WE ARE ON THE ROAD! We have been driving anywhere between 2 to 6 hours a day and have been flying by the wings of fate - with not much planed ahead.
Magnetic Island
We spent 2 days on this island. It is beautiful, but there was not much to do. The occupants' age medium at our hostel (Base) was about 20. After hearing a gasp from a young German girl who had just asked our ages, we felt old.
We spent our days at Magnetic Island on the beach, at the pool. On our last night at Magnetic I experienced Goon for the first time. Goon is, after all, part of Australian culture. It is also cheap wine in a silver bag.
We met a group of young English boys from Newcastle and drank red, white, and rose Goon (yes, it even comes in rose!!). Two of the boys were nice English gentlemen and chatted with us all night - a few of the others were the other kind of English boy. One of the chubby ones was very intoxicated and sang "California" every time I walked by.
Airlie Beach
You know those American movies from the 80s where all the women wear hot pink bikinis and are orangy tan with beach blond hair? You know, where everyone is at a beach town for their spring break? This, in a nutshell, is Airlie Beach. Everyone is in their early to mid 20s, beautiful, and sun kissed.
I never had much of a "spring break" college experience while I was actually IN college - mostly because I had work to worry about. I more than made up for this in Airlie Beach! Our 1st night was spent at a party hostel called 'Magnums.' We were knackered when we arrived and thought we would just shower, have a drink, and go to bed. Our night got a bit more interesting than this.
We were almost done with our one drink - when a VERY handsome man came up and asked to sit with us. Hours later we were playing pool with 3 men, drunk as fishes - leaving the bar to get to a dance club.
This happened very easily. Romane. Romane is the Lithuanian fellow that first came to sit and have a drink with us. Imagine the cutest male model you have ever seen, then add blue eyes. This is Romane. We sat with Romane chatting about life, travel, work, passion, love, and anything else that came up. Romane has traveled all over the world - and LOVED Brazil (of course!). This is one of the best things about traveling. Meeting people like Romane. People that have so much of a similar point of view from your own. People that I am excited to know exist and help me know that no, I am not a crazy person for looking at the world the way I do.
Romane left to shower and 2 Englishmen came to us right away. They asked us to play pool with them - and we obliged. They were rough and tough looking blokes with tattoos on them. The tallest, roughest looking was Adam. Strangely enough, Adam is a cupcake baker!!! ha!
Romane, the two English blokes, Tamara, and myself all struggled to play pool. The longest pool game in the world turned into a great idea to go dancing. We went to 'Mama Africas' and danced all night! I don't remember the last time I have danced so much. AND it was house and electronica (very Euro!).
We arrived back to our awful, smelly room at 4 am... only to arise at 8 for our sailing trip to Whit Sundays.
Whit Sundays
Needless to say I was a bit sick the morning we arrived on the Mandrake (our sailing boat). It didn't last long as the trip to Whit Sundays is beautiful. I wish I had taken more photos, but I was much too involved in experiencing all of it to stop and take pictures - a common Tati phenomenon for which I kick myself constantly after the fact.
We sailed with Tom, a red, large bellied skipper; Jema, a young, beautiful crew member/cook; Lauren, a funny English gal; Kate, an amazing English singer (she brought her guitar); Stephen, a OVERLY excited English bloke (he was in love with all us girls - all for different reasons and his eyes went big whenever he saw a fish or turtle swimming near our sailboat).
We island hoped, snorkeled, and sailed during the day and sang with Kate and her guitar at night (and did a bit of drinking games I admit).
Rockhampton
After Whit Sundays we stayed a night in Airllie. The next morning our hostel was full, so we took it as a sign of fate and moved on.
We drove south until we felt we needed to stop. The towns were all a bit small, so we decided we would drive the 6 hours to Rockhampton - the largest of the small towns.
Let me take this time to talk about driving on the left side of the road. It is strange. I have been doing well, but turning is the strangest part. Tamara is a brave soul and she has been encouraging. :)
Rockhampton is a bit of a historic town. It started with the gold mining. A river runs threw it (very ala every Euro city) and there are some historic pubs and hotels. It is a farm type town - so MEAT is whats for dinner.
We ate at the first hotel - Crition Hotel (something or other) and I had (gasp) a fillet and romp meat pie with smashed peas and gravy (yumma!).
The hostel owner told us about live music that night in the pub below us. The band was great - but the crowd consisted of 18 - 20 year olds and a crazy rodeo clown, whom I am sure is soon to become the town crazy/homeless man.
The funniest part of our night is that the hostel owner told us that he thought it was a crank call when I called him from the highway and reserved 2 beds under the name Tatiana Brasil. He didn't think it was possible to have such a name. He mentioned this, unfortunately for me, in front of the musicians (while on break). Halfway through their session the musician says, "Tatiana Brasil. Tatiana Brasil. Ladies and gentlemen... that is a real name. You would think it was a stripper name, but no. It is a real name and she is sitting right there... in the blue. Talk to her while you can boys." I turned red. I know that I am not known to become embarrassed often - but I was VERY embarrassed. My name came up before love ballots throughout the night.
The drive
We left Rockhampton and drove south. We spent a couple of hours at 1770 - which is a beautiful little beach (and where Captian Cook first arrived in Aus). We are now at Harvey Bay and we leave for Frazer Island tomorrow morning - for which I am VERY excited. Our Swedish friend has met up with us and we are ready to go!
The Plan - still going
Harvey bay - 1 night
Frazer - 2 nights
Harvey bay - 1 night (Tamara's birthday!)
Noosa - 2 nights
Brisbane - 2 nights
Byron bay - 4 nights
Newcastle - 1 week (including my birthday!)
Sydney - ??
Tati
Magnetic Island
We spent 2 days on this island. It is beautiful, but there was not much to do. The occupants' age medium at our hostel (Base) was about 20. After hearing a gasp from a young German girl who had just asked our ages, we felt old.
We spent our days at Magnetic Island on the beach, at the pool. On our last night at Magnetic I experienced Goon for the first time. Goon is, after all, part of Australian culture. It is also cheap wine in a silver bag.
We met a group of young English boys from Newcastle and drank red, white, and rose Goon (yes, it even comes in rose!!). Two of the boys were nice English gentlemen and chatted with us all night - a few of the others were the other kind of English boy. One of the chubby ones was very intoxicated and sang "California" every time I walked by.
Airlie Beach
You know those American movies from the 80s where all the women wear hot pink bikinis and are orangy tan with beach blond hair? You know, where everyone is at a beach town for their spring break? This, in a nutshell, is Airlie Beach. Everyone is in their early to mid 20s, beautiful, and sun kissed.
I never had much of a "spring break" college experience while I was actually IN college - mostly because I had work to worry about. I more than made up for this in Airlie Beach! Our 1st night was spent at a party hostel called 'Magnums.' We were knackered when we arrived and thought we would just shower, have a drink, and go to bed. Our night got a bit more interesting than this.
We were almost done with our one drink - when a VERY handsome man came up and asked to sit with us. Hours later we were playing pool with 3 men, drunk as fishes - leaving the bar to get to a dance club.
This happened very easily. Romane. Romane is the Lithuanian fellow that first came to sit and have a drink with us. Imagine the cutest male model you have ever seen, then add blue eyes. This is Romane. We sat with Romane chatting about life, travel, work, passion, love, and anything else that came up. Romane has traveled all over the world - and LOVED Brazil (of course!). This is one of the best things about traveling. Meeting people like Romane. People that have so much of a similar point of view from your own. People that I am excited to know exist and help me know that no, I am not a crazy person for looking at the world the way I do.
Romane left to shower and 2 Englishmen came to us right away. They asked us to play pool with them - and we obliged. They were rough and tough looking blokes with tattoos on them. The tallest, roughest looking was Adam. Strangely enough, Adam is a cupcake baker!!! ha!
Romane, the two English blokes, Tamara, and myself all struggled to play pool. The longest pool game in the world turned into a great idea to go dancing. We went to 'Mama Africas' and danced all night! I don't remember the last time I have danced so much. AND it was house and electronica (very Euro!).
We arrived back to our awful, smelly room at 4 am... only to arise at 8 for our sailing trip to Whit Sundays.
Whit Sundays
Needless to say I was a bit sick the morning we arrived on the Mandrake (our sailing boat). It didn't last long as the trip to Whit Sundays is beautiful. I wish I had taken more photos, but I was much too involved in experiencing all of it to stop and take pictures - a common Tati phenomenon for which I kick myself constantly after the fact.
We sailed with Tom, a red, large bellied skipper; Jema, a young, beautiful crew member/cook; Lauren, a funny English gal; Kate, an amazing English singer (she brought her guitar); Stephen, a OVERLY excited English bloke (he was in love with all us girls - all for different reasons and his eyes went big whenever he saw a fish or turtle swimming near our sailboat).
We island hoped, snorkeled, and sailed during the day and sang with Kate and her guitar at night (and did a bit of drinking games I admit).
Rockhampton
After Whit Sundays we stayed a night in Airllie. The next morning our hostel was full, so we took it as a sign of fate and moved on.
We drove south until we felt we needed to stop. The towns were all a bit small, so we decided we would drive the 6 hours to Rockhampton - the largest of the small towns.
Let me take this time to talk about driving on the left side of the road. It is strange. I have been doing well, but turning is the strangest part. Tamara is a brave soul and she has been encouraging. :)
Rockhampton is a bit of a historic town. It started with the gold mining. A river runs threw it (very ala every Euro city) and there are some historic pubs and hotels. It is a farm type town - so MEAT is whats for dinner.
We ate at the first hotel - Crition Hotel (something or other) and I had (gasp) a fillet and romp meat pie with smashed peas and gravy (yumma!).
The hostel owner told us about live music that night in the pub below us. The band was great - but the crowd consisted of 18 - 20 year olds and a crazy rodeo clown, whom I am sure is soon to become the town crazy/homeless man.
The funniest part of our night is that the hostel owner told us that he thought it was a crank call when I called him from the highway and reserved 2 beds under the name Tatiana Brasil. He didn't think it was possible to have such a name. He mentioned this, unfortunately for me, in front of the musicians (while on break). Halfway through their session the musician says, "Tatiana Brasil. Tatiana Brasil. Ladies and gentlemen... that is a real name. You would think it was a stripper name, but no. It is a real name and she is sitting right there... in the blue. Talk to her while you can boys." I turned red. I know that I am not known to become embarrassed often - but I was VERY embarrassed. My name came up before love ballots throughout the night.
The drive
We left Rockhampton and drove south. We spent a couple of hours at 1770 - which is a beautiful little beach (and where Captian Cook first arrived in Aus). We are now at Harvey Bay and we leave for Frazer Island tomorrow morning - for which I am VERY excited. Our Swedish friend has met up with us and we are ready to go!
The Plan - still going
Harvey bay - 1 night
Frazer - 2 nights
Harvey bay - 1 night (Tamara's birthday!)
Noosa - 2 nights
Brisbane - 2 nights
Byron bay - 4 nights
Newcastle - 1 week (including my birthday!)
Sydney - ??
Tati
No comments:
Post a Comment