Night #1 on the Island: I Wanna’ Go Home Now

by - 5:13 PM

A little guitar-playing to cheer me-self up! Thank God SO much that I decided to bring it along! It's a soul-saver.
This is the first night that I feel totally, utterly far away from everything and everyone! It has been such a long, long day. I woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning and walked all along the coast of Surfers’ Paradise beach. I ran all the way back in time to grab my backpack and guitar to check out of the hostel so I could run all the way to catch the bus to Nerang, so I could take the three hour train to Cleveland, and then the ferry to Dunwich port in North Stradbroke Island, and then the bus to Manta Scuba Dive Lodge on the top end of the island at Amity Point! Well I finally arrived at 5 o’clock all hot and sweaty after I missed the ferry and had to wait another 2 hours for the next one! Honestly, the only thing I hate about backpacking is carrying that ridiculously humungous backpack. Well mine isn't even that big compared to every other foreign backpacker I’ve met. But then again, I’ve got my guitar to worry about – no one else I’ve met has brought a guitar in a hard-case backpacking along with them!

Man, this Island is truly quite a piece on its own. It’s quiet, real quiet. And I am living in the only hostel on the entire island. All the other accommodations are small hotels or private homes. It’s a very interesting place. It’s one of the largest sand-islands in the world and quite a rich surrounding marine life with huge manta rays in the summer and whales swimming up in the winter. There’s a resident tiger shark, I was told. And plenty of dolphins and turtles up at Amity Point and the North Gorge Walk!

It’s all very exciting and I’m not sure for how I will stay in this place. But tonight, after cooking a failure of a dinner (I managed to burn a packet of instant risotto – yes, I didn't even have to cook it like the real thing) and having to eat burnt soggy risotto, I was feeling a bit despondent. There wasn't much company to be had, and I felt so tired I didn't want to talk to anyone anyway.

But yes, for the first time, I felt like I wanted to go home. I missed being with my family, with people who knew me, and not just having to meet strangers and more strangers at every hostel I stepped into! Maybe I’m just tired. But yes, it is quite annoying to be traveling on your own when you have to be in charge of everything and make sure everything goes to plan – on your own. And yes, live with your own distasteful cooking. (You can laugh now.)

Still, I’m thankful that I can retreat to my little dorm room (I’m sharing with a Danish girl, and two Canadians!) and have a play on my guitar. In remote places like this, I am so, so glad that I decided to bring it with me! Oh what would I do without music?

I’m looking forward to exploring the island tomorrow and taking long, long hikes along the top end of the island! I would feel like a lost survivor. Can’t wait!

Sending all my love,
Janielle

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