Re-Connected

Finally......net access again :-) Just trawled through an abundance of emails - mostly spam, and I'm back online - granted via 128k ISDN, but hey - reconnected with the world.

I wrote a blog entry in a moment of boredom the other day just to keep on top of events, so here it is.

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22nd December 2006

Well, seeing as I've been several days without net access, composing this blog entry off line for publishing whenever I get a chance. It's been interesting since I left Hong Kong. My flight took me to Sydney – the taxi from the Hotel took me to Kings Cross. With hindsight this was possibly a mistake and my research on the area was pretty limited. I found myself in a beautiful hotel called the Devere, in unfortunately a slightly “ropey” area. I got to the hotel, showered and generally cleaned myself up then went out to find something to eat. Within a 10 minute walk from the hotel I had been offered crack twice and sex once. Seeing as I don't do crack and have never paid for sex in my life I would say that was perhaps not in an area best suited to my tastes. I found a Thai restaurant and went back to my room.

I got a decent nights sleep for a change and went out for a walk the next day, primarily looking for a method of getting up the coast to Bundaberg ASAP! The walk though took me through to the Sydney Botanical Gardens – a complete contrast the area I was staying in. I have to say the gardens were breathtaking, and they led me on to the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, which I have to say I'm glad I've seen, even if they were slightly less impressive than my imagination had served them. Was more impressed with the “Sex + Death” orchid and carnivorous plants exhibition and shop just outside the gardens! I managed to get a flight to Brisbane the next day at 6.30am. It then starting hammering down with rain, so i retreated back to the hotel and chilled out for a couple of hours before getting a taxi to the Airport. I should add here that it's recommended to get to the airport a couple of hours before you fly. Getting to the hotel from the airport took 45 minutes, so I got my taxi at 3am to make sure I was at the airport in plenty of time. A little presumptuous perhaps, as in the middle of the night it only took 15 minutes to get to the airport, getting me there at 3.15, a tad early. Sydney Airport is the first airport I have ever been in that actually closes completely at night. On arriving I saw a lady asleep on a bench and no sign of life from the airport itself. I sat at the bench next to her and she woke up and said the airport didn't open until 5am. It then started raining again.....bollocks.

We were approached by a young Korean lad. We all got chatting, and I have to say it's amazing the bond that can be created between 3 lonely travelers at 4am stuck in the rain outside an airport :-) It turned out that she was originally from France but lived in Tasmania (I'm ashamed to say I can't remember her name), and Sin, the Korean lad was on a working holiday just up the coast from me in Mackay. We kept each other entertained through anecdotes and linguistic problems for a little while, and i think we helped to keep each other sane in the dark dismal weather as the clock slowly turned. Wonderful people who I hope I will be able to keep in touch with, who otherwise would never have spoken but for that odd twist of fate. Once again I'm confident that the path laid out for me on this journey is guiding me in an interesting direction.


On arriving in Brisbane I then had to secure a flight to Bundaberg. At the airport there was little joy though. Eventually I managed to find a flight, but it was the last seat on the plane and going at a premium (A$650, about 325 pounds). A ticket for the flight 4 hours after this was a mere A$375 (about 190 pounds). Naturally in true budget traveler style I set myself up for a long wait at the airport, dug out my recently acquired copy of the Dalai Lama's Universe in a Single Atom and ordered an extremely over-priced Late'. On arriving in Bundaberg the journey to Agnes Water and on to 1770 were relatively easy if a little expensive. I am presently 144Km from Bundaberg in a blissful little town called 1770. If a little remote the place makes up for it with beautiful views, breathtaking scenery and wildlife, warm blue seas and friendly people. I've managed to hire a 4x4 from a guy in town, stocked up on essentials at the nearest supermarket and at the nearest pub.

My first night in Roger and Kitty's house was a little eventful. Having been warned by Peter who looks after and organises the maintenance on the property about visits from an 8ft guana, seeing a few snakes and then on going to bed and being woken up several times just as I was drifting off by gecko's running around on the bed on and near me, I was relegated to the sofa downstairs. I have no problem with lizards at all, in fact in the last couple of nights I've become “friends” with the family of geckos living in the house, it's just that in the dark feeling something running over your skin is somewhat disconcerting. I might try to get some sleep in a bed again tonight now I've got used to my “housemates”

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The family that look after the property were most hospitable and helpful and invited me for Christmas Dinner at theirs. The 4x4 is unreliable, but I am mobile and able to get to the shops and generally about the place, but I've pretty much spent most of my time walking on the beaches or reading on the veranda of the property.

The internal wildlife has kept me amused as well. There is a resident mouse that appears from an unknown location, sits and watches me and then disappears - I've no idea where he comes from or goes to, and he's far too timid to attempt to catch. I've been able to at least get some sleep though after Roger advised that the bugs and geckos tend to vacate the premises when the ceiling fan is on!

The only problem here is the isolation - I suppose it's one of those places where you need company to fully appreciate it. It gets dark early (about 7.30) and there are no street lights, so evening walks are by torchlight. Still, the idea behind the trip was to get away, have some time to think, and I've certainly had the opportunity to do that.