Bald Ridge
In my last post I mentioned that I was having a “gently relaxing” time in the bush. That changes when I go to the organic farm. Don’t mistake that for my saying I don’t enjoy it — I just have much more work to do. I get to know Rob and Nita and their three kids George, Angus, and Stephanie in the course of about five days. the kids really are great, but let’s just say I’m very impressed with how quiet and calm their parents are when dealing with them. They have dirtbikes for the guys in the family, and George, the big brother, rides quite a bit. As it’s my first ride on a bike I’m proud to say I crashed into no trees and fell off of no cliffs.
We take George to a bike track and he rides it all day. During that day I see not one crash. I am very saddened by this, as that’s the main draw for spectators of any kind of motor sport…but huzzah! Right before we’re about to leave a kid eats it right next to us and gets a mouth full of dirt! And then right after a guy on the track goes up a large jump and flips over the front and eats it also! So it turns a good day into a great day. (They were both okay.)
The extent of my organic farming while I’m there is talking to Rob about it. There simply is other work to do! The work isn’t as intensive or trying as I may make it sound, it’s really the early wakeup call that sucked. We build a 500 meter fence over the course of one day, set up some posts for a carport, and wrangle some cattle on horseback. During the fence building I have my first Australian barbeque experience, on an open fire. very nice.
I also have my first Wagyu beef here. It’s a higher grade beef, like Kobe, that some people raise in the area, and it’s exquisite. Sadly I have never seen it even mentioned in the states, but hopefully I just can’t recall. We also have lamb chops (my new favorite food) and lots of home cooked Australian comfort food, and it’s comforting even to an American. Nita cooks on a wood stove, the first I have ever seen in use, and she uses it like nobody’s business. You really can’t tell that it’s not on an electric/gas — everything tastes great and doesn’t take long to cook, two aspects of wood stoves I always assumed were impossible. I believe they use it (I forgot to ask her!) because they are very green, environmentally friendly people (hence organic farming). Nita’s job revolves around sustainable agriculture and they generally live in a way to get along best with the environment. Anybody who says that kind of living is more difficult, time consuming, or costly is a fool.
We go see Angus play rugby. He’s ten and it’s awesome to watch the kids kick the crap out of each other. About every 2 minutes a kid is lying on the ground crying from an injury, then a minute later is up and running around again, maybe with a little limp. It’s easy to see how Aussies get so hard: they are bred that way. I go back and play the sport on which I was bred with Nita: tennis.
The biggest event while at their home is the Australia vs. New Zealand rugby match. Australia hasn’t beaten them in around 7 years, but they win! There is much rejoicing. It’s a great game and I believe I developed a mild addiction to rugby. I haven’t seen it in a few days and i really miss it.
When I go back to the other farm I’m mostly planning for my Indonesia trip, and I learn an important lesson: don’t book flights when you’ve been drinking. I booked a flight for Malaysia when I should have booked it for Singapore. To be clear, I wasn’t so plastered that I didn’t know Malaysia from Singapore, I just had 2 countries to choose from and didn’t read the second one after realizing i didn’t read the first one…nevermind. Just don’t drink and book flights.
I make my way back to Sydney with Dawne and one of her daughters and stay with one of their friends for the night. I talk for a long time to the husband about everything from travel to school. One of my favorite things about traveling is meeting so many nice people, who let me stay in their homes for some time and treat me like part of the family. That’s really what I like best about my Australia trip. He even takes me to the airport the next day, and I may have a person to stay with in Malaysia the next time i’m there.
Australia was amazing. In the cities I meet 15 crazy and interesting people a day, whereas in the bush I only come in contact with a few interesting (and crazy) people a day. But it has been a great respite before my Indonesia trip, and a great chance to meet real Australians who I will definitely make it a point of seeing again.
As for now I am sitting in Ubud, Bali in Indonesia. I’m going to save comment until my next post. This is just to let you know that i made it. Rick, the man who owns the first farmstay in Oz, kept telling me to beware of the rubber glove in Indonesia (if you don’t get it, think smuggling). I’m glad to say I made it through unscathed, Rick. Perhaps another time!
To whet your appetite for next time, a teaser: the art of being screwed and stupid in Malaysia, the happiest taxi driver in the world, and a $10 a night private paradise in a secluded section of Ubud, plus much much more!
Originally published 9 July 2007