Sun Toasted Stories

The work involves cleaning resort style apartment-like suites for five hours a day with the weekend off. Workawayers have literally saved Ian & Deb from bankruptcy, which is great but at the same time it’s not what the whole work/cultural exchange is about.  It’s interesting how companies like Air B & B are slowly taking over the hotel business similar to how Uber is taking over the taxi business. It makes it hard for people like Ian and Deb to continue to make a good living.

The cleaning needs to be meticulous but I’ve never minded this type of work. I enjoy using my hands and the satisfaction of making a place look immaculate is real. Every room has a different décor as well so that’s fun to see. The rooms on the third floor all have a spiral staircase going to the roof where there is a nice dining table and Jacuzzi, along with a dreamy view of the ocean. Not a bad work space indeed!

Such a magical location to stay. Two chemical free pools and a sauna right outside my back door, and endless beaches out the front door. Also, a conveniently placed skate park right up the road. Push bikes available. Surfboards. High quality food. Breakfast and lunch are self serve, and then for dinner we all help out or Deb cooks up something delicious. It’s all vegetarian which I don’t mind over the short term.

My nightly ritual became this. Roasting in the sauna for about thirty minutes, then swimming in dee ocean, followed by meditating on the beach. One night a jellyfish wrapped its tentacles (trying to give me a hug?) around my neck, back, and stomach, giving me a little zaparoo. A few moments later my skin was searing. I immediately let go. I knew it wasn’t deadly, so why perpetuate all the adrenalin fueled mayhem going on inside? I simply continued with my mediation in my sand seat on the back part of the beach near the bush. My mind was running wild, probably because my immune cells were sending lil firefighters to cool down the inflammation from the sting, but after thirty minutes all the pain was gone and my mind was clear.

One night as the sun was setting over the ocean and I lay in the sand breathing I felt something creeping onto my head. I was practicing non-reactivity but for the sake of self preservation I flipped around and in the fading light noticed the shape of a snake. I lunged out to grab it, but it was only a stick! I continued on with my mediation and a few minutes later something pinched my arm. I opened my eyes and a small crab skurried away and burrowed into the sand. Sneaky bastard! 

Just a river in the bush? I think not. 

Sunshine Plaza. A mall built on and around a river. 

I ventured out on one of my days off to a local mall and had no idea that it was situated on a river. The surprises of life on the road are endless. One of the many reasons I love this lifestyle so much. Keeps my soul invigorated. 

I couldn't help but laugh walking through the mall and seeing little kids cruising around on motorized animals like elephants and lions. 

Strolling past the endless stores I may as well have been walking past blank walls. Overpriced clothes, jewelry, things, things, things, and more things. Don't care. Don't care. Don't care. High quality nutrition shop. Yessss. Something that actually adds value to my life. Why would I ever spend my money on all this material stuff when I could support my body and mind with foundational nutrition? Support the very cells I am made up of. Optimize my body and brain so I can enjoy life that much more and actually have the energy and clarity to carry out my dreams and make a positive impact on everything around me.   

A heat wave came through one day and I was graced with cleaning all the stairwells. The fiery sun blasting through the glass trapped even more humidity and heat for me to enjoy. Within a few minutes I was dripping, but what do you do? Waste energy on reacting and complaining and whining? Nahhhh. Three hours later, sweat drenched clothes, I finished up, and geeze was a cold shower refreshing as ever.

I was the only one home when the front office phone kept going off. While I was floating around in the ocean everyone went out to a local restaurant. I peeked around the corner and I assumed it was a customer so I didn’t open the door. Five minutes later the phone kept ringing so I opened up the door and it was another workawayer. Whoops. A woman from the land of France. Victoria. But her name didn’t sound French at all so I asked her, “where you from originally?” Spain. I told her about the hosts and work here and she didn’t sound interested at all. She wanted to practice Thai massage and surf, so she left to stay with a friend in town while everyone was still gone. Some days later I noticed her sitting on the back part of the beach so I scooted on next to her. Later on in the conversation I whipped out some witty combo of words followed by a cheeky grin. How could she not give me a Thai massage after that? Before I knew it we were in the park. She told me that this massage is usually done with long sleeves but I didn’t have any other clothes with me. “Lucky me, guess you’ll have to touch my bare skin.” I thought. What followed was the most unique massage I’ve ever had. It was like her body was an extention of mine.     

Freshwater pool on the patio for the birds to enjoy during heat waves.

Ian is such an interesting guy. We resonate on so many levels. He co-owns about a hundred acres of ancient Australian land where he's developing a permaculture style eco-village. So awesome. Man this guy knows how to talk. Once he gets going his thoughts come out like a freight train and there's no stopping him. We've had so many interesting conversations. He hasn't shaved since he was in his twenties. I made an interesting connection between the military and religion when he was referring back to the true story of how the U.S. Government enlisted the help of Native Americans during The Vietnam War for their supernatural tracking and intuitive abilities. Again and again though, once the Native Americans became a part of the military their tracking abilities vanished, but why? The government then funded a study to figure out what was happening, and the answer was in the hair. Once the Native Americans entered the military they were forced to cut their incredibly long and sacred hair. They then lost their tracking and intuitive abilities. In Native American culture, the hair is considered to be an extension of the nervous system and works like an antenna. From a biological perspective the hair concentrates certain metals that work like conductors picking up subtle vibrations, hence the heightened intuitive abilities like waking up in the middle of the night when an enemy is approaching. The interesting connection between the military and the many religions of the world is that if you are a missionary or enlist in the army you are required to cut your hair. Why? In the army you wear a uniform. As a missionary you wear a suit. In the army you must be obedient to the rules or there will be physical punishment. In many religions if you don't abide by the rules, there will be some form of eternal punishment in the life to come. Hmmm. 

An eco-village in nature is the kind of environment I want to end up in at some point. It's about going back to the basics. Connecting to the land. Living as part of a functional community. Living sustainably. There is so much joy and peace and simplicity in that lifestyle and I truly believe that is how we are meant to live. That is how our biology is hardwired. But we've lost so much of that nowadays with technology taking over. Screens on all day, stripping away basic social interaction and isolating people to little square boxes (as I write this sitting in a small square box of a room in Balclutha New Zealand, yes I'm a hypocrite) in homes and offices around the world. Being totally disconnected from nature and the food grown in it. Technology is a great blessing and an exceptional curse at the same time. I imagine being a part of a community where everyone does what they love, whether it's growing fruits and vegetables, taking care of animals like chickens, goats, and cows, making cheese, cooking, making pottery, growing all types of edible mushrooms, photography and making videos, building,  canning and fermenting. Etc, etc, etc. And on and on. And everyone shares and helps out and enjoys the abundant simplicity of that kind of lifestyle. I can't imagine a better environment to raise a family.     

Laying in the ocean at night is so hypnotic. Limbs stretched out, staring at the blazing stars, floating in a weightless black void. I guess this is what the Buddha’s are seeking internally. An empty black void free of all ego and desires, and paradoxically enough, a complete and blissful fullness. Full of the Universe. The kind of internal state that concludes, "I am not living. Life is living through me." If you think of a tree, would the leaves ever say they are separate than the branches and trunk? That's a good metaphor for how I feel when I meet people that believe there is nothing after death, or if you can't quantify or measure it with the scientific method then it doesn't exist. All of that is pure ignorance to me. It's letting your hardened concrete-like ego absolutely convince and blind you to spiritual truth. It's like going to a movie and being so engrossed in the movement of light and pictures that you come to the conclusion that nothing outside of the theater exists. That is all that's "real." Riiiiiight.    

Fresh nanners from the backyard. 

I made homemade fudge one day and it was easily the best version yet. Cashews, macas (macademia), pecans, coconut oil, raw cacao butter, raw honey, raw cacao, fresh vanilla bean, and a pinch of celtic sea salt all blended up and then pressed into a pan. Unbelievable. Deb took one bite and paused in place, “Oh my God … this is divine.” And that right there is the joy of cooking.

After Marie left to Tasmania and Anton left to Victoria a duo of dudes showed up in a camper van. One was from Switzerland and one was from Buenos Aires. That night we walked along the beach and sitting at the park they whipped out some good ol' grass. It feels great to be a place in my life where I don't feel a compulsion to use. I took in the smells of their Auzzie bush weed and watched them smoke as we swapped travel stories. Content in my clearheadedness. Understanding their situation perfectly with clear empathy I whipped up my world famous banana cinnamon peanut butter smoothie, and let's just say they reeeeeeally enjoyed it. People can judge things like cannabis with narrow mindedness but the plant has so many positive medicinal uses. I would love for someone that thinks using cannabis is a "sin" to talk to a parent who has a child with seizures who now actually has a quality of life, or a cancer patient who's only relief from the horrendous side effects of chemotherapy and radiation is cannabis extract, or someone with chronic pain who is finally free of addictive all-consuming pain pills because of the wondrous qualities of a plant called Cannabis. Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention that it's a plant grown in nature and not processed synthetically in a fucking laboratory?

The next day we had the biggest day of the year according to Ian and Deb. We had to clean eight rooms by 2:00pm which is insane. Luckily we had the extra help from the newcomers, but they were not expecting that kind of work at all, and the whole situation made me laugh quite a bit because Deb was in a frantic stressed out state and everything was rushed. Later in the afternoon I had walked to the library and when I got back they were gone! Ah ha. The work was just too much. Nothin' but bad luck when your first day working is the busiest day of the year. I don't blame them for leaving after that. 

The night before I left Ian and I had a great chat and he opened up to me and shared some gems from his life. One of them was the three year Self Realization Fellowship he did that was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, the man who brought the teachings of Yoga to the West. He told me of an experience he had after practicing a particular type of yogic meditation. Just Being out in nature and feeling the wind brush up against his skin was one of the most blissful moments of his life. Wow. The Self Realization Fellowship really sparked my interest and I've come to understand Yoga has incredible depth. The part of yoga that includes all the stretching and mindful movement is really only the tip top of the iceberg. The path of true yoga is one that ends in Self Realization or Enlightenment or Salvation as Christ worded it. I don't necessarily believe in reincarnation but I like the mindset that it could take thousands and thousands and thousands of lifetimes to reach a fully awakened state, because it helps me be patient and understanding. Real change is slow, and seeing through all the Maya (illusion) of this world and entering the eternal internal realms more fully takes a seemingly endless amount of time and experience and practice.  

Enjoyed a last sauna and beach session the morning of my departure and said my goodbyes. I had an amazing time in Maroochydore. Deb & Ian were great hosts, and how can you blame them for being stressed out and agitated from time to time when they haven't had a break in five years. Working every single day for five years. On my way out Deb was sitting in the front office chair surrounded by a cloud of stress. I gave her a half hug and it felt awkward. You can just see the stress eating away her away. What can you do though? I wish them the best.

Soaking up some sunshine for a while outside I was soon warmly greeted by Gordon and his daughter Emily. Off to a proper free range chicken operation about forty five minutes inland in a small area called Moy Pocket. The sunny dreams continue... 

Maroochydore

The first day of 2017 Haowen and I went to some museums downtown and it was a beautiful day indeed, but mentally I was feeling sludgy. I felt like I had to drag myself through the day, and because of that I didn't take any pictures by the picturesque southbank of Brisbane. Oh well, it's stored in my brain.

The next day Haowen and Feifan walked me to the train station where I said my goodbyes to the Chinese brothas. Next destination: The Sunshine Coast. A few hours north. I lost my way briefly getting off at the wrong station (what's new?) but eventually figured it out. Gliding past The Glasshouse Mountains was like entering a subtropical lunar world. Massive mountain-like rocks in the most random shapes dotted the land, as if chunks of an ancient asteroid disintegrated long ago and the native Australian flora then took it over aggressively.

I switched from train to bus and loved the new scenery as always. What is more awe inspiring than watching Nature in all her different manifestations? Riding past Mooloolaba I looked to my left and right and instead of driveways and cars there were docks and boats. A suburban water land. We soon crossed a small bridge that kids were jumping off of. Families enjoying picnics, kayakers floating along, fishing poles waiting for the hook, and the sun blasting its light off the serene waters. The Sunshine Coast. What a sunny dream.

I grabbed my bags and exited the bus near the Maroochydore library having a general idea where Sundeck Gardens was, the resort I'd be staying at. I walked for about fifteen minutes and made it to a grassy spot, put my stuff down and wiped the sweat off my face, and realised I should have asked someone before walking all this way. Right then I looked to my right and saw the sign "Sundeck Gardens." My destination!

I walked in the front office and asked for Deb and after realizing I was a workawayer Ian welcomed me into their home situated behind the front office. Ian has a wild grey beard and along with his wife Deb, manage this resort right across the street from the beach. Within minutes I met Deb who offered me some fruit, as well as two other workawayers Marie and Anton. Marie is from Quebec. Anton is from Germany, easily distinguishable by the distinct German accent. Ian had to immediately get back to work and Deb was busy as well so Marie gave me a brief tour of everything. Her accent is one of kind. I've never met anyone from Quebec. At this point there's no way I won't always have people in my life with different accents from different cultures all over the world. It's just too much fun. After a brief tour Marie, Anton, and Mr. Purps went for a walk around the city. What a chill seaside town. It is a place where tourists visit, but not busy by any means. We passed a bunch of geezers playing a game of Lawn Bowls which I had never seen before. From the looks of it Lawn Bowls is similar to curling but on grassy turf, with the advantage of actually looking fun. Making our way over to the beach, feet squishing over little mounds of powdered sugar sand, floating with the waves, looking at the long stretch of land along the beach making the shape of a boomerang, I thought, "how do I ever stop traveling when the world is so majestic?" 

My new front yard. 

A little bit about the other travellers. Anton is fresh out of high school and traveling for a year in Australia. Out of all my travels, by no comparison, I've met the most Germans backpacking. It's naturally a part of their culture at this time. I absolutely love that. All the germans I've met have been super open minded and just awesome people. Good for Anton for taking the leap and plunging into arguably the best real life education. Travelling the world alone with no itinerary and no plans. 

Marie on the other hand has been traveling the world for the past seven years. Seven years! Six of those years with her boyfriend and for the past year alone. Every time I hear a woman spout this nonsense that the world is a dangerous place for a girl to be travelling alone it makes me shudder with  frustration. All I have to do from now on is just say, "talk to Marie." It's such a lousy fear based belief. I mean for fuck sake, if you want to be technical, it's dangerous walking outside your front door, it's dangerous getting in your car, it's dangerous just being alive! What are you gonna do sit in a bubble of fear your whole life? 

Becoming more familiar with their pantry and garden it made me so happy seeing spring water, all sorts of quality ingredients and herbs, including the Ayurvedic herbs Brahmi and Holy Basil out in the garden. For as long as I live pure high quality food and herbs will be one of my greatest passions.   

The rest of the night was spent in conversation and a solo walk on the tranquil beaches of Maroochydore. 

Photo courtesy of google. Sundeck gardens is the white three story building sitting near the bottom left corner near the roundabout. 

New Years in Brisbane

After our trip to Moreton Island I explored the city at night via my feet. I ran along the beautiful Brisbane river until my brain was a volcano of pleasure. Man the humidity is thick! I can't even imagine what north Australia is like during the summer months, and I don't intend on ever exploring those parts unless it's winter time. After a shower I was still soaked, sweat dripping on the ground as I was writing in my journal. Haowen dancing and singing in his undies to mainstream American pop is a sight to see. 

New Years Day started out sun torched and humid. Haowen and Feifan didn't want to venture out and do something during the blazing daylight hours, so I journeyed out alone to explore the city. At the train station I conversed with a lady who was headed up to Cairns (north east Straya') and I wasn't jealous thinking of the absolute sun scorched sauna it must me right now. 

I found a mall downtown, and looking up from the bottom, it looked like the rotating stairwell in Hogwarts, minus the rotating. Instead of stairwells it was slightly slanted escalators going every which way. And lo and behold, at the top a movie theater and giant arcade. Sweetness. I decided I may as well see Star Wars, and waiting in line to buy my $21.50 V-Max (bigger than normal but smaller than I-MAX) ticket, the artificially glistening ice cream was staring at me full force. What the hell I'm paying $21.50 for the ticket may as well throw in an ice cream as well. I tend to stick to around the 90/10 rule. 90 percent super clean nutrient dense foods. 10 percent whatever the fuck I want with no guilt or shame attached. The movie seemed to be more enjoyable because I hadn't been to a theater for a while, and also because it was an adventure just finding it. 

Authentic Chinese food in my belly, camelbak on my back, our night began walking along the Brisbane river to watch the fireworks more towards the inner city. Little boat cruisers with passengers darted along the water, so quiet you could only hear a faint humming. Bikers and runners and families headed towards the city. The weather is still and calm. We passed a series of bridges, both for cars and trains. I realised my camera was not picking up the whole scene as clearly as I hoped, but the videos I took captured it all. 

A groovy bridge that changes colors. Yes please. 

We sat along the walkway railing along with lots of other people and enjoyed the first firework show of the night. I turned to my right and Haowen was looking at his phone. I about slapped him silly. Wake up you crazy Chinese boy! After the show ended an applause erupted all around us, and we all looked at each other and laughed. We had no idea there were people lining the bridge and streets above us. 

The rest of the night we kept on walking towards the city and kept it simple just enjoying the music and scenes of the night. We stumbled upon a multi-colored casino, the performing arts centre, a ferris wheel, a two storied boat called "Lady Brisbane" that was Christmas'ed out complete with a lit up dance floor on the back, and lots of other goodies I hadn't seen before. 

By the time it was midnight I was back in Feifan's basement room. The only blanket I had on that night was a thin layer of sweat accumulating on my body.