You Might Say This Post Is Fascinating...

Why yes, Mummy, I'd love some tea. 

What's that? Shall we have Jeeves take us to the races today? Splendid idea, Mumsy, just brilliant!

Can you see where I'm going with this one? It is true - I, a lowly commoner from Canada, have been to the races. And when I say races, I don't mean the kind they have at Woodbine, where a lack of trucker hat constitutes dressing up. Aussies do their races right - just like the Brits, only... erm... with a slight Aussie flair, shall we say.

This past Wednesday was Ekka Day in Australia - also known as Show Day. It's a Queensland holiday that celebrates the Ekka fair (Ekka is short for Exhibition - I don't know HOW you didn't guess that one). For those who have been to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair or the CNE in Toronto, it's sort of a combination of both - plus a lot of alcohol, of course.

post-race tea and fondue

But when in Rome, as they say - so the girls and I got all dolled up and headed off to the races. I bought my very first 'fascinator' ($11.88 at Target, thankyouverymuch!), put on a pretty dress, and joined the crowd. 

I'm PRETTY sure I saw some horses at one point. 90% sure. But had a very fun day and definitely celebrated in true Aussie style ;)

Insert Jaws Theme Here

In honour of Discovery Shark Week, I decided to put myself out there and become a statistic. 

That's right, ladies and gents - I am an Australian shark attack victim. But before you get all crazy and picture me in a hospital - may I remind you that sharks come in all shapes and sizes. Some sizes are very small. And some sharks don't really bite, so much as... ram your ankle.

That's right - the ankle-biter, as I have been nicknamed in the past, was ankle-attacked by a shark. Ironic, don't you think?

But I'm getting ahead of myself - back to the beginning of the trip...

Because life is extremely difficult when one doesn't vacation every three weeks, 10 girlfriends and I decided to hop up to the Whitsunday Islands for a long weekend. For those unfamiliar with the landscape, the Whitsundays are a cluster of 74 islands termed "fringing reef" - they are located just off the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. We decided to do a live-aboard boat for 2 days, followed by 2 days on the mainland, Airlie Beach. And there is no better way to get close to your friends than to live aboard a small boat for a couple of days, let me tell you! 

No, only kidding - I'm lucky to have a (mostly) sane group of girlfriends, the crew was great, and the cuisine was surprisingly awesome! Minor seasickness occurred, but otherwise an excellent trip. The highlights? Hanging out under a blanket of stars (in a hot tub no less - I travel in the lap of luxury!); hanging off the back of the boat as a dolphin plays in the boat's blue light; watching a mamma and baby whale crest alongside the boat; scuba diving and hearing the whales call to each other; scuba diving and making it through 2 dives without any near-death experiences (a first!!); visiting the famous Whitehaven Beach; and... oh yeah. The shark.

So we're walking in calf-height water near Whitehaven Beach - just me and 20 of my closest boatmates. And my crew leader decides, in typical male fashion, that he is going to corral and jump on a small black-tip reef shark. (I think that's the type. Could be wrong.) Now this little guy is barely over a foot, but we all know what happens when creatures panic - strength comes out of nowhere. 

So crew member Richie jumps on the shark, which of course manages to escape. But as he turns to leave, what does he see but 20 different pairs of (extremely pasty) legs blocking his escape route. I could feel his panic. And then I really did feel it, because that wonderful little guy decided to choose MY pasty legs in particular to ram his way out. And let me tell ya, those sharks do not have slimy skin - they have SANDPAPER. Apparently it's a defense mechanism - who knew? So while there were no tooth marks, I did have quite a nice little scrape along my ankle - and now I can officially say I was attacked by a shark whilst living in Australia. 

I swear it looked bigger in real life.

James Bond ain't got nothing on me.

Thailand - Land of Smiles

He's not impressed.

Alright, I know this post is a long time coming - considering that I was in Thailand in June/July, I've been a bit slow on the uptake. But let's pretend it's because I'm focusing on school and being a good girl :)

So, Thailand - truly the "Land of Smiles". They smile when they're happy. They smile when they're angry. They smile when they're confused. Which basically means that you smile all the time, because you're constantly confused as to whether they are confused, or angry, or happy. But no one can tell. Makes for a great postcard when there isn't a frown to be seen (except the guy doing the headstand, of course). Personally, I think there will one day be a giant explosion of emotion once the smile dam bursts and the frustration reservoir runs over. But that's just me. 

One of many temples

The thing about the Land of Smiles is that they even smile when they're conning you out of things. And that makes for a great vacation experience. It's such a nice feeling to be kindly conned out of something. Almost makes it worth it. I mean, if a criminal is willing to put in that much effort and can keep up a calm demeanor - I think he pretty much earned his keep! Not that anything really happened to us - we had loads of people try to tell us that places were closed for "Buddha Day" (bet you didn't know Buddha had 365 birthdays....), or for lunch, or just to bug the tourists, but they had a really nice "other museum" or "great tailor shop" to take us to. But we were not taken in... for the most part ;)

So refreshing...

And the food - I think I had more Pad Thai in 3 weeks than in my entire life. And not one of them tasted the same as the other - not an easy feat for a peanut noodle dish, but fait accompli! And the Diet Coke (I know, Mom, I know)... was NORMALLY PRICED! No 3.50 for a 600 mL bottle - I was in aspartame heaven. Meanwhile, my travelling companions were feasting on touristy fare of fried crickets and cockroaches. Amateurs, both of them.

Climbed up here in flip-flops - that's right Dad!

Thailand is a beautiful country, and words cannot do it justice. You can hit up floating markets, ride elephants, go white-water rafting, go scuba-diving, or get a "Thai tattoo" when you fall off your scooter (thankfully avoided). Not to mention haggling at the market - and it's true what they say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar! Thai people are very particular about being polite and respectful, so should you ever find yourself in Thailand, don't ever get mad or rude - it won't end well for you. 

The real Bridge over the River Kwai

 

Village craftswoman

The other thing that you will notice in Thailand - or for that matter, most developing countries - is that Canadian musicians will follow you EVERYWHERE. Riding in a taxi through Bangkok? Your Heart Will Go On. Trying to be stoic as you observe the real Bridge over the River Kwai? A little Summer of '69 to pick you up. There is something about Canadian music that is so appealing to the international crowd - a little bit of home, wherever you go. 

As of the end of this trip, I'm officially an Open 
Water Certified PADI Scuba Diver - not a small feat for someone scared of drowning, not breathing, open water, sea creatures, and um, death. Next stop? The Great Barrier Reef!

Queen of the Jungle!