Bocast vs. The World: The One in Aussie Land with the Ginger and the Doc

Brent is your typical Aussie bloke from Down Under. He’s not the Crocodile Dundee jackaroo or the sun-kissed blond surfer glorified in American media. Rather, he’s a freckled footy-playing ginger proudly waiting for what he calls the “Ranga Revolition!” (‘ranga’, short for orangutan, meaning redhead…I haven’t figured out if ‘ranga’ is slang or a naughty word yet). I’ve spent the past week getting to know the rellies from Down Under; who are relatives that I claim as my own but are actually related to my daycare mom Desi. Relishing in the thick Aussie accents, charm, and incredibly obliging hospitality, I’ve have had a much-needed break from the wonderful chaos, and not so wonderful cold of New Zealand.

The weather here has been pristine, and with a host who lives next to the beach, who wouldn’t be enjoying every minute? Now it hasn’t all been beaches and books. Brent and I have had a few adventures during my short stay. Last week we ventured to a park where wild parrots hastily ate seed from the palm of our hands, and then on the way home we spotted a few adorable wild kangaroos. Next was a trip to hike up the lush mountainside of Mt Warning to summit for a stunning 360-degree view of the Gold Coast. 4 hours and as many ankle-rolls later, and we were happily off our feet and headed home to catch a professional soccer match. Although the game wasn’t spectacular, the crowd was highly entertaining. Fans from both teams took part in a cultivated rivalry of chants, song, and hilarious heckling. I would share more details but, much of what came out of their mouths would’ve been cause for a lifetime ban if ever at a sporting event in the US… in case you didn’t know, Americans are extremely uptight and overly PC in comparison to most of the western world – especially in regard to sports and television.

I was lucky enough to catch-up with a rugby teammate who used to be nicknamed Abzilla (if you ever watched her play, the name makes sense). Seeing as she’s in med school and on her way to becoming a real-life Medical Doctor, I’ve come to terms with just calling her Abby. I made it to Abby’s house minutes before her awesome boyfriend Jason got home from a short trip in New Zealand. The three of us ate a scrumptious treat of cornbread and chili for dinner (a meal nearly extinct on this side of the world) and caught up on life. Yesterday we took to the city via water taxi. Starting off with a quick dip in the beach/lagoon located in the middle of the city, we then toured the museum and metro art gallery. Couldn’t say I was too impressed with the art (weirded out mostly) but I’m a sucker for museums and had a blast learning about the history and culture of this unique country. All too soon I found myself bidding farewell to my rugby sister and boarded the train back to the beaches.

After a lovely day spent touring the beach city of Burleigh with Ronelle, I found myself in the midst of a wonderfully welcoming family dinner. Over a Chinese smorgasbord we swapped stories and laughter as if we’ve been doing it for years. After just a few short days spent here, I’ve decided I’m absolutely going to have to come back for more!

I guess that run-down of the past week’s events doesn’t sound too ‘cruisy’, but in comparison to the last 13 months, this as been the most relaxing week in a while! So in preparation for Asia I’ve read almost zero literature, have had a handful of conversations about the do’s and don’ts, and have packed the bare essentials needed for my trip (haha)… guess they don’t call it ‘flying by the seat of your pants’ for nothing!