By Erik Skye

January 16, 2011:

I made a new friend yesterday, right after I posted the Day 36 blog article. His name is Nathan, and here’s how it went. Nathan was just exiting the building right in front of me, and I noticed he fumbled with the door, just as I did coming in. I mentioned something about the door being weird, and he replied by asking me if I was from Seattle. I thought that was a pretty good guess, actually. It sparked a great conversation, which included dinner.

I learned that Nathan played rugby for a University of Washington team and also in Sweden. He actually spent three years in Sweden and shared a lot of insight about that part of Europe. I think he’d love to go back. A panhandler asked for money, and Nathan gave him $10, believing he would use if for food (I didn’t share that belief). Nathan walked me through the CBD (downtown) area as we looked for something healthy. Nathan’s into nutrition explicitly (I am too, implicitly). We found a unique Korean restaurant and were served a personal at-your-table BBQ for two. (I know – you’re saying “ah, how sweet”). He said “I’ll spot ya”, which means he bought the dinner. (It was absolutely delicious and different by the way.)

We spent well over two hours together, and in that time, I watched Nathan effortlessly flirt (I mean really flirt) with lots of women. He’s quit a natural. I was on the one hand a charmed witness to it all, but on the other hand envious (for I’m totally bashful, and therefore inhibited, about meeting women).

Nathan was in Brisbane as a flood clean-up volunteer. He came down from the Sunshine Coast during his days off work.

Nathan found out a year ago he has a 12 year-old daughter from when he had a girlfriend at age 23. It’s a weird deal – the girlfriend was a Mormon, and the Mormon’s convinced the girlfriend to give the baby up for adoption and not tell Nathan about her (because he wasn’t Mormon himself). Fortunately, Nathan’s going in the right directions. He’s turned his life around from when he was younger, and I found myself growing proud of him as I began to understand who he is and the struggles he faces. What I loved the most about Nathan is that he’s real, transparent, and generous in spirit.

Nathan: Thanks mate, for everything. I bet we'll see each other again someday.

****** January 18, 2011 update: Nathan told me he did YouTube videos as "Captain Raw". I just watched some. Very fun and funny. Check him out by clicking here. ******

I was tired of walking around the concrete jungle from yesterday, so today I took a long drive around the countryside surrounding Brisbane. I visited the D’Aguilar Range to the west via a steep, narrow, and windy road. I was joined by lots of bicycles and motorbikes zipping past. I think I might have discovered a Sunday get away area for locals, and I could see the draw. It was gorgeous.

I found a small river that had not too long ago been a raging torrent. It’s now dry path of destruction was obvious. Some roads were closed due to flooding and in residential areas near the Brisbane River, people had piles of sand bags in their lawns as if it was trash pick-up day.

Brisbane is located up the Brisbane River, away from the ocean (Moreton Bay). The nearest community to Brisbane that's actually on the ocean is Wynnum, so I went and had a look there. Sorry guys, not too impressive. Don’t come to Brisbane for the beaches. But as always, the Aussies were enjoying what they had. People were packed along the esplanade as if it wasn’t a mud flats they were looking at.

I saw another American muscle car too (in Wynnum) – a Plymouth Road Runner I believe.

Alright, let's get serious about some music! Three of 'em: The Jezabels - Dark Storm; Little Red - Slow Motion; Foster the People - Helena Beat