Stories from Australia

One day, while in Australia where I spent a year in 1993, I was sitting on a bench near Manly Beach,  Sydney. A man with a television camera and another with a microphone came up to me. The guy with the microphone said, "Would you sleep with Robert Redford for a million dollars?" The movie Indecent Proposal had just come out. I said, "Hell I'd sleep with him for nothing."

At that time, I was working in a south Sydney factory for six months. When I went to work the next day, everyone and I mean everyone came up to me and told me that I had been on the news. My fifteen seconds of fame.

While in Australia, I sailed for a month on a private yacht up the east coast from Sydney to Cairns. There was me as first mate, the captain and owner of the yacht Mick and Emily who was the cook. I  really liked Mick and told Emily. One night, Mick and I got together. I was so happy and I couldn't wait to tell Emily. The next morning, as I was about to tell her, she said, "I know. You guys rocked the boat so hard I fell off the bunk."

After the sailing trip was over, I did some touring. I arrived in Townsville to visit an Aboriginal village where you could learn how to throw a boomerang and see a production of Aboriginal stories. I planned to stay in this simple B & B. When I arrived, I asked for a private room. The owner said  there was a nice woman from Switzerland who was in a room alone. She worried that the woman was lonely and could use with some company. Would I share a room with her? I declined because I had just lived in close quarters on a yacht and wanted some privacy.

The woman pushed and pushed for me to share a room with Ruth. Finally, after much cajoling, I agreed. I met Ruth and we hit it off immediately. We spent the next two days discovering Townsville and had a wonderful time. She was one the nicest and sweetest women I had ever met. We kept in touch for years.

I had a fantastic time in Australia. I even bungy jumped. I was terrified on the first jump so didn't remember the experience. So I went up and jumped again which I enjoyed tremendously. I also spent two months scuba diving in Whitsundays and Cairns. The Great Barrier Reef is incredible. Working  in the factory paid for the touring.

Anyone who wants to party and have fun, I recommend Australia. There is so much to do there and the weather is amazing if you like it hot.

have fun,
patty
www.pattylesser.com
@PattyLesser