Hello my friends,
I decided today, I’m going to tell you of some of the funny things I did while travelling in Australia in 1993. Things have changed, but the sentiment is relevant.
I flew to Brisbane where a friend of a Canadian friend lived. I woke up at four a.m. and went outside to have a cigarette. It was perfect weather in January (their summer) and I watched the sunrise.
When the light came up, I noticed the thousands of cockatoos in the trees. I have never seen that many birds, so I ran inside, grabbed my camera and stood outside taking pictures. I was spellbound, keeping my eyes on the birds.
Suddenly, I noticed people leaving their houses to go to work. There I was, in a t-shirt and undies, taking pictures. I waved and said, “Good morning,” and they all laughed and said, “Tourist.”
I lived in Sydney for six months while working at a factory. One day, I was seated on a bench near a beach when a man with a TV camera and another with a microphone came up to me. The guy with the mic asked, “Would you sleep with Robert Redford for a million dollars?” The movie Indecent Proposal had just come out.
I said, “Hell, I’d sleep with him for nothing.” The next day I went to work at the factory and everyone, and I mean everyone, came up to me and said I had been on the news! My fifteen seconds of fame.
While in Cairns, I went bungy jumping, but I was so scared, I didn’t remember the jump, so I went back up and jumped again!
This isn’t funny, but while in Cairns, I stayed at a B&B. When I registered, I told the landlady that I wanted a single room. But the landlady said, “There’s a lovely young woman in the room for two and she looks like she needs some company.” I said, “Thank you very much, but I’d like a room to myself.” But the landlady kept at me and finally convinced me to share a room with her. She was out lying in the sun at that moment, so the landlady introduced us. Helen is and always will be one of the nicest, sweetest, most genuine people I’ve ever met. We spent two days together touring the area and then I returned to Canada and she returned to Switzerland. She borrowed five dollars from me and she mailed it to me. Still got it.
For those who like a little spice, I’ll tell you one more story. In Sydney, after the factory, I joined a private yacht and we sailed from Sydney to Cairns. There was Mick, the owner and captain, me as first mate, and Emily as the cook. We got along great and we had a lot of fun sailing. I told Emily I was interested in Mick and she encouraged me, but nothing ever happened.
Finally, one night, Mick and I got together. In the morning, I couldn’t wait to tell Emily. When she opened her eyes, I opened my mouth, but she put her hand up and said, “I know. You guys were rocking the boat so hard, I fell off the bunk.”
Just remembrances I thought I’d share. Have a wonderful day!
Patty