we finally get on the plane... and no trouble.. we are not sent back to australia .. which at this point we feel it is too expensive... gas 8$ gallon and vans expensive to rent and the country is so darn big... so off we go to another expensive place but at least it's smaller and we don't have to travel far or rent a car... it all seems good... except we find that japan does get hot.. not a little bit hot.. alot hot... so hot that people wear wet rags on their head... and carry umbrellas during the day and the women wear long gloves... just my kind of climate... right...
we arrive in osako.. steamy, bustling night... the hotel that we thought we had was cancelled at the last minute.. we need room... this story has been written... under... something like... i am not a hero.... so let's move on.. just to let you know that osaka very crowded.. all the businessmen out after work heading to happy hour.. they were very happy... the little bars they frequented were air conditioned.. i stuck my head inside one... through plastic strips that are usually in meat markets... it kept the hot air out... enough to make it comfortable.. all the bars looked inviting... crowded, dark, full of chatter and laughter... some were off down hallways and into these secret little spaces... we heard that osaka is known for its nightlife .. it is more gritty than other cities in japan... industrial...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
last day , wild night...
Woke up early and headed out right away.. wanted to see uliru at sunrise... went to the sunset viewing park cause it would be empty... cloudy sky,, good for pictures.. we were the only ones there... lot of pictures taken while mark made breakfast.. sausage and beans plus the usual.. pb and jelly, yogurt, wheatabix etc..
College student, Sam, birthday party... brits bought cake , champagne, funny glasses and a button that said.. i am 21...
Off to uliru for base walk... 8 miles around the rock... it alternated between scrub brush and trees.... it sort of became a race.. we were in the rear.. the germans are so fast.. the hopping guy, the fastest .. and rons wife joan.. a smoker,,, deceptively quick.... but they stopped here and there for pictures and we forged ahead..
Ron and Matt tried for climb again... they got the ok... just made it before the winds picked up to 40 miles an hour.. then it was closed, but they were already on their way...
According to matt ron saved a woman on the top.. she was starting to slip.. he grabbed her before she was blown over by the wind... grabbed her by her left breast.. it was an ample breast, plenty for anyone.. so we were told... ron actually beat the 22 yr. old to the top of uliru...
Dropped maeliss and nicolas off at ayers airport... they flew into ayers rock not knowing how expensive it was to stay there and take tours, so they had to come to alice springs for the hostel and the tour...which is 300 miles away... they were off to sydney , nz and fiji....easter island and then back to paris... where they live and work...
Dropped off swags at first campsite for next group... then headed to Alice Springs airport for Alex... just made it.. heading back to England... he was working at some summer conservation job...
Back to the hostel, shower and 5$ supper with group... sam still celebrating his 21st birthday with shots... amije, a belgian girl.. won pin the tail on the donkey..it was a sweep for the women.. table dancing and conga line... we left before the table dancing, heard the conga line go by our door... we heard the next morning that ron and joan, the oldest people there.. were dancing on tables.. amije's boyfriend, jochem... he used to live in majorca for 4 years...worked in a club... some kind of act...he is musical and very funny..... and very considerate .. when ron got overheated on the first hike, jochem stayed close by.. of course ron did recuperate quickly.. he climbed Rainier and some of the Himalayas when he was young ... and now uliru at 80....
written up by toots from fb's superb notes.....
College student, Sam, birthday party... brits bought cake , champagne, funny glasses and a button that said.. i am 21...
Off to uliru for base walk... 8 miles around the rock... it alternated between scrub brush and trees.... it sort of became a race.. we were in the rear.. the germans are so fast.. the hopping guy, the fastest .. and rons wife joan.. a smoker,,, deceptively quick.... but they stopped here and there for pictures and we forged ahead..
Ron and Matt tried for climb again... they got the ok... just made it before the winds picked up to 40 miles an hour.. then it was closed, but they were already on their way...
According to matt ron saved a woman on the top.. she was starting to slip.. he grabbed her before she was blown over by the wind... grabbed her by her left breast.. it was an ample breast, plenty for anyone.. so we were told... ron actually beat the 22 yr. old to the top of uliru...
Dropped maeliss and nicolas off at ayers airport... they flew into ayers rock not knowing how expensive it was to stay there and take tours, so they had to come to alice springs for the hostel and the tour...which is 300 miles away... they were off to sydney , nz and fiji....easter island and then back to paris... where they live and work...
Dropped off swags at first campsite for next group... then headed to Alice Springs airport for Alex... just made it.. heading back to England... he was working at some summer conservation job...
Back to the hostel, shower and 5$ supper with group... sam still celebrating his 21st birthday with shots... amije, a belgian girl.. won pin the tail on the donkey..it was a sweep for the women.. table dancing and conga line... we left before the table dancing, heard the conga line go by our door... we heard the next morning that ron and joan, the oldest people there.. were dancing on tables.. amije's boyfriend, jochem... he used to live in majorca for 4 years...worked in a club... some kind of act...he is musical and very funny..... and very considerate .. when ron got overheated on the first hike, jochem stayed close by.. of course ron did recuperate quickly.. he climbed Rainier and some of the Himalayas when he was young ... and now uliru at 80....
written up by toots from fb's superb notes.....
first glimpse
Woke up deep in the sleeping bag at six a.m... with mark starting fire... rolled up swags while mark got breakfast ready.. wheatabix, yogurt, apricots, nutella pb and jelly.. into bus, pit stop and then a stop to take pictures of mount connor... drove onto the domes, rounded eroded red melons coming out of ground.. impressive... rose up out of the middle of nowhere, dark against light sky then slowly turning red.. stopped for pictures.. can't get all the domes in one shot..
Got first glimpse of uliru on way to domes, it's more than just a big red rock.. then we got to the domes and of course another toilet break.. out come the toothbrushes, towels and soap.. safari guys, we all stink real bad... domes are beautiful, small passes and paths between them.. tilted like frank gehry.. path starts up then down to dry riverbed with trees and green around it, like cottonwoods following rivers in the southwest..
Mark talked about Aboriginal men going out into bush for a year before marriage.. .. and then future motherinlaw beating them with a stick.. if they scream or can't take it, off they go for another year..
Path continues, twisting among the domes upward.. moist drainage area from cliffs where water collects so trees can grow.. lots of eucalyptus growing in canyons...
Up again to another viewing area and boing.. drop off between cliffs to flat plains, light green vegetation and single smaller domes beyond... like the setting in the movie king solomons mines.. we turned around there , better than walking in the hot plains...
We still haven't had lunch, drive to uliru cultural center where there's a barbeques, benches and a grass roof... meat, tuna , eggs , onions and tomatoes for sandwiches or salad.. a good lunch.. ron the 80 year old and matt the 22 year old go with mark to see if they can climb uliru.. they come back..a storm possible.. they will have to wait until tomorrow...
Mark takes us on a short mala walk, close to the rock... shows us aboriginal petroglyphs, intended for messages, ... messages like,,, there's water here... came to bell shaped cave, a sacred womens site.. aboriginal men not allowed near it, can't see it.. it is a birthing cave... white couple had wedding there..they didn't know it was sacred to aboriginals.. an aboriginal man saw picture in newspaper and knew what it was ... bad karma for him... now all sites, male and female are marked.. no photos.. all sacred sites...
Walk ended in little glen where water runs down face of uliru... water streaks and water caches in rock face , caves and holes all over where water collects... used for drinking....
Drove to parking lot, and went to dunes to see uliru sunset while mark fixed supper.. beautiful sunset, uliru turned red, purple , black and gray.. great sunsets on other side too, with sun behind domes... mark fixed thai chicken noodles..
Back to bus and a new campsite.. music, singing, abba, mama mia and dancing.. stop at alyra resort area, mark refueled, women stripped down in ladies room to wash, brought duffles and backpacks into bathroom... mary got marshmallows , chocolate and crackers for campfire,,.. smores.. went out to collect wood again in the pitch black with headlights strapped to our foreheads... mary, mark , the germans and matt walked a couple hundred yards for deadwood and came across a stash of porno magazines...
Good time around campfire,, ron told stories and sang chanties.. he is a born entertainer... also tom lehr songs... germans showed dance and sang anthem... maeliss and nicolas led us in the marsailles , and showed us a french round dance around fire.. and last but not least the international hokey pokey.. germans got us to hold hands, shake our booties , moving up close to the fire and back again...
Then came the big event of the night , musical swags.. music from bus...loud.. people dropped out.. ron had some good slide moves.. toots and maeliss were the last women.. maeliss out.. told toots to make women proud.. all of a sudden it's toots and 4 guys, then toots and 3 guys, 2 guys... even though they stuck close to their swags and jumped over fire for shortcuts...if they had to..
Suddenly the showdown.. toots and ron.. the dance began.. not just moves but eye contact, posture and defense.. toots and ron danced over the one swag, then toots used basketball moves.. side to side.. back and forth.. they both dropped at end of music and toots hit the swag.. the new champion...
No noisey space blanket tonight, rain jacket instead and fleece jacket for pillow.. much warmer night, not much chitchat even amongst kids.. clouds rolled on..... another night under the stars..
toots wrote this from fb's notes... he will expand later...
Got first glimpse of uliru on way to domes, it's more than just a big red rock.. then we got to the domes and of course another toilet break.. out come the toothbrushes, towels and soap.. safari guys, we all stink real bad... domes are beautiful, small passes and paths between them.. tilted like frank gehry.. path starts up then down to dry riverbed with trees and green around it, like cottonwoods following rivers in the southwest..
Mark talked about Aboriginal men going out into bush for a year before marriage.. .. and then future motherinlaw beating them with a stick.. if they scream or can't take it, off they go for another year..
Path continues, twisting among the domes upward.. moist drainage area from cliffs where water collects so trees can grow.. lots of eucalyptus growing in canyons...
Up again to another viewing area and boing.. drop off between cliffs to flat plains, light green vegetation and single smaller domes beyond... like the setting in the movie king solomons mines.. we turned around there , better than walking in the hot plains...
We still haven't had lunch, drive to uliru cultural center where there's a barbeques, benches and a grass roof... meat, tuna , eggs , onions and tomatoes for sandwiches or salad.. a good lunch.. ron the 80 year old and matt the 22 year old go with mark to see if they can climb uliru.. they come back..a storm possible.. they will have to wait until tomorrow...
Mark takes us on a short mala walk, close to the rock... shows us aboriginal petroglyphs, intended for messages, ... messages like,,, there's water here... came to bell shaped cave, a sacred womens site.. aboriginal men not allowed near it, can't see it.. it is a birthing cave... white couple had wedding there..they didn't know it was sacred to aboriginals.. an aboriginal man saw picture in newspaper and knew what it was ... bad karma for him... now all sites, male and female are marked.. no photos.. all sacred sites...
Walk ended in little glen where water runs down face of uliru... water streaks and water caches in rock face , caves and holes all over where water collects... used for drinking....
Drove to parking lot, and went to dunes to see uliru sunset while mark fixed supper.. beautiful sunset, uliru turned red, purple , black and gray.. great sunsets on other side too, with sun behind domes... mark fixed thai chicken noodles..
Back to bus and a new campsite.. music, singing, abba, mama mia and dancing.. stop at alyra resort area, mark refueled, women stripped down in ladies room to wash, brought duffles and backpacks into bathroom... mary got marshmallows , chocolate and crackers for campfire,,.. smores.. went out to collect wood again in the pitch black with headlights strapped to our foreheads... mary, mark , the germans and matt walked a couple hundred yards for deadwood and came across a stash of porno magazines...
Good time around campfire,, ron told stories and sang chanties.. he is a born entertainer... also tom lehr songs... germans showed dance and sang anthem... maeliss and nicolas led us in the marsailles , and showed us a french round dance around fire.. and last but not least the international hokey pokey.. germans got us to hold hands, shake our booties , moving up close to the fire and back again...
Then came the big event of the night , musical swags.. music from bus...loud.. people dropped out.. ron had some good slide moves.. toots and maeliss were the last women.. maeliss out.. told toots to make women proud.. all of a sudden it's toots and 4 guys, then toots and 3 guys, 2 guys... even though they stuck close to their swags and jumped over fire for shortcuts...if they had to..
Suddenly the showdown.. toots and ron.. the dance began.. not just moves but eye contact, posture and defense.. toots and ron danced over the one swag, then toots used basketball moves.. side to side.. back and forth.. they both dropped at end of music and toots hit the swag.. the new champion...
No noisey space blanket tonight, rain jacket instead and fleece jacket for pillow.. much warmer night, not much chitchat even amongst kids.. clouds rolled on..... another night under the stars..
toots wrote this from fb's notes... he will expand later...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
What to do about Stew, Part 2
We woke up to frost our first morning on the farm. We had to sleep in a little because Stewart doesn't like getting up too early. Our breakfast came from chickens, not out of a can and there was plenty of toast, tea, coffee and fried tomatoes. Yvonne was in charge of the kitchen this morning and we took advantge of a good meal. She had to help her daughter move and would be in and out for the next few days so anytime she cooked, we ate.
Our first chore was to plant some fruit trees. It seemed pretty simple, dig some holes, take the wrapping off the roots, put them in the hole and cover them up. Stewart said just go ahead, that's all there is to it, he'd be back a little later. Evidently there was more to it. When he got back Stew had to put his stamp on it, like a dog staking out his territory. He had invented a way to plant trees that seemed to us to be just exactly what we did but we just didn't have the trained agricultural eye that he did. We didn't use the proper tools for one thing. He rigged up a post hole digger that took twice as long to make the same hole as our shovels, and our berms around the trees weren't as architecturally correct as his so we had to redo them. I can guarantee the trees will never know the difference, the water will reach the roots just the same and fruit will be blooming in spite of our obvious ignorance, but Stewart was happy - his little self serving grin and one upsmanship convinced us of that.
Next came tea break. Stewart loves his tea and loves to talk during his tea. About himself mostly but if not about himself, then the history of the area - that's something he knows about and we know nothing of so he can lecture for a full half hour. We'd rather skip tea and keep working. The sooner we finish the sooner we can escape to town at the end of our shift - four hours of work each day for free room and board.
Tea time came to an end and it was off to the pistachio trees. March is harvest time so during the summer the groves need to be weeded. Weeding can mean different things to different people. To us it meant putting on gloves, pulling weeds and maybe hoeing a little. To Stewart it meant something else entirely. All the trees are surrounded by thick intertwined vines, like ground juniper, with thick bunches of grass growing around and in between the 3 inch branches. It looked like the heavy steel mats they put over explosives when blasting and had the same strength - dynamite wouldn't have moved them.
Not to fear. Stewart gave us two dull hoes and said all we had to do was chop them out and clear a six foot circle around each tree. For a man who has inventions for everything the least he could have done whas give us sharp hoes. That probably wouldn't have made much difference - under the vines, the ground was covered with rocks. A few quick swings of the hoe and the cutting surfaces flatten out like the short side of a two by four. Toots asked how many times we swung the hoes for each tree - how many stars are in the sky, how many fish in the sea, how many grains of sand on the beach.
Lunch time came and Stewart, who had been helping someone up the road, called us in. That's as far as Stew got. Yvonne was out with her daughter so Toots got to fix lunch. There was a chicken in the fridge and some bread and the quickest meal looked like sandwiches, some tea and back to the fields before Stew could start talking.
That didn't happen. The longer lunch takes, the more he can talk and this time we found out about he became born again a few years earlier. He also speaks in tongues and has helped in healings. We just nodded eating as fast as we could - the vines and rocks were looking pretty good right now.
Once we got back to the trees they didn't look so good though and we knew we needed to get out. We had to make a break for it somehow and make it soon; seven days seemed like a galaxy far away and we had no intention of going there.
Three o'oclock seemed like years coming, but we saw Stewart driving back, as much to make sure we were still working as to let us know we could stop. Hallelujah, it's time to go to town, visit the library, get on the internet and found out how to blow this town.
It turns out there is no longer a regular bus service in Quorn. There is however, a weekly bus that takes people to Port Augusta once a week for shopping. From Port Augusta there's a bus or train to Alice Springs and that put hundreds of miles and twenty hours between us and the trees. The bus leaves in two days - we have one more day of hoeing and a way to make our break.
We come back to watch tv with Stewart and Yvonne. His favorite show is on - all about inventions by people who hope to make it big. None of them take as much thought or ingenuity as his and probably don't have a chance of making it big. His next favorite show is a weekly news show that interviews Australian politicians - and wouldn't you know it, they have never listened to Stewart.
Another cup of tea and it's time to go to bed.
The next morning we wake up early and start early - we're on a mission and that includes finishing as early as we can and hopefully our work schedule will keep us in the field when Stewart is having breakfast and lunch. It works, and it confuses him - he says not to worry "I won't fire you", not knowing we're about to fire him.
After clearing out thirty five trees and getting down to bear dirt around all of them my back all of a sudden acts up. Limping back to the house, walking slow to make sure no one can mistake just how "serious" my injury is, we tell Stewart we just can't do anymore. He accepts it well and says he understands and that it's a real shame - he was going to help us the next day (yeah, right) and he had some easier jobs for us ( yeah, right). Those trees had never been "weeded" and they weren't about to be until someone else landed in his web.
Yvonne found some linament for us and Stewart suggested that some friends could come over and lay hands on my back to cure it, but I assured him that I'd had the problem before and just needed a few days of rest. Yvonne said she could drive us to Port Augusta but we told her that when we went into town during lunch and got tickets on the bus because we knew it would have to be our last day.
The day wasn't over yet though. There was a barbeque that night for one of their friends who was leaving town and Stewart got his last dig in - we were going, back pain or no. It was a little bit like Brer Rabbit and the Briar Patch for us though - we go the barbeque and there's a whole house full of people who aren't Stewart.
toots here.......
back to original style.. fb writes i add some missing links.. he has caught up with his journal.. not crazy about barbeque at first.. but we should go and do.. tired... ended up being fun... met peter an ole car buff.. nice guy who runs a holiday farm..been to the states and liked it.. to car shows and west... the wine flows.. stewart doing ok.. had a few.. yvonne talking with all.. stew more quiet.. we talk to people... all the ladies are nurses in the little hospital... yvonne had to quit.. bad back..cant life patients.. its getting cold sitting there... yvonne wants to leave.. stewart still pouring some wine,, fella next to me.. walking with 2 canes.. 50's...football in high school... shot by one of best friends.. accident..in head... affected mobility... still burly, in wheelchair all night... racous, didnt drink and still friends with guy who's gun he said he got in front of.. my fault he said.. they were out shooting kangaroos at night with flashlights..a typical sport of aussies... friend takes care of grantley.. whatever he needs.. grantley married to one of nurses there... guy named peter there..he was in an accident.. car rolled over.. stitched his arm back on.. still drives and cooks a mean barbeque.. used todrive tour bus in northern territory.. he and wife going to egypt celebrating her 60th.. we enjoyed all these nice people....
back at stewars and yvonnes we are made hot chocolate... sit, chat, watch political show... next morning up and out... we left on a pleasant note.. i am sure they enjoyed us as much as we did them.. good experience... yvonne so cool .. artist.. interesting.. not as religious......she was apparently hurt by some religious folks.. perhaps by talk.. dont know... really liked the friends and quentin my favorite... he said he had been cured of cancer by laying hands.. now a stroke.. i wouldnt have known that.. quentin rescued us from the leaning on the hoe stance.. made stew drag us in for tea and cookies... he yelled to us in the field.. "get in here now , stewart will push you for 24 hours straight.. " ha... loved that quentin... good soul, felt like we knew him... he was cadfael.. the detective in the cadfael mysteries... ha
Our first chore was to plant some fruit trees. It seemed pretty simple, dig some holes, take the wrapping off the roots, put them in the hole and cover them up. Stewart said just go ahead, that's all there is to it, he'd be back a little later. Evidently there was more to it. When he got back Stew had to put his stamp on it, like a dog staking out his territory. He had invented a way to plant trees that seemed to us to be just exactly what we did but we just didn't have the trained agricultural eye that he did. We didn't use the proper tools for one thing. He rigged up a post hole digger that took twice as long to make the same hole as our shovels, and our berms around the trees weren't as architecturally correct as his so we had to redo them. I can guarantee the trees will never know the difference, the water will reach the roots just the same and fruit will be blooming in spite of our obvious ignorance, but Stewart was happy - his little self serving grin and one upsmanship convinced us of that.
Next came tea break. Stewart loves his tea and loves to talk during his tea. About himself mostly but if not about himself, then the history of the area - that's something he knows about and we know nothing of so he can lecture for a full half hour. We'd rather skip tea and keep working. The sooner we finish the sooner we can escape to town at the end of our shift - four hours of work each day for free room and board.
Tea time came to an end and it was off to the pistachio trees. March is harvest time so during the summer the groves need to be weeded. Weeding can mean different things to different people. To us it meant putting on gloves, pulling weeds and maybe hoeing a little. To Stewart it meant something else entirely. All the trees are surrounded by thick intertwined vines, like ground juniper, with thick bunches of grass growing around and in between the 3 inch branches. It looked like the heavy steel mats they put over explosives when blasting and had the same strength - dynamite wouldn't have moved them.
Not to fear. Stewart gave us two dull hoes and said all we had to do was chop them out and clear a six foot circle around each tree. For a man who has inventions for everything the least he could have done whas give us sharp hoes. That probably wouldn't have made much difference - under the vines, the ground was covered with rocks. A few quick swings of the hoe and the cutting surfaces flatten out like the short side of a two by four. Toots asked how many times we swung the hoes for each tree - how many stars are in the sky, how many fish in the sea, how many grains of sand on the beach.
Lunch time came and Stewart, who had been helping someone up the road, called us in. That's as far as Stew got. Yvonne was out with her daughter so Toots got to fix lunch. There was a chicken in the fridge and some bread and the quickest meal looked like sandwiches, some tea and back to the fields before Stew could start talking.
That didn't happen. The longer lunch takes, the more he can talk and this time we found out about he became born again a few years earlier. He also speaks in tongues and has helped in healings. We just nodded eating as fast as we could - the vines and rocks were looking pretty good right now.
Once we got back to the trees they didn't look so good though and we knew we needed to get out. We had to make a break for it somehow and make it soon; seven days seemed like a galaxy far away and we had no intention of going there.
Three o'oclock seemed like years coming, but we saw Stewart driving back, as much to make sure we were still working as to let us know we could stop. Hallelujah, it's time to go to town, visit the library, get on the internet and found out how to blow this town.
It turns out there is no longer a regular bus service in Quorn. There is however, a weekly bus that takes people to Port Augusta once a week for shopping. From Port Augusta there's a bus or train to Alice Springs and that put hundreds of miles and twenty hours between us and the trees. The bus leaves in two days - we have one more day of hoeing and a way to make our break.
We come back to watch tv with Stewart and Yvonne. His favorite show is on - all about inventions by people who hope to make it big. None of them take as much thought or ingenuity as his and probably don't have a chance of making it big. His next favorite show is a weekly news show that interviews Australian politicians - and wouldn't you know it, they have never listened to Stewart.
Another cup of tea and it's time to go to bed.
The next morning we wake up early and start early - we're on a mission and that includes finishing as early as we can and hopefully our work schedule will keep us in the field when Stewart is having breakfast and lunch. It works, and it confuses him - he says not to worry "I won't fire you", not knowing we're about to fire him.
After clearing out thirty five trees and getting down to bear dirt around all of them my back all of a sudden acts up. Limping back to the house, walking slow to make sure no one can mistake just how "serious" my injury is, we tell Stewart we just can't do anymore. He accepts it well and says he understands and that it's a real shame - he was going to help us the next day (yeah, right) and he had some easier jobs for us ( yeah, right). Those trees had never been "weeded" and they weren't about to be until someone else landed in his web.
Yvonne found some linament for us and Stewart suggested that some friends could come over and lay hands on my back to cure it, but I assured him that I'd had the problem before and just needed a few days of rest. Yvonne said she could drive us to Port Augusta but we told her that when we went into town during lunch and got tickets on the bus because we knew it would have to be our last day.
The day wasn't over yet though. There was a barbeque that night for one of their friends who was leaving town and Stewart got his last dig in - we were going, back pain or no. It was a little bit like Brer Rabbit and the Briar Patch for us though - we go the barbeque and there's a whole house full of people who aren't Stewart.
toots here.......
back to original style.. fb writes i add some missing links.. he has caught up with his journal.. not crazy about barbeque at first.. but we should go and do.. tired... ended up being fun... met peter an ole car buff.. nice guy who runs a holiday farm..been to the states and liked it.. to car shows and west... the wine flows.. stewart doing ok.. had a few.. yvonne talking with all.. stew more quiet.. we talk to people... all the ladies are nurses in the little hospital... yvonne had to quit.. bad back..cant life patients.. its getting cold sitting there... yvonne wants to leave.. stewart still pouring some wine,, fella next to me.. walking with 2 canes.. 50's...football in high school... shot by one of best friends.. accident..in head... affected mobility... still burly, in wheelchair all night... racous, didnt drink and still friends with guy who's gun he said he got in front of.. my fault he said.. they were out shooting kangaroos at night with flashlights..a typical sport of aussies... friend takes care of grantley.. whatever he needs.. grantley married to one of nurses there... guy named peter there..he was in an accident.. car rolled over.. stitched his arm back on.. still drives and cooks a mean barbeque.. used todrive tour bus in northern territory.. he and wife going to egypt celebrating her 60th.. we enjoyed all these nice people....
back at stewars and yvonnes we are made hot chocolate... sit, chat, watch political show... next morning up and out... we left on a pleasant note.. i am sure they enjoyed us as much as we did them.. good experience... yvonne so cool .. artist.. interesting.. not as religious......she was apparently hurt by some religious folks.. perhaps by talk.. dont know... really liked the friends and quentin my favorite... he said he had been cured of cancer by laying hands.. now a stroke.. i wouldnt have known that.. quentin rescued us from the leaning on the hoe stance.. made stew drag us in for tea and cookies... he yelled to us in the field.. "get in here now , stewart will push you for 24 hours straight.. " ha... loved that quentin... good soul, felt like we knew him... he was cadfael.. the detective in the cadfael mysteries... ha
Saturday, August 30, 2008
hotsy totsy alice... sat.. july 26 sun..,27 mon..,28
ps.. on the bus ride to alice.. there were families of aboriginies...they spoke to each other alot .. the language very musical and beautiful.. they look you straight in the eyes and dont turn away... very cool people.. they got off the bus in the middle of nowhere and had someone waiting for them.. they drove down a dirt road... some got off at roadhouse at walked somewhere... it was desert area.. red dirt , scrub brush...
got off bus in alice.. started walking wrong way to hostel.. annie's... but got there... alice is pretty.. hot too.... hostel laid back, a pool, some kind of hockey played under the lights across the street... high school kids... kitchen not well supplied but free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches offered for breakfast and coffee,, instant.. we took advantage.. an irish girl behind counter,, girl from holland getting married soon to one of the tour guides and living in alice.. music throughout.. loud but quiet after 11...restaurant and bar attached.. 5$meals offered.. lots of internet spots..nice japanese gir who said her mom would put us up in japan but we never got her address.. ha.. some english, scotch , american mom and daughter.. french, belgian couple...
we opted for a campout tour of uliru, thinking this would be the best way to see the red center and experience australia since we couldnt see it all.. it was for monday, tuesday and back on wednesday.. we spotted a much older couple standing around, hoping they would be in our group.. .. make us not the oldest.. hahahaha...
next morning.. sunday we went into town.. music played by an aboriginal band on town green.. rocking out. very good too.... too hot here for us... putzed around.... town.. kind of touristy.. aboriginals , except for that band, not doing much except sitting in cool places or walking around.. pretty sad...
monday morning.. all to meet at 5'30... grab free pnut butter sand.. get on bus for tour.. our guide a guy names mark.. good guide.. the american mary and mom martha, ron and joan the older couple.. him 80 .. joan.. 75.. he had climbed rainier.. tetons and more.. and wanted to climb up ayers.. they only let you go if the wind is not blowing.. it usually is on top... we walked up a canyon.. it was hot.. kings canyon... ron left us in the dust... going like a house a fire.. and joan his smoking wife did alright too.. she looked like an older gene tierney.. she a retired teacher in private.. fast walker .. but the fastest were the fastest.. damn... there were about 6 of them... one guy spoke no english, quiet.. one a hoot.. i called him kangaroo man cause he hopped around.. he seemed to always be warming up for something, running, hopping.. exercises.. anywhere anytime.. there were about 6 young brit kids, funny as hell.. some finished university, others on holiday... mark played a good assortment of music.. loud... he made us sandwiches for our trek up that canyon.. for lunch.. and for supper camel meat and bean stew.. 2 of us veggie.. he held the camel.. ha fb said good.. a little gamey.. or as he called it.. chili con camel.. wash own dishes..
we started up the hill.. hot.. .. it was a called heart attack hill.. steps like monadnock..to the top of a ridge then a walk around the blazing hot rim.. 80 yr old ron was right up there with the leaders... not us or me i should say.. but at end ron ran out of steam.. he got sort of sick.. luckily we had oranges. we gave him some and he got his engine started again... had my gatorade and downhill was lookin good..
got to campsite.. pitch black.. whats going on.. mark says.. need people to search for firewood.. put our headlights on and off we go into the bush .. pitch black so only can see what headlights show.. not much... listened for voices of the leaders... dragged dead, dry trees back to site.. get the swags out.. sleeping bags.. mark has everyone help.. lay them in circle around fire.. this is a chilly night.. in forties... lots of stars.. big milky way and southern cross.. milky way looked 3 dimensional.. time for bed.. i didnt sleep well.. but whats new.. cold.. at 6 am mark yells time to get going.. did we join the army.. made fire.. mark serves yogurt , wheatabix, bread and apricot in can.. pnut butter sand..of course and a favorite of all.. nutella... clean up, roll up swags.. get things put away.. get on bus, driving to uliru..lots of driving on this trip.. glad we went on tour and left driving to them...
forgot..... on the way to this canyon we stopped at a place that gave camel rides.. and there was a dingo there, kangaroos and emus.. a few took rides.. camels galloped.. saw some wild ones later.. if you can bring them in alive you get 1000 bucks... tons of wild camels in australia... the sunset bright bright orangey red.. big sky..
got off bus in alice.. started walking wrong way to hostel.. annie's... but got there... alice is pretty.. hot too.... hostel laid back, a pool, some kind of hockey played under the lights across the street... high school kids... kitchen not well supplied but free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches offered for breakfast and coffee,, instant.. we took advantage.. an irish girl behind counter,, girl from holland getting married soon to one of the tour guides and living in alice.. music throughout.. loud but quiet after 11...restaurant and bar attached.. 5$meals offered.. lots of internet spots..nice japanese gir who said her mom would put us up in japan but we never got her address.. ha.. some english, scotch , american mom and daughter.. french, belgian couple...
we opted for a campout tour of uliru, thinking this would be the best way to see the red center and experience australia since we couldnt see it all.. it was for monday, tuesday and back on wednesday.. we spotted a much older couple standing around, hoping they would be in our group.. .. make us not the oldest.. hahahaha...
next morning.. sunday we went into town.. music played by an aboriginal band on town green.. rocking out. very good too.... too hot here for us... putzed around.... town.. kind of touristy.. aboriginals , except for that band, not doing much except sitting in cool places or walking around.. pretty sad...
monday morning.. all to meet at 5'30... grab free pnut butter sand.. get on bus for tour.. our guide a guy names mark.. good guide.. the american mary and mom martha, ron and joan the older couple.. him 80 .. joan.. 75.. he had climbed rainier.. tetons and more.. and wanted to climb up ayers.. they only let you go if the wind is not blowing.. it usually is on top... we walked up a canyon.. it was hot.. kings canyon... ron left us in the dust... going like a house a fire.. and joan his smoking wife did alright too.. she looked like an older gene tierney.. she a retired teacher in private.. fast walker .. but the fastest were the fastest.. damn... there were about 6 of them... one guy spoke no english, quiet.. one a hoot.. i called him kangaroo man cause he hopped around.. he seemed to always be warming up for something, running, hopping.. exercises.. anywhere anytime.. there were about 6 young brit kids, funny as hell.. some finished university, others on holiday... mark played a good assortment of music.. loud... he made us sandwiches for our trek up that canyon.. for lunch.. and for supper camel meat and bean stew.. 2 of us veggie.. he held the camel.. ha fb said good.. a little gamey.. or as he called it.. chili con camel.. wash own dishes..
we started up the hill.. hot.. .. it was a called heart attack hill.. steps like monadnock..to the top of a ridge then a walk around the blazing hot rim.. 80 yr old ron was right up there with the leaders... not us or me i should say.. but at end ron ran out of steam.. he got sort of sick.. luckily we had oranges. we gave him some and he got his engine started again... had my gatorade and downhill was lookin good..
got to campsite.. pitch black.. whats going on.. mark says.. need people to search for firewood.. put our headlights on and off we go into the bush .. pitch black so only can see what headlights show.. not much... listened for voices of the leaders... dragged dead, dry trees back to site.. get the swags out.. sleeping bags.. mark has everyone help.. lay them in circle around fire.. this is a chilly night.. in forties... lots of stars.. big milky way and southern cross.. milky way looked 3 dimensional.. time for bed.. i didnt sleep well.. but whats new.. cold.. at 6 am mark yells time to get going.. did we join the army.. made fire.. mark serves yogurt , wheatabix, bread and apricot in can.. pnut butter sand..of course and a favorite of all.. nutella... clean up, roll up swags.. get things put away.. get on bus, driving to uliru..lots of driving on this trip.. glad we went on tour and left driving to them...
forgot..... on the way to this canyon we stopped at a place that gave camel rides.. and there was a dingo there, kangaroos and emus.. a few took rides.. camels galloped.. saw some wild ones later.. if you can bring them in alive you get 1000 bucks... tons of wild camels in australia... the sunset bright bright orangey red.. big sky..
off to strangeland... fb will return with the rest of stewart..
friday.. july 25, 2008
we hear yvonne puttering around early.. same routine, bathrooom, shower , now preparing breakfast.. she made an omelet, toast and grilled tomato halves.. forgot how much i like tomatoes with eggs... yvonne actually seemed lighter after we told her we had to leave due to fb's bad back... fb will explain the dramatic role he pulled off... boy he fooled me... a real pro this guy... we think that yvonne was feeling guilty about not being around to host the woofers from afar.. and about the amount of work stewie dealt us.. in her defense she was busy helping her daughter move... dont blame her... we really didnt need anyone to be there...they dont get many woofers in quorn as they are off the beaten track.. who knows what suckers they will get to do this job next..
yvonne drove us to the bus. stewie seemed abit sheepish.. the street was desolate my friends...except for the lone guy with long hair sitting on a curb reading..another girl came by.. they knew each other so he spoke.. and he did give us some help.. told us to go to travel agent for questions about train to darwin... the bus driver on this ride to strangeland was nice and friendly.. one older lady talking loud in the back of bus.. other older people with walkers that have been piled in a heap in the front of bus by driver, brian. a younger guy with a walker that we picked up right in front of his home and a bleach blonde lady dressed in pink from head to toe.. that we had to go back after as brian forgot her..how could he forget a lady in pink... he was in good spirits about it.. the people go in on fridays for shopping and dr. appts.. etc.. we bumped into one of the people that we met at the barbeque.. that story you dont know yet.. this lady said.. come back to australia.. we'll take care of you and laughed.. she and her hubby going on a holiday for 2 weeks fishing and then to south america...
port augusta or strangeland was kind of depressing.. to put it mildly.. wouldnt want to stay there long, not even overnight.. so we went to travel agaent and got bus ticket to alice springs. overnight... had all day on our hands so we went to the library for quite a while.. art gallery... loud teens at library .. finally at 6 .. library closing time we went back to bus station.. pretty dreary.. a man looking like jesus. long hair.. i thought a bum sort of.. but he bought his own food, not cheap,,, had a ticket... and when we got to alice he was heading to darwin next... maybe a bus pass... nice rucksack.. old style... and he looked like he had a crown of thorns around his head... back to station.. woman working there made us beans and eggs.. good cowboy grub.. wondered why we would go to ayers rock.. only a big red rock she said... maybe she was a philosopher... it is a very spiritual rock for the aboriginals... she had no interest in much travel.. lived in port augusta all her life.. lots of aboriginals walking around .. none have jobs.. very hot.. maoris seem to mix into their towns, work, and have businesses...
slept for awhile on bus..the usual gas and potty stops at roadhouses..coffee for driver... no loud music on this bus.. driver also served as mail deliverer... stopped at rural roadside places and put mail in these tall white boxes..then locked them... he braked a few times.. assume for kangaroos.. it was pitch black...
we hear yvonne puttering around early.. same routine, bathrooom, shower , now preparing breakfast.. she made an omelet, toast and grilled tomato halves.. forgot how much i like tomatoes with eggs... yvonne actually seemed lighter after we told her we had to leave due to fb's bad back... fb will explain the dramatic role he pulled off... boy he fooled me... a real pro this guy... we think that yvonne was feeling guilty about not being around to host the woofers from afar.. and about the amount of work stewie dealt us.. in her defense she was busy helping her daughter move... dont blame her... we really didnt need anyone to be there...they dont get many woofers in quorn as they are off the beaten track.. who knows what suckers they will get to do this job next..
yvonne drove us to the bus. stewie seemed abit sheepish.. the street was desolate my friends...except for the lone guy with long hair sitting on a curb reading..another girl came by.. they knew each other so he spoke.. and he did give us some help.. told us to go to travel agent for questions about train to darwin... the bus driver on this ride to strangeland was nice and friendly.. one older lady talking loud in the back of bus.. other older people with walkers that have been piled in a heap in the front of bus by driver, brian. a younger guy with a walker that we picked up right in front of his home and a bleach blonde lady dressed in pink from head to toe.. that we had to go back after as brian forgot her..how could he forget a lady in pink... he was in good spirits about it.. the people go in on fridays for shopping and dr. appts.. etc.. we bumped into one of the people that we met at the barbeque.. that story you dont know yet.. this lady said.. come back to australia.. we'll take care of you and laughed.. she and her hubby going on a holiday for 2 weeks fishing and then to south america...
port augusta or strangeland was kind of depressing.. to put it mildly.. wouldnt want to stay there long, not even overnight.. so we went to travel agaent and got bus ticket to alice springs. overnight... had all day on our hands so we went to the library for quite a while.. art gallery... loud teens at library .. finally at 6 .. library closing time we went back to bus station.. pretty dreary.. a man looking like jesus. long hair.. i thought a bum sort of.. but he bought his own food, not cheap,,, had a ticket... and when we got to alice he was heading to darwin next... maybe a bus pass... nice rucksack.. old style... and he looked like he had a crown of thorns around his head... back to station.. woman working there made us beans and eggs.. good cowboy grub.. wondered why we would go to ayers rock.. only a big red rock she said... maybe she was a philosopher... it is a very spiritual rock for the aboriginals... she had no interest in much travel.. lived in port augusta all her life.. lots of aboriginals walking around .. none have jobs.. very hot.. maoris seem to mix into their towns, work, and have businesses...
slept for awhile on bus..the usual gas and potty stops at roadhouses..coffee for driver... no loud music on this bus.. driver also served as mail deliverer... stopped at rural roadside places and put mail in these tall white boxes..then locked them... he braked a few times.. assume for kangaroos.. it was pitch black...
Friday, August 29, 2008
goin to the farm... fb here... July 22nd
We woke up ready and raring to hit the farm and do our bit of wwoofing. We found out that pistachios grow on trees and felt confident that we could bluff our way through the rest.
We had organic muffins and coffee, an auspicious start for Australia, where our best meal had been a Subway tuna sandwich, and headed over the the Festival Center in Adelaide where Stewart and Yvonne would pick us up. Stewart had told us what kind of car he had but neither of us knew what the make of model looked like so we sat on a wall watching parrots fly just above our heads and hoped we looked like two people waiting to get back to nature.
A small pickup flashed it's lights, pulled in and Stewart jumped out. He grabbed our packs, threw them in the back and we got in the two rear seats.
Both Stewart and Yvonne had been nurses. Stewart was in the Army and Yvonne had worked in hospitals. They had recently retired and moved back to Quorn, Yvonne's home town moving into an old trainmaster's house at the end of a rail line. Yvonne continued nursing for awhile and Stewart decided pistachios were the answer to his retirement dream.
After heading out through North Adelaide and into the Baroosa Wine District Stewart stopped talking long enough for us to ask a few questions. Our first - have you ever been to the States - was answered with "No, I've never had the slightest desire to see the U.S." We let that pass and let him keep talking.
The next conversation was between Stewart and Yvonne. She said they had some friends they'd like us to meet - a bohemian couple who are building a beautiful two story house out of native wood and stone. Stewart informed all of us that it wasn't a "2 story house" that there is no such thing, that it's really a house with 2 floors. Now we started to form some opionions. Everyone in the world calls it a 2 stories but if Stewart says no, it must be so.
This would be the first of many Stewartisms. We also found out that there is too much education in the world, that far too many people go to college and that no one learns a trade anymore. On our way through some small towns looking for a place for lunch, Yvonne hesitated at suggesting to stop at a small cafe so Stewart said too bad, you had your change we're going to the local bistro. Evidently it would have been too great a hardship for him to turn around or stop and park and walk 50 yards back. We felt like we were getting to know the man.
On arriving at their house, Yvonne got ready to go to an art class in Port Augusta and wouldn't be back for four hours. That left us alone with Stewart. He gave us a quick tour of the yard and gardens and showed us the pistachio grove. Our job for the next seven days would be weeding around the trees. He likes people to commit to seven days because it's too disruptive if they stay for any less than that. A week was beginning to look like a long time.
It was time to go inside and for Stewart to take his nap. Like every home or hostel we had seen in Australia there was no central heat so Stew loaded up the wood stove. Finally something I felt I could discuss with a certain knowledge. I made the mistake of calling it a wood stove. Like a 2 story house there is no such thing as a wood stove, Stewart has a "wood burner" and he has his own way of starting it, a process he referred to as "one of my many inventions" one that like his others would make life much easier for people if only they would follow his advice.
It was up to Stewart to make supper for all of us before his nap he pulled out a loaf of bread and a can of spaghetti. It hardly seemed the type of meal to serve at an organic farm but if we got through it quickly Stewart would be napping all that much sooner.
Our highlight of the day was walking out the door and heading to town - it's been in a number of movies and is actually a really nice little outpost on the flat plains just at the foothills of the Flinders Ranges - more on the town, Stewart and our farming to continue later.
We had organic muffins and coffee, an auspicious start for Australia, where our best meal had been a Subway tuna sandwich, and headed over the the Festival Center in Adelaide where Stewart and Yvonne would pick us up. Stewart had told us what kind of car he had but neither of us knew what the make of model looked like so we sat on a wall watching parrots fly just above our heads and hoped we looked like two people waiting to get back to nature.
A small pickup flashed it's lights, pulled in and Stewart jumped out. He grabbed our packs, threw them in the back and we got in the two rear seats.
Both Stewart and Yvonne had been nurses. Stewart was in the Army and Yvonne had worked in hospitals. They had recently retired and moved back to Quorn, Yvonne's home town moving into an old trainmaster's house at the end of a rail line. Yvonne continued nursing for awhile and Stewart decided pistachios were the answer to his retirement dream.
After heading out through North Adelaide and into the Baroosa Wine District Stewart stopped talking long enough for us to ask a few questions. Our first - have you ever been to the States - was answered with "No, I've never had the slightest desire to see the U.S." We let that pass and let him keep talking.
The next conversation was between Stewart and Yvonne. She said they had some friends they'd like us to meet - a bohemian couple who are building a beautiful two story house out of native wood and stone. Stewart informed all of us that it wasn't a "2 story house" that there is no such thing, that it's really a house with 2 floors. Now we started to form some opionions. Everyone in the world calls it a 2 stories but if Stewart says no, it must be so.
This would be the first of many Stewartisms. We also found out that there is too much education in the world, that far too many people go to college and that no one learns a trade anymore. On our way through some small towns looking for a place for lunch, Yvonne hesitated at suggesting to stop at a small cafe so Stewart said too bad, you had your change we're going to the local bistro. Evidently it would have been too great a hardship for him to turn around or stop and park and walk 50 yards back. We felt like we were getting to know the man.
On arriving at their house, Yvonne got ready to go to an art class in Port Augusta and wouldn't be back for four hours. That left us alone with Stewart. He gave us a quick tour of the yard and gardens and showed us the pistachio grove. Our job for the next seven days would be weeding around the trees. He likes people to commit to seven days because it's too disruptive if they stay for any less than that. A week was beginning to look like a long time.
It was time to go inside and for Stewart to take his nap. Like every home or hostel we had seen in Australia there was no central heat so Stew loaded up the wood stove. Finally something I felt I could discuss with a certain knowledge. I made the mistake of calling it a wood stove. Like a 2 story house there is no such thing as a wood stove, Stewart has a "wood burner" and he has his own way of starting it, a process he referred to as "one of my many inventions" one that like his others would make life much easier for people if only they would follow his advice.
It was up to Stewart to make supper for all of us before his nap he pulled out a loaf of bread and a can of spaghetti. It hardly seemed the type of meal to serve at an organic farm but if we got through it quickly Stewart would be napping all that much sooner.
Our highlight of the day was walking out the door and heading to town - it's been in a number of movies and is actually a really nice little outpost on the flat plains just at the foothills of the Flinders Ranges - more on the town, Stewart and our farming to continue later.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)