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Published: February 9th 2007
Have eventually made it to Brisbane in time for flight. Good.
Last entry was me intending to read my book by the lagoon in Airlie Beach. Unfortunately it was pissing it down all day, so that plan was scrapped in favour of sitting inside, where I wouldn't drown. Spent the afternoon with the 3 girls I keep bumping into, Becky Emma and Vicky, who may now be reading this, so hello... my bus wasn't till 8, so when Jess and Mark got back from sailing we went for a last dinner at Nando's in Airlie Beach, before some emotional goodbyes and I caught the transfer bus down to the Greyhound stop. I left my pillow (aquired from a bench in 1770 hostel where they were giving them away) on the transfer bus. This made me deeply angry.
My anger didn't really subside until the next morning after I think what may be my worst ever sleep on a coach. The reason for my anger subsiding was the fact that it was now in fact a cool clear morning, I knew I was going to be in Brisbane on time, and the service station that we stopped at did the best coffee I've ever had ever, and after 2 mugs of that I certainly wasn't sleepy anymore. Read my book happily until we got to Hervey Bay, where I was taken to Palace hostel, and things began to look up. I was the only one there, and it was really nice- 5 small rooms were attached to a kitchen lounge area which was really clean and had good sofas etc, it even had a little balcony. Very happy. Dumped stuff, made brief call home as had been out of phone contact for ages, then headed to the beach to perform a daring kayak rescue of both women and children.
It was just an ordinary day for the folks on Hervey bay,
they had not a clue disaster was on t'way
The sky was blue, the winds were a blowing,
and of emminent catastrophe nought was showing.
A family of four, man wife and small kids,
Boarded a catamaran to have fun (you try and rhyme something with kids)
It capsized, and lo and behold,
who was the kayakist so brave and so bold?
A man who it seemed knew no fear,
a man who drank a lot of beer,
The mattador arrives, and is handed the babe,
he paddles manfuly to shore, to cheer and accolade
True.
The woman and other (fat) child were hanging on the back and I rescued them and noone saw. Gutted. Essentially I hired a kayak for a bit, and had to pull some people back to the beach, which technically makes me a hero.
Once I'd finished saving lives for the day (I had to go out and help the flid again who clearly couldn;t sail and kept falling off) I went and had a hero's lunch of a spicy chicken salad, accompanied with freshly squeezed hero (orange) juice.
Post lunch I wandered to the beach again, and sat and read my book for ages. Noone was there, and was really quite nice to not talk to anyone for a bit.
Picked up some stuff for dinner (cheese to go on beans) and headed back to hostel. Shower was really good there too, and after that went down to kitchen to discover Ji-Sung and another Korean guy whose name I'm not even going to pretend to remember, who asked me if I wanted to eat their majestic and plentiful BBQ of sausage and bacon for free. I did. I then had three beers, lots of food, and was asleep by half eight. Ideal.
Next morning after checking out at half nine (ridiculous) I had formed the ambitious plan of sitting by the pool all morning. It was touch at times but I managed it.
1pm saw me aboard my final Greyhound, which brought me into Brisbane at 6. Transfer straight to another really good Palace hostel, and straight out again to buy a Pizza Subway for Paul who was still in hospital here, and craving decent food. Over to hospital, where he was in his own air conditioned room, with sky TV, his own shower and bathroom, and a bed that moves up and down, and his meals brought to him in bed. Toyed with idea of injuring myself for the night, as he seems to have done OK out of it! In fairness his foot is absolutely rank. Sat with him for a while, then back to hostel for another stupidly early night.
Today started at 6am, when the four Chinese occupants of the room decided to have a noise-making competition next to my head as they packed their bags and shouted at each other. This annoyed the Mattador. Couldn't get back to sleep so headed for cup of tea and toast on balcony looking over city which was a good start, then off to Post office to post some stuff back home (souveniers clothes etc) and off to transit centre to see if my Ipod was there. this was important.
Got to Transit centre, first guy I spoke to said nothing had been handed in, the lost property centre was miles away, and if I'd like to fill in a form, he'd get the woman to email me. I didn't like to do this, so instead a small portion of the pent-up rage of the last week manifested itself before him. He very sensibly gave me a useful phone number and sent me away, and upon my return I spoke to another (better) person, who made lots of phone calls, and said to wait there for a bit. Better. An hour later he came over with a plastic bag containing my Ipod. I nearly kissed him. Instead I wrote a nice little letter to Greyhound saying they were good. From there came to fill this in for the final time in Australia, and going from here to put photos on CD, get Paul some shopping, then go for a final visit before I have to get up at about 6am tomorrow to catch plane to Auckland.
Very pleased have ipod again. May have cried otherwise. Probably helped that I had lots of good Karma for my daring beach rescue (see above for heroic details)
Hasslehof out.
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Kate
non-member comment
hello!
You are such a lucky bugger to get your ipod back! Dont do the same in south america or you will never see your precious ever again. Sorry i've not been keeping up with the blog entries... SOmetimes its abit too painful to think of you on the otherside of the world sunning yourself on some ridiculously beautiful beach somewhere. Am sending you an email now... Enjoy NZ.. Tis my favourite country! Oh, you might bump into catty morgenstern cos think she might be there now! lots of love k xxxx