Oi Oi Oi

Well alright then.  I've made it to Australia.  It only took me 10 years to do it.  

So anyway, here I am.  In Gili everyone kept saying its too bad I started my trip there, because I went to the best place first and now what would I do?

Pleased to find out, they were wrong. 

The flight here was pretty uncomfortable.  I boarded in Denpasar, Bali at around 11pm, arrived in Darwin, AU at 3am, which I think Bali time was actually 1 or 130 or something.  I felt a little sick the whole way on the plane, but was also tired and trying to "sleep" or whatever it is I do with my eyes closed on my jaw open on airplanes.  Then I was waited in the customs line, still feeling a little nauseous.  Finally it was my turn, I walk up to the nice customs lady and hand her my passport.  Looking frantic and perhaps suspect I then as gracefully as I could excused myself and rushed off to the bathroom, threw up a little, and felt much better.  The customs ladies were nice, only wanted to make sure I was OK, and told me everything was fine with my visa, welcome to Australia.

Then from 3am-6am I curled up on a small double seat and dozed in and out of a little bit conscious and a little bit not conscious.  Luckily the seat was padded, but it was freezing and I wished I had not checked my sleeping bag.  

Finally made it to Brisbane by 11am the next day. Reed, my friend Erica's boyfriend, lives in Brisbane and gathered me from the airport.  He was so kind to bring me home, provide me with a sandwich, drinking water, a warm fresh water shower, and a napping space.  I thought I could resist the nap, but after about 15 seconds I realized the real difficulty was going to be resisting sleeping through the night.  After a couple of hours I forced myself out of bed for BBQ and beer with Reed and his roommates, then a night out on the town in Brisbane.  

At the farm, they are kind of like deer.

The next morning we drove about an hour and a half up to Noosa Heads.  Reed's parents live just outside of Noosa in a town called Cooroy on a beautiful ranch with 6 horses, a huge dog not to be mistaken for a horse, and kangaroos that visit throughout the day.  Reed's parents are unbelievably kind and hospitable and were sure to let me know that if I EVER need ANYTHING any of the time I am in Australia I am to call them.  Also, if my dad wants to come to Queensland he absolutely has to come stay with them.  Also, if you are reading this right now and you ever come to Queensland you have to come stay with them as well.  If you know anyone who is ever coming to Queensland they have to come stay with them, and if you aren't coming, and you don't know anyone who is coming, well then you should all make plans to come and then come here and stay with them.  

A walk through Noosa National Park

Reed left me with his parents, where I went for a lovely run around the area, was well fed and then rested up.  The next morning Reed's mother, Trish, dropped me off in town at a hostel.  Noosa Heads is a pretty popular backpacker/vacation destination where I hung out for a couple of days, met other migrant young adults, and went surfing.  The water was warm, the waves weren't great, the view from the break back onto the shoreline and Noosa National Park was basically breath-taking, that thing with the sun and the burning happened only a little in the back of my legs this time, and surfing makes me happy.  

Dedicated surfers take a pretty good hike to get here.

I stayed in Noosa for 5 nights, split between Reed's parents house and the hostel.  Reed's sister also showed up and took me around a bit.  I think they may be the nicest, happiest, warmest, and genuine group of people I have ever met.  I'm now on a train back to Brisbane and tonight Reed and I will drive to Byron Bay to find Kat and hopefully Erica will come up from Coffs Harbour to meet us.  Kat is having an art exhibition party at her house which may become my house too.

Side note:  Erica and I met working in the surf shop in Santa Monica 5 or so years ago.  One day I walk into work, and there is Erica, and voila! - Life long friendship.  In the past 5 years we have worked, lived, and played together all over California.  Now we are just going to have to do some of that on a new continent.

Kat and I met working at surfcamp in France 3 or 4 years ago.  One day I'm sitting at a picnic table at surfcamp and there is Kat, and voila! - Life long friendship. Every day for about 2 months we worked, surfed, and played together on the west coast of France.  I've been threatening to come visit her for years now and its about time.

Every time I mentioned Byron Bay to anyone who had been there, even the people in Gili who insisted I had already found the best place on earth, everyone gets this contented knowing look on their face like I am about to be initiated into a secret club, and they tell me "you are going to love Byron".  

No time to put up pictures now.  Check back if you want some, they will come.  

Oh yeah, I organized a cell phone for myself.  So call me.  Or don't - I'm not really much of a phone person.

Brother gifted me this bag years ago.  I still use it and love it.