"A good night's sleep on a real bed, I can't sleep on the bus" I replied.
"Right".
Yes, I did head north from Brisbane, and did stop at "Rocky" for the night to get a good sleep after 12 hours on the bus. Rockhampton is the beef capital of Australia (sorry veg family and friends), and sits smack dab on the Tropic of Capricorn, so the next day I was in tropical Australia.
There is another significance to Rockhampton, and is probably why I chose it as a place to stop. It is the home town of my Grade 3 teacher, Miss Davis.
She was one of my favourite teachers, and as a young impressionable child living in cold and wet Kitimat, I remember her tales of Australia... a place where schools had outdoor pools you could swim in year round... a place where you went to the beach on Christmas Day.... you could BBQ your turkey.... there were pineapples growing in your garden! I was fascinated and hooked; I already loved Australia, and I had to go there.
This is why I have followed Australia all my life, and know more than the average Canadian about the country. It is also likely the first seed of my travel wanderlust, that has led to my doing an Around the World Trip by myself.
So, I now find myself heading through Rockhampton on my way north.
Here's to you, Miss Davis.
1 comment:
Good grief - what a memory - you came to this point all because of Miss Davis??!! I even have a vague recollection of her, but since she was never my teacher, obviously she didn't leave quite the same impression. I do remember a teacher though, with a very cool accent. And come to think of it, I do remember that she left a significant impression on my brother.
But I just want to get to Australia to commune with koalas and kangaroos, and do some awesome snorkeling.
Have fun! See you soon!
Hugs,
L & G
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