand. I think my Dad missed the whole thing (checking out the local talent :p ). It was quite scary. Hence this is the reason I went off surfing really quickly. I don't think I've been past about thigh height since.

But as Surfers is netted I might be tempted to get back in again one day now you have reminded me of how great it is.

Verita' we don't usually see Dolphins much. Well not as far out as I get anyway. One did come close to shore on a really flat day but over on the Islands they have feedings etc and lots of dolphins come in.

Originally posted by melsmusic

But as Surfers is netted I might be tempted to get back in again one day now you have reminded me of how great it is.

Verita' we don't usually see Dolphins much. Well not as far out as I get anyway. One did come close to shore on a really flat day but over on the Islands they have feedings etc and lots of dolphins come in.

i think they're getting rid of the nets there because they're killing whales instead, and they don't apparently actually work as well as assumed. you can always try currumbin, which is a bit further down from broadwater - it's always full of surfers, and i suppose it's safety in numbers :D

and aren't there dolphins out towards stradbroke, or moreton??

i know that WA has some good dolphin areas - monkey mia if you want to walk up and touch thme, but in rockingham you can go swim with them out in the sea (that was great fun!!) - well we were being pulled along by these funny underwater scooter things with them all around us.

I would have freaked at the shark. I am so scared of them.

...just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...

...Bob surfaced..

I find that snorkelling is way too limited, and even scuba (I am, really, genuinely, a BSAC Second Class Diver) doesn't allow you to see fish in their real environment, which encompasses water deeper than you can safely dive.

Wait for it....

Therefore I'd strongly recommend using your own midget submarine. Mine's gold plated and I bought it for a song, because my wife (whose eyes are red if you shine a high intensity laser into the cornea) was Jacques Cousteau's proctologist..... But I don't expect you small-minded twits to understand....

The Japanese do that sorta stuff. There was this Japanese tourist here in victoria with one of those sagway scooters. It was really funny.

Ah that's all very well while munching Bucks with the Stars at Starbucks, but if it's your own gigantic aquarium (mine is a 1/10 scale replica of the Red Sea) then you still need the midget submarine. I was showing my good buddy Keannu the half scale reef the other day, and ........

Why is it that it is always insecure nonentities who make pompous remarks about "Great spirits" and how do they do so without any apparent irony? And why do they assume that anyone who criticises them is a "mediocre mind"? - Some spurious philosopher

Originally posted by Jackonicko

Therefore I'd strongly recommend using your own midget submarine. Mine's gold plated and I bought it for a song, because my wife (whose eyes are red if you shine a high intensity laser into the cornea) was Jacques Cousteau's proctologist..... But I don't expect you small-minded twits to understand....

AHAHA.

I never really liked anything to do with water, after from swimming, after a bad experience in a banana boat...

Originally posted by melsmusic
You body surf too Adam. Great. I wonder if it's an Aussie thing. Where do you go surfing? Anyone else care to comment on whether they body surf outside of OZ.

I just go the local beaches, Bondi and Coogee.

But once a year or so our family goes up to Noosa or Gold Coast.

As for the rest of the world doing it...I must say that after being to the Croatian coast, Santa Cruz in California and Hawaii - I have not seen one other person doing it.

But at a place like Bondi the body-surfers almost outnumber the board's.

I could only talk about Devon and Cornwall. But they are "not a Mecca for serious surfers..."

No I never used flippers. They would have come off in the rough surf anyway. Well the ones I had as a kid would have. They might sell more firm fitting ones now.

I did get a boogie board but I preferred it without it. You needed the boogie board when the surf was flat. In really good surf I preferred just to body surf.

I did find treading water waiting for a wave a bit tiresome at times. That's why the boogie board was better when it was flat I suppose. It's easier if you have something to sit or lean on :D

All this talking about surfing is making me want to get back in the surf ... :( but I'm not sure if I could stand getting dumped anymore. Those dumper waves used to be a real worry sometimes.

Originally posted by melsmusic
All this talking about surfing is making me want to get back in the surf ... :( but I'm not sure if I could stand getting dumped anymore. Those dumper waves used to be a real worry sometimes.

I got dumped by a huge wave, clung to my board and was pulled out to sea on a beach in Queensland when I was about 13 ...

It was scary, and I remember waking up in a sweat in the middle of the night because of it.

Dumpers are really nasty.

Originally posted by Verita'
My BFP is at 3.1%, so I just sink without a surf or bodyboard, then I freeze without al least a springsuit.

Doesn't your dangerously large ego stop you from sinking ?

Then he'd be washed out to sea with the rip tide. Anyways I do surf. Long beach all the way. Its on the west side of Vancouver Island and the water is freezing. Much colder then Austalia's water well maybe not the south. The best time to surf is in the winter because that when the best waves are.

Originally posted by Macromedia
Anyways I do surf. Long beach all the way. Its on the west side of Vancouver Island and the water is freezing. Much colder then Austalia's water well maybe not the south. The best time to surf is in the winter because that when the best waves are.

Good G-d man, I feel your pain. I used to live in Seattle, I've surfed in the Straits of Juan de Fuca so I know how damn cold the water is up there. Hopre you've got a nice thick coldsuit.

Holy cow !!

You guys get in the water when it's snowing :eek:

Originally posted by melsmusic
Holy cow !!

You guys get in the water when it's snowing :eek:

Heck yeah, well I used to. I love going to the ocean when it's raining or snowing. It doesn't really snow down here, but lately I've been going out to my beach in the morning for a little surfing when it's nice and foggy and the marine layer is in, I love it!

Most surfers, even us hardcore guys wear at least a surf shirt (very thin wetsuit top), I useually go out in a 2mm longsleeve springsuit unless it's 90F+.

When I lived in Seattle my mates and I would go up to the mountains and go bodyboarding (with board) down rapids. It was glacier water at about 35-40F, now that's cold. We'd all have minor hypothermia by the end of the run, then we'd warm up on these huge sunsoaked rocks, top of the day with some bouldering, then go home... good times.

This forum really works well if people just move on from the past.

No joke.

And back on topic you won't catch me in the water during winter. Under 20 degrees (celcius) and it starts to get nasty :p And I have never used fins or floating devices or whatever, just seems like you'd be cheating. Or something.

I'll pass on the sharks comment though ;)

Yeah Verita' I have eaten shark. It's quite nice. Seems unfair I don't mind when I'm doing the eating :(