Home

And so ….

"Well!" thundered Odysseus, "There you are!  How's it going, Mate?  Where have you and the blonde woman been?  Penelope and I are headed back home.  We've had about enough of the magic down here.  Need to tramp new paths, dig deeper holes, inhale fresh air on new continents.  We lost track of you and the blonde woman.  Just could not recognize you amongst the Kiwi's.  There were times I needed ol' Sir Lackluster at my side.  Your old ability to maintain the middle road, to prevent early commitment, and to comply to all the rules may have avoided some of our indiscretions.  But, you seem to have lost those traits.  You failed to reel me in.   Your muffled timidity disappears.  The grey and brown suit jackets became bush green and ocean blue outdoor gear.  Your little box of assumptions fell apart.  You may have become a little more interesting, but I now question your dependability.  And, it is time to go home."

"Not sure about that," said the doctor. "I like it here.  Like the people.  Like the climate.  Like the terrain, and most everything."

"No, no!" roared Odysseus, cheeks flushed and face laden with indignation.  "You signed with me for one year.  One year!  I am finding your stubbornness intolerable."  Odysseus regrouped his thoughts and continued, "Sure, you needed an original look at the world.  And, yes, you 'expanded those horizons' and 'stepped outside your comfort zone', but it is over.  I need you back.  Two Id's can not occupy this epic yarn.  We need a Superego, and you are the man."

"Not interested, anymore.  I like it here."

"What?  Consider my history.  Been roaming the world since the beginning of Western literature.  Had my crisis and climax.  Not about to change.  You currently struggle through each new chapter.  You had been a responsible guy, a father, a boy scout, a man with a schedule.  Yes, you were stiff, naive, and provincial.  No, we did not expect a complete new man from you.  Come on, mate, you need to reconsider."

"Sorry, Odysseus." said the doctor, "It is simply a box of fluffy ducks down here and I like it."

"Oh, sure.  Realize," Odysseus continued, "the blonde woman has met characters in New Zealand promising to travel the world with her.  They are a bunch of hard cases leading her out into the wop-wops.  She needs direction.  Poor thing.  She wanders from social event to social event smiling like someone on a wine holiday.  You will create a Siren if she stays in New Zealand.  Get her back home and choc-a-block her days with her friends.  Otherwise, she will be up the boohai shooting pukeko's with a longhandled shovel."

"Is that so bad?"

"Bad! You are the one that is the goner.  My destiny is fun and glory, not the Director of Respectable Behaviors.  This conversation has carked it.  Fortunately, I have an ace in my pocket of persuasion.  Here, gaze at this picture.  She is your grand-daughter."

"What?"

"Yes."

"She is beautiful!"

"Yes." confirmed Odysseus.

"She needs grandparents!  Two sets!  Grandmothers to hold her.  Grandmothers to teach her what it means to belong to something bigger than themselves and to show her what it feels like to be loved deep into her family!  She needs grandfathers to help encourage endeavors, repair broken things, and laugh.  To tell stories and create dreams!  That is it!  New Zealand gave me more stories and dreams to pass on!  A deeper sense of the connectivity of man!  Extended family under the equator!  People to make the stories and legends blend together.

"Yes, yes!"

"What's her name?"

"Willa Jane."

"Ahh….brilliant!"

"Well?" queried Odysseus for the final time.

The doctor rose from the dark blue dusty sofa and re-examined his 61 year old carcass in the hall mirror.  "Let's go home.  New Zealand helped prepare us to be better grandparents.  The value of the past year becomes that not anticipated.  Odysseus, prepare for the journey…rattle your dags!"

Australia, Part 2

Australian gum trees along Queensland coast highway

After a flight to Sydney, a flight to Cairns in northern Queensland, a rental car, and a GPS, 1750 km of Queensland coastline received "a good look".  Visits to Daintree rain forest, Daintree River Cruise, Port Douglas, Kuranda Scenic Railway, Great Barrier Reef, Mission Beach, Townsville, Airlie Beach, Whitsundays Islands, Bundaburg Rum Distillery, Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, Noosa, Great Australian Zoo, and Brisbane completed the two week life as an Aussie .  All points deserve closer description, but that results in a book.
     Accustomed to the frequent bursts of awe exploring New Zealand's magnificence,  Australian countryside seemed to extend through billions of gum trees.  Eucalyptus trees.  Everywhere.

Airlie Beach area

The drive seemed similar to the Western USA with the beauty noted within slight deviations of uniformity.
And then arrival to some place like Airlie Beach.  Eucalyptus trees accentuate these views simply by not being there.  Traveling down the coast involves interruptions of splendor.

Whitsundays

 Splendor at Whitsundays Islands.

Returning after whale watching

 Splendor at an evening ride from Airlie Beach.

The Tail of a Whale

Hervey Bay.  A whale resort stop for whales on their way to warm waters, a little rest and relax, and attempts to fulfill nature's callings.  Frolicking in the coastal waters along the Australian shores, the whales generate another tourist industry.

Friend from the deep

This guy (girl?) provided considerable interaction with the boat.  She dove underneath, lifted her head to examine the passengers, performed headstands and somersaults.  She understood her role in the entertainment business.  Multiple excursions occur daily in search of the whale watching phenomena.

Back on the road

Bundaburg Rum Distillery

 Bundaberg, Queensland in the midst of sugar cane fields found a means to use the sugar by-products.  Rum.  An afternoon tour of the distillery also provided an opportunity for carry-outs.

Steve Irvin's Australian Zoo

Further down the road the doctor and blonde woman located another nugget.  The Great Australian Zoo, founded and managed by Steve Irwin and his family, displays the country's array of storybook life forms.  Crocodiles star in many of the Zoo's attractions.  After nearly completing the length of Queensland, a live kangaroo escaped the diligent eyes.  The Zoo, of course, allowed the kangaroo experience, somewhat less realistic, but closer than expected.

Wombat looking for a nap

The blonde woman momentarily disappeared.  No where to be found.  The doctor frantically ransacked the grounds.  She found a few liked minded girls to rub ears and share stories.

Found by Roo

Looking for the lost blonde woman

Emu looking for a friend

Sometimes one just needs some company.
This Emu did not wish the visitors to leave
as she followed along the path.  Lonely.

From the Zoo, the travel path continued on down to the final destination of Brisbane.  A lovely city by the Queensland coast in the southern part of the province.  Architecturally vibrant and a fitting location to complete the Australian excursion.  A Cirque show, the Botanical gardens, the river tour, outdoor music options, early spring flowers, and, once again, tasting delights maintained the educational pace.  Brisbane transformed into an international city over the past thirty years from what local historians termed a cow town.  A young Chinese woman explained that she worked in a graphics design firm, hoping to stay in Brisbane for the near future, as she directed the older couple through the city streets.  The couple explained to her that they have two eligible sons.

Brisbane River front

Portions of Brisbane city center from the bridge

Brisbane City walkways

Botanical garden

Willa Jane flower

Under the tree of wisdom

Loitering through the streets, gardens, and walkways of Brisbane brings more smiles, and more ah's.  Both Cheryl and Tom spent as much time as possible under the tree of wisdom.













The Australian voyage came to a close for the doctor and blonde woman under the equator.  They returned to New Zealand to complete the peek.  Australia needs further evaluation.  One could easily stay years.  World visitors and local Aussies amplified the wonders.

Love you, Willa

Love you, Family

Love you, Blonde Woman.  35 years of exploring life!

Australia, Part 1

Welcome to Australia, Mate

In New Zealand, "terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad days" do not seem to exist.  Nevertheless, the doctor and blonde woman "moved" to Australia for two weeks.  To have a look around.  And expand the Southern Hemisphere experience.

Australia---a big place, mate.  Geographically, the world's sixth largest.  Too big to experience in just two weeks.

First stop: Sydney.  Sydney contains 4.6 million (Boston metropolitan) multicultural Australasians living by the beaches, bays, arts, culture, and happenings.  The city center received three days of scrutiny by the blonde woman and her partner.  City tramping and blisters to show.

Sydney Opera House

Guiseppo Verdi's "Rigoletto" offered the two an opportunity to witness the Sydney Opera House.  Thought to be licentious at the Venice premiere in 1851, "Rigoletto" displays men in tight pants and women with plunging cleavage past the points of no return.  The doctor dutifully listened to the classic art form, but concluded the Washington Pavillion surpassed the Opera House for acoustics.  The blonde woman maintained her faith in the operatic voice as an expression of the human spirit.

Town Hall

Queen Victoria Building

Designer macaroon display

Walk, walk, walk.  To the Hyde Park, to the QueenVictoria Building, to the Manly Island ferry and then to Manly Island.  The bus to Bondi Beach with stops at coffee shops and seaside restaurants.  Good things to eat directed the travelers as efficiently as traffic signals.  Architecture from the 1800's as demonstrated by the Town Hall intermingles with the 21st century's new projects.  The short visit to Sydney left a more intense curiosity to return.  Not all the macaroons tried, not all the venues seen.

Celebrating new life

Then, off to Cairns.  While awaiting a flight in Sydney's airport, the blonde woman raced around to establish internet connection.   She arrived!  A granddaughter.  Another chapter.  A celebration of life aboard the plane.  Happy, very happy.
   Cairns sits along the northern Queensland coastline at about 17 degrees South.  The temperature dialed up.  A world of tropical forests, crocodiles, multiple birds and brilliant white-sand beaches opened.  Supper on the grill included crocodile meat, emu, kangaroo, and the favorite fish, barramundi.  Meals shared with fellow travelers from the USA, England, France, Italy, Brazil, and many others.

Walmart greeter at Daintree River Ride

Little Egret

Cassowary

Forest excursions imitated the sense of original exploration.  The wildlife assisted the ruse within the national parks and protected areas.  Cameras and field glasses traveled every site often with perceptive clarity.

Orange breasted Kingfisher 

Why make the effort to uncover Australia's intimate wonders?  The Great Barrier Reef.  In fact, considered one of the world's seven natural wonders, the Reef extends along the Queensland coast variable distances from the mainland.  Near Cairns and Port Douglas the Reef is relatively close.  The Australian trip mandated a visit to the natural beauty.  Swimsuits.  Sunscreen.  Dark glasses.  And a well equipped fast double-hauled sea-worthy vessel stuffed with good food and equipment for Reef exploration.  With overcast skies, the vessel churned the Coral Sea toward the Reef carrying the blonde woman and doctor toward another glory.  After about 90 minutes of searching for the destination and dodging rain clouds, the anchor dropped.  Fitted with snorkeling gear and wet suits, the twosome morphed into aquaman and aquagirl.  They eased from the stern into the aquamarine Coral Sea and met an underwater biologic cornucopia.  One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, big fish, wee fish ...

Portion of Great Barrier Reef

Aquagirl

Aquagirl has arrived at the Great Barrier and is taking names of fish and whatever else crosses her path.  She glides through the silky water supported by her blue foam personal floatation device.

Aquagirl's suitor, not actually at Reef

Copperband Butterfly fish

Giant clam

Passer-by wrasse

Coral display

Coral skeletons provided a trip to the ocean's equivalent modern art museum.  Living polyps survive in colonies organized like patches of shaggy rugs across the sea floor.  Exploration of three separate areas of the Reef required four hours with goggles on.  Aquaman and Aquagirl reappeared, chilled and overstimulated.  The Great Barrier Reef now witnessed.






Along the Queensland coastline extensive beaches buffer the rain forest from the Coral Sea.  The Australian beach investigation began at Thornton Beach near Daintree in the northernmost Queensland region.  Other beaches sequentially down the coast included Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, Mission Beach near Tully, Airlie Beach and Whitehaven Beach at the Whitsundays, Hervey Bay, Seventy Five Mile Beach on Frazer Island, and Sunshine Beach at Noosa.  Whitehaven ranks among the top five beaches in the world according to beach judges (who has that job?).

Mission Beach 

Here is a volunteer to be a world beach judge.  She specializes in toe dipping and sauntering through soft sand.

Typical Beach-Forest relationship

Mission Beach may have been the best sun day.  Tom and Cheryl had reserved this beach months ahead or so it would seem.

Cheryl loitering on Mission Beach

Only to have had access to the catamaran!  What is on that island?  What is down the beach another mile?  One experience leads to the next.

Overview of Whitehaven Beach at Whitsundays

Whitehaven

Whitsundays

 Whitehaven Beach is accessible by boat, seaplane, helicopter, or a very long swim.  All will cost something.  The beach sand is intensely white.  Marine biologists explain that the silica is the by-product of the parrotfish's digestive process---billions of parrotfish over millions of years.  Big piles of by-product.

White sand of Whitehaven

More sand loiters 

Whitehaven beach stretches along the southeastern aspect of the Whitsundays.  It is an Australian National Park.  A short hike to a viewing platform allows views like this.













The amazing white sand brought to this place by the currents and winds compliments of the parrotfish.









Tom and Cheryl worked at swishing the perfect amount of sand.  In fact, many representatives from the world did the same.  Met the usual United Kingdom person, and always the Germans, as well as a young Belarus woman.

Driving the beach at Fraser Island

Fraser Island nestles up to Hervey Bay with a reputation of the largest sand box island in the world.  It is designated a World Heritage listed location and another Australian National Park.  4WD vehicles haul visitors on a jolting drive through the paths in the forest and along the beaches.  Crystal lakes hide amongst the dunes and trees.  The fine sand cleans old skin and coins.  Mostly old skin.

And then the sun sets on Fraser Island

The Australian trip continued down the Queensland coast with journeys into adjacent areas of interest.