Month: April 2013

I certainly did not land and start kayaking as I had hoped.  Many of you know that I befriended an Aussie in Cairns who had started from Darwin and was heading to Sydney in a canoe.  I thought this sounded so cool so I ran home, made some tea, brought food and a tablet of paper and Mel proceeded to tell me how to do it.  My idea started as a great way to visit the Whitsundays again, but then circumnavigating Australia started coming out of my mouth and now it’s too late to turn back.   Mel and I kept in touch when I returned to the States to get my visa in order.  I delicately mentioned he had said I might be able to tag along with him for two weeks, just to get an idea of the routine.  “I don’t want to bug you or hold you up, but do you still think that would be okay?”   “Mate, that would be fantastic!” he exclaimed.  I was elated.  The plan was coming together.  We would meet in Sydney, purchase our kayaks, and set out.  The only problem was that two months prior to my departure for Australia every time I called Mel, it went directly to voice mail.  No, I’m sure he didn’t die, we would have heard about it.  I called Telstra (the phone carrier) and they couldn’t officially tell me anything since I wasn’t on the account, but it was implied that the phone hadn’t been recharged.  I am pretty sure he lost his phone with all his contacts.  Maybe it’s for the best.  It will probably be a lot more entertaining for you to read about my numerous mishaps!   I spent a short time in East Perth in a high rise apartment building.  THAT was a culture shock.  So many people, so close together.  Comparatively, I know it’s nothing compared to the high density in the States, it’s just that I have never lived in a city before.  It seemed relatively safe even after dark.  I was never at complete ease as once you’ve had a 44 Magnum pointed at your head (Oakland, California), you never forget.   I arrived in Australia just in time for the Rottnest Channel Swim, a 19.7 kilometer swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island.  I immediately offered my kayaking services on Facebook and they were accepted by a swimmer flying in from Sydney.  My job was to guide Peter through the mobs of other swimmers, kayaks, and support boats to the finish line.  Thirty thousand people showed up for the event, the largest open water swim in the world!  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED and it was so much fun!   Teresa in the Kayak, Boats in the Channel Teresa Kayaking, Peter Swimming                                           Mission Accomplished–Gold Medal