Forgive me friends for I have not blogged. It has been almost a month since my last post.
Fear not though, I am alive and well. I did not go to Perth. I went to Noosa. I did not drown, I swam. I was not bit by a poisonous snake or a deadly spider, but by a lot of mosquitos. I was not attacked by a crocodile but I did see one eat a chicken. I did not get heatstroke but I did get a bit of a heat rash. All this to say I finally left Brisbane to explore the Queensland coast!
But I don't want to get ahead of myself so let's start where we left off in March. Rosie and I were super excited to see our first Australian ballet. The Australian Ballet Company performed Romeo and Juliet in Sydney and Melbourne last year, and now are touring Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth (and there you pretty much have it - all of populated Australia. This is a vast and empty place, but more on that later) We hopped on the train for the sold out performance and found our seats near the roof of the theatre. (As a point of comparison, The Lyric Theatre in Brisbane has 2,000 seats and McCaw Hall in Seattle has 2,900 seats.) We enjoyed it very much, however bold they were in the interpretation; the opening scene was in Verona, the wedding scene in Japan with Juliet arriving on a bicycle and a Hare Krishna officiating, and the fight where Tybalt and Mercutio are killed takes place in India. Row boats were involved. Very global.
This week we saw the local Queensland Ballet perform Alice in Wonderland. They stayed very close to script, with the exception of playing rugby rather than croquet. Even my dad enjoyed it and thank goodness because he gave up watching the final game of the NCAA basketball championship to accompany us. And his alma mater was playing (and won) Whoohoo UK!!!
Autumn here is really pleasant. Much like a Seattle summer. Our AC is off and our windows are open. I was actually almost chilly one morning. It is confusing that it's Fall, but April, and Spring back home (and the rest of the world for that matter) I often have to pause before I write the date - actually I always have to pause before I write the date - and puzzle out what month it is in an upside down season, while remembering to put the day before the month.
When I got my Queensland drivers license I had to fill out the paperwork twice because when I signed and dated the form I said it was October 1st, instead of 1 April. They looked at me funny but still agreed to let me drive in their country. The entire process renewed my faith in my desire to live in Brisbane. I was in and out of that DMV in 15 minutes and was called either doll or luv once for each of those minutes - by someone young enough to be my daughter. As an American with a current US license I was not required to take a driving test. Not even a written test. Part of me is thankful that was the case (I doubt I could pass a test, I don't even know what day it is) but I wonder if the Australian government is overly confident in my ability to drive?
When I got my Queensland drivers license I had to fill out the paperwork twice because when I signed and dated the form I said it was October 1st, instead of 1 April. They looked at me funny but still agreed to let me drive in their country. The entire process renewed my faith in my desire to live in Brisbane. I was in and out of that DMV in 15 minutes and was called either doll or luv once for each of those minutes - by someone young enough to be my daughter. As an American with a current US license I was not required to take a driving test. Not even a written test. Part of me is thankful that was the case (I doubt I could pass a test, I don't even know what day it is) but I wonder if the Australian government is overly confident in my ability to drive?
As often happens when typing these blogs, I find the need to talk about food. But - I! Am! Going! To! Stay! Positive!
I'll start by saying It's-A-Good-Thing that we didn't have much time to contemplate our move here. If we had, I might have started thinking about just how far away Australia is from Mexico. Then I might have wondered about the availability of good Mexican food in Australia. As it was, I naively stepped off the plane and added Monterey Jack to my grocery list assuming, in a spoiled American way, that I would be able to buy some. It would be right by the cheddar cheese. Wouldn't it?
Really, it's funny (staying positive) how naive I was about the variety of food available here. I realize the population is small, I realize it is far away from civilization as I know it, but surely there is a market here for cheese? Did you know, according to the semi scientific study I conducted, that the average Australian has never even heard of Monterey Jack cheese? (in all seriousness they really haven't) Yet I was able to buy a delicious block of Manchengo the other day (which Nola and I ate in it's entirety in one sitting thank you very much) but Monterey Jack? Yeah no. And by that I mean no. I love cheese. A whole lot. And I am very thankful that I have been able to find Manchego, good feta, even d'affinois (Hi Berkeley!) It seems that the more exotic, the more chance I'll have in finding it. But just your basic cheddar, or Monterey Jack, not so much. Yeah, it would be nice, no you can't get it here. When we first arrived I noticed that a lot of cheese was called "tasty". I could not find cheddar and finally someone told me "tasty" cheese IS cheddar cheese. But it's not. Yeah, it's cheese, no, it's not cheddar. And it actually is anything but tasty. This is definitely the place to be if you are lactose intolerant.
There is a yummy family recipe from Sunset, "Chicken with Chile-Cheese Rice" that I used to make about once a month in Seattle. Go ahead and google it and make it for dinner tonight you lucky bastard. It's easy and delicious and impossible to buy the ingredients for if you find yourself shopping in Brisbane.
Mike and I found a Mexican restaurant out in a suburb called Jindalee where the two of us ate lunch for $65. I think it would have been worth it if it had actually been Mexican food.
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| this is what $65 looks like |
We tried our luck again at a Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood and were equally disappointed. And as luck would have it, Rosie entered their monthly kid coloring contest and won, so we had to go back.
I was curious about what kind of market there might be for Mexican food in case I decide to open a food cart (you can only go so far as the director of dry-cleaning) so I did some market research and learned, according to the Australian census, that in 2006 there were "1,800 Mexican-born persons residing in Australia". O.K., Garfield high school has more students than that. The current number is all the way up to "3,500 with a 30% increase in visa applications in the last 6 months", but they must all be in Sydney. Let's just say I now have a greater appreciation for the distance Australia is from Mexico.
So as not to offend my Aussie friends too much I will say I was able to cook another favorite recipe instead, Jamie Oliver's Chicken and Leek Stroganoff with the best looking and greatest tasting leek of my life.
I have been bragging about the delicious mangos we've been eating here and was so excited for my dad to try them, but mango season ended when he arrived on April 4th and that seems to be that. I can't find a mango to save my life now - everyone just looks at me like I am crazy and simply says - mango season is over Mate! So different from Seattle where you can eat organic strawberries in December. I guess it just never occurred to me I would not be able to eat Monterey Jack cheese or out of season fruit. Forgive me, I have lived five blocks from a deceptively delicious grocery store most of my adult life.
Happily, I did find a store that carries frozen wild Sockeye salmon from Canada. An ex-pat Canuck started a small company shipping wild salmon into Australia so he would not die of starvation while living here. I can't thank him enough. When I spied the package in the freezer case I jumped for joy and put it in my cart. When I saw the $80 sticker price I sighed and reluctantly put it back. Then half way down the aisle I turned around and retrieved it. This back and forth went on for a while until I finally gave in and bought it. I will say it was worth every penny! But it did make me wonder for a moment if I could get my old job back on the Alagnak river.
OK, enough about food, let's talk beaches!
As I mentioned earlier we finally got out of town and explored some of the Queensland Coast. We hit Peregian Beach, Marcus Beach, Noosa Beach, and Moreton Is.
To break up the drive we stopped at Underwater World and got kissed by seals.
Then back on the road to Peregian beach. We rented a house at a place called The Retreat that boasted a "cooled swimming pool". You know its hot when you have to cool your pool down. The best feature was the boardwalk through the trees to the beach. We carried our pails and shovels and skipped over the boards and played in the surf and frolicked in the sand dunes until we read the sign that said "Watch out for the deadly snakes in the dunes" or something like that. Then we just stuck to the surf.
We also visited Sunshine Castle in Bli Bli (rhymes with bye bye) for an epic scavenger hunt. Sunshine Castle was built with all the things you'd expect to see in a Norman style castle. It had a moat, turrets, a drawbridge, towers and the largest and creepiest doll collection possibly ever assembled. Aside from the doll collection it was surprisingly fantastic.
Then we went back to the beach.
We also checked out The Ginger Factory because it was in the area and all I can say is, skip it.
Then we went back to the beach.
Our last day in the area we went to Noosa National Park and hiked a bit up the Coastal trail where we saw a koala and a bunch of surfers. Highly recommend. We also did a short walk through the rain forest trail where we got muddy and pretended we were back home.
Driving back to Brisbane we stopped at the Australia Zoo where we paid the GDP of a small country for entry. The Australia Zoo is touted as the home of 'The Crocodile Hunter". It really is. We went to the Crocoseum for the croc show which is still run by his widow Terri and their two children. Frankly, it gave me a lump in my throat. It was a good "show", and the zoo itself is beautiful. It looks brand new and the grounds are lovely. But I couldn't help wonder what it would be like today if Steve Irwin had not been killed. Don't get me wrong. His wife (who is from Eugene Oregon btw) still rocks it and the zoo does incredible conservation work, but it wasn't exactly packed. I think his larger than life personality and passion for the animals was the real draw and without him its probably not the same. If you don't know, he was killed in a truly freak accident while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef, Ocean's Deadliest. As he swam over the top of a sting ray he was pierced through the chest and most likely died instantly. For some reason I just couldn't shake the tragedy and his absence made me feel sad. There is his daughter Bindy in the picture below.
Mike was traveling for work when we ferried over to Moreton Island so we will have to go back. Moreton Island is a 75 minute ferry ride from Brisbane and 97% of it is a national park. Pretty cool. Moorgumpin is the aboriginal name of the island and means Place of Sandhills. It's the third largest sand island in the world and is perfect for sand tobogganing. Since the girls missed all the snow in Seattle this winter (or Seattle's winter at least, we still have Australia's to look forward to) it was great to be able to go "sledding". But I had no idea how much your toes would hurt hiking up a sand hill barefoot. Once at the top, thirsty, hot, sweaty, sore toed and heart pounding, I was ready to feel the breeze of the coastal air whipping my hair back as I zoomed down. But then I looked down. And realized I couldn't do it. I had vertigo. Worse than in our seats for Romeo and Juliet. So I selflessly told everyone that I needed to take my frightened children back down - no - really, it's all right, I'll just take them down near the bottom to slide since they are frightened. Nola cooperated with the story (thank you sweetie) but Rosie said something like "see ya at the bottom chicken" - wasn't she 5 when we moved here?
It didn't occur to me she would actually do it, so I slid slowly back down on my butt clutching Nola's hand tightly in mine, poor thing she was so scared, leaving Rosie at the top with her grandfather. But then her grandfather came down. And then there I was, a million miles from my baby, the hot desert sand coating my tongue, looking up a 2,000 foot precipice at a tiny dot in a tied dyed t-shirt.
And then she was at 1,500 ft. And then a year later she was at 1,000 feet. And then as I aged a decade she was at 500 ft. And then before I could breathe she was sailing past me at 100 mph finally coming to a stop somewhere between OMG and OShit. Because she was the lightest (read youngest, smallest, tenderest) she went the farthest and so won a special award and a free t shirt. Also the admiration of every Japanese tourist in the island, of which there were many. For the rest of the trip we couldn't go anywhere without someone saying "Hi Rosie!" She was a super star and I was the mother with poop in her pants.
In the end she convinced me to hike back up to the top and "give it a go mum!" The first few seconds were terrifying but that coastal air did feel good.
Later that night we waded into the water clutching stinky fish in our palms and fed wild dolphins. They are very smart, when the fish ran out they butted my dad in the thigh just like Max might have, demanding another snack. They know they can expect these snacks (about 20% of their daily fish intake) from this beach at 6:30 every night and they show up right on time, playing in the surf as they wait for enthralled guests to be escorted out by someone from Tangalooma's Dolphin Care Team. An amazing experience all around. You can see why we have to go back with Mike.
This has all been great fun, but now I feel like I missed my flight home. You know that feeling, when your vacation has been great, but you've reached the point when its time to go home, unpack, do laundry, pad around the kitchen barefoot and get back to regular life. I think Australia is a great place to visit. Maybe one of the greatest in the world. I feel so incredibly lucky to have done so. But my clothes are sandy. I am ready to come home and do laundry.
Links to more pictures here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103336932121670450817/2ndAussieVacation?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnE5ZTXk9L2Uw
and here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103336932121670450817/FirstAussieVacation?authkey=Gv1sRgCLa6jtm82rr38AE
