Day 3 - Sunshinning

Story Bridge, built in 1935

It is happening. I have started my road trip. Geographically, all of what I see now is new to me. Including the road trip itself. Alyson came to pick me up from Rodrigo's around 3 pm and we left around 3:30 pm after a chat, a glass of water and sort of explaining where we were off to next. The morning was uneventful, I actually worked a bit on my PhD and discussed few ideas around.

Our next stop was the Sunshine Coast. And within the Sunshine Coast, Pelican Waters which marks the start of this area. The Sunshine Coast stretches for about 60 km in Queensland. Pelican Waters is about 100 km north of Brisbane. The drive was good. Lots of catching up to do and although there was traffic, we were still going fast and steady.

I am thankful for GoogleMaps... on the phone. With the talking lady that tells you what to do in case you can't see the display. I am thankful because my sense of directions is dreadful, and whenever I was navigating, I had to turn the map to point it in the way we were going. A left turn, will mean a 90 degree rotation to the left too. I hate maps, well... not really, but... If I were to believe in hell, and if I were to go there, I will be set to fold maps for eternity... Folding maps and untying knows. Although undoing Christmas tree could also be fitted in my doom in hell...

After spending two days full of warm fuzzy feelings at Rodrigo and Sol's in Cleveland, we are now staying with my friends Lazaro and Valentina in Pelican Waters. Lazaro is from Cuba, Valentina is from Galapagos. Friends from 1995 onwards. They came to Perth first and now have settled in Sunny (or Sunshine Coast, Australians tend to shorten words). After the heartfelt hugs, fast flowing Spanish (for Alyson at least) we were greeted with one of my favourite foods on Earth. And one I cannot eat here. "Patacon con queso" - green plantain, mashed and fried topped with cheese. It was a mouthful of heaven... honestly. It is amazing how food brings back memories and feelings. And this one really brought back tons of them. In Darwin, we all crave for it. For 'bolones' which are balls of fried green plantain stuffed with cheese and deep fried. Healthy stuff, really... we all eat it (but my mom) and we are all a happy bunch...

We arrived in Pelican Waters and went straight to the surfing beach to pick up Claudio, Lazaro and Valentina's son. And yup... I could fall in love with Sunny too. Just as I did with Cleveland. Just what I probably would do with every place in this road trip.

Blue ocean, surfing waves, warm weather that invites staying outside and hanging around to watch the sunset. Babies frolicking in the water, surfers galore, that feel good atmosphere that you get in places that have a deep connection with the ocean. The one that you get when you follow your heart. I am thinking of Jack Johnson now. This song sets the soundtrack for Sunny. Perhaps for the entire road trip.

After a wonderful meal which included a bottle of fine Barossa bubbly and a nice bottle of wine, Valentina and I went to the pool. And we talked about the past, the present and the future. The now. The what ifs. Everything. Midnight hit and we actually got cold so we got out but not after me being thankful for this trip. For all this chance encounters. Chance because I could have said 'no' to not so indecent proposal and stayed home. Chance because life is that. Chances. Chances that you either take or not. I am so happy I am here.

[Firsts: I saw my first Eastern Grey Kangaroo - including a mom with a tiny joey (baby kangaroo) in its pouch... and a humongous male]