Vonnegut

Hello Dedicated Reader!

I appreciate that you are taking the time to read my little journal here. I look forward to writing in this thing and I hope you enjoy it half as much as I do. Okay, onto the trip. But first, a joke.

Q: What's the difference between Yogurt and Australia?
Give up?
A: At least if you leave Yogurt alone for a hundred years it develops a culture!
I kid, I kid.
Things here are going well.

I finished up my time in Cairns by spending a good chunk of my bleedin' budget on a package deal to the WhitSunday Islands and Fraser Island (which should happen in the next couple of weeks). I suppose there is one born every minute right?
After sulking over my bank statement, I spent my day with fellow travellers from Australia and London. We eventually made our way to a pub that night as a send off for me. That is when this happened:

Funny story:  Before going into an Irish Pub, to
listen to American Music, in the Middle of Australia,
with friends from England, my group was
met by a another English traveller who knew one of the girls in our crew.
They chatted for a while, and as this newcomer spoke, her wooden
bracelets clinked together, punctuating each anecdote and recollection with
a friendly percussive jingle.   
We parted ways and the next day, while waiting in line
for a bus, I noticed the same wooden bracelets on the
wrists of the girl in front of me.  It was the same
traveller from the night before.  I asked her how the rest of her night was,
started a conversation, and suddenly her friend
standing next to her said "Casey?  Rita's Brother?"
I said yes, and realized that this girl was an old
family friend that I went to PRESCHOOL with in
BELGIUM!  Leonie Haynes!  Wow!  Eric and I had stayed with
her family last summer in London, but she hadn't been home.  How strange.  Of all the places...

So from then, I changed my travel plans and stayed on with these two (Emma & Leonie). 
We arrived in Mission Beach yesterday and stayed at the Tree House Hostel. 
That place was incredible.  In the middle of the rainforest with an open air living room, no television,
plenty of board games, hostel rooms with no locks on the doors, and plenty of spaced-out hippies to fill its beds.
Needless to say, I felt at home (except for the spaced out thing.  I've been taking Flax Seed Oil).
We laid our stuff down, in our lockless rooms, grabbed our valuables, and headed for the nearby town.
We bought a good amount of food for dinner after having walked along the beautiful beaches (I'll have to show you the pictures, made our way
back to the Swiss Family Robinson accomodations..

Had a good dinner, played a little scrabble by my request, (EXIT landed me 36 points, the winning score, and
bragging rights until we part ways), and hit the hay.

This morning, by the girl's request, we changed hostels and are about to go on a bush walk through the Rainforest.
The Mission Beach area is known for its Cassowaries, which are Ostrich-type birds, so hopefully I can spot a few!

My plans have been changed around the farming (It turns out there's a lot to do in Australia!), but there's
still a good chance I will do some before I head to New Zealand.
I leave tomorrow to begin my Whit Sundays Sailing trip.  I can't wait.

"Peculiar Travel Suggestions are Dancing Lessons From God" Kurt Vonnegut says in Cat's Cradle, and I am
slowly feeling those rhythms enter into my two-step.   By the time I come home I hope to be a ballroom dancer
capable of executing moves that would impress even the Almighty Himself! 

Thanks for reading and until next time,


Casey