Sunny Sunday

I obviously did not take this picture, but essentially this is
from the competition's website and is what we watched them do all
day. I still don't understand how they end these tricks just
calmly riding the rest of the wave.

Today was yet another beautiful, cloudless, high 80s day and it turned out to be the perfect weather for our plans for the day.  We packed lunches and walked along the coast from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach for the second time and then spent the day at Bondi watching the SurfSho aerial surfing competition.  We didn't really know what was going on most of the time because we didn't understand surfing, but they were all so good!  There were TONS of people on the beach (sorry, I guess here that would be written TONNES..) which was a little annoying especially when everyone seemed to be swimming at the same time.  The jet-skis had to keep herding the swimmers away from the surfers because the current always brought us all towards the area with the best waves where the surfers were.  The winner of the competition got $25,000 but I don't know if that's a lot or not for a surf competition...Either way, after today, I'm even more excited to start my surf lessons!

Me and my housemate, Mona, playing the slots 

Aside from the competition, it was mostly just another lazy Sunday on the beach and the rest was definitely needed since we had travelled into Darling Harbor and then to the casino in the city the night before and got home really late. At the casino I lost all of the $5 that I played in the slots, but the guys all played blackjack and came out ahead.  We all got the free memberships to the casino because you get free soft drinks and the chance to win $4,000, so we now all have cards with our names on them and when I put mine into the slot machine it says "Welcome Carly!"  It was incredible to see people throwing down so much money and losing it all within minutes...I finally saw an Australian $100 bill because of this!

After leaving the beach and having a small dinner I went south by bus to Maroubra Junction where I attended the student/faculty contemporary church service at Maroubra Junction Uniting Church.  I've been talking to the pastor via email for the past few months and a week ago finally met up with him for coffee and then today got around to getting down to the church.  It was a really great atmosphere; most everyone was barefoot in the pews and the pastor is an incredible speaker.  In such a casual atmosphere it was pretty easy to introduce myself around and everyone was quick to make me feel comfortable.  One of the girls who leads the praise-band even offered to lend me her extra guitar while I'm here so I can keep playing.  After the service they had a supper which was oddly tea-party themed and was more just finger food, but I was introduced to an Australian childhood favorite called "Fairy Bread" which is just bread spread with butter and then covered in sprinkles. It was definitely interesting.

Fairy bread! It has no taste, but it definitely looks cool.
They told me that it's a staple at all kid's parties here.