I arrived this morning at Nadi International Airport at roughly 2 am. Spent the rest of the night on one of the lounges in the arrival hall and then got a free shuttle bus to the Marina in Nadi where I hoped to find a crewing position on a private yacht. No sailing yachts to be seen so I went into Nadi City, no my sleep deprieved body is yelling out for some rest so I better find a place to stay!
Around me dense bushes, mozzies constantly attacking my typing hands. On the right and behind me untamed forest; intersecting stomped down trails randomly zigzag into its depth. To my left green wetlands and before me a large waterhole or ruther lake, ducks and waterlilies decorating the surface. I hear the wind play with countless leaves, joined by light drizzle of patchy rain, creating a soft sinphony with birdsong.
But what is that constant noise in the distance?
It’s cars rushing past on the Gateway motorway, the main connection between the north and the third largest city of Australia: Brisbane.
It reminds me of where I am: in a little suburb called Nudgee, adjacent to Brisbane’s largest wetlands.
I have build “my” bush into a reasonably good shelter using palm leaves for a roof and dry grass as cushion.
I am spending 3 nights here, just to bridge the last days before my departure. Carly and Jesse had dropped me off here on Saturday morning as they wanted to go away for the weekend. And on Tuesday it’s “Goodbye Oz, Hello Fiji!”.
After a few days of staying in different places around southport we finally managed to meet up with Carly and her partner Jesse on Wednesday. Since then we have been driving around a bit, went shopping (without actually buying much) and watched TV.
It was good to relax after lugging around our packs over all those days and I enjoyed meeting the two and hearing Amanda and Carly chat about “old times”.
Early on Saturday morning we took Amanda to the Airport where we were just in time before they closed the check-in. Now she is back in Melbourne, as uni starts off again today.
As I still haven’t found a boat that can definitively take me away from Australia and as Immigration wants to see proof of my departure in order to put me on a bridging visa till then (my visa has expired several days ago), I booked a flight to Nadi, Fiji for the 25th.
Long time no news from me…sorry for that!
I left Melbourne over a week ago and used my free greyhound bus ticket (which I won through some Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Backpacker site) to go via Coffsharbour to Brisbane. During my one day stopover in Coffs I asked around the marina for ships heading for the pacific, but no luck. I left a “Crew Available” note in the laundry and continued to Brisbane where I first went to Scarborough marina in the north.
No luck there either. Spent 3 days exploring the area and hanging around the marina before I took a bus and trains to Manly in Brisbane’s south. At the four marinas there I still didn’t come across a boat that could take me to the Pacific Islands. Left notes and after two days there I hurried down to Coolangatta (Goldcoast) Airport to pick up Amanda, who arrived last friday and ment to visit her friend Carly in Coomera. That unfortunately didn’t work out, due to a family tragedy with Carly the night before Amanda’s early morning flight.
Since then we have been travelling around the Goldcoast. I received 2 calls from boat owners, nothing has worked out yet, though
As time goes by we all get older… or to say it more positively: we grow up a bit more, we get wiser (hopefully). One of the most important annual events to remind us of that are - of course - our birthdays. Today was mine; 24 is the number; not special was the day.
My travelling days have been on pause for quite some time now (apart from the short Sydney trip a few weeks back and the road trip with my brother in February), thus I am kind of looking forward to get moving again. Too bad that I still haven’t done much to improve my financial situation… in other words: I was pretty lazy.
Anyway, soon enough I’ll hit the road again, or more likely: sail with the wind… around the Pacific that is. Well, first I will have to find a captain & boat to take me along as crew.
My “planned” itinerary for the rest of my worldtrip is going to change as I promised to attend my Dad’s big birthday party next March. Instead of Pacific, more of Asia and the Americas I might try returning to Germany overland through the Middle East. Or I might just keep following my old plans (ruther ‘ideas’) and take a flight home (if my parents sponsor the ticket, I doubt I will have enough dow) from whereever I will be then… not sure yet.