September 8 - The Deliverance Train

At Lutan's suggestion, Mary and I took the train from Bendigo to Melbourne instead of driving. Lutan convinced us that taking the train would be so much easier than driving, and we wouldn't have to worry about parking, etc. So we agreed to take the train. We kicked ourselves later - we both had rental cars, and the drive is easy - only about an hour and a half.  The train ride was horrible! The train was packed with people, and it seemed to stop every 10 minutes and pick up more people! The 'country folk' really came out of the woodwork. Some were scary, some were smelly, and some were just gross. Mary said we were on the Deliverance Train!

So we called Lutan and complained that his idea was a very bad one, and we were not happy! He agreed to pick us up in Melbourne at 4pm on Sunday so we wouldn't have to take the train back. But when we got to the hotel at 4pm on Sunday, no Lutan. He didn't show up at 4, or at 4:30, and he didn't answer his phone. Finally he called, and said he fell asleep and was still in Bendigo. He said he could leave soon, and pick us up in Melbourne at 7pm. But that was too late for us, so Mary and I decided to risk taking the train back to Bendigo. Lutan agreed to pick us up at the Bendigo train station at six.

This time the train ride wasn't so bad. The train wasn't crowded, and it wasn't like the Deliverance train at all. It was a quiet ride, and Mary and I both took a little nap on way back. However, when we got to the station at Bendigo, Lutan wasn't there, and he didn't answer the phone (again). So we took a taxi from the train station back to the motel. Lutan's excuse was that he fell asleep again! He really caught a lot of grief from me & Mary, and from the whole team (because of course we told everyone) for leaving us, not once but twice!

BBQ in Bendigo

One of the guys had a BBQ at his rented house in Bendigo.  I had to ask if he was serving kangaroo, because they do eat them, it's not a joke.  Australia is the only country that eats both its national icons (the kangaroo and the emu).  But he said no, we weren't having BBQ kangaroo.  I would have tried it, but I was really relieved that weren't having kangaroo, after just seeing them playfully hopping around in the paddock.  They tell me kangaroo is very good if cooked properly.  It's very lean meat, similar to venison, but more gamey.  

The BBQ was great - with BBQ pork chops, sausages, and chicken strips, along with stir fry veggies and cole slaw.  Very much like a BBQ we'd have at home, and I felt very at home.  We ate, drank Australia wine, and laughed and told stories. 

Somehow we got on the subject of 'critters'.  Of course, Australia is famous for it's dangerous and unusual creatures.  I learned about the Huntsman spider, which is huge - the size of your hand - but not poisonous to humans.  Apparently it's just fine to have a Huntsman in your house because they eat bugs.  Several folks had Huntsman spiders in their bedrooms, and they were okay with that.  Sounds creepy to me.  Australia also has wombats, which are incredibly dense little creatures, and really mess up your car if you run over one.  I told them the story of the critters around my house, particularly about the beavers, which were eating my crape myrtles.  They said, what's a beaver?  And what's a crape myrtle?  Somehow I was surprised that they didn't know about either of those.  They are so common in the US, and hardly even interesting compared to giant spiders, kangaroos, and wombats!

Kangaroos!

I finally saw a kangaroo!  In fact, I saw a bunch of them, which is called a mob.  Around dusk, I drove down McIvor road about a half mile past my motel, and there were a bunch of kangaroos in a large grassy field.  I saw one hopping very fast first, then I noticed that it was moving toward a group of kangaroos.  I pulled over and parked the car and tried to walk toward them to get a picture, but they are shy and very fast.  They hopped away and I didn't get a very good picture.  But there were about twenty Kangaroos in the mob, all different sizes.  Some were very big, some were obviously younger and smaller.  As they hopped away from me I thought they looked like giant rabbits.  

Yanna

The team here struggled with my name.  The European pronounciation of Janna is Yanna, and I guess there are a few Australian personalites named Yanna as well.  So every time I was introduced, it was something different, Yanner, Yanna, Janner, etc..  So finally I gave in to it and declared that my Australian personality is Yanna.  That made it easy.  Now everyone knows me as Yanna, and I like that.  I feel very continental and somehow more free since I'm not just the same old Janna.  Now I'm Yanna and Yanna can do whatever!  I told the team here I was going home a new woman, with a new name and a tatoo.  I'm not really getting a tatoo, but that got a laugh.  The Aussies love a joke.  They said I'm a good stick, which is a compliment - like being a good egg.  So good on ya, Yanna, the good stick!

The Bendigo Bulge

The food in Bendigo is actually very good.  There are a number of excellent restaurants, especially Asian restaurants, also a lot of good steak and seafood restaurants, and bakeries everywhere.  They have bakeries like we have Starbucks - on every corner!  So the team working the proposal calls that extra poundage gained from good eating the ' Bendigo Bulge'! 

Last night I went with some of the folks on the team to eat at a restaurant on Weeroona Lake, called the Boardwalk.  But it was closed, so one of the mates (see how I've adapted) suggested the Dispensary,  a restaurant in an alley (or lane) in downtown Bendigo.  But we had a heck of time finding the right lane, and then the restaurant was closed.  So we ended up at a Thai restaurant located in an old bank and it was great.  The food was good, and the restaurant was gorgeous - it had the high vaulted ceiling of the old bank, with beautiful plasterwork and detail.  I took a picture, will upload later. I had a Thai beer ( I think it was called Chang) but I only had one for fear of driving on the left while impaired - or not driving on the left while impaired!  My aussie friends said I wasn't 'in the turps' since I only had one drink.  Something about turpentine, I guess.

Tonight is mild so I'm going running, hoping to counteract the Bendigo Bulge! 

fyi - still no kangaroo sightings, other than those sleeping giants at the Botantical Gardens.   The team plans to put one 'on the barbie' after the bid is finished, I can't tell if they're serious or not. 

Tuesday Note

Overall, I'm amazed at how much the same things are here as in US.  I've been looking for trinkets to bring home, and I find the same stuff in the shops as we have in the US.  Lots of Made in China crap, just like at home.  Last weekend I went into downtown Bendigo and explored the antique shops and gift shops and was surprised to find that the antique shops here have same stuff as at home.  I saw some of the very same stuff I've seen in the states, and much of it looks like it came from my grandmothers house.  I guess grandmother's houses are global in the 'stuff' content.  I'm not sure why this surprised me, but I didn't realize how global kitzch and old crap really are!  Still searching for some kitzch that is unique to Australia!