Camille’s Big Adventure

The heat wave has come to Queensland, and it’s getting hot outside, in the mid 90s. The humidity isn’t nearly as bad as Florida though, yet, fingers crossed it stays that way.   After a morning of work, I spent the afternoon walking the golf course with Dean, playing caddy. It was nice, we wandered around looking at the wildlife while he did 9 holes. The golf course has lots of good animal life like wallabies, 2 types of cockatoos (Black and sulfur crested), magpie geese, plovers, cuckoos, etc. as well as lots of plants like mango trees (soon to be ripe), orchids, palms, and lots of interesting native trees. It was a good afternoon of wandering.  In the evening we had burgers, of the traditional Aussie style I guess. Firstly, Aussies put butter on everything, if you have a sandwich you put butter on both sides of the bread before anything else like mayo/mustard/ketchup/vegemite/etc. it’s very odd.    Not bad at all, but odd and they comment on me not doing it. Second...

I went to the yacht club in the afternoon and joined the social hour. For $15 (which I got away with not paying cause my skipper said he doesn’t get the money so he doesn’t care if I pay), I got to be a crew member on a sail boat. It’s a race, but my boat was not very competitive. There was the skipper, a pair of people a bit older than me who really knew what they were doing, a pair of older people who were there for the good vibes but clearly had been a number of times, and me and another guy who were new to sailing.  It was a beautiful run out to the reef during sunset and it was cool to get to hang and listen to everyone’s stories. They go every Wednesday, so if I’m around I’ll have to go again. 

Today we got up early and went to Billabong animal sanctuary. Dean and Jenny said they hadn’t been since the last time the American families came to visit. So it had been a while, but I think they enjoyed it.  All the animals at billabong are rescues animals that can’t be released back into the wild   We got in and went and saw the cute wombats, the bulldozers of the forest, as they are called. These little cannonballs are so stinking cute. There were two types, one with silky fur and one with coarse fur. It was hot so most of them were sleeping, but one came out to say hi. The keeper was telling us that wombats are super friendly for the first 2 years, and then as they grow up they want nothing to do with people after. He also said that they are very bitey, they bite when they are happy, when they are mad, when they are playful, when they are amorous. Basically, he said wombats are a good way to loose a finger. But look at that face, I’d feed my finger to him if he asked. The...

Another relaxed day I spent the morning getting some work done. I’m getting quite used to having an espresso machine in the house and I’m not sure how I’m going to survive once I leave here. Or at least, I’m not sure how my wallet is going to care after I leave here having gotten quite used to drinking a double espresso every morning.  Something I find quite funny is Australian often complain about American coffee. I’ve been asked multiple times about if I think the coffee is here better, and listened to many complain about how they visited America and we have the worst coffee. I find this very odd. Firstly, cause I personally don’t find the coffee here any different tasting….. if you know what to order and where to get it. Their first issue seems to be that they buy their coffee from Starbucks or a different big chain, which is known for being quick not for being good. I’m like “do you go to McDonald’s for a good burger and get mad it’s not high quality? Cause that’s what seems to...

Today really wasn’t very eventful, after the big day yesterday I think we were all content to just hang around the house and not do much. At least I was.  I got some work in, which was good, and started working on some future plans and just generally took a mental load off. 

  We celebrated our thanksgiving today. Jennie made a huge, delicious feast of prime rib (she didn’t want turkey and who a’ I to complain about prime rib), yorkshire pudding, Brussels and bacons, asparagus, potatoes, and roast carrots.   A group of their friends came over, 9 of us in total, in the afternoon and we had some drinks and apps. We had margaritas and a cheeseball and pastries with caramelized onion and feta. Earlier in the day Dean and I made a quiz on thanksgiving facts we tested them on, and gave them a way too difficult word scramble. It was fun though, had good chats and it was nice hanging with them all. Once of the couples had a daughter closer to my age doing the same thing is Canada right now as a lifty at a ski resort.  After apps and drinks we feasted on the delicious dinner Jenny made, and followed it up with a dessert of meringue, cranberry lime pie, and dulche de leche cake.  After everyone left we all dissolved into a food coma with happy bel...

  Today was a preparation day for our thanksgiving holiday. I made a cranberry lime pie, and Jenny cooked away making and entire feast for tomorrow.   In the afternoon Dean and I got out of her way and went for a drive about, practicing driving through round-a-bouts the wrong way (going to the left) and looking at used cars. I find few things more overwhelming than looking at used cars…. But it has to be done unless I want to take the bus everywhere (which I don’t).  We prepped for our Saturday Aussie thanksgiving most of the day.