There have been three perfect moments in my life; watching Paul Osborne's around-the-corner offload to Dave Furner during the 1994 grand final, seeing my girlfriend for the first time, and soaring above the unreal azure waters of Interlaken. But they say the darkest night is before the dawn, and that was certainly the case during … Continue reading Interlaken: A paraglider’s paradise
Our time in Annecy flowed along like water down the majestic Thiou River. Hamster and I flew our paragliders over the Alps all day and drank all night with Marque, Gaz and the other legends, soaking in their knowledge of the sport and the surrounds. Our skills and confidence improved as we pushed our limits … Continue reading The Rise and Fall of Ricardo Q. Hamster, Esq.
"Put your clothes on and get the fuck out of my house! And please remove my turnip strainer from your anus!" Just another day in the home on paragliding, Annecy, France. I opened my eyes to see a very bashful, very naked Hamster hurriedly throwing his clothes into his bag. His arms and legs were … Continue reading The Tour of Annecy
Wild horses couldn't have dragged me away from Brazil's welcoming bosom, but there was one thing that could lure me away - the promise of a few weeks of sublime paragliding above the Alps with Hamster. So I packed my G-string away, skolled my last bottle of Brahma, and hopped on a plane to France. … Continue reading Anarchy in Annecy
Ask most people about Manilla and they'll mention streets overflowing with sewage, drug-crazed violence and X-rated ping pong shows. But that's the Filipino version, and when you mention the name to a paragliding pilot, they're more likely to talk about epic thermals, heart-stopping collapses and vast distances covered while strapped to a glorified Coles shopping … Continue reading Miles High in Manilla
With a sunny name like Bright, it's obvious that this tiny Victorian village is a pretty happy place. And why wouldn't it be? It's a Mecca for cyclists, hikers, skiiers and paragliders from around the world. I can barely keep a bike upright, walking uphill makes my legs hurt, and snow makes my pee-pee shrink, … Continue reading Bright ‘n’ Beautiful!
Byron Bay was once the land of hippies and burnouts, but these days it's better known for multi-million-dollar properties and overpriced drinks. Despite this drastic change it remains a beautiful place, and the gang and I thought it would be the perfect place to party after a week spent in sleepy ol' Rainbow, where everything closes … Continue reading Byron Bay Blues
After being amazed by the Sunshine Coast's plethora of giant roadside attractions, it was always going to be a big ask for Rainbow Beach to wow me. Really, what's the point of looking for wonderment when you've already been spoiled by a pelican the size of a VW Beetle? Rainbow Beach was more than up … Continue reading Somewhere Over The Rainbow
After a month spent fending off sleet and snow in the depths of Siberia, I was paler than Beetlejuice's arsehole and in desperate need of some Vitamin D, so I headed to the Sunshine Coast for a paragliding trip with my mates. As soon as I stepped off the plane at Maroochydore, I was met by … Continue reading Big in Queensland
The three weeks I've spent in Candidasa have been more fun that a barrel full of greased-up monkeys. Apart from the 25 hours spent cruising the clear, blue skies of Bali, my days and nights have been filled with heavy drinking, good eating, frantic dancing, mesmerising snorkelling, brutal violence and even a touch of romance … Continue reading An Intimate Close Up of a Street Punk in Candidasa
The Drunk and Jobless World Tour 