Would You Like Fries With That?

Fly in and straight to dance class with Brady Stevens, followed by dinner in Carlton. Wake up the next morning and visit the historic Victoria Markets, race off to a lyra flow with Aerial Canvas, then catch an Uber to tricks and dance with Miss Filly and a night out in the Melbourne CBD. A little bit dusty and it’s off to an escape room, then our group photoshoot with All The Feels. Next morning and it’s back to Fillys for a solo photoshoot with Saturated Images, and then into town for cocktails and The Cursed Child at Princess Theatre. Finish the trip with a walk to Hosier Lane and a tram out to Richmond for a new tattoo.

Cross town from my workplace in Manly to join the girls in Camperdown for tricks and dance class with Chloe of Sydney Pole followed by a burlesque class with Cleo and a somewhat exhausted feed in Darlinghurst. Brunch the following morning in Bondi and a visit to the iconic Bondi Beach pole before dashing into town to dance both lyrical and hardstyle with Billie at the legendary Bobbi’s Pole Studio refuelling at a Mongolian restaurant. Downing a red bull that in those days was still giving me wings and off to a workshop on the Metal Aerialist’s pentagram before catching a ferry to Luna Park and drinks in Kings Cross. Up the next morning to check out the Aquarium before heading back to Bobbi’s to dance with Azra and then head to an Egyptian exhibit at the Museum. The next day was with the enigmatic Chilli Rox to dance an old school showgirl routine before getting slinky with Lola Grace and finishing the evening with Gatsby Cabaret at the Sydney Opera House. The next morning was tattoos at Soul Purpose.

Driving up the coast from Brisbane to check into our place in Maroochydore and immediately hitting the beach we eased into the weekend. The following morning called for another exceptional beach walk and a short drive out to a lyra workshop with Kaitlin at Elevate Aerial Academy (easily the most gorgeous location) after which we crafted our own colour party and a game of Nightshift. The following morning we did tricks and dance with Nomes at the Brass Bar before heading to Tank day spa followed by a BBQ next to the hotel pool. The following day we challenged ourself at the Bli Bli Watersports Complex physically and then mentally with an immersive escape room. In the car again we headed to the Eumundi Markets before returning to the hotel pool and an evening beach swim. The following morning we decided to jump out of a plane before another trip to the beach. Our last morning was the obligatory tattoo and the drive back to Brisbane.

The annual poliday was extended this year after a full week in Perth which started with getting rained out of the Scarborough Markets. The next day kicked off our pole workshops with a Jam with Ruby at Bobbi’s Perth Studio and a trip to a microbrewery. The following day it was back to Bobbi’s this time to dance with Mel Grace followed by a doubles workshop with Mel and Ruby and then someone’s mad idea to paint garden gnomes which we then drove down to the Margaret River to rehome at Gnomesville before checking out a vineyard, a chocolate factory and the Lakes Cave. Back up to Perth we did tricks and dance with the iconic Felix Cane. This was followed by a much-needed soak and then a stunning sunset back at Scarborough. The next day we ventured to Rottnest Island, hiring bikes and snorkelling gear to attempt a circumnavigation that we abandoned to coo at Quokkas. Back on the mainland we checked out the Lightshow at the King’s Cliff Botanic Gardens. Our last day in Perth we picked up a car, headed to an escape room, the Little Creatures Brewery and then a ghost tour of the Freemantle Prison.

The second leg kicked off when we headed north to Lancelin to sandboard down the dunes before continuing to the Pinnacles to explore the natural limestone formations before calling in for dinner at Geraldton and calling it a day in Kalbarri. Up at sunrise we headed to Nature’s Window and then headed off again to stop at a roadhouse for fuel before continuing to Monkey Mia and taking a canoe out to explore Shark Bay. The mornings dolphin encounters over coffee set us up for the drive to Carnarvon and the Space and Technology Museum and a pit stop at someone’s backyard cafe before heading north to arrive in Exmouth. In Exmouth we swam with the gentle giants, whale sharks, with a brief encounter with some snoozy humpbacks. We spent our second day in the area heading down to Coral Bay and snorkelling on Five Fingers Reef. Leaving Exmouth we headed back to Perth via the hot springs at the Wooramel Station Resort. Our drive from Wooramel was broken up with some decadent scones, and a quick photoshoot at the Pink Lake and before long we had checked in Jurien Bay, cheored a dance in the kitchen of the frat house we were staying and laughed until we were exhausted. Our next morning was a trip out to swim with sea lions that was magnificent. From Jurien Bay it was back to Perth to clean the car, drop her off, get tattoo’d (of course) and head out for our last night on the town before the girls returned to Queensland I left for Amsterdam.