Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Brisbane, and the realization it's almost over

I`m having a bit of an episode... I`ve been traveling for 75 days and even though I still have another 14 to go, it`s really starting to hit me. I`m leaving Australia and going home - how can that be?! You get so used to a certain way of life and now, thinking about who I was when I arrived for New Years, I can`t believe all that`s happened and how I`ve changed.

I`m staring out at a beautiful urban landscape as I type this. I`m at my Canadian friend Felix`s place on the outskirts of Brisbane and his back deck overlooks a giant valley dotted with tropical houses and palm trees. It really is surreal for this Canadian girl. I`ve been staying at Felix`s for 2 days so far and leave tomorrow A.M. for Sydney. I`m happy I decided to finish the Australian part of the trip in Brisbane with friends. But it`s not over yet.

HAWAII HERE I COME! I can`t wait to see Kates in Vancouver, have a few days there with her where we`ll go visit our Papa on Vancouver Island, then fly to Hawaii with Mum and Kates for 10 days of relaxing on a beach. Can life get any better? Not that I haven`t had enough relaxing on the beach. Yesterday, armed with my Australian Open towel and a bottle of SPF15, I made my way over to Brisbane`s South Bank beach, a manmade watering hole where everyone seemed to be sun-worshiping. Perhaps this is because the weather here has been bad, save for yesterday when we all had a taste of sunshine. I spent several hours outside in the sun enjoying its strength, knowing I had to take it in before leaving Australia. I don`t think I`ll have another chance to sit on a beach before I fly out Friday morning (it`s Wednesday here right now).

Two days ago, after I left you off at the Koala Sanctuary, I went back to my hostel and got my bags, then decided to walk to Felix`s. It was only about a 15 minute walk from the hostel and, determined not to cab it, I threw my backpack on my back `Valderie, Valderahhh` and started walking. Brisbane is a very twisty-turny place. Within 5 minutes of walking I`d realized I`d taken a wrong turn. Add to this a ginormous pack, 30 degree heat, and full-on rush hour traffic and I was providing much needed entertainment for the rat race battling the afternoon roads.

At one point some older guy in his car noticed I`d taken a wrong turn onto a sidewalk that was ending and shouted out from his window `You`re a long way from Canada, eh?` He either saw the Canadian flag on my pack or just assumed I was Canadian thanks to my lack of direction. That set me off laughing pretty hard. From then on I was getting friendly, supportive honks, waves and shouts from other drivers as I tried to make my way back in the right direction.

45 minutes later I arrived at Felix`s and we had some much needed beer as we recapped what`s been going on. Felix is a close friend of Nina`s, the amazing Nina who helped me book my trip, and she`d put me in touch with him. He`s currently on a school exchange here from Montreal and is studying Business at a local uni in town. He`s only 20 but the age gap barely shows - maybe it`s because I`ve become more laid back since leaving Canada - haha. It`s so great to know people where you go and I`ve said this before but I`m really lucky to have had so many friends to stay with while on this voyage.

So here we are. Today I`m chilling and catching up on my internet time before heading out to meet my cousin, Teresa`s, friend Angela - another great connection! Then it`s Uber bar later on tonight and I`m debating whether to go, since I have to wake up tomorrow at 6am to catch my Sydney flight. Think of me at 8pm on Thursday night (that`s Toronto time) where I`ll be sitting on my plane to Vancouver. No, seriously, think of me. All the customs, security checks, and ground travel to and from the airport will be done! It will be so weird to leave and let the realization sink in that it`s all over. I`ll have 14 hours on a plane to think about it - yikes. So this may be my last blog from Australia. If I can get to a computer tomorrow or in the airport on Friday morning I will write again. Thanks for being a regular reader and I`ll be coming at you next live from Maui.

Thanks, Australia, for such a great time. I'll undoubtedly be back, maybe next year, maybe in a few years, but I'll be returning soon because I love it there and can't imagine a better place.

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