Day 5 - doing mornings

I don’t do mornings. It’s sort of a fact. I have done them when I have to. But I don’t. If you know what I mean. But when sunrise is at 5:24, you just sort of have to, although I only got out of my tent by 7. The lovely meal at the amazing French restaurant in Hervey Bay led to a good night of sleep. One of those that you go to sleep content. I have had an amazing start of the year. I met lovely new people at a New Year’s party that I sort of gate crashed with a new old friend. I am doing my first long road trip with Alyson and I am now enjoying a cold beer in Yeppoon. We are at a camping and caravan site by the beach. I can hear the waves crashing and a fruit bat just flew by. Really, sleeping with a smile in my face was given, so it was easier to do an early morning.

Yeppoon, sunsetting... Photo: Alyson's

Also, I didn’t have much of a choice as the world was rumbling around me. I packed my sleeping bag and tent and had a lovely cup of hot chocolate. Finally, the weather allows me to enjoy it without breaking into profuse sweat. At midmorning we had a cappuccino and started our journey north. We were heading to Yeppoon under recommendation from Christian, the French chef with a beret. The drive was nice. I still ‘wowed’ to the endless farmland. I sneaked some photos while driving. Alyson gave me the look. And we ate lunch in Gin Gin. Where, despite the name we ate pies at the Travellers Rest Café. They won The 2015 Official Great Aussie Pie Competition. Gin Gin was like the other inland towns I have seen in this trip. Quaint in the sense that they look very much like others inland towns I had seen in this trip. Yet, they had something that made them unique. Their lovely square wooden houses. The wide roads with few cars. The manicured lawns and the funky post boxes. I will probably see plenty more on the way to Darwin. They will be similar and yet so different. And I will still ‘wow’ at them.

The five-hour drive went by very quickly when you have good company. With the soundtrack of my eclectic playlist (it goes from PeterGabriel to Twenty One Pilots to Willie Nelson to Rick Astley) we talked for hours-on-end. We confided. We gossiped. We laugh and grinned. We had some silence too when the soundtrack filled the still space. We were thankful that this was happening and let the soundtrack fill the silence, again. 

We stopped at Rockhampton to buy groceries, snacks and beer. The latter to my request. And we arrived at Yeppoon at 6 pm. The sun was setting and the dark-coloured sand had a bit of shine of the sunset in the far end of the beach. We went for a swim quite happily as we learned that there were no jelly fishes. Spaghetti bolognaise, one of the most homely-feel-good feeds ever for dinner and a long chat. Or ‘sobremesa’ as we would say in Spanish.

The night has settled in and it’s time to hit the sleeping bag.

Day 4 - camping with French cuisine

I woke up to the smell of coffee. Coffee, together with freshly baked bread and the smell of rain on dry ground (or petrichor) are my favourite smells. 

My nose led me upstairs where Valentina was busy in the kitchen. She presented me with ‘humitas’. Humitas are a typical food item from Ecuador made with fresh corn, eggs, and butter. Steamed. I have not eaten one for at least a year. But as if that would have not been enough to make my year, Valentina also made ‘bolones’. Bolones are one of the many things you can cook from green plantain – like the ‘patacones’ we had yesterday. Bolones are my favourite thing. My children love them and I got lots of grief when I sent them the photo. So, for breakfast we had humitas, bolones and Galapagos Coffee from our dear friends Scott and Maria Elena's farm in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. Talking about warm fuzzy feelings now… Alyson had gone to have breakfast with some friends, but diligently had some when she came back. Our food, plus us breaking into Spanish in the middle of a conversation, I think gave Alyson a crash course on Ecuadorian/Galapaguenian culture…

Noosa, QLD

We left Lazaro and Valentina’s around 11 am and headed to Noosa. Noosa is still in the Sunshine Coast and about 220 km north. A bustling little town full with backpackers, trendy shops, coffee shops in the pavement with all chairs facing the street – like a cinema – and an amazing blue ocean surrounded with greenery. We drove around for about 20 minutes trying to get a parking spot to go to ‘the’ beach. We settled for another one otherwise we would have driven around and around and around. ‘Sunset Beach’ was in the exposed side of Noosa. Lots of waves, lots of people with very little sun protection, and plenty of life guards with jet skis, buoys on yellow and red uniforms. We had a lovely swim. Under the waves, over the waves, in the waves. We waved good bye to Noosa with and ice cream and headed north again.

The drive north was beautiful. Alyson kept looking at me funny every time I ‘wowed’ at the views or tried to sneak a photo while driving. Green farmland with brown cows and white horses. Hay balls and barns. Tractors. Few people around. It was koala country, but I could not see any. I changed the music to fit the scenery: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, BuffaloSpringfield; you get the idea. We sang along too and we arrived in Hervey Bay.

Photo: Alyson's

We found a caravan park facing the sea where tents were set, sleeping bags were unrolled and camping chairs were put up. The wind was howling, which although helped keeping the mosquitoes and sand flies at bay, after a while it got annoying. We are back to basics now. Unless a fancy French restaurant is directly opposite to our campsite. So we dined on scargots, Kilpatrick oysters, filet mignon and lamb cutlets. Profiteroles for dessert. An amazing bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough Valley in New Zealand set the scene for one of the most memorable meals I have had in a while. We met the chef – Christian, an eccentric and gentle French man wearing a beret. We met his wife and his 2000 cc motorbike. The bike was happier to have met us. We exchanged stories and crossed the street back to reality. 

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]

Day 2 - lost love

Today I rekindled my love to the ocean. To the love of feeling the ocean wrap around you. That feeling that makes you feel small yet part of something big and meaninful. That part of Earth that made me become a biologist at first. A marine biologist later. And what a lovely feeling it was.

We left on Rodrigo's boat around 10 am. I was in charge of packing a picnic for a few hours out in the open for four people. And I was reponsible to take a hat, a rash guard and sun block for myself. And more sunblock just in case. I have no interest of winning the Miss Hawaiian Tropic tan contest. Tanning is no longer cool. Back in 1995, when I was becoming a marine biologist, it would be often that Rodrigo would just pull us out, at the end of the day, to go for a boat ride. Sometimes we will fish along the way and then sushi afterwards. Sometimes it was just a unwinding trip around the bay. Today we unwinded in Moreton Bay. The sea was blue. The blue you see in those photos advertising Australia. The ones you think are photoshopped. They are not. The sea is actually that blue. No filters needed. But a good camera is.

Photo taken with zoom on a shitty phone 

We stopped in Moreton Island and went snorkeling. "Oh what a feeling" Irene Cara would say. Seagrasses meadows. Sand banks. Sea cucumbers. Tons of them. At least four different species. My original love interest as a marine biologist. You know, those very glamorous and sexy marine creatures that everyone loves. I got to personally meet some of the species I had only seen in photos despite having worked on them for few years. And I remembered those good old years. Those wonderful people that I got to meet and call them friends and colleagues. Good memories, definitely.

The couple of hours outing became a full day adventure where my picnic of fruits and water was overlooked. Chips and Twisties were yummier. On the way back we stopped in a sandbank that had a big colony of (flying) cormorants all facing the sun. Maybe they were keen on winning the tanning competition. Pablo (the 9 year old brother to the 21 year old son that I told you about yesterday) decided that sand should actually be called 'sands' as it is not a single sand. But lots of them. We decided we were going to suggest that to the Oxford Dictionary.

And the to finish off a fantastic day, we had dinner with friends that also go a long way ago. 1998 to be exact. Jenni and Ale moved back to Australia in 2001 but I saw them one year ago just before they moved to Vanuatu. Now they are back and are next suburb down neighbours with Rodrigo and Sol. After they left I marveled myself watching "House of the Flying Daggers". One of the most aestheticly pleasant movies I have seen in a while. You eyes dance trying to grasp all the details and colours. The attention to detail in the lighting, the composition and the scenery. And if you are not caught in that, you can always wonder about the martial arts, the aerial fights and the beautiful characters.

Two amazing days down. Lots of first times, lots of fun. Life is good...

Day 1 - the not so indecent proposal

It all started with a message. Simple and unexpected. An invitation for a road trip. Like a long version of a girls night out but with many starry nights, wonderful talks and views and music. And lots of driving. Alyson had started her journey on December 5th and she needed company for the last leg. With Tom and the kids in South Africa it was doable. I just needed someone to look after Sombra. 

Living in Australia, a road trip means distance. Great distances. When home is Darwin, you just know that everything is far away. The Top End, really means that. The Top End. There is lot of 'in-betweness' with us and them. This was a 3,822 km road trip according to GoogleMaps. A trip to explore an area of Australia I never thought I would get to see. We would be departing Brisbane in Queensland on January 13th and arriving back in Darwin sometime around the 22nd. We would be driving through tropical rainforests, white sandy beaches that are gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and a part of the great Outback. Camping along the way in the vastness of the inland area, full of stars and silence. But the rumble of road trains. It took me about 24 hours to say yes. 

I decided the trip will be back to basics. For quite a while now, a two-day trip would involve a full suicase with lots of 'just in case' stuff .Everthing but the kitchen sink. This trip would be different. One 2-day backpack with a sample of clothes. It included feel good tops, comfy shoes and jeans. My camera, the computer, and a simple first aid kit. 

I am in Brisbane now. I landed early morning and had a nap in the airport. After all 'sleeping' in planes is sort of a contradiction. Unless you have three seats for yourself. You also have the peace of mind knowing that your backbacks will not dissapear while you sleep. I woke up around 7 am, went for a coffee and walked to the train station to traverse from the airport to south of Brisbane and go to Cleveland to stay with Rodrigo and Sol. Rodrigo was the head of the Marine Biology lab back in 1995 in Galapagos. Sol was who introduced me to wonderful books and kept my love for books alive while living somewhere that lacked bookstores.The last time I saw them was in 2001, they only had one son who was six at the time... he is now 21 and has a little brother who is 9.

In Brisbane Central train Station I had to wait for about half an hour for the train to take me to Cleveland. I was rather impressed with how clean the train station was. No rubbish and no rubbish bins. Australia is a land of colour. While sitting with my backpacks I saw people of all colours and walks of life. Suits, skirts, sandals, shorts. Young, old, middle age and unborn. Sober, serious, laughing and crying. And him. 

For thirty minutes he read. The rustle and the bustle around him, the trains, the swift passing of fellow commuters, the sounds, smells and sights did not distract him from his reading.  It gave me a happy moment to see a book in our electronic lives. Everyone else had a digital device and were connected somewhere else. He was there. Right across the train line, leaning on a pillar and standing nonchalantly immerse in a world only he understood. He was present in his own absence. I watched him for about 20 minutes. Then I got the camera out and connected myself to a mission of trying to capture this moment. To have a Kodak moment of what life used to be in a train station with long waits. 

Now at Rodrigo and Sol we have remembered and relived memories from back in time. We remembered good friends. We talked about the past, the present and the future. We ate a wonderful meal and had a cold beer while the cats brushed against my legs and pretended to find me useful. 

I saw my first (wild) koala and laughing kookaburra. As I have said before, I love my first times (para quienes quieran ir mas allá en esto de mi primera vez...)

It was a good first day... may all the rest be filled with similar happy warm fuzzy feelings and lots of first times...

[This entry has been edited from the original post at midnight...]

la andarina de Cuenca

El 26 de junio – durante la huasipichana – se armó un equipo de deportistas. Así sin más, entre cervezas y papas fritas. Era como si hubiéramos estado esperando a que alguien sugiera para decir al unísono Yes! El 2 de agosto participaríamos en el Katherine Ultra Challenge. Eran ‘solo’ 100 km en un día. Mark haría el nado de 3.2 km; Jurgen 11.5 km corriendo a campo traviesa; Mike 25 km en bicicleta de montaña; Tom en kayak 11.5; Jurgen (nuevamente) 40 km en bicicleta de ruta y yo – cerrando con broche de oro – 10 km en la ciudad.

Cuando estaba en la primaria y el ciclo básico, hice atletismo. Pero nunca carreras de fondo, solo velocidad: 80 metros planos, 100 metros planos, vallas. Una vuelta en la pista del estadio era suficiente para quedar rendida. Luego el año pasado entrené para la Huarmis en Cuenca pero a la final no la hice. Y ahora, de una, de golpe y porrazo me lanzaba a hacer 10K. Y encima al ser la que cerraba el trabajo en equipo, de quien dependía el tiempo final. Entrené entre 2-3 veces por semana desde el 26 de junio y para el 2 de agosto solo sé que iba a hacer lo mejor que podía.

El 1 de agosto viajamos a Katherine, 316 km al SE de Darwin. Katherine es la cuarta ciudad más grande del Territorio del Norte con aproximadamente 6,000 habitantes. Los primeros habitantes fueron aborígenes australianos de las nacionalidades Dagaman, Jaowyn y Wardaman. Hasta ahora sigue siendo un lugar importante para las reuniones tradicionales de los custodios originales de estas tierras. Al igual que el resto del Territorio del Norte es bastante caluroso, seco en la época seca (ahora) y muy mojado en la época de lluvia. El rio Katherine está en un cañón de más de 18 m de profundidad que se llena en la época de lluvia. Muchas casas de Katherine están construidas en zancos, para evitar daños por inundaciones.

En el camino, paramos en Adelaide River – a 113 km al SE de Darwin con sus custodios originales las nacionalidades Kungarrakan y Awarai. Un pueblito de carretera con cerca de 240 personas con lo básico: hotel, pub, oficina de correos y una historia fascinante. Luego del bombardeo de Japon a Darwin el 19 de febrero de 1942, Adelaide River se convirtió en el lugar de descanso de las tropas aliadas en su camino hasta Darwin, o de regreso de Darwin. Fue bombardeada temprano en la mañana del 12 de noviembre de 1942. El último bombardeo de Japón en el Territorio del Norte.  

El kayak iba encima de Phileas (nuestro Ford Falcon 1999) y el equipo de camping básico para el viaje de dos días en la cajuela. El atardecer, como todos los que he visto hasta ahora fue espectacular y luego de una cena rica en carbohidratos fuimos  a dormir antes de las 10 pm.

Al amanecer del domingo Mark y Jurgen salieron temprano. Antes que salga el sol. Mark nadó. Jurgen corrió. Los cálculos de Mandy – nuestra coordinadora – daban que con los tiempos reales estaríamos terminando todo para las 3 pm. Mike bicicleteó. Tom kayakeó en el rio Katherine. Aguas abajo y aguas arriba. Jurgen recibía la posta y a las 13h30 del domingo, con una sensación térmica de 30^oC empecé mis 10K. Corrí, troté, caminé. Corrí, troté, caminé. Corrí, troté, caminé. Tom me siguió todo el camino como mi aguatero personal. Un bolso con agua, mandarinas y gatorade. Corrí creo que unos 7K, caminé el resto. Me cociné todo el tiempo.

Faltando como 200 m para la línea de llegada (bueno hubiera sido que sea GO para colectar $200) estaban mis compañeros de equipo quienes corrieron conmigo (¡dos sin zapatos!) esos 200 m finales. No creo que la carrera (/caminata) de 10K me haga adicta al deporte, pero creo que fácilmente me podría hacer adicta al sentimiento de cruzar la meta. Al oír a toda esa gente sonreída alentándome y congratulándome. Ahora entiendo por qué los corredores levantan los brazos al cruzar la meta. Y al final, una coca cola bien helada. Luego una cerveza con los panas. Eran las 14h40.

El atardecer del domingo fue igual de espectacular que el del sábado. Diferente, pero igual en lo majestuoso. La cena llena de camaradería, de sonrisas, de felicitaciones y anécdotas. Ellos se quedaron, mis piernas y yo fuimos a dormir a las 20h45. Bum, como piedra.

El lunes era feriado y de regreso paramos en Edith Falls dentro del Parque Nacional Nitmiluk. Un lago de agua dulce grande (y eso que es la época seca) y una cascada al final. Eucaliptos, acacias, pastos. Propios de climas secos. Y en el lago pececitos y pecesotes. Papamoscas de mil colores y “darters” (según Wikipedia estos pájaros se llaman aves serpiente, marbellas o patos aguja) y un ambiente de paz y tranquilidad. El agua, helada.

Fuente: http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/

De regreso a Darwin paramos nuevamente en Adelaide River, pero esta vez en el Inn. Adelaide River Inn, que alberga a Charlie – el búfalo de Cocodrilo Dundee. Para quienes nacieron recientemente, Cocodrilo Dundee es una comedia australiana de 1986 ubicada en el Territorio del Norte y que tiene como protagonista a Cocodrilo Dundee, un duro del ‘Outback’ australiano, quién entre sus múltiples hazañas domina a un búfalo asiático solo usando dos dedos. Este búfalo ‘dominado’ está en el Inn. Junto con una colección de cervezas de barril, cerveza en botella y ‘pub grub’ para los motoristas cansados.

Hoy es miércoles, todavía me duelen los músculos de las piernas. Los de la espinilla, para ser más concretos. Muero de hambre permanentemente y todavía estoy cansada, pero ya estamos haciendo plan para participar en el Katherine Ultra Challenge del 2016…

de huasipichana

el 27 de marzo nos mudamos a nuestra casa. nuestra por arrendada, no por nada más. tiene cuatro dormitorios, un estudio chiquito, un baño completo y lavandería. un jardín grande con césped y palmeras y árboles flanqueando los vecinos. es en un cul-de-sac o cuchara así que el tráfico es limitado y bastante especi\ífico. carro que viene, viene a una de las cinco casas, a excepción de los carros de servicio público

cuarto de Theo

nosotros aportamos nuestras nueve maletas a la casa vacía. bueno no 'tan' vacía, tiene microondas, cocina eléctrica y horno. todos del año de la chispa, pero funcionales, si bien bastante temperamentales. tiene también aires acondicionados en todas las habitaciones y áreas sociales. los dormitorios fueron equipados con lo que trajimos en las nueve maletas - sábanas, colchas, peluches - y el resto con ayuda de ventas de garage, gumtree.com (sitio para venta de cosas usadas) y panas generosos logramos amoblar la casa y hacerla habitable.  todo esto gracias a los 'fondos de dotación' (lo que ahorramos en Ecuador base a ventas de garage, fondos de reserva, regalos) hicieron que poco a poco vayamos haciendo de la casa, nuestro hogar por los próximos cuatro años



intentamos hacer una huasipichana varias veces (house warming en australiano) pero nunca con el empeño necesario. hasta que por fin lo hicimos este viernes pasado (26 de junio). lo mejor de todo es que acá no es complicado. y eso que precio que mi vida no es complicada. se invita a la gente con sus bebidas, y por todo concepto de comida servimos un 'sausage sizzle' o snags. una salchicha de carne de res servido en una rodaja de pan cortado con cebollas asadas en la misma parrilla que las salchichas. compré también hamburguesas vegetarianas (hechas de lentejas!) y ya. no hubieron platos, cubiertos ni vasos. a lo mucho servilletas. y todos contentos.

comimos rico y sin delirios de grandeza, tomamos vino, cerveza y ron Bacardi y conversamos... Tom sacó su cerveza artesanal, una cerveza amarga con extra malta. sentados en la mesa del patio, a falta de sillas usamos pacas de heno y jabas de cerveza... y todo bien. el heno se usa para poner encima de las plantas del jardín exterior para crear como un colchón de vegetación que retenga la humedad y permita que las plantas sobrevivan con menor cuidado y riego la época seca. la época seca acá en Darwin inicia extraoficialmente en mayo y se prolonga hasta octubre. no llueve. nada. o casi nada. pero en octubre, la época del 'build up' inicia y ahí si tendremos aguas para regalar.

ahora nuestra casa ya esta más abrigada gracias a los panas presentes, a los regalos tangibles e intangibles recibidos y al calor de hogar propio de los Poulsom Toral. estamos bien, tenemos comida, bebida, abrigo, un techo sobre nuestras cabezas y amigos... que mas se puede necesitar?

los ausentes... solo eso...