Some park or other

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Finally all my travel plans seem to be coming otgether. Honestly, it's taken nearly 3 hours of planning, booking, re-planning, re-booking to get things in order. I'd seriously underestimated the travel times needed to get around this ginormous country and I'm only doing the coast!

The whole trip has depended on the Cairns-Darwin Safari, since it only leaves twice a month and I'd originally wanted to catch the 18th May departure, but everything has stretched, as usual, and I've had to put it back to June 1st, giving me another 14 days to play with, and, more worryingly, to fund. Still, it's only money and why rush a once-in-a-lifetime trip?

The really good news is that on re-arranging my 2 day Whitsunday's Sailing Trip, the lovely, superstar, Lesley said that they were booked full for the week I wanted, but I could join the 3 day trip - just dont tell anyone! - Wa Hey! Fan-bloody-tastic!

Not checked my bank account in ages. I dred looking at it as it can only be bad news. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

Decided that since it was my last night in a place with any sort of scene that I'd better see how the Brisban Queens did their thing; trouble was, as usual, my timing was off, it was Tuesday .... I thought I was in for a early night.

Around 10ish I turned up at the Wickham Hotel, the pub I'd heard was the 'best' from the local gaypers. Within a few mins I was chatting to a really lovely bloke called Markus (36), who introduced me to a host of his mates and offered to give me the grand tour of the gay bars. We hopped in his car, with a guy called Jim (37), and zoomed from place to place, stopping here and there in the all-too-quiet scene.

Towards the end, (Brissy is only small), Jim was dropped off at home and offered to show us his latest 'pyrotechnical-aero-thingymabob' (????). Well, if you know me, you could guess that my mouth was watering at something pyrotechincal and so I was instantly intrigued and we all wandered down to the riverbank, Jim carrying his contraption and me wondering all the time how surreal tonight was turning out to be!

The 'thingymabob' turned out to be a bin-bag hot air balloon, powered by a suspended beer can filled with BBQ lighter blocks. Jim assured us this latest design was near perfect and with a quick spark from Markus' lighter the bag inflated and Jim launched it into the air.

Majestically it sored higher and higher, a black glowing shaddow over Brisbane's flickering night skyline. It was stunning. For quarter of an hour we watched it climb up and up into the night.

Back at the bar, Markus and I talked long into the night. Markus had a lot of very interesting things to say and it was great to hear his different perspectives on life and all that is. I was definately supposed to meet him, if you dont know what I mean by this, you should read 'The Celetine Prophecy' by Thomas Redford and all things will become clear.

😉

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