Just a bit after 4:19 am....

So I said goodbye to Claire and her wonderful friends, who went down to Margaret River for the week, hung out with Rachel from the hostel for a bit, and left Fremantle for Perth Airport. I did have the chance to get one more stare-down for the road from Kath. [And oh yeah. Okay. Many of you have asked, "So...did you see him ('him' being a great guy I met in San Diego last year who is from Perth)?' and the end of the story is a happy one. The answer is no. Although I didn't get to see him, I was given a bigger gift, which was for him to tell me that he's now engaged and that he couldn't see me. I am so impressed with that kind of respect and love, and hearing that confirmed my feelings about him all along -- that he is a solid and lovely guy. Of course it was a bit of a bummer, but I don't want to live in Australia, anyhow! Next love story, please!] Landed in Cairns, Australia, at 4 this morning. It was the earliest (or latest?) I'd ever landed in an airport. Must not be curfews here. The flight attendant had the best way of expressing things. She said, "We're due to land just after 4:19 am, or very near to it." I got a kick out of how precise she was. And she was right on the money. It was probably 4:19:23.

In any case, a very odd feeling to go to bed at 5 and I hadn't even been partying! I'm staying at the Girls' Hostel, which I can already recommend to anyone going to Cairns (if you're a girl, that is). The rooms are clean, the building has character, it's right in the heart of the matter, and the best part is Dawn, the manager, who will book you as many tours and give you as much advice as you need. She set me up for the day by suggesting Kuranda, a rainforest village, which is where I am now. You can take the skyrail to it, or a bus or train; I chose the bus and will train it back (for reasons of vertigo that most people don't know I possess) and was thrilled I did because a.) beautiful ride and b.) a nice older gentleman sat behind me and gave me 17 minutes straight on Thailand, where I'll be in December. If I was sure 10 days there wouldn't be enough before, now I'm really sure!

I can already see that this entire trip is like a beer sampler...you try the smoky bacon-flavored one, and the pear-flavored fruity one, and know which one you want to order a pint of (or not). Rachel (who's from near Sydney and has been traveling for six months; just back from Egypt) taught me that last night at a tapas bar that was also a microbrewery in Fremantle...she always orders a half-pint of the "funny beer" so she's not committed just in case she's not into it. So I know that I'll be back to each of these places again, and do them differently -- much longer in each state.

Sunday I'll do a live-aboard dive trip to the outer Great Barrier Reef. I cannot wait. There is an option of two days and one night + two more days and a night if you are a "hostie." You can live on the boat and dive and snorkel for free the second two nights! Thursday-Saturday I hope to go to the tablelands or maybe all the way to Darwin and back...see...not enough time! I already know I'm changing my flight to stay here in Cairns longer.

All that and I'm cranking out my workshop handouts, too...so nice to have to much space in which to be creative. I LOVEWHATIDO...to the point of grinning and cackling out loud last night at the airport (I was writing a lesson on brushing up verb tenses; what a nerd, but I did have a lovely glass of cabernet next to me). I am really getting excited for the Asia portion of the trip -- teaching in China, Japan and Taiwan will be amazing.

Off to see the koalas!