I woke up before Jack and Tim this morning—around 8:00.
I decided to take a walk.
There's a nice little walking track near our motel.
It was sparsely inhabited enough to give me a wonderful sense of solitude, but there were enough people around to prevent me from feeling like I was a character in a serial killer movie.
The weather was perfect. I had some nice happy thoughts about being in Australia, and only one or two sad thoughts about missing our cats.
I did see something that annoyed me.
There was a mother with two kids walking slightly ahead of me. The mother was busy chatting on her phone. She wasn't paying attention to what her kids were doing. I don't judge her for THAT. Moms are not perfect. We can't give our kids 100% of our attention 24/7.
Anyway....
The younger child (around age seven or eight) kept pinching the older child. The older child (ten or eleven) whined for her to stop.
At one point, the mother interrupted her call to say something like, Kids let's behave. Try to get along.
The younger child kept taunting her older sibling. Then finally the older kid had enough. She pushed the younger one away. The younger child started sobbing.
This got the mother's attention. She got off the phone and did some major scolding—NOT to both of her children, only to the older one. What did you do to your sister? You interrupted an important phone call. I'm sick of your behavior. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah.
The child tried to protest and the mother refused to listen. You're the older one. You should know better.
She cuddled and soothed the younger child.
Who knows. Maybe I'm wrong for judging something when I don't have the complete story.
Maybe the older child is absolutely evil and constantly taunts the younger one. Maybe this walk was the very first time that the younger child fought back in some way.
I'm doubting it, though. In my life, I've witnessed too many instances of one child being obviously favored by a parent.
I couldn't really see the rest of the drama because they stopped, and it would seem weird if I stopped along with them. I walked ahead.
Then they were walking behind me. I looked back at the older child who was now sniffling. I wanted to make eye contact with her, let her know that someone out there was on her side. But I really have no idea how to send such messages with my eyes. She probably just thought a creepy woman was staring at her.
Anyway, Jack and Tim are awake now.
They're talking to Jack's NYC cousin (+ parents) on Skype.
I guess after that we'll.....
I don't know what we're going to do.
* * *
We took a walk on the walking track I went on this morning.
I sang songs from Jesus Christ Superstar as we walked.
Tim said I sounded good and that made me get all teary-eyed.
I complain that he doesn't compliment me enough. Then when he does I get all emotional. It's a lose-lose situation, really.
We hung out in Cabarita Park a bit, and looked at the river. We saw some colorful birds, but no parrots. I also saw a cool beetle. It was kind of green and black. I don't know the name of it.
The three of us had some races. I lost all of them.
I think I really might be the slowest runner in the world. Tim should compliment me on that too, because it's quite a distinction.
After we did that walk, we walked into the town area and had breakfast at the Scribbles Internet Cafe. We didn't use the internet because we have our own internet. But still...we appreciated the gesture.
We also appreciated the breakfast.
We all had scones; then Tim and Jack also had some scrambled eggs. I had a few bites. I'm not as religious about not-eating-eggs as I am about meat.
Speaking of religion....
I saw a pretty church on the way to the cafe.
* * *
We decided we're going to skip lunch today and go to the movies instead.
I read this travel editorial that said when you go to a foreign country you should take a break from doing tourist things and do the kind of thing you do at home. It gives you a different perspective.
We do grocery stores a lot when we travel; but we've never done a movie theater.
This might be fun.
And it'll probably be too hot for anything else.
We're going to see Hugo.
* * *
We have some time to kill.
I went for another walk.
It's not too hot yet.
I took my book with so I could sit and read for awhile.
It was nice.
* * *
We're back from the movie.
It was fun.
The movie was really great, and my bladder was in good form. I didn't have to pee once. And the movie was fairly long. That's rare for me!
We had fun looking at the Aussie food choices at the snack bar. We ended up sharing a popcorn and some Jaffas.
Now we're going to relax and wait for our stomachs to be less full, so we can eat dinner.
I might take a little cat nap. My eyes are feeling heavy.
* * *
We ate dinner at Hog's Breath Cafe. It's an Australian chain restaurant. I've been wanting to try it.
Jack got a kid's meal with chicken schnitzel and curly fries.
Tim got garlic prawns. Jack had a few off his plate.
I gave up my vegetarianism and had the Boss Hog BBQ Ribs.
I'm just kidding.
I got the vegetarian potato skins. They were very nice.
We had a hard time picking a dessert. The first time we heard of the Hog's Breath Cafe was from our friend's daughter. She talked about this massive Rocky Road Sundae. I was excited to have that. But then I saw that there was Pavlova. I've been wanting to try Pavlova, and had told myself I'd definitely break my no-egg rule for the occasion.
I wasn't sure, though, if I wanted Pavlova from a chain restaurant.
Jack did. He was very eager to do Pavlova. He loves fruit desserts.
To be honest, I was kind of wanting the sundae.
Tim said he was fine either way.
Jack pushed for the Pavlova although he was polite about it. Whatever you want.....
I was a nice mommy and gave him what HE wanted.
We enjoyed the Pavlova.
I decided not to be sad about the Rocky Road. I remembered we're going to be here until June. I'm sure we'll run into another Hog's Breath at some point.
* * *
I'm getting tired of eating at restaurants. Tim and Jack are too.
Fortunately the next place we're staying has a kitchen. I think we'll be doing a lot of cooking.
Or...well, Tim will be doing a lot of cooking.
I'll do a little cooking. Maybe.
NOTE: This trip journal is fictional. We are not really in Australia. Some stuff in these posts are based on research. Some stuff is based on my reality. Some stuff is based on past experiences. And some stuff is based on fantasy. The non-trip journal posts ARE true and real…except for my dreams (which are written in purple).
Oh...and also....my 2009 trip reports are about a real trip to Australia. That's all true too.
I decided to take a walk.
There's a nice little walking track near our motel.
It was sparsely inhabited enough to give me a wonderful sense of solitude, but there were enough people around to prevent me from feeling like I was a character in a serial killer movie.
The weather was perfect. I had some nice happy thoughts about being in Australia, and only one or two sad thoughts about missing our cats.
I did see something that annoyed me.
There was a mother with two kids walking slightly ahead of me. The mother was busy chatting on her phone. She wasn't paying attention to what her kids were doing. I don't judge her for THAT. Moms are not perfect. We can't give our kids 100% of our attention 24/7.
Anyway....
The younger child (around age seven or eight) kept pinching the older child. The older child (ten or eleven) whined for her to stop.
At one point, the mother interrupted her call to say something like, Kids let's behave. Try to get along.
The younger child kept taunting her older sibling. Then finally the older kid had enough. She pushed the younger one away. The younger child started sobbing.
This got the mother's attention. She got off the phone and did some major scolding—NOT to both of her children, only to the older one. What did you do to your sister? You interrupted an important phone call. I'm sick of your behavior. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah.
The child tried to protest and the mother refused to listen. You're the older one. You should know better.
She cuddled and soothed the younger child.
Who knows. Maybe I'm wrong for judging something when I don't have the complete story.
Maybe the older child is absolutely evil and constantly taunts the younger one. Maybe this walk was the very first time that the younger child fought back in some way.
I'm doubting it, though. In my life, I've witnessed too many instances of one child being obviously favored by a parent.
I couldn't really see the rest of the drama because they stopped, and it would seem weird if I stopped along with them. I walked ahead.
Then they were walking behind me. I looked back at the older child who was now sniffling. I wanted to make eye contact with her, let her know that someone out there was on her side. But I really have no idea how to send such messages with my eyes. She probably just thought a creepy woman was staring at her.
Anyway, Jack and Tim are awake now.
They're talking to Jack's NYC cousin (+ parents) on Skype.
I guess after that we'll.....
I don't know what we're going to do.
* * *
We took a walk on the walking track I went on this morning.
I sang songs from Jesus Christ Superstar as we walked.
Tim said I sounded good and that made me get all teary-eyed.
I complain that he doesn't compliment me enough. Then when he does I get all emotional. It's a lose-lose situation, really.
We hung out in Cabarita Park a bit, and looked at the river. We saw some colorful birds, but no parrots. I also saw a cool beetle. It was kind of green and black. I don't know the name of it.
The three of us had some races. I lost all of them.
I think I really might be the slowest runner in the world. Tim should compliment me on that too, because it's quite a distinction.
After we did that walk, we walked into the town area and had breakfast at the Scribbles Internet Cafe. We didn't use the internet because we have our own internet. But still...we appreciated the gesture.
We also appreciated the breakfast.
We all had scones; then Tim and Jack also had some scrambled eggs. I had a few bites. I'm not as religious about not-eating-eggs as I am about meat.
Speaking of religion....
I saw a pretty church on the way to the cafe.
* * *
We decided we're going to skip lunch today and go to the movies instead.
I read this travel editorial that said when you go to a foreign country you should take a break from doing tourist things and do the kind of thing you do at home. It gives you a different perspective.
We do grocery stores a lot when we travel; but we've never done a movie theater.
This might be fun.
And it'll probably be too hot for anything else.
We're going to see Hugo.
* * *
We have some time to kill.
I went for another walk.
It's not too hot yet.
I took my book with so I could sit and read for awhile.
It was nice.
* * *
We're back from the movie.
It was fun.
The movie was really great, and my bladder was in good form. I didn't have to pee once. And the movie was fairly long. That's rare for me!
We had fun looking at the Aussie food choices at the snack bar. We ended up sharing a popcorn and some Jaffas.
Now we're going to relax and wait for our stomachs to be less full, so we can eat dinner.
I might take a little cat nap. My eyes are feeling heavy.
* * *
We ate dinner at Hog's Breath Cafe. It's an Australian chain restaurant. I've been wanting to try it.
Jack got a kid's meal with chicken schnitzel and curly fries.
Tim got garlic prawns. Jack had a few off his plate.
I gave up my vegetarianism and had the Boss Hog BBQ Ribs.
I'm just kidding.
I got the vegetarian potato skins. They were very nice.
We had a hard time picking a dessert. The first time we heard of the Hog's Breath Cafe was from our friend's daughter. She talked about this massive Rocky Road Sundae. I was excited to have that. But then I saw that there was Pavlova. I've been wanting to try Pavlova, and had told myself I'd definitely break my no-egg rule for the occasion.
I wasn't sure, though, if I wanted Pavlova from a chain restaurant.
Jack did. He was very eager to do Pavlova. He loves fruit desserts.
To be honest, I was kind of wanting the sundae.
Tim said he was fine either way.
Jack pushed for the Pavlova although he was polite about it. Whatever you want.....
I was a nice mommy and gave him what HE wanted.
We enjoyed the Pavlova.
I decided not to be sad about the Rocky Road. I remembered we're going to be here until June. I'm sure we'll run into another Hog's Breath at some point.
* * *
I'm getting tired of eating at restaurants. Tim and Jack are too.
Fortunately the next place we're staying has a kitchen. I think we'll be doing a lot of cooking.
Or...well, Tim will be doing a lot of cooking.
I'll do a little cooking. Maybe.
NOTE: This trip journal is fictional. We are not really in Australia. Some stuff in these posts are based on research. Some stuff is based on my reality. Some stuff is based on past experiences. And some stuff is based on fantasy. The non-trip journal posts ARE true and real…except for my dreams (which are written in purple).
Oh...and also....my 2009 trip reports are about a real trip to Australia. That's all true too.
What would our world be like if we
knew for sure there
was life after death, and
we could easily talk to our
dearly-departed on the Internet?
The Dead are Online a novel by Dina Roberts
My brain also goes to horror movie land in sparsely filled areas.
ReplyDeleteThanx to crappy cardiac genes, my dinner most days involves cutting up whatever my wife made into a Spinach salad, with the exception of a few of her Peruvian dishes I really like as is. Therefore I never get tired of restaurants when we're on vacation, since I can get more variety and don't have to worry about the fact that it's a single portion. (Not to mention one of the reasons I try to eat good all the time at home, is it lets me cheat when I'm out, not always, but a little more.)
Yeah. I can see why you would like restaurants. I don't think I ever considered that (the more variety thing). I wonder if I get tired of restaurants for the opposite reason. I'm vegetarian, so there's usually NOT a lot of variety. Although that's probably not true, because I get stressed at restaurants when there are multiple vegetarian choices.
DeleteNow I'm sitting here wondering why I get tired of restaurants. Maybe it's just the price? If money wasn't an issue, would I be happy to eat out all the time?
I want to say it's also the overwhelming portions. But when we're eating home-cooked meals, the portions are also often too big.
No. Wait.
I think I figured it out. Because I was just thinking about how we differ in our Disney dining. You guys do a LOT of sit down, exciting meals. I would be happy if we skipped most sit down meals and just did counter service and snacking. So I don't think it's the food for me. It's the sitting. I don't like sitting through long meals.
That makes sense. You guys go more often and don't to the crazy long packed days like we do. (Which I also tend to do on other vacations, because I have issues) sot the sit down meals are islands of peace in the chaos for me.
ReplyDelete