• Menu
  • Menu
30 travel adventuers before 30 blog backpacker birthday

Latest

To the land down under…

To the land down under…

October 15, 2009

Ok so iv just had a right old chuckle to myself- i’m on the final leg of
my flight to oz and our pilot for today is Gordon Ramsey.
Done.
Lmao!
I’ll start from the beginning!

Living the dream 🙌 • The divemaster and instructors @bluemarlindivegilit have certainly scored themselves an pretty epic job - kicking back on an island paradise and spending all day in the big blue! • Check out @rtwbackpackers for a whole host of Divemaster courses all over the world - including joining the Blue Marlin crew on Gili T! •
A stones throw from the ocean 🐠 • As well as diving on Gili T with the crew of @bluemarlindivegilit I spent the week relaxing at their epic in-house resort which was epic • Awesome food, secluded swimming pool, cranking A/C and just a short walk from everything you need on Gili T - it was the ideal spot to unwind and treat myself! • Hit the link in my bio for the full review •
Is scuba diving on your bucket list? • I headed back to Gili T again with the crew of @bluemarlindivegilit and the plan was to get in amongst the big blue for some scuba diving. • Unfortunately though I couldn't dive, so I sent along the ever trusty @abroadonaboard instead to check out some of the awesome dive sites this island has to offer! • Hit the link in my bio (BackpackerBanter.com) to check out the full post to see how she got on! •
How epic is this in water angle?! 😱 • I was stoked to team up with @onebreath.images on this surf trip for some in water shooting and I love this shot! • Heading down the line at Ebays, with the palm trees in the background 🌴 • Just a shame it wasn’t sunny that day! • This was certainly a challenging wave to ride, but the rewards were epic if you scored the right wave selection, in fact this is where I nabbed my first tube ride of the trip...soooooooo stoked! • Until next time Mentawais...you’ve been amazing and I’m already planning my return 🙌
Should you upgrade to the Gopro Hero 8? 🤔 • I've spent the last few weeks putting this beast to the test and as always you can find a full review on the site • Just hit the link in my bio to find it • Covering everything that's new to the all important "should you upgrade" question - it should help you make an informed decision! • Looking forward to shooting heaps more amazing footage with this thing! •
Sometimes life doesn't always go to plan! 🤣 • As well as scoring some of the best waves of my life in the Ments I also got some of the most hectic beatdowns I've experienced for a while too! • Totally worth the trade off though! 😁 • One of the things I get asked a lot about the Mentawais is if it's suitable for beginners and the simple answer is no, it's not. • Sharp, shallow reefs and for the most part fast waves - the breaks here are best suited to those who have a solid amount of experience in the ocean • ...and even then a lot of people will pay the price in skin! • Yes, there are some of the most perfect waves in the world here - but you'll only get the most out of them if your skill level is high enough. • Because you don't just pose a danger to yourself, its other people too • Get plenty of experience (especially surfing reef breaks) at more forgiving spots and then book your dream trip - trust me it's worth the wait and you'll be thankful you can make the most of them 🤙 • Thanks for the 📷 @renatalopezb
Twinny time! 🙌 • Along side testing out some other setups in the Ments I decided to give the @palmbaybali Zephyr twin fin setup a blast on my 5’11 • Now it’s designed as a quad setup so in theory this should’ve been a total fail...but honestly I was massively surprised how much fun it was! • It loosened up the turns a bit and gave it a much more skatey feel - even in head high waves it was a joy to ride! • In fact I like it so much I think I’m going to keep that as my sole setup for the 5’11 and keep the 5’5 as a quad! • I’ve never surfed a twin fin before but it just goes to show - taking the time to experiment a little bit can really open up your surfing. • So whether it’s board size, shape or fin setup set aside a few sessions to play around and how knows, you might find something amazing! •
Mentawais perfection 🌊 • Honestly there not much I can really say about this shot - but who wishes that was them right now?! •
I think this is my new favourite photo of me surfing! 🎉 • Sure it’s not the biggest wave I’ve ever surfed but the spray, the turn and THAT backdrop get me stoked for more waves every time I look at it! • What’s the favourite shot you have of yourself from your travels? • Thanks for the epic pics @renatalopezb •