You're waiting for a Train

You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure, yet it doesn't matter. 

After waking up on a damp mattress with a slightly damp and sandy tarp over me, wild birds walking all around me, I packed everything up and walked down the road to the cafe that sits on the marina. I ordered a nice expensive breakfast. Apparently they forgot about my order so I was told it was free of charge. Awesome! 

Now, time to catch a train, at a station that felt deserted. Like I'm on the outskirts of Limbo, lost in a different world. When I arrived at the Ourimbah station I asked around where I could use a computer. The local college across the bridge. I walked and walked some more. After finding the Uni library I messaged the host family I'd be staying with and I learned that Ali works right behind the college.

Ali picked me up at 2:00pm and from the very first moment she treated me like I was her son. So welcoming and warm and loving and accepting.

Driving on the mile or so long road to their house I see some kookaburras sitting on a wooden fence, just sitting so peacefully and looking at me as we drive past.

 This is now the third caravan I've lived in and this one is the nicest. Two beds. No spiders. Thank heavens.

Gotta have dat mozzie net.

Upon entering the home Ali offered me lunch as we were having a nice chat. Moroccan soup with flatbread. So good. I met Geoff, Ali's husband, and their three sons. Chill dudes! Sam. Darcy. And Toby. 25, 23, and 11. The rest of the afternoon was spent napping. The rest of the night was spent reading, walking, tea timin', and having some good ol fashioned conversation.

Sammy!

It's just a marsupial Dude

Sam didn't know it was Easter weekend, until it was Easter weekend, so he had performances four days straight in Sydney. Things that one usually takes for granted can be a challenge out here on the barge. For example, one night after a few shows the water had run out, so he had to take the boat to the marina to fill up a few huge containers, and another day the portable toilets needed to be emptied which none of us knew how, and the fridge was having some issues here and there, so I perceive that's why he politely told us to leave the next day. He seemed a lil stressed out, which is totally understandable.

Me and Emily had no idea where we'd be going, but I used her phone to message a few hosts last minute and didn't expect any responses by the next morning, but once again kindness is around every corner. I got a response back from a family in Ourimbah on the central coast a little under an hour north. No matter what happens, the Universe always has my back. I thought back to all the times I welcomed strangers into my home last minute via couchsurfing.com, giving up my own master bedroom, and always cooking some amazing food, and I see it as the Universe paying me back from all the good karma trailing behind me. I think to live this kind of lifestyle there has to be a lot of trust. Trust in the unknown. And quite honestly if I were to plan everything out in my life, it's almost like I'd be saying to the Universe, "I don't trust you." "I'm gonna have it my own way."

The catch was they couldn't host me until the following day. No biggie. I'll figure something out like I always do. Emily had a host lined up for next Friday, but they told her she could come the following day as well. I called a nearby hostel and they were all booked up, but then I started thinking about it, and wasting money on a hostel didn't seem appealing to me. I seek adventure, not comfort.

We got off at the furthest part of the marina and took showers, and posted up on a few benches to chill for a bit. That's when I saw a blue mattress and a tent behind it leaning against the wall behind us. It was Keith the cave dwellers! I knew he wouldn't care, so I put it down and this was the start of a chill day reading, relaxing, and talking to the locals. The pace of this area is so laid back. I love it. I will never live a super busy life, because I don't want to. That's imbalancing to me. I love time to just appreciate the moment, think, meditate, relax, breath, meet people, walk, cook, eat, sleep, hike, skate, build relationships, plunge headfirst into the unknown, eat, relax, breath, meditate, and enjoy. Ahhhh yeah.

This is the natural pool I was taking about that has a net around the outside.

For lunch I ordered some fish and chips. The fish was delectable. I borrowed Emily's book A Thousand Suns and was blown away at how masterfully it was written.

It's a much rarer occasion these days that I drink liquor, but this particular day I was feeling bold, sooooo 125 mL of whiskey with some ginger soda to wash it down. As the sun was setting with the sugar and alcohol seeping into my veins, I take a few hits of the joint from the other night and I hopped on my skateboard with some tunes in. I made my way to where the shops were, feeling like I'm hovering. So, I'm standing at the edge of the marina where all the boats are docked, and my mind zooms back so all I see is the earth below, then it turns to where Straya' is, zooms in further again and again, to where I'm standing on the Hawkesbury River, and I have the goofiest squinty eyed grin come over me. Electric energy pulsing through me. I can't help but just laugh and grin. Straya' baby! On my skateboarding adventure back I see a dude around my age walking three dogs. We instantly vibe as we are watching his dogs take a swim. It's the chillest. I soon come to realize he is on the same level as I am and when that happens it's just the best. Something you couldn't understand unless you've experienced it. Connecting with someone in a different state of consciousness. I take a look behind me and Emily is back from whatever she was doing, and she laughs when she sees the state I'm in.

We hangout for a bit longer, swap numbers, then me and Emily take the tent and mattress up the stairs through the bush to the park above us. She is laughing and laughing some more at the goofiness that is me. I'm totally amped. When we get up I journey back down the stairs of Mordor, dancing and flossin' hyped up, to retrieve the last bits of food and tent material. We tried to put together the tent, and by that I mean Emily put it together, but the way it was setup we had to hang it from a tree or somethin. I'm like, "there's no way that's right, looks like we're sleeping under the stars." She reluctantly agrees and we lay down on the ever so slightly damp mattress and she lays down a few towels on her side, but I have none. I'm looking at my legs all out in the open, saying "ummm I'm gonna have critters munching on my feet all night." So we pull the slightly damp & sandy tarp over us, lay there for a few moments, and without even looking at each other, burst into hysterical laughter at the exact same moment.

Not more than twenty minutes later, I see a shadow on the bench beside us. "What is that?!" Emily shines her light and it's a possum! It's like a monkey, cat, and racoon all in one. First one I've seen, and it's getting into my chips. I shoo it away, and it walks slowly and awkwardly away. I eat some more chips and throw a few out in the distance. The possum slowly walks back, grabs the chip, and in a most human way, stands up on two legs and fearlessly munches away. Then I throw one a lil closer, about five feet away, and it does the same thing. What a curious creature. I throw the rest far into the bush (and by far I mean about fifteen feet) so the possum can eat as it pleases, but not right by us. Well, I didn't think that by doing that I'd be sending out a call for all the possums in the vicinity to come on over. Soon enough, we heard branches crackling and sounds of creatures in the trees all around us. Then there's two, three, four, five possums. I look behind us and I see several pairs of glowing eyes at varying distances against the moonlight. We're getting surrounded! Thankfully they are harmless so it's just heaps of fun. Every now and again, sounds come whistling over to us like a child screaming, or noises straight out of a cartoon. Cockatoo's & kookaburras & whatever else is out there. Crazy birds. We are in a Jurassic world. We hear a thud on the bench, and it's a possum playing with my bag. Emily says,

"It's just a marsupial Dude"

"Well that marsupial is getting into my bag!" I grab it, take out my video camera and start filming everything. A little later, luckily far from us, a wild thunderstorm was taking place, and we could see the bright flashes of light pulsing through the sky in the distance. Emily had a train to catch at four in the morning, so I woke up when she left, said my goodbyes, then woke up again when the sun was rising to five or six wild turkeys all around me. They weren't turkeys though, they just looked like turkeys.

Emily's Birthday

This is what I woke up to Easter Sunday. A bunny yelling loudly, leading heaps of people through the bay. 

As we were working on the deck Sam pulls in on his yellow cruizer of a boat and out comes who? An American! I kinda knew when he said her name was Emily. It was somethin else because on my travels I usually never see Americans because I'm in such hidden places for the most part. Looking at her face, I think I saw what I must look like when I arrive at a new place, just beaming with smiles and so stoked. The rush of being somewhere completely new. We were talking for a bit and she said in a serious tone, looking at the work I was doing, "it looks like you really know what you're doin." And I said, "nahhh not really, I just act like I know what I'm doin ahahah."

Fast forward a few days and it's Emily's birthday. The first bit of the day we cruized into the marina where they have a big netted area (keeping out critters like jelly fish and bull sharks) where you can swim and take showers, then we took the train to a nearby city to get groceries for the next week. Me and Emily were peeing our pants walking through the mall because there was so much good food! Yet, it was so expensive we didn't buy anything. It really was just too much. Way too much stimulation. It was insanely crowded.

Near where we docked the boat we talked to a group of true Auzzies sitting at a bench. Every day without fail they are here sippin on beer just hanging out. I don't think I've ever said it, but I love the accents. Hearing the raw language from people who've lived here their whole life. I had the ladies take turns driving the boat back and Tina almost swerved into a rock. We got back to the barge, unpacked the groceries, made lunch, took a lil power nap, then me and Emily decided to go chill with those peeps at the marina. Before I knew it, I had a six pack of Auzzie brewed apple cider that was mmmm refreshing. Near the shop at the marina we saw a few younger kids and one of them was near passed out on the road. Oh, shit. This poor thirteen year old dude who looked like a younger version of me, his eyes in the back of his head, was on the brink of alcohol poisoning and one of his buddies was being a real prick and didn't want to help him get home at all. They had to catch a train so I picked him up and he clung to me, oblivious to what was going on. Poor guy.

Afterwards, I met up with everyone and we started walking up a hill with this middle aged bearded man and his girlfriend. We made it to a park above the marina and we were led down the other end. Needless to say, we made it to their home. A yellow-green tent under a huge overhanging rock with a light blue hammock, a single dark blue couch chair, a fire pit, and two ropes that were pulled around three trees as if that declared the walls that were their home. Wow. Me and Emily looked at each other. Ahahaha. Keith, I think his name was, started rolling a joint, and well, how can I deny such an adventure? Here I am sitting on a light blue hammock with the Hawkesbury River right below me, cider in one hand, passing around a joint with Emily on her birthday and some Strayin' cave dwellers. This is wild.

The sun started setting and we said we better get going. Keith gave me some grass, and literally I kid you not, the only thing he had to put it in was a little white bottle with a brown lid that said "faeces container" on it. Thank goodness he had never used it. Dotting the marina are flattop grills that anyone can use and some mates were grilling up some snags on the bobi. I sparked some conversation and it was so chill. One guy had the most unique voice I've ever heard in person. The raspy quality was, come to find out, because of lung cancer. The vibes here are incredible! It was just about dark now, and getting in the boat was like getting in a spaceship. I was swerving around just having fun and we saw that the cave dwellers started a fire. I yelled up, "ayyyy throw on a Braut, would yuh mate!?" A few moments later in a slightly slurred voice we heard, "We got beers!" The ride to the barge I'm sitting on the back part near the engine driving our spaceship blissfully inebriated and Emily is standing on the front, looking up at the sky, with her arms spread out.

I water parked the boat like a master and when we got in Tina was almost done with dinner. How nice. Homemade burgers. Sam and Sarah, who had shows in Sydney that day, got back a little after us, and we all settled down for dinner talking about the craziness that just happened, and then Tina whipped out some sparklers and everyone sang happy birthday with sparklers in hand.

The night concluded with a bonfire at the beach with some of Sam's friends, and when me, Tina, and Emily were heading back on our boat, the engine stalled. Sam cruized up to us, and tried to start it about a hundred times, and I was giggling and laughing like a kid because it was so funny to me. I wonder why. 

Medieval Toasters

What in the world. 

Meet Sam. Sam is an international street performer. This epic shot was taken by one of his ex girlfriends. One day for work me and him drove into the next town over to get a bunch of supplies for the barge and more wood to work on the deck, when he told me his story. 

Parsley Bay where his car and trailer were parked. There was a pelican flying overhead and some people throwing it some fish. Probably some of the goofiest creatures ever ah ha. Too funny. Oh, and Sam taught me how to drive one of his cruizers which was fun! 

As he was moving everything out of his van I noticed a giant metal suitcase. I asked what was inside, and in the most nonchalant tone you can imagine, he said "oh that's my robot that I stand on when I perform and juggle blindfolded with my head on fire." Whuuuuut.

Sam started breakdancing and popping when he was twelve years old, you know the kind where you just put out a hat and start flowin. By the time he was eighteen he had an agent and was in the big leagues and performing all over the world in places like Japan and New Zealand for businesses, circuses, festivals, etc. He started making his own props and continued to travel all over, but he told me he started to get tired of it because everything was planned for him you know? That's when he began backing out of a lot of jobs and did his own thing. He purchased his barge for $30,000 and found out about workaway and loved the idea of having people stay with him and help out with all his creative projects. Interestingly enough, when he started lining up his own gigs, for one he had more fun, and he made more money doing it. Nowadays he lives and travels all over the UK for the busy summer months (which works out great because the pound gives him almost double the money), and Straya' during the other part of the year. His next gig, just to give everyone an understanding, he'll be making $1500 for a forty five minute performance.

Sarah, who is Sam's current girlfriend, is also an international street performer. She has some crazy stories as well. She is a contortionist. Fluent in several languages. She was born in India and moved all over with her parents, to Africa and eastern Europe, and has performed all over Indonesia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and more.

In town we went to a scrap yard and Sam knows a huge shipping/receiving business where he gets all his wood for free. We had a great chat about consumerism. It really is such a joke how much goes to waste in our society. For what? The name brand. To look cool? We were getting all this good stuff for FREE. I don't think I will ever buy anything at a firsthand store again. There's no point when there are yard sales, thrift stores, secondhand shops, where it's bounds cheaper and you can always find awesome stuff.

After diving I later found out it's only two meters deep here. Whoa. Luckily though I was diving during the high tide sooooo, yeah luckily I didn't when it was low tide because my head would have smashed into the bottom of the river. 

As I was walking alongside the deck i saw an orangish-brown jelly fish ever so gracefully floating past.

A different day, an exotic bird that swooped down and yoinked a fish out of the water and then took off like a plane. 

Sam likened sleeping in the barge to being in the womb, the gentle rocking and sound of water. He said a lot of people have a hard time getting up because it's so relaxing. For me and Tina, the first night we had really really strange dreams. Tina had one where someone was trying to sneak into her bed and she was calling out my name but apparently I didn't hear. 

After dinner I went on the roof with Tina (who's accent is the best), and she taught me some yoga poses, and the correct way to breath. So serene. So peaceful here. Lying under the magnificent sky. 

The Hawkesbury River

Said my goodbyes to Pieter and Nora the Explora, and was on my way to my next adventure to 

The Hawkesbury River

Which is a massive river that has many in's and out's and twists and turns, and ultimately flows into the ocean. 

I texted Sam when I was on the train and he said that there was another girl named Tina coming to the barge who was on the same train! That's living in the flow baby, no plans, yet it all works out beautifully. Right when I got off I noticed a girl up ahead with a huge green backpack. It's obvious when someone is backpacking ahha. I snuck up behind her and said, "how's it goin Tina?" And she said in her German accent, "ahhhh you must be Andrew." As we were walking down the stairs Sam was right there, and I said "the man, the myth, the legend!" He greeted Tina with the classic kissing of the cheeks and me a handshake and a half hug and we were on our way. This dude is fresh. We make our way to the marina and onto his yellow boat and we were off. It's incredibly beautiful.

Just soaking up the views and the deliciously refreshing ocean smell. 

There she is! I knew instantly from the picture he had of his barge online. Yes. My new home is a giant cement bathtub that has a kitchen, three rooms, six beds, two bathrooms (portable toilets), a wood roof, and a deck with lots of plants. This is epic. This is a dream. 

 The 360 degree view is unreal (I'm running low on words to describe how amazing this is). 

Sam's other neighboring barge, which is specifically for his creative work shop. Behind it, Dead Horse Bay (no joke), where we'd have a bonfire the next night. 

 Fishing off of our home for dinner, aha so epic. We weren't having any luck so we took one of the boats to a different spot... and still didn't catch anything but I snapped some nice pics. 

Sunday Afternoon in Straya'

Started this particular morning off with a landscaping job, at a home with this view...

All the rivers curving around everywhere, the bush, the greenery, the wild plant & animal life, the sunny weather, the beaches, the impeccably friendly culture, the goofy language quirks, makes the land down under my all time favorite place on the planet. Followed closely by Sicily. 

Fast forward to the last day of my stay in Oatley with Pieter, who feels like a life long friend at this point. We started it off with some great lookout spots around his town overlooking George's river. 

She's a bewdy. 

A German girl arrived this morning but she was tired and wanted to rest so Pieter and I decided on 

Royal National Park

Crossing yet another river into the main part of the park.

Here we go baby. 

You can see to the left of this pic the clouds coming in. A gnarly downfall started and luckily Pieter knew of a lil area where we could crawl into for cover. 

We posted up for about a half hour then decided to just book it back to the car, but it was a nice spot indeed, smelling the freshness of the ocean right in front of us, and watching the rain come down in buckets. 

 There's never a shortage of amazing lookout spots. 

Afterwards, due to the rain, we headed back to pick up a check at one of Pieter's clients homes. In we went, and in we stayed for a few hours! When I met Barbara she thought I had a "very strong New York accent" ahha. I love being the person from a distant land. I said bathroom and she started laughing because for one, it's bauthroom, and two there is no toilet in a bathroom here. When I was in the pisser, well, taking a piss, I heard Barbara's laugh come crackling through the door it was so contagious, like a witch cackling. Then I met her mother Rosalia who loves words more than I knew anyone could. She whipped out a huge dictionary and we were all talking about the Strayin' language and I got a piece of paper and pen out and started filling up the page. It really turned into a joyous afternoon. I love the outrageous sense of humor. At one point they had me read a poem and they were all basically in tears because of my accent and enunciation. I learned that some of these sayings that rime originated from parts of London where criminals devised this way of speaking where the cops wouldn't understand what they were saying.

The Strayin' List

Sticky beak - let's have a look

Tweasy - too easy

It's all good, no worries mate

Too right - someone says something and you agree

Dinky die - truthful

Ridgy didge - spot on, really good

Sanger - sandwich 

Whack a couple of snags (sausages) on the bobi (barbeque)

Chuckin' a uey - make a U turn

Yobbo - an uncultivated person (usually male)

Grub - doing something cowardly

Sledge - to make angry

I'm so hungry I could eat the arse out of a dead skunk

He's all over me like a cheap suit

She's a grouse (good, nice, desirable) Shelia (woman)

You bewdy - we approve of you

You're goin off like a cut snake - I'll be annoyed

You're as tough as woodpecker lips

You're up your own arse - full of it

What a ripper

Off his barry crocker - shocker

Like a rat up a drain pipe - you're keen

Sweatin like a gypsy with a mortgage

As mad as a tree full of galah's

He's a galah - a hopeless dope

She'll be right, couple of days - don't worry it's all ok

Sweating like a bag of cats at a greyhound meeting

As busy as a one armed brick layer in Bagdad

You got heaps - you got loads

Mucking out - cleaning out manure

Fair dinkum - really true

Fuggin oath - true

Speakin Strayin' - speaking Australian 

Hitting the frog n toad - hitting the road

The billy lidz are the kidz

I'm gonna have a ferry baur - shower

He's on the georgey benson - he's on the bench

Put the nosebag on'em - feed the animals

Get your laughing gear around that

True blue - it's really Australian 

Drop your dacks, and pop a brownie

 Classic

The view from their backyard. Unreal.

As we were leaving it was pouring and Barbara put her hand out to give me a handshake. Too polite for me. I gave her a hug instead. 

Hey look, there's Nora the Explora. She's a grouse Sheila.