Damaged by Alpha Car Hire

I break records in a month. If it hadn´t been by my disastrous experiences I wouldn´t be able to perfect the letters of complaints. I don´t remember to have written so much letters in my native language but in English this task is more stimulating and challenging.

First letter was sent to Alpha Car Hire Claims Department. My mates and I hired a car from FortitudeValley´s office.

After reading the letter you will be able to guess how shocked I was when Alpha Car Hire staff called by phone to let me know the company would charge me $1,000. Still now I am waiting for an answer from the company.

In second place, I shamefully confess I bit the hook of an advertising concerning how to blog. I accepted the terms because first month was a free trial. You will agree with me. It was an unduly tempting offer for a surfer. The following day I checked the course and immediately applied for the cancellation, seeing it didn´t seem a big deal. The website replied me I was unsubscribed but it didn´t send me any confirmation by email. It works so. The following month I spent an hour to find out who had paid $39 to and half hour later I was sending my second complaint letter. I thought it was the procedure but the author of the course diligently answered me the next day. He was puzzled reading the attempt of complaint letter and in his own words ´There's no need for any more than a normal email with a request of the money back´. This is a story with a happy end.

When I look my head back I see Sir Rasmsussen was right. With an email it would have been enough but the recent bad treatment of Alpha Car Hire staff in my memory got me very angry.

I sent third complaint letter to my Business Diploma teacher regarding to the lack of interest and motivation of one of the teamwork´s members. That is an euphemism. Being quite honest he skipped his duties and meetings. If I had to judge my first experience in workteam I would say he was not the only cheeky and stubborn member in my team.

I promise this month I will repress my impulses and avoid following Pringle´s moto ('Once you pop you can´t stop') if it´s possible.   

The Star guides your Movements or it should

Dream less, play with prospect, lose the fear of heights. In fact forget there is a very steep hill, think there is way to be walked, a guide to be followed if you want, and it doesn´t matter how long it takes whenever you count on a plan to cope yourself. Keep with you a compass for those moments in which you get lost, remember what reasons led you to start the marathon. Run but breath. It´s painful but pleasant. Why don´t you stop being so negative and focus on the best? Delight yourself with your achievements. I mistake but learn. After falling down, I stand up. Be surrounded by reliable hands, just in case you are unable to stand up by yourself. Ask for advise, share your views, 4 eyes see more than 2, don´t be scared of being honest, be in touch with the nature, we come from there. To learn you would need to be humble and accept you are ignorant but in a constant learning stage.

Keep on your way to achieve the star. You are not talking in a dream. Wake up!

A matter of Perceptions

It happens to me that I feel I live in other dimension quite more times than I'm aware of.  Or it's a matter of perceptions, such as the following short story. 

Not only she didn't answer my messages, but I paid 20 bucks for a ticket without drinks. No sooner had I reached the bar than I paid 7 more dollars to have my nerves under control and recover my self-confidence. It always tends to come after some drinks. Don't be in panic, you are alone in a new club crowded with people who look for people of the same gender. I pretended to dominate the situation with my costly beer. Hardly had I finished drinking when I inspected the dance floor only to make sure she wasn't there. On no condition was I encouraged to dance alone. Not until a shela approached me while I looked at the mass of dancers from my seat for dull and drunk spectators. Enjoy the weird atmosphere! It seems to be the slogan of the night after standing up by Redlipstick. That woman took my hand to dance but I didn't gave her desire. Only after accepting her apologise she sat beside me. Such was her inebriation that I gave up asking her name. Had I known what would happen little after I would have refused to dance with her. The fact is that I was abducted by her charming of tireless dancer. I thought, as had either sober person done, that she was completely interested in me. So mistaken was I to my surprise. We performed sexy dances and approaches for a while. You know the perception of a drunk is just perpendicular to the reality. So wasted I was. Scarcely had I danced a couple of songs when I realized she was flirting with other men. It's high time to leave the club but my curiosity held me prisoner fifteen more minutes. Far away the dance floor pretending to talk by phone with somebody, I spied her movements. She looked like to be finding me because she stopped dancing and kept an eye on me while I had my imaginary conversation on the phone. 'Too late darling', I told to myself.   

10 Features of Crazy Australian

This is a first list with ten notes about Australian lifestyle from the Spanish view of a potential conqueror. I'm quite sure I will write a second list as soon as it is possible. It's well-known how alcohol lovers are Australian and generally speaking it's said they are crazy but this statement is hardly ever backed by clear reasons. I would like to shed light on this issue, my own light tough.

One of the statues in George Square which
reminds the cooperation between Australian
and New Zealanders during II World War.

1 G'day [mate]. You can leave this country whenever but if you come here it's compulsory to know the meaning of this word, not only commonly heard in the streets but also in the workplaces. It's the Australian manner to say hello, independently on the hour. Train how to pronounce G'day or G'day mate if you don't want to get upset each time you hear this expression.

2 Sporting life. Thousand people run, walk quickly and cycle every morning, afternoon and evening, from home to workplace and vice versa and at any time. That's the visible and healthy side of the Australian. The other side reveals they hold a high rate at overweight and obesity.

3 Memories of Fallen Soldiers. Consequences of II World War had a big impact on Australian's lives as this country participated in it with the ally block. Brisbane is crowded with statues, squares and inscriptions which remind fallen soldiers and show the popular concern about a war that keeps in the memory. ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) Day commemorates fallen soldiers in conflicts, wars and peacekeeping operations in Australia and New Zealand each 25^th April.

Mates walking barefoot in Main Street.

4 Walking barefoot. Don't get shocked when you start seeing people walking around barefoot in the street. Many of them like to be in direct touch with the ground, so keep calm.

5 Charities. There is a general concern in the Australian mind about helping people less fortunate. That's the case of homelessnesses, people affected by natural disasters (typhoons, tornadoes, floods), disabled persons, war amputees... Aboriginal people tend to ask for money with unequal luck because of their alcoholic addiction which make them keep out of the society.

The proceeds of this car park are destined to charities.

6 Lemon&Lime Bitter, Vegemite, Pavlova, XXXX. They are Australian products you should try if you come here. First it's a combined drink of lime cordial, angostura, soda and a slice of lemon. Second is a dark pastry based on yeast which is spreaded on the bread. Pavlova is a typical Australian cake made of meringue and covered by fruits such as strawberries, although its name is in honour of a Russian ballet dancer. Australia and Russia are in dispute about origin of the recipe. The most popular beer is XXXX but the prices of the spirits and beers are almost prohibitive. Spirits are bought in shops specialised in its trading because supermarkets are not allowed to sell them in Queensland State. It's a cool experience to come into the cold-store chamber of the shop to pick up your favorite drinks. BWS (Bottles Wine and Spirits) and Cellarbrations are the most popular shops.

7 Bet's World. They are mad at watching sports and what goes around it. I mean drinks but, over all, gambles. Probably it explains the success of Horses Races. Sports such as Rugby, cricket and soccer are as well very popular. Casinos and Betting shops are in abundance in the city. 

8 Sumptuous Lifestyle. Cars, boats and luxurious houses are shown with relative tranquillity in one of the most safe cities.

9 Fights in clubs. The high rate of alcoholic drinks consumption is followed by aggressive attitudes in clubs, where I have seen violence scenes that dis-encourage me to hang out frequently. They aren't the biggest beer drinkers regarding a list of 2010 I have met by chance on Wikipedia, but they hold eight place, which is not bad.

10 Mad drivers. All the fury of a driver is expressed when they leave out the car and start shouting inappropriate words. It can happen if they get stuck on the road because many of them get desperated easily. Australian people who are got on their nerves can look like dangerous apparently but their behaviour is basically an spectacle that last a couple of minutes in the animal kingdom. 

Stronger than Cold Weather

Cold seems determined to spend a season at least in this portion of land despite the recent sunny mornings. I don't remember when it was the last rainny day. During the previous month I have been working at a inconstant pace while I received several job offers. That's how it goes sometimes. 'This is my month!' I told myself. Most known mates are back to their mother towns and, not surprisingly, I'm more concerned about making my way in this removed island.

I feel more confident and able to speak English but I sometimes feel Spanish is necessary, as a outlet, to express my feelings. 

It's early to understand all is happening around me because, at present, I get on learning new things everyday and not always they goes by enough slow to get them properly.

This is a big country compounded by a mix of nationalities, so there are many people in my same situation, learning English and trying to get a great reason to live or spend more time here. They work hard day after day to upgrade and leave behind their current positions because many of them work in areas without connection with they studied to

I see there is a fierce daily challenge in the city as if it grew at two speeds. On one hand Australian versus second generations of migrants who talk English perfectly and develop qualified jobs. On other hand migrants who are from undeveloped countries and able to work for over 12 consecutive hours each day at any price in the most extreme case. They don't have any competitor in certain areas opposite workers who are losing their jobs because they aren't as productive as those former. I'm referring Asian people, but students are also becoming the new cheap labor cost because they generally must work to pay their living cost.

The disappointment or desperation to get an appropriate job which allows to save money is what makes most students leave this country when they finish their study. But there's another hidden reason, the nostalgia of the family and friends.

Cold reminds many of us there are important people wanting us to return back home. Whether or not they are close to us we will enjoy a beautiful sunrise tomorrow.

The Time Machine

It seems incredible to see how time flies in Brisbane. Seven months have elapsed since I arrived here and I could assign each one a day of the week. I have realized my English is more fluent, I´m less shy and  time runs faster. For that reason, when I write I feel I am travelling in the time machine to write about my life.  

During my last excursion I met by chance a Dutchwoman. It was in Noosa National Park. She started talking about the turtles we could catch sight from the cliff. They were surfing in the sea and then, without being an expert, it is possible to see them for a while before they sink.

She is artist and she travelled to Australia a long time ago from her town. In a first moment she was living in Sydney but seeing how high the competition in her area was she decided to come to Brisbane. She joined Nimbin movement in the sixties, when population got to stop the tree felling successfully for the first time during a long protest.

The conversation was so relaxed that I forgot why I was in the middle of those sights. She soon referred a previous anecdote, which involved me. I asked an Australian couple if they wanted me to take them a picture. That fact reminded her a past time, where she was an European backpacker. When she started talking about the extroverted attitude of Spanish people in comparation with Australian I got confused. “I travelled to Spain alone but I have never had dinner alone, because Spanish invited me to stay with them. It is impossible to happen here”, she told me to my surprise.

In that moment I realized why my perception about Spanish people was so different from it. They aren´t who have changed. I am the main responsible for that change. During seven months I have been forgoting day after day what I left behind me when I went out of my country. Being 17 years old something similar happened to me, when I moved to Madrid from a small town called Aspe to study journalism and afterwards to work in a printing press company. I easily adapt to the new situations and that´s good because I spend few time to miss people, places, food and activities.
When I decided to leave my country I promised myself to avoid getting in touch with hordes of Spanish because I consider speaking Spanish is good but only exceptionally. It´s very tempting to make Spanish friends for a newcomer. However I prefer asking for help to “ayuda” or advise to “consejo”.

My last trip was an exception as I spent it with my Colombian family. But I am here with you again, dear loyal reader. I meet you on the next post.  

            

This is an stopover

I don’t like to leap to conclussions hastily. That’s the reason why I was delaying the publication of this post while I'm watching how everything around me is too informal since a long time ago. Who has changed so much? The world is more dynamic but, are we more informal?

We take part in a world in continuos motion, we will visit tens of countries and know thousands of people along our lives and we won’t have enough time to give many of them constant explanations about what we will do and why in the future. Many of them probably won’t demand explanations; we surely won´t meet most of them again. Of course we will never get to know their deep behaviour, and they and we will be misunderstood many times.

‘How time flies! It seems as if I had arrived at this unknown country yesterday’, I whisper sat close to the window of the plane which will lead me to a new continent, where I will know new people, cities and landscapes, where I will experiment new and old feelings, so lucky that deja vu, as if the life was certainly an wheel unfixed. If you travel with me you will see my smile reflected on the window because for all this time I have been a lucky person. And the best is to come. This is only a stopover, but one I have enjoyed.

Interview with Gareth Morris, teacher of English at Brisbane

Gareth Morris is an English teacher in Brisbane for over five years, but  he has previously been teaching in Japan and Taiwan. He is from Shrewsbury (United Kingdom), the same town where Charles Darwin was born. Probably if Evolutionary Theory explained the capacity to survive of the humankind depending on the rate of happyness Gareth will be adapted to Brisbane. His love is shared among this city, his girlfriend, sports, and open spaces.

Q. Along your experience as a teacher, could you tell me where the students more disciplined are from?

A. Japanese are the most hardworking students. They always do their homework before the following class. If you have a look here (library) you will see most of students' nationalities are from Japan. That´s the best indicative.

Q. What´s the biggest handicap you have found to teach English?

A. Grammar and vocab is always difficult to be taught, above all in the lowest levels of English.

Q. Shrewsbury, Tokyo, Taipei, Brisbane... What’s your favourite city to live?

A. I choose Brisbane, because of its lifestyle, the quality of the weather, the opportunities to do outdoor activities or the simple fact of breathing fresh air.

Q. Tell me, which romantic place or places of Brisbane would you recommend to the newcomers?

A. The Cliffs in Kangarro Point, next to the riverfront, are an ideal place for a picnic with champaigne and smart cheese.

Q. Do you prefer Australian or British gastronomy? (Suggest a Restaurant of Brisbane)

A. Australian cuisine is more modern than British. 
It´s a fussion of Asian and Western style cookery, which I like more. Tukka* is my favourite restaurant. It´s located at West End. In Tukka you can eat Australian and native food, for example, emu, cocodrile, kangaroo, berrish, seeds...

                                                                    *Tukka is a distorsion of “tucker”, which means  food in Australian slang.

Q. Human being tends to associate cities with smells and sounds. What sounds Brisbane to?

A. For me the sound of Brisbane is the sound of the wild animals like the possums and kookaburras.

Q. What´s the most you love about Australia?

A. I love watching sports, and in Australia it’s possible to attend matches almost every weekend because it´s accesible and cheaper than in my country. I like watching football, rugby, criquet, tennis, horse races...

Q. Which 5 adjectives describe better an Australian?

A. Lucky, noisy, agressive, accepting and funny.

Q. Why would you stay in Australia?

A. My girlfriend -she was the main reason to travel to Australia- and the high quality of life are enough reasons to stay here.

Q. Why would you leave Australia?

A. If  any member of my family got sick I would come back home obviously.

Recommendation to newcomer students

Get outside and leave your residence, go to the beach, do barbies, explore new natural places... 

There are many pending places to be known.

“The Sound of the Birds is Undoubtedly Connected to Brisbane"

Arturo López comes from the same country that the writers Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes or the international rock band Maná. Probably it’s enough to guess he’s from México, where the gastronomy is inevitably linked to chili, tortilla, guacamole and nachos. But it´s also a place well-known due to the beauty of its beaches, the hospitality of its inhabitants and three most popular drinks: beer, mezcal and tequila. It´s not a bad choice to make friends, but I promise it wasn’t necessary to do this interview.

Q. When did you start planning your trip to Australia?

A. The trip was’nt a new idea since I intended to travel to Australia 5 or 6 years ago. In that moment I was studying at university International Trade and after being graduated I held a Master in Logistics. For that reason I didn´t take my trip until now.

Q. On having United States so close to México, what boosted you to fly so far away from your hometown?

A. I could have decided United States to learn English, it only takes 8 hours by car, or Canada, where I have already been, but I was specially interested in living a different experience which I’m having in Australia. In particular, I chose Brisbane because its population size is closer to Ciudad de Querétaro, where I comes from, than Melbourne. I don´t have a keen interest in living in big cities.

Q. In what way the learning of English will be good in your daily life?

A. Currently English is highly demanded by companies. For instance, I held a bad position in my previous job because I wasn’t able to talk good English.   

Q. Each city has a caracteristic sound to be associated with. Which is the sound of Brisbane?

A. The sound of the birds is undoubtedly connected to Brisbane.

Q. What 5 adjectives define an Australian?

A. I would say they are tolerant, rude, honest, two-faced and sometimes agressive.

Q. Will you be able to suggest a restaurant to eat Mexican food?

A. I recommend Guzmán & Gómez, although it isn´t a traditional place to eat authentic Mexican food.

Q.What´s your favourite pastime?

A. Living in West End I love strolling along the river bank at night while I’m listening music and getting relaxed.

Q. Why would you stay in Australia?

A. I would stay here because this is a country where you can earn good money working a few hours. There is a radical contrast in comparation with México.

Q. What would you love doing before leaving this country?

A. My unresolved matters are to know more Australian people and visit big cities, such as Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns.

Q. Is Australia a country to come back?

A. Not for me, I´m more interested in knowing other countries.

A recommendation

If you want to know the traditional Mexican culture I recommend you to visit the old historical area of México, a unique place to be visited, where emerges the most modern part of the city mixed among historic buildings.  

"Australians are Quiet and Used to Living Relaxed"

Today, more than ever, people feel the need to travel overseas. To find a job, learn a second language (English in most of the cases) or get a degree is enough excuse to leave behind the hometown and venture to live a new experience in an unknown country.  František Časar, come from Humpolec, a small town of Czech Republic, is an example of it.

Q. What was the main reason to travel to Australia?

A. In first place I came to Brisbane to improve English, but additionally the chance of knowing Australian culture and people from different nationalities attracted me. 

Q. You could have chosen one of the big cities, Sydney or Melbourne. Why did you decide travel to Brisbane?

 A. One of my friends recommended to me Brisbane, and judging by my experience I can say this is a nice and strategic city, located near the beach, The Great Barrier Reef and other landscapes which deserve to be known.

Q. What place or places of Brisbane would you recommend to the newcomers?

A. It´s compulsory to visit Fortitude Valley, above all in the night because it´s very lively as a result of the crowd of people meet in the streets and clubs.

Q. What is the Australian's feature most pay your attention?

A. They are easygoing, quiet, and are used to living relaxed. 

Q. Now, we go back your mother town, Humpolec. Who's the person you most miss from your town?

A. My sister and my best friend.

Q. And what´s the meal you most miss?

A. Goulash is one of the most popular in my country. It mainly contains beef, onion and paprika.

Q. Why would you stay in Australia?

A. Because it´s a chance to find unusual job oportunities, the Australian economy is strong and the weather is very nice in comparation with Czech Republic.

Q.  Why would you leave Australia?

A. I oftenly feel homesick. Between Australia and Czech Republic there is a long distance.

Q. If you had to leave this country tomorrow what
you would like to do before?

A. I would like to know Melbourne, because I have already visited Sydney.

Q. And what would you miss most from here?

A. The accent of Australian and expressions such as "G’Day mate" or "Howaya?".

Q. In what way the learning of English is changing your life?

A. For me it´s being a big challenge to improve my English and now I feel more self-confident. It´s really helpful to find a job in countries where English is highly demanded.        

Q. What´s your next destination after Australia?

A. I will visit New Zeland. 

Q. In what country do you imagine yourself settled with your family?

A. In Czech Republic with my girlfriend Kača.

A recommendation

I would recommend Australian people to visit European countries 

because it’s a chance to know historic places with charm.

Welcome to 2013

2012 is coming to the end in an organized way from Eastern to Western. Population of Kiribati will be first to say goodbye year and welcome to 2013. Kiribati is an archipielago which takes the risk of dissapearing because of the low height of its territory on the sea level and increasing of ice-caps melting. A country in danger of extinction. But it's no time to be so dramatic.

I only write to tell you wherever you are I wish you have a nice partner o companion near you to say hello the new year. I’m sure 2013 will be better than 2012 and I want you are one of the witnesses of that change. Do your best to accomplish your promises and goals. Finish your homework. And remember, don't desesperate, work hard, ask for advise when you doubt and follow your instinct when your reason isn’t enough. Learn from each failure, reflect before making a decision, celebrate each challenge reached. And don’t stop enjoying the stages of life. You have the key of the success and if you keep on trying you'll find the right door. From Australia, Happy New Year's Eve and Welcome to 2013!!!

*Picture taken near Jenolan Cave House (Sydney)

Crow Attack

In 1963 Melanie Daniels suffered a attack by tons of gulls. Fortunately the attack wasn’t real and her name was fictitious. Tippi Hedren was the american actress who performed the role of a millionaire magnate´s daugther. ‘Birds’ is one of the most famous movies by Alfred Hitchok and a classic film. Sorry for disappointing you. Honestly this is not a review article, but an excuse to let you know an embarrasing experience.  

I remembered the scene where Melanie is being attacked by the gulls as a result of a hazardous episode which happened in my life. I have been a victim of a crow attack. It ocurred this afternoon while I was ambling on my way home. I heard a bird flying near to me and when I looked up at the sky I realized it had tried to attack me.

At first I thought I had got rid of the crow but when I saw it was attacking me again and again I started getting nervous. It didn’t help me when I shook my bag to scare the brave black bird. It was more agressive and persistent. You can’t imagine how frightened I was. I am a hunter and I have never wanted to kill other bird much more than it. But without a shotgun in my hands I ran into my house to avoid the pecks of the crow. It followed me for an endless couple of minutes until I turned the corner. The scene was quite ridiculous. A man escaping from the claws of a bird. The next 200 hundred metres until reaching my room weren’t easy because I constanstly span my head to check the animal wasn’t behind of me.      

A note:

Australian bicycle riders are used to protect into their heads with helmets, which are covered by plastic bridles. It’s the way to keep magpies far away because the brightness of the helmets pay its attention but I didn´t know crows could be attracted for the same reasons. The picture I upload doesn’t correspond with the same crow which attacked me today. I deserve to live in peace. 

Eaten and Drunk in Australia

I didn't plan to write a post tonight but I drank a glass of milk with ‘Akta Vite’ (see can in the center of the picture) and now I feel full of energy to make a good start referring to australian food, or rather, genuine products which are eaten and drunk in Australia.

When I arrived at Brisbane I decided to try kangaroo burgers because I thought they were a very popular meat. I liked it even though the flavour of australian meat is stronger than spanish meat (except chicken) but a bit later I realised kangaroo meat isn't eaten by many australian people. Probably because, similar to koala, is an australian symbolic animal. Nonetheless, every year many of them are sacrificied to control the population and at same time their meat is sold for human consumption. Personally I prefer kangaroo meat to beef but first and foremost chicken takes first place.

‘Akta Vite’ is a nutritional chocolate drink which has been made since 1943. It's recommended for expectant and nursing mothers but I didn't know it before buying it. Anyway it contains 8 essential vitamins and minerals. I bought it because I want to keep strong and healthy in this country. And I love cocoa, maybe it will be the understudy of morning coffee.

On the contrary, I bought Vegemite because it was the first Australian product I heard an Australian name. I hate that flavour and honestly I used this yeast extract as if it was butter. At least it's rich in Vitamin B and folate.

The second week I spent in Brisbane I tasted Ginger Beer Cordial. I realized on the first gulp that I didn't like it. After that I started drinking a glass of ginger everyday and now I love citric flavour. You need to know it's a cordial, that is to say, you should mix one part of it with four parts of soda or water unless your throat is prepared for its sweet and strong flavour.

More popular than Ginger Beer i think it´s Lemon Lime and Bitters Cordial. I haven´t tasted it still but I hope to drink it soon (right side in the picture).

A big Life to Enjoy it

Life conceived to live it and not to work, that's a big life to enjoy it. I thought in Cultural Center while i saw the big wheel spinning on its axis. Cultural Center (Brisbane) is near to Bus Central Station and beside Brisbane River. A place full of life. To be sincere, the best place I have visited in Brisbane for the moment. Its quite and at the same time its crowded of people. How can I explain this contradiction then? This contradiction is in armony with this area, where you can have a bath in South Bank Beach, walk along the row of restaurants, take away and coffe shop, to cook (banned to drink alcohol) free on the electric BBQ (barbies are called in this city), available for the public. Later on I will write about slang in Brissie, colloquial name for Brisbane. This place is ideal to spend a nice day with friends, family or for romantic dates. You will find the Concert Hall and the Piazza, a center of performance where young people learn choreographies. If you arrived at here you will be able to listen to the music from a female artist who plays splendid double bass. Almost a dream, with a difference, I never cry in dreams. As if that wasn't enough along september Brisbane Festival celebrated one more edition: theatre, music, dance and opera from Australia. According to the Premier of Queensland, Campbell Newman, it has involved an annual investment of $5.22 millions. This edition closed tonight with a magnific explosion of coloured fireworks. Sunsuper Riverfire says goodbye until next year but I am sure its a good way to start a new life here. I am feeling privileged living here. Good luck.

Chinese lanterns in the entrance to Brisbane Festival.

Fireworks to close Brisbane Festival 2012. Sunsuper Riverfire. 

An attraction of the Sunsuper Riverfire.

View of Parkland.

Other places to visit in Cultural Centre: Nepalese Pagoda, Memorial Park (in memory of fallen soldiers for I and II World War in Vietnam, Korea and Japan), Museum.   

From Brisbane with all my Love

Brisbane River.

Story Bridge.

First 31 hours I have spent out of home haven't been bad at all, taking into account the number of stopovers. Appart from an unexpected happen, solved on the way to the aeroplane, and a stopover at Singapor airport, I was able to know more lavatories in a few hours than in 28 years. I have been sleeping 5 extra hours yesterday and three more today, after walking around Brisbane river. Along my walk (for 6 hours) I found different animals. I drop you some postcards from Brisbane with all my love. Here you can see crows and doves, but also iguanas and wildlife, such as you can see in the photographies. It´s not time for comments because currently all is being anecdotic. For example, the taxi driver who brought me from the airport to the backpacker since where i am writing now this post. I am sure I helped him more than me. His GPS didnt know the street where we were going to, I had to look up a map I got at the airport to find the street and then he checked it at Yellow Pages. “Do you know if my neigbourhood is dangerous?” “All Australia is dangerous. In your suburb you´ll find people are drunk, a lot of pubs, streaptease…”. (Bad life you would be here, dear Sepu).

Ibis.

I was quieter since I left the cab (australian taxi), after paying 45 australian dollars and take out my suitcases by myself. Without saying goodbye, ¿true my appreciated taxi driver? Remember it.

My family didnt trust arab airline, and after all, it has been my best experience. A box of presents: blanket, toothbrush, toothpaste, food each 5 hours, and drink each 2 hours. Moreover, every passenger has a  personal screen to watch movies, serials, play... Never ever  I have eaten so much for being on a seat. 

Answering a repetitive question what most of you make me, I will tell you Australia has been since its birth a country of inmigrants, with a strong presence of asian continent. If you are asking me how about australian women?, I will answer you, dude, ¿do you like asian fellows?  

A tres meses de ti/Separated from you by three months

Y si el deseo pudiera medirse en tiempo, te deseo dos años y medio. Los que me has tenido seducido por una vieja promesa que contiene un futuro mejor. De ti oí hablar como se hablan de los idilios hace ya un lustro. Y no quise creerlo porque andaba desenamorado, sin ilusiones ni guías que me engrandecieran por dentro. Me resultabas extraña, arisca, perdida, lejana. Pensaba en ti incrédulo y aún sin ponerte cara cuando en una tertulia cruzaba tu nombre, siempre a iniciativa del otro. Poco a poco fuiste conquistando espacios a grandes saltos como canguros, monopolizando territorios hasta monotematizar mi pensamiento. Como un amor impensable que se cuela discreto por una ranura y una vez dentro agita mi admiración. Por veces creo que mi comportamiento es estúpido, que no hay razón para temblar por ti ni latir tan apresuradamente. Que es inútil seguir amando así. Quizá sea por miedo a seguir aquí.

And if the love could be weighed up by the time, I love you since two years and half ago. Along this time you have attracted me because of an old promise what contains a better future. I have heard about you exactly the same as romances five years ago. And I didn't want to believe it because I wasn't in love with anyone, and without hope and guidance to make me bigger. You were for me weird, unfriendly, lost, distant. I was gullible when I thought of you, and I could'nt identify you yet, when you were mentioned in a conversation, motivated by the other one. Step by step you were conquering spaces of my life like a kangaroo, colonising territories until the point of domaining my thought. Similar to an unbelieveable love what gets into slot of a door and since it is inside shakes my admiration. Sometimes I believe that my behaviour is foolish, that there isn't reason to shiver by you but my heart beats so fastly... That isn't useful to keep on loving so. Perhaps it's produced by the fear to keep on staying here.