I’m wearing a new pair of black boxers at the moment. I’ve been traveling with them for 4.5 months and purposely never worn them. The running plan has been that I would only put them on when I had nothing else that was clean. Today that day has come. As a result – today is laundry day. Fortunately for me, Arlie Beach is a great little town to do laundry in, since I’m not sure what else there is to do here…
For the last week I’ve been slowly traveling north along the eastern coast of Queensland. For those who failed Geography, Queensland is one of Australia’s states …and is three times the size of Texas. The coast is known specifically for its numerous beaches that create a surfer’s paradise. In fact, they even named a town Surfer’s Paradise.
Mooloolaba. It’s a mouthful. It’s also the name of a town in Australia on the Sunshine coast region of Queensland. Unofficially – I think it’s also the Australian version of Florida …there are seniors in campers EVERYWHERE!!
I went hunting yesterday. Graffiti hunting. What this means is that I put on my cold weather gear (hoodie AND jacket) and started walking in the direction of a neighborhood in the process of being gentrified. I discovered there are a few varieties of street art – spray paint, stickers, and posters. Here’s some of what I found.
A trip to Melbourne isn’t complete unless you take in the local art scene. It’s not found at any museum and there is no cover charge. (Go check out the Monet exhibit if that’s what you’re into…) No, the local art in Melbourne is found in the back of tiny alleys or around the corner of any number of major streets. The medium is typically paint – spray paint.
Babe I’m gonna leave you. I wanted to give you all my love, but now I’m just dazed and confused. There was some sort of communication breakdown – a city filled with an endless supply of coffee shops and restaurants – now I realize you are somethin’ else. You’ve given me the traveling riverside blues and it’s nobody’s fault but mine. Melbourne, your time is gonna come – I’m dreaming of a white summer. Right now though, I’m a fool in the rain and it’s too cold to go down to the ocean. It’s time to ramble on.
Melbourne. It’s pronounced, “Mel-bin” by the locals. The best way to describe the city would be part British and part European. Oh, and really expensive. The below pictures show the story of how I got here and what it’s been like so far. (A more text based version will come soon…)
“Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” In Dante’s The Divine Comedy, these words are inscribed over the entrance to Hell. While I absolutely love Singapore, these words should be printed on the bus tickets alongside the “DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS UNDER SINGAPORE LAW” as an additional warning to all backpackers entering the country. Singapore is expensive. Singapore isn’t just “Asia” expensive – it’s “Miami Beach during the Superbowl” expensive.
So many things have happened between July 1st to 4th that the simple thought of writing everything out feels like lining up to run a literary marathon. As I look at the random notes I’ve written down along the way, I still don’t even know where to start. Singapore is amazing. Couchsurfing is amazing. People are amazing. This trip has been amazing.
Over the last few weeks in Malaysia I’ve found myself taking random photos with my iPhone. Usually these are pictures taken when I’m on the street without my camera for one reason or another. I’ve gone through them all and put the ones that are worth sharing here.
One Way Backpacking 