Vegimite Vacation Part 2
Words, photos and digicam by Zach Malfa-Kowalski
Bryce, kickflip
This kickflip was probably the first thing I shot upon arrival to Melbourne. We spent the day getting a spaced out tour around the city while I recovered from some weird jetlag and lugged my wheel-less camera bag around. In the end Bryce decided to shoot this kickflip, something he'd already filmed, to satisfy the needs of a hungry photographer.
Nick Boserio, bs 180/Juan Onekawa, fs 180
What I liked most was mobbing around the city with a big crew on a nice day. Skitch on trams, bomb hills, sprackin’ good times all day long. We ended up at this wheelchair ramp, last spot of the day. The hardest part here that you can't see the blind bumps you have to roll over in order pop over this thing. No biggie for these guys. The crew kept mobbing on.
Bryce, bs smith
What I came to thoroughly enjoy was the giant assortment of concrete parks littering Melbourne. Growing up on the east coast, with barely a shred of ‘crete, anything would suffice. This particular park was laid out in "bogen country." A bogen could be compared to a redneck in America. This means there were plenty of shitty bmx bikes, little kids doing scooter back flips and fools shredding by on dirt bikes, not to mention plenty of broken glass. The broken glass gave me stigmatic Jesus paws so I took to shooting this sequence instead.
How long have you lived in Melbourne?
My whole life, born and bred. And loving it.
How does it compare to the other major cities in Australia?
Melbourne is real mellow, and where all the homies live (them bloody pooners). Sydney is real crazy, everyone is nuts up there, but it’s fun to visit. The cities are very different from each other, but both sick.
Typical day-in-the-life in Melbs?
Meet up with the pooners at city park, skate around there for a few hours and chill on the back wall, then drop past Fastimes skate shop to talk shit before getting stunned up liberally. Then think about somewhere to skate. More likely have nowhere, some will go skate gutters (curbs) and that’s pretty much it. Then maybe go to a bar for a drink, maybe even got some free beers somewhere.
Thanks for lending me your camera that one time. New to photography?
Haha, anytime Zach! Um yeah, I guess I am. I’ve always had a digi cam and taken photos, blogs and all that lame shit. A few months back I got a proper digital SLR camera and have just been playing around with that, its pretty cool. Sometimes I shoot skating but I don’t like it ‘cause I just want to skate.
Do you travel around much within aus?
I have been lately. Went to Perth for the first time two weeks ago, stayed with my friends over there, skating around. Then went from there to Sydney to tag along on "Dane's birthday bus trip" (thanks Dane) where we drove down to Melbourne via Canberra in a old double-decker bus, which was really sick- skating all night, picking up old ex-con hitchhikers...
What's it like being sponsored by American companies but continuing to live in Aus?
Pretty good really. Living in Australia makes you a little more exotic and you don’t have to worry about flipping out of every park rail like a million American kids. And you don’t have to sit in the 405 traffic your whole life.
Do you make it out to American often? Where have you been that's most like Melbourne?
Yeah, I’ve been super lucky and have been to America three times. I spent most of my time in Califomia and New York. Also went to Philadelphia, which would be most like Melbourne. They were almost set out the same.
Any plans of coming back to the States?
Pretty soon I’ll come out for a good three months, and try to film some shit for the new Habitat video.
Would you ever move out of Australia?
Yeah maybe, but never for very long- I’m sure I’d always want to come back to Oz.
Any plans of coming back to the States?
Pretty soon I’ll come out for a good three months, and try to film some shit for the new Habitat video.
Does your mom miss me?
I’m sure she misses your morning chats.
Ask her if she wants a step-son. I'm coming back!
You bloody better come back soon! There’s always room for the homies.
Juan Onekawa, fs 50/50
Classic tall guy style, Juan gets down on some tall sketchy stuff. Observe the large 50/50 to bomb into the lower level of the garage.
Bryce, KF nosepick
We took the train out to the suburbs of Diamond Creek one afternoon and were guided to these interesting drains under some train tracks. Being an extremely hot day, we lucked out with an awesome place to skate in the shade all afternoon. The transitions were odd, somewhat lumpy really. Bryce didn't seem to have much trouble getting things going and got a few things this session.
Digi-cam bro clips(!) Part 2
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TO BE CONTINUED
Come back tomorrow for the third and final part
Come on back, mate!
