by Krista | Jan 18, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
With all the flooding and constant rain in Australia, my first several days here were spent stranded at my friends beautiful property near Allora. It’s a gorgeous spot to be stuck, with stunning views of wildflower-filled fields and gum trees.
Although being stranded was a grand adventure, by the time the flood waters receded and rains stopped, we were more than happy to escape the farm and head out to visit my friends Joe and Shirley who run a fabulous goat farm.
First we had to ford this raging stream that was still flooded (yikes!!). We made it through the water OK then sunk down into mud on the other side and couldn’t budge. Thankfully Joe was able to haul us out and ferry us back over the water. My friends car is now missing the bumper, but at least we’re all safe and sound. 🙂
Joe and Shirley’s place is beautiful! Goats of varying ages ambling all over the property, the babies looking cute as can be with their long floppy ears and short little horns.
We took a walk down to the creek, once an idyllic park-like setting with gum trees and rich green grass. Now it’s all torn up from the floods, masses of mud, silt, and uprooted trees marring the landscape.
Shirley and I surveying the damage and listening to Joe’s plans for clean-up.
It’s going to be a massive job, but these Aussies are amazing. There’s no whinging or complaining, just a shrug of the shoulders, a good ol’ chinwag about the adventure and then they’re hard at work, making everything beautiful again. They inspire me.
by Krista | Jan 13, 2011 | Fabulous Friday
Some of my favorite things about Fiji are the incredible flowers: hibiscus, bougainvillea, and all manner of beauties I don’t even know the names of. In between downpours I wandered through the Sonaisali Island Resort, scarcely meeting a soul on my sojourns since most folks were sensible enough to stay in out of the rain.
The blossoms looked especially vivid during this rainy season, their leaves thriving and glossy, each little petal and bud glistening with rain drops.
Rain is a funny thing. When I’m at home I try to get out of it as soon as possible. Not in Fiji. There I lingered in it, letting it soak my hair and trickle down my face. It is warm and healing there, soothing to body and spirit, leaving the skin soft, clean and hydrated – a blissful feeling after nearly 20 hours of travel.
What are your favorite tropical flowers?
by Krista | Jan 12, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
Mornin’ luvs! I promise I WILL get back to telling you about Fiji soon, but I just had to share these photos from yesterday. My friends and I heard the bridges to town might be opening, so we piled into cars and headed out, hoping to get to the grocery store for milk, bread and such.
It was absolutely gorgeous with bright, warm sunshine and billowing clouds scudding across the sky. We got stopped at the first bridge for a short wait, but they let us through and we drove over slowly, agog at the water rushing past only a few inches beneath us.
We drove along rutted dirt tracks because the pavement (known as bitumen to Aussies) had been picked up and washed away into neighboring fields.
At last we made it to town. Cars were lined up along the highway and side streets, Aussies sitting on the grass or walking the riverbank as they waited to see if the bridge would open. We wiled away the hours picking up hamburgers for lunch and sitting under a large tree shooting the breeze. It was fun to be out there with everyone, each person with their own story of surviving the flood. After five long hours the barricades were removed and we were waved forward. We were one of the first across. I could hardly believe my eyes as we rolled over the bridge. The entire city park was under water, only the eyes of a giant plastic hippopotamus visible above the water line.
We made it to the shopping center only to find half the shops closed – their owners unable to get to town. The grocery store had half empty produce shelves – the result of farm land under water, the crops flattened, trucks unable to bring in supplies. We got two of the few remaining milk cartons, some fresh fruit, and then we headed home again.
It was an amazing day, one I won’t soon forget. The sun is out again today and slowly but surely the water is drying up, stream, river and pond levels going down. It’s good to see the sun.
by Krista | Jan 11, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
Good morning, luvs! Much to my delight I awoke to SUNSHINE streaming in my window!! It is gone now and black storm clouds are billowing ever closer, but I had it for a few minutes and loved it. 🙂
Things are rather dire in much of Queensland right now with massive flooding just down the road from me. I’m safe and sound at a friends ranch atop a plateau, well out of reach of the raging flood waters, but we have been stranded, unable to get to any towns because the roads and bridges are awash. We’re going to venture out today though, see if we can get to town.
I managed to get conjunctivitis in both eyes this week – eeesh – but thankfully we were able to get to the doctor and the chemist just before the roads flooded. The water was literally only a few inches from covering the bridge as we crossed over! I loved going to the doctor in Allora. I felt like I was in a western movie, wide streets lined with buildings that look straight out of the Old West. I fully expected the office to have a spittoon in the corner, but was disappointed. 🙂
Yesterday my friend and I had enough of being housebound and decided to brave the elements for a trek through the ranch. We donned Wellies, overalls and raincoats, called for the dogs – Fletcher and Whombat – and headed out.
The ground is positively saturated, with several inches of standing water over most of it. Any depression in the ground is now a lake or pond and streams are gushing along through once dry fields.
The animals are happy though. Whombat and Fletcher frolicked wildly, utterly delighted to get themselves sopping wet. The horses are devouring the abundance of green grass, and birds are flitting about eating the mosquitoes and other bugs that are flourishing in this new boggy environment.
It was such a fun hike. I couldn’t stop smiling as we sloshed through endless water, taking pictures of Scotch Thistle and prickly pear, burnt out logs and wildflowers. Even in the rain this is beautiful country.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you more about Fiji, but today I thought you’d like to see a bit of the soggy world I’m in right now. 🙂
by Krista | Jan 11, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
Good morning, luvs! I’m writing to you from sopping wet Australia. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much rain in my life – and I live in Washington! In a few minutes I’m going to go hiking in spite of the wet and hope to get some pictures for you. 🙂
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After a scrumptious breakfast my first morning in Fiji, I decided a ramble was in order. I only had one day there and wanted to make the most of it, so I grabbed my camera and walked out to the beach, keeping a wary eye on the black storm clouds rolling ever closer.
I love the beach at Sonaisali Island Resort. While there are portions of white sand (see below) the real beach is a gorgeous, silky soft black sand with ribbons of gold that glisten as the waves roll in and out. I walked up and down the beach, the warm salt water and soft sand pure therapy to my feet still sore from tramping all over the Netherlands and Germany.
It was such a peaceful outing and I felt the stress ease out of me with each crash of the waves and gust of warm, salty air. Soon the rain arrived, falling gently at first, more like a fine mist than a downpour, but then the heavens opened and it fell in sheets, drenching me to the skin. It was so warm I didn’t mind a bit, and continued to wander through palm groves, eventually making my way back to my cabin where I sat on the porch and enjoyed the torrent.
A bit later I went for another walk and tomorrow I’ll tell you all about my discoveries. 🙂
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