Monday, November 18, 2013

kelp


so - the first weeks back in pure bred western civilization are behind us...and wow - are we stunned!

probably i should start at the beginning, as the last blog entry stops with us being still out at sea.
we wrote that we planned to anchor behind moreton island to go into brisbane the following day...well, we did not! as customs does not like yachts to do a stop before clearing in, they asked us kindly but firmly to try with all means to get in. only for safety reasons would they permit an overnight anchoring. 

and after being asked so nicely we decided to go for it...with engine AND sails. and even though there were 2,5-3kn of current against us, maloo wanted to tie up for the night....and who are we not to let her.
so we arrived at the rivergate marina and had a glass of wine/bottle of beer and went to sleep. the next morning customs and quarantine cleared us in surprisingly fast and without any hassle...and there we were: in Australia, mate!

we went out for a nice pub meal on oxford street and stared at the people walking past....feeling a bit "behind the moon"-ish. 
the next day left us feeling even more alienated as we went to a big mall trying to buy a prepaid sim card...and if you do not want any data for your mobile phone, well, you can't get a card.

the supermarkets are overflowing with things to buy - just choosing a liter of milk in the cool labyrinth of no/low/medium/traditional/extra fat, pasteurized or non pasteurizes, homogenized or not homogenized, with extra vitamin D or lactose free....and then square that by organic/non organic and times it by goat and soy and you get the picture.
and now you tell me....can i be blamed for needing about 10 minutes to find "my" litre of milk? needless to say that the first shop took a while;)

but i have to tell you, it was a strangely funny experience as the a deep buried memory of a life before maloo tried to surface and breath like a stem of kelp trying to reach the water's edge. and just as it was about to touch the waterline a funny colored fish came and bit through the stem leaving the kelp plant drifting away in a gentle sea.
this fish came to eat a couple of these "kelp" plants in the last few days...and at this moment i am not quite sure what to call him. however, he does great "gardening" allowing me to swim freely without getting caught in the plants and dragged under, enjoying the beauty of the kelp forest from a safe distance without getting wrapped up in it...and i hope that he will stay for good! as it seems being part of our plastic wonderful fantasy world with all its nice new clothes and flat screens and glitzy stuff is much more fun and enjoyable when you do not take it too serious.

after time he might get too exhausted cutting all the kelp though and swim away!?....maybe then it will be time to go to look for him again;)

as for our plans in the immediate future? - well, we spent over a week giving maloo lots of deserved love! a new anti foul, polished hull and deck, a clean in every locker, changing all her oils...lots of pets with soft rags....and we made her an australian lady by officially importing her.
we caught up with family and took them out to a wonderful short trip to peel island hoping they might get the sailing bug and one day will hang out with us again. we also enjoyed a tiny bit of city life and the proximity of supermarkets and restaurants.

but most importantly.... a life's dream was fulfilled! at Steve Iwrwin's Australia Zoo i got to cuddle a possum and spent time with the most amazing wonderful wombats. life can't get any better!!!!!! 



going up brisbane river


...and the boy is home!


a night in the air on sparkling maloo



Hope, the possum




cuddling hope



mhmm - sweet potato


a tassi devil getting ready to...


...roar like a lion


tawny frogmouth

playtime with wendy the wombat












what a great day











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