November 16th – finally in Brisbane

Rūdolfs writes:
We wake up at 5:00 and prepare breakfast and collect the belongings at the same time because today need to give back the car and can’t be lingering. There are some 500-550km left to Brisbane. We sort the car properties to their places and go through to check.
My burned legs are feeling better today. Still need put medicine often, has to be done.

Along the way, a light came on, which says that the fuel stays for around 100km. Soon we stop at Caltex gas station, fill up and go on.
I continue to stay out of the sun in the car saloon to protect my legs. Otherwise, I can feel them too well in the sun.

Time to change drivers. The sun was shining on the driver’s side and I didn’t want to steer, but circumstances meant that I had to go until near Brisbane. I took a towel and put on top of my legs. With time running, I realized that it is not enough, because I still feel more pain. I decided that the next stop I will go back to the shadow in the back.

The scenery changes, the roads are wider and the traffic increase. The speed limit is higher, but we stick to 100km/h. A short time later I realize that the end could become tense. We decided to stop aside and discuss. Some people aren’t in good mood, but it can be understood. I’m staying in car and hardly engaging in discussions. How I understand they decided to throw me out first at the place where I’ll stay for this night. For the beginning the idea was to throw me out somewhere in the city with all the stuff, where I would be waiting for Anders. Then we would transfer any remaining items in the second car. So first car can be cleaned and given back. At the second car are all the others and luggage. Cleaning them somewhere and drop off. Finish talking and continuing journey.

I start collecting to backseat all my items which were scattered through the cabin, as most wires and all sorts of things were mine. The large backpack isn’t at a comfortable position to fill it and the small one need repacking. At the end I gathered everything in one spot.

Soon we arrive at the place where me and Anders will spend the night, but the owner isn’t at home yet. Need to wait at the front of the house. We are starting to take Anders’ and my belongings out of car and drop at corner of the house where I can hide in a shadow. Then the first car is empty and the other stuff moved to the second car as planned.We are also sharing things and bottles of beer, which I wasn’t allowed to drink and WC paper – it is a lot. That is because in each toilet there was paper even in the middle of the desert. For that we all were surprised.

When finished removing of all of my and Anders’ belongings it was quite a spectacular view to the pile. I recheck to make sure everything was taken out. They are debating what to do next while I hide in the shadow.
Saying goodbye to some people, because we didn’t know for sure if we would see each other in evening. Then everyone jumped in car and started driving, leaving me alone with a pile of stuff. I’m a little surprised that the pile is so big.

While waiting for house owner curious people looked to my direction and some came up to talk to me.
Soon the owner Dace arrived with her son. We greeted each other. I was welcomed and shown the house and our sleeping place, which is a whole big room. The house is nice and wide.
We talk and I began to carry our belongings from the outside to the room and the son also helps me, even though being shy. He need go to play tennis so I am left alone for a moment. We arranged that I contact Anders and give him instruction where he should be and that we will wait him at the train station.

Now it is time to go pickup Anders, but we arrived too early and decided to go to the tennis court where Dace’s son is playing tennis. Soon we went back and Anders was in front of us.
Soon we are back at home and also the rest of family members are at house. We introduce ourselves to each other. Parents, daughter and son and two of us. We started to talk about all sorts of topics, the tour, the solar eclipse and non-travel related matters.

So that is already evening and is time to meet the rest of the team at the city. But the family has invited us to dinner. Me and Anders decided to stay, but then we were missing the ferry trip, because they already are in the centre.
Tonight we have the honour of homemade pizza for dinner.

Tent! It is still wet, Anders says. We got a permission to put the tent in the yard and are jokingly saying that we are staying the night there. Outside is quite windy and Dace’s husband says that tonight / morning there will be a storm.

Pizza is getting ready and we guys are starting to drink beer and I allowed myself. Yes, 1:1 draw right now :D
Time goes nicely together. Approaching is the time when we would have to make it to the city to meet the rest of the team. They would already have completed the ferry ride. Anders receive a call, they will soon stop at the coast. I and Anders are discussing what to do next. The time that is left comes to end. That time left is no longer then just to go to the city to say goodbye and back. Again, rush. We came to the conclusion that tonight we won’t rush anywhere, but nicely spend it together with the family. Anders told Agnese our idea, sounded like she wasn’t really excited about our plan.

After the dinner we took a look at some pictures and tour, solar eclipse video. I was hoping that I had not burned camera matrix by holding towards the sun while watching the sun eclipse, but no, turns out to be much better and not so bad and not close to a white screen as it is a wide angle camera. Speeding the film of the eclipse and the file ended up, I think it shouldn’t have happened that the film just ended in middle. (Days later it appeared that when a certain amount is reached it is written in the next file with a different name, not as customary in a row. I found that out when I checked at home which file is the biggest.)

It’s already late and we are all starting to go to sleep. We still need to fill up our backpacks for tomorrow to go to the airport. Dace’s husband offered to take us on the way to work. Although a few hours earlier, but we are comfortable with it.
Evening is hearty and spent in a leisurely atmosphere.
Goodnight :)

October 31st – Halloween day

Emīls writes [Agnese comments]:
We have planned to go to the rental office today to get all the paperwork done. We should meet at 9:20am. I arrange with Agnese to arrive at 9:30 as then I can buy the cheaper off-peak ticket. As the ride takes around 30mins, I came to my stop shortly after 9. The trains usually go every 5 or 6 minutes, but this time I had to wait for almost 15. Of course, as a result I expected to be late and arrive at 9:45. At some stop the train decided to wait for another 7 minutes and in the end, one stop before my destination it stopped and didn’t move any further. I waited for some 10 minutes till I understood that I might wait for the whole day. Some tourists were onboard and they were talking loudly, so I couldn’t hear anything that was said over loudspeaker. I asked one Australian person what has happened. He said he doesn’t understand anything as well. If he, being an Australian cannot understand, how can I do it being a tourist? In the end it turned out that he’s going to the same stop as me. So I managed to get to the destination together with the Australian in a taxi with almost an hour delay.

Once the paperwork was done, we went up in the Sydney’s tall TV tower. A wonderful view over the city. However I didn’t feel anything extraordinary – maybe I have flown and seen cities from above enough. After that 3 people from out group, me including, visited the aquarium. There were uncountable fish and other water creatures’ species. But I was the most surprised by the many sharks which were both small and very big in size. I saw them alive for the first time in my life from distance of just about 1m. [The others visited Powerhouse museum or Australian museum meanwhile and were very happy with their choice but a bit short of time to see everything properly].

Later we took a ferry ride [to Manly beach]. Once in the destination whole passenger crowd left the ferry through one exit, but we [were guided to other exit as we were blocking the path while waiting for the others of our group]. I had quickly gone through the normal exit, but my fellow travelers were hesitating somewhere. After some waiting I decided to take a look, where is everyone. Of course, there was something for free again – this time it’s complimentary coffee. I went back via the exit, but a station officer called me back and said that it’s not allowed to go there. I replied that I’m looking for my travel mates. I went a bit further and saw – everyone is making coffee – they had put the powder and sugar in cups, just about to pour the water on it. And then the doors of the station officer box opened and she saw the complimentary coffee being used, which was not intended for the passengers of this ferry. As a result Emīls had spoiled the coffee opportunity for his mates, and compensated them later with a bar of chocolate. Anyway, who is drinking coffee in the middle of the day when there’s ocean with waves waiting in a few hundred meters? .
A great swim in the ocean, sunset on a beach, a ride back to Sydney centre with a ferry and a view to the city in the night – fantastic!