Time to say goodbye

Well, this is it. Time to go to the Airport and say goodbye to everyone here in Cairns.

The last couple of days have been great. On Friday we went to the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) museum. I was a bit disappointed that no one from the TV-series was there ... No, seriously, what I enjoyed most was going into one of their planes. So small! I can't believe they actually managed to get sick people in there on a stretcher!

But even more interesting was the visit to Queensland School of Distant Education. Obviously a good way to teach kids in the Outback to read and write. But an expensive way, too.

And I think we all enjoyed Saturday. I spent most of the day in the city of Cairns, drinking coffee, reading my book, shopping. David, Kari and Jennie took one more trip to the Reef. When they came back they said it was even better than last time. Helena's day had two ingredients: A beach and a book. That's all you need, really.

Later that night, after a nice BBQ, my host Peter and I went to see the latest (last?) Star Wars-movie. A good one, but I still think the story in the three new ones is a it thin.

Today, the last day, we all went to the beach for brunch. Then it was time to pack. I hope all the bubblewrap and clothes I've put around my newly bought didjeridoo will protect it all the way back home. And that my neighbors won't my me practising when I get back home.

To all the people we have met on this trip I just have one thing to say. One thing, two words:

Thank you!

Beach, more beach and even more beach

Yesterday was vocational day. We had a business lunch up in the Tablelands west of Innisfail. Silvio had brought a nice italian picnic buffe to Echon lake and Rob was telling us all about his investments ... in vineyards. Of course we needed to test the quality of his investment. I can assure you they met the highest of standards!

At the evening we went back to Mission Beach (yes, we really missed you guys!) to attend their 20th anniversary party (the Rotary Club of Mission Beach, that is). Good food, more good wine. That made it the fourth Rotary meeting this week. Yes, it truly is an exhausting life, but someone's gotta do the job, ay!

Today we once again said goodbye to our 'families' and set of to Port Douglas and Mossman. Two small towns situated right next to the beautiful long beaches. I spent half an hour watching the water turn from blue to pink as the sun set in the evening, listening to the slow rythm of the waves. Priceless!

Again came the cane

We left Townsville yesterday and went up to Ingham. Here the wet tropics begin and the sugar cane, which we saw so much of in the Burdekin, returns. And this time I get to stay on a farm - a great experience for a city kid like myself.

In Townsville we saw kangaroos and koalas, here we ran in to the big and beautiful - well, at least colorful - cassawarys. And some wallabys (the younger 'brother' of the kangaroo) was to be seen outside town as well.

And I thought I'd seen some astonishing waterfalls when we were at Litchfield Park two weeks ago. I stand corrected. Wallaman falls was really something special.

Suger cane farm, suger mill, sugar bulk terminal - soon I believe that what I haven't learnt about the sugar industry isn't worth learning. Anyway, it's been really interesting.

We attended a Rotary meeting this evening as well, and did the usual presentation of Sweden. Now we've done it so many times we're getting tired of our own jokes. We'll have to think of new ones for tomorrow, when we will have moved on to the next town.

Magnificent Maggie

Two days of relaxation. We needed that. Yesterday Jennie and I got up early to attend the morning radio show. 4TO Mornong Star Steve Price (a man you'd think were on speed because of all his energy) almost choked when Jennie replied "your wonderful smoothies". The question? "What do you like most about Australia".

Kari, on the other hand, later made a slam dunk when she, David and Helena were on the ABC radio a bit later that morning. "Thank you Queensland for giving us such a wonderful time", she ended the show. Now, that's how you make friends with people!

Then shopping was on the agenda, and big spenders David and Kari was having a blast!

Today we visited magnificent Maggie - that is Magnetic Island, for those of you who don't speek the lingo of Townsville (a town which you in the dry season just as well might call Brownsville - the grass won't stay green for long). "Maggie" was absolutely beatuiful, and I think we at last got something of a tan from walking in the sun up and down the mountains. The picnic on the beach wasn't bad either.

Later this evening is BBQ-time. It's a tough life, but someone's gotta lead it!

A croc, a snake and a koala

Once there was a swagman who sat by a Billabong.

The first line in the famous Australian song 'Walzing Matilda'. This morning we went to the Billabong santuary. Pictures of me and the rest of the team giving a hug to a koala (who actually bit Jenny!), grabbing a snake out of a bag (I admit I was a bit nervous at first) and holding a crocodile can be seen here.

More pictures from our two weeks in this country can be found here. Just click on the links above the team picture.

Viking interruption

Well...

Her name was Heidi. She was about 6"2, wearing a white dress and two golden viking horns. And she couldn't sing.

But I'll get to that later.

This morning I had a great encounter with the editor of the Townsville Bulletin, Michael Carroll. We exhanged ideas and experiences for about two hours. What really caught my interest was his recent "invention": TXT the editor. The readers can text a short message to the editor on their mobile phone and see it in print the next day. Very popular amongst the readers, and a great way to attract new people to express their views.

Later at night it was time for a combined Rotary meeting, and of course the team was to make the usual presentation of Sweden. We always begin by telling our names and professions, and whatever else might be interesting. The routine had been seen by some rotarians at last weekends conference in Ayr. David mentioned (as he always does) that he is getting married just after he gets back to Stockholm.

Enters Heidi. I cracked myself up. This gigantic "woman" runs up to David a gives him a nice hug and kiss. I tell you, he was at loss for words. So were the rest of us. We were laughing our heads of.

From that on it was easy making a nice, relaxed and fairly humourus presentation. Despite horrible pictures of snowy Sweden I think almost everyone in the room would consider a visit in the future.

Jennie - on the other hand - said she wouldn't mind staying in Australia, after having a great time at her vocational visit. But that's a completely different story - one she'll have to tell herself.

The sweet air of Ayr

After a couple of wonderful days in Ayr we've now arrived in Townsville. That means there are no sugar canes outside the window anymore. Actually, there weren't any before either, but what I'll remember from the Burdekin landscape are the vast fields of sugar cane.

We held the presentation at the Rotary District conference on Satarday. I think we did all right, and gave the audience a pretty good picture of what Sweden is like, with the changing of the seasons - as compared with this part of the world where people talk of "dry season" and "wet season".

The people of Ayr (and nthe nearby town of Home Hill) has been very friendly. Proud of their shire as they are, they have shown and explained everything there is to know about their way of life. For a city kid like myself, I've certainly learnt a lot about modern farming.

Tomorrow: Great Barrier Reef. I can hardly wait!