Australia

(February 21)
What will I remember in 20 years about my five weeks in Australia? Probably what I write here to remind me.

Right now, I remember landing in Sydney and being freaked out by the scope of my trip; remember walking out of the terminal to the shuttle bus and feeling how warm the sun felt. I remember walking around the city until my legs hurt. It felt like I had been there a week by the second day. It all went so fast at first and then it all slowed down.

I remember good friends in Sydney and too many nights at the World Bar.

I spent too much time in cities and not enough in between them, so I treasure that night in Jens’ van pushing south from Sydney to Melbourne with Sabrina and Bea. I remember Australia Day in Melbourne, which ended with Sabrina and my first fight. I remember watching Federer-Safin with Jens and going to St. Kilda beach with Jens and Johann and lying on those funny glossy posters.

I remember saying goodbye in Melbourne to all those good friends and wondering if there were many hard goodbyes to come or few friends so close.

I remember the rain in Brisbane. I remember flirting with a floor mate all night at the Downunder Bar, then dropping her off at her room without incident. I remember coming out of the bathroom 10 minutes later after brushing my teeth and finding her walking down the hall as well in her sleeping clothes. I remember us turning to each other as we walked and suddenly kissing without breaking stride all the way down
the hall and then going separately to our rooms.

I remember going to Byron Bay and waiting for company. By the time they came I was ready to leave but stayed of course. I remember the waves, the magical color of the water, the low white clouds in the rich blue sky, the yellow-green grass and the hard green trees. There were palm trees and kebab shops and meat pies and Toohey’s. Everyone drove on the wrong side.

I remember being with Sabrina again and busing to Noosa with her on Valentines Day. I remember being amazed at how often her feelings and plans changed. I’ll always remember, I hope, our Valentines’ dinner at the silly Chinese restaurant. I’ll always remember, I hope, spending our last sunset together on Sunrise Beach on the endless, empty sand. We took pictures of each other and she took a video of me at the shoreline and I turned to her camera and said “Hello Hezinger family, I’m the boy your daughter/sister/friend/ex-girlfriend has been spending time with the last couple weeks….”

I remember leaving her at the bus stop to head to Fraser Island and feeling almost okay about it. I remember trudging up and somersaulting down the giant Fraser sand dunes. I remember mentally pinching myself as the sun went down on our beachside campsite.

I remember getting on New Zealand Airlines flight 260 for Christchurch and being more appreciative of a coach seat than I’d been in a long time.

And it still hasn’t sunk in I’ve left Australia.

Coming soon...Australia in pictures.