Land of Oz-part III

Sydney and Malbourne did not dissapoint. Anytime you know locals, anytime you can stay with friends, you're gonna have fun. I actually ended up doing a bit of freelance work in both cities- so I got to see what shared workspaces were like. I also managed to stumble upon multiple festivals in both cities-leading me to believe that festivals are a thing in Australia. I went to the Sydney wine festival, Newtown festival, and the Melbourne food festival. All were quite fun. If I sound a bit flat in describing these cities it's probably because something has happened to me along the way. I'm over cities. Yes there are tons of amazing things to do, but nearly everywhere I've been, most cities start to feel the same. They become a blur of coffee shops and stores, gas stations and noise. And yes obviously I've had a great time in each city and appreciate the different languages and cultures in each, but I've come to seek out and appreciate the stuff outside the urban locales so much more. For me, the highlight of Sydney were the Blue Mountains. Having a gorgeous mountain range an hour outside a major city is a big deal. And hiking for hours in clean air surrounded by waterfalls and eucalyptus trees was quite special.

I even managed to meet a fellow traveler-L, an Irish woman working in Scotland who decided to take two month off of work to see New Zealand and Australia. We got along so well that we even drove the Great Ocean Road together.

Great Ocean Road was perhaps the only dissapointing part of my Australian sojourn. It was like the Pacific Coast Highway, but really short and you can't really see much of the ocean. The only highlight were the twelve apostles:

Yes it was photo perfect, but not worth the drive. The only thing that made it at all worthwhile was the company. L and I turned a lame road into a very fun road trip. And if the worst part of my Australian adventure was getting to know someone new, I cannot really complain. In fact, I can honestly say it was an incredible trip. It was all planned last minute, yet I managed to do everything I wanted. Who can ask for more?

So L and I came back to Melbourne, and I headed to the airport, and back to London for an amazing Thanksgiving.

More on that later.

Land of Oz-part II

Damnit. I'm on a bus...again. In fairness I just got off of a plane, so my modes of transport are improving. After my second overnight bus in Australia, I decided flying was the way to go. But these long hauls do give me the chance to reflect a bit. So here's what I've got:

Australia is fucking rad, and so are its inhabitants I sound so eloquent, don't I? Crude language aside, let me share so examples- after returning from my Whitsunday adventure, I grabbed a drink with my new Danish friend, who promptly invited me to stay with her in Melborne (I'm en route to her place now). I took an overnight bus -to Hervey Bay, and headed to Fraser Island from there. Though I'm not big on guided tours, it's really the only way to see the sand  island. Yeah, it's an island. Made of sand. One can drive 75 miles along its coastline, which is considers a federal highway. Anyway, I get on the massive bus which will haul us around for two days (massive due to its huge tires for ploughing rough said sand) the driver, Pete, introduces himself and asks where everyone is from. Before anyone can speak, he says, "let me guess, we have Germans on the bus."

"Jah, jah" a few people respond. Then the usual cast of international characters chime in- Holland, Switzerland, Denmark. Finally, I say: "American." Pete gives a quizzical gaze, "did you say American?"

"Yup."

"Americans don't travel."

"This one does."

Then, without hesitation, Pete said "well then get on up here American, you're traveling up front with me."

So for the first time, being an American made me special, and not the ostracized kind of uniqueness generally reserved for Americans- I got the good seat.

Fraser Island was beautiful. White sand beaches and all that. But I must say, maybe it's because tour groups and tedious, or maybe because I had such an amazing time on board Kiana, I would classify the trip at first as thoroughly meh. That is, until dinner time. We stayed at some tacky resort built in the 1960s, though way nicer than any hostel, I felt like Baby and Johnny Castle would most likely be making an appearance that night. Sadly they did not, but guess who did? As I was waiting in line for "Mediterranean" buffet food, I heard my Canadian friends from Kiana calling my name. It was this hilarious reunion. There we were, the only North Americans for  miles, friends for maybe 5 days, hugging it out like we'd all grown up together. I loved it. We caught up, had whatever  passed for dinner, and went back to their patio to drink wine and talk.

**I didn't get a chance to finish this post- so fast forwarding a bit, here are the rest of the Australian highlights:

After Fraser Island, I headed to Brisbane. A friend of mine from high school randomly lives there. She picked me up from the bus station (don't worry, it was a short ride) and with her two year old son in tow, she asked if I would be ok if we visited the "hop hops." Not knowing what she meant, she explained that her son calls kangaroos hop hops. Did I mind? Absolutely not. So off we went to Lone Pine Sanctuary.

I hate zoos. I hate the way they smell. I hate the way people gawk at the animals. I hate seeing caged creatures. Lone Pine, though technically a zoo, or maybe Aussies have a different definition, because that place was the most un zoo-like animal habitat I've ever visited. Little (and sometimes not so little) water dragons and wild turkeys roamed freely the trick was not stepping on them.

Emus were given free reign to mingle with wallabies and the famous hop hops. Birds were fed by willing visitors. And koalas just hung out on eucalyptus trees. Oh and you could hold them. I held a koala. Her name was Cocoa, and it was glorious. 

Then we fed the kangaroos. We hand fed kangaroos. It was magic. Watching my friend's son feed them with no feear, with gentleness and respect was amazing. Why can we do that in the US?

The next day, I took a very short bus ride to Byron Bay. I squeezed in 24 hours to this small surf town last minute because everyone I knew told me I had to- and it didn't disappoint, I only wish I could have spent more time there. I surfed crappy waves (they can't always be great) but had fun with my instructor nevertheless. He told me where to go out- and for the first time in a while, I wasn't in a total tourist trap. Live music, great food, and I was a happy camper. The old hippy town did not dissapoint, but Sydney beconed and off I went in an aero plane to the capital. 

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me

The last few days in Australia have been incredible: I boarded a sailboat called "Kiana" on Thursday and spent the next three days diving, eating and sleeping on the open sea- specifically the Coral Sea. We (the three crew members and 14 passengers) spent most of our time in the outer Great Barrier Reef, 64 kilometers from the nearest land mass. I woke up to watch the sun rise, and watched as it set, giving way to more stars than I knew were in existence. Calling the experience spectacular barely does it justice. My fellow passengers included 3 Brazilians, 3 Canadians, a Chinese couple on their honeymoon, an Australian couple, a British couple, a Danish girl, and me. Somehow the entire group gelled and by the end, I collected everyone's email address so we could share photos of the experience...as somehow we all ended up in each other's photos.

I'll be honest, I was worried about a few things before boarding: being the only single person on a boat full of couples, getting sea sick, getting claustrophobic (not unfounded, as my bottom bunk was tiny), or ending up on some sort of party boat with a bunch of 19 year olds. Apparently, this last concern was not mine alone; J, the Danish girl, who became a good friend after we immediately clicked while bumping into each other en route to the marina to board Kiana, actually called to verify that the average age was over 25!

See why I like her?

Anyway I could go on and on about the feeling of freedom and the utter beauty of the Whitsunday islands, about the endless underwater terrain that is the reef, about its vastness and the variety of creatures that I saw- especially the dolphins. DOLPHINS CHASED OUR BOAT. It was magic.

I could go on and on, but you should just go see it for yourself. I will leave you with this: the crew took notice of my sea legs and how much I enjoyed myself, cause I got a job offer- $170 AU per day. Not bad. I told them if nothing else works out, I'll be back.

Land of Oz- part I

When you're in Bali and only four hours away from Australia, and one of your dreams has always been to dive in the Great Barrier Reef- you buy a ticket to Australia. So that's where I've found myself this morning, yes you've guess it, on a bus in Australia, and en route to the Whitsunday islands. I'm going to live aboard a boat, and dive in the outter reef to my heart's content. I even bought an underwater camera for the occasion. 

So far, Australia reminds me a bit of Florida...but with more German tourists and friendlier locals. When I arrived in Cairns, I noticed a travel agent in the front office of my hotel. She and I hammered out a game plan for my 3.5 week trip. And with that, I handed over my credit card, and went from a vague notion of what I wanted to do here, to a fully baked and booked trip.

Sitting on busses apparently gives me time to reflect, here are some thoughts for you:

Being here is like a whiff of home, but the smell ain't quite right. The expressions people use are insane, there's an openness you won't find in the U.S. There's a super western mentality, but it's still uniquely Australian. I can't quite explain it. But being here makes me appreciate so much after traveling in Asia. I get excited when there's toilet paper in a bathroom and hot water. I get excited to see a toilet-that flushes! My stomach is happy all the time. I know if sounds ridiculous and bratty, but squatting over a hole and then using a bucket of water to flush while trying to avoid urine- yours or somone else's being splashed on you just ain't that fun. But I have gotten really good at squatting.

And another thing:

Traveling has taught me that there's so much crap I don't need; I'd throw half of my suitcase away if I weren't going back to Western Europe and also cause it's super wasteful. I've gone through some changes in a short period of time actually. I've gone back to being a vegetarian, I don't really drink anymore, and I spend every waking moment outside (or on a bus). It's kind of amazing. I feel amazing. And no one believes that I'm 34! 

I'll report back soon.

Bali Bali Bali

I am not on a bus, no, right now I'm on a balcony; and this balcony faces the Java Sea. Though the wind has blown out the waves, making afternoon surfing impossible, I'm content. I'm more than content. I'm staying at a surf camp in Balian Beach, on the western coast of Bali. The camp is run by the village, and all the money goes back into the village. Children come by to clean the beaches, they take pride in their small town. And they should- it's heavenly here. And not just in Balian; after two plus weeks in Bali, I'll admit it, I fucking love this place. I love the kindness of the people here: when we arrived, our driver took us to all of his favorite spots along the way from the airport to our hotel because we were in Bali "and should be happy." I love that we signed up for surf lessons, ended up surfing at a pro surf break (more about that later) with a Brazilian instructor, who was so excited that S and I are both half Brazilian, that we ended up hanging out with a community of Brazilian expats.

 I love the colors here: the lush greens of every garden, the pinks and yellows and oranges of the tiny offerings everyone leaves in front of their home or business. I love the patterns and styles of sarongs that everyone tries to sell me. And the ones that line trees and statues throughout the island. I adore the loving details that go into every garden, door, and roof. I love the colors of the fruits in the market and the colors of every variety of tea available. I love how Jasmine grows everywhere here because it's a symbol for peace. And the smells. I love the smell of incense and essential oils that permeate every corner and the salt air that mingles with it when I'm by the sea. I love the smell of fresh nasi goreng (fried rice) which I've had about once a day...along with watermelon juice. I love the variety of fish you can ask to be grilled up for dinner. And I love their variety under water where every color and shape can be found. I love the names of places here- Uluwatu, Padang-Padang, Bingen, Kutu, Balian, Ciangu. And I love the names of people- every eldest born is a Putu, every second is Waygan. 

I love the massages here, the yoga here, the surf, the organic blah blah blah that's for tourists but tastes so good. I love the thoughtfulness, and spirit of this place. All are welcome, it is everyone's job to make the world whole. You pray to the spirit of the sun, the ocean, and your parents. Black and white checked sarongs wrap around trees and sculptures symbolizing he duality of good and bad-it's your job to recognize them but but hopefully embrace the good. Yellow and white mean your mother and father, east and west, right and left- we must seek balance and honor where we came from, and where we are going. Red and white express the physical and spiritual, earth and heaven, war and peace, impurity and purity. I love that no matter how hot the sun is, there's always a delicious breeze to temper the heat.

And yes, there are the infernal pseudo yogi-types. And yes, there is a Aussie spring breaker contingent. And yes, if you drop in on a local's wave, you will get chewed out-true story. And yes, you will be asked multiple times on a daily basis where you are from, where you are going, do you need a taxi or will you buy this- it's good luck- I'll make it really cheap. But from where I'm sitting now, on this isolated, beautiful beach, facing roaring waves, I'm not gonna complain about a thing. But don't come here...there are enough tourists.

Luck

I'll post about Bali soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to write something about luck. Dumb luck. Super typhoon Lando has been pumelling the Philippines and though the people I met are safe, their towns and livelihoods lay in ruins. 

I missed the storm by a week, and here I am on a boat in Bali with nothing but blue skies and calm seas ahead. It's unfair that I'm just a tourist- a traveler- I breeze in and out, I take in the beauty and bounce. Yes I'm lucky that I'm safe and that I missed the storm, but other than my own physical safety, I have nothing to lose, while everyone I've met along the way did.

Dumb fucking luck.

I wish everyone blue skies, perfect swells, safety, and luck.

Kalinga then Manila

I'm on a bus...again. But this time, the landscape is dramatically different. Up up up in the mountains, where clouds and pine trees meet and dwarf the shining South China Sea below, we are slowing making our way towards a place called Tinglayan in the Kalinga region of Luzon.

Though I could barely find the place on a map, Tinglayan is home to a mountain tribe whose tradition include tattoos done by fearsome women who tap ink made of coal into the skin using a stick with a thorn insert. Though I was not getting a tattoo, the three others I was traveling with from San Juan were. So off we went. 

We went up into the mountains bus bus, further into different mountains by van, and finally 12 hours later, (Did I mention that everything takes forever to get to in the Philippines? The good news is that it affords me the opportunity to read, a ton.) we were there...but not exactly. A guide met us upon our arrival-5:30 am- and we began to walk. 

I know where the sun meets the mountain tops, cause I've been there. We walked and saw the sunrise over a mountain called "sleeping beauty" and then we climbed, up steps, over waterfalls, up up up, until finally, we made it to a tiny village filled with smiling children demanding candy, dirt floors, and Whang-Od, the last Kalinga tattoo artist.

At 95 years old, Whang-Od is a sight to behold. She's beautiful and maybe it was the thin mountain air, but that woman had an air of grace, wisdom, and power that's palpable. She's a celebrity. She's a hard ass, and she still works creating tattoos one tap at a time, whenever a pilgrim makes his or her way up the mountain pass. 

So I spent the next 24 hours talking with townspeople and watching Whang-Od work. 

She now has two apprentices- her granddaughters Grace, 19 and Elywan, 16. Seeing people come and sit through each painful tap was both gruesome and inspiring. And no, it did not inspire me to get a tattoo. But it did inspire me to learn more about the lives of the women there. They were hilarious.  They were tough. They told me the secret to their happiness: fucking and kids. No joke. They said that's what keeps them happy. And it must be true, because that village boasted more kids than I could count- and they all asked me for candy- their favorite English word. 

 Once they'd torn through the peanut M&Ms I brought, they interrogated me. Where was I from? How old? Why am I not married? Where were my children. When I informed them that I have neither a husband nor offspring, they were shocked- how could someone with skin so fair and legs like mine (no one has ever complimented my legs, but ok) not have a husband. "I'm picky," I respond. "Ah, that's good." And with that they stopped probing.

After my fellow travelers completed their tattoos, we went back to our host family- which was actually Whang-Od and her daughter. We bought them a chicken, and they cooked up a feast. We slept on hard wood floors, we pissed in an adjacent outhouse, and in the morning, walked back down the mountain.

Down, down, down, and many hours later- with a few sight-seeing pauses along the way, we made our way back to Manilla. The road was long, again, of course, but what I could not get over was the contrast. We had booked an apartment via air B&B at the Grammercy Residence, which was as fancy as it sounded. With two doormen, multiple security guards, a rooftop pool, laundry and concierge services, this was as white glove as a building gets. And there we were in a bustling city whose traffic is so bad, Waze is utterly useless. You just expect to sit and wait a while to get anywhere. We napped a while (cause who the hell can sleep on two overnight busses and a wood floor with roosters crowing every ten minutes), then we made our way to WildFlour, a patisserie/brunch stop. We ate like fat kids, we ate decadently, we kept eating, then took pastries for the road. We enjoyed our very western brioche French toast, and wild mushroom salad, our Mac and cheese, Nutella croissant, and coffee. Hadn't we just been walking down a mountain? Hadn't we just been in a village so remote that cell phones didn't work and women worked to separate their rice in order to prepare meals? S didn't seemed fazed. But I just couldn't get over how little they had up there in Tinglayan, and how content they all seemed. While Manila boasted everything one would expect from a wealthy city, and everyone seemed weary, and the air so dirty. 

We spent a few hours wandering the city, managed to have our laundry done, ah white glover perks, and with fresh and perfectly folded attire, we packed our bags and headed to Denpasar.