From backpackers to the apartment

(information: my time is running out here in surfer’s paradise on the gold coast and I just noticed that I’ve written a massive report…hopefully you’re keen on reading) Yesterday I had to say goodbye to ‘ze other Germans’ in SA’s Adelaide for my flight to gold coast left at 11:10am. Fortunately I didn’t have to catch a cab or other public transport because Tony, the hostel manager, drove me personally to the airport. That’s pretty nice but actually I’ve been his cleaner no.1 who has stood up 7 days a week, no matter what was happening the night before ;) it was ‘good’money though ( I wasn’t paid very well, but money is money, isn’t it? And I needed it) but nevertheless I was very happy to say goodbye to my mob and bucket. I nearly forgot, but I got to know a man =) ‘pullmann’ and I saw him everyday, every morning…that’s nice, isn’t it? No, it wasn’t always that nice because R2D2 rolled over my feet not only one time and sometimes really went on my nerves, he wasn’t very handy! But this job is finished- yeah. At the airport I met heaps of SA girls and boys that were all on their way to the national junior masters in Queensland. Even it was Friday the 13th I made it safely to the gold coast *puh*, no I’m not superstitious anyway! For I haven’t planned anything, I had to organize something to get somewhere =) all right, packed with thousands of kilos on my front as well as on my back and another bag in my hand, *ohhhhhhh* I bought a ticket for the bus shuttle and auf die frage hin, where I wanted to go I had to answer “uuh, actually I haven’t booked a hostel yet, I just have to get to surfer’s centre probably or to one of the hostels” he brought me to the bus station and fortunately there was an information desk where I could get information about all the hostels. Of course, I was really lucky again and got the last spare bed in the backpackers ‘trekkers’ and 30 minutes later I was picked up and on my way to the hostel- *puh* but I haven’t had any doubts anyway, everybody knows my positive attitude towards most of the things. I really don’t know why my backpack or more my two backpacks are that heavy, that’s really much effort to carry all that stuff and moreover to keep the balance so that the massive weight doesn’t pull me backwards on my bum…weird because I didn’t buy any clothes or anything else except a sleeping bag for tassie- hm- probably I should sort some stuff out and send it back to ‘good old’. ‘trekkers’ is a really nice backpackers, I went for a swim in the pool, used the internet, went for a walk in a huge shopping centre (I didn’t know where I was at no time, I just followed the signs because these 4 floors and all that shops and ankles of the building were a too big barrier for my orientation) and then just hanged out with some guys in the hostel. I got up at half 11 to call home, this time successfully and had a pretty long conversation with my mum, that was nice! On the next day I used the advantages of the pool again to cool down a bit, because it was really hot or humid. At midday Trisha arrived with her parents and they picked me up and we drove to the apartment. Oh my good, that is sooo nice, I can’t really describe it. First of all, it is really nice equipped very bright everything and really tidy and amply. Secondly it’s in the 14th floor and when we opened the curtains from our room we were really surprised for we have an amazing view over the whole beach, which is straight ahead in front of our building, and you can even see the beach volleyball courts where the masters will take place the next days. You could easily watch them from the balcony because the beach is that close. And then the big windows everywhere so that you can overlook the beach and the sea and on the other side the city with its skyscrapers - I tell you, just aaaaaaaaawesome. That was a really big change from one moment to the other. Last night in a dorm room with 4 other guys and the next day in such a luxurious apartment that I still can’t believe it. So I have holidays within my working holidays…that went all pretty well that I can play with Trisha and stay with her and her parents at such a beautiful place. As that shouldn’t be enough I enjoyed a very nice, original home-made dinner prepared by ‘mum’- yummy- stire-fried. Of course we went for a walk through the city, a second time after dinner and got some ice-cream- yummy again, I’m getting spoiled at the moment I guess. I just love it, when it’s still warm outside in the evenings or even nights so that you can sit outside, chill out with friends, live-music everywhere and just the nightlife in a ‘summer-city’ like surfer’s paradise. You can compare it to the image you get when you’re somewhere in the southern parts of Europe for instance Italy or Spain, where all the people come out on the streets when the sun sets…really really nice. After that, Trisha and me enjoyed life in the spa seeing the lights from the surrounding skyscrapers and relaxed from the strains of the day *huestel* and wanted to use the sauna afterwards but it was out of order, of course *pf* now I’m sitting on the balcony and just watching the city and its impressive lights everywhere as far as you can see on the right-hand side and the sea with its waves enlightened by the moon on my left-hand side and I’m listening to the rush of the sea. Our tournament starts on Tuesday but there is another comp on at the moment so I can watch some ball again-yippieh! And now I will go to bed and thinking what a perfect day I had today and that there are following many others of this sort, what could I want more?? Nothing! Just awesome, I think everybody knows how happy pleasant anticipation can make you *bigsmileonanna’sface* =) Good morning sunshine (the earth says hellooo? Does this ring a bell? Our awesome ‘hair’-musical) had a good rest last night in such a comfortable bed and already woke up at 8ish. I decided to go for a swim in the pool *enjoy* and had brekky with scrambled eggs and toast on the balcony. And I could have a shower in a really clean bathroom and moreover as long as I wanted without any people waiting, luxurious! That’s so funny, because it always takes me a while to go from one side of the apartment to the other for I always have to stop at each window to have a look over the beach before I can turn off my face from this wonderful view. I couldn’t imagine a better start for a day. Now I’m watching a bit volleyball and enjoy the warmth of the sun and the cooling breeze. Probably we hire a couple of surfboards and try our luck on the waves…ah I nearly forgot to tell. Recently there was a bad shark attack in Queensland, not far from here by the way, where a young woman was killed. She has only been waist deep in the water, the water was murky though and unfortunately there were heaps of shoal but she just hasn’t been deep in the water and usually you don’t expect sharks as close to the shore. Supposedly there were three sharks ‘eating’ both of her arms and a part of one leg. Her friends tried to help her and wanted to get her out of the water but unfortunately there was nothing they could have grabbed on…..she died one hour later in the hospital…what a horrible dead must this have been? If you want to go for a swim, I would like to ;) , you should go between the flags of the surf life saving club….that’s a funny picture because this hundred meter ish are crowded of people. Today we bought new bikinis because there is a rule of matching bottoms. There was this huuuge shopping centre again and sale everywhere, I really had to contain myself because these heaps of really really nice summer clothes…but all right, you can’t have everything in life and I’m the last person who could complain about anything J yesterday we saw the draw for the u23 Australian masters and it’s just….ahh…most of the teams taking part under 23 played national tour last week in adelaide where I was watching them. They are all really really good teams, that will be good fun to play thouth even if our chances to win are kind of small J oh oh at least 100% in every game or getting smashed, nevertheless I’m really looking forward to! That was a nice day today. We played in a pool with teams who were taking part in the world juniors and the rest were national tour players- juhuu- that was a big challenge. Even if we lost all our games, we did very well: the score was even mostly until the time we couldn’t keep our sideout because of the missing routine and experience but it was never an easy game for the others- hehe. We even won one set against two national tour girls and were leading in the third set with 13:9 but were on the worse end because of the wind and massive jump serves against the wind direction created trouble in proper passing and we lost unfortunately with 13:15- bugger L it was really heaps good fun to play against such good teams…I’m still happy =) and that all makes me more and more keen to train properly and improve…I will see what the future will bring for me in terms of beach volleyball. After our four games and a whole day in the sun (1st game at 8am, last one at 4pm) we are really exhausted. We went for a swim in the pool to get rid of the sticky sand, relaxed in the heated spa and laid down in the sauna afterwards- I could get used to that =) no, it was really such a luxurious life for me here in the apartment and I really really appreciated it and especially just enjoyed it. Tomorrow I will fly to Melbourne and try to get to birgit’s house, next adventure, cruise through Melbourne at nighttime without really knowing where to go, and then we will fly to Tassie in the next morning and we start our ‘simple/ very simple life- tour’ we will sleep in the car and probably in a tent, eat aehm….everything you don’t have to cool or everything you can prepare without power- hm…what could that be??? We will see ;) funny…and explore tassie and hopefully see nice landscape.

trisha serving

i haven't noticed that trisha's dad has taken photos while we were umpiring...

nice hit

ohhh fuck, damn it!

uuppp!!

what a dive...but where is the ball? hm...hopefully on the other side of the court, good work!

aehhh zinc...but my face would be burned as (hell) if i don't use that sticky stuff, but fortunately it's not white but bronze

trisha and me on our balcony in the apartment, that was wooonderful

cutt!!!!

heeellooo =)

yeah that was my block- score

It’s really so nice to be in back in Queensland…I like it…the rainbow lorikeets are singing again when the sun sets, there is a big park with heaps of green and especially palm trees again- yuhuu!

Typical Oz
I’m wondering why we didn’t introduce plastic money with the Euro, that’s very smart to have the notes made of plastic, therefore you can wash them and just haven’t be too afraid to rip it…silly Europeans ;)

Besides vegemite (such a disgusting bread spread- *urgg*) ‘Milo’ is kind of popular. That’s like nesquik but it doesn’t really admix with the milk. But you can eat this ‘crunchy’ chocolate powder swimming on the surface of the cold milk. Or they use if as an ice-cream topic, very yummy and a good thing for the sweet anna ;)
Moreover the aussies eat sandwiches or bread roles with ham or cheese and very often chicken, what they eat very often anyway. And you know what? Beetroot is very popular as well and it is served to every salad and to most of the meals. Lucky, that I like it =)

If you watch a beachvolleyball you wouldn’t expect such high temperatures for everybody is trying to hide as much skin as possible with long sleeves, parerros, towls and hats of course from the sun while not playing. Actually a funny picture but without having a proper ozone layer here it wouldn’t be very smart to expose oneself too long to the strong sun in terms of skin cancer. At the beginning of my journey I was very leichtsinnig as well, but as I’m not a dumb person J I learned to adapt my verhalten regarding being outside in the sun Trisha and many others are complaining about sunburns and trisha’s parents asked me if I don’t get burned….not anymore….score. I bought some bronze zinc to protect my sensible nose and cheeks and moreover I’m using heaps of suncream- bought a 1 liter canister