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At one point, as the barbed-wire vine ripped into my shin yet-again, I did question my decision to tramp through the unforgiving forest, on a volunteer basis, for hours on end. It was a fleeting thought, but my shins were already pretty banged up and I had just come face to face with the biggest spider I have ever seen…and yes, spiders this big are, indeed, big enough to have distinguishable faces.
I think this one winked at me as I screamed.
I’m not actually scared of spiders, but I challenge you to find me a person that doesn’t scream involuntarily as they feel the web and the spider brush against their eyelashes…yeah, it was quite the Australian experience.
I had been lucky enough to be invited along on a trip to a place called Rainbow Beach (north of Noosa and south of Fraser Island). We were with Conservation Volunteersand we had six days of forest-walking ahead of us. Our mission: locate and destroy the invasive species called bitou (BIT-oo). In total, we covered over 700,000 square meters of Cooloola National Park. This park, along with Fraser Island, makes up the Great Sandy Region, the biggest landmass of sand in the world.
We made our way over fallen debris and hidden sandy holes and we did it all with smiles on our faces (maybe they were grimaces at times?). We were working from a track, out towards the edge of beautiful sandy bluffs (if you haven’t picked up on it – ‘sand’ was very much the theme of the entire trip). These are the cliffs that line the postcards in the souvenir shops. Every other time we completed a line, we were greeted with stunning views of the ocean from 200 meters.
We were working on the cliffs in the background
How many people had actually seen the view of Fraser from this angle? How many people had looked down the cliffs and noticed the bitou that need be removed? How many people knew what bitou was? (note* – probably about 50 of you now!)
The only other time I had done anything remotely resembling this, I was tree-planting back in BC. And although I was being paid good money to plant those blue spruce, I could see the uniqueness in the experience at hand.
I think the hard work was good for me… it helps to clear the mind. I’ve had two months of ‘hard’ travel and I’m guessing a little routine has got to be good for the soul.
As the permanence of my (real-life) situation sets in I can feel the weight of a million thoughts upon my shoulders. They are heavy. The non-permanence of my surroundings helps to keep me balanced. I truly believe this. Although I feel lonely at times, I know I would be even lonelier if left to ponder my thoughts by myself without an ever-changing road ahead of me. I do not want to even imagine what, or how, I would be doing at home right now.
I think I’m going to have to do a bit more with this volunteer work – it’s really great to get my hands dirty (and my knees, and my face, and virtually every inch of my body, in fact).
Conservation Volunteers is a national group with offices scattering the country. There are many opportunities to lend a hand out there. I would recommend the experience to anyone wanting to help and/or experience a different perspective of a local area. I know I could easily be coerced into more than a week of this!
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Theme Songs of the Day:
You’re a Wolf – Sea Wolf, from the album Leaves in the River
Kicking the Heart Out – Rogue Wave, from the album Out of the Shadow
Lola – The Kinks, from the album Lola Versus Powerman & The Moneygoround
Follow the Rusty Red Road
So I had one full day left in Mt. Isa and I think it was extraordinarily well spent: we trekked out into the bush! It was exactly the kind of thing I had pictured when envisioning the arid outback: we were going to look for rocks! It was a guaranteed dusty and dry process and I was very excited, indeed.
Now it’s not too hard to get to the middle of nowhere from Mt. Isa. One can accomplish this by driving in any given direction for any more than ten minutes. This allows you time to pass through the city. Within minutes all that surrounds you are red hills lined with spinifex and some low-lying trees dispersed intermittently around termite mounds (interestingly, I mistook these mounds for rocks when I first saw them – supposedly a common mistake…I wondered why people had bothered to stand hundreds of red rocks on their sides – monolithic art…obelisks du nature?).
The Treasure!
So we had a great plan. We were invited to go looking for Maltese crosses (MCs). These are rock-like crystal formations made of a mineral called staurolite. They form in geometrical diamond-shaped patterns. Every so often the diamond shapes line up and when they form in just the right way an extraordinary cross is born. This symbol is commonly associated with good luck and protection.
There are only a few places in the world these small phenomena are found. We were on our way to find treasure!! (Finally, a way to fund my trip!)
So we loaded up the 4×4 with food and equipment and five of us headed out. We were quite a team. Roy – the Maltese cross expert extraordinaire – was the one who was kind enough to invite us out. He has the knowledge and the equipment to guarantee us finding a least a few of these elusive gems. When he’s not digging in the dirt, he frequents the café where Stacey is employed. He happened to mention this interesting hobby of his to Stacey, earlier in the week. Stacey showed keen interest and knew I would be totally up for it. Her co-worker Lisa happened to have the day off as well. Roy invited a friend of his, Laura, and so we made up a mad team of gung-ho Maltese cross discoverers.
That's as far up as he went!
After about a half hour down the highway we took a discreet turn-off and started on what would be many hours of very bumpy 4X4ing. The novelty of being jostled around wore off after about ten minutes, but we were easily distracted from the incessant rigmarole by the abundance of wildlife we encountered. Roy had this amazing knack for seeing critters from afar and stopping the vehicle at just the right time to get up-close and personal (note the picture of the lizard running up his leg?). We saw a variety of lizards and so many birds – bugs, cows, insects…it was a desert cornucopia. It’s amazing how barren and dry everything looks, but there is this whole ecosystem just waiting to be discovered (especially with the very wet wet-season that had just recently ended). We realized quickly that we had, in Roy, not just a navigator, but a tour-guide as well.
We arrived at Roy’s secret site and each had our turn sifting through the dirt for Maltese Crosses. Beginners’ luck being on my side, I managed to spot an interesting looking rock in the first batch. I found one! I’m told it’s worth at least $10-20! Now that won’t even get me a nice dinner…I had better keep looking.
After a few hours we all managed to find one, although none as big or as square as the first beauty (the more angled type are considered St. Andrew’s Crosses). We celebrated by heading back up the track and indulging in a picnic and a swim. I provided entertainment by stepping in the biggest cow-patty I’ve ever seen…or felt (squishing around my sneakers) for that matter, …I only did it for laughs – one of my gifts…really…
The way back was, I swear, bumpier than the trip in. Roy picked up speed and we all sang along, loudly, to Billy Joel… Piano Man will be forever etched in those little lizards’ little brains, and for that I apologize – but what fun! I would, without question, back Roy in a guided-tour-adventure company if he ever thought to start one up – Outstanding Outback Adventures, or some such title. I would pay good money to be slung through the outback, made to inhale dust, find treasure, and bounced straight into cow patties. Honestly, it was an absolutely awesome way to spend the day.
What an amazing way to cap off my first trip into the inner-heart of the continent. And my, oh my, what a big and beautiful heart it turned out to be!
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Theme Songs of the Day:
Why Worry – Dire Straits, from the album Walk of Life – (This song is specially dedicated to you, dad).
Oh, I’m comfy. I really like the Outback. The only reason I’m okay with leaving this great little city: I get to head back to more great friends on the coast.
The family pet...(the dog!)
Mt. Isa has been a wonderful home-away-from-home. I can’t get over the people…not a bad one in the bunch – everyone’s got a story and I really think they’ve all acquired degrees in “Listening Skills: How to Converse Well in Any Setting”. Every person I’ve sat down with has been not only interesting, but so very interested in me as well! It’s nice to feel special…
So besides an off-day in which I suffered a headache from dawn until dusk, I have made the very most of my extra week here in Mt Isa. We went out dancing at The Irish Club, where, of all things, I was mistaken for Irish!? Now Stacey and I have discussed this in great detail. We are both mistaken for Irish at LEAST once a day. …what’s up with that laddie? Aye, it happens everywhere – all over Oz – even at The Irish Club, where you’d think they’d know their accents! Haha – I’ve actually agreed that I am Irish to a few folks (just for fun) and they nod their heads, confidingly, as though their deeply-routed suspicions are confirmed, and I am immediately acceptable and lovely – of course I usually get this response when I tell the truth about my Canadianism as well. My feeling is that Aussies are just extraordinarily accepting and they would give me a smile and a wink no matter what my nationality may be.
Mary Kathleen, North QLD
I had the pleasure of tagging along with Stacey and Pete to a wonderful engagement party. The event itself was more an extravaganza (set around a beautiful 25′ pool) than a traditional party. The food and drink were great, the couple looked lovely, and everyone had a great time! I was honoured, to not only be allowed to partake in the celebrations, but also welcomed with open arms. Again, the company was of the highest standard, we talked well into the night. I’m only surprised about one thing: no one ended up in the pool!
What else have I been up to? I’ve explored an abandoned uranium mine called Mary Kathleen. It’s just outside of town and just a short drive through the rolling red hills. The mine is now flooded and the water that fills it is the most inviting bright blue I’ve seen. There are only a few hidden signs on the way out there and they indicate that you will glow-in-the-dark if you decide to take a dip (I’m paraphrasing). 
Actually, it’s quite interesting – there is still millions of dollars worth of uranium just waiting to be dug up, but it is currently illegal to mine the radioactive element in Queensland. Supposidly there is a push to change legislation. Until then, it remains a tiny blip on the map: a turn off, easily missed, and then an interesting maze-like off-road drive, to a site almost altogether forgotten. We threw rocks into the deep, taking enjoyment in the splashing, but soon stopped when we realized the rocks were shiny…is uranium shiny, we wondered?
A few other highlights – I enjoyed some great coffee with some great women at the McCafe (yes…it’s a cafe attached to McDonalds, and yes, it was good). I had a fun night-time tour of the city in which I enjoyed hearing about the more colourful details surrounding the local history. Mostly I just relaxed and got a better sense of the community. I can’t imagine not coming back… (and yes, I know that’s a double negative, thank you).
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Theme songs of the Day:
Slice of Heaven – herbs, from the album Loyal …(This is a theme song from my entire month with Stacey – it’s on everywhere we go and EVERYONE gets up and dances to it).
My Baby Don’t Care – Nina Simone, from the album Little Girl Blue… (this one is for the Fairmont Gold Team, I sometimes listen to this and pretend I’m in the lounge)
Boston - Augustana, from the album Midwest Skies and Sleepless Mondays
Flooded Lake Moondara - from the wettest season in 10 years or so.
Mt. Isa – the world’s largest city (the main street is 180km long and 
it’s city bounds encompass about the same square kilometers as Switzerland) has been a place of rest for me. Hanging out at Pete and Stacey’s has been relaxing and reviving all at the same time. It’s nice to be surrounded by all the comforts of home. We’ve been eating well and swimming in the pool…it’s been fantastic.
Sunrise at the Open-cut
One of the highlights of my trip into the outback has included a personalized tour of the mine. Mt Isa is home of the largest mineral mining operation in the world – producing copper, silver, zinc and lead. Pete has worked at the mines for eight years or so – he knows his stuff. We got up early and trekked off to work with him before sunrise. We had a couple of hours before the planned explosion later that morning, so we went on rounds and checked the whole above-ground portion of the mine for safety hazards. I assure you, I was not in charge of anything important (or, really, anything at all), but we looked quite official with our fluorescent orange shirts and hard hats; air masks hanging from our necks. Worried I may be mistaken for someone who could be counted on in an emergency, I made sure to wear a permanent look of confusion on my face….it was pre-coffee, so it wasn’t too much of a stretch to look perplexed and out of place.
We passed huge dump trucks that have wheels twice the height of a person and cost $50,000-$70,000 each! The mine was bustling and it was not quite 6:00am. The detonation was meant to be medium-sized and we took our spots on the opposite side of the pit. I was nominated to set the detonation (being foreign and thus an awesome scapegoat lest thing go horribly awry). It took me two tries! I tell you: it’s hard to press both buttons simultaneously! Actually, due to either a bit of faulty wiring or debris landing on the second half of the detonation site, only the first half the explosion went off. It was still an impressive show and I can only imagine what it sounded like – and felt like – to the hundreds of workers underground.
So, besides the odd experimenting with explosives, this is the most down time I’ve had in months…maybe in years. Yup, definitely years. It’s nice to read again, and watch movies, and just lounge. I feel a little unfocused but that’s not such a bad thing. I’ve started to try to figure out what I’m going to do with my next few months. As of the end of the week I have very little planned. This is a big country – where do I go next? Maybe flight prices will be a determining factor?
The world is my oyster…raw, goopy, good with hot sauce, and brimming with the possibilities of a hidden pearl or two
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Note – between the time I wrote this and started to post it (a matter of hours), I’ve decided to stay on another week. I’m not just claiming to love the Isa – I really do! The people here are exceptionally friendly and welcoming. I’ve already been offered a selection of places to stay if Stacey and Pete kick me out! (this actually may happen, as i could easily decide to stay indefinitely…haha…er, just kidding Stace…).
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Theme Songs for the Day:
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Ice Cream - Muscles, from the album Guns Babes Lemonade
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Re: Your Brains - Jonathan Coultan, from the album Thing a Week III
Kamloops?...not Toronto or Montreal....only Vancouver and Kamloops! How random!?!
So Magnetic Island was named for the fact that the island itself, interfered Captain James Cook’s compass as he drew close to shore. Although it was found that the island does not have any magnetic properties, strictly speaking, it does manage to draw thousands of visitors each year. I haven’t been gone from the beautiful island more than a few days and I already want to go back!…
Stacey, Pete and I had a great night in Townsville after meeting up in Airlie Beach and driving North. We enjoyed snacks on the 12th story deck of our hotel, a margarita or two, and late-night pizza after dancing to some smooth 80′s hits. I like Townsville! It’s considered the largest city in the tropical North and the whole of the waterfront has been converted from Mangroves to a beautiful park, beach and walkway.
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The next day we would be heading over to Magnetic Island. This was to be a guaranteed highlight of traveling with Stacey and Pete. They not only met there more than ten years ago, Pete lived there for two years, and we were going to meet up with a few of their old friends. It was sunny and we caught the half-hour car ferry over.
First stop: Tropical Topless – a moke rental place, owned by Rob, a friend of Stacey and Pete’s. Rob has been in business for nine years or so, and he’s got about 40 cars in his fleet. He’s kind and friendly and fits in really well on Magnetic. These vehicles are perfect for cruising the island – small, fuel efficient, and, well…. topless! There is about 13km of road from one end of the island to the other, so it’s a bit far to walk, but you definitely don’t need anything too big. The Townsville/ Magnetic Island area claims 320 days of nice weather per year, so topless is the way to go 
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After an introduction and a catch up, we head to our hotel… I guess it’s more like little townhouses or maybe condos – something inbetween. A nice little place with a kitchen and a salt-water pool. We chilled for a bit and then headed over to some friends of Stacey and Pete. Although we were all feeling a little drained we managed to find ourselves at a full-moon party. This is a monthly staple at the Base X Backpackers and there are hundereds of people at every party. The thing I couldn’t get over: it WASN”T a full moon. No one seemed to care, but it was hard not to think of the whole thing as a mony-grab. Luckily we had free tickets (thanks Rob) so we didn’t have to think of the swindle as we danced.
Didn’t stay too long there, but I’m glad I got to see what it was all about. It’s actually a full moon tonight, as I write this, and we are heading to a dinner party, so we’ll make sure we toast the moon, in all its glory.
All-in-all we spent three nights and four days on the island. We had planned for less but couldn’t tear ourselves away. Stacey and Pete caught up with friends and I made some new ones. We had managed to come down with colds so we relaxed a lot. Stacey and I had had ours a few days (I couldn’t dive in the Whitsundays because I couldn’t equalize) and Pete was just starting to feel the wrath. We snorkeled and swam and hiked and picnic-ed. On our last night we had a bbq on the beach. Food tastes better outside, that’s a scientific fact.
I think I will try my best to get back to Maggie Island. It’s so laid-back and friendly. After only a couple of days it already felt a bit like home.
Speaking of home, I found out while I was on the island that the boys back home managed to take the cup. The Boozehounds won their division!! You guys rock! I’m so proud of you all and I’m celebrating with you in spirit. I know you guys won the cup for Rusty and he would be so proud – I know he is.
I really miss home, but I know that I would still feel that overwhelming-sense-of-loss if I was back in Victoria - maybe more so, as I would be surrounded by reminders of all that we’ve been through; the life we created. I don’t think anything can fill the gap, but it’s nice to be able to explore and find the good in new places and new people. I’m lucky to have a wonderful community and family to come home to; it would be an entirely different journey without the security of home… I just have to have some time to get used to home without its main component.
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Theme Songs of the Day:
Wave of Mutilation (the slow version) - The Pixies, from the album Complete ‘B’ Sides
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles, from the album Please Please Me
Liar – Built to Spill, from the album You in Reverse
Stacey and I arrived in Airlie Beach and checked into a fully-stocked cabin in an RV Park. Pure luxury – all the amenities we could need…Tim Tams in the fridge. It was important for us to be comfortable, as we were still feeling Jucy-Van withdrawals.We thought we should explore the town that evening and as we were getting ready to go out, we turned on the TV. I am proud to have watched a grand total of maybe five hours of television since arriving on the continent four weeks ago. The part I’m a little less proud of…: the entirety of my exposure to Australian television has been So You think You Can Dance: Australia. Crikey…! Well at least I can blame friends for ‘making’ me watch the first three episodes (thanks Alice, Megan, Cat…); I happen to be in Brisbane on three different occasions when it just happened to be on. Stacey got hooked during two of those occasions, so we not only watched the entire episode that night in Airlie Beach…we guffawed with the audience when Timomatic was voted off. Poor guy.
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Anyway, we tore ourselves away from the riveting show (we waited until it was done) and had a fun night out. We were told later that it’s an unwritten rule that people get to A.B. and stay up late dancing and then have to get on their sailboat tour the next day. I like to think I already had my sea-legs on. I was swaying before we left shore! Ha, no, no, it wasn’t so bad…
The Condor
We boarded the beautiful Condor, a well-traveled and highly adorned tall ship that reached her peak, racing-wise, in the 80′s. We met our crew: Aaron, Ange, and Adele, and the 27 other 18-35 year-olds we would be bunking with for the next two nights and days. After the administrative/rule stuff was dealt with, the sails were hoisted and we set off at a mad pace towards our first destination: Whitsunday Island’s Whitehaven Beach. This is a beautiful mass of white sand; swirls of light blue and white that spans over seven kilometers. We would would anchor there for the night. Unfortunately the mad pace to get there was more of a saunter as the sails billowed in an ‘S’ shaped – we failed to catch the non-existent wind. It was still beautiful as we slowly motored our way through the many islands (there are said to be over 70 of them). The lazy sunset suited the atmosphere of the boat and the feelings of the passengers. We ate our chicken dinner, and we all got to know each other a little better. 
It was a long, hot and muggy night. The Irish boys were drinking goon until 3:00am and attempting to mimic all the bird sounds they had heard in their many months of travel. They were surprisingly talented, much to the chagrin of the 20 odd people listening below…. I would be surprised if anyone got any sleep before 2am.
I have to admit that although I make every attempt to avoid thinking myself a victim, I really felt hard-done-by with my particular bunk. It was a coffin! Stacey and I were ‘lucky’ to get a double bed. This meant that some one (by chance, a really charming bloke that was quite disgusted with the whole arrangement and made every attempt at making it easier on us) slept above the person against the wall (me)….less than two feet above… when I turned on my side, my hips would move the mesh of his hammock (and apparently give him a relaxing massage – but that’s for another blog). It was already stuffy in the cabin and the human sandwich that was me just couldn’t handle it. I crept onto the cool, dewy deck above, and managed to sleep a few. It was hard, and actually a bit cold with the sopping sheet that was my blanket, but the view was unbeatable!
The stars: wow. With very little interfering light and only a sliver of a moon, the stars were very clear and bright. All the constellations are upside down and Orion lies on his side down here in the Southern Hemisphere. The second night of the trip, with some forethought and the necessity of avoiding the dungeon below, I saved myself some pain and asked for a mat to sleep on. As I was falling asleep I finally found something I have been trying to locate for the last month or so: The Big Dipper. It’s here, it’s just turned upside down and only visible along the horizon for part of the night. It’s also really faint, so definitely not the superstar it is up North. I felt comforted by seeing a little speck of home and was able to sleep soundly the second night.
Anyway, we spent the next full day swimming and checking out Whitehaven Beach. We weren’t able to sail that day either, but as Aaron, our captain, pointed out: we got blue skies and calm water and intensely warm sunshine, so it was a bit of a trade-off. He said this after blaming us passengers for not doing the ‘wind-making dance’ well enough.
On our way to one of the other bays we saw dolphins. They played in the wake of passing boats and provided much entertainment. We spent some time snorkeling and swimming and then watched the sunset from a small island made of sand. The second night was a little tamer (everyone had run out of booze) so it was a little more relaxed. We had to get up early to take advantage of being anchored in Blue Pearl Bay – also dubbed The Fish Tank. There are SO many fish. They swim around you like you’re the good looking one! The visibility wasn’t spectacular, but it didn’t matter because they are all so close to you. Sweet!
The Lovely Crew
So that was our sailing trip through the Whitsundays. I would highly recommend it if you get the chance to get out this way. The boat was beautiful, the staff was really laid-back, but still professional, and the scenery was outstanding. My one suggestion: just ask for the sleeping mat right off the bat and save yourself the feeling of slowly drowning in a too-hot, stinky-foot-stew. Mmmhh….
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Theme Songs of the Day:
Neopolitan Dreams – Lisa Mitchell, from the album Welcome to the Afternoon [note* this one's for you Kim & Jenny]
Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Neil Young, from the album After the Gold Rush
Hospitla Beds – Cold War Kids, from the album Robbers and Cowards
Absinthe Party – Minus the Bear, from the album Highly Refined Pirates
So you may be asking yourselves….”what exactly has Jill been learning on this journey of self-discovery?” Well, I now know that even if you think you’re being nice by letting an overly-helpful, partially senile old man help you with a flat tire – you should probably just take care of it yourself.
So Stacey and I met up last week, here in Brisbane, and we rented ourselves a Jucy Camper-van. These are great vehicles – totally self-contained: bed, fridge, stove..we were all set. We headed South, stopping here and there along the coast, finally to find ourselves in Byron Bay. This is a beautiful town…gorgeous beaches, lots of surfing, cool shops to check out. We had a swim and checked out the nightlife, and although it slowed us down the next day, we had a great time and met lots of interesting people that night.
In the morning we continued South to a small town called Ballina. The scenery was spectacular - lush, green, rolling hills spotted with trees full of large, shockingly bright, purple flowers. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed as we climbed the hills and saw the coast in the distance…. and to cap off a perfect afternoon we found a great sushi place right in the middle of the wee village. Unexpected and Perfect.
That day we made our way back up North, past Brisbane and over to the Sunshine Coast. Lots of driving, through rush hour, but we had some tunes and good conversation to keep us occupied. We hit up a little town called Noosa. This is a favourite spot of Stacey’s and I can see why! We spent a couple of days exploring the beaches and parks.
We headed inland to the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands and explored the many small towns in the area. 
We saw the Glass House Mountains which look beautiful, if not slightly out of place in the surrounding countyside.
Although we had planned to camp out in the hinterlands, the ocean called to us. We did some research and found out that even though there was a triathlon happening that weekend, there was space available at a beach-side camp ground in Mooloolaba. Great!
As we entered the little camp ground and I made to back into our reserved spot, an older gentleman appeared out of nowhere. He began directing me… abruptly – with no real words (just aggressive, yet unclear, hand movements). This relatively simple manoever required very little driving skill, yet, somehow it took almost ten minutes. It was hot…I had been driving for hours….I just wanted to park and head to the beach, but this man was really trying to be helpful so we continued to humour him and finally made it into the exact spot we were supposed to be in. It, really was, a fine parking job….sigh.
Thus began our relationship with the old man. He is a permanent resident at the park and although he’s not paid, he helps out by tidying up and directing traffic. His wife told us that about six months ago he decided that one of the trees in the park needed pruning. With no prompting, he climbed the tree and started to cut down the huge pine-cone-like fruit growing from the palm. Well these fruit are, apparently, really heavy; one managed to fall on the poor guy, throwing him from said tree. He broke his hip and was off his feet for months. This is very sad, but I can’t help giggling to myself as I write this. He’s trying so hard to be helpful!
The next day we realized that one of the tires was a little flat. It was a slow leak, if anything ,so we planned to fill the tire up at the local gas station before heading out for the day. Wouldn’t you know it: the old man showed up again – really, as if out of nowhere, and stopped us as we were pulling out. He pulled off the hubcap (we’re not sure why…) and started to fiddle with it. He managed to actually break off a piece of it and then couldn’t replace it. I got it back on and we thanked him for his ‘help’ and tried to get going. He stopped us at the gate and told us he had a pump and would fill the tire up. He hulled out this piece of machinery from WWI (there may have been a mouse and a wheel in there somewhere, I can’t be sure) and hooked it up to the tire. We all stood there watching the tire deflate. It took us a couple of minutes to convince him it wasn’t working…we unhooked the crazy generator gadget and, luckily, had enough air to make it to the gas station. With only 6psi left – we successfully filled it up to the required 34psi and made our way inland to explore. Drama complete.
So we had a good last few days in the area. We made some friends, saw some crazy animals (some of them being the aforementioned new friends) and were awestruck by the beauty that surrounded us. 
It was hard to give the van up yesterday, but we are flying North to the Whittsunday Coast today…off to the next leg of the adventure.
Oh yeah….somehow the hubcap fell off and we were charged $60 by the rental company! Maybe the laughs were worth it.
So where to start? I think it’s been about a week since I last posted…I’ll be honest…I feel a little overwhelmed with keeping track of all that I’ve been seeing and doing. I was kept quite busy over in Perth. Kim was in charge of all the planning and she was an exceptional hostess.
On the night before we took off southward for our caravan camping trip, the housemates convinced me to watch a film called Wolf Creek…. yeah, it’s about backpackers who drive up to this canyon and then when the vehicle breaks down, a local bushman ‘helps’ them out. It’s turns grusome and the one male backpacker manages to survive. It’s based on a couple of real-life murderers. Awesome! ..actually it’s a good movie – just the timing was just ’bout ‘nough to give one nightmares.
All the more eager to get on the road (that’s sarcasm), Kim and I drove south the next day. We intended to stop in Bunbury to hit up an exhibition footy match but were lead astray by three different locals! – really – they all seemed so helpful, but we were pointed in three entirely different directions! We circled the small city many times over and when we finally found the field we were told the game didn’t start for another nine hours. We decided the wineries deserved our full attention, and continued on down the road.
We stopped for petrol and while I was in line for the toilet, a young woman asked where we were headed. She mentioned that her and her boyfriend were playing at a brewery later that same day. I neglected to get more detail as I was side-tracked by the next stall coming available. Too bad, but we had lots to do and see that day anyway.
Capel Vale, our first winery, was just down the road. 
The region is home to over a hundred wineries and everywhere we looked there were row upon row of grape vines. It’s stunning!
Next stop – lunch at the Bootleg Brewery…and, what do you know? Our friend from the gas station was there at the mic, guitar in hand. We sat down for some lunch, great tunes, beer and great conversation. Beautiful.
We made our way to Prevelly Park to camp for the night. We sat on the beach and drank our wine. Ate some Irish stew and reminisced about camping many years ago. The two of us have had some great experiences up in Tofino back in Canada. It’s a little surreal to realize we’re camping together in Australia only a few years later.
So we had a great time exploring the Margaret River Area. We went through the Boranup Forest, toured through a huge cave, 
watched the surfers from the beaches, saw the south-western most tip of the continent and swam where the Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. We went into town to enjoy more live music, and saw a few more wineries as well (including a nice little organic winery that we stopped at twice!). 
We chatted with some gents at the bookshop/internet cafe in Margaret River and learned they were not only brothers but one of them had written and published a book on Surfing, and the other had lived in Canada (on Saltspring Island). Boy the locals are nice – we wanted to stay for karaoke!
We landed ourselves back in Perth that evening and got to bed early; we needed to rest-up for Saint Patrick’s Day celebrating the next night. We went out with a real-live Irish chap and we had a good time.
So my last few days in Perth were spent visiting and beaching and trying to get through some of the wine we had purchased. I really did fall for Perth. I have a feeling I will find myself back on the west coast before my return home. The people are great, the beaches beautiful.
On the plane back to Brisbane I find myself contemplative again. I try to watch the movie but it’s really bad so I listen to music and think about my first two weeks down-under. Time is quite relative when traveling. I guess it always is. It takes forever to wait for something and then only moments to enjoy that same something. I’m glad my time down here hasn’t absolutely flown by – I’m trying to appreciate the now….focus on what’s happening at present. This is a hard lesson. I could spend my whole life trying to live in the moment. That being said, I think we need time for reflection as well…and some time to enjoy the thought of future prospects.
Anyway, I lose myself in the stars as I cup my hands over the window. I see the bright pinpoints of light in the sky; the stars are clear and exact. The small dusting of light below are indications of civilization but if I look through them I can pretend they, too, are stars. Now I’m surrounded by distant celestial bodies. No longer am I being edged into the wall by the snoring man beside me (he oozes over the armrest). I’m now flying through space. The lights below start to connect as the towns get bigger…they are simply other spacecraft traveling along with mine, or other galaxies as seen from the side. My fantasy starts to crumble as the lay of the land becomes apparent - the sprawl of the city taking over. And we land – the plane on the ground – and me, back to reality.
Theme Songs of the Day:
The first Day of My Life - Bright Eyes, from the album I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
Never Going Back Again – Fleetwood Mac, from the album Rumours
Wow! I have fallen in love… Perth is just amazing! We have packed so much into three days that is feels like two weeks.
The plane ride over was pretty uneventful. I had a bit of cry on the plane – something about being at 15,000 ft…. it gets me every time. I guess I needed the release, that and it’s been my first alone time since landing. I realize I constantly carry the conflicting emotions of sad, and very, overwhelmingly happy emotions. Where do I go from there? How can I hope to reach these strong levels of emotion again in my lifetime? Will I become more numb as I go? Will I find new levels of both happy and sad? I guess it will change. I will continue to experience life and, hopefully, find new layers of depth; grow older and wiser….
I have the feeling that I have, through the events of the last year and a half, become very attuned to what’s happening around me. I am maybe more sensitive, more empathetic…but in the same breath, I am seeing my life from the outside a little more.
I’m excited to travel, meet new people, connect, experience. I think my challenge will be to figure out how to personally invest in these events and interactions. Don’t get me wrong, when I am talking with someone, I am fully present. I feel like I may be looking through a third person’s eyes. I may be taking refuge in the safety of an ‘outside’ self as a way of self-preservation… I want to connect but I don’t think I have much of myself left to give. The parts that remain must be kept for myself.
I have loved and lost in a VERY extreme way. I am searching for emotions to counter-act my past experiences, no small feat…all this, without giving myself over in any substantial way.
mmhhh….that was a bit of a tangent.
On an entirely different note: my computer has a virus, and until I can clean it up, I have limited time on the Internet. This isn’t so bad is it? A major drawback is that I can’t post pictures…but I will get that sorted in the next week or so and then I will have some visuals to check out.
So what have we done in Perth so far? What haven’twe done?? I arrived at around noon on Tuesday. My friend Kim and I hopped in the van and headed north to her place. WE stopped and one of the countless beaches here on the west coast and I had my first swim in the Indian Ocean. From there we met up with her friend Jenny and drove up the coast to Yanchep National Park. Wrapped around a beautiful lake, this park is home to kangaroos, koalas and birds. We watched as the lazy koalas slept in the trees above us.
We headed back towards the city and stopped at, of all places, the cemetary. Someone in the know had told us to check it out, as there are quite a few kangaroos there and you can actually get pretty close. We saw eight of the grazing on the grass. I hoped along beside them (yes, there ARE pictures). Wow!
We watched the sunset at a beach near Kim and Stu’s house. Amazing
The next day we headed south to a small city called Freemantle. We toured the shops and cafes and then went on a tour through the prison. It was horrifying but fascinating as well. The prison was actually used up until 1991 when they were permanently closed down. At the time of closure they still used buckets for latrines. Something else that we all found amazing is that punishment by whipping was still legal until 1993. It was simply an over-site (the last person that had the experience of the cat o’ nine tails was in 1943). When Western Australia abolished corporal punishment in ’93 they realized that the ‘whipping legislature’ had never been removed. Quite the over-site.
After the gruesome but educational tour, we headed to a local microbrewery called Little Creatures. The venue is an old wearhouse that has been converted to a funky bistro/brewhouse (much like the Canoe Club in Victoria). All us roomates had a great time chatting and eating and then we headed over to Clancy’s Fish Club where we watched the Battle of the Bands: West Coast Blues and Roots. It was a fun night.
The next day found us at the beach. We spent a few hours surfing and then headed home for naps. That evening Kim had a surprise for me: she had tickets for Cirque du Soleil: Dralion...!!! AWESOME!
We dressed up and headed into the blue and yellow tent. The show was phenomenal. I believe we both shed a tear of joy at the end of the performance. It was beautiful and funny and awe-inspiring - I’ve never seen anything like it.
It’s hard to belive I haven’t even been here four full days. The next adventure begins tomorrow as the two of us head South towards Margaret River. We will hit some wineries…beaches….anything and everything, camping along the way….why not? We should all be so lucky to hit anything and everything along the way – that’s what life is all about!
Theme Songs for the day:
OH! OH! OH! Trouble - An Angle, from the album…I’m not sure…
Where is My Mind - Pixies, from the album Surfer Rosa *(and if you haven’t been lucky enough to listen to this song but sort of recognize it – it’s the closing-credit song from Fight Club)
I’m sitting on the deck enjoying the heat and the noises of very tropical-sounding birds. Somehow the five hours of sleep I’ve had in the last fifty-odd hours is sustaining me. I think I may be surviving on the excitement and novelty of being somewhere new. It’s so warm!! I can see a wild baby turkey as I write this.
The flight over was a pleasant surprise. I have never been upgraded before, but if I only have the one shot at improved airline comfort, the 14.5 hour flight to Auckland was the prize to land. I was moved from an isle seat at the back of the plane to a “premiere economy” seat against the bulkhead at the front of the aircraft. SO much leg-room!! 
The food was good too – prawns and such, cheese, port…champagne to start. Fantastic. Thank you, Air New Zealand – really it was quite the experience and I feel a guilty indulgence at having traveled like a rock star…or at least a Canadian rock star…
Upon arriving in Brisbane, my good friend Alice welcomed me. There’s nothing better than having someone you love meet you at the airport! It’s been seven years since we’ve seen each other, but Alice has had a way of being around during pinnacle moments in my life. We first lived together in Edinburgh, ten years ago. Alice was the only ‘local’ who lived in the flat with us and we became fast friends. We traveled a bit through the area surrounding the city and endured one of the most disastrous camping trips I’ve ever been through. It was an ordeal – but we laughed the entire time.
Years later, Kevin and I took our first trip abroad together and Alice’s house was one of our stopping points. I got to show him my former playing ground, and Alice and Kevin had a chance to get to know each other. That was the trip Kevin proposed to me on – Alice was in on the surprise. Very devious!
Our last meeting was later that same year when she came to Victoria to visit us. Since then we have been keeping in touch intermittently. Coincidently, Alice wrote an invite for me to come visit anytime, just a day after the tickets to Australia had been booked. “Oh that would be great – you’ll never guess – I AM coming to Australia …where exactly do you live?” Aha- Brisbane, wow that’s where I’m flying in!
So we trekked through the city, making our way to her place – a beautiful little flat in a nook off of a cul-de-sac. Up on a hill, we can see the city through the leaves of the frangipani. It’s so green. It’s warm, and the bag is heavy, and the jeans are exchanged for a skirt, and the beer is cracked. Ahhhh…..
Friends come over and we chat and have some food and soon enough it’s time to head to the West End… We’re going to see the Chocolate Strings, a very fun and talented local band, at a pub called Lock n’ Load. The West End is a super-casual, café-culture area in a small strip just south west of the Central Business District. Live music plays at a few different venues and the atmosphere is busy but relaxed. The bar is packed and the music is just great. The band has actually outgrown the venue and people are dancing on the sidewalk outside. What a rad first night.
We get home in the early hours of morn’ and, after struggling with the math, I realize I’ve been up for exactly 48 hours. Sleep comes easy. I am so happy to be here.
Theme Songs for the Day:
Massive Nights – The Hold Steady, from the album Boys and Girls in America
A.M. 180 – Grandaddy, from the album Under the Western Free Way
Later –
The day was good. Although it would have been just fine to hang out in the yard and work on Alice’s friend’s bike, we actually managed to walk into town and maintain some amount of productivity. We walked for hours – I saw just how ‘interesting’ Brisbane is…it’s not necessarily the prettiest of cities, although there are some little gems. Alice explained that Brisbane had a huge developmental boom in the late 80’s. It so happens that the city held Expo ’88 (yes, they were the city that followed Vancouver). “Queensland shows the worls: Regionalism and Modernity.” The massive amounts of concrete are a testament to this era.
Slurpees were our main form of sustenance as we made our way over the Goodwill Bridge, through the Botanic Gardens… we walked down through the main shopping area and, as it was Saturday, it was jam-packed. It had started out cloudy but was pure sunshine within the hour.
A view from The Goodwill Bridge
We walked down to the man-made beach that sits beside Brisbane River in the South Bank area. It’s a little weird that chlorinated water sits on the graduated sand ‘beach’ – but all the people that swarmed the area seemed happy. It’s like a big water park for the whole family.
As we strolled the market we realized how terribly tired we really were. Movies were in order…and popcorn (it’s just SO good – top five foods for sure). A successful day. Tomorrow – the beach.
Another theme song for the evening:
Burn One Down – Ben Harper, from the album Fight For Your Mind
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