I added a map at the bottom of the blog. If you want to see where I am in this vast country just look below. It will change as I move around.
A slideshow to come as well.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
New Computer
In case you didn't know, Dell is a difficult company to work with. Thanks to my Dad for calling and giving them a piece of his mind, they are (after 3 weeks of no help) going to send him a new computer which he will then turn around and mail to me in Mount Tamborine. Apparently, Dell US does not communicate with Dell OZ which is why I've had such a hard time fixing my computer. Thank you Dad for taking the time and working your magic to score me a new computer. I certainly hope this one works better than the last!
This past week, I've had a great time getting to know the family I'm staying with. Paddy and I have had a lot of fun working in the garden, feeding the chooks and whipper-snippering (weed-whacking) around the farm. Meg is an amazing cook! She loves to try new recipes and make great meals from scratch. She's encouraged me to try more Indian recipes which in the past I've shied away from. Romy loves to explore outside, play silly games, ride bikes and do art. She apparently loves all the WWOOFers that have passed through and claims them as hers. Tea is gradually opening up. She's extremely curious about America including what people wear to school and how blonde everyone's hair is. She's been to LA before where apparently all the girls looked like barbies with straight blonde hair. I told her that we don't all aspire to be a blonde barbie and wear lots of make-up. Mark and Brock came home this weekend for a few hours. They brought a different feel to the family, which was quite refreshing. I didn't really get to know them that well since they weren't here very long.
On Saturday, Damian came up from Brisbane to explore the mountain with me. We hiked to Witches Waterfall which consisted of a dribble of water off a steep cliff. It wasn't that impressive. The forest, however, was really neat. It was full of palms, vines and squawking birds. I keep waiting to hear a beautiful songbird in the forest like I did in Costa Rica, but so far the cockateals and kookaburras rule the forest melodies. Damo and I also went to Mount Tamborine's infamous Gallery Walk, which houses 20 or so little shops. We quickly learned that the mountain people have a fetish for fairies. 9 out of 10 shops had fairy do-dads and really strange magical memorabilia. At the end of our walk we stopped in the local beer brewery (Mount Tamborine Brewery) which hosts 8 beers some of which are made by Monks. The brewery also has a cheese factory and small pub. We enjoyed our beers, they were quite tasty, but decided to go the the Bowls Club for dinner. This was my second experience in a Bowls Club. Every town in Australia has a Bowls Club, which during the day hosts all the older people in the community for games of Lawn Balls and at night it turns into a 1970's roller rink bar filled with the single old men and younger folks looking for cheap beer and good steaks. The juke box, mullets and wind suits all add to the 1970's feel, but the carpet and retro lighting really pull it all together. I may just make it my mission to stop in every bowls club I come across. The things you see and hear about in these clubs would make a great book and may just give Bill Bryson's Sunburnt Country a run for it's money.
This past week, I've had a great time getting to know the family I'm staying with. Paddy and I have had a lot of fun working in the garden, feeding the chooks and whipper-snippering (weed-whacking) around the farm. Meg is an amazing cook! She loves to try new recipes and make great meals from scratch. She's encouraged me to try more Indian recipes which in the past I've shied away from. Romy loves to explore outside, play silly games, ride bikes and do art. She apparently loves all the WWOOFers that have passed through and claims them as hers. Tea is gradually opening up. She's extremely curious about America including what people wear to school and how blonde everyone's hair is. She's been to LA before where apparently all the girls looked like barbies with straight blonde hair. I told her that we don't all aspire to be a blonde barbie and wear lots of make-up. Mark and Brock came home this weekend for a few hours. They brought a different feel to the family, which was quite refreshing. I didn't really get to know them that well since they weren't here very long.
On Saturday, Damian came up from Brisbane to explore the mountain with me. We hiked to Witches Waterfall which consisted of a dribble of water off a steep cliff. It wasn't that impressive. The forest, however, was really neat. It was full of palms, vines and squawking birds. I keep waiting to hear a beautiful songbird in the forest like I did in Costa Rica, but so far the cockateals and kookaburras rule the forest melodies. Damo and I also went to Mount Tamborine's infamous Gallery Walk, which houses 20 or so little shops. We quickly learned that the mountain people have a fetish for fairies. 9 out of 10 shops had fairy do-dads and really strange magical memorabilia. At the end of our walk we stopped in the local beer brewery (Mount Tamborine Brewery) which hosts 8 beers some of which are made by Monks. The brewery also has a cheese factory and small pub. We enjoyed our beers, they were quite tasty, but decided to go the the Bowls Club for dinner. This was my second experience in a Bowls Club. Every town in Australia has a Bowls Club, which during the day hosts all the older people in the community for games of Lawn Balls and at night it turns into a 1970's roller rink bar filled with the single old men and younger folks looking for cheap beer and good steaks. The juke box, mullets and wind suits all add to the 1970's feel, but the carpet and retro lighting really pull it all together. I may just make it my mission to stop in every bowls club I come across. The things you see and hear about in these clubs would make a great book and may just give Bill Bryson's Sunburnt Country a run for it's money.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Mount Tamborine
I'm doing wonderfully!
On Monday I travelled to my second homestay which is located on Mount Tamborine (1 hour south of Brisbane). It's a tropical rainforest!!From one side of the mountain you can see the Gold Coast and the other side the great interior of Australia.
The family I'm staying with includes Meg (the mom), Tea (pronounced te-a; age 11; girl), Romy (age 8; girl), Patrick (Meg's Dad; age 80) and Barbara (Meg's mom; age 75). Mark, Meg's husband, is in the US directing a movie (Meg is also in the film business but she does documentaries) and their son, Brodrick, is currently at boarding school on the coast but will be home this weekend (high school age). The grandparents have their own house, and Meg and the girls live in a 6 bedroom house with a fantastic view of the coast.
I live in my own cabin a little ways down the side of the mountain that also overlooks the coast...it's spectacular! I can't wait to post pictures (I'm currently using the library computer which is why I'm not posting frequently). Every morning I wake up to cockateals, kookaburras, and parrots. There are 100 avocado trees on the property, plus olive trees, coffee and tons of citrus. We also have ~30 chooks and a dog, Dan, that reminds me a lot of Ito except that Dan doesn't want to eat the chooks when they are let out of the pen (Ito likes to chase them). Patrick and I work together in the garden (he's is quite active for being 80 years old). We talk about soils, local birds, favorite foods, and life experiences.
I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here. This weekend I plan to explore the local waterfalls and watch some hanggliders jump of the side of the mountain!!
On Monday I travelled to my second homestay which is located on Mount Tamborine (1 hour south of Brisbane). It's a tropical rainforest!!From one side of the mountain you can see the Gold Coast and the other side the great interior of Australia.
The family I'm staying with includes Meg (the mom), Tea (pronounced te-a; age 11; girl), Romy (age 8; girl), Patrick (Meg's Dad; age 80) and Barbara (Meg's mom; age 75). Mark, Meg's husband, is in the US directing a movie (Meg is also in the film business but she does documentaries) and their son, Brodrick, is currently at boarding school on the coast but will be home this weekend (high school age). The grandparents have their own house, and Meg and the girls live in a 6 bedroom house with a fantastic view of the coast.
I live in my own cabin a little ways down the side of the mountain that also overlooks the coast...it's spectacular! I can't wait to post pictures (I'm currently using the library computer which is why I'm not posting frequently). Every morning I wake up to cockateals, kookaburras, and parrots. There are 100 avocado trees on the property, plus olive trees, coffee and tons of citrus. We also have ~30 chooks and a dog, Dan, that reminds me a lot of Ito except that Dan doesn't want to eat the chooks when they are let out of the pen (Ito likes to chase them). Patrick and I work together in the garden (he's is quite active for being 80 years old). We talk about soils, local birds, favorite foods, and life experiences.
I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here. This weekend I plan to explore the local waterfalls and watch some hanggliders jump of the side of the mountain!!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Computer problems
Unfortunately, my brand new computer is not working properly right now. This means I won't be able to blog quite like I had planned to...for now. The parts, however, are on their way to my house so I hope to post something of substance by early next week.
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