We set sail out of Airlie Beach at 3 p on Monday afternoon. It was a quick and easy sail out into super blue aqua waters and we headed to Hook Island - we got there in about 2.5 hours. Despite there being a crew, us passengers were called to action to raise and lower sails on these big 'grinders' (gears) that sat in the middle of the boat. We arrived in an amazing cove, dropped anchor, everyone felt better...and jumped off the boat. We were advised to wear our stinger suits -- they don't even pretend to call them wet suits, the suit is to prevent the majority of your body from being stung by a bad bad jelly fish. -- and we pretty much did whenever in the water. The whole jelly fish thing is talked about a lot but the areas that I am in do not have the box jellyfish, a little 1 in by 1 in cube of stingy death. Or at least that's what I'm told.
Dinner was spaghetti bolgonese. Yum. The food on the sail trip was pretty phenomenal - chicken curry and burritos for other dinners, lunches were these feasts of chicken and salads and 'brekky' was a pile of big fluffy rolls, peanut butter jam jelly butter, cold cereals, coffee and fruit.
Snacks would show up (cheese and crackers, apples and orange slices) and this is why we love Ashley.
Drinks and food and all wiped me out the first night and went to bed fairly early (never really know the time on a boat for some reason) but quickly learned that my 3 foot wide bunk was basically an echo chamber for all the noise above. Note to self, be the last one to bed next time. I slept real crappily - it hot and I kept waking up.
We got up every morning obscenely early. Obscene. On Tuesday around 6 am, we set sail and FLEW across the water...the boat I swear was at > 55 degree angle...at one point I was technically sitting but actually standing up because of the pitch. Everyone got quiet pretty quick since we were basically just trying not to throw up...the seas were ROUGH. Sun shining and gorgeous views, but 2 meter swells were kicking around the boat pretty good. We'd be in a trough of a wave and looking up at the peak of it. I didn't get sick - as long as I was talking and looking at the horizon I was good. I went below deck for about 7 seconds once and nearly hurled.
Around 11, there were no more waves but we were far out in the middle of the sea, and they just stop...and then I saw the little tiny baby whitcaps. That is what the barrier reef IS from above the water. No makers or signs (thank god) - just a few anchor buoys that Jack snagged w that hookey thing, tied our boat to...and voila. At the great barrier reef.
I have been scuba diving before and liked it, a lot. Back then I did feel a bit stressed then and my ears didn't equalize very well, but had to give it another go here. So glad I did. We got in our suits, did a little refresher class, read some stuff, blah blah and jumped in in groups of 4 divers and 1 instructur. Sean). Saw tons of GIANT colorful fish, every color of the rainbow, swimming below.
The dive was amazing - was down for 40 mins and went to 10 meters (~30 ft). Sat on the bottom, looked up, and there were hundreds of fishies above around and beside me. Wild. One slight moment of excitement when Sean and 2 of the certified padi divers were down for longer than expected. Everything was fine - they were diving deeper and the current took them further away then they had planned. Jack got 'em in the dingy.
We hung out at the reef all day, snorkeling when the dive was over. That was a little hectic because the wind had picked up and so there was a slight chop, but below the surface was the same underwater zen calm zone that makes stuff underwater so otherworldly. We made our way to Whitsunday Island, the biggest of the Whitsunday Island cluster, and anchored again in an amazing cove. I slept above deck on a blow up air mattress, which was pretty great.
Next day, we dove from the boat before breakfast. Jack took us in the dingy just around the cove end and dropped us, and we came back under the water to the mothership. The coral here was more vibrant than it was the day before, but the fish were tinier. Lots of laying around and mid day, we set sail to Whitehaven beach, a huge sandbar made of super white sand that was like walking on a field of talcum powder in warmish bathwater for as far as the eye can almost see. There were stingrays swimming around all over the place, those little guys just scoot away from you the moment you get close. No worries.
Next day more of the same, diving and snorkeling at the reef. Last night on the boat was a party. There are 2 big built in coolers on the boat that we all dumped our booze in. Starboard side beer, port side goon. Goon is cheap box wine, and it's called 'GOON' because that's the aboriginal word for 'pillow' and the idea is that after drinking a bag of goon you just inflate it and sleep on it, wherever the hell you are. Ooookay. The day I boarded the boat I thought to myself that 2 sunken vat like coolers was both brilliant as well as trouble - great to hold drinks and great to fall in to. Well sure enough that night, Dimitri - one of the 2 french guys on the boat - fell into the beer cooler, head first and had to be rescued. Good think Bert rescued him. To be honest, Dimitri and his french arrogance needed a little cooling off.
Last night slept below deck because I was too lazy to blow up an air mattress and had slight concerns about not rolling off the deck. Sail back was again very fast. Very fast....we made it back to Airlie Beach in about 3.5 hours and snorkeled at one spot along the way. There was a definite feeling of 'I don't wanna get off the boat' going on. The plan was made to meet up - all passengers plus crew minus 2 french guys who had to fly home an hour later - at a bar at 7 pm that night.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Spank Me, part I
I returned yesterday from a 4 day sail through the Whitsunday Islands on 82' racing boat, Spank Me and it was simply epic.
(a quick note on pictures of all this: THEY'RE COMING SOON!)
(a quick note on pictures of all this: THEY'RE COMING SOON!)
Per the usual, the booking of this trip was pretty much done on the fly - I read up on sailing in my Lonely Planet book, they reco'd a specific trip booker because she "gets you and the type of trip that would suit you", emailed with a super nice lady named Jonny who is a replica of Helen Mirren (met her day of departure) who asked me to tell me what I wanted.... and this is what I sent her:
- One traveler
- Social environment = good
- Open to camping adventures but in NO way mandatory
- Am on an affordable end budget
She kicks back over the fence a boat named "Spank Me". Um, okay Jonny. I confirm, dubiously.
The passengers and crew of Spank Me showed up on a pier and the best way to describe the mood in the air was 'Who the Fuck are You and what's Up w Your Funny Accent/Sunglasses/Stylie t shirt" - it was and international set. Language barriers aside, I would absolutely not have guessed 4 days later this random pack of total strangers would actually be a bunch of friends who didn't want to get off the damn boat. (Everyone spoke english with varying levels of proficiency. I, once again, felt completely remiss in knowing just the 1 language that I do know.)
A quick roster:
Mickie/Connie: 2 austrian girls (mid 20s) who are really kinda quiet ... until they're not. Then watch out.
Gabby - german girl (late 20s) who doesn't like germany. Looks and acts like a character from Reno 911 and probably took 3000 photos on the boat.
Bert - 58 year old Dutch dude who walks the line between living the life of a rockstar beer drinkin', story tellin' party boy and a uber successful engineer, family man, business man who rides his bike everywhere at home.
Jan and Mark - 2 more dutch guys who were planning on traveling solo until they met one another on the plane over and have been traveling since they arrived. Love love love techno.
Jessica and Allie - From London Ontario, in college, and prob in a sorority at a party school. They like to woop it up. Jessica led a step aerobics themed dance party at 2 am. one night. Right.
Richard - German guy. Super cool. Likes to know how everything on the boat operated/worked/was built and I think was actually unsett
Adam - Brit, prob 25. Super kind, very very well traveled, and vaguely reminds me of Hugh Grant.
Darren - A short Irish lad who with that Irish accent, delivers a biting review or pretty scathing joke with not one iota of meanness or jerkiness. He and I were dive buddies one time and his enthusiasm was pretty much
...and many more....
In total, there were 24 passengers and 4 crew members:
Reese: Skipper (aussie), and a bad ass mother fucker. If he captain 85 foot racing boats, he'd be a pirate. You just do not mess w this guy. He was nice but only ONLY when everything else was done/stowed/safe and then you'd get 2 or maaaybe 4 words out of him, if you were lucky.
Sean: First mate. Pretty much the polar opposite of Reese. Jokey, funny, makes fun of everyone ALL the time, and absolutey the guy you want to be overseeing your airtanks and depth measures and shiz when your scuba diving on the reef. He's smart.
Ashley: Made all of our food, helped on deck and was just he nicest girl around. Could NOT wipe the smile off her face, even at 5:30 a.m. when we set sail. 5:30!!!
'Little' Jack: Deckhand I guess? Shuttled us in our scuba gear around in the tender, all deck stuff, sail storage. Jack pretty much worked his ass off the entire trip...but no worries mate! he's on the boat all the time mate!
All this guys love the water, love sailing and love Australia. It was contagious.
A quick roster:
Mickie/Connie: 2 austrian girls (mid 20s) who are really kinda quiet ... until they're not. Then watch out.
Gabby - german girl (late 20s) who doesn't like germany. Looks and acts like a character from Reno 911 and probably took 3000 photos on the boat.
Bert - 58 year old Dutch dude who walks the line between living the life of a rockstar beer drinkin', story tellin' party boy and a uber successful engineer, family man, business man who rides his bike everywhere at home.
Jan and Mark - 2 more dutch guys who were planning on traveling solo until they met one another on the plane over and have been traveling since they arrived. Love love love techno.
Jessica and Allie - From London Ontario, in college, and prob in a sorority at a party school. They like to woop it up. Jessica led a step aerobics themed dance party at 2 am. one night. Right.
Richard - German guy. Super cool. Likes to know how everything on the boat operated/worked/was built and I think was actually unsett
Adam - Brit, prob 25. Super kind, very very well traveled, and vaguely reminds me of Hugh Grant.
Darren - A short Irish lad who with that Irish accent, delivers a biting review or pretty scathing joke with not one iota of meanness or jerkiness. He and I were dive buddies one time and his enthusiasm was pretty much
...and many more....
In total, there were 24 passengers and 4 crew members:
Reese: Skipper (aussie), and a bad ass mother fucker. If he captain 85 foot racing boats, he'd be a pirate. You just do not mess w this guy. He was nice but only ONLY when everything else was done/stowed/safe and then you'd get 2 or maaaybe 4 words out of him, if you were lucky.
Sean: First mate. Pretty much the polar opposite of Reese. Jokey, funny, makes fun of everyone ALL the time, and absolutey the guy you want to be overseeing your airtanks and depth measures and shiz when your scuba diving on the reef. He's smart.
Ashley: Made all of our food, helped on deck and was just he nicest girl around. Could NOT wipe the smile off her face, even at 5:30 a.m. when we set sail. 5:30!!!
'Little' Jack: Deckhand I guess? Shuttled us in our scuba gear around in the tender, all deck stuff, sail storage. Jack pretty much worked his ass off the entire trip...but no worries mate! he's on the boat all the time mate!
All this guys love the water, love sailing and love Australia. It was contagious.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Helllloooo Airlie
They're real finnicky here about baggage, the weight of baggage, the number of bags said weight is distributed over, etc etc. FUH.
So basically I have too much crap. I knew this would happen. I KNEW it. How can it not. But this said, I'm aware of the 20 kilos rule (checked stuff needs to be less than that.) The 1 domestic flight on Rex abided by this 20 kilo total weight rule. Well Quantas domestic has another rule - it all has to be in ONE bag. Well, I have 8 in one and 12 in another...so I guess I had to pay that extra $20 for the one heave hoe of the baggage handler guy on my second bag. Fine.
Getting outta Brisbane was fine-ish. The airport was hectic because 'no one flies on sundays'. Yeah. EXCEPT US, you know. All those people that stood in line while 3 people dealt w ~ 2000 of us?? Yeah.
Landed in Mackay at 11 and my Greyhound (yeah that's right Jim, remember that ride from port authority nyc to mt. laurel...eh eh) chariot awaited. I was actually excited - and rightly so. It was a great trip from Mackay which is 2 hours south of Airlie and we wound thru a few tiny towns and lots of amazing country side vistas. It was on the Grey dog bus that I also placed my FIFTH EFFING phone call to Tmobile to get my alleged 'unlimited international data plan' set up. In short: Idiots...but 5th time was a charm. I can now officially see emails when the come into my phone, as they show up. Had a nice ketchup (catchup) w Mr. Kently Bigglesworth Patet and a few others...it's wild.
I'm in the middle o no where AU and you email me and I see it. NEAT.
Am going sailing, leaving tomorrow at 4 p and back later this week. Thursday I think? It'll be heaps of fun.
So basically I have too much crap. I knew this would happen. I KNEW it. How can it not. But this said, I'm aware of the 20 kilos rule (checked stuff needs to be less than that.) The 1 domestic flight on Rex abided by this 20 kilo total weight rule. Well Quantas domestic has another rule - it all has to be in ONE bag. Well, I have 8 in one and 12 in another...so I guess I had to pay that extra $20 for the one heave hoe of the baggage handler guy on my second bag. Fine.
Getting outta Brisbane was fine-ish. The airport was hectic because 'no one flies on sundays'. Yeah. EXCEPT US, you know. All those people that stood in line while 3 people dealt w ~ 2000 of us?? Yeah.
Landed in Mackay at 11 and my Greyhound (yeah that's right Jim, remember that ride from port authority nyc to mt. laurel...eh eh) chariot awaited. I was actually excited - and rightly so. It was a great trip from Mackay which is 2 hours south of Airlie and we wound thru a few tiny towns and lots of amazing country side vistas. It was on the Grey dog bus that I also placed my FIFTH EFFING phone call to Tmobile to get my alleged 'unlimited international data plan' set up. In short: Idiots...but 5th time was a charm. I can now officially see emails when the come into my phone, as they show up. Had a nice ketchup (catchup) w Mr. Kently Bigglesworth Patet and a few others...it's wild.
I'm in the middle o no where AU and you email me and I see it. NEAT.
Am going sailing, leaving tomorrow at 4 p and back later this week. Thursday I think? It'll be heaps of fun.
Bye Bye Byron
On Saturday, I left Byron and headed north to Airlie Beach, with the final destination to be the Whitsunday Islands, where I will embark on a 4 day, 3 night sailing trip. Excited.
Leaving Byron was a little sad. It was my first beachy stopover here in Oz and...I loved it. It was super chill because, despite being a tourist destination akin to a Cannon Beach, it was absolutely devoid of actual tourists while I was there. It was pretty much random folks like me and mostly locals, who were getting psyched for the summer season. Peter was a really nice Aussie dude who worked at the beach house where I stayed and I saw him the day I left, down at the beach in the morning. We were sitting there looking out at the water and outta the horizon we saw a whale breaching and blowing water high into the sky. It was a cool sendoff.
I boarded a speedy 2 hour shuttle to Brisbane at noon. (Normally this bus ride can take 4 hours, but I sprung the extra few bucks to cut out any stops). The ride was great - quick and half on highway, half on backroads where I got to see stuff. I'm just not into taking a day to pay a car to drive me around in a circle; I prefer to see my in-between sights in between other stuff I'm doing.
Arrived in Brisbane around 2 pm. Or wait. It was 1 pm. I still have no real idea why the fricken time zone changed back an hour when we drove 2 hours north...but it did. In Brisbane, I stayed in - by FAR - the crappiest place I've stayed yet. I've done hostels but with a strict adherence to the private room thing and this did not change here...but city hostels are waaay diff than beach hostels. They run about 30% less money and about 60-80% less quality/comfort/niceness. I think: OK. Suck it up, you're in this city for < 24 hours. I did a lot in the time.
A few sad happenings had to be dealth with. Brisbane was for biz nass.
- My iPod died. !@#$%%#. I know. SSSOOO not good. I mildly freaked out a few days back when it happened, put it away, and then checked on it every day at the same time, hoping that magically she would come back to life. No dice. However, the zitty awkard dude at teh Mac store in Brisbane fixed her. For FREE. Almost kissed him.
- My small camera died. My SLR is doing great and taking amazing shots...but lets be honest, she has no home in, oh, say, Nimbin. I need a tiny credit card sized camera for my various afternoon and evening adventures, Jordache jean style. I took my broken Coolpix to a camera store...knowing the dissapproving looks I was about to encounter. Sure enough: "did you take this camera to the beach??" came up right away. I looked away. I blushed. I smiled. I said yes. And then I bought a new camera for $148 AUD (about $100 usd -- everything is about a 30% discount right now w the given {{{crappy!!!}}}} exchange rate.
I leave these 2 errands JOYOUS. Things have been fixed. Am walking down the street w my new ipod cranked in my ears...and hear some heavy bass coming from across the street. WTF? Earbuds out, I see there is "Grape Groove" going on - a FREE wine party in the middle of Brisbane w a big stage set up in the middle of the "Queens Gardens" - basically at the steps of city hall. I walk in -- and ALWAYS feel weird about whipping out a passport when asked for ID in a city scenario because you can not be LESS local than that -- and instantly get handed a glass of delish white wine (Marlborough sauv blanc).
Few glasses and random new friends later, I leave, go for a ferry ride around the city. Picture a snake that's making a figure 8 ish type shape and then drop the city around all sides of the snake -- that's the layout of this city. It's about the size of Seattle (smaller by a bit probably) but by riding a city ferry, appropriately named CityCat -- you see it all. Sun sets, I get off ferry, head back to the west end where my dumpy, I mean qaint, room awaits.
Fit full sleep persists...because I want to get outta town and get back to the beach. It's my primordial ooze a'callin....
Leaving Byron was a little sad. It was my first beachy stopover here in Oz and...I loved it. It was super chill because, despite being a tourist destination akin to a Cannon Beach, it was absolutely devoid of actual tourists while I was there. It was pretty much random folks like me and mostly locals, who were getting psyched for the summer season. Peter was a really nice Aussie dude who worked at the beach house where I stayed and I saw him the day I left, down at the beach in the morning. We were sitting there looking out at the water and outta the horizon we saw a whale breaching and blowing water high into the sky. It was a cool sendoff.
I boarded a speedy 2 hour shuttle to Brisbane at noon. (Normally this bus ride can take 4 hours, but I sprung the extra few bucks to cut out any stops). The ride was great - quick and half on highway, half on backroads where I got to see stuff. I'm just not into taking a day to pay a car to drive me around in a circle; I prefer to see my in-between sights in between other stuff I'm doing.
Arrived in Brisbane around 2 pm. Or wait. It was 1 pm. I still have no real idea why the fricken time zone changed back an hour when we drove 2 hours north...but it did. In Brisbane, I stayed in - by FAR - the crappiest place I've stayed yet. I've done hostels but with a strict adherence to the private room thing and this did not change here...but city hostels are waaay diff than beach hostels. They run about 30% less money and about 60-80% less quality/comfort/niceness. I think: OK. Suck it up, you're in this city for < 24 hours. I did a lot in the time.
A few sad happenings had to be dealth with. Brisbane was for biz nass.
- My iPod died. !@#$%%#. I know. SSSOOO not good. I mildly freaked out a few days back when it happened, put it away, and then checked on it every day at the same time, hoping that magically she would come back to life. No dice. However, the zitty awkard dude at teh Mac store in Brisbane fixed her. For FREE. Almost kissed him.
- My small camera died. My SLR is doing great and taking amazing shots...but lets be honest, she has no home in, oh, say, Nimbin. I need a tiny credit card sized camera for my various afternoon and evening adventures, Jordache jean style. I took my broken Coolpix to a camera store...knowing the dissapproving looks I was about to encounter. Sure enough: "did you take this camera to the beach??" came up right away. I looked away. I blushed. I smiled. I said yes. And then I bought a new camera for $148 AUD (about $100 usd -- everything is about a 30% discount right now w the given {{{crappy!!!}}}} exchange rate.
I leave these 2 errands JOYOUS. Things have been fixed. Am walking down the street w my new ipod cranked in my ears...and hear some heavy bass coming from across the street. WTF? Earbuds out, I see there is "Grape Groove" going on - a FREE wine party in the middle of Brisbane w a big stage set up in the middle of the "Queens Gardens" - basically at the steps of city hall. I walk in -- and ALWAYS feel weird about whipping out a passport when asked for ID in a city scenario because you can not be LESS local than that -- and instantly get handed a glass of delish white wine (Marlborough sauv blanc).
Few glasses and random new friends later, I leave, go for a ferry ride around the city. Picture a snake that's making a figure 8 ish type shape and then drop the city around all sides of the snake -- that's the layout of this city. It's about the size of Seattle (smaller by a bit probably) but by riding a city ferry, appropriately named CityCat -- you see it all. Sun sets, I get off ferry, head back to the west end where my dumpy, I mean qaint, room awaits.
Fit full sleep persists...because I want to get outta town and get back to the beach. It's my primordial ooze a'callin....
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Two kiwis and one jersey tomato
I wandered into the main office of the beachhouse earlier this week and was chatting w Tom, the guy who manages the place. I was sorta looking at the wall of cheesy looking tour flyers that advertised stuff to do outside of beach related activities of Byron Bay. I figured I should branch out. A little.
The little town of Nimbin sits about 30 miles inland from Byron, nestled in the 'shire'. (They really call rolling green pastures a 'shire' here, how the hellll am I not to think of LOTR? I can't help it) and it's big claim to fame is that it's cute, it's quaint, and it's full of hippies and rastas. Ya mon.
So I say to Tom: I'm thinking of checking this place out...do you recommend any of these vans/buses/tours - kinda cringing b.c they all looked pretty chez. I hear a think Aussie-esque but not quite Aussie accent say "You don't want to deal with that. Just come with us if you'd, we're leaving at 8:30 tomorrow morning". Standing in the doorway is Micheal with crazy blond dreads hanging down past his butt and this Jeff Spicoli/Ed Harris look going on. Introductions were made, 8:30 sounded great (what the hell else was I going to be doing), and I was getting picked up for my Nimbin adventure in the morning. Saweet.
Enter my new kiwi friends, Michael Greengrass (seriously) and his buddy Alex who just so happens to look EXACTLY like the dark curly haired half of Flight of the Concords (kiwis), except skinnier and w bluer eyes. These guys are both from New Zealand and have been living/working/hanging out in Australia...for years. We get in the white VW campervan (it's Alex's, he occassionally lives in it but for the past few months has been camping at some beachside campground) and take off for Nimbin.
We cruised by some crazy purty stuff -- groves of macadamia nut trees, coffee farms, olive farms - amazing. It was a pretty misty morning, so although bright out, there was a kinda cool murky mist sitting low over the valleys. Michael, absolutely the more brash more crazy storyteller of the 2, basically was a hilarious tour guide, spewing out facts and figures and all sorts of info while Alex kinda rolled his eyes at the appropriate moments while he quietly read a brainy book in the back. They're kinda like a kiwi beach bum odd couple.
So we get to Nimbin. It's got one streetlight; super tiny spot. No one is there - the horrid vans of people show up later in the day, so we're there early havin coffee w the locals - half of which know Michael. (He lived there for 3 months a few years back)This guy has got more stories than anyone I think I've ever met. I leave at that here, for now. We basically walked around, hung out, went to a hippie bookstore, went to a hippie music store, had lunch. Came back.
The neatest part of the whole day was getting into the heads of 2 New Zealanders, who by all intents *hate* a LOT of stuff about Australia...but yet continue to live here for years. WTF! Admit you love it or tell me why you hate it. C'mon. I called them on this after about the 15th comment of 'it's not like at home' or 'kiwis do it better'etc etc ...
Me: Guys. C'mon. If you think everyone here is so lame and NON impressive in every way...Why are you here huh?
Michael: (Pause, pretending to give it some thought in a smartass way) Well I think what we've got is a classic case of little brother/big brother syndrome ...
Alex (cuts him off from the back seat and blurts out somewhat spastically) ...EXCEPT in this case, the little brother is the big brother!!
We all laughed at the ridiculousness of that point being proven, undeniably.
ps. Kiwis (at least these 2) say "heaps" and "choice" ALL THE TIME.
The little town of Nimbin sits about 30 miles inland from Byron, nestled in the 'shire'. (They really call rolling green pastures a 'shire' here, how the hellll am I not to think of LOTR? I can't help it) and it's big claim to fame is that it's cute, it's quaint, and it's full of hippies and rastas. Ya mon.
So I say to Tom: I'm thinking of checking this place out...do you recommend any of these vans/buses/tours - kinda cringing b.c they all looked pretty chez. I hear a think Aussie-esque but not quite Aussie accent say "You don't want to deal with that. Just come with us if you'd, we're leaving at 8:30 tomorrow morning". Standing in the doorway is Micheal with crazy blond dreads hanging down past his butt and this Jeff Spicoli/Ed Harris look going on. Introductions were made, 8:30 sounded great (what the hell else was I going to be doing), and I was getting picked up for my Nimbin adventure in the morning. Saweet.
Enter my new kiwi friends, Michael Greengrass (seriously) and his buddy Alex who just so happens to look EXACTLY like the dark curly haired half of Flight of the Concords (kiwis), except skinnier and w bluer eyes. These guys are both from New Zealand and have been living/working/hanging out in Australia...for years. We get in the white VW campervan (it's Alex's, he occassionally lives in it but for the past few months has been camping at some beachside campground) and take off for Nimbin.
We cruised by some crazy purty stuff -- groves of macadamia nut trees, coffee farms, olive farms - amazing. It was a pretty misty morning, so although bright out, there was a kinda cool murky mist sitting low over the valleys. Michael, absolutely the more brash more crazy storyteller of the 2, basically was a hilarious tour guide, spewing out facts and figures and all sorts of info while Alex kinda rolled his eyes at the appropriate moments while he quietly read a brainy book in the back. They're kinda like a kiwi beach bum odd couple.
So we get to Nimbin. It's got one streetlight; super tiny spot. No one is there - the horrid vans of people show up later in the day, so we're there early havin coffee w the locals - half of which know Michael. (He lived there for 3 months a few years back)This guy has got more stories than anyone I think I've ever met. I leave at that here, for now. We basically walked around, hung out, went to a hippie bookstore, went to a hippie music store, had lunch. Came back.
The neatest part of the whole day was getting into the heads of 2 New Zealanders, who by all intents *hate* a LOT of stuff about Australia...but yet continue to live here for years. WTF! Admit you love it or tell me why you hate it. C'mon. I called them on this after about the 15th comment of 'it's not like at home' or 'kiwis do it better'etc etc ...
Me: Guys. C'mon. If you think everyone here is so lame and NON impressive in every way...Why are you here huh?
Michael: (Pause, pretending to give it some thought in a smartass way) Well I think what we've got is a classic case of little brother/big brother syndrome ...
Alex (cuts him off from the back seat and blurts out somewhat spastically) ...EXCEPT in this case, the little brother is the big brother!!
We all laughed at the ridiculousness of that point being proven, undeniably.
ps. Kiwis (at least these 2) say "heaps" and "choice" ALL THE TIME.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
My Favorite Thirteen Words in the English Language
Today was interesting. I had every intention of leaving Sydney for the North Coast tomorrow (wed) or the next day (thurs). And then, I looked out the window onto the gray city street -- it was rainy, cold and cah-rappy. This is where my plan for the day changed.
At this point, I was in Bondi Junction (a little mini metropolis btwn Paddington where K lives and Bondi at the beach) getting breakfast and then going to book some travel at a cafe. At about 11 a I sat down w my sketched out itinerary, but nothing solid. Fortuitously, I accidentally input today's date, the 14th, to quote prices. Who EVER thinks to book a ticket the same day they're going to fly? Not me. Until today.
I see that flights are available, leaving in 3.5 hrs (2:30 pm). I see that it's cold and rainy out - the first break from sunny perfect warmness that we've had yet. And I see that my SAD (self diagnosed seasonal affective dissorder) has come screeching back w crazy speed. Buy! Buy! Buy!
Two hours later, I was at the airport, bags packed and bikini on underneath layers of other clothes. By 4 pm today I landed in Balina airport, which is about the size of my condo and nestled amongst green rolling Ireland-ish fields of the north coast. So pretty. SO diff than Sydney!! I walk in to baggage claim, which is also the waiting area, which is also the transport center - and see my name handwritten on a whiteboard. No shit, it said:
"G'day Kat!"
Amazing. John, an older gent in a red bowler hat, greets me, grabs my bag...and basically my arse was on the beach in Byron Bay about 25 mins later. I'm staying at this super quiet, super chill cottage that is one tree-lined street away from the beach...it's a super restorative and very relaxing, homey spot.
As I got out of the van, John uttered quite possibly my 13 fave words in the english language:
"The best way to get to town is by walking along the beach."
I love walking along beaches to places!! Love it. Lots. Plan on being here for 2 or 3 days, then head further north to the Whitsunday Islands (Arlie Beach). Going to go on a sailing trip mon.
At this point, I was in Bondi Junction (a little mini metropolis btwn Paddington where K lives and Bondi at the beach) getting breakfast and then going to book some travel at a cafe. At about 11 a I sat down w my sketched out itinerary, but nothing solid. Fortuitously, I accidentally input today's date, the 14th, to quote prices. Who EVER thinks to book a ticket the same day they're going to fly? Not me. Until today.
I see that flights are available, leaving in 3.5 hrs (2:30 pm). I see that it's cold and rainy out - the first break from sunny perfect warmness that we've had yet. And I see that my SAD (self diagnosed seasonal affective dissorder) has come screeching back w crazy speed. Buy! Buy! Buy!
Two hours later, I was at the airport, bags packed and bikini on underneath layers of other clothes. By 4 pm today I landed in Balina airport, which is about the size of my condo and nestled amongst green rolling Ireland-ish fields of the north coast. So pretty. SO diff than Sydney!! I walk in to baggage claim, which is also the waiting area, which is also the transport center - and see my name handwritten on a whiteboard. No shit, it said:
"G'day Kat!"
Amazing. John, an older gent in a red bowler hat, greets me, grabs my bag...and basically my arse was on the beach in Byron Bay about 25 mins later. I'm staying at this super quiet, super chill cottage that is one tree-lined street away from the beach...it's a super restorative and very relaxing, homey spot.
As I got out of the van, John uttered quite possibly my 13 fave words in the english language:
"The best way to get to town is by walking along the beach."
I love walking along beaches to places!! Love it. Lots. Plan on being here for 2 or 3 days, then head further north to the Whitsunday Islands (Arlie Beach). Going to go on a sailing trip mon.
Manly Beach Mondays
So I FINALLY got some time to myself today...and decided to go to a beach ;)
Manly Beach, to be specific.
I got up early, got on the wrong bus to city centre, got on the right bus to city centre...and wandered around. Hyde park, giant chess match, foutains, Barrack museum. yaddy yadda. Sydney is a cool. Duh.
Headed to the wharf at 10:50 and caught the 11 (perfect timing!) ferry to Manly beach. I decided to actually READ a guidebook and do some thing it said...so I went on an awesome 4 or 6 mile hikey walk thing around Manly beach and the surrounding 'hood. Normally, not so into this --- but on my walk I found these 4 other little tiny beaches that had no people on them but amazing views of the city. Crazy. It was like being on a San Juan island, but within view of Seattle, sort of...but you could swim, and there were giant Euro yachts everywhere. And Euros. So not really like Seattle.... Big learning, I had literally no idea that Sydney had Carribean-esque turqoise blue waters. Now I know. There was this cool 'rock pool' which is made of rocks from the sea, cemented together, w sea water in them but right at the oceans edge.
It was a great day. I got back to the city late, did a little shopping, got on the wrong bus to Paddington, got on the right bus to Paddington - and viola. First offical day of solo exploration in Sydney: done.
Manly Beach, to be specific.
I got up early, got on the wrong bus to city centre, got on the right bus to city centre...and wandered around. Hyde park, giant chess match, foutains, Barrack museum. yaddy yadda. Sydney is a cool. Duh.
Headed to the wharf at 10:50 and caught the 11 (perfect timing!) ferry to Manly beach. I decided to actually READ a guidebook and do some thing it said...so I went on an awesome 4 or 6 mile hikey walk thing around Manly beach and the surrounding 'hood. Normally, not so into this --- but on my walk I found these 4 other little tiny beaches that had no people on them but amazing views of the city. Crazy. It was like being on a San Juan island, but within view of Seattle, sort of...but you could swim, and there were giant Euro yachts everywhere. And Euros. So not really like Seattle.... Big learning, I had literally no idea that Sydney had Carribean-esque turqoise blue waters. Now I know. There was this cool 'rock pool' which is made of rocks from the sea, cemented together, w sea water in them but right at the oceans edge.
It was a great day. I got back to the city late, did a little shopping, got on the wrong bus to Paddington, got on the right bus to Paddington - and viola. First offical day of solo exploration in Sydney: done.
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