Character's Continued

Surfer's Paradise

Katya from Germany...this roommate came in and immediately asked us if she could join us in our plans for the evening. As we all got ready for the evening (most girls agree that the best bonding comes when we're being girly and prepping for a night out), Katja entertained us with how she made it to Australia. She was drinking with her older sister one night when she was 18 and was pretty tipsy when her sister wagered a bet with her. If she lost, Katja had to come to New Zealand with her. Katja lost. The next morning she found her way into a travel agent's office and booked a flight and spent all of her money on it. She ended up loving New Zealand, fought with her sister, and took off hitch hiking the south island. She made up with her sis and she convinced her to go to Australia. Katja then stayed on for the rest of the year, traveling with random people she met. At one point she was in the airport going home, when she saw a sign for a ticket to Alice Springs on a train. She had $250 to her name. She cancelled her plane ticket and left for the Outback. She called her parents two days later when they were on their way to get her at the airport to tell them she was still in Australia. Yeah. She's crazy. But I admire her spunk and zeal for adventure.

Tara Wanbaugh and Joylynn Corum from the States....we accidently put our suitcases in the wrong area under the bus. So, when we arrived in Surfers, they weren't unloaded and had loads of bags on top of them. I apologized to the bus driver and explained what happened. He had no patience for us, looked us up and down with a very displeased and sour expression, and said "well you'll have to get them yourself." I said, Tthat's fine. We can do that." Tara and I began hauling bag after bag out of the under carriage. We soon became the attraction for the bus driver, the line of 30 people waiting to get on the bus, and all people passing by. Here were two cutsy American girls, throwing luggage around, grabbing our too big suitcases, and jigsawing other people's luggage back into place. Nobody said anything. Nobody offered to help. They just stared for 10 minutes as we did this. Probably one of the strangest and most uncomfortable moments we've had on this trip. And we've had plenty.

Brisbane

This morning, an older woman of about 50, with grey hair in a disarray, said to me, "what is she doing here?" in a whisper. I turned to look, as I was the only one in the room I thought. She most decidedly wasn't talking to me but herself as she picked at her fingernails. Strange. Tara said she had been muttering to herself last night too. Later, she asked Tara and I where we were from in the States. We answered Minnesota (easier to say that sometimes). She said quite viciously, "do you follow what goes on in America?" She obviously believed we were ignorant, spoiled, obnoxious Americans. After answering, she said we better watch who we let into our country, sniffed at us, and walked away. As if Tara and I should be sitting down in Arizona or California somewhere, with shot guns, watching the border. Yes. I firmly believe I've met my first real life schizophrenic. We half expect our stuff to be lit on fire by the time we get back to our room. Our accents work against us.

We're onto Noosa Head next and more beach...I'm going to be tan!!!