Random Thoughts and Travels: Headed to Bundaberg to Board the Aroona: Day 1

Day 1: I’m here to see a man about a boat

Brisbane, QLD – 5 January 2011 at 7:41am
Kansas City, USA – January 5, 2011 at 3:41pm

I’m sitting in the Brisbane Airport waiting to board my next flight to Bundaberg, QLD which is where I will meet up with Ross and Katie to board the Aroona for our sea excursion up the coast and through the Great Barrier Reef. Last night I was up late packing and getting ready for the trip and had to wake up at 3:30am to get ready to go to the airport to board a 6am flight from Sydney to Brisbane continuing on to Bundaberg. I had planned to call a cab but Jason would not hear of it. I swear this guy is a Saint. He seriously woke up at 4:30am to drive me to the airport on a day he has to work and has a baseball game after that…I hope for his sake that they at least get a win out of the deal.

I’m re-reading what looks like the original copy of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee that I picked up in a used book shop in Manly, QLD for $4.00...a bargain price for such a classic novel if you ask me…and I’m drinking a cappuccino to try to stay awake as to not miss the next flight. The Aussie version of a cappuccino is definitely different from ours. If you are looking for a strong shot of espresso with lots of foam, you won’t find it in this beverage. It is similar to a latte (i.e. more milk than foam) but they add chocolate shavings to the top to differentiate it from a latte and a flat white (which is also another version of a latte minus the shavings – I’m still learning). At one point in time I considered opening a coffee house after I gained a love for all things coffee while touring through Italy when I lived in Europe in 2002. But before sinking what was left of my savings into opening a business I really knew nothing about I figured I should go work for the best in the company in the industry and learn what it takes to be the best. I moonlighted as a Barista at Starbucks on nights and weekends when I worked at the Royals to learn all about not only coffee but how to operate a business effectively…they have a fantastic “coffee class” that is required of all new hires…I don’t really believe in “someday” but maybe I’ll open a store if the opportunity is right. If any of you are looking for a good read, check out Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built A Company One Cup At A Time by Howard Schultz – President & CEO of Starbucks. Not only is it about the art of coffee and the multi-billion dollar business but it is very inspiring for any aspiring entrepreneur.

Yesterday, I spent the day walking around Sydney and hanging out at Bondi Beach with an American…but not just any American…an American from Kansas. We were connected through a mutual friend but as it turns out, Lisa is friends with my cousin Lauren (La – Lisa says hi) and we have several other friends in common including one of my best childhood friends. We actually lived about 20 minutes away from each other in KC and never met until we both randomly ended up in Sydney.

Lisa and I hit it off from the start…here is our first picture together.

Lisa is absolutely adorable. Her and her husband Luke moved here a couple of months ago for his job and will be in Sydney for possibly 2-3 years. Since they arrived, she has basically been trying to create some sort of temporary/semi-permanent life for them here…finding a suitable apartment, buying furniture, navigating the area and so on. From what I can tell, she is doing a great job.

We met at the Bondi Junction train station around 9:45am and hopped a bus to the beach. She had the whole day planned out for us and it was fantastic. We took about an hour to hour and a half walk/hike up the coastal pathway to Coogee Beach, stopping along the way to take some photos and enjoy the view…and of course to catch our breath.

Along the way we ran across a random cemetery...this was my favorite headstone... "Herbert, who was accidentally killed" - ummm hummm, sure... I'm guessing there is more to the story, morning glory.

After we made it to Coogee Beach we took a bus back to Bondi Junction and then realized we needed to actually go to the Bondi beach stop (different bus), not the Junction so we got off at some random stop and walked about 30 minutes to the beach. I would rather see a city on foot than via a bus, so I was glad when we realized our mistake.

Picnic at Bondi Beach

Once we got to the beach there were people everywhere…surfers, families, business people taking a break from the office…its summer break so there were lots of kiddos running around and being, well, kiddos. Since it was about noon we decided to grab some “take away” fish and chips and head to the beach for a picnic.

After lunch we just laid on the beach like bums and I got in the water for a swim…the current was pretty heavy so it was really more like standing than swimming. Apparently, they were filming some sort of TV show or movie and one of the life guards kept yelling over his obnoxious loud speaker and startling the innocent bystanders as they passed by. (Update: I found out that this show is called Bondi Rescue and is a “reality” show about lifeguards at Bondi…and yes you can see it in America…check out your local listings)

Side note to all my professional camera peeps: how would you like this gig?

Bondi Rescue...and Action!

After we laid out in the sun like lobsters (yes, I know lobsters don’t lay in the sun but bare with me) I started to realize I might be turning into one… I had continued to reapply sunscreen all day but being that my genetic makeup is a mixed bag of Scottish, Irish, English, Swiss, German and I’m sure a few other things…one of them I wish was Swedish, I’m not really designed for the sun but more for overcast rainy days.

Typically, when I write these posts I have someone in mind as if I’m having a conversation with just them (or a few of you)…so today, in reference to the sunburn anecdote listed above, I can only think of one person…Squintini…properly known as Jenny S. Quint...if she were a martini she would be sweet and sour all in the same gulp…she has a heart of gold and is one of the kindest people I know but she can have one heck of a saucy little attitude that would make your face pucker if you mess with her or her friends in the wrong way. She is my kind of gal sweet but down to business. We’ve been friends since college and she was my roommate when we lived in Prague, CZ …which opens the flood gates for funny stories.

Anywho…

Several years ago I won a trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL at the annual Royals Associate Christmas Party and there is nobody else I would rather take than my gal pal Squint. This girl has been with me through thick & thin and she always has my back. She is the Bess to my Nancy Drew. Anyway, Jenny and I were going to be there for roughly five days. Lucky for her it rained the first three because when the sun cleared, we hit the beach for an all day roasting session. Again, being the most pale person I know, I wear sunscreen religiously and proudly…but not Squintini, who happens to be the second most pale person I know…no, no, this girl goes out into the blazing sun and refuses to put on any sort of protection even after my initial suggestions and a follow up comment of “You know Squint, you’re really starting to look bright pink”….she refused any such advice. She was cooking like a rotisserie chicken… you know that slow cook from the inside out and browning of the skin that ends up having a little bubbling effect which on pasty white skinned, blonde haired, Kansas girls is known as blisters. Let’s just say the next two days she was in complete agony. She could not move from the bed unless it was to take a freezing cold shower. I literally had to put aloe vera on her every half hour, including during the middle of the night. She was miserable. The flight home was even worse…it killed her to sit upright. I still laugh when I think about it…she sat down in the seat on our Midwest return flight and the foot rest fell and smacked the tops of her feet which were probably the most sun burnt part of her body… (sorry for laughing Squint, but you know it’s funny). Once we got home she had to go to the hospital and she found out she had second degree burns and couldn’t go to work for 3 more days. I guess we should have taken this episode a little more seriously while in Florida. Oooops. I’m pleased to say though she has recovered nicely and now wears sunscreen … religiously.

So, after witnessing my dear friend experience this little (actually big) mishap, I’m even more precautious about skin protection. Even with all the applications of sunscreen I put on yesterday I still got a little burnt…nothing like second degree burns but I’m definitely on my way to shedding my skin like a snake…gross.

Update: 11:20am

I made it to Bundaberg.

I also made a couple of friends along the way…ha… these poor saps operate the shuttle to and from the marina so I’m hitching a ride. Since I’m not a local they took me on the “special route” to show me the area where the kangaroo hang out…no such luck though, they must be hiding or on vacation like I am.

It’s about 11:20am and I’m at the Bundaberg Port Marina sitting in an outdoor café overlooking the docks…having my first Coca-Cola since I arrived a month ago.

It’s beautiful. The weather is perfect…warm and breezy and a little overcast. They say more rain is in the forecast and other than feeling sad for the farmers and those who have been flooded out of their homes… rain or no rain…I’m just happy to be experiencing all of this.

Credence Clearwater Revival just came on the radio playing “Who’ll Stop the Rain” no joke… hahaha… I think it’s a God Wink.

Ross and Katie should be here around 12:30pm and then we are meeting up with a few of their other friends for dinner, spend the night on the boat and head for the open water tomorrow morning.

Here is the website for the Aroona: http://www.aroonaluxuryboatcharters.com.au/

I think I’m going to start spouting out nautical terms such as… Port & Starboard, Bow & Stern, Ahoy and Aye, Aye Captain… and asking questions like “What’s She Draw?”

More updates to come. Cheerio!

Update: 11pm, same day

I’m tucked away in my cabin on the Aroona getting ready to sleep after a long day of traveling.

The Aroons is stunning.

Aroona

We are spending the first night at the harbor in Bundaberg. Ross, Katie, me and another guy named Paul will set sail for the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow at 6am.

When I arrived on the boat, lunch was ready to be served. They (the people who were on the boat that were being dropped off at Bundaberg) had caught some mackerel earlier in the day so we ate fresh fish…now I know where the phrase ‘holy mackerel’ comes from…this stuff was good and very fresh. After lunch the previous group headed out for the airport and Paul and his family came on board to hang out and help get the boat ready for our trip.

Paul and Ross have been mates for about 20 years but they haven’t seen each other in nine of those years so this is a little reunion for them. Paul and his family live near Bundaberg so Ross invited him to go with us. Paul’s wife Fiona is staying home with their two little ones but the whole family did get to hang out on the boat while it was docked at the harbour. Lovely family and again I made some new friends.

Since we are all a part of the crew, my first job was to vacuum the entire boat while Katie and Paul went to the grocery store to stock up on food for the next 8 or 9 days and Ross gassed up the boat and did some mechanical things. The boat has a central vacuum system which makes vacuuming a breeze…they have thought of everything for this boat.

It started to pour rain, again. Katie and Paul were just returning from the store and had at least 40 bags of goods. So they were running in the rain back and forth up the dock to bring the groceries down to the boat and pass them off to me and Ross…it was very funny… and then of course the rain let up about four minutes after everything was brought inside.

As we were putting away the groceries I looked inside a large blue bag in the sink…

We are having fresh crab for dinner…success!

We kind of made a deal… since Ross was a chef and Paul was a baker in their previous lives, they would cook as well as Katie and I would set the table and do the dishes…a pretty good deal if you ask me.