June 7th- um, yeah does it? I've got a package for you but I don't want to just send it out into oblivion... :) -Miranda May 23rd- does that addresse still work Reanna? If so ill send you something! (i never found this before)-Dawn 9. April Re: Dawn's exclamation at the bottom. It's funny you should say that. I've actually been really down for the last few weeks. I wrote the list specifically because I knew the highlights unmitigated by detail would impress even me. But it feels like all that was the first half of my trip, and now all the stuff I really want to do is in front of me like a brick wall and I'm alternatly wimpering at the bottom, and facing the other way trying to ignore the wall, pretend I don't want to get over it. I've been really isolated as well for the last few weeks, largely self-imposed, and I'm a bit bonkers from that. Anyway. Mail can be sent to Reanna Alder c/o Poste Restante GPO Melbourne Victoria, Australia It'd make my day to hear from you [Dawn] or anyone else. probably even a serial killer. as long as it wasn't a death threat. although that would make the day *memorable*... <shakes head> Also, I've been posting more on Live Journal (the early entries I copied over are all mixed up). And bantering with Cory in his livejournal guestbook. And trying to occasionally reply to email... Anyhoo. Hugs and Love Reanna 14-Mar-2001. Melba-Toast-Land In the last six-ish months I have: volunteered at two folk music festivals waitressed for 5 weeks ridden my bicycle about 1500 k traveled in 3 (make that 4 tomorrow) australian states collected fistfulls of email addresses taken about ten flying trapeeze classes played with fire (poi and staff) been to a dozen markets spent over $6000 seriously considered tattoo's, peircings, skydiving and bungee jumping done a two day solo hike (built my own fire to cook dinner on!) camped in the rain (and been flooded out and slept in the laundry room...) free-camped twice got lifts from strangers (not with my thumb) climbed a mountain walked in tropical and subtropical rainforest seen a snake with it's dinner lump in it learned some hebrew filled four journals been a bar cashier for a week kissed three new people written my first resume and handed it in opened an australian bank account and got my tax number improved my handstands talked to aboriginal people experienced a mushroom trip bought things, been given things, lost things been to a circus festival sunbathed/swam topless been hit by a car walked to the eastern most point of the continent attempted surfing been on a punk rock boat cruise smoked tobacco had my first cocktail (my boss at the restraunt made me a blue sunrise) been kicked out of a book store learned numerous multi-person acrobatic balances eaten fresh fish and crayfish for the first time been sprayed by firemen at the channon markets been followed by a dingo (on the solo hike) had a didge lesson learned to make coffee bought a pair of shoes by my self, without moral support. wooee. etc, etc. In The NEXT six months, I want to: travel with someone else for a while pick fruit earn money do the resume, job thing again get a non-grunt job, perhaps something to do with publishing... make my way over to Western Australia make some connection to Robyn Davidson's walk across the desert (see the awesome books "tracks" and "from alice to ocean"): find her starting or finishing point, meet some camels... be light on my feet interview someone. record it. interview someone else... work on a sailboat go caving play make nature art with other people do acrobalance with other people try scuba diving be able to walk on my hands have a travel romance (vs. a fling) read aloud something I've written laugh lots make other people laugh live in a house for a while (prolly w/other people), paying my own rent. And... well, I hope a lot more than that happens, but you can't really plan all that. as a side note: I feel weird about the drug experiences I've mentioned here. And the sexual ones too. I think because they are outside the camp sphere, and because they don't quite fit into the good-little-homeschooler image either. Lots of other funny and good [and weird] stuff wafts through my life, but I'd better be on my way to the docks now. I'm going to be rather closer to antarctica than I've ever been before you know... As of now I'm giving http://www.livejournal.com/users/supatropic/ a go. Visit me there. Tell me if you like this better or what... changed my mind. That sucks. This is cozier. 8th March- first morning in Melbourne. Think 'Frisco meets Europe in Oz. Melbourne seems a bit like that. There are trams! It's shocking to be in a big city again, all this pavement and nothing in walking distance. I am on foot because I haven't yet reassembled my bicycle from the flight here. In a couple weeks I'll be at the half way point of this trip: 6 months in Australia, 6 months to go. Accordingly, I'm assessing (I'll let you know what I come up with I went to the Victoria markets this morning, after dragging myself out of bed at 10. They're pretty cool, but huge. Fruit and veggies. meats, eggs, chicks, ducklings, pidgeons, prepared food. Aisles and aisles of cloths, bags, leather jackets, shoes, wallets, toys... On the 14th I take the overnight ferry to Tasmania, Australia's island state. I intend to do some fruit picking, and exploring as usual... The only pair of shoes I was traveling with (water sandles) was lost/stolen the day before I left Byron. I bought a pair of flip-flops. I'm not quite sure what to properly replace them with-the same? skate or running shoes? It sorta ties in to what my vision for the next six months is... ;) hugs, yall keep it real. Reanna 26th Feb I'm nearing my last days in byron, theoretically. I've been really contented here, so I'm not sure why I feel the need to leave on a set date, but I do. I'm thinking of riding the 20k to mullumbimby for the circus festival on the weekend, with about half my stuff. then I'll come back afterwards to head south. It's hot to ride though... ahad, shtime, shalosh, arba, hamesh (one, two, three, four, five) israelies... Boaz taught me to count to ten in hebrew (plus efes, for zero). It really is time I learned to speak some other language(s). Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic and Japanese all top my list. I'm so tired, because I'm trying to shift my sleep schedule back about three hours for the circus fest (I've been getting up at noon mostly), and it just means I sleep less right now. I feel quiet and sensitive. Will leaving here be jarring? reanna 21st Feb Wow, a fair bit of time has gone by really quickly. I just got a batch of photos back just from this last month. It's strange to see all these people who just passed through my life for a couple of days, a week or so, while I was here the whole time. I have a leaving-plan now. First weekend in march is the mullumbimby circus festival (little town right near here. camping. it'll prolly rain the whole time). After that I'm going to (unless, you know, something else happens) go to Tasmania for the harvest season and do some fruit picking. Apples and Grapes, most likely. I've been more than half supporting myself for the last month, which is not much but kind of exciting. This morning I woke up breifly at 8:30 and out the window in the parking lot I saw the sunlight at an angle I haven't seen it in weeks. Lotta late nights after work. I'm going trapeezing again this afternoon. (after almost a week of intermittant rain prohibiting such activities) This morning I watched a couple of people I know play basketball - it was a remarkable game because they weren't competing, they were really good, passed to eachother tons, and they were fast. They I rode into town and ate with my irish and swiss buddies, they went off to ride to the lighthouse. simple days. Satisfying because I'm savoring them and I'll be gone soon. I have freckles and reverse freckles all over my shoulders. My lip is healing from a bad sunburn the day I tried surfing with Jenny from Brisbane... Hugs to ya'll Reanna 4th Feb-> Most Easterly Point of the Australian Continent. The Byron markets were on today, and I couldn't help thinking of the last 4 years of Eugene Saterday markets. How much I value that gentle introduction to dumpster diving, and having friends who carry their own cutlery (be it chopsticks or forks). Afterwards there was a drum jam and a petition went around... as of yesterday the Byron City Council has outlawed busking with percussion. No drums on the streets of Byron. Apparently there are going to be extra loud jams on the streets the next few nights, we'll see... Usually it's just a few drunk street people quietly drumming, selling weed (i'm told) and sleeping on the street. I'd been working on doing handstands on the side of the pool for the last couple days, but the other day I knocked my head pretty hard on the way up (if it'd been on the way down it woulda been a lot worse) and I was a bit woozy afterwards. I was a bit worried about concussions, so I had someone wake me up during the night and in the morning. No problem though. The sun is out in full force again after three days of heavy rain that kept everyone in the hostel close and cozy, or stir crazy, depending on how you looked at it. I was getting a bit moody, and realized I needed to take some serious time alone. I just don't have much opportunity to let my mind wander here, let my thoughts come loose and peel away. There are always people around to chat about nothing with. I went down to the ocean and let the wild wind blow through me for a while. That helped a lot. But I'd like to try to get little doses of it every day. On my way back I went past the hostel up the road through the forest which was flooded at this point, about a foot of water for the subtropical rainforest trees to stand in, and the odd sound of thousands of frogs having a rain orgy. Check out http://www.juggling.co.nz for the poi page, to see what I've been playing with. they have videos, photos and instructions. Or I'll just show you when I get back ;) 28th January- You can see pictures of the place I'm staying: http://www.artsfactory.com.au I'm working as a waitress at The Piggery Veg. restraunt. I just moved into "The Pig Pen" waitress dorm. There are five other girls in there, it's a bit cramped, but nicer than the other dorms. Last night I tried twirling fire for the first time, on the beach. It was scary and amazing. Loud, roaring past my ears, beautiful too, being inside it. I hit myself with one of the burning wicks (wound webbing soaked in kerosine) and it didn't hurt. Still scary though. I kissed a boy from Hamelton, Ontario last night too. Good kisser, and it's been a while, but... It's really rare to meet people who's minds are expansive enough for us both to wander in. And that's what I'd really like. I'll be at the address below until the last week of Feb, possibly into March. I crave paper mail. Satisfy me. ;) I'll send you a picture of the tattoo I'm considering... Reanna Alder C/O The Arts Factory Lodge Skinners Shoot Road Byron Bay NSW 2481 Australia Sweating away the days. Love you guys. Reanna Heya. Jan 18th, Still Byron Bay. The latest spin on My Life As I Know It: I tried for one of the room-and-board jobs at the resturaunt connected to the hostel (The Piggery, a swanky Veggo place) It's 3 1/2 hrs waitressing in the evenings, six nights a week. My original intent (after they gave the reception job to someone already working for them) was to stay for a couple more weeks. They told me I had to make a 1 or 2 mo. commitment for it to be worth it to them to train me for the waitressing. So I said I'd have to think about that and get back to them. Would I go crazy staying in Byron that long? There's nightly entertainment at the hostel, but it's the same every week. Was I just trying to put off finding real work? I slept on it, and by the morning was totally taken with the idea. I'd spend my days doing these classes I've been wanting to do for so long-capoeria, trapeze, fire twirling, work in the evenings, and eat restraunt food every day. So I went back and said I wanted the job. He (Jim) said talk to the roster woman (Gora). I did. She said they have all the staff they need. grr. Feeling a bit yanked around. But she said to keep asking, because there's no knowing when that'll change. So I will. I took a poi lession a couple days ago (two strings with weights on the end that you spin around. Eventually with fire on the ends, though I'm not too into that bit, because the kero smells really bad. I've seen people do them with glow sticks on the end, and I think this is another situation where modern technology has the upper hand.) And I did the flying trapeze yesterday. I took six flights. Two of those were catches (from the knees), and the two after that were the upsidedown splits in preperation for the next kind of catch. Did you know club med's have flying trapezes? I could get a job at club med! bleh. I've booked another trapeze class for tomorrow. They said I can come for half price and if I bring other people I can fly free. With a bit of luck someone will leave the restraunt within the week, and I'll have a sort-of job. Oh, another thing. The Piggery needs someone who can make coffee. Sarah, the girl from vancouver island, suggested that I go down to the hostel cafe and ask them to teach me to make coffee in exchange for a couple hours work. So I did, and he's going to teach me this afternoon. I thought it was such an original idea, but he said I was the 10th person to ask this week (possibly an exaggeration) Oh, and I have a fire sticks lesson today as well. I'm having a great time here. I'm excited to be learning new stuff. It feels like being at a festival that just keeps going...I feel more and more comfortable here, and so more and more outgoing, which is great. I'm thinking of staying till March, because there's a circus festival the first weekend in March right near here, and if I head south before then I probably wont come back up for it. Sarah, on the other hand, is in the funk I was in a while ago. It's strange to recognize that in someone else. She's finding just roaming around in oz not challenging, and that's frustraiting. She doesn't know what to do with herself. She needs to work, sorta wants to go all around oz, sorta would rather be in Asia, but doesn't feel ready yet (she's 18), and doesn't want to do it alone. She's homesick often, but has nothing to go home TO (her boyfriend split with her shortly after she got here, she doesn't want to/can't go back to her old life). I figure I'm not so much putting off getting a real job as taking another baby step towards it, because (potentially, fingers crossed everyone) I'll be waitressing and learn to make coffee. With food and accomodatation paid for, I could spend as little as $50 0 a month, total. It'll be a lot easier getting a job in the city with cafe type experience under my belt, and I'll have tried a bunch more of the things on my list, which'll be better than having a part time job and trying to squeeze it all in on the side, I think. Hi Gennie and Cloe and everyone... Yeah, just keep in mind travel always sounds more exciting when it's compacted, as it is in the retelling. I noticed recently that the last three months I was averaging one peak experience per month (one good week, with two or three high days) and the rest was the usual confused slog. We'll see how it goes from here... Still no men in my life though. ;) Hugs ya'll. Reanna Reanna...your adventures sound too lovely. I need to get out of the country for awhile. You are inspiring me. Plus I need a new population of men to go though. Gennie Reanna, we've never met...but I'm really enjoying reading your entries here. I was in Australia this past June and July, so it's like I'm (what I consider to be) home again. I was in a tiny town north of Melbourne, near Bendigo, and in Sydney while I was there...I'd love to hear from you, I can tell you heaps of cool places to go in Melbourne and Sydney. Oh, and about the piercing thing...I ended up piercing my bellybutton while I was there. ;) I'd email you, but I don't have your address. cloerose at hotmail.com -Cloe January 15th, Byron Bay (entry expanded from an email I just wrote) Life has been eventful over here. Shortly after I applied for my first job (they ended up giving it to someone who already worked for them) I was hit by a car while standing still on my bicycle, which I think is far more unnerving than if I'd had any fault in the matter. I'm fine, my back wheel is toast. The woman who hit me is going to pay for it. I skinny-dipped on the main beach here in Byron Bay with a girl from Vancouver Island (okay, it was at night time...) And after that a drug dealer from Sydney Yesterday I took my first daytour, up to Nimbin (aka Pot Central, Australia). At the hemp museum I learned "weed" is an innacurate term for "the most useful plant on the planet," and that one should "remember, you're going to die anyway." As I had decided before I came to Byron (knowing what Byron is like) that I wasn't going to ingest anything along those lines for at least a month (largly to push myself to become comfortable, and still feel cool, saying no when a joint is passed), I was thoughtfully thinking all day, enjoying my brain more than I have in a while. The thing about being stoned is that the idea is to radically change ones mood, create a more interesting mental environment for one's self (from which to act out of, sometimes). So I just played stoned for myself. It works. I've been thinking a lot about tattoos and peircings. I was almost set on a lip peircing until I heard that the metal wears on your teeth and gums quite severly (especially if you have a stud, because of the back plate, but even a ring) so now I'm thinking of a toung peircing, but... it's only because so many people have them here. It's my urge to follow coming out, to be part of a group. It doesn't really mean anything, to have a peircing. Plenty of ditzy, boring, mainstream people have them. And I'm definitly not ready for a tattoo, so I've just been asking other people about theirs, and how they feel about them. And all that's just on the surface. I've been making order out of the usual chaos. I know what I want to be doing in a month. I'm gonna get a job in Sydney or Melbourn, somewhere where I can take circus classes and go to spoken word shows in the evening. I'm gonna get a place. I'm gonna get a white t-shirt and a washable crayola marker so I can wear a different slogan every day. I'm going to learn to interview people, and how to write from that. Do you hear that?! I'm figuring out what kind of life I want to live. And how not to get distracted as easily. 'Cause let me tell you, this place is full of distractions. I still think I'm too inhibited, that I restrict my own actions and speech more than I want to, but I also see that it's a lot better than it was before. Aww, isn't that beautiful? *sniff* hehe... Reanna p.s. thanks to people putting up photos, I know what Cory's latest haircut looks like, and robert's haloween costume. these things are important. Zen: Contact info, eh? Well, the voice mail box still works, so you can talk to me. But as for addresses, I don't know yet if I'm going to stay here or not. So no paper address. I'll let you know as soon as there is... Jan 12th, Byron Bay, New South Wales. Byron Bay is the funky hippy town Stevie raved to me about when he heard I was going to Oz. He stayed and worked at the towns most [in]famous hostel, The Arts Factory Lodge. Fixing bikes I think... I applied for my first job (ever, really) this morning, with a hand written resume, for a receptionist job at the aformentioned hostel. I decided I was going to do it last night, and got as much info as I could. By this morning I was quite terrified, having convinced myself I didn't have a chance in hell, what with almost no work experience and all. But I applied anyway (I know I could do the job) and she took me seriously. I should know in a couple of days. If I don't get this, it looks like there's plenty of other work in town. The place has been packed since well before christmas, a situation which lasts until march, I'm told. Getting and doing work is the adventure I need and want right now. And I'm ready to unpack my things for a few months. I haven't been a proper bike tourist in over a month, and I don't want to be again for a while yet, if at all in Australia. Well, maybe in Tasmania.... Fire twirlers and painted vans, super hip internet cafes, surf shops, health food stores, a circus just out of town with a flying trapeeze you can spend a couple hours on for $30, skydiving, didgeridoo making classes, markets galore, and a very high dreadlock ratio It'd be really nice to hear from some of ya'll. X's and O's. Reanna January 7th, 2001 Yesterday I took the city train south out of Brisbane to the end of the line, and rode about 25k from there. I just wanted to sit somewhere comfortable and hang around reading my book ("Wall to Wall: beijing to berlin on the trans siberian railway") but this odd white duck came right up to me and gently harassed my maps on the ground. it seemed to think the colourful paper had to contain food, and it shuffled it's beak around on it, searching, then grabbing the map and flinging it around. There was just an uber-mall there, and ugly retirement houses, no campgrounds or backpackers hostels, so I had to ride. but a month off the bicycle took it's toll. and it was hot, and trafficy (no open highway, always stopping to look at the map) I meant to ride again today. only about 30k away I could catch a train to Byron Bay, an infamouse hippy town highly reccomended to me by Nicole's Stevie. But instead I got back to my book. When I do get to Byron, I intend to stay there for a bit and see about getting a lift (or taking the bus) to Melbourne, where I'll get down to the working bit of my "Working Holiday Visa." I feel very far away from home these days. I feel fairly confused most of the time. Fairly sexually frustraited as well... :) Anyway, my time's about to run out. Love ya'll Reanna "So, are you catching a plane, or are you going to ride your bike through the water?" "you mean when I go home?" "yeah" "um... I'm riding my bike through the water." "I don't think that's a good idea, why don't you just stick with the plane?" "yeah, I probably will" "but what about your bicycle?" "I'll take it on the plane. I'll ride it around in the aisles..." conversation with Eilais, 7 years old, as I typed. I got picked up off the street by her parents after I enquired about busses to brisbane and found out it would cost $7 for me and $55 for my bicycle. They overheard and offered me a ride, and I've ended up staying over night with them. I'd intended to stay in Noosa for a while, there was a lot to do there, but for some reason none of it was working. And I've been thinking about working, about finding a place... an apartment. I've been looking at cook books in bookstores. Totally impractical in youth hostels, and when one is on the move.... And I really want time to sit down and write and work on some pieces... "I think I would forget that you didn't go to school" "why?" "I donno, it's just difficult to remember that you didn't go to school..." she says. So. The center of Brisbane is only about 20 minutes drive away. I'm... well, I really want things to work out in brissie: meet people get good job, find nice place to live... but I also like to remember nick's plan nothing ethic. Maybe it wont work that way, maybe I'll find myself doing something else, going somewhere else.... it seems like sometimes I roll into a place and right away have an idea about how it's going to be there and I get stuck in that. I'm being very vauge, but anyway... If I don't get any mail at woodford I'm gonna be bummed, right, so <bats eyelashes> :) ? 24. nov. 00 Hervey Bay, QLD. Hello again. I have a mailing address, and I would LOVE to get postcards or letters or whatever you want to send me and I do solemnly swear that I will reply, in paper mail, to every single piece of mail i get. (Also the voicemail mentioned below still works. feel free to prank-call me.) Reanna Alder c/o Post Restante Woodford, QLD Australia I'll be there between Christmas and New Years, and maybe a little sooner, too. That's my only time-place combination at this point. Keep in mind mail takes at least a week to get over here, maybe a little more at this time of year. As this is the first time in a while I've had cheap internet, I've been webbing for the first time in months. I read the article about camp, and have been reading Megan and Heather's India web site. (http://homepage.mac.com/heatherknox/) a bunch of you met Megan Knox at camp, so you might find it interested. Lurvly. And me... well... cutting and pasting from some emails I sent yesterday, here's the story. I just got back from a week on Fraser Island, and I feel odd. It was like a trip away from my trip. I backpacked for the first time ever, something I never thought I was up to because in the past even little backpacks have made my back sore very quickly, and I get sore feet from walking, and blah blah blah, which is basically why I brought my bike to Australia. But it was okay, and it was more than okay, it was a fantastic, wonderful, I would even say life changing experience. The hostel I just happened to go to in Hervey Bay, a run-down little place called the Mango Tourist Hostel, just happens to be run by this excentric old hippy who has a boat moored at Kingfisher Bay on Fraser island, where people can stay for the same price as the hostel. I went over with a bunch of other people for a day trip, we chipped in to rent a four wheel drive and he drove us around and we did some walking too, and then I ended up staying on a boat for a few days because I liked the other people who were on the boat and I got the backpacing idea into my head. I thought I'd just walk to this lake (about two hours), stay there the night and walk back. I had to wait for Phil, the guy who runs the hostel, to send over my tent and backpacking-appropriate food as the shops on the island are minimal. the first day I hiked to lake mckenzie as planned, a clear blue perched lake (rainwater fed only) in white sand. I wanted to walk more, so the next day I hiked 5 hours, past some lakes to another lake. <laugh> the next day I hitched a lift way up the beach just to see more of the island, as I had to return the backpack I'd borrowed. I camped there, and hitched lifts most of the way back the next day, and walked the last two hours, by choice. (When I say hitched, I mean asked around from the campsites I was staying at, or stops where everyone gets out of their 4 weel drives to look at something.) I cooked my food in a tin can, on my own fire or sometimes other peoples. I slept in my tent, but with no foamy mat. My backpack was pretty light. That island is so totally amazing. I learned so much, from the people staying on the boat (the guy fixing it up, and this girl, and other people passing through) and from hiking alone, and hitching. The guy on the boat, Anneiron, was one of those really easy, sociable chatty kind of people, always ended up stopping to talk to strangers when we were trying to go places... and I think he rubbed off on me and made it easier to approach people for rides, or just company, when iw was on my own, which is something I'm always struggling with. (You see, I used to be shy. I'm working my way over to the opposite side) It was surprising to get back to the run-down hostel yesterday morning and see that I still hadn't put my bike back together after my long bus ride (from mission beach) After I did that, packed up and moved to a different hostel. One of the mainstream, sanitized and boring variety. Ididn't feel like living with old hippie men who smoke dope every day. I smoked a fair bit on the boat (well three times, in a row. that's a lot for me) Joints went around every night, and sometimes in the day too. the joints were mixed with tobacco. the second two nights didn't get stoned, really. because I was basically smoking cigarettes. and it didn't seem like that big of a deal. Just this pleasent social ritual. yikes. Odd, the way these barriers I had have been broken down. Like also, I remember thinking when I was little: if I were lost in the woods, would I rather catch and eat a fish, or starve? I really wasn't sure. But I had fish a couple times on the island, because i'd seen it caught and was curious to taste it. not as offensive as I'd expected. Even watching the fish dying in the bucket as the oxygen ran outwhile they were still fishing didn't get me upset like it would have not that long ago. I'm being desensitized. And now? I get a map and gaze at it for a while. I know this is the kind of place I really shouldn't stay long, or it'll get me down, cuz there's nothing really here. it's all fraser island trips for the tourists. oh, and the shark museum... so even though part of me always wants to sleep and hang around, i'm trying to move quickly. 10. nov. 00 Ola everybody. I'm in Mission Beach (between innesfail and townsville, in QLD). I've been in Aus. for 7 weeks now, though it's hard to believe. It's hard to believe I booked a plane ticket home for only 5 weeks from now, thinking I might have had enough by christmas. Lucky I can change it. I rode about 50k from innesfail to get here today, and am thinking of taking a bus tomorrow, down to the brisbane area. how exciting is that! very. it's toooo hot to ride around here. I'm "glowing" just sitting here. Strangly I feel i have very little to say. I'm just, ya' know, doin' my thing. Gonna call home and ask my mummy for a lentil soup recipe, cuz I've been carrying these lentils around... I'm trying to a spot as a volunteer for the woodford folk music festival, which takes place just after christmas and is the largest in oz. it looks, actully, overwhelmingly large... crossing my fingers they're not all full. I'm a highly qualified volunteer though...and I love it but am not the least bit interested in *working*. Why is that? It's October 10th, 7:30 pm here. I've been here almost three weeks, and I'm at a thriving hub of a youth hostel in the middle of the rainforest, oddly enough. I'm rolling now. I felt really uncertian that I was going to find anything fun to do when I was first here. I stayed in cairns just over a week, and then decided to try a bit of riding. I rode a very short day (20k?) to... basically a little resort suburb of cairns. camped there. Rode to port douglas the next day. Stayed there 5 days cuz I met these two nice british guys, and they were the first people I'd really hung out with and it was so nice to feel social. I almost forgot how much I like to be alone. Anyway, I rode two days (45-50 k each) to where I am now. Cape Tribulation. Had, oh my god, such a good time. I'm not being very eloquent here, sorry folks. I was riding through the fucking tropical rainforest all yesterday, with my mouth hanging open. I pulled off the side of the road at one point to this botanical walk, where some tour busses stop to show people different plants and stuff, and the boardwalk goes through rainforest and a mangrove swamp. I saw a tour going in and followed them, shyly at first, but then I just asked if I could follow and the guide said "sure." I think I was more excited about it than the people who'd paid to do it and been on the bus with him all day. I was thirsty for information about my surroundings, refrence points. They were in tour mode, I recognized it. Take a few pictures. Try to get excited. We're in the famed "lungs of the planet" folks! The oldest rainforest there is! Right after that I met my first other bike tourist, a nice Belgian boy who rode from Sydney (!). We were all sweaty and elated to meet someone else doing the same thing. Nice. He's staying here at the hostel too. I'm not in any hurry to leave the rainforest. When I do I'll most likely be heading back south, because the roads aren't paved north of here. Isn't that amazing? I've remembered how much I like riding. touring. despite the discomforts that come along, the jubulation of pulling in to somewhere beautiful and comfortable after a full days riding. and the last two days I was more confident about my ability to do the distance, so I could stop along the way and do things without worrying that I wont get to where I need to go. My knees have been pretty good too, at this pace. And I have a knee brace I got just before I left. I'm not going to push it though. lots of layovers. the rainforst the rainforest the rainforest. we're talking lizards and butterflies and all these amazing birds and ferns the size of trees and vines and fan palms and the whole bit. I'm really enjoying deciding what I want to do from day to day. no schedule, no obligations. A lot of other people I meet have only 6 weeks or two months, and they go from tour to tour. I'm so grateful to be doing what I'm doing. Which is not to say it's perfect. Just good. More later. Reanna Seated. Air moving around me. Eastern coast of a large island in the south seas... okay, it's Australia. It's still (unbelievably) my first day here, and I can't keep away from the wiki. Hehe. Last night I arrived in the tropics with a grin on my face. The flight from Brisbane to Cairns went over the Great Barrier Reef. I saw it, them, from the air. Some of the splotches look like pondscum, light brown then glowing green at the edges. Others look like frozen blooms coming up from the depths. Airplanes really excite me... the movement of them, and the perspective you get looking DOWN at the sky, at, sometiems at the ocean, or continents with their wrinkles clouds caught in their folds... WHich is not to say i enjoyed the 11 hour flight from LA to Auckland... anyway. Cairns is small and very friendly and well touristed. I fell asleep at 3pm yesterday, after about 42 hours with out any sleep worth mentioning. I got up at 6 this morning and went for a long walk along the beach, stopping to look at birds that look like they flew out of a nature video, and strange blooms on trees. By the time I started heading back, I was really hungry and tired again. ate, got groceries. had a nap. it's pretty hot mid day, so I don't have much desire to go out again yet (this web access is from the hostel). There is a certian kind of archiatecture distinct to the tropics. Open air. In this case most buildings have overhangs over the windows and sidewalks. And painted signs fade in a particular way in the moist air. And there are certian smells. I love it. Since my previous experience with the tropics was in india, I keep being reminded of there, specifically Kerala. The question "what now?" hit sooner than expected. I heven't unpacked my bike yet, for some reason I'm reluctant to... I don't know where I'm going next, how soon, and how I'll get there. But it's not that big a deal to pack my bike up again, maybe I wont even have to, and I know it'll have a huge impact on my mental state, to have more mobility. THat's why I brought it. If any of you all want to leave voice mail messages for me, here's how you can do that: dial: 61 2 9409 1499, and when promted, enter my box number, which is 1049 8000 48. I may not keep it forever, I just got it yesterday when I bought a phone card and was trying to figure out how to call home. If I learn nothing else on this trip, I'll have learned: 1. Canada's country code is 1. Oh, so that's why we dial 1, 604, etc...? and 2. how to use the metric system. They actually use it here, they don't just claim to. 3. how to deal with myself. Anyway, I'll stop now. sept 23rd, 2000. 2pm Hey there, I just wanted to stick a note in here and tell you that I really enjoy reading your writings about what you're doing in Australia. It sounds great! Much love and luck to you ~Eire Ditto. Also, how's about a little contact information? If we want to write you a letter what do we do at this point? Is the last address you put up still valid? Good luck on all your travels! -Zen Yikes! dude! Reanna you are doing freaken awesome! that is one hell of an impressive list. The Aussies are getting to you, :) they are wonderful wonderful amazing people and all pretty much crazy, the lights are not all on and the cage is still turning but the mouse is dead.. :) golly.... Comparativly i feel like I've done so little! You must be a million feet tall by now... Please, do post the latest addresse so i can mail you something? yes yes yes? -Dawn, who is totally blown away..... NBTSWikiWiki | Recent Changes Edited 36 times, last edited on June 7, 2001 by miranda@nbtsc.org. © 2000 NBTSC Webmasters |
I have this potent vision [and I'm all about potent visions] of me traveling with a little backpack and a cruiser skateboard, but I also think maybe it's time I really comitted to my current situation, complete with bicycle/pannier hassles, knowing I can travel other ways later, and it does have it's advantages.) but I need a journal to do this properly. I finished my last one the other day and mailed it home from Byron.
