Travelogue Number 1

11/15  11:30 AM Aukland NZ   (11/14 4:30 PM CST)

 

 

I arrived at 7:30 AM NZ time.   Gosh but time flies when you cross the International Dateline.  I missed my son's 25th birthday (literally). Left home on the 13th and arrived on the 15th.  Rob's birthday is the 14th. Ah well, it will save me money...not buying a present. :) 

 

 

Left Milwaukee at 3:30 PM 11/13 and arrived here at 7:30 AM on 11/15. Nearly 24 hours of "real time."

 

While on a layover in Chicago I sat next to Jerry Springer. I've never seen his tv show, but it was cool all the same.

 

The flight from LA to NZ took over 12 hours. Not as bad as I thought it would be. Crowded, yes. No leg room, yes.  A movie I've already seen on two other airplanes, yes. But fun anyway....YES.   I loved it.  Only slept two hours so I'm rather tired. I'll try to stay awake though so I can sleep tonight and get acclimated quickly.

 

When I arrived at the Aukland airport, I went to pick up my bicycle. The box was horribly mangled. Then customs sent me to Agriculture so they could check out my bike.  They tore the box even more but were very nice about it.  The woman checked my tires and said they were too dirty and needed to be cleaned before they could let my bike into the country. She and I tried to clean the tires, but to no avail. After I assured her it was good clean Wisconsin dirt, she let me through. I also promised to put my bike in the bathtub and to clean it before I rode it. 

 

No one was there to meet me so I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally decided to phone my contact person here in Aukland. Oh did I mention I had three bags and a HUGE box with a bicycle in it?  I put the bike on a cart along with the luggage. Did I mention the box was six feet high and that I was 5'2"?  People were laughing and some guy said, "Up periscope."  That cracked me up.

 

I waited for almost two hours before I called Barry. The reason I waited so long? The phones near me were all being serviced. The nearest phones were in another terminal and up an escalator. I flagged down a woman whose nametag said "Airport Helper" and I said, "I need help."  She watched my "stuff" while I ran to use the phone.  The phones took no coins. These phones took no AT&T card. I bought a phone credit card for 5 $NZ.  Used it to leave messages for my contact and backup contact.  Forgot and left the phone card in the phone. Someone else got a nice surprise.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Barry and Cheri arrived.  A bit embarrassed at not meeting me. But they said they were never told when I was to arrive. 

 

All's well that ends well.   Well, it ain't over yet.  I needed to go buy a telephone converter for my modem. Fred, a Samoan cabdriver, took me to the electronics store. I winced at every turn....driving on the left side of the road will take some getting used to.  Showed Fred pictures of my Samoan son. We had a nice drive.  Am waiting now for my bike to be delivered by a shuttle.  Signing off for now.....tired but excited. Jer

 

Apologies to all for this group letter.  Jer

 

Travelogue #2

11/16/96

Otahuhu NZ

 

      I count myself as a very lucky woman....for lots of reasons. Right now, the biggest reason is that I've experienced NO JET LAG.  I feel like a million dollars. Woke up at 5:45 AM, after going to sleep around 8.

      Wrote some e-mail, showered, then breakfast in the hotel restaurant-Portages. Pleasant room with tables and chairs...with a small kitchen connected. More like dining in someone's home. No vegetarian meals on the menu, but they'll accommodate my needs. Last night they made a special meal of pasta primavera and a salad that was out of this world.  No bill...they just ask what room you're in and that's it. No tipping. Friendly people giving good service. I'm loving this.

      This morning had a Continental breakfast. Lots of food on a side table and you help yourself. It's quite different than the normal hotel buffet however. Again, it was more like eating at a friend's house. At each table were jelly packets and packets of vegemite. I took a few packets to my room but haven't tried them yet.

      Hotel room is much smaller than I'm used to. Very small. But pleasantly furnished. Toilet flushes by pushing a button on the tank. Shower has a neat cantilevered door. I've never seen one like it before. Electric tea kettle in room with packets of tea, coffee, and chocolate. Tea biscuits are complimentary as well.

      My room is on the third level (second floor) but because of the hilly terrain my window is level with the ground and looks out on the driveway of a neighboring home. I'm sitting here with windows open, no screens, and wonder if I should say "hi" if the neighbors appear.

      Went for a long walk this morning around Mt. Richmond. It's actually a hill, but I walked to the top of it and took some pictures. Lush foliage, exotic trees, birds that sing with an accent.

      Walked by Otahuhu  Rugby Stadium and saw two teams gathering. Stopped to take pictures and realized they were getting ready to play softball, not rugby. Took a picture anyway.

      Before lunch I walked in search of a Catholic church so I can attend Mass tomorrow. Found St. Joseph about 1K distance. In a poor neighborhood. Nice church and open...so I went inside and did my centering prayer. Met an old Dutch priest who's been there for 46 years. Has Parkinson's and is now "retired" but still says Mass and helps out. He said the church is generally open and I could stay as long as I liked. A beautiful place. Pristine with lots of wood.

      A musical voice interrupted my meditation. "Mum, are you a noon (nun)?" I smiled and said no, I was a visitor. Three beautiful (and dirty) girls-9, 12, 15-had come into the church in search of holy water. I helped them find it. All three were Maori...Te-miringa, Aroha, and Chantelle (not pronounced "Shawn-telle' like you Yanks like to say it, but Chan'tle.") Delightful meeting, except they were there for a sad reason. Their 10 month old cousin had died during the night...accidentally killed by his father. They told me their uncle got drunk and "slipt" on the baby. I said, "Oh, he slipped and fell." They giggled and said, "No, SLIPT. SLIPT."  Treated me like a dim-witted relative. Finally one of them put her hands to the side of her face, reclined her head, began snoring, and said, "Slipt."

      "Oh," I said, the light dawning. "Slept."  To which they promptly replied, "That's what we said." 

      It was a horrible tragedy, but we all got a good laugh out of my stupidity.  I do love the accents here. Except I guess I'm the one with the accent.

      Walked to Wendy's for lunch. Just wanted to see the difference. There was none. Menu exactly the same, decor exactly the same. Well, there was one small difference.  "Will you eat it here, or is it a takeaway?"

      A man called that I'd met in the states last year. Asked if I'd like to go to Wahiki Island for the day tomorrow with him and his wife. I had to decline because I'm going to the beach with Cheri (one of my hosts here).

      Interesting sign....Rugby Field....comming events. The writer in me wanted to correct the misspelling. I don't know if that's how it's spelled here or if it was a mistake.

      Barry (a host) picked me up at 3 and we had a three hour tour (sounds like Gilligan's Island). Lots of fun. Went all around Aukland. One Tree Hill was my favorite. A large monument there called The Last Maori.  Guess they fooled us, huh?  A native tree (forgot the name) stood alone on the mountain and was cut down by the British (or so the story goes). The British then planted a pine....brought from England. Just recently a Maori activist took a chain saw and tried to cut down the tree. He was stopped, but not before taking out a sizable chunk of the tree. There was a major uproar. Now the tree is protected by an iron fence and wires hold it up. It's still alive though.

      Went to Victoria Street Market and had a beer. Major tourist shopping. Bought a few things for pals at the office, but wasn't able to get enough. Will have to go back.

      Barry and his wife, Marika, will pick me up for dinner soon. We'll go to a Thai restaurant. Can't wait, I'm starving.

      A great day...and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.   Jer

     

Travelogue #3

Sunday 11/17/96

 

Walked to 8:00 AM Mass at St. Joseph's. A nice experience. Mostly Maoris. Everyone dressed in Sunday finery.  In the front row were four kids-perfect stair steps. Estimate ages at 6,5,4,3. Two girls dressed in old-fashioned but beautiful organdy (?) dresses and Easter hats. Boys in suits and winter coats. So like my inner city parish back home...people with great dignity.  Many songs were unfamiliar to me, but got a mini miracle. Communion song was Only A Shadow, which was the theme song of a retreat I made in 1983, which was a real conversion process for me. I smiled a lot during Mass.

      At 10:45 Cheri and her two sons (Anthony 7, and Andre 5) picked me up for a day at the beach. It was stupendous. Took the scenic route and saw lots of beautiful ocean views. Ended up at Omana Beach. Set up a picnic and had so many different things to eat. Made sub sandwiches with cheese (and chives), fresh rolls, edam cheese, fresh tomatoes, lettuce. Apples and bananas. Then experienced a Lambington. Originally from Australia, but prominent in NZ too. A HUGE piece of sponge cake, rolled in chocolate and then rolled in coconut. Wow! Superb. Then the children were given a treat of Wine Gum. They shared. Wine gum is/are like gummi bears in taste and texture but come in rolls similar to Lifesavers. Tasty.

      Played in the surf for a long time. A little cool and windy for swimming although lots of kids were swimming.

      Anthony and Andre are both exceptionally bright kids. There's a city close by Omana called Maraeti (pronounced my-rye-tie). Anthony asked, "Jeri, do you know where My-rye-tie is?" I said, "No." He said, "It's right next to my left one." LOL  Say it out loud a few times....   :)

      Stopped at an ice cream stand and got hokey-pokey ice cream. Only exists in NZ, so I was shamed into eating it (ate a lot of NZ stuff today). Vanilla ice cream with crunchies---kind of like the inside of a Butterfinger without the chocolate. Good stuff.

      Went to their home and met Cheri's partner, Craig. They've been together 20 years. Craig built the kids a fantastic tree house and I climbed it by going UP an extremely steep sliding board. Going up was pretty easy. Got stuck coming down. Anthony got behind me, braced his back against the tree, and pushed me out with his feet. Fun.

      When they brought me back to the hotel, the kids came to my room and played computer games. They have a computer at home but didn't believe that computers were small enough for me to carry around. On the way to my room, I tripped and fell.....SPLAT! Left wrist is sore. Dignity is even "sorer."

      Will work on my book tonight. Got some fresh lemons from a tree in Cheri's yard and am looking forward to drinking some tea with lemon tonight.   Signing off, Jer

 

Travelogue #4

11/18/96 Otahuhu NZ

 

     

      My first boring day. As in VERY. Rainy and dreary here. Cool temps. Woke up early and took an hour walk prior to the onslaught of the rain. Stayed in most of the day, working on my book.

      Cheri picked me up at 2 and we prepared the room for the workshop tomorrow. I actually have to begin working soon.  :) Tonight I'm preparing flip charts for tomorrow and studying my notes. I really am looking forward to teaching. The Advanced Course is fun.

      A bit stiff today after the fall and also after climbing the tree and jumping on the trampoline with Cheri's kids yesterday. The spirit indeed is willing, etc.

      Am also making arrangements to ship my bike to Sydney. Decided I didn't want to take it to Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney....too much work.

      Hopefully tomorrow's notes will be a bit more interesting.    Jer

 

Travelogue #5

11/19/96

Otahuhu and Mangere NZ

 

      The big discussion here yesterday was the Russian debris falling from the sky. Australia really reacted in a big way and NZ was much more laid back. I love it here.

      An excellent day! Beautiful tropical weather. Flowers blooming everywhere. The fragrance is awesome.

      A fantastic group in the workshop. Delightful in every way. I laughed the better part of the day. Went to lunch with several people to a food court at a local mall. Good stuff. Walked through a sporting goods store and it looked like back home EXCEPT a whole wall was covered with cricket bats. Culture shock.

      After work everyone came to my hotel to have a beer. We're sitting in the pub, I looked up and saw the Green Bay Packers playing the Dallas Cowboys (we won't talk about the results of the game), but I couldn't stop laughing. I told them that it was very strange to be watching what everyone in the state of Wisconsin was watching. Ultra cool.

      I'm sitting here eating Pineapple Chunks....another NZ treat. I really am trying to watch what I eat, but everyone keeps giving me new NZ treats to try. These are excellent chunks of pineapple covered in chocolate. Doesn't sound as good as it tastes. .....Scrumptious. I only took a few because I knew I'd eat a thousand if they were here.

      Made arrangements to ship my bike to Sydney, so I won't be carrying it to Melbourne and Adelaide. That will make traveling a lot easier.

      Gosh this was a great day. Not as many adventures, because I'm working, but a great day all the same. I taught the group a few Americanisms....and what I learned was "Good on ya." (Good on you....kind of means the same as "good for you," but is said when someone take initiative in doing something."  Good night all....it's Tuesday night at 8:30 PM   and  Tuesday morning at 1:30 AM back in CST.   Signing off, Jer

 

Travelogue #6

11/20/96

Otahuhu and Mangere NZ

 

 

      Last night I received a call from a handsome male admirer. Anthony (age 7) called me to wish me good night and to fill me in on his day. He told his mother he was very disappointed that she didn't bring me home with her. A great way to end the day for me.

      A busy busy work day. What a delightful group of people.

      Tonight a colleague, Ray, picked me up at the hotel and took me to his home. His wife, Patricia, is wonderful. We had drinks and appetizers in the sitting room of their villa. Then went to dinner at Mikano's on the wharf in Aukland Harbor. Aukland is known as the City of Sails and there were so many sailboats on the water....fantastic view. Saw the island of Rangitoto which is one of the newest volcanoes in the world. New Zealand itself is one of the newer land masses in the world.  Across the gulf was Devonport, a quaint little port city which has been "upscaled" to be quite trendy and touristy.

      Ray and Patricia have a holiday home on Wahike Island and invited my friend and I to return and vacation there whenever we like.  Life is good.

      I'm likin' this.   Jer

 

Travelogue #7

11/21/96

Mangere and Otahuhu NZ

 

      Last day of the New Zealand class. It went very well and I got good evaluations. Received a coffee mug with "Aukland City" on it. Went to Mangere Polynesian Marketplace during lunch. Bought some souvenirs including a Samoan newspaper for Rob, my son.

      Found out about a plane crash that occurred in my hometown of Quincy IL. It was on the news here and in the paper. Also a few people e-mailed me about it. Saw the list of casualties and didn't know anyone.  Horrible tragedy.

      Tired tonight. Will stay in. Tomorrow movers will come to take my bike for shipping to Australia. Tomorrow evening will go to dinner with Barry and Cherie. Plan to do some sightseeing during the day.  Jer

 

 

 

Travelogue #8

11/22/96

Otahuhu NZ

 

      My last full day in New Zealand. Next time I come here I will definitely get a car. I'm in a suburb that is economically depressed and there aren't very many sights to see. Even though I walk for a few hours I still am only seeing suburbs. This morning I walked for over an hour. Went down to the water but it's in an area with boxcars and container ships. All cargo stuff and dirty. It was kind of interesting, though. (Gloria would say there's a story in it.)

      Walked by auto parts places (some specializing in "tyres"), wrecking companies and many many lunch rooms and bread stores. Bread stores are everywhere and they are super bakeries with the most enticing odors emanating from them.

      Eating here is an interesting phenomenon too. I don't think I've ever been force fed so much. It is offensive to not eat what people give you/buy for you. Most of my colleagues are professionals and are modern in their thinking, but still the food thing continues. I had a goal of losing weight while I was here. Now my only goal is not to gain.

      When my friend joins me in Australia, I probably will lose weight. Then I'll be bicycling daily. With my luck, though, that will only increase my appetite. :)

      Steve and Junior arrived a little after 8 AM, and deftly packed my bicycle and sleeping bag. They are Maori young men and quite colorful and friendly. I'm so glad my bike is on its way to Australia. I really didn't want a repeat of my Aukland Airport fiasco. An adventure like that is fun-ONCE.

      The last 15 minutes of my walk was in a torrential downpour. It really is spring here.  Sunshine, clouds, rain, sunshine, clouds, rain. Being an island, New Zealand has variable weather and lately there have been many "westerlies" which caused the weather fluctuations. I still am enamored of this place however, and the people as well.

      I did laundry this afternoon. And paperwork. And worked on the book. I decided not to go sightseeing because of the weather. Just as well. I had a lot of work that needed tending to. Tomorrow I'll awaken at 4:30 AM because I need to be at the airport by 6. <yawn>

      LATER:  Just returned from my farewell dinner with Barry, Marika and Cherie. We polished off three bottles of excellent wine. Ate at the Tandoori Restaurant. Absolutely the best Indian food I've ever had in my  life.  Spinach with Indian cottage cheese (looked like tofu in it, but wasn't), vegetables in curry, lentils, flat bread, vegetable samosas, yogurt and mango drink. I can't move; I'm so full. It was great, but the company was even better than the food.

      Cherie brought gifts from Anthony and Andre. One gave me a round disc that you soak in water and it turns into a towel. The other gave me a swimming frog. I'm so grateful. Those boys are special. When I arrived back at my hotel I had a message from them wishing me a good night and a safe trip tomorrow, also asking me to please return. As if I had to be asked. :) Cherie also gave me another present from the boys, but I had to promise to save it for Christmas.

      I sat next to Barry's wife, Marika (she's from Czechoslovakia). She was talking about a man who was in his 80's and she said, of course he doesn't have sex any more. I said that I'd seen some research that indicated if men have sex regularly, they can continue well into their 90's. She looked at her husband with a wonderfully wicked grin. And Barry said, "Shut up, Jeri." We certainly had a good laugh about that one.

      They gave the program and me some wonderful compliments. One of the best was that the workers had already adopted some of my sayings.....When I hear something I don't like, I try not to put it down, I just say, "Oh, that's interesting." Their employees have begun saying that. I left a legacy here. :)

      Gotta close. I'll be waking up in five hours for my flight to Melbourne. Good night. Jer

 

Travelogue #9

From Otahuhu NZ to Melbourne Victoria Australia

11/23/96

 

      Got up at 4 AM, caught a taxi at 5:30 and my plane left at 7:30. A beautiful day to fly. Arrived in Melbourne after a 4 hour flight. I always thought New Zealand and Australia were close....but they really aren't. Guess it just looks that way because the Pacific is so darn big. It also continues to amaze me that Australia is almost as large as the continental US.

      Melbourne is absolutely stupendous. My hotel is about 100% better here too. Across the street is 600 acres....a Remembrance Memorial, King's Domain, and Royal Botanical Gardens. Gorgeous.

      When I arrived this morning my room wasn't ready so I went across the street and spent a swell couple of hours. Walked for over an hour, visited Remembrance Memorial (huge building honoring Australian war dead), and had tea at the Botanical Gardens. Vegetable sandwich, fruit flan, and a pot of tea.

      I really like it here already except for one major thing...I'm having computer connection problems. Am going through NZ because I can't connect here in Australia. This reeks. Sent a note to MSN saying that I spent 20 minutes on hold with a long distance tech support number. Australia is one of the few countries that doesn't have toll-free support. Well, I guess I can't have everything. :)

      On my walk I saw many black swans...so graceful and beautiful. Heard a bird that sounded like a European police car siren. Everywhere I looked, there was a game of cricket going on. Passed a restaurant that had a sign in the window...."Baby Free Zone."

      Interesting day and I'm certainly looking forward to exploring Melbourne. Tomorrow is a free day and I can't decide whether to go on a tram downtown or go to the beach. What a glorious dilemma. In the meantime, I'm praying about this darn computer connection. G'day, mates.  Jer

 

Travelogue #10

11/24/96

Melbourne  Australia

 

      Yesterday at the airport I had some food in my back pack. Had to throw it away because it's against the law to bring food into the country. They had dogs sniffing people's bags....not for drugs, but for food. They were beagles and really cute. Anyway, I forgot to declare my food so quickly threw it into one of the "amnesty bins," before I went through customs. Felt like a criminal.

      Today I got up at 5:45 AM and was out walking by 6. Walked for an hour around the Royal Botanical Gardens. Lots of folks out jogging and walking. It was so beautiful, I was mesmerized. Time flew by.

      After showering, I walked to the beach....about a 40 minute walk. The view along every stretch of the way completely enthralled me. Took lots of pictures. Albert Park...huge lake, about 2 mile circumference. Amazing because it's so close to the ocean. Passed by Bob Jane Stadium. Started giggling because I thought it was like "Jim Bob" but with an identity problem.

      Miles of small Victorian houses. So much ironwork, reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Every house was beautiful.

      Had tea at 10 at St. Kilda's Beach....Le Kiosk.  I wish I'd taken pictures of all the bathroom fixtures in NZ and Australia. Every one is different. The one at Le Kiosk brought the thought to mind.

      Walked to Luna Park along the beach.  The Esplanade had a "Sunday Market." Over a mile of stalls with fantastic crafts. Bought terra cotta frogs for me. And also a neat pendant...an Australian marble in a bent fork. Sounds ugly but is really cool. Bought a few Christmas presents for others.

      Walked a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes. Think I overdid it a bit. Am a little stiff.

      Many topless sunbathers on the beach. Female ones, that is. My friend will enjoy the view.

      Saw two women walking. One looked just like Marisa Tomei and the other looked like Cher. I'm not sure, but it really looked like them.

      Bad news department: Due to unforeseen circumstances my program in Adelaide was cancelled.

      Good news department: I will be vacationing that week. Half the time in Melbourne and half the time in Sydney.

      This time zone is two hours earlier than NZ. So right now it's 6 PM Sunday here and 1 AM Sunday morning back in CST.

      I'll eat dinner at the hotel tonight. Will do some writing also. G'night, mates.   Jer

 

Travelogue #11

11/25/96

Melbourne Australia

 

      Had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel.  Spoke to my contact person regarding the workshop this week. It's a small group so I'll only teach for three days instead of four. Work begins tomorrow.

      Took a tram to the City Centre.  Trams are everywhere in Melbourne. For $4.15 I can ride all day.  Disembarked downtown...went souvenir shopping. A lot of fun. Walked over a mile to get to the Victorian Marketplace which is supposed to be THE place to shop. Closed on Mondays. LOL.

      So instead of going there, I went to Mass. Made sense to me. :)  St. Francis Church, built in 1841. Oldest Catholic church in the city.  Being refurbished, but still beautiful. Couldn't believe that the church was almost full, even on Monday. A very diverse group of people. I guessed that most were tourists.

      Began raining...so I ran to catch a tram back to the hotel. Bought Australian Christmas cards. Then realized that people's addresses are on my old computer...still in the shop back in Milwaukee. Oh, well... at least I have my siblings' and children's addresses memorized. They'll get a card anyway.

      When I returned to the hotel, the rain stopped. How's that for timing? So I took another walk, found a post office and bought some stamps. Will stay in tonight and prepare for the workshop.

      Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be quiet since I'll be working. I plan to go to the beach Friday if the weather cooperates. I'll leave for Sydney on Sunday. G'night, mates.  Jer

 

Travelogue #12

11/26/96

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 

 

      A good day. Beautiful warm windy weather.  The smallest group I've ever had in a workshop. Nice people, interested and involved. Took them to lunch.  Workshop location (called "venue" here) is downtown and in a nice walking area.

      After work I walked back to the hotel. Thirty minutes. Over the Yarrow River, by the Performing Arts Center, and Victoria Barracks (an old stone army barracks from the late 1800's). Perfect weather.

      Peg from Texas is sending me bulletin board notes from Prodigy so I caught up on my reading. Fun. Frustrating though because I wanted to hit "reply" and add my two cents. :)

      Had a very nice dinner with one of the owners of the company that acts as our agent in Australia. Ate at a restaurant on Albert Lake. Had a good beer from Tasmania. We'll get together again before I leave Australia.

      Will try to speak to a friend again tonight via "telephony." Last time we tried it was difficult and voices kept fading in and out. Hopefully it will be better tonight.

      It's 8:30 PM Tuesday, Melbourne time and 3:30 AM back home in Milwaukee.  G'night, mates, Jer

 

Travelogue #13

11/27/96

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 

      A good day. Weather was beautiful all day (until tonight...when it rained) so I walked to and from the venue. One half hour each way so I didn't have to take a walk tonight.

      Beautiful luncheon with the participants at Myer's Department Store. I've never seen such a glorious array of food. Hard to choose. And the participants bought my lunch. Sweet.

      That's it for today. Had a beer in the hotel bar, then ordered room service for dinner. <Yawn>

 

Travelogue #14

Thursday 11/28/96

Melbourne Australia

 

 

      Happy Thanksgiving to me. Happy Thanksgiving to me. Happy Thanksgiving to mee-eee. Happy Thanksgiving to me.

      It was weird. Working on Thanksgiving wasn't bad....but being the only person around who wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving....that was a bit strange. So I celebrated by eating junk food. Cool.

      Walked over two hours today. Clarendon Street shopping district. Neat. Old fashioned shops and lots of pubs.  Every pub that I passed, I thought, "Okay, I'll go in this one." And never did. Just couldn't make myself go in. Kept trying. Finally succeeded when I got to the hotel. Went in.

      Prostitution is legal in Australia. On my walk I passed two brothels. A new experience. I mean they were *labeled*. Discreetly, but labeled.  One was named Exclusively Yours and the other was called Harem. I kid you not. And the hours of operation for both were 10 AM until 4 AM. Bet they're tired.

      Finished the program today. It went so well. The last participant gave me a big hug and kiss... and an apple. Made me smile.

      Talked to a friend on Internet Phone for over 40 minutes. Can't believe how great it is. Doesn't cost a cent. I figure that's cheaper than the $3 a minute it costs with the regular telephone. (Witty tonight, aren't I? That's because I've been in the hotel bar.)

      Watched X-Files here last night. An old one. Most of the US shows are from last year or the year before.  Tonight just watched the Seinfeld pilot.

      Saw many street performers today (no, not prostitutes). Lots of musicians and mannequins. Buskers. The mannequins were so cool. One was totally white....like a marble statue and one guy looked just like a bronze statue. I didn't know they were alive until someone pointed it out to me. Heard the Victoria Police Band play "Good Golly, Miss Molly."  I had to laugh out loud at that one. They were surprisingly good, too.

      Thanks to Beth for posting my notes and for sending replies to me. Thanks to peg bradford for keeping me updated on the bb's. I appreciate both of you.  Someone on the Aspiring Writer's Board asked Beth what I'm doing in Australia. Briefly....(yeah, right) I work for an international training company and give workshops. Mostly in nonviolent crisis intervention and workplace violence prevention. I LOVE THIS JOB! 

      Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Jer

 

Travelogue #15

Friday, November 29, 1996

Melbourne Australia

 

      An interesting non-work day. Didn't go to the beach because it was supposed to rain later in the day (and boy....did it ever). Will go to the beach tomorrow.....my last full day in Melbourne.

      Woke up early, took an hour long walk on the "tan track" around the King's Domain, Shrine of Remembrance and Royal Botanical Gardens.  Took a tram downtown and walked to Queen Victoria Market. It was wild. Walked through there for a few hours (didn't count it as a "walk," it was more of a "walk and gawk"). Fantastic open air market with EVERYTHING for sale. Bought a Christmas present for a friend. Ate lunch there and had great Yaki Soba (Japanese noodles) and veggie tempura. Loved watching the tourists. (Hey, I've been in Melbourne a week....I'm no tourist.)

      Took a tram back to the hotel. Called children to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. Son and partner weren't home (guess they were with her family). Daughter and partner were visiting my ex. I spoke to Jill there. It was nice.

      Got in a rotten mood over something (nothing to worry about, friends....) and almost ate over it, but instead-get this, this is mature-I took another walk. The last twenty minutes or so I was in a deluge (the aforementioned expected rain for today). I was SOAKED. But laughed a lot about it and felt pretty good. Did laundry. Had a beer and potato skins for dinner. 

      And that's it for today. Tomorrow I plan to spend at the beach. Weather is forecast to be "fine." I like that in weather. G'night, mates.  Jer

 

Travelogue #16

Saturday 11/30/96

Melbourne Victoria Australia

 

      Last day here. I'll really miss Melbourne. One of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. I'm excited about going to Sydney though and hope it's another good experience.

      After breakfast this morning I took a tram to St. Kilda's Beach. Yesterday the forecast was for "fine" weather today, but the forecast changed to showers. I waited awhile for it to clear up. It didn't. So I "stepped out in faith" and took the trip anyway. I walked about 3 K from St. Kilda's Beach to Elwood Beach. It was an interesting walk. Beautiful, yes, but also extremely windy and some rain. My face is very red, but I think it's from the wind rather than the sun. Every now and then the sun would come out and tease me. :)

      Found a really nice restaurant for lunch. Had a super Thai veggie and noodle meal. Ordered an iced coffee, and much to my surprise it came with whipped cream AND ice cream in it. Delicious, and I enjoyed it without guilt since I really did order it innocently.

      Walked and trammed back to the hotel and have been busily packing. There's a party going on in the room next to mine. Perhaps I'll join them. Tomorrow-Sydney. G'night....Jer

 

Travelogue #17

Sunday, December 1, 1996

Melbourne, Victoria to Sydney, New South Wales

 

      Don't even know where to start. Woke up early, witnessed a picture perfect sunrise, had breakfast at the hotel, spoke to a friend over the computer phone, and checked out. Hotel clerk erased all my phone charges, except for this morning's. She did it because I'd had so many problems signing on in the beginning. She also accidentally erased the accommodation and food charges for three days. I told her that I don't mind being undercharged occasionally but this was a bit much. She added those charges back on. (My boss is reading this: Hey, Jude, normally you like my honesty...hope you still do.) <g>

      My flight didn't leave until 11:30 AM, but I was ready REALLY early and luckily was able to make a 9:30 flight. Got into Sydney at 11 instead of 3:30 (a direct flight instead of the milk run).

      Got my usual aisle seat and in the other two seats were identical twins-Kevin and Laurie (Laurence)-guys about 45 or so. Kev sat next to me and was very friendly and talkative. He and Laurie were going to Sydney for the Cricket Test. A test is a five day match...one game lasts five days. I've learned so much about cricket since I've been here...fascinating game. After five days, sometimes there still isn't a winner. Anyway this test is between Australia and West Indies ("Windies"-Aussies abbreviate everything. I find it endearing.) This is the second test between the two teams this round. There was one last week too. I watched a lot of it on tv.

      Anyway, back to my point (and I do have one). Kevin owns a company that does business in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That's just an addition to the small world department. He's been to Milwaukee a lot.

      So they asked where I was staying in Sydney and when I told them, they looked at each other and kind of made a face. "Yikes," I thought.

      By the way, as I write this, there are Christmas songs coming through my open window (Adeste Fidelis and Jingle Bell Rock) courtesy of the University of New South Wales marching band. Cool.

      When the taxi pulled up to the Barker Lodge, a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat formed simultaneously. Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous. This place looked tacky and in a rough neighborhood. So I'm going to spend two weeks here? I think not.

      I was ready to check in, check it out, and check out. Quickly. Guess I was put here by our agents because it's across the street from the venue at Univ. of NSW.

      Nice woman at reception desk said they placed me in a standard room rather than the deluxe room because I was now going to be here longer and the deluxe wouldn't be available the whole two weeks. This would be easier than moving mid-stay (the cost went down as well). I thought it made sense, went to my room, and the aforementioned tear fell.  The room was so small, I'd have to go outside to change my mind. (Drum roll.) I thought I could tolerate it a few nights but not two weeks. Plus my friend, Faye, will be with me from the 11th-16th, and Jack will arrive on the 16th. No room for my luggage much less my friends. I hesitated...then noticed ashtrays in the room and the tell-tale odor of stale smoke. Nope, that was it. Went back to the reception desk and said, please may I have a non-smoking room (apparently one hadn't been ordered for me). She said, I'll have to move some reservations around. I said, Please do. She did. I carried my three bags downstairs and upstairs again (counting towards my exercise for the day) and opened room #239. Thought I was in Wizard of Oz and the scenes just changed from black and white to technicolor.  Big room. Bathtub and shower instead of just the latter. Desk. Remote control on tv. Phone in bathroom.  I can stay here.

      There's a refrigerator here too. Walked to the grocery store to get some fruit and snacks.  Turned the corner and .....voila! Two bicycle shops within a block. At least 100 Asian restaurants. Great news.  I said, "Jer, if you wanted Wisconsin you would have stayed in Wisconsin."  This is neat. 

      Staying in tonight. Unpacking. Talking to a friend on the computer phone. Tomorrow.... Sightseeing begins.   G'day. Jer

 

Travelogue # 18

2 Dec 1996

Kingsford, Sydney, Manly, The Rocks,

New South Wales, Australia

 

      What a day! Bad news or good news first? Let's get the bad stuff out of the way so I can tell you about the great stuff. First of all, I've done my Pollyanna routine and it just won't take. I *tried* to like this motel. I *tried* to find the locale charming. I failed. I'm looking for another hotel. Unfortunately everything costs a lot of money. Sydney ranks up there with NYC with the cost of hotel rooms.  So I made a few calls, but still haven't made a decision yet. I spent the day away from Kingsford and Room 239.

      Oh, before I forget...a friend asked me how to make French accent marks with a word processor, using either Word or Wordperfect. Any help will be appreciated.

      Now to the good news...spoke to a friend on Internet Phone for a few minutes this morning, before losing the connection. Okay, this is only half good news. The other part goes under the "not good" section. I tried over 50 times to connect today. Called MSN techies who said the problem was most likely in the motel phone lines. Another reason to move. :)

      Decided to do the tourist thing today and just look around Sydney. I walked to the bus stop with three "Windies" fans from Jamaica...Barry, Bruce, and Laurie. They talked about being so depressed when they arrived at the hotel (okay, I'm veering into bad news again, but it felt good to have my opinion affirmed. For a while I told myself I was just being a spoiled brat.) Walking across the street, Barry screamed, "No. Watch out!" and pushed me out of the way of a car...that had stopped at a stop sign. He thought the car was still moving. Everyone laughed. Then the bus arrived. The polite gentleman said "After you," and promptly steered me into the wrong bus. Everyone laughed. We all got on the correct bus and when it came time to get off (they were disembarking at the same place I was)...Barry said, "This is the stop." I said, "Do you mind if I get a second opinion?" *I* laughed.

      Off track here (I do that a lot in my "stream of consciousness" reporting style)...an Australian told me that another difference in our language is that for Americans "momentarily" means "in a moment," and for Australians it means "for a moment." That could get a bit sticky.

      Back on track. Took a ferry to Manly. It's a seaside resort with a great beach. On the ferry I sat on a bench with three guys from Salerno, Italy. Probably in their early thirties. Only Arturo spoke English just a little. The others (Mauricio and Salvatore) not at all. Arturo is a PhD economist. Alana from Brisbane joined in the conversation...a lovely young woman. Arturo's eyes lit up. I'd been speaking to Alana so knew how old she was. I turned to Arturo and said, "I want to teach you a new English term-'jail bait'."  Alana was 15, but looked quite a bit older. LOL.

      Went to the Rocks in Sydney. One of the oldest sections of town. Beautiful. Stopped in two pubs (finally). I'd read about them. Both claim to have the oldest liquor license in Sydney. Hero of Waterloo and Fortune of War. Good beer on an extremely hot day. Up around 95 Fahrenheit with gale force winds. Unbelievable. But since it's snowing back home I decided not to complain.

      When I took my walk this morning I passed a leather shop called, "Thai Me Up." And on that note, I bid you good-night.  Jer

 

Travelogue #19

3 December 1996

Kingsford and Coogee Bay

New South Wales

 

 

      Good news first this time. I work for a great company! Authorized a move to a different hotel. I'm very happy and will move tomorrow into Sydney. Then for the workshop next week will take a bus to the Univ of NSW. Hotel is at Hyde Park and is within walking distance of Darling Harbor (1K), Circular Quay (2.5 K), and the Opera House (2.5 K). This will be great.

      Walked to Coogee Bay Beach today for a swim. I love swimming in the ocean and was eagerly anticipating it. After a 45 minute walk I was really ready for the cool water. Noticed no one was in the water. The rational part of my brain knew there must be a reason for that. But the adolescent part of my brain said, "I'm swimmin'." The water was a fascinating color. Dark blue shifting to lighter blue as it got closer to the shore. At the shore it turned a glistening purple, a gorgeous pearlescent hue. Fascinating. I edged closer, then "whooshed" with surprise. The purple color was because of jellyfish. They were EVERYWHERE. Each wave brought more of them on shore. As they dried they became transparent and were pretty in a perverted sort of way. But those pretty purple suckers spoiled my swim.

      Ate lunch on the beach in a sidewalk café. Noticed baked beans on toast on the breakfast menu. I'd read that it was a British legacy. Then I saw "spaghetti on toast." Wonder where in the heck that came from?

      Called the shipping agents about my bike. I'd made arrangements for it to be delivered on Dec. 5 and wanted to tell them my new address. Woman in NZ said it wouldn't be delivered then, that maybe it would arrive in country that day but would take an additional 2 weeks to clear customs.  After talking a long time, I realized there was absolutely nothing I could do about this. There's a small chance it will happen earlier, and I'll be able to speak to the Sydney agent tomorrow. Anyway, since I can't do anything about this, I gave it to God. I refuse to worry about something I can't control.

      Still having a lot of problems signing on in this hotel. Hope the new one has a better phone system.  Jer

 

Travelogue #20

December 4, 1996

Sydney NSW Australia

 

      Wow, I've been alone for three weeks. It just hit me. No wonder I'm talking to every stranger who makes eye contact with me. :)

      My new hotel is almost perfect....the Holiday Inn Park Suites. Kitchen, living/dining room, bedroom, bathroom with separate shower and tub. Washer/dryer, private balcony. On the end of the building so I can't even see another balcony. Superb.

      Of course there must be one thing wrong...the phone system still reeks. The MSN techie said it's a problem with most hotels here, unless they've done a recent upgrade. So I've been unable to talk on the Internet Phone with my friend. I've only been able to send and receive e-mail after about twenty tries. So again, there's nothing I can do about it so I refuse to ruin my good time by being upset.

      Today I lost my unique position in Australia. I finally saw another fat person. In fact there was a plethora of chunky tourists.  Whew! I'm quite relieved.

      Went to QVB (Queen Victoria Building). It's a huge old building that was transformed into an upscale mall. Fun.

      Went into David Jones (the Niemann Marcus of Australia.  By the way, I know I always spell "Niemann" wrong...that's how a family back home spells their name and I just can't remember the right way.) Saw a face I recognized. In a strange city of over 4 million people I saw someone I knew. Another entry into the small world department. It was Alana, my 15 year old friend from the ferry ride the other day. It was so neat. She was shopping with her mother. And her mother had heard of me and it was nice to meet her.

      Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. That's why the stereotypical Aussie hats. Signs are everywhere about slathering on the sunscreen. My favorite billboard shows a bunch of nude men. They are holding bottle of sunscreen over strategic locations. Caption says, "Protect your largest organ."  It's cool. 

      Tomorrow I'm going to the Manly Beach and by gum, I'm going to swim. Jellyfish beware.  Jer

 

Travelogue #21

December 5, 1996

Sydney and Manly Beach

NSW, Australia

 

 

      A beautiful day. Since I stopped trying to sign on from my room I feel much more relaxed. Another thing I can't change, so I won't worry about it anymore.

      Had an early breakfast (made in my own kitchen). Had coffee on the balcony, then did my meditation. A good beginning to the day.

      Went downstairs and signed on for the first time. People at the reception desk are nice and said that many business people sign on from their desk. (Wonder why they don't just upgrade the phone system?)

      Cloudy day. But I had faith...and a mission. I was going to go swimming and that's that. I walked to the Circular Quay (pronounced "key"). Took about a half hour and went a different route this time. Took Macquerie Street, passed museums, hospital, Parliament, Treasury Building, churches. Picturesque historical buildings. Lovely. Took the ferry again to Manly Beach. The sun began shining as I boarded the ferry. A good omen.

      Ate lunch at Hungry Jack's (the Australian name for Burger King). Had a hankerin' for junk food so had a veggie whopper. It was good.

      Swimming was lots of fun. Manly is a small bay but there were plenty of waves. I swam out and played for quite a while. Then sat and watched others. Peaceful, relaxing.

      Read a joke in the Sydney paper. It's an old, old joke and a visitor made the mistake of telling it while giving a speech.  When the visitor filled out the forms and went through customs, he was asked, "Have you ever been convicted of a crime." He supposedly replied, "I didn't know that was still a requirement for admittance."

      Idle musing: Am getting used to 1st floor meaning the one "above" the ground floor. :)

      A new thing I learned today... I've been eating "capsicums" on sandwiches, pizzas, salads, but never knew what they were. I'd been assured that they were vegetables, but that's all I knew. Today at the grocery store I saw a sign that said "capsicum" and under it were red and green bell peppers. LOL. So in Australia peppers are called "capsicum."

      Came back to the hotel around 3 and will fix dinner in my kitchen. I plan a quiet night of working on my book. G'night.  Jer

 

Travelogue #22

December 6, 1996

Sydney NSW

 

      Called about my bicycle. It's at Sydney Harbor and still needs to clear customs...but I was told I should have it in a few days. Hooray!

      Made breakfast, then meditated on the balcony. A beautiful morning.

      Walked to the NSW State Library and did research for 6 hours for my company. I thought it would be boring but the time just flew by. Afterwards I went shopping, found a new shirt to go with the skirt I'd bought in Melbourne. Found the NRMA (I think it stands for National Royal Motorists' Association). They have a reciprocal arrangement with AAA, so I got free maps and camping info for my holiday later in the month.

      Something cool happened downtown...a woman asked me for directions. Guess I look like a "local" now because I don't have my map out all the time. :)

      Ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. Had a quiet table facing the street. Great view, watched a lot of people. Suddenly I noticed I had my own private flasher. I laughed out loud--was quite surprised.

      Not much happened today since I was at the library all day, but the flasher added a bit of excitement. It's supposed to storm tomorrow. If so, I'll stay in and work on the book.  Jer

 

Travelogue #23

Saturday

December 7, 1996

Sydney, Darling Harbour, The Rocks, Kings Cross,

NSW, Australia

 

 

      Greetings to my relatives, friends and co-workers. I promised someone I wouldn't mention how hot it is, so I won't.

      Today is my brother's birthday. John is 47. Tomorrow is my brother Joe's birthday and the next day is my brother Jay's birthday. I kid you not.  My dad's birthday was March 16.  Do the math. (Of course I have another brother's birthday in February and still another in May. Then there are my sisters...)

      Went for a long walk throughout several areas of the city. Was looking for some magazines and journals for a colleague. I met with minimal success, but it was a nice walk anyway. I walked to Darling Harbour, The Rocks, Circular Quay, and even ventured into King's Cross (the red light district-not very colorful in the morning however). There was a weekend market at The Rocks (the oldest part of the city). Every Saturday and Sunday merchants set up stalls and sell practically anything. It was similar to the market I visited on the Esplanade in Melbourne. Bought a present for a friend.

      Downtown, as I was going into yet another bookstore, I stopped and enjoyed a string sextet playing Beethoven. Delightful. Then they played some Mozart. Further down the block an old man was playing Christmas carols on a flute. Still further, a man was playing carols on steel drums. Wow. A panoply of sounds that seemed uniquely Australian.... individually those sounds could be anywhere, but together they'll always remind me of Sydney. Buskers were everywhere, including the ever-present living statues. And a merchant playing Waltzing Matilda on a didgeridoo.  I walked for hours but didn't tire; there was always something new to discover.

      My favorite store is Gowings. It was established in 1868...originally as an outfitter for people venturing into the bush, and also for general mercantile. Now it still serves those purposes as well as having very interesting clothing and "stuff." I really love just going up and down the aisles, smelling the old wood and sorting through all the "stuff."

      I got asked for directions again today. This time by an Australian bloke (oh...did I just say "bloke?") And the neat thing was... I gave him the right directions. Didn't even have to tell him I was a tourist too.

      There's a sign by the bus driver that says, "Do not speak to the driver whilst bus is in motion." Whilst...don't think I've ever seen that word actually used in real life before.

      So even though I didn't find many of the journals and magazines that I was looking for, I still had a super day. To top it off, we had a fantastic thunderstorm in the late afternoon. I wanted to go out on the balcony and enjoy it and so I...walked splat into the sliding glass door. My foot and my face hit it at approximately the same time.  On that humbling note, I'll close for today.  :)     Jer

 

PS I went downstairs and tried to sign on but couldn't connect. Perhaps it was because of the storm. So I went out to the balcony to do my second meditation (centering prayer) of the day. Right in the middle of it I opened my eyes for some reason. Right before my eyes was the most beautiful rainbow. It was like a gift just for me. It was still raining, but the rainbow was there. Glorious.

 

Travelogue #24

Sunday

December 8, 1996

Sydney NSW Australia

 

      Happy Birthday to my brother, Joe. (I know you're getting this, Joe...and I know you never worry about your age because no matter how old you are...I'm always 8 years older.)

      Okay, all...I'll confess my clumsiness and get it over with. Thursday I woke up with a stiff neck. No big deal, but like an unwanted visitor, it wouldn't leave. So this morning, I slipped while getting into the bathtub and EEEEEYOW!!!!!!!! Get the message? Hurt like crazy. Almost went to the ER but talked myself out of it.

      Walked to Mass. St. Mary's Cathedral. Absolutely exquisite. Huge, old, gorgeous. Really felt in touch with centuries of tradition. Multi-cultural congregation, many tourists.  After Mass I walked to the Circular Quay to buy a bus/ferry pass for the week. Discovered it's much more cost-effective to buy a "weekly."  The walk loosened my neck a bit.

      Didn't do anything else today. Went to the hotel spa...that felt good. Hotel staff gave me some nurturing and a microwave to heat up some wet "flannels" (wash cloths). I'm sure I'll be better tomorrow. Okay, I'll stop whining now.

      Tomorrow. Back to work...and believe it or not, I'm looking forward to it.

      On the injured reserve list, 

      Jer

 

Travelogue #25

Monday

12/9/96

Sydney and Kingsford NSW

 

      Happy Birthday to my brother, Jay.

      Got up at 5:30 AM. The early morning was gorgeous. Had coffee and took the bus to the University of New South Wales. The group is a little larger than I thought it would be. A great group of people. Everyone, but one, in the education field. That's unusual, but interesting.

      Walked to a pub with participants for lunch. Spent an enjoyable hour with them.

      Faxed information for my bike to clear customs. The process is delayed only because the NZ shippers misplaced my paperwork. I'll get the bike in a few days. That will be fine, because when I'm teaching the course I'm too tired to do too much exercising anyway. Walked 1/2 hour and that's about all the energy I have left today.

      There is an audition going on in the hotel, and the place is swarming with gorgeous young men and women. If I were a more shallow person I'd be sitting in the lobby staring at all the beauty.  :)

      A really good day. Now that I'm back to work, the sightseeing will be minimal for four days. G'night.   Jer

 

Travelogue #26

Tuesday

December 10, 1996

Sydney and Kingsford

NSW, Australia

 

      Woke up at 5:30AM, went downstairs to sign on...and got quite a surprise. My daughter, Jill, sent an e-mail titled, "ENGAGED." I squealed. John (the night reception worker) said, "Jeri, are you all right?" I told him the news. He said, "I still don't know if you are all right. Are you happy or sad?" So folks, I want you to know...I'm happy. Jill and Todd are officially engaged and plan an October, 1998 wedding. They'd talked about it for a while, but neither were really ready. Jill said that she'd ask Todd when she was ready to be engaged. :) So she did. She took him out for dinner and popped the question. AND they both have engagement rings. Cool.

      The workshop is going very well. Went to the Doncaster Hotel Pub again for lunch. I'm doing well with understanding everyone now...except, at lunch-surrounded by Australians-I sometimes struggle to stay with the conversation. I nod and smile. The one person I'm having a hard time understanding is John from Ireland. When he talks fast I can't even nod and smile. He's been in Australia six years so has both an Irish brogue and an Aussie accent. Funny.

      I took pictures of the group today and took an extra one of John. He was laughing so hard that his ribs were hurting and I think my picture caught him in mid-guffaw. Hope it turns out.

      Today is the first day since I arrived in Australia that I haven't walked at least an hour. Neck is a bit better but I taught the physical component of the course today and am kind of tired. So I'm taking it easy.

      Tomorrow my friend Faye arrives. I'm so excited. I've been alone for four weeks and that is ENOUGH. G'night all.  Jer

 

Travelogue #27

December 11, 1996

Wednesday

Sydney

 

      A glorious day. At the workshop we celebrated a participant's 40th birthday...didn't realize that birthdays are ALWAYS celebrated with champagne. Different people brought it and they ended up with four bottles. So we stayed after a little and toasted the "birthday boy."

      My friend Faye arrived and tonight we walked well over two hours and also took a ferry across Sydney Harbor to the headlands. It was great fun. Ate at a super Italian restaurant. Are now going to the local pub for ONE drink before retiring.

      Tomorrow is the final day of the workshop. It is going very well...a superb group of people.  Jer

 

Travelogue #28

12/12/96

Thursday

Sydney, Kingsford, The Rocks, etc. NSW

 

      Last day of workshop. It went very well. Got lots of presents. :) The group gave me all kind of things, uniquely Australian plus a funny card. The gifts were a six pack of Castlemaine XXXX Bitters from Queensland, Vegemite, Tim Tam chocolate biscuits, Pavlova mix, Aeroplane (gelatin), Violet Crumbles (chocolate candy bar with malted insides), a book Mallyroots' Pub at Misery Ponds, Aerogard Personal Insect Repellant (flies are miserable), and Kellogg's Corn Flakes. LOL. Yes, Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Isn't that a stitch? I didn't want to be impolite, but I had to know...did they think Kellogg's originated here? So I asked in a roundabout way. Jacqui said they knew Kellogg's originated in the states, but they didn't think we had Corn Flakes. So I thanked them. Anyway, what fun, tasty gifts. I feel so blessed and plan to sample a Castlemaine Bitter tonight.

      My bicycle was delivered safe and sound and now rests securely on the balcony.  I won't be riding it during the few days Faye is here, so I might wait for my other friend to arrive to help me put it together. I'm not lazy, just smart. :)

      Upon my return home after the workshop, Faye and I set out to make the rest of the day totally fun. We walked for over three hours...went to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Macquerie's Point (including Mrs. Macquerie's Chair...a big rock), the Government House (fantastic mansion), Opera House where we had tea-including lemon tart and passionfruit curd with brioche. To die for.

      Then walked to the Rocks and to the Harbour Bridge. Tried to climb the hundreds of stairs to get to the top of the pylon observatory, but were too late. (Drat.) Walked home. Bought some Australian wine for Faye and I'll have a bitter, thank you.  Jer

 

Travelogue #29

December 13, 1996 Friday

Sydney NSW

 

      WARNING!!!! This is a long one. So before you read the entire thing, make yourself a cup of coffee or tea (or grab a beer). Go ahead. I'll wait.

      Now that you're ready...here goes. This morning Faye had on a pair of beautiful earrings. Sterling silver and onyx.  With a delicate dolphin surrounding the onyx heart. I complimented the earrings and she laughed and gave them to me. For those of you who don't know...that's something I do. If someone compliments my earrings, I give them to the person (unless I received the earrings as a gift). Faye knew that about me and has been waiting for me to compliment her earrings. (I do that very seldom, as most friends know my "trick" and I'm always suspicious they will do the same.) Anyway, I accepted them gladly as I absolutely love them.

      Something from yesterday...When I was listing the gifts I received from the workshop gang, I forgot to mention that Irish John gave me a brochure on the "only Australian saint." Sr. Mary MacKillop. Only he crossed out her name and wrote Sr. Betty.  I'd told the group that I got kicked off of cheerleading squad in 8th grade (if you read my story True Confession, you know this already). I'd found out my 8th grade teacher's REAL non-nun name. In those days, that was punishable by death. <g> Anyway, she was nagging at me one day and I said, "Pipe down, Betty." LOL ...so I appreciated John's gesture.

      Faye and I awoke at 5:30 (that's A.M. Pam, David, and Beth). We took a ferry to Taronga Zoo. As we were boarding the ferry we decided we wanted another cup of coffee so we disembarked, bought our coffee, then the machine wouldn't accept our tickets again. So we convinced this nice young man that we weren't ticket thieves, and he let us on the ferry without a new ticket.

      The zoo was so much fun. I took notes on weird and wonderful animals...mostly the stuff from around here. Went through an Australian Walkabout and saw fun animals. Kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, a platypus (NOT--we stood there for a long time and still didn't see the darn nocturnal creature), rabbit eared bandicoot, flying fox--which is a huge (I mean HUGE) fruit bat, owls, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, a Kimodo dragon, numerous frogs, a GIANT Japanese salamander...and two turtles doing it. Yep, we saw two turtles mating and guess what, we watched the whole thing.

      Okay writers...this one's for you...I saw a Poison Arrow Frog. So when someone sends us a NOFUN, we will reciprocate with frogspit from THIS frog. I quote, "Dazzling but deadly, its bright colours warn predators away. The frog's skin holds a hidden danger, it produces deadly poisons. Some South American native tribes collect the poison to tip their hunting blow-gun darts." The frog is gorgeous. Yellow and black body with purple-blue legs.

      Saw a trash can that said, "African animal waste only." This zoo is really into specialization.

      Trivia (more): Eleven out of fifteen of the world's most poisonous snakes are native to Australia.

      Ate at Sarina's Café at the zoo with a great view of the Harbour. There were only two vegetarian things on the menu...a salad bar or fried potato wedges. Being the health freak that I am...I took the wedges. And they put sour cream, salsa, and guacamole on them. Gosh, I LOVE Australia.

      Took a picture of a giraffe with the Sydney Opera House in the background across the harbour. Hope it turns out...it sure looked cool through my camera. :)

      Saw the world's largest pigeon and it was beautiful too. The Victoria Crowned Pigeon. Bright blue with plumed crest on its head.

      After taking the ferry back to the Quay, we walked to the Harbour Bridge and climbed to the top of one of the pylons for a superb panorama of the city. 200 steps. Worth every one.

      Took a bus to Darling Harbour and toured the Harbourside Mall. Had a fruit smoothie.

      Decided we'd have dinner in Chinatown, and on the way we stopped at The Chinese Garden.

      I'm a writer at a loss for words. Three dollars was indeed a small price to pay for a slice of heaven. Singing birds and soft stringed Chinese music accompany me through the garden. Although many people are present, I am on the journey alone. A bench in a reading pavilion, small, suggests solitude and wonder. A waterfall, brook, and to the side a quiet pool...a willow dips its branches. The reflection grants me an equally beautiful willow upside-down.  Voices surprise me.

      Heady smells of exotic "un-Wisconsinlike" plants. Car sounds float in while I stand in a bamboo forest. The sounds are strangely appropriate and non-intrusive. I smile as I look at a yin/yang symbol-the coming together of opposite forces.

      I look to one side and there is a frame in a wall...actually a cut out. Through this frame I see bamboo at various angles against a white fence; there are Chinese characters on that wall as well.

      Then a maze, a rocky path leading to, then away from, a waterfall. A dragon-rock stands a majestic guard in the center of a lake. Two gates frame the park. The Moongate (a round large stone gate) and the Mountaingate (pagoda-like, made of light wood with red and green). I think of "feng shui" (is that right?) It's either Chinese or Japanese and means the arranging of one's environment to accommodate peace and provide beauty.

      I also wonder...are they still Japanese gold fish when they are in a Chinese garden?

      We ate dinner in Chinatown and it was delectable. I ate vegetarian (of course) and Faye was her usual carnivorous self. Golden Harbour Restaurant.

      More trivia (you're not surprised, are you?). When you say "thanks" or "ta," people here respond-not with "you're welcome"-but with "No worries." I say "thanks" a lot just to hear that remarkably upbeat phrase.

      After we returned to the hotel, we went to the hot tub (I mean "spa," no one understands me when I say "hot tub"). Shared it with four women from the Central Coast. They'd had a few bottles of wine and were funny and friendly. They kept laughing at me and I thought it was because I was witty and charming. I finally asked them why...and they said they loved my accent. :)

      By the way, did I mention that I saw turtles having sex? (LOL)  

      G'night...Jer

 

Travelogue #30

12/14/96 Saturday

Sydney and Manly NSW

 

      Another superb day. I've still got sand all over me and need a shower...BIG TIME.

      Began the day at 5:30 AM. Did some work for my company. Then we took a bus to the Quay and the ferry to Manly. The ocean swells were so huge today, felt like a roller coaster. It was so much fun we wanted to continue riding.

      Went to Oceanworld at Manly. Saw a seal show with three different kinds of seals. Funny. But the BEST thing about this place was a moving walkway that went UNDER huge tanks. We were literally surrounded by sharks and sting rays. Other fish too...but the big ones were hypnotizing. We went through twice and would have done it again, but the beach was calling our name.

      Ate lunch on the Corso on the way to the ocean. Then finally...the water. This was not the same serene bay in which I swam last week. Giant, I mean GIANT, waves dive bombed us and we LOVED it. I coined a new term today. Instead of body surfing we were body slam surfing. I feel it in every bone in my body. The Australian life guards are neat. They wear red and yellow outfits with swim hats. We are only supposed to swim between the yellow/red flags. And they keep changing as the waves change. They are set out on the beach and as the tides, wind, and waves change, a guard will change the flags. Pretty cool.

      These waves were higher than my previously favorite body surfing beach...Nanakuli on Oahu.

      There were women sunbathing topless again, and we did too...accidentally. The waves were so strong, they kept pulling our suits off our shoulders. :)

      On the ferry ride back we stood in the bow of the ship and enjoyed the rolling waves again. And got soaking wet. It was hysterical. This ferry holds over a thousand people, so it's rather large; but it was getting tossed around as if it were a dinghy (always wanted to use that word in a sentence).

      Bad news is Faye lost her watch...it was a very expensive one and was a gift. We searched, but no luck. She also emptied the sand from her beach bag by shaking the bag off our balcony. To her dismay she saw her bus/ferry pass float down, down, down and gently land on the balcony on the 5th floor. We laughed so hard and then I asked the porter if he would retrieve it for us. Luckily the guest wasn't in the room at the time, so the young man was able to sneak in, grab the ticket, and sneak out. :)

      We needed some levity so we went to see First Wives' Club. The second time for me and first for Faye. We loved it.

      Tomorrow church and then the Sunday Market at the Rocks. If there's time we want to take the River Cat (river ferry) to Parramatta. We'll see. G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #31

12/15/96 Sunday

Sydney NSW

 

      Another superb day (are you tired of hearing that yet?). The Prof called from the plane, so he's on his way.

      Faye and I went to Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral. Then to Hyde Park Barracks. From 1810-1847 it housed convicts. Then it became a dormitory for unaccompanied women, children and the insane. When it was a barracks for convicts it housed 1000 men in 12 rooms. They slept in hammocks.  Boys as young as five were deported here and put in the barracks with adult males. As you walk into the barracks dormitory rooms voices suddenly surround you. It is so eerie. The voices are whispering and they are the actual words of convicts. Different voices come from different speakers hidden around the big room. It scared me initially, but it was an awesome experience. From one speaker came a voice saying the prayers of the rosary, over and over again. Having just come from mass, that was touching. We spent a long time there.

      Took the bus to the Quay, ate at the Rocks and then strolled through the Rocks' Sunday Market. Bought more souvenirs of course. Ate carmelized peanuts, corn on the cob, and drank lemonade. Just like the county fair back home. :)

      Went to Darling Harbour again and enjoyed looking at the various fountains there.

      Went to Paddy's Market (acres and acres and ACRES of stalls of goods and food). It was just closing so we couldn't buy any more souvenirs <g>, so we walked to the produce section. ACRES of food. People yelling out discounted prices on the produce, so we bought some mangoes and papayas. Yum.

      Ate dinner at the hotel tonight. Had to. They "threw a shrimp on the barbie." Yep...they were having a barbecue on the patio and they accommodated my vegetarian needs by barbecuing some potato wedges.

      The Prof called again from the plane. That was cool. Faye leaves tomorrow afternoon. So the three of us will be able to have lunch together. The plan is to go to Coogee Bay. I know where it is...and did I mention I'll be driving? Heh-heh. Will pick up the car at the airport and will experiment with this Aussie driving style. :)  G'night.  Jer

 

Travelogue #32

December 16, 1996 Monday

Sydney NSW

 

      What a day. The Prof arrived early this morning. Another addition to the small world department--he was on the plane with two former students and two friends of 20 years. Wow. Faye and I went to the airport to pick him up.

      Driving is interesting to say the least. I was the designated driver since the Prof just got off the plane. We decided to go to Coogee Beach for lunch and then take Faye back to the airport for her flight.

      I was feeling GOOOOOD. Two great friends in the car, I was actually driving on the correct side of the road with no problem...everything was grand. Then CLANG POP...I took a turn too sharply and hit a storm drain in a curb (spelled "kerb")...<expletive deleted>. Got a flat tire...a totally flat, deflated, ugly tire. With a bent hub. And scraped paint. On a rental car on which we'd just declined extra insurance.

      BUT God is good. The NRMA (National Royal Motorists' Association) honors AAA cards. So someone came out and changed the tire. Fun? Nope. However, it's done. And I'll find out the cost of replacing the tire(s) later. "No worries."  :)

      Funny thing about the car. The directional signal is on the right of the steering column and the windshield wipers are on the left. So every time I want to turn...on go the windshield wipers. It's okay. Now the Australians understand that it means I want to turn. Fast means I want to turn right and intermittent means I want to turn left.

      Later in the day the Prof and I walked to the Quay and took a ferry to Kirribilli. We then walked to the Rocks and had a great dinner at Caminetti's.

      Jet leg has set in for my friend...he's really tired but will be fine tomorrow.  G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #33

12/17/96 Tuesday

Sydney, etc.

 

      We were going to the beach, but it's a rainy gray day. Did some errands (posted mail, got glasses fixed). Lunch at an Indian restaurant.  Walked for several hours. Picked up stuff at hotel and tried to drive to youth hostel. Got lost. Got lost. And got lost again. Wow. I was stressed to the max.

      Finally arrived at the youth hostel. It was great. Room with a private bath. I am really impressed with this place. People of all ages stay here. It's a lot of fun. Not much more to say about this day, it started okay and ended okay...but in between was rocky as all get out. :) Tomorrow we go to the beach, rain or no rain.  Jer

 

Travelogue #34

12/19/96 Wednesday

Sydney NSW Australia

 

      Up early. Had breakfast at hostel. It's so cool here. Lots of backpackers and cyclists. Just normal, down-to-earth people of all ages. Many young people from the states, spending time here before getting on with "real" adult life.

      Took our bicycles to Circular Quay and took the ferry to Manly. It was the Prof's first time there. Rode the Manly Bike Trail for about 20K. It was a lot of fun but not extremely well maintained.. Sat on the beach a while and had lunch there.

      Took the ferry back to the city. Traffic was so bad that we WALKED our bikes back to the hostel. Over two hours. Sure got enough exercise today. :)

      It was a really good day other than the horrible traffic. It really is horrific. Yesterday when we tried to find the hostel we were really on edge...high stress. We're trying to figure out non-driving activities.

      The weather is good and the company is good, so I'm sure everything will work out. Sydney is NOT a bicycle friendly town. We're eagerly anticipating getting out to the country. We begin our drive to Melbourne tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that my driving improves. :) G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #35

December 19, 1996 Thursday

Sydney to Bateman's Bay, NSW

 

      Checked out of the hostel and drove for over five hours. Driving was a challenge, but became easier as time went on.  I did all the driving as I had more experience. :) Changed our minds about going to Melbourne. We decided not to waste a whole day driving there and another day driving back. So we put our fingers on the map and chose Bateman's Bay. It's five hours south of Sydney and right on the ocean. Found a motel room for $40 per day (that's $35 US). Can you believe that? It certainly isn't as upscale as my last place of residence, but it's close to the beach and it's clean. Needs a lot of work and there's mildew on the shower curtain (G), but the caretakers and manager are friendly and helpful. We like it here.

      The trip down the coast was beautiful...gorgeous beaches, then rural farmland, cow country, rainforests, Kangaroo Valley (with signs saying "Warning: Kangaroos and Koalas next 10 K"). Had lunch in Nowra and a snack in Ulla Dulla.  Love these names. :)

      Motel does have electric teakettle and refrigerator, so we stocked up at the grocery store. It's a lovely area with a nice beach and lots of activities. We may stay a week. Am trying to figure out how to sign on to send e-mail. G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #36

12/20/96 Friday

Bateman's Bay NSW

 

      David, the caretaker's husband, works for the government...drives a front end loader. He's on holiday and is helping out his wife at the motel. So nice. Sounds like rural Aussie. His favorite expression is "no worries." You know that makes me smile. :)

      The owner is an old guy, Tommy. He's got lots of small businesses and is also a painter. Calls me "darlin'." Nice country guy. Says even though the tariff goes up to $65 per day on Boxing Day and they're fully booked from Christmas on...he'll "take care of us."

      We cycled into town for breakfast. Ate at an outdoors café on the dock. The Prof kept throwing food to the gulls; he wanted to set the world record for the most gulls attacking bread crumbs. I think he's been entered in the Guiness Book of World Records.

      Cycled to Casey's Beach. Found a secluded cove. So excited to be able to swim in privacy. The place was gorgeous beyond belief. Clean fine sand. Totally surrounded by rocks. Fantastic waves. We got to the water and we discovered why the place was secluded...there were bluebottles all over the place. Bluebottles are small jelly-fish-like things. Dangerous. So we sat on the sand and enjoyed the ambiance. I meditated with the waves in the background. Cool.

      Did laundry in the afternoon and ordered a pizza delivered for dinner. Tomorrow we're going to the information center to get brochures on Mogo, an old gold rush town about 10K from here. We also may go sailing and to the Mogo Zoo. There's an island with penguins on it too. Lots to do here in the country. I love it.

      There's a shelf that runs the length of the room. We put garland on it, hung up Christmas stockings and put a 2 inch wreath in the center of it. Placed Christmas presents on the mantel. It looks festive. We found a Catholic Church for Mass on Christmas. And since almost everything is closed on Christmas Day we made reservations for a Buffet Dinner at Lum's Chinese Restaurant. This should be an adventure.

      Hope your holidays are perfect.  G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #37

12/21/96 Saturday

Bateman's Bay and Batehaven NSW

 

      Up early. Had breakfast at Aussie Pancake House. The Prof was adventurous and tried savoury pancakes...with meat, veggies and mince piled on it. He said it was "hearty." He then proceeded to lose his camera. I don't think there was a connection.

      Packed a picnic lunch and went to Casey's Beach to the Cycling Frog Cove. :) We named it. We were joined by four little boys. Two of them (Gary and Wayne) talked to us for a long time. They told us that they'd seen us riding through town and really liked our bikes. They had so many questions. Where were we from? America. America? Wow, how did you ride your bikes here? We shipped them on airplanes. On airplanes? Wow, are you rich? No. Is America just gangs? No, gangs are only a small part of America. Is it true people stand around on streetcorners and sing that rap music? No...not usually, unless they're making a music video.

      We spent the whole afternoon at the beach in the Cycling Frog Cove. As we were leaving, the boys approached us and asked for our autograph. They'd never met anyone from America before and they wanted to prove they talked to us. This is really country down here. Fascinating. And the boys were all cousins, and various gorgeous shades of warm brown. Black hair and dancing black eyes. Gary especially was delightfully impish. Had on just a speck of material as a swimming suit. They were so at home in the water.

      While riding the bikes back to the motel we stopped and watched a cricket game. I was a bit more knowledgeable than the Prof. After all, I've been here over 5 weeks. A man walked by looking very "crickety." He wore the requisite white floppy brimmed hat. (His name was David and he was from Melbourne. His son, Scott, lives here in Bateman's Bay and David's wife baked him a Christmas pudding which David was delivering.) I asked him what the cricket ball was made of. He stopped and we plied him with questions for about twenty minutes. I learned a lot more and really enjoyed watching the match. There is another major test between Australia and the West Indians beginning Boxing Day, but we'll probably be traveling that day and unable to watch.

      Drove into town. The Prof wanted to do some Christmas shopping (for me) and I sat in a café on the esplanade and had a Devonshire tea (a pot of English breakfast tea and scones with whipped butter and marmalade). I took my computer and answered e-mail. What a superb way to spend an hour or so.

      I think when I return home I'll re-read my travelogues, just to remember the fascinating and kind people I've met on this journey. I certainly haven't worked on the book as much as planned, but I have gathered a bunch of information, which may prove useful if my hero ever makes it to NZ and Australia.

      For dinner we made salad in a bag. Didn't have a bowl, so we mixed up a fantastic salad in a plastic bag and dished it up on paper plates. Ate it with a spoon. Had cream cheese with chives and pimentos on rye crackers. It was delicious. For dessert, the Prof concocted a marvelous dish. We took tins of fruit and broke up shortbread biscuits on it, then poured over some brandy flavoured custard. To die for.

      In the evening, walked to a carnival on the beach. Then walked along the beach and saw the Southern Cross. The Prof said that he finally believed he was in Australia when he saw that. G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #38

December 22,1996

Bateman's Bay and Malua Bay NSW Australia

 

      Forgot to mention something yesterday. When we were talking to David from Melbourne about cricket, I remarked on the horrible fly situation in Australia. I mean, they are horrific. I kept fanning them away from my face. He laughed and said, "That's what's called the 'Aussie Salute'."  And he began fanning his face too. :)

      Went to 8 AM mass at St. Bernard's in Batehaven. The priest had a monotone...and droned on and on, but the view was TERRIFIC. It's a modern church with a view of the ocean through an expanse of glass wall. A great place for meditating.

      The Prof cycled to town to do more shopping and I caught up on e-mail. I was able to send mail but got disconnected before I could receive any. I tried off and on all day but haven't been able to re-connect.  Yuck.

      The Prof got vegemite on his pillow. It looks unbelievably gross and he wants to wash it out before the maids come in the morning. :)

      I learned something new today. Instead of a county or region, in each state there are shires. Bateman's Bay is in Eurobadalla Shire.

      Travel plans: We'll definitely stay here until Boxing Day (12/26). Then off to Lithgow in the Blue Mountains. We tried to get a camping spot in Katoomba, but they are fully booked. So we'll be 25 minutes out of Katoomba. That'll still be convenient...and fun. Our last two nights in country (28th and 29th) we'll be back at the Youth Hostel in Sydney. We leave Australia on the 30th and will stay a few nights in California at my daughter's house.

      This afternoon we went to the beach and swam a bit. Big waves with some riptides so we didn't stay in long.

      Quiet night. The Prof is wrapping presents while I'm typing.  I'll work on the book tonight. G'night. Jer

 

Travelogue #39

12/23/96

Bateman's Bay and Mogo NSW

 

      God is so good. I feel so very blessed. This vacation is one delight after another.

      This morning we met David and Tanya's (the caretakers) oldest child--Adam. Neat kids. They told us about Pebbly Beach. It's about 1/2 hour north of here. They told us that if you stand there kangaroos will approach you and surround you. Sure hope they aren't putting us on. :) Tomorrow we plan on going there.

      Went to Mogo, the old gold rush town. Went to the zoo first. It is very small and I was sure we'd be disappointed--however, it was a pleasant surprise. The worst part was the museum, which was actually just a giant trophy room. The entire room was covered in heads.... Eerie.

      My favorite part was the baby koala. He came right up to me and started suckling on my finger. The Prof took a picture. Sure hope it turns out. It was a surprising moving moment for me. The baby was so beautiful.  The Prof's goal was to touch a kangaroo. We weren't able to do that, but hopefully it will happen at Pebbly Beach tomorrow.

      After the zoo, we accomplished a 40 minute bush walk. We laughed, because at home we'd call it a "walk in the woods." It was fun though. Lots of palms.

      The Prof has been serenading me with his harmonica. He's actually very good, but when he gets stuck he always goes back to his old stand-by-Old MacDonald. LOL. It reminds me of Art Carney as Ed Norton. Whenever he played the piano he played the same introduction over and over again. The Prof is much better than that, but I certainly laugh at the E-I-E-I-O popping up at odd moments.

      We had a super time shopping at Mogo. Spent hours at art galleries and craft shops. Beautiful things. At the Mogo Crystal and Art Gallery we bought some interesting souvenirs. The woman put some "magic crystals" in our purchases and said it would be effective as long as we didn't remove it.  I almost ate some. Heck, I'll try anything. The woman gave us fortune cookies. We had a good laugh about them. She then told me this joke: A man fell through a fly screen door. Do you know what he did? He strained himself. LOL. Hardly anyone has screens here...and it was cute that the door was called "fly screen."

      As we walked from store to store we saw so many beautiful items. At one point we walked under a canopy of wind chimes. What a marvelous experience...I wanted to stay there.

      Went to a Lolly Shop (we keep saying "candy" instead of "lolly," but we're learning). Bought some wild candies. So many different types. And no guilt, since we're trying new varieties of candy, I mean lolly. :)

      Had a late lunch at the Starfish Deli on the water. Did laundry this evening. And opened one present. (Couldn't wait any longer.)

      I got a super surprise tonight. I called home to get my messages and my daughter answered. I forgot that she and her fiancé were staying at my home while visiting his parents for Christmas. :) Nifty. Of course it was 3:30 AM in Milwaukee, but she said she didn't mind.

      Hope your holidays are MERRY and BLESSED. Love, Jer

 

Travelogue #40

December 24, 1996 Tuesday

Bateman's Bay, Pebbly Beach, NSW

 

      Began the day by going grocery shopping. We couldn't stop laughing when we saw "Infant Wind Drops" and "Gripe Liquid." Every time I get crabby I'll take the Gripe Liquid. Maybe it'll be a cure. :)

      The owner of this motel is named "Tommy," and every time the Prof sees him, he breaks out in song. "See me, feel me, touch me, heal me." Then every other song he knows from the rock opera, "Tommy." He's done it so often that I begin laughing before he even starts singing. It's really funny when he tries to play it on the harmonica and I get him laughing. You know it's virtually impossible to play the harmonica and laugh at the same time?

      Speaking of the harmonica...I got mixed up yesterday. It's Farmer in The Dell that he plays whenever he gets confused on another song. :)

      Someone told us that there are many kangaroos in the wild on Pebbly Beach. They apparently come out in the morning and in the evening to feed. Hundreds of them. Of course we arrived in the early afternoon, but someone said we still might be able to see one. We took a horrible road for 8K in order to reach the beach. It was so hot...around 33 Celsius (over 90 F). As we were walking to the water, I screamed, "Look...there's one under that tree." I grabbed my camera and walked softly but resolutely toward the creature. The Prof let me walk for a while, then he laughed and said, "I think it's of the humanoid variety."  It was a man lying under a tree. When he turned over, I thought his arm was the kangaroo's tail. LOL. I REALLY wanted to see a kangaroo.

      Anyway, we decided to stay and swim. The water was cold, but refreshing. Some waves, so we were able to play a little. Sat in the sand a while and laughed at the what I call "the beach towel dance." It's the wiggling around that people do in order to change out of their swimming suits under a towel. You wrap the towel around you and-with great care-take off your swimsuit and put on your other clothing. It's never done very successfully, but is quite funny.

      Finally it was time to go. We both registered "well done" on the meat thermometer. Got up to the outside shower, washed off most of the sand, when I yelled, "There's a kangaroo." The Prof didn't move. Didn't even pretend to humor me. Despite that, I got my camera and ran up to where a young kangaroo (called a "Joey") sat on the walkway eating sunflower seeds. The Prof still hadn't joined me, so I asked a woman from Ireland to take my picture with the animal. She took several. The Prof was there by this time and I took a few of him petting the kangaroo as well. Suddenly it dawned on me that I was still in my swim suit and nothing else. Well, those of you who've met me, know that I'd never win the swimsuit competition. So I ran back by the outdoor shower, wrapped my beach towel around me and did the "beach towel dance." Very successfully, I might add. Then I ran back to get my picture taken with clothes on. :) It really was a thrill and the Joey just sat there and let us touch him. So cool. We plan to go back tomorrow evening if all goes well.

      All week long, we've eagerly anticipated a wonderful Thai meal for Christmas Eve. It was BYO at this restaurant. (If the restaurant doesn't have a liquor license, you can bring your own drinks.) We brought a few Victoria Bitters with us. Arrived about 15 minutes before the restaurant opened. Walked around a while, and it was so hot that by the time we were let into the restaurant the beer was hot. It was a scorcher today. Then we sat down, asked them to put our beer in the freezer, and asked them to turn the air conditioner on. Well, it was broken...and they said we could get a decent breeze if we sat by the door. (By the way, the people who owned the restaurant were wonderful, but could hardly speak English and it was a comedy of errors communicating.) So we sat by the door and the flies buzzed around our heads. Server said, "Do you like it medium or hot?" We said, "Very hot." She asked if we were sure. We said absolutely. We've been in so many Thai restaurants in the states where that was the only way to get the hot chillis in the food. You already have the punch line figured out, haven't you? Yep, we both choked, the food was so hot. Tears were streaming down my face and falling off my chin. We practically yelled, "Beer. Water." Went through SIX pitchers of water. But, boy oh boy, was it ever good. :) For dessert we had a Pavlova at home. A mouth watering meringue and cream concoction only found in New Zealand and Australia. There's plenty more for tomorrow.

      This evening we opened a few presents. The Prof gave me so many nice things. I got a pair of gold hoop earrings that are delicately beautiful, then some Kangaroo earrings and pendant, made of sterling silver and paua shell. Gorgeous. An Australian t-shirt was a derigeur gift, of course. And a fabulous Swiss Army knife. I really wanted one. We'll open more gifts tomorrow, and I know some of mine will be camping and cycling gifts...just what I want. Can't wait.

      Tomorrow, we'll go to mass, then to a buffet luncheon at Raymond's Chinese Restaurant. That should be a stitch. Then of course, back to the Kangaroo Beach.

      May your Christmas Day be extremely blessed. God bless us every one.  Love Jer

 

Travelogue #41

12/25/96 Wednesday

Bateman's Bay and Pebbly Beach NSW

 

      A wonderful, blessed Christmas it was. Woke up early and opened the rest of our presents. I added lots to my store of loot.  :) A koala pin with iron ore on it, a computer for my bike (tells mileage, calories, etc.), a garden frog, two books...one A Guide for the Advanced Soul and the other Our Australia, a Bateman's Bay ruler, a tire gauge for my bike, a handlebar bag for my bike, and an opal refrigerator magnet. We're going to have another Christmas when we get to California. It was so much fun opening the gifts.

      Went to mass and the priest still had a monotone and I looked out the window again <g>. Interesting that one of the carols is spelled "The First Nowell." :) Every time we began a hymn or carol the Prof would pull the harmonica out of his pocket and act like he was going to play it. I started giggling (of course) and it was fun.

      After mass we called our families back in the states. It was really heartwarming to speak to my sibs and my children. We then went to our banquet at Raymond's Chinese Restaurant. The BEST vegetarian corn soup and spring rolls that I've ever had.  Then went back to Pebbly Beach in the late afternoon. It was perfect! We were surrounded by 36 kangaroos. Took TONS of pictures. We petted them and we got a good picture of one trying to climb onto my back to get the picnic dinner in my backpack. What a great time. The Prof made the mistake of taking out a piece of bread (to feed some sea gulls) and was literally bowled over by kangaroos. I sure hope the pictures turn out. We both said that this day was worth the price of the trip. We also walked along the beach and enjoyed looking in tide pools at all the marine life.

      Then had a picnic with peanut butter sandwiches, chips, Pavlova, and Australian chardonnay. The chardonnay was a gift from the Prof too. He wrote on it.... "Australian K-J." Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay is our absolute favorite. On the way home I drove and was serenaded with Christmas carols on the harmonica.

      This day was superb.  I feel so grateful to God for all I've been given.  Holiday blessings, Jer

 

Travelogue #42

Thursday 12/26/96

Bateman's Bay, Fitzroy Falls, Kangaroo Valley, Katoomba, Blue Mountains, Blackheath, NSW

 

      What a day! Our 8 AM departure from Bateman's Bay didn't happen until 9:30. I don't think I told you that Bateman's Bay was named by Captain James Cook in 1770. Anyway, we took off for the Blue Mountains. Surprisingly, it was mountainous all the way. We took a road that was inland from the ocean, but only by a few kilometres. It was mountain, after mountain, after...well, you get my drift.

      When we stopped, the Prof tried to feed some old bread to sea gulls. He threw it on the hood of the car accidentally. We had birds of all shapes and sizes attacking our rental car. So he put more on the hood. They came in droves. It was Hitchcockian. We laughed so hard and the birds just stayed there and stared at us. We couldn't stop laughing. The more we laughed, the more they stared.

      Another interesting artifact here are kangaroo screens. On the front of many cars and trucks are metal bars and sometime screens. Those are to stop the kangaroos from going through the windshield if you hit them on the road. The Prof and I think we need those back in the midwest for deer.

      Interesting thingie #2. I saw a picture in the newspaper of a rugby player whose shirt was torn. The caption read, "Despite a torn guernsey, Jones was able to..." I couldn't figure out what was wrong with that sentence for a few seconds. Then it dawned on me that they call the shirt a different cow than we do. Our jerseys are their guernseys.  :)

      Stopped at Fitzroy Falls for lunch. A beautiful lookout with very pretty falls. I was impressed until we got to the Blue Mountains where falls abound.

      Stopped in Katoomba, the biggest city in the Blues. Got information on a caravan park in Blackheath. We drove on and found a spot. The place is very crowded. All sites are filled and tents are practically on top of each other. It's very nice though, with the cleanest bathrooms and showers. I find that impressive as all get out.

      After we put up the tent we took a bike ride to a lookout. They are everywhere here. We're at the top of the mountains, so scenic views abound (like the waterfalls). :) Our lookout turned into a LOOK OUT!!!!!! as I crashed and burned on my bike. I've added to my bruise collection. The biggest bruise is from another bike accident...when I tripped over my bike while trying to find the bathroom one night.

      Had dinner at Roasts and Rolls (NOT a vegetarian paradise), all they had veggie was pumpkin soup. But it was the BEST pumpkin soup I've ever had in my life.  Tired. Will sign on when I can. Jer

 

Travelogue #43

December 27, 1996

Katoomba etc. NSW

 

      Breakfast at the Hydro Majestic Hotel.  Old, ornate hotel, with velvet flocked wallpaper. When the hotel was built they imported water from England so people could sit in the "baths" and "take the cure." Seems far-fetched, but it's true. Awesome view from the hotel. It's located in Medlow Baths. Saw many many eclectic parrots from the window. That's their name....eclectic parrots. Bright red and blue.

      I've turned into the interpreter for the Prof. When someone speaks in a complicated accent, he looks at me, I tell him what the person said, and then he responds. It only takes a few weeks to become used to the differing regional accents.

      During a three and one half hour walk we found a scenic spot overlooking a waterfall. We climbed over the fence and had a picnic on a flat rock. Gorgeous. Walked from the top of the mountain to the bottom and then took the Scenic Railway back to the top. Part of the railway ascends at a 52 degree angle. Almost unbelievable. And lots of fun.

      The Prof continues to serenade with his harmonica. I was in the restroom in a park and through the vent from the men's side, I heard "Farmer in The Dell." Laughed out loud.

      Saw a movie called "The Edge." Documentary about the Blue Mountains. Wow.

 

Travelogue #44

December 28, 1996

 

      Ate at the Café Blues in Katoomba. Vegetarian breakfast with fake sausage etc. Cool. For lunch had pumpkin soup for the third day in a row. Each one was decidedly different and delicious.

      Traveled back to Sydney. Went to Bondi Beach for a final swim. Played in the surf with about a million other people. Wonderful.

      Re-visited the Queen Victoria Building. A huge clock graces the center of the building. On the hour, it plays the royal march and the clock features tableaus from English history. Fascinating. The clock reads, "By appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Turret clockmakers. Thwaites and Reed Ltd. Hastings, England." Saw a display of crown jewels of the past.

      Returned to the Hotel where I'd stayed previously to say good-bye to some of the friendly warm staff.

      Received an e-mail from a dear friend that his mother died on Christmas Day. Painful news. Reminded me of my own parents' deaths at young ages.

 

Travelogue #45

December 29, 1996

 

      Last full day in Australia. Staying at youth hostel. Laundry occupied early morning hours. Then took the bus to the Sunday Market at the Rocks. Bought many more souvenirs. Bus to Darling Harbour. Took the Prof through the Chinese Garden. Loved it even more the second time around. Went to Paddy's Market for more shopping. Savoring the sights, sounds, and smells of Sydney. (I know that's an overuse of alliteration.)

      Went to a showing of The Living Sea on an Imax Screen that's billed as the largest in the world. Mesmerizing.

      Wanted a nice memorable dinner for last night in Australia, so we walked to Chinatown. Stumbled on an Asian food court with over 25 different stalls with every conceivable kind of Asian food. Certainly memorable. :) And absolutely out of this world. I had Thai and the Prof had Vietnamese.

 

Travelogue #46

December 30, 1996

 

      Departure Day. Up early to pack. My things multiplied while I wasn't looking.

      Good news. We were only charged $100 for the damage to the first rental car. (Whew!)

      Fourteen hour flight went so quickly. It certainly was a lot more pleasant having a traveling companion. Only memorable note was that the Prof was in the bathroom when the plane landed. My laugh could be heard bellowing throughout the 747.

      My daughter, Jill, picked us up at the airport. Had a quiet and enjoyable evening...with no discernible jet lag. (Hooray.) Jill and her fiance, Todd, have a lovely home and it's wonderful to spend time in LA with them.

 

Travelogue #47

December 31, 1996

 

      Up early to drive to Orange County Airport to pick up my son Rob. Hadn't seen him in over two years. Sat at lunch with my children across from me and couldn't wipe the smile off my face. It's been so long since we've all been together. The entire day was enjoyable. Spent New Year's Eve playing games, drinking beer and LAUGHING. My throat hurts from laughing so much. What a treat to be with both my kids. Rob's partner couldn't make it. She's in Seattle working. Other than that, it was perfect.

 

Travelogue #48

1/1/97

 

      The end. :) What a remarkable seven weeks. I will savor the feelings and memories for a long, long time. Today will be quiet as we watch football games and pack for the trip home. Will be taking the red-eye flight tonight. Back to reality. <sigh> Nothing more to say. Thanks for listening to my ramblings for all these weeks. I'll be back on the bulletin boards tomorrow.  G'day.   :)  Jer