As I write this, I’m in my posh hostel near Sydney’s central train station. I shelled out big bucks for this four-bed dorm: $45. I thought it would be worth it, but, like so many things in life, I’ve had better experiences with the cheaper option. Regardless, I’ve had a few days in Sydney to wind down the trip and get some last-minute sight-seeing and shopping done. Yesterday morning I went for a run in the Royal Botanical Gardens which hug the bay adjacent to the opera house. The gardens themselves are absolutely spectacular. I felt like I was in another world and it was easy to imagine just how epic these gardens were when they were first planted well over 100 years ago. Rose and succulent gardens, towering palms and bamboo, ponds and fountains surrounded by ducks and parrots; there’s even a small rainforest! And as the path gently slopes towards the ocean the soaring walls of the opera house become visible.
Sunday morning, we went out for breakfast in Seddon (the neighbourhood to which Evan and Beth have moved) with Robbie (Evan’s mom) and her partner Frank. Although the weather was cold and windy- I said it felt like Canada- we had a wonderful time and discussed everything from terrorism and war to the ancient Mayan culture of sacrifice. Great Sunday morning talk. Then the goodbyes began and they didn’t end until later that afternoon when I boarded my flight for Sydney. Saying goodbye to Evan was hard; he really is one of my closest friends but it was made easier by knowing I’ll see him next summer. He and Beth are coming over for my wedding and a Canadian road trip.
Evan took me to a footie game (Australian rules football) Friday night at the huge Etihad Stadium, across from Melbourne’s harbour front. Although Evan’s team, the Hawthorne Hawks, lost badly I still wore my brown and gold team scarf he bought me with pride. The game was pretty fantastic. It’s hard to describe the sport- a cross between football, soccer and rugby, players rapidly hand punt the ball between each other and kick it through the goal posts to score points. Tackling of all sorts is allowed and if the ball hits the ground play doesn’t stop. It looked incredibly brutal and I saw many heads getting bounced off knees and hips but these guys are tough and nothing seems to faze them. These players are the most fit I’ve seen and run up and down the huge field constantly with only one twenty minute and two shorter breaks in game play. There are no time outs but player substitutions are allowed. The game is also extremely graceful. Players leap in the air with the accurateness of a ballerina to catch the football and bend the ball sideways and through the defence as they kick the ball down the field to team mates.
The better part of Saturday was spent at the park with Beth’s family. They were throwing a surprise 40th birthday party for Uncle Sean, who hates surprise parties and any kind of fuss being made over him. The family kept it low-key but he looked slightly unimpressed when he arrived and found 40 people and food for 100 taking over a corner of the park. The weather was foul; windy and cold but it didn’t rain and we had a cricket match all afternoon. I partnered up with Evan and learned the basics of the game which I compared to baseball and was told by several different people that it’s much more complex (and superior) to baseball. Note to self: Don’t ever say anything that could be construed as negative to Aussies about cricket.
Beth’s grandma and mom took great pride in preparing heaps of food, setting the tables with pretty flower arrangements and even walking around the party with appetizers on platters. Their attention to detail and to the happiness of their guests was beyond impressive. And despite the weather, the day was awesome. Beth’s family are very unique and quite funny. Long-time family friend Quinton had a bad car accident in his youth, resulting in a brain injury which enables him to be completely honest with everyone. He never holds back what he thinks and spits out whatever comes to mind. Pretty refreshing if you ask me. We chatted all afternoon on the cricket field and he told me I have man feet (they’re size 10) but he meant it in the nicest way possible. By the end, we were all a bit tipsy from the copious amounts of wine and Beth’s mom stared at Evan and I for awhile and declared we look alike.
We planned on a big night out for my last night in Melbourne but after we got back to the new house, we all decided a glass of wine on the couch would suit us better. Definitely getting old...
And now it’s home-time- my favourite part of the day in elementary school. At the end of a trip I like to reflect and consider the good and bad and what the whole experience meant to me. This trip has been overwhelmingly positive and I think that is largely due to being with Dane, and later, Evan. Last year in Central and South America I felt lost and purposeless and couldn’t understand why I was even travelling- especially without Eric. This trip has been considerably different and it all makes such a big difference on with who I spent my time. The attitudes of those around me can have a huge influence and I wasn’t in the right mind-set last year.
Along with all of the gorgeous places we’ve seen and cool things we’ve done together, I think Dane and I are closer than we ever have been and I’m sure it will remain that way. Going to see Evan nearly three years after I’d last seen him solidified our friendship because we both realized we will always be close, no matter how far apart we live or how often we see each other. Friendships like this are very hard to come by and must be treasured. Spending time with his and Beth’s family was also a treat and an honour and I would be happy to do it all over again.
So, in closing, I’m so excited to go home and see Eric (and family and friends of course!) that I can’t sleep but I’m also enormously appreciative of this trip I was able to take and all that it has brought me.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
A road trip with my other brother- Wednesday, February 24 to 26
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most famous drives and is aptly named for the huge amount of breathtaking beauty that can be seen in a short distance. The road winds around northern cliffs, forest and rivers. To the south, white surf crashes into the rocks and blue ocean laps at endless beaches. I met a few people who were disappointed with the drive. They apparently thought “great” describes the length of the drive. The stretch of road that follows the curves of the shoreline is only about 100 km long but it’s the stops along the way and the incredible scenery that make the road great.
Evan and I set out early Wednesday morning for a little brother/sister companionship. We took a long walk and had a great talk on the beach of the famous surf town, Torquay. We followed that up with a hearty Aussie brekkie in a beachside cafe, then a little factory outlet shopping at the surf shops, which started the day perfectly. High on my list of priorities for this road trip was to see Bells Beach, the surfing capital of Australia and where it all began. The beach is home to some epic breaks and draws top-notch international competitors for its annual surf comps. Besides being famous for the surf, the beach isn’t too hard on the eyes either. The coarse sand is a dark golden colour, with streaks of black. The beach is flanked by high orange cliffs topped with green shrubs. Surfers walk out to the break over rocks topped with a soft and slightly slimy, bulbous sea plant.
The highlight of the day, however, came after lunch in Lorne, a lovely seaside town in the middle of the most scenic part of the Great Ocean Road. We had been told that an area near Kennett River was good for spotting koalas and headed off the highway onto a dirt track into the eucalyptus trees (the only type of leaves they eat come from these trees.) Right away I saw a chubby grey bum resting on a tree branch. Koalas usually sleep for about 20 hours a day so we were very lucky that this one was awake and having a stretch and a scratch. He was also very close to the road, enabling us to get a good look at his cute little face. We ended up spotting five more in the trees and a few kookaburras as well (a native Australian bird.)
I took over the wheel for the next part of the drive while Evan had a nap- brave guy! I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to driving on the wrong side. The drive turned inland and, I thought, was equally as scenic as earlier. Now we wound through valleys and pastures and around hairpin turns that were necessary for the ever-changing landscape.
We arrived at the site of one of Australia’s big tourist attractions, the Twelve Apostles, as the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky. I love the light the sun casts late in the afternoon- the way it makes the water sparkle and gives a warm glow to everything. While there’s no longer twelve apostles (towers of rock left free-standing in the ocean after they eroded away from the main cliffs) they are still a magnificent sight. Huge orange cliffs line the beach and the five or six apostles are staggered throughout in contrasting and powerful shapes and sizes.
We ended our perfect day by finding an excellent (and cheap) B and B in a little town called Port Campbell. Dinner was Evan’s favourite pub meal: Chicken Parma (Parmesan.) It doesn’t top my list of things to eat but when in Rome...
Thursday morning we visited The Arch and London Bridge. Both are fantastic examples of erosion and The Arch has been perfectly carved from the bottom of a cliff by the ever furious sea. London Bridge was passable several years ago but fell, stranding someone on the ocean end of the rock. The contrast this morning between the yellow and orange cliffs and the blue ocean is staggering. It’s overcast today but the colours are still unbelievable. I would love to see what this all looks like on a sunny day.
The rest of the day we spent with Evan’s dad and step-mom on their acreage near Daylesford, a lovely town famous for its natural mineral springs and for being the gay town capital of Australia. Jos (Evan’s dad) and Monique are both from Holland and quite happy on their little piece of bush land paradise, called Majellum. They rent out their guest house to couples on vacation and offer massage therapy. Their house is open and airy and made of mud brick. Monique’s daughter Anna (12) arrived home from school and we all went into Daylesford for a walk around the lake and an informal tour from Jos. Then it was time for a bbq- the Aussie summer staple and always with sausages, burgers, fried onions, salad, wine and great conversation. A recurring topic is the worm in Evan’s arm. Earlier that day Monique squeezed Diego out of Evan's arm. All I heard was a blood-curdling scream as Diego and a bunch of blood flew at her. He’s much bigger than we thought and has two little black fangs. Internet research revealed that he’s actually a screw worm fly and is a type of maggot- one of the only types that feast on live flesh, instead of dead animals. When animals become infested with the larvae (female screw worm flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time) they are generally consumed within a week. Pretty disgusting.
As the sun began to set, Jos informed us it was the perfect time for a roo walk and told us which pastures were the best in the area for spotting them. Anna was our tour guide and we went for a long walk down the road without seeing anything but a rabbit. On the way back it was nearly dark and we returned to a pasture close to the house and saw them. Six or seven roos bounded along at the far end of the pasture, close to the tree line. They bounced for a little ways, then stopped, then bounced away again. The pasture was a golden yellow colour and their outlines under the now visible moon were graceful. Yet another image I’ll always carry of this beautiful country. I could hardly believe my luck over the past two days.
We left Friday morning after loading up Evan’s furniture that his dad had been storing. Now that I’ve met both of Evan’s parents I can really see where he gets a lot of his personality traits from. His compassion and open-mindedness comes from his mom Robbie. She’s by far one of the warmest and caring people I’ve ever met. Evan’s dry, sarcastic humour is from Jos- a funny man who comes across as serious until you see the twinkle in his eye. And it’s been a great honour to meet both of his parents and spend some time with them. I definitely feel like part of the family now, as I’m sure Evan did when he was in Canada.
Evan and I set out early Wednesday morning for a little brother/sister companionship. We took a long walk and had a great talk on the beach of the famous surf town, Torquay. We followed that up with a hearty Aussie brekkie in a beachside cafe, then a little factory outlet shopping at the surf shops, which started the day perfectly. High on my list of priorities for this road trip was to see Bells Beach, the surfing capital of Australia and where it all began. The beach is home to some epic breaks and draws top-notch international competitors for its annual surf comps. Besides being famous for the surf, the beach isn’t too hard on the eyes either. The coarse sand is a dark golden colour, with streaks of black. The beach is flanked by high orange cliffs topped with green shrubs. Surfers walk out to the break over rocks topped with a soft and slightly slimy, bulbous sea plant.
The highlight of the day, however, came after lunch in Lorne, a lovely seaside town in the middle of the most scenic part of the Great Ocean Road. We had been told that an area near Kennett River was good for spotting koalas and headed off the highway onto a dirt track into the eucalyptus trees (the only type of leaves they eat come from these trees.) Right away I saw a chubby grey bum resting on a tree branch. Koalas usually sleep for about 20 hours a day so we were very lucky that this one was awake and having a stretch and a scratch. He was also very close to the road, enabling us to get a good look at his cute little face. We ended up spotting five more in the trees and a few kookaburras as well (a native Australian bird.)
I took over the wheel for the next part of the drive while Evan had a nap- brave guy! I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to driving on the wrong side. The drive turned inland and, I thought, was equally as scenic as earlier. Now we wound through valleys and pastures and around hairpin turns that were necessary for the ever-changing landscape.
We arrived at the site of one of Australia’s big tourist attractions, the Twelve Apostles, as the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky. I love the light the sun casts late in the afternoon- the way it makes the water sparkle and gives a warm glow to everything. While there’s no longer twelve apostles (towers of rock left free-standing in the ocean after they eroded away from the main cliffs) they are still a magnificent sight. Huge orange cliffs line the beach and the five or six apostles are staggered throughout in contrasting and powerful shapes and sizes.
We ended our perfect day by finding an excellent (and cheap) B and B in a little town called Port Campbell. Dinner was Evan’s favourite pub meal: Chicken Parma (Parmesan.) It doesn’t top my list of things to eat but when in Rome...
Thursday morning we visited The Arch and London Bridge. Both are fantastic examples of erosion and The Arch has been perfectly carved from the bottom of a cliff by the ever furious sea. London Bridge was passable several years ago but fell, stranding someone on the ocean end of the rock. The contrast this morning between the yellow and orange cliffs and the blue ocean is staggering. It’s overcast today but the colours are still unbelievable. I would love to see what this all looks like on a sunny day.
The rest of the day we spent with Evan’s dad and step-mom on their acreage near Daylesford, a lovely town famous for its natural mineral springs and for being the gay town capital of Australia. Jos (Evan’s dad) and Monique are both from Holland and quite happy on their little piece of bush land paradise, called Majellum. They rent out their guest house to couples on vacation and offer massage therapy. Their house is open and airy and made of mud brick. Monique’s daughter Anna (12) arrived home from school and we all went into Daylesford for a walk around the lake and an informal tour from Jos. Then it was time for a bbq- the Aussie summer staple and always with sausages, burgers, fried onions, salad, wine and great conversation. A recurring topic is the worm in Evan’s arm. Earlier that day Monique squeezed Diego out of Evan's arm. All I heard was a blood-curdling scream as Diego and a bunch of blood flew at her. He’s much bigger than we thought and has two little black fangs. Internet research revealed that he’s actually a screw worm fly and is a type of maggot- one of the only types that feast on live flesh, instead of dead animals. When animals become infested with the larvae (female screw worm flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time) they are generally consumed within a week. Pretty disgusting.
As the sun began to set, Jos informed us it was the perfect time for a roo walk and told us which pastures were the best in the area for spotting them. Anna was our tour guide and we went for a long walk down the road without seeing anything but a rabbit. On the way back it was nearly dark and we returned to a pasture close to the house and saw them. Six or seven roos bounded along at the far end of the pasture, close to the tree line. They bounced for a little ways, then stopped, then bounced away again. The pasture was a golden yellow colour and their outlines under the now visible moon were graceful. Yet another image I’ll always carry of this beautiful country. I could hardly believe my luck over the past two days.
We left Friday morning after loading up Evan’s furniture that his dad had been storing. Now that I’ve met both of Evan’s parents I can really see where he gets a lot of his personality traits from. His compassion and open-mindedness comes from his mom Robbie. She’s by far one of the warmest and caring people I’ve ever met. Evan’s dry, sarcastic humour is from Jos- a funny man who comes across as serious until you see the twinkle in his eye. And it’s been a great honour to meet both of his parents and spend some time with them. I definitely feel like part of the family now, as I’m sure Evan did when he was in Canada.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Reuniting with an old friend and a tour through wine country- Wednesday, February 17 to 19
Evan and I first met three years ago on an exchange program in Bangkok, Thailand. We became fast friends and, along with a tight group of other exchange students, spent almost all of our free time exploring Thailand’s incredible islands and northern regions. Later that same year (2007) Evan came and stayed with my family for two weeks in Saskatoon and everyone fell in love with him.
During our exchange we fended off a few questions about being more than friends but what people didn’t understand is the thought of anything romantic makes us both sick. Ours is strictly a relationship based on friendship and we call each other brother and sister. We picked up right where we left off and it was like we had just seen one another yesterday. I think it’s a testament to our friendship that things haven’t changed and we still get along so well. I’ve been meaning to visit his home in Melbourne for a long time; especially after hearing how incredible the city is and felt my Australian journey couldn’t end better.
Evan, his girlfriend Beth and mom Robbie met me at the airport and took me straight out to Robbie’s house in Healesville, a town in the Yarra Valley wine region, about an hour east of Melbourne. Robbie made me feel completely comfortable and right at home. The first thing she did was thank me for taking care of Evan in Canada (he had been going through a bit of a rough time then) and sending thanks to my mom for treating him like a second son.
We spent most of the next two days sitting in Robbie’s beautiful back yard visiting and telling stories, with a bit of cooking and wine drinking thrown in. Beth’s a pretty magical person and the perfect counter-part for Evan’s dry sense of humour. She’s just as good as throwing out sarcasm and jokes to keep you on your toes and is incredibly intelligent. I told Evan he’s lucky to have her and he agreed wholeheartedly.
Later on Thursday afternoon we went for a drive in the gorgeous Yarra Valley out to the De Bortoli vineyard for a two hour wine, port and cheese tasting session. The Yarra Valley is even more picturesque than the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, which Dane and I visited. The rows of grapes go on for miles over the hills and each row is flanked by a rose bush which enables the growers to quickly tell if there is disease or a bug infestation. It’s amazing the valley recovered as well as it did after the horrific Black Saturday fires on February 7 last year. The fires spread at impossible speeds of over 100 km/h and flames jumped up to 20 km. Robbie pointed out the swaths of land that were literally cleared by the fire and farms along the way that were spared and those that were lost. The fires were completely unpredictable and people were told to evacuate but then found the only roads out were blocked by fire or fallen trees. Robbie evacuated her own home as did many of her friends and neighbours. She told me about one of her co-workers battling the fires with her husband, fighting to save their property and about another woman who lost everything. Robbie said when she evacuated her own property she was in such a panic that she didn’t know what to pack or bring and ended up not bringing much of anything. She said in moments like that all that really matters is you and the people you care about. Possessions take a back seat. Most everyone is on bush fire alert in Australia, especially here in Victoria where they have been suffering a drought for about ten years. Beth said her mom keeps a basket by the door with important papers and documents to take with her in case of a fire- something I’ve never thought of preparing at home.
Friday we made a trip over to the Healesville Sanctuary, which is famous in Victoria for its conservation programs, animal hospital and wide array of native Australian animals. I got to see a demonstration with one of my favourites- the wombat- and also saw several platypuses for the first time. Wombats are pretty cool creatures. They have a big, round bum that has a wide plate of bone, enabling them to ram and crush creatures that try to come in their holes and eat them. They’re independent and like to be alone and walk with a distinctive waddle. The platypus is a playful, pretty little thing and we watched one easily for ten minutes while it flipped around and around with a long leaf, catching it and then stopping to see if we were watching.
Then it was back to Melbourne and I went off to stay with Jenna, who is dating Beth’s brother Jesse. Jesse is in Vietnam on an engineering internship and Jenna was more than happy to take me in. Evan and Beth have been staying with Beth’s sister until they find a house to rent (they recently returned from a long trip in Central America.) And now it’s time to explore Melbourne- the city I’ve heard so much about and have been told I’ll love. We’ll see...
During our exchange we fended off a few questions about being more than friends but what people didn’t understand is the thought of anything romantic makes us both sick. Ours is strictly a relationship based on friendship and we call each other brother and sister. We picked up right where we left off and it was like we had just seen one another yesterday. I think it’s a testament to our friendship that things haven’t changed and we still get along so well. I’ve been meaning to visit his home in Melbourne for a long time; especially after hearing how incredible the city is and felt my Australian journey couldn’t end better.
Evan, his girlfriend Beth and mom Robbie met me at the airport and took me straight out to Robbie’s house in Healesville, a town in the Yarra Valley wine region, about an hour east of Melbourne. Robbie made me feel completely comfortable and right at home. The first thing she did was thank me for taking care of Evan in Canada (he had been going through a bit of a rough time then) and sending thanks to my mom for treating him like a second son.
We spent most of the next two days sitting in Robbie’s beautiful back yard visiting and telling stories, with a bit of cooking and wine drinking thrown in. Beth’s a pretty magical person and the perfect counter-part for Evan’s dry sense of humour. She’s just as good as throwing out sarcasm and jokes to keep you on your toes and is incredibly intelligent. I told Evan he’s lucky to have her and he agreed wholeheartedly.
Later on Thursday afternoon we went for a drive in the gorgeous Yarra Valley out to the De Bortoli vineyard for a two hour wine, port and cheese tasting session. The Yarra Valley is even more picturesque than the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, which Dane and I visited. The rows of grapes go on for miles over the hills and each row is flanked by a rose bush which enables the growers to quickly tell if there is disease or a bug infestation. It’s amazing the valley recovered as well as it did after the horrific Black Saturday fires on February 7 last year. The fires spread at impossible speeds of over 100 km/h and flames jumped up to 20 km. Robbie pointed out the swaths of land that were literally cleared by the fire and farms along the way that were spared and those that were lost. The fires were completely unpredictable and people were told to evacuate but then found the only roads out were blocked by fire or fallen trees. Robbie evacuated her own home as did many of her friends and neighbours. She told me about one of her co-workers battling the fires with her husband, fighting to save their property and about another woman who lost everything. Robbie said when she evacuated her own property she was in such a panic that she didn’t know what to pack or bring and ended up not bringing much of anything. She said in moments like that all that really matters is you and the people you care about. Possessions take a back seat. Most everyone is on bush fire alert in Australia, especially here in Victoria where they have been suffering a drought for about ten years. Beth said her mom keeps a basket by the door with important papers and documents to take with her in case of a fire- something I’ve never thought of preparing at home.
Friday we made a trip over to the Healesville Sanctuary, which is famous in Victoria for its conservation programs, animal hospital and wide array of native Australian animals. I got to see a demonstration with one of my favourites- the wombat- and also saw several platypuses for the first time. Wombats are pretty cool creatures. They have a big, round bum that has a wide plate of bone, enabling them to ram and crush creatures that try to come in their holes and eat them. They’re independent and like to be alone and walk with a distinctive waddle. The platypus is a playful, pretty little thing and we watched one easily for ten minutes while it flipped around and around with a long leaf, catching it and then stopping to see if we were watching.
Then it was back to Melbourne and I went off to stay with Jenna, who is dating Beth’s brother Jesse. Jesse is in Vietnam on an engineering internship and Jenna was more than happy to take me in. Evan and Beth have been staying with Beth’s sister until they find a house to rent (they recently returned from a long trip in Central America.) And now it’s time to explore Melbourne- the city I’ve heard so much about and have been told I’ll love. We’ll see...
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