More Than Just A Language Barrier

Gauging whether a social quirk or specific action embodies the culture of a person’s homeland or not has become a fun game I like to play. It’s not something I actively do every day as I think I’ve become a bit numb to any differences now. Where it used to take me a while to get used to a place or the people there, I almost adapt instantaneously. That, and the amount of crazy shit I’ve seen on my travels, means it takes a lot to shock me now!

Checking in to my room definitely gave me food for thought. The first time I stayed at the resort, I had a dorm room to myself which is a welcome rarity. This time I was told I had company but when I entered my room, it was completely vacant. The bedding was untouched and there was no luggage. I naively thought that I heard wrong and set my things down by a bottom bunk.

When you’re not allocated a specific bed, there is an unwritten rule of first come first served. Obvious, I know, but to ensure that everyone knows which beds have been taken, you need to place something on the bed. I previously made the mistake of leaving my luggage next to the bed but because there was nothing on the bed, someone dumped their stuff on it later in the day and I was demoted to a top bunk. Lesson learned.

I sorted out my day pack and scattered a series of random bits on the bed like territorial confetti and went to the lobby to use the internet. A while later I returned to find that two guys had checked into the room. All my stuff had been moved from the bottom bunk to the one above. Oh hell no!

One guy was in the bathroom but his friend was by the one other bottom bunk. I had no qualms in displaying my disdain at the matter in hand. The guy looked rather nervous and slightly scared. I felt like I was twice the guy’s size. He was a pocket-Asian.

In an attempt at a peace offer, the pocket-Asian moved his stuff to the top bunk and let me have his bed. His English wasn’t very good but he tried to make conversation asking me where I was from and so on. My heart melted slightly and I offered to go to reception to get some blankets for our beds. It still gets cold on a night and there wasn’t even a cover sheet.

It didn’t take long for me to fulfil my errand. I opened the room door with a tower of blankets balanced in one hand. I lowered them down to announce my return and froze for about ten seconds whilst my brain registered the sight that was before me.

Pocket-Asian was stood chatting to his tall tattooed friend who had just come out of the shower…naked. We both looked at each other in shock. He quickly turned to the side and cupped himself whilst I turned around and smothered my snigger with the blankets.

Normally, I would have put this down to ill timing but pocket-Asian knew I was going to get blankets and was going to be back within minutes. Surely he’d say to his mate that they have a female roommate and to grab a towel!

Later I found out that they are both Korean which is a first for me. Is this a typical welcome greeting in Korea? I doubt it but I had a funny inner monologue of how that would work.

Thankfully the guys covered up for the night. I set my alarm for stupid-o-clock the next day. I have one week of island hopping. Sun, sea, sand and snorkelling, yes please!

*****

Checking out and transferring to the marina was a piece of cake. I was expecting a delay or un-coordination of some kind but everything ran smoothly. I handed over my reservation slip and received a book of accommodation and activities vouchers along with a sulu (sarong) and a photo book. The voucher read Mr Lee Danielle. I sighed but it does make a change from Daniel at least.

There were two boats heading out to my first destination, South Sea Island. I took the first one out. The boats are really efficient and clear on what’s going on. Constant announcements meant that only an absolute simpleton would not get off at the right place.

When my stop was called I realised I was the only visitor. I was surrounded by staff members. This meant that I didn’t get a welcome song or bula welcome. They saved the good welcome for the next boat out. Oh well!

My room wasn’t ready yet so I left my stuff in the reception area and got straight down to some sunbathing. New Zealand’s icy winter has drained my tan. I want to get my glow back.

As the island is only 30 minutes from the mainland, a tonne of tourists come through for day trips. The staff were so friendly and accommodating and somehow manage to remember everyone’s names. The busy outset did dash my visions of secluded paradise as did the woman puffing smoke in my direction. Gross. I only stay on each island for two nights so I think the further up I go, the better.

Time passed by swiftly despite my descent into nothingness. A wonderful barbecue buffet lunch was served. I certainly filled my boots.

As all I’d done was lie down and catch some rays, I’d not really spoken to anybody and wasn’t really sure who to sit with. I placed myself on a bench in the shade. Moments later a girl sat beside me and two others followed. That was easy!

They were all Brits. Two were travelling and the other came out to visit them for a holiday. John and Beth had been to Australia and hated it more than I did! It was so refreshing talking to people who don’t bum Australia. They too preferred New Zealand and we swapped many stories.

Once my lunch had settled I sunbathed for a while and went snorkelling. I chuckled to myself as I awkwardly stomped into the ocean with flippers on. I took out my camera in the hope of getting some good footage but unfortunately the reef was dead and there wasn’t that many fish around. I thought I saw a reef shark before I went in but I didn’t see anything whilst out in the water. I’m still on the hunt for a snorkelling spot that rivals my experience in Ko Tao, (Thailand).

When I returned, one of the workers laughed at my pathetic nature and was surprised that I didn’t see any reef sharks. He offered to take me out to some of the best spots. Alarm bells rang instantly as I knew what Fijian guys are like but I wanted to see some reef sharks.

Instead, we actually went out sailing instead.

What do I hold on to exactly?

It was good fun but I kept forgetting his name. I still don’t remember it! I’m terrible. The worker offered to take me out snorkelling after dark. I’d never done a night dive before. I’ve heard great things from those that have done a night time scuba dive. Even though it might look like a sign that I’m interested in him, I took him up on his offer.

There was still the rest of the day to enjoy. I walked the circumference of the tiny island, which took around three minutes, and watched the sun set.

Afterwards I went to find the worker and got involved in a few games of beach volleyball. I’d not played since primary school. Like all sports I took part in at school, I was pretty good. I obviously haven’t aged well as there are a variety of sports now that I can’t handle. I didn’t do too badly.

Worn out by the activities of the day, I went for a lie down. Just before dinner was served, the heavens opened and a massive downpour engulfed the island. It ruined any plans of games or what-not for the evening ahead. I wondered whether this affected my night-snorkelling trip too.

The small group of us left over after the day trippers departed stuck around for a bit but conversation soon ran dry. One person suggested moving out to a sheltered bench on the beach. As everyone moved off, I quickly slipped away. I grabbed my things and headed out to the meeting place we arranged.

Our night snorkel was still on. Armed with giant torches we headed into the ocean to see what is lurks in the sea at night. The worker was armed with a hunting spear. I grabbed his arm for support and to ensure he doesn’t swim off and leave me!

As we swam out, we saw the odd fish but nothing dramatic. The worker speared a fish and kept it with us to attract the sharks. I started to get a bit worried. I just want to see small harmless reef sharks.

Although we didn’t see any sharks in the end, we saw a ray, plenty of star fish and I held a sea cucumber (again).

Somehow, the worker managed to spot an octopus. He speared it and brought it across for me to stroke. It felt like jelly. The worker proffered a tentacle for me to stroke. Before I knew it, I had an octopus climbing up my arm. The puckers sunk into my skin and the worker had to rip it off violently like a two day old plaster. It only pinched slightly.

We returned to the beach and my attempt at sneaking into the room failed.  A few people were already in bed.  I didn’t even bother lying although my story about the octopus made me sound like a loon. After so many months travelling, have I really become that crazy person everyone avoids in a dorm?

Don't Worry...Fiji Time

Fiji was meant to be my holiday from travelling but it didn’t feel that way to begin with. The weather was shocking. I never thought I’d bring rain to Fiji but I managed it. Every day was the same but it didn’t affect me too much as it was at its heaviest on a night. I just hoped it would disappear by the time I arrived at the islands!

Having discovered that I am some sort of Rain Princess, I decided to head out to a large water source for nourishment. Namatakula is situated near a waterfall. I say near, it was still a bus ride and a 40 minute trek, but in Fiji, that’s near.

This didn’t faze me. I was a few days into my trip in Fiji and I was already so relaxed I felt like I was floating most of the time. Everything works on “Fiji time”. This is a phrase commonly heard in Fiji and used by many as a joke when things don’t happen on time. Fijians work on a different timescale to foreigners. Things get done when they get done. It’s Fiji time!

When do I ever need an excuse to slow down? You can never be late in Fiji so whenever I apologised for losing track of time, Tupou reassured me that it’s ok – “Fiji time!” I like this concept. I doubt it would ever crossover to another country which is a shame. 

The funny thing is I used to be a stickler for time-keeping in England. I hated it when people turned up ridiculously late or if things didn’t run on time. It stems from my impatient persona. I think this part of my personality has moulted from my brain at some point. 

My frame of mind now is – as long I get the outcome that suits me then I’m not too fussed about what happens up until that point. What’s the point of getting worked up over something that’s usually out of your hands anyway?

Before we headed to watery paradise, Tupou took me to a women’s community meeting. I had no idea what was going on. Money was exchanged, notes were written in books and issues were discussed. As laid back as Fijians are, this village is organised when it comes to matters that affect the community. Everyone sticks together to ensure that things run smoothly, laws are followed and the people are healthy (and well fed).

Catching the bus was easier today but the trek was not. Due to the delightful rain, it meant the track was muddy and slippery. Lazy tourists rode on horseback but I persevered.

One of many streams we waded through to get to the waterfall

Tupou picked up a little something for dinner

Almost there...

Oooo

There were a few tourists dotted about when Tupou and I arrived but thankfully they buggered off after we ate lunch. I had the place to myself.

Tupou didn’t join me as the water was too cold. It’s funny how the mild weather on the main island has the same effect on the locals as England’s bitter winter does to me back home. Everyone wraps up, especially Sake with his woolly hat and giant raincoat.

After drying off and getting changed behind a rock, we made our way back to the bus stop. This time around things were slightly different…

My afternoon remained the same as always. I showered and rested in my room. Laughter echoed through my cabin from the school kids playing rugby on the beach. They practise every day as rugby is taken very seriously here. Apparently Namatakula is well known for producing top rugby players for the country. It’s one of two major ways where locals have the opportunity and means to leave their country. Due to the low minimum wage, a Fijian with a standard job would have to save for years to afford a flight out of the country.

Another way is love. Fijian men are very keen on western women. As there are no white Fijians, we are an exotic presence. If cupid strikes, Fijian men can follow their new beaus back to their native country. Don’t worry mum, I won’t be bringing back a Fijian for dinner!

Speaking of, that night we ate at Tupou’s father’s house.

We ate the Fijian way

The green dish to the left is what Tupou picked up on the way to the waterfall. It was surprisingly tasty

It was another night of kava and an interesting dessert. It was the smelly papaya in coconut milk. I couldn’t eat it as the smell hit me straight away. I felt bad for not eating more.

Just as we were settling down for kava, some Aussie students dropped by to say hello. This isn’t unusual in Fiji as most people have an open door policy, especially in villages. If someone is having kava, it is not uncommon for passers-by to come in and join the group.

Each of the girls was volunteering at one of the schools as part of their studies. We had a brief chat and they left. It did not surprise me that they didn’t want to stay for kava.

We didn’t stay long as Tupou wasn’t feeling too good and was suffering from a bad back. I joked that she should have some kava to cure it.

Little did I know, things were about to take a turn for the worse. For the remainder of my stay with Sake and Tupou, I was ill. I was the sickest I’d been in a very long time. It was horrendous and worrying seen as I was nowhere near a medical centre.

Tupou knew what was wrong with me straight away - too much kava. WHAT!? If I knew that kava could do this to me then I’d never have drank it.

By the end of the next day, I was left a weakened quivering mess. I couldn’t eat and I was in so much pain. I took paracetamol throughout the day along with rehydrating sachets. I barely made it out of the room for the next two days. This was not good as I was due to depart soon to island hop.

Thankfully, I felt slightly better. I still wasn’t 100% but was well enough to begin my island hopping adventure.

Sadly, I missed Tupou before I left which was strange. Normally Tupou would knock on my door to tell me it was time for dinner or whatever was scheduled. Today was different and Tupou left with another homestay resident for the market.

Sake drove me back to the resort where I stayed when I first arrived in Nadi. A brief goodbye later, and I was alone again. I felt bad that my farewell didn’t reflect my time I had with Sake and Tupou. Unfortunately “Fiji time” bit me in the ass today!

When Nature Doesn't Call

For some miracle of a reason, we had a bit of a lie in the next morning. Hallelujah!

We departed at 10:30am and said our sad goodbyes to a few people on the bus. Even though I’d only been with this group for a couple of days, I was really fond of the mix of people we had. Martin, being the perfect gentleman that he is, had cooked us all pancakes and brought them onto the bus for us. The temptation to kidnap him and keep him as a pancake slave rolled through my mind.

Our next stop was Whakahoro. For added insight, the letters ‘w’ and ‘h’ put together is pronounced as ‘f’. It was an interesting name for an interesting place.

We drove straight through to Blue Duck Lodge where we received a warm welcome and a jolly introductory talk on the nature that surrounded us. The activities for the day were also explained to us. We had the option of going on a bush safari, horse trekking or goat hunting followed by clay pigeon shooting before sunset.

I do not have the stomach for hunting and killing animals and I don’t like horses so the bush safari was the logical choice for me. It sounded quite fun and a great way to see the area we were staying in.

Whilst everyone had checked in and made their way across to our lodgings, I was laid by the reception side steps in pain as I slipped over. Man that hurt a lot! I also fell over the previous day at The Park but thankfully nobody saw that and I fell on my arse. Thanks to all the rubbish I’ve been eating over the past few months, it acted as a perfect cushion for the tiled floor. This time I fell forwards and smacked my knee. I smiled to hide the pain and carried on with my day.

As I was the last person to make it up to the lodge, it meant that I had the last choice. It worked out well in regards to getting a bed. As nobody had saved me a bed (sob!), I ended up having a room to myself.

However, I wasn’t quite so lucky with the waterproofs and gum boots for the bush safari. Everyone had trousers, jackets and boots but me. I saw what was left and managed to dig out an oversized waterproof jacket but had to go to reception to enquire about more trousers. Thankfully one of the workers leant me his!

With time to spare, we looked around for something to do. The guys had found an axe and target. It was harder than it looked. My first throw was pathetic but I eventually managed to hit the target.

The bush safari was a bit of a non-starter. At first it was great. I clambered onto the quad bike and stood at the back. It was good fun ducking and diving to avoid passing branches and clinging onto the bars for stability. Due to the rain, we could not go kayaking and there were no blue ducks or much of anything to be seen. The closest we came to nature were two dead rats squished in the traps littered around the area. I was the only one who laughed at the rats, especially when she picked it up and flung it into the trees.

There are a lot of pests in the bush – goats, stoats, rats and even wild pigs. The workers there do everything they can to protect the area from the above.

We were all disappointed with the day as it was an expensive trip. We heard stories about other groups had seen which made us feel even worse.

Back at the lodges, we met up with the hunters who had shot a goat and some turkeys. I got to hear all the gruesome stories and see the pictures! Their juicy turkey looked far tastier than my simple noodle dish.

Everyone spent the evening crowding around the wood fire for warmth. It was all rather high class as some were sipping red wine and reading off their Kindles, whilst others conversed about the latest news and random trivia. I decided to bring down the tone somewhat and suggested to play Game Of Life. The board game was sat in the corner unused and I’d not played the game since I was a child.

It was a very old version with over complicated rules but it was still good fun. I lost. I went to college, incurred debt for doing so, became an artist and only earned $20, 000. It sounded all too familiar. It’s supposed to be a game. I was meant to earn a ridiculous amount of money and own a private jet. Hmph.

Reunited With Winter

Winter has escaped me up until now. I’ve certainly experienced a lot of rain as well as sunshine, but I’ve managed to evade the true bitter cold of winter for the past nine months. It may surprise you that it’s something I’ve looked forward to experiencing.

For me, winter means icy surroundings with the expectations of snow. If, or usually when it comes, chaos ensues. The government can’t keep up with gritting the streets which angers some whilst leaving others in a giddy whirl of excitement. People abandon their schedules and take to the streets or nearby fields. Snow angels, snowmen, sledging and snow ball fights can be found in all directions. Facebook is littered with weather updates and injury reports.

My British winter was replaced by a soggy summer in Sydney. New Zealand is certainly helping me make up for lost time. Whilst my friends and family back home are revelling in a rare heat wave I’m spending my days fending off the cold…and failing. By the time I reach the south island, I do believe that I will be wearing my entire wardrobe Cool Runnings style - "I'm not smoking, I'm breathing!" It's not as cold as Calgary, Canada but it's still a little nippy.

This cooling and unpredictable weather does have an unfortunate pitfall. Some of the activities in the itinerary have to be cancelled. This time, it was the Tongariro trail that had to be called off. It is pot luck as to whether people get to do this during the winter months. It made me feel a little better knowing that others previously hadn’t been able to do this so it’s not just our bus that had been affected.

As there was no rush, we had a later start and a slow-winding journey. We made a series of stops along the way.

Mambo took us to a thermal area with pits in the ground. We placed food in there and walked around the surrounding area for ten minutes or so. When we returned, the food seemed to be piping hot but was just about warm. It was still tasty though and a fantastic idea. It’s not a usual Stray stop.

Mambo cooks up a treat, hangi style.

This is how the pros do it.

To make up for missing the Tongariro trail, Mambo took us to a two hour trail near the Tawhai Falls. It was yet another moment where my trusty hiking boots came in handy. I’ve been lugging those things around throughout my trip but only ever used them in Japan.

Despite the dire weather, the walk wasn’t too bad. New Zealand can look beautiful in all weather conditions.

Along the way, I had a good chat with some people off the bus about travelling and future plans. At one point Mambo and I broke away from the pack and had quite a fun chat about the different kinds of people he gets on the bus and how he reacts to them. I told him that I find it hard making friends with girls and find guys easier to get on with. We had a joke about it but Mambo concluded that perhaps because I already assume that I won’t get on with girls, it may come out in how I present myself. He had a point, as I always believe that positive thinking creates a positive outcome as does negative thinking leads to a negative outcome. Maybe I should put a bit more effort into speaking to more girls rather than assuming the worst.

With all our stops out of the way, we headed straight to our home for the night. It was simply called The Park, located in the town National Park within the National Park. It’s not a place you can forget in a hurry!

This place was definitely a luxury hostel compared to a lot of the places I have stayed in. The studio-style rooms were clean if a little cramped but I was happy to be sleeping in a single bed rather than a bunk bed. It wasn’t too much of a bother as I spent most of my time there out of the room. They had a huge common room with a TV, café and bar along with a well-equipped communal kitchen.

For once, food was the last thing on my mind. As soon as we arrived, I dumped my stuff and jumped into the outdoor hot tub. Well, I didn’t literally jump in. As it was so cold outside, the hot water prickled my skin. After precariously dipping my toe in and shuddering, I hopped straight in. It took a minute or so for my body to relax and embrace the heat. Ahhhh….

I’d forgotten what it had felt like to be this relaxed. My hot tub stupor was somewhat interrupted when I saw that Liz was staying at The Park. Liz decided to hop off and wait for a clear day to do the Tongariro Trail. Liz and the others from the bus that I was previously on, did half of the trail but had to turn back. Everyone was exceptionally annoyed as would I have been too. Another group that had planned to go out that day had cancelled and even the guide told them that he didn’t expect to get across to the other side!

Although it’s a famous trail, I’m not particularly driven to do it whilst I’m here purely due to the unpredictability of the weather. I don’t have time to hang around and wait nor do I have the patience of only going half way.

It started to rain again which was my cue to get out of the hot tub. I showered and changed then went to the common area for dinner. I ate with the others and we spent the evening watching silly YouTube videos and swapping stories. Apparently I had missed out on a massage session in the hot tub. It was a staggered massage where one massages the person in front and so on and so forth. Don’t get too excited, they were all guys! I guess this is how the guys on our bus choose to bond.

Port Macquarie 18/03/2012 - 2 Nights

Another sunny day and another beach front stop off. Port Macquarie provided us with a lot of the good stuff - a beautiful beach and plenty of activities. The Glasshouse (TIC) was abundant with leaflets and the service desk staff were very helpful. There were campsites dotted all over but we settled on one closest to the beach. With that decided, we wandered around town to stretch our legs. I didn't really need anything so I returned to the car with Mel. I just wanted to set up camp and check out the beach. Steff joined soon after and we hung out in the car waiting for Sarah. Moments later, Sarah came hurtling past the car, threw her purse at Mel, said something and ran off. Steff ran after her and Mel and I were left dumbfounded. I thought the worst and hoped that Sarah was ok. Everyone returned to the car and Sarah looked pretty shaken. A cheeky Irish guy grabbed her arse and Sarah chased after the guys! She has more brass than me! My heart was pounding as I thought she'd been attacked. I'm not quite sure what she would have done if she caught up to those guys. I'm glad Steff was there to diffuse the situation. The last thing we need is an assault charge!

Oh the drama! I think we all could do with chilling out so we went straight to the camp site. We pulled up to what looked like a jungle. Trees with long bending branches were sprouting out from everywhere. Mel and Sarah both commented on how everything reminded them of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, especially the kitchen. 

Bushtucker Trial anyone?

Well that's one way of calling it!

Amongst the greenery, we found the hut that housed the reception area. The owners gave us a smiley welcome and handed over the necessary information. Having two nights under our belt meant that putting up the tent wasn't too much of a chore. Mel and Steff knew exactly what they were doing, as did Sarah. I on the other hand bumbled about and waited to be told what to do. Each time I have tried to help, I always ended up doing something wrong. I felt like an inept school child who didn’t know their times tables. Back of the class Miss Lee. Whilst I brandished the dunce hat for the day, everyone else flowed like clockwork. As long as I look like I’ve done something then I can dodge any future accusatory arguments. So far so good…

Not one to break tradition, we had set up camp by the beach just as we had done in Port Stephens as well as the four months spent in Collaroy. There’s just some “home” comforts we can’t give up so easily. Flynns Beach was a beautiful addition to the routine and gave me the perfect opportunity to crack out the GoPro camera for the first time.

Lovely day!

Steff went off on his own to surf. Mel, Sarah and I ran into the water to mess about and (for me) tried to avoid getting knocked out by waves. This was easier said than done as we were all too busy posing for photos and filming on our cameras to notice how rough the sea was getting. We had great fun but noticed that the sky started to cloud over. We took a few photos on the beach and grabbed our towels to warm up.

Flynns beach photo shoot.

As we sat and waited for Steff to finish surfing we saw a rainbow. These seem to be following me around as of late. What’s more…it turned into a double rainbow. Awesome!

Expertly taken by Melissa Taylor© 

Steff had finished surfing just in time for the rain. It rained hard! Even though we’d just come out of the water and were wet anyway, it still wasn’t nice. My towel was soaked through and I was already thinking ahead in trying to get my stuff together for the shower in the rain What a pain in the arse that would be. Everyone was laughing at how I walked. I had my towel over my shoulders, I was hunched over and I was waddling in an awkward manner as my shorts were getting weighed down by the water. It was very uncomfortable. I always seem to inadvertently provide entertainment for my travel mates.

The weather didn’t improve but eased off enough to make the showering and getting changed process slightly more tolerable. Now comes the moment when the day is over, we’re all pretty knackered and can’t really be bothered to do anything. Normally we would have access to a common room, TV room or just the company of a different set of people. Since travelling, we came to realise pretty quickly that it’s just us and us alone. We had to entertain ourselves. As our personalities differ so much, we all like to unwind in various ways. I like to watch a film or blog whereas the others would rather do something or just chat. There’s only so much talking I can do. That evening our priorities soon changed. We had no food and were too lazy to cook – well you saw the kitchen! – so we went to the town centre in search of some nice cheap grub.

We couldn’t find anywhere that sold meals under $20 which was annoying. I thought I’d found a cheap bar so Sarah and I walked in to look at the menu. The place was vacant apart from one group of guys. They were all wearing football shirts and I’m sure I detected an Irish twang from one of them. I joked to myself that they might be the guys who Sarah chased after earlier…it turned out that I was actually right. They WERE the guys from earlier. Argh! We made a swift exit in which they didn’t have chance to recognise us. Phew.

We scoured the streets for a while longer then gave up and tried to find something closer to our camp site. We drove past a noodle bar which everyone agreed was the best place to go. I was so hungry I didn’t care what I ate. It happened to be a fantastic little place. The food was so good. It was up there with one of the best meals I’ve had in Australia. To round it off, Mel and I had ice cream from the nearest vendor.

All in all, it was a pretty darn good day. I just hoped the rain would bugger off!

 *****

The next day, the weather was still a bit rubbish. It was wet and miserable but not so bad that it could ruin our plans.

Again, we had no food in so ate out for breakfast. This is where all our money is going, eating out. It’s a downfall I never considered before. We all have to eat together. As we drive around, we stop off for something to eat. If I don’t eat at that time then I don’t eat so I’ve found that my eating patterns are irregular. Also, because we never settle in one place for more than a couple of nights, it’s never worth investing in my own food to eat as and when I please like back in Collaroy due to storage issues. We never seem to agree on the same foods to eat so it’s easier for us to eat out. I’ve eaten so much crap lately it’s unbelievable. It was fine when I ate out a lot in Japan as the food is so good and healthy that it never felt like a bad thing. The food in Thailand and Malaysia was so cheap and plentiful that it didn’t really matter. In Australia, I’m paying top dollar for average food that isn’t good for me. I don’t need a pair of scales to tell me that I’ve put on a lot of weight since being in Australia. This is not good. I’m supposed to get fat in America not Australia! I’m ahead of schedule. Damn. That morning, Mel and Steff ate pancakes and I had a smoothie. It was my feeble attempt at being healthy. I doubt it will last. 

We were told that there was a koala corridor somewhere in Port Macquarie. What we thought was an area to leisurely walk through and watch a load of koalas do what they do, turned out to be an area that inhabits koalas but not so much for us to be guaranteed a viewing. None of us fancied the 10 or so kilometre walk in the mud without seeing a koala. We visited the koala hospital instead.

The koalas curled up on high branches.

This koala has a curved spine and is a long term resident.

The guy on the front desk spoke to us for a while about the koalas they look after and how naïve people are in thinking that koalas are cute and cuddly. They can rip your arms off! I wonder if he told the same stories to children that come there. It was definitely an eye opener. Mel and I kept talking about going somewhere that lets you cuddle a koala but, after visiting the hospital, we realised how cruel that is. Just like the sharks and manta rays back in Port Stephens, it’s not fair on the animals to be prodded and man-handled in such a way. Of course there are different circumstances for different animals and this opens a wide debate on animals born in captivity as well as those who are so used to life in an enclosure that they wouldn’t be able to survive out in the wild. It’s sad but probably true.

Perhaps I should move this on to a lighter note! Our visit to the koala hospital was rather brief which left a wide gap open in our day. We decided to rent out a boat, try a bit of fishing and dolphin-watch. Things didn’t run that smoothly though. It started to rain, Steff broke his fishing rod and dropped the line with the hook on into the water and there were no dolphins. We tried our best to get their attention. Mel told us stories of her relatives in America who pat the side of the boat to draw them in. It disturbingly reminded me of the film Free Willy. I went for a different approach. I sang. I did read it somewhere and thought it was worth a shot. I’ve hardly sung since being away so it was nice to let go a little. I probably scared them away with my rendition of David Gray’s Sail Away or Oh Happy Day and Aint No Mountain High Enough. Mel and Sarah sang along to a couple of other songs I sang but Steff was having none of it. After a while, everyone got sick of me and told me to shut up. Instead, my warbles were replaced with silence…well there was the sound of the boat’s engine but I’d like to think of it as boring silence. Once everyone had a go at driving the boat we headed back.

We were all exceptionally hungry so we bought a hoard of food from Coles supermarket and cooked a feast back in the kitchen. Steff, Sarah and I were all distracted by one thing or another which left Mel to do the cooking. It’s times like these where tensions run high. Putting up and packing away the tent, cooking, deciding on what to eat, where to go…basically anything which involves us all having to come to an agreement of some sort can sometimes turn into an argument. It is early days within our new travel group and we’re all trying to find out feet. It didn't help that the weather had been particularly pants as of late and money was going fast. Tensions were high and it was all quiet around the dinner table until later on after we’d all eaten…

Steff had gone off to make a phone call, Mel was elsewhere, Sarah was on the phone and I was sat at the table writing my blog. I was typing away in my own little world when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I looked up to find the biggest hairiest spider crawling down a silk line it had cast. I screamed. My scream resembled the cheesy damsel-in-distress type screams you hear in horror movies. Sarah didn’t even know what I was screaming at but screamed anyway. I shot away from the table. Sarah kept saying, “What? What is it?” 

Sidenote: Hearing Sarah say those words was a strange moment. The night before Sarah stroked my back and prodded me. I was half asleep and turned over to see Sarah leaning over me. Sarah asked, "What is it?" I replied with a weak, "What?" Sarah repeated the words, "What is it?" with emphasis each time. I realised that Sarah was talking in her sleep and rolled back over.

I couldn’t form words. My mouth opened but nothing came out. I’d used all the voice I had left in that scream I just omitted! Mel and Steff ran across to us thinking we’d been attacked (a common assumption so it would seem). We all stared at this spider with wonderment.

Earlier, whilst we were eating, I saw a dragonfly zoom into a spider’s web. I asked Steff to save it but as he flicked the dragonfly away, the spider appeared. A battle ensued and we all sat completely agog as the dragonfly tried to EAT the spider. We thought that was weird. I’ve never seen a spider that big, move so fast.

Steff was so blasé about it all and sat back down at his previously abandoned laptop. By this point the spider had crawled back up its little bungee. I reckon that’s all he does. Waits until a few people are out, crawls down, wiggles his legs and revels in the screams and gasps of fear it evokes. The evil hairy bastard. 

Despite Steff's calm disposition, none of us were convinced to sit back on the bench. Our qualms were justified when a moth the size of my face flew down. It circled the kitchen, flew around Sarah and Mel then settled in a corner just behind Steff.

I grabbed my things and went back to the car. We were all trying to calm ourselves down. I just wanted to get out of that place. We suddenly remembered that we needed to collect our washing. Steff had kindly placed our washed clothes into the tumble drier once again after the first cycle left our clothes damp still. After what had just happened, nobody wanted to be alone. We didn’t want to risk another attack so drove to the laundry building. I’d actually calmed down a bit and started to joke about it all. I screamed like an idiot. I don’t really scream that often so I never used to think I had it in me to scream that loudly. We all laughed at my silliness and Steff switched on the light. Let me think how to sum up the moment after the light came on. Ok. Remember the moment in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when he’s walking along and has no idea what’s going on around him, he flashes a light only to find that the cave walls are crawling with bugs of all descriptions? Well it was like that. Roaches and huntsman spiders to be exact. My reaction was definitely more akin to Indiana's love interest than the cool, calm and collected hero himself. I surprised myself in how loud I could scream. Sarah did the same and I’m not sure there is even a word to describe the noise that came out of Mel’s mouth. Even Steff sprang back in shock.

What is going on with this place tonight?! We left Steff to collect our washing as one huntsman remained on the wall, staring at us. I didn’t want it to jump on my face and suck my brain out so I walked back to the car. We were about to depart back to our campsite, when the smiley owner from yesterday walked up to the car. I hid under the blanket as I could tell he was going to give me a roasting. I apologised straight away. Mel tried to speak but only a whisper came out. Mel's voice had gone! I never thought I'd see the day (hehe). He only came over to check what had happened. He joked that it’s a good test to see what his network is like which meant he had had quite a few phone calls about the noise. He said that they get people partying sometimes so just wanted to see if that was where the screams were coming from. Oh no, it was just me reacting to the spiderfest!

Due to all the excitement, us girls didn’t fancy the long trek up to the toilets so decided to go the natural way. Probably a little too much information you might think but there’s more. Sarah and Mel went and then it was my turn. What I didn’t anticipate was Mel turning on the full beams of the car so my arse was a-glow. I was in the spotlight like I’d never imagined. I did what I had to do and came back to the car. The girls had tears rolling down their faces they were laughing that hard. Well I’m glad that, yet again, I could provide the entertainment for the night. It definitely beat the adrenalin rush that came after seeing all those spiders! I just wish I didn’t have to bare all to my mates in order to provide the laughs…

Next stop…Coffs Harbour.

Blue Mountains: Food, Friendship And Fun times

It had dawned on me that I only had a couple of weeks left in Sydney and there was still a lot that I hadn’t done yet. It was at this point that Mel, Steff and I sat down and went through all the places we wanted to visit before we left. From the scattered list of activities and places, a route was formed.

It wasn’t the only last minute decisions that were made that week. A girl from the hostel asked if she could join us on our trip. All I knew was that she was from York and that we knew some of the same people. Sarah knew Mel a lot better but I was still happy that she asked if she could join us. Not only would it be refreshing to have a new person in the group, but it would make things a little cheaper. We were all thinking the same, it wasn’t just me!

We excitedly grabbed our books and notes and sat round to discuss where we all wanted to go. Sarah said straight away that she wasn’t fussed where she went so would go along with anything that we planned. I guess that makes things a little easier. 

Annoyingly, our plans changed a lot. First we planned to go south, then it changed to north, then back to south again and a couple of days before we left it changed back to north again. This was all because of the advice of those around us. Backpackers said one thing, Aussies said another and the random bloke down the pub said something else. We didn’t know what way was up in the end. It was so confusing. Who do we trust, locals or those who have done the route themselves?

Anyway, enough of all of that. I’ll get to that in a later post. So we sat in a circle, pens and notebooks poised to jot down our route. I shouted out the first place that came to mind which was Blue Mountains. It’s a couple of hours from Sydney and somewhere I had thought about visiting since I arrived in Sydney. I presumed that everyone wanted to go as it’s a beautiful place and is always on the guide book’s top 10 things to do along the East Coast. My idea got a unanimous no. What? Aw crap! This put a spanner in the works. My friends turned their noses up at the thought of hiking and taking photos of beautiful scenery. Great.

I thought that was that and pouted. There wasn’t a lot I could about it really. I could have booked on a trip but that would end up being too expensive and I wanted to go with friends, not on my own. Oriel overheard my dilemma and came to the rescue. He wanted to go to the Blue Mountains and so did someone else. A few conversations later and I was set to go to the Blue Mountains with four others from the hostel. Perfect! After this was announced, a few people murmured their displeasure at the fact that they were not invited. It felt like I was back at school again.

On the day, it was still the five of us and I was happy with that. The driver, Wayne, I met in January and have since had brief conversations with him. I gave him a piece of the chocolate cake left over from the Christmas party*. I felt that secured a lasting bond. Joey and Oriel came too. The last passenger was Angela. I didn’t know Angela that well and, from what I saw at the hostel, I had always been slightly intimidated by her. I don't mean that in a nasty way. Angela has a big personality and sometimes I shy away from that but sometimes I clash. I wasn’t sure how this group would gel on this trip but I was still excited.

I was marked in to work the next day at 9am which was annoying. It meant that I couldn’t camp overnight and had to get the train back. The plan was to set off between 7:30-8am and make the most of the first day.

At 8:30am on the Saturday morning, we were still sat around in the common room. I think we were all just about packed and ready to go. We’d all taken a verbal beating from those around us. Angela had never been camping before and everyone was going on about that and the fact that we’d be squeezed into a car driving for hours on end…blah blah blah. It didn’t bother me. Somehow I just knew we’d have a good time.

The guys weren’t wrong about the tight squeeze as all our things only just fit in the boot. They were only staying for one night. What did they have in there!? I don’t know how I managed it but I got to ride shotgun on the way there. Everyone confidently said that I could be the navigator. Ha! These guys obviously know nothing about my sense of direction, or should I say lack thereof. I didn’t mind. I was able to stretch my legs out. It was alright for Angela in the back too as she was stretched out across Joey whilst Oriel gave her a foot massage! Maybe I made the wrong decision.

First stop was petrol, second stop was food. For some reason, the latter thought didn’t cross our minds until part way through our road journey. We stopped off at the next mall and bought enough food for a barbeque as well as lunch for that day.

Angela and I spotted our lunch straight away.

 

Great minds...

 

...eat alike.

All this navigation business was mighty tiring so I have nothing to report about the journey there as I slept through most of it!

 

I've not learnt my lesson from Thailand!

We didn’t have much of a plan. We thought we’d head to the heart of the Blue Mountains at Katoomba, visit the Tourist Information place and let them tell us where to go. It’s what I usually do anyway so I had no problem with that.

Before we reached Katoomba however, we passed road marks for Wentworth Falls and decided to have a little look-see at that. We didn’t think we’d be that long but ended up staying there for a good couple of hours. Obviously if I’d have known that I would have changed into my trusty hiking boots. They’ve been in storage since Fuji-San and could do with a bit of an airing. Instead, me, Angela and Wayne all wore flip-flops (thongs).

 

Ewwww!

The expression on my face is the result of walking in wet mud. At first it was gross. Then it was unbearable. But after a while, it actually felt quite nice. My feet got a nice little mud facial. 

Ange loved it!

Along the walk we saw miniature waterfalls and inlets within the mountains.

 

View from the starting point.

 

 

Rule breakers!

 

I guess it is a nice place to stop and have a rest.

Joey was a bit more daring. Crazy man.

 

 

It wasn’t a comfortable walk but the sight was magnificent. As we looked out through a clearing between the trees, we saw a rainbow reach across Wentworth Falls. It was mesmerising.

 

It was the best photo I could get on my camera.

We finally made it to a clearing to see the falls and this happened.

 

I was still so stubborn as to keep my white flip flops on. That didn't last!

Moments later I got stuck and almost fell arse over tit. It was at this point that I admitted defeat and took my flip flops off. Five minutes later, I put my full weight onto a sharp rock hidden within the sludge. Fuuuuuuu…dgery doo dah, that hurt.

 

I saw this photo and was bloody thankful that I stood on a rock and not this bad boy!

Nice view but I actually got a better view from the other side. I ignored that fact and convinced myself that submerging my feet in mud was worth it.

I think we all had had enough of the mud at this point so headed back to the car. Our next stop was the Three Sisters. My roommate Mel told me the history behind them and I thought there would be more information displayed when we got there but there wasn’t which was a bit disappointing. There are two Aboriginal legends surrounding the origins of the Three Sisters. The first story describes three sisters who fall in love with men from a rival tribe. Unable to marry by tribal law, the men capture the women and a battle ensues. To protect the sisters, a local witchdoctor turns them into stone. Unfortunately, the witchdoctor was killed and couldn't reverse the spell and so the sisters remained this way. An alternate story is a bit more complicated and long winded. In a nut shell, a witchdoctor who was father to three daughters turned them into stone to protect them from a Bunyip (Aboriginal mythological creature). The magic bone which he used to do so was lost during the attack and was never to be found.

  

I was so happy with our day as I saw a lot and the sun stayed out just for us. Travelling around with the others was so easy. There were no egos, no dramas and no indecisiveness. It was just plain easy. I wish I could have stayed longer.

Before I was to leave, the others needed to figure out where they would be kipping for the night. 

 

The guys strongly suggested to sleep here so they'd have shelter if it rained.

But Angela was having none of it. Instead, we found a campsite not too far away. It had amenities! Showers, toilets and plug sockets. I was happy for Angela. 

I sat and watched from the safety of the car as the others set up camp.

 

 

Angela is happy with her one-man-tent.

 

Cosy!

I decided to pass on food and get dropped off at the train station in good time so I wasn’t rushing. I said goodbye to Oriel and Joey. Everyone wanted me to stay which made it harder to leave. I didn’t want to ditch work and leave on a sour note. Wayne drove me and Angela accompanied us as they planned on getting munchies on the way back. I’m not the only one who gets late night sugar cravings then! 

As we set off I checked my phone. I hadn’t looked at it all day as I never get text messages ordinarily. I thought I best text my roommates to let them know I’ve set off. I unlocked my phone and was shocked to see a text message had arrived. I thought it might be from my roommates but it wasn’t…it was from my boss telling me not to bother coming into work the following day! That was awesome news. I could stay after all.

Wayne, Angela and I excitedly stopped off at the local supermarket and got some goodies. Oriel and Joey weren’t even surprised when I came back. They must have known all along that I wouldn’t go.

I may as well eat with everyone now then. We kept things simple and had sausage sarnies with onions and cheese. It was delicious.

The boys in the "kitchen" where they belong. 

Oh nom nom.

 

Oriel tried to freak me out by deep throating a sausage.

It got dark so quickly and I started to shiver. It then dawned on me that I had no overnight things and I didn’t have anything to soak my lenses in. I had spare ones back in Collaroy but if I discarded the ones I had in, then I wouldn’t be able to see anything the next day. Arse.

In the meantime, Oriel kindly gave me his jacket. Wayne said he had a spare sleeping bag I could use too. That’ll do! I’ll just have to chance my lenses. I’ve fallen asleep in them before and they didn’t escape into the back of my head so I hoped that night wouldn’t be any different.

I can’t believe how cold it was. During the day it was blazing sunshine but tonight it was ice cold. We all sat in the only lit place on the campsite, the BBQ area, and bantered until we couldn’t put it off any longer. We split off and went into our tents with the intention of getting a good night’s kip. I just hoped I didn’t freeze overnight.

Wayne had obviously camped a lot as he was all snuggily buggily in his massive sleeping bag and lied on top of a long cushioned mat. Oriel and I looked on in envy as we lied on the ground. Not even my chunky ass could provide a good enough cushion. Oriel again donated a pair of jogger-bottoms. I naively thought he had other sleep-ware as surely no sane person would give away their clothes. Oriel did give away all his clothes. Most people would have handed back the clothes out of guilt. I offered his clothes back but I looked so feeble that he declined. Poor Oriel spent most, if not all, of the night getting soaked by the edge of the tent. As well as the cold, it was raining heavily. I can’t say I was having a better time. I kept dipping in and out from warmth to freezing. It was tiring. My back, arse and hips were yelping in discomfort and then I had the sight of Wayne happy as Larry with his mod-cons, snoring away.

I awoke with the cackle of Angela’s laugh ringing in my ears. I felt groggy but held on to the consolation that I’d be able to sleep in the car. I peered out of the tent and tried to make out my surroundings. The sun was so bright and my eyes were so dry that everything was blurry. I didn’t look too healthy.

 

Duck!

Seeing a family of ducks potter round actually cheered me up. I wasn't fully regenerated but it gave me enough energy to get out of the tent.

The others had said yesterday that they would do a four hour hike around Wentworth Falls. I wasn’t particularly up for that and I thought Angela would feel the same too. We already saw plenty of Wentworth Falls whilst we were there yesterday. I don’t want to do a hike just for the sake of it.

We all got ready at a sluggish pace. Once everything was packed, we paid up and went. Before we had chance to make a final decision on what to do, we needed food. We went to the nearest café and ordered a bacon and egg sarnie. Oriel snarled at the price and said it was too expensive. At $6 I told him that’s half the price of what it is in Sydney. I was that hungry I would have paid double for half. 

The food was good and rejuvenated me enough to actually feel like I could tackle a four hour hike. Instead, we all decided to drive back to Sydney via a longer route and stop off at certain points. 

 

My failed attempt at revenge for the photo Joey took of me asleep.

Our first stop was Govett's Leap. It was pretty brief. Got out the car, went across and had a gander, took a photo and went back to the car.

 

Our second stop took us to the area around Mt. Wilson. Somehow, Wayne managed to manoeuvre the car up a bumpy dirt track to the view point.

Mad man Joey at it again

We all split up and started climbing over rocks and through trees. We had no idea what we were searching for but had good fun leaping about. Joey fell off a ledge and me and Angela screamed. We raced over to see the damage only to find Joey stood on a step just below with a beaming grin on his face. Not funny!

Nice little resting place.

After stretching our legs and enjoying the views, we trudged back to the car. We decided that we had seen enough and ventured on back to the hostel. We all sat in silence, partly due to exhaustion but mainly because Wayne's iPhone had conked out and we had no tunes. I was thinking back to the funny highlights of my trip and pictured the long hot steamy shower that awaited me when I got back. I had such a good time. There were no arguments or tantrums. Everyone got along and everything was easy. We didn't get lost which is a new one on me. We saw a lot without having to spend a lot. Everyone was happy.

We rocked up to the hostel and dragged everything out of the boot. I said I'd see everyone later and skipped to my room. I wasn't sure whether my roommates would be in the room waiting to fire questions at me or out and about somewhere. I opened the door to find them both glued to a laptop. My arrival barely registered with them. With that warm welcome out of the way, I dumped my stuff and announced I was going for a shower to which Mel replied, "Oh. Well we're going to K-Mart to pick up the camping stuff and everything that we need for our trip." Back to reality with a crash!

*Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that we had over 50 slices of chocolate cake left from the Christmas party. We sold half and kept the rest. From that, I reckon I cleared away three quarters of it. Mel and Steff didn’t stand a chance!