Day 25 recap (Sat Mar 5)

[Stef] Today we got up at 5AM to get on our flight to Brisbane, and arrived in Brisbane about 9AM. We were really looking forward to this trip because we would be staying with my Australian friend Lachie and his girlfriend, Marianna. Lachie and I were Rotary exchange students together in France, and have kept in touch off and on over the years. I would say it has been a good 4 years though since I last heard from him. When Scott and I were planning the trip, I made sure to write Lachie to see where he was and what he was up to in case we were in the same city. Considering the area we are covering, we had a good chance. Since he lives in Brisbane and that’s our place of departure for Heron Island, we made sure to set a day to spend together.

We got to Brisbane and picked up our rental car. It’s a Hyundai Accent. We were supposed to get a tiny rental car, but they upgraded us for free. It’s nice to have a little more room. We then followed the directions that Lachie emailed to us. He was going to be down on the Gold Coast for the weekend at Marianna’s parents’ vacation condo. They were going to show us around Brisbane, but teaching us to surf on the Gold Coast seemed much more exciting!

It took about an hour to get there. The condo was really nice – two bedroom, two bathroom and a huge living/dining room. The entire wall was sliding glass doors that looked out onto the ocean and the beach across the street. We couldn’t have gotten a better view if we tried! After we caught up a bit we set out to learn to surf. Lachie gave us a brief instructional lesson and then Marianna and I, and Scott and Lachie set out to work on our technique in the water. They would tell us when to go and give us a good push so that we would have a better chance of getting up. We were able to pop up on land but doing it on the board in water was much, much harder. Scott said he would get up on it but his legs wouldn’t be shoulder-width apart and he would fall backwards. I would get up and try and move a little and it would be the end of my wave. It’s a lot of timing and concentration. They were great teachers because we both got up a few times and rode a wave in! They said that’s hard to do on the first lesson – we don’t know how true that is, but we are going to believe them for the sake of our self-esteem! It was so fun to do and I can see why people love it here! Now when we see surfers on TV we will have a much greater respect for what they do!

After surfing, we went back to the apartment and had lunch. We had big toasted rolls, sliced avocados, cheese, pesto spread, butter, fresh prawns (shrimp) and a little lemon for flavor - a great oceanside meal. It was delicious and all the surfing worked up our appetites!

Following lunch we went to the Currumbin Animal Sanctuary. It was really fun because, although it was like a Zoo, it had all sorts of Australia-Only animals. We got to pet and feed Kangaroos, hold a Koala, and feed some lorikeets (parrots). We got into the park, and with the guidance of Marianna’s mom, we took the train to the kangaroo feeding. There are 2 types of ‘Roos… red and grey. They were so soft to the touch and really gentle. I think they would make a great pet – but I guess Scott didn’t want to try and explain something like that to customs. There was a really, really BIG crocodile as well that we enjoyed from a distance! It was a fun thing to do! The birds were especially interesting because they come in at the end of the day at the same time for the feeding. They aren’t caged or anything, they just fly freely through the sanctuary and the Gold Coast. There were hundreds of them circling around and landing on heads, arms and food trays. I think I fed six or seven at a time! One landed on Lachie’s head and another almost clipped Scott’s ear off on his way by! A few times they all would take off and circle the sky all together. The branches would be empty and food trays abandoned as if they were never there. The sky would fill with the parrots and they would fly completely in unison and put on a show. Then swoop back in and devour all the food waiting for them, filling the trees once again! So amazing to see! They come from all over the Gold Coast region for this specific meal everyday from 4-5pm. We also went to see a traditional Aborigine dance. There were two dancers, one singer and commentator and one man playing the didjeridoo (A long wooden Aboriginal instrument that makes a deep droning sound). They explained why they would do certain dances and while the man played and the other sang, the dancers would demonstrate the dance. They did about 10 difference dances and it was really interesting to see how graceful and unique the dances were. Afterward, Scott and I went to get our picture taken with the troop. Unfortunately, my eyes were closed in the picture which gives us even more of a good laugh when we look at the picture.

We left the sanctuary and walked along the beach before stopping at a surf club for a few drinks. It was great to chat and get to know them and find out more about their lives. Lachie and Marianna recently got back from a round-the-world trip. They are so intelligent and well traveled; it is amazing to hear about their experiences – especially since they are both only in their mid-twenties!

We went home after that to have dinner with Marianna’s parents. They had cooked a Middle Eastern couscous dish that was to die for! Her parents, Bruce and Fran, are really interesting as well. According to Lachie, they are the most well-traveled people you will ever meet. If Lachie thinks they are well-traveled, they must be! They told us that when they were in their early 20’s they hitchhiked from Europe to Australia! Yes, across continents! Another fascinating story they told us was about how much they loved Afghanistan and its people. This was a number of years ago, but it was really great to hear positive things, since the news really paints a different picture. Bruce is a retired pathologist and Fran collaborates on children’s books with him. They are some of the warmest, most open people I have ever met in my travels, and we were really lucky to have been able to spend a night there.

After dinner Lachie, Marianna, Scott and I went down to sit in the hot tub and have a swim in the pool. It was a great way to end the night. After showering, we both just passed out! It was an excellent day and we were so thrilled with our day - they are ordinary people living extraordinary lives. There is so much to learn from the people around you, and they were an outstanding example and reminder of that! Many thanks to Bruce, Fran, Lachie and Marianna for one of the most memorable days of our vacation!