Erik Skye Travel Blog

6 Jan 2012

Here’s the map: Google Maps – Wizard of Oz

Car’s trip odometer: 2900 clicks (km)

It was dark and windy with a bit of street light cast on the two trees, which were alive with sound and motion. The chorus of a thousand beings emanated forth. I couldn’t tell if they were squeaks or chirps, but there were definitely a lot of them concealed in the waving leaves and branches. I finally asked the only other pedestrian on the otherwise empty streets of Toowoomba what was making all that noise. ‘Bats,’ she said. ‘They’re eating the seeds this time of year’. I wasn’t convinced it was bats and went up to take a closer look. As I circled the tree trunks, looking up and hoping not to get dropping in my eyes, I still saw nothing. This seemed incredible in and of itself, because the wind was doing such a good job of moving the foliage around. ‘What’s in there!,’ I thought. A man pulled up in a car, and he and a little girl got out. The little girl immediately shoved her fists down towards the ground, made her legs and body stiff, and screamed at the tops of her lungs “SHUT UP!” She did this a few times. I almost agreed as I glanced over towards her for a second before turning my gaze upwards again and continued circling. I was still too fascinated to be annoyed. Finally, one caught my eye. It was a brilliant red parakeet.

I went for a run along the ocean boardwalk in an area called Manly (‘the other Manly?’ – Sydney has one too) and noticed shoots of new mangroves, crabs milling near their holes, lots of mud (the area is sort of a small sound that the muddy Brisbane River empties into – so, no nice sandy beaches; just muddy ones), and boats. The harbor had shiny new boats while the little side estuaries had old dilapidated ones. A lifestyle appeared to be to live aboard the old boats while they waste away in the mud. Add plank to board walk and presto! - home!

I met a new friend in Brisbane today, out of a completely random and humorous encounter. I wanted a beer from a nice restaurant along the Brisbane River. So, when I saw signs pointing the way down through empty plazas and pathways, I eagerly rushed forth. I rounded the corner and found myself next to a young man who was just asking the waitress ‘do you serve beer’. I quickly added ‘I have the same question’. The waitress asked if we were together, which caused me to step a little further away and deny. But then the young man asked ‘care to join me?’ I thought ‘why not?’ and said after a slight pause ‘sure’. We quickly were immersed in a great conversation, sharing our perspectives on career, relationships, travelling, creativity, and Australia vs. the USA. His name is Nick, and I identified with him in many ways. He almost reminded me of a younger self (he’s 28, with similar life situations to when I was his age), and I enjoyed sharing with him how I’ve grown and matured as a person. Nick was open and giving in nature, and he helped me to remember how rewarding it is to reach out to people instead of withdrawing into my own world.

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