Round The World: [Days 54

[Brad & I decided that beyond any doubt, these 3 days are in the greatest hits. This post is a little long but there's heaps of pics and songs... Cheers!}

Jane's crazed excitement set the tone. She was all giddy and totally infatuated with everything. The rest were stoked too, but her raw energy was so empowering. I called her Jane of Arc. As a self-proclaimed 'foodie' she leaped at the opportunity to organize the 3 day grocery list. Nobody really cared what we ate, except, of course, for the Israelis' deference toward pork.

Now, before you can set foot on the world's biggest sand island, the Australian government requires watching a duet of 10 minute videos that advise not feeding dingoes, avoiding goanna dragons, not entering the ocean because of rip currents, and tiger sharks breed out there, and deadly box jelly fish do whatever jelly fish do even in the shallows. They say the streams are fresh water and drinkable, and finally, they give a short lesson in driving on the beach. We received all that info at our hostel communal area 4pm the evening prior.

Eventually there would be 33 of us, but only 31 were there that night. We were divided into 3 groups: ours consisted of 4 Israelis (Avi, Ada, Adar, and David), a French couple (Ludo and Audrey), 2 Canadians (Armand and Sam), and 1 Aussie (Jane). The 11 of us decided on 'Team Goon Wagon', and a great synergy emerged as we became acquainted with one another and planned out the meals.

At 6am the next morning, I slipped out the top bunk and over to the shower. The next 60 minutes were an eye-crusted ride landing me in the front parking lot. All were there, including last night's absentees and our 3 Land Cruisers. Jane was full of energy and bouncing around planning and making sure she knew the lowdown, not in an intruding way, but in a bubbly curious way. I packed our truck's roof and Adar called me Mr. Packmaster DJ. Summer rain tickled our heads; many perturbed since the island is supposed to be all paradisey or whatever, but the excitement was strong and everyone remained gung ho! 33 divided again into 3. Team Goon Wagon piled into our truck. Brad takes control of the speakers and introduces everyone to People Under the Stairs... The Wiz.. how fitting haha. Ada drove like a champ as he led the other groups to the beach. There, a massive green barge plowed right onto the sand. It's mouth gaped open and out-dropped the tongue. One by one the caravan boarded.

As we powered across the channel, everyone stayed dry from inside the Land Cruiser, but something invited me to explore and I obliged. Drizzle became downpour. I spread my wings and smiled up at Mother Nature, showering in her sweet sweet sweat. I climbed the 30ft navigation tower and in the distance, through the stormy grey air and over the stormy black ocean (beneath which tiger sharks were breeding), I saw Fraser Island— a slumbering giant that mumbled vague dreams of adventure.

We landed in a jolt. The barge's loading ramp dropped and the caravan drove off. It was a new feeling. When you experience new things, you often draw parallels to media, for example, I feel like 'James Bond', or perhaps 'Jeff Spicoli', but this was a something else, like Crocodile Hunter meets Mad Maxx in the opening credits. BOOM! awesome.

Downpour became garden hose. Ada was still driving and having a ball overtaking the shoreline. Brado threw on some funky disco. We drove the beach for a solid half hour before reaching the village, which was nothing more than a convenience store and bakery. The 33 of us shuffled out the Land Cruisers and stretched our hams buying random crap. Then we crammed back in and bounced up to Lake Mackenzie and whoeee that drive was dope!

The roads are sand and trampled by trucks everyday; consequently, it's all dippy pot holes, washboard curves and big drops that would total your grandmother's Cadillac. Mix in 4x4s and a howling storm and you've got the bees knees! Every small ridge became a river that splashed high when we romped through. And the dips, aah those dips, inverted waterfalls engulfing our truck. Jane was driving and boy did she hit it hard. Sam called for everyone to look back and sure enough a dingo was moseying across the road.

We arrived in the Mackenzie parking area at 10am. Clothes blew off and swimsuits climbed on. Trotted to the shore and we all just stood there soaking in the spectacle. The shallow water is transparent, but about 30 ft out a steep shelf colors it midnight. The lake is huge and bordered with rainforest. And there we were, Team Goon Wagon, together realizing just how lucky we all were.

The clouds were still watching over, but they halted their drench so we all could joke in mere mist. One of us, I think it was Armand, took off running for the water. He dove in full speed then blasted up shaking water from his face. The rest started wiggling and giggling and we chased after. David borrowed a soccerball from these kind Spaniards and we played the biggest game of circle-volley. Everyone laughed and tried soccer tricks. Haha you can't kick with your foot in the water. I turned away and swam out toward the middle. I floated there on my back getting lost in the powerful sky.

I toweled off standing in white sand. Monstrous ants crawled around a planter box, but they weren't creepy crawly, more like little Fraser drunkards welcoming me to a party.

We went to a picnic table. Mist became sprinkle so we tarped a surly shelter. Pulled down sandwich fix'ns and we grubbed up. The Swiss army knives Brado and me got from A16 were amazing! They chopped tomatoes perfectly and severed twine in a single stroke. Plus, the Israelis are ex-military and were loudly impressed by our gear.

With bellies full we sought out the jungle-park. David drove and almost flipped the damn truck haha! I cooled out with ''2Am'' by Slightly Stoopid. Hard rain made everything glisten when we parked. After touching bases with the other 2 groups, we ventured into the greenery. The first marvel was a fallen eucalyptus. It bridged a yellow river at a gap in the canopy: daylight beamed directly onto it, and that light reflected bouncing droplets, and that water saturated the tree deep brown. I balanced across it while the rain was raining down and the wind was winding everywhere.

We hiked further and came across two more wonders. The first was a rusty engine block. It was atop a precipice 20 minutes in, surrounded by bushes that seemed to be growing away like strangers waiting for a public toilet. The second omen was a display of wooden cobra statues with brail etched on their crowns.

That night we slept on the beach in tents under rain tarps. Setting up a campsite is quite the bonding experience, especially in rain! I volunteered to shimmy up trees and tie twine... my sweatshirt is still stained hazel. The other two groups were interesting to watch. The first was full of belligerent dudes from Brazil, Germany, and Scotland. They were too drunk to put up more than one tarp and ended up sleeping wherever they passed out... inside the car, on the roof of their truck (in the storm), on the dirt (in the storm). The other group was all girls, except for English Matt, that lucky bastard, and their set up was organized and clean and girly.

That night we lived up our name and celebrated with bag-wine (a.k.a. goon). One of the Brazilian guys (who was Japanese by descent and nicknamed 'Japanese') passed out early. The 32 of us took turns drawing obscenities all over him, most of which remained throughout the next day— his stomach read 'Stick It In My Butt'. I commented and he replied “Hey, at least I scrubbed the penises off!” Haha sorry bro, you missed the one on your calf. That day was sunny and warm which was perfect for the agenda of sand-duned lakes. Adar took over the stereo and threw on 'My People' by The Presets.

We drove down the beach to the entrance of Lake Wabby. Trekked 45 minutes through a forest of white-bark trees, many of which were snapped from high winds. This sent my mind racing wondering what it was like to be in THAT storm.

Wabby is incredible at midday. With the sun out and our group becoming family, with a roaring wisp rushing through the treetops, it was a trophy off God's mantle. Armand toppled the massive dune then shouted how great it was. Brad & me shambled up and indeed it was magnificent! We were atop a massive sand dune that sloped sharply into a fresh water lake half surrounded by jungle. But that was to the north, and we were gazing south, over a vast plateau of soft sand that gently found its way into a mountain of verdant jungle.

We were blessed with one of those perfect views, when the universe seems to synchronize and you realize that there, right there, is one of the prettiest places you'll ever be, not necessarily because of its raw beauty (though it was astounding), but because everything you've seen before falls short in comparison; because its one of those rare opportunities where you experience something magical with truly good people, people who you know deep down care about you and you them and only after a short while. At those times the sun doesn't shine but breathes warm sweetness into your whole purpose.

Armand spun around and did somersaults down the dune— must have been at least 100 yards— and plopped into the lake. Haha he couldn't stand for 5 minutes. Bradon attempted the same in cartwheels but after 12 he dizzily fell over. I just hopped down and dove then swam to the other side and really heard the trees hum. I floated there quiet as possible, and a dragonfly flew over and rested on the reed directly in front of me. We had a short conversation, and then he flew circles above my head and returned to the same reed. He was sitting there when I shut my eyes to embrace the silence. Doing so sharpened my vision and I saw everything even brighter. Then I really opened my eyes and my friend was still there. I floundered away and turned back just in time to watch him chase after another dragonfly. I swam to the dune slowly, breathing, listening, smelling, and feeling.

The drunken guy group brought goon to the lake. By that time they were blitzed and singing loud. They spent 30 minutes leap-frogging in the shallows and trying to catch fish with their bare hands. Bradon, Avi, and Armon returned to the summit. They turned back and raced to the bottom, using that speed to launch over the water. I relished the sun.

When my skin felt like it was burning, Jane accompanied me for the trek back and I discovered how amazing she is. She went to Thailand back in 2006 and came back suffering from chronic fatigue. In agony she spent well over a year bedridden. She went to all sorts of doctors but every effort failed. Eventually she tried Eastern medicine and a special woman honed in on Jane's body-vibrations. That doc located a parasite deep inside Jane's ear, killed the little bastard and that was that. When I met Jane she'd been able to walk for just 3 months.

During the trip she'd often wander off for extents. We'd ask where she went and she'd always reply something like “I decided to walk,” or “Enjoying the lake.” It seemed kinda funny at first, but after hearing her story I began noticing her expressions of innocent exuberance. I realized that I'd never met someone so aware. Her entire being was alive and awakened, perhaps like Billy Holiday upon first discovering song. Jane rarely offered poignant words, but instead exemplified a poignant life. Blessed lesson.

That afternoon all 3 trucks parked close and we tarped a picnic. Everyone ate royaly and passed out in shaded beach. The Israelis busted out a frisbee and I'll be damned if there was a more practiced group on the island! Avi would run 70 yards and send that thing straight to David, who'd spin around and catch it and return a perfect bullet without breaking stride, then Avi would jump spin and fire back in equal fluidity. The pair waltzed for a bit and then grew bored. David said they would've kept playing but the frisbee was too heavy; they prefer 'freestyle discs'. What? Frisbees have different types? I thought there were just Budweiser freebees and Padres give-aways. Ya'll are nuts.

We needed a campsite before the tide came in so we hauled ass down the beach. Though it wasn't scheduled for the next day, we decided to stop at the famous shipwreck on the way, and it was incredible.

There we were, standing next to a bloody steam ship sunk decades ago and washed ashore. Most of the innards eroded away and now just a clunk of vague memories remained. I thought of it's purpose, and the sailors who worked it, and wondered what they discussed and how they joked, and how many were trapped below deck when it sank, and if any survived, and if some did, well then, how were they rescued? I mean, for gawd sakes that ocean is filled with breeding tiger sharks and deadly jelly fish. And it's so damn salty you can't swim in it longer than a few hours. It was like seeing the artifact of a burnt house, only on a massive scale, and not really depressing at all, but rather, beautiful and wonderful. 'Spiritual' is really the only way I can articulate such things.

We moved onto the campsite. Clouds were fluffy and sparse, but everyone insisted that rain was looming so we tied up the tarps. The girl group did as well but the guys decided to just start drinking. It was our final night and the frantic fizziness of something great ending exploded in everyone. Adar and I rolled out a tarp and Armand breakdanced; we told Japanese to join but he was far too hammered. Dinner was prepared on gas stoves and finished off with drinking games. 20+ sat in a circle playing 'I Have Never'. There were so many people and everyone got drunk very, very fast. Especially the Danish girls, they seemed to have DONE IT ALL. Apparently I necked with Jasmine from Switzerland, then chased a dingo, climbed into a tent stark naked and passed out by an open bonfire. Score me. Old Lee from Rhotorua was right: if you air up an empty bag of goon it IS a great pillow... Brado was stoked.

Morning comes and The Goonies are still slammed. We pack like blindfolded fat kids using cake batter to build a Darth Vader bust. Ludo claims sobriety. Nice. Our agenda consists of two things: 1. go to a look out point and ride cardboard boxes down sand dunes, and 2. catch the ferry at 11am. Easier said than done when you're sloshed.

Ludo mans the helm and we jet to the look-out. We arrive speachless: cliff towers into the salty ocean; a rocky finger rising from the sand stretching out toward the mainland. We hike the backhand and carfefully find the fingertip. It's so high above the water. I gaze over the side and notice several eye-shaped shadows wading below. Sharks. Audrey spots a sea turtle surface and everyone watches... guys cheer for it eaten, girls whine for it spared. But the sharks ignore and English Matt yells down "You sharks are all pussies!" Sam sees dolphins rolling through the horizon, then Adar spots several more to the left and we all sit around blissed out.

10am sun and we're far from the ferry landing. No time to ride dunes so Bradon drops the cardboard on cliffside rocks and breakdances, then brings em down to the truck. Tides rising again so we haul ass down the beach. Dust cloud yells behind as Ada drives like he stole Apollo's chariot. A plane lands on the beach and we drift around it to keep trucking. Adar checks the map and notices a shallow river meets the pacific in a few Km. Let's do it.

We arrive and fall out in excited hurry. Jane and I, we sprint the river splashing up cool water. Ankles kick high ane we run and race through the creak never turning back. We dart pass obese Germans and dodge water-winged children and skimpy-clad men. Together we laugh the river then stop and turn. I jump grab a branch and splash back into fresh water. Surface and Jane play-faints back smile beaming. We lie there feeling the current paint us, only thigh deep so our hands brace the riverbed, our faces peer through the water framed in clarity.

I twist down into the lucid liquid and open my eyes' soul. Big fish had excited away and now just little tikes fluttered round. I surface head back and ass then crawl like a gentle lizard; the surge of a lazy pool flows me foreword. Stand at the mouth and peacefully walk to where Adar, Sam, and Brad are escaping the sun from inside the Land Cruiser. The other Goonies soon appear. I jump shotty and boom! off we go Audry driving fast. We arrive the ferry as rain clouds approach the Fraser shore.