Monday, November 5, 2007

Fraser Island and Surfers Paradise

I haven’t had the chance to blog much. We were out on Fraser Island, which was more about nature and sort of roughing it accommodations with no internet. Fraser Island is a big sand bar, which they say has more sand than the Sahara Desert. But it’s not just sand, although there are some impressive sand dunes. It has like 40 fresh water lakes, and the best of the best is Lake Mackenzie, which has that white silica sand and the most pure blue fresh water. You can swim in it since it’s a lake, and it’s the perfect temp. and it is really spectacular. And that white silica sand is really good for exfoliating and cleaning your jewelry because the sand grains are perfectly round. I brought all my sliver and cleaned everything in the sand. I could have spent the whole day there! There are no paved roads on Fraser Island, because they are preserving the ecosystem. (It is a world heritage site). So to get around you take these massive 4WD bus things and it is so bumpy and crazy, but also kinda fun.
Then the last few days we were in Surfers Paradise, which is just a little beach town that kinda reminded me of the central coast in California, except there were more night clubs. But just a bunch of little shops and cafes in the few blocks by the beach and a big nice long beach, perfect for strolling. My feet hurt from walking so far in the sand and I wonder if it’s that good kind of hurt, where like after a work out your sore, but you know it’s good for you, or if it’s bad for your feet to walk in the sand…??? Anyway, I didn’t do much in Surfers Paradise other than lounge on the beach, walk on the beach and do a little shopping and eating. We did go out to a night club but it was so lame. Lots of people but lame all the same. I miss my little scene back home. I think I’m spoiled by San Francisco.
Today I had to say goodbye to my mates that I’ve been traveling with for the last 2 weeks or so. It was pretty sad. I met 8 people who were super cool and we all got along really well and shared a lot of good laughs and good times. A lot of times when you are traveling you find your self hanging out with people that you would probably never hang out with at home just because of the circumstance. But these 8 (6 Brits, 1 east coaster and 1 Brazilian) were like the kind of people I would totally hang out with at home although they aren’t necessarily into the same things I’m into or just like me. But they are all down to earth, down for a good time and an adventure. They are all interesting and intelligent with something to contribute and I like that. I would gladly put them up in my house if they came to SF, which they all say they want to after hearing me talk about it and how great the bay area is.
Last night as we were all walking home from our sort of last night out together, one of the blokes (who is barely 26 and spent almost 5000 POUNDS to fly roundtrip to Sydney first class on Emirates because the previous year he had a horrible experience flying back from Africa in economy because he sat next to a guy who brought on a whole roast chicken on the bone and gobbled up the whole thing in the most unsightly manor so he swore off flying economy for life. HA!) Anyway he said, “You’re the coolest person I’ve met in a long time. I really appreciate your views on life. It’s like you’ve got things pretty well figured out.” It was such a sweet yet funny thing for him to say, seeing as how my life in such a disarray right and now and with so much sort of up in the air I feel so far from having everything “figured out”.
But I guess “figured out” doesn’t have to mean that everything is perfectly in place, it just means having some insight and perspective on your situation. Seeing potential in the chaos and having the ambition to get up everyday and make the most of it. And I guess I do have that. It definitely feels like I’m starting down a new path and at this point I feel oh so ready for it. Home in 3 days… yay!

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