I make a lot of odd connections in this post. Perhaps it's a sign of my journey becoming... well... let's just say two months of touristing is enough. That does not mean I'm not going to take every opportunity I can to enjoy myself. Which leads us to these interconnected bits and bites.
Travelers luck touched me when I was invited to spend last weekend (Oct. 20 & 21) in the beach community near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
The pictures I took of the beach sucked, so here's a pic of the beach that I stole from a website:
Isn't it gorgeous? To the organization that owns the above photograph; you're linked and you're welcome!
Didn't swim there. In fact I have not been in the ocean yet. A book I read about Australia warned about all of the dangerous things in the water. Deadly things. Squiddy things that wrap their jelly tendrils around your legs and inject a poison into your body that is considered the most painful substance in the world.
(shivers)
I'll get myself in there at some point. I swam in Nova Scotia; if you can swim there you can swim anywhere.
My hosts were not only hosting me. Their expansive property is also home to a few hungry Kookaburra birds. These birds would fly up to the balcony railing and take any food proferred. They ram the food against the rail as if killing it, then eat it in one gulp.
You've probably heard of Kookaburras before in the children's song:
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be
The Kookburra song was written by Marion Sinclair for a Girl Guides of Victoria (Australia) contest way back in 1932.
Do you remember the song "I Come from the Land Down Under" by the Australian band Men at Work? Well, apparently, the flute portion of that song is so close to the tune of Kookaburra, the owners of the copyright took Men at Work to court. And they won. They won 40-50% of the royalties the song earned since it was written in the late 70's. That is, millions of dollars.
Thing is, the flute aspect of the song was an improvised portion done during recording. If you're interested in that kind of things, here's more on this very strange and sad Copyright Lawsuit.
"Python?" I asked, forcing a tight smile on my face.
"Yes, he lives in our attic," she said, as if this was perfectly normal. "He only comes out at night. Kills the mice."
"Oh," I said with a squeak, thinking I might stay up for a while... or perhaps I didn't need sleep at all. Stupid habit, really.
She noticed my distress and closed the door for me. We checked under the bed. I felt five years old again, looking for monsters.
There was no python under my bed. So why, as I read my book, did I hear the occasional slither?
We ran into five barefoot brides with their maiden entourages and the groom being dragged from here to there for photos. After bride number three, I told my hosts about my nine-bride day on The Rocks. I asked if they had any ideas for what you get when you see the 10th bride in one day. We all agreed: you get to go the reception! The question is then, do you get to choose the reception you go to?
Travelers luck touched me when I was invited to spend last weekend (Oct. 20 & 21) in the beach community near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
The pictures I took of the beach sucked, so here's a pic of the beach that I stole from a website:
Isn't it gorgeous? To the organization that owns the above photograph; you're linked and you're welcome!
Didn't swim there. In fact I have not been in the ocean yet. A book I read about Australia warned about all of the dangerous things in the water. Deadly things. Squiddy things that wrap their jelly tendrils around your legs and inject a poison into your body that is considered the most painful substance in the world.
(shivers)
I'll get myself in there at some point. I swam in Nova Scotia; if you can swim there you can swim anywhere.
My hosts were not only hosting me. Their expansive property is also home to a few hungry Kookaburra birds. These birds would fly up to the balcony railing and take any food proferred. They ram the food against the rail as if killing it, then eat it in one gulp.
You've probably heard of Kookaburras before in the children's song:
Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be
The Kookburra song was written by Marion Sinclair for a Girl Guides of Victoria (Australia) contest way back in 1932.
Where woman blow and men thunder
Okay, now we're going to get a bit complicated.Do you remember the song "I Come from the Land Down Under" by the Australian band Men at Work? Well, apparently, the flute portion of that song is so close to the tune of Kookaburra, the owners of the copyright took Men at Work to court. And they won. They won 40-50% of the royalties the song earned since it was written in the late 70's. That is, millions of dollars.
Thing is, the flute aspect of the song was an improvised portion done during recording. If you're interested in that kind of things, here's more on this very strange and sad Copyright Lawsuit.
Monsters under the bed?
My host looked in on me as I was preparing for bed Friday night. I asked if I should close the door to outside. She said, quite casually, "You can leave it open but you might get a visit from the python.""Python?" I asked, forcing a tight smile on my face.
"Yes, he lives in our attic," she said, as if this was perfectly normal. "He only comes out at night. Kills the mice."
"Oh," I said with a squeak, thinking I might stay up for a while... or perhaps I didn't need sleep at all. Stupid habit, really.
She noticed my distress and closed the door for me. We checked under the bed. I felt five years old again, looking for monsters.
There was no python under my bed. So why, as I read my book, did I hear the occasional slither?
Eumundi Market
On Saturday my hosts took me to the Eumundi Market. Eumundi, a small town near Noosa, is taken over by an outdoor market on Saturday and Wednesdays.
Wait a second! That paragraph does the place no justice at all!
You gotta understand: the entire town becomes a market! No guff. The streets are taken over by stalls E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E. There are food stalls, jewellery, silk scarves, essential oils and ginger beer stalls. People being massaged behind that curtain. A woman having her fortune told at that table over there. A woman being cartooned by an illustrator. Wow, he's good!
Every turn you take, another laneway of stalls opens up. Another assortment of beautiful earrings made from scrabble tiles or old typewriter keys, colourful bowls, carpets and clothing you wish could fit into a suitcase.
Christmas secret: I got my niece a present at this market. I'd show you a picture, but I'm pretty sure you'd let the secret out, and that would ruin it.
In the afternoon we headed out to Noosa Beach for a stroll along the shore.
We ran into five barefoot brides with their maiden entourages and the groom being dragged from here to there for photos. After bride number three, I told my hosts about my nine-bride day on The Rocks. I asked if they had any ideas for what you get when you see the 10th bride in one day. We all agreed: you get to go the reception! The question is then, do you get to choose the reception you go to?
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