I meet all these different people here at the hostel and I’m so happy about it. It’s just so great to have conversations with these people and hear their stories. One day I had these amazing conversations with an American soldier, not-active in duty anymore. We talked about so many things – the financial situation in the world, differences between the countries, dreams, relationships, revelations that will come to you when you travel, and so many other things! But last Wednesday beats any day when it comes to meeting different people. This elderly couple got off the bus and walked over to our hostel’s shuttle bus and asked if we had any room for them, they hadn’t booked anything in advance. They told how they just started in Cairns (staying in a hostel there as well!), then went to Magnetic Island and then Rockhampton. They do live in New Zealand, but they are staying in hostels, travelling by Greyhound and have no return ticket home. How amazing is that?! I could never ever in my life imagine my grandfather doing the same, never! I thought the couple was in their seventies but was tremendously surprised to hear that they are in their eighties. They are quite an example to younger people. I wish I’ll be like them when I’m that old!

Sometimes I just feel old because I meet mostly backpackers still in their teens or in early twenties. It just feels that I’m world apart from their way of thinking.  I didn’t come here to party and spend my money on alcohol, but so many young people seem to be doing exactly that. Why to waste your money travelling to the other side of the world to get drunk night after night? You could easily do it back home you don’t have to travel to do that. But hey, I’m never been like that when I’m travelling, so no wonder I can’t understand it or am I just too old to understand?



I was too busy reading my book
that I didn't have time to go to the beach. :D

I spent the weekend in Noosa and it was so good to have a break and get out from Hervey Bay. I hadn’t realized how much I needed it before I got into the car and we drove away. I felt so free! :D And the weekend was great. I didn’t have to do anything and I was able to relax and read my book without anyone interrupting with questions, it was great! It was wonderful to be part of the family, and do just normal things like having breakfast together, watching tv in the evenings together, going out for dinner or just talking and spending time together. And I couldn’t have had any better family to spend the time with. They made me feel like I was home and part of the family. I was told by Lyn that I was like a cat relaxing in the sun because when I was nowhere to be seen she just had to look for a sunny spot around the house and she would find be reading my book and enjoying the warmth of the sun. :D The weekend was definitely the best so far!

It was awesome to have a weekend off even though it was really cold. The coldness here is not in comparison to Finland. It doesn’t get freezing cold here but when the temperature outside is around seven degrees during the night it means it is freezing cold inside the house! Even during the day it was so cold in the house – it was warmer outside! I was alright sleeping under the covers but when you had to get up in the morning it was so hard because I just wanted to stay in my warm bed not get up to feel the cool air on my skin. I may have to go shopping for some warmer clothes if it stays this cold! :D

I never thought I would end up watching Eurovision song contest here on the other side of the world! :D But there I was on Friday evening watching the semi-final with others. It felt funny that they actually air it here and get people comment on contestants and voting their own favourite. I used to watch it back in Finland when I was much younger but haven’t been that interested to watch it anymore like my mum is. But there was no excitement to watch the end because Linn told us they had won, Sweden I mean.

I don’t know if I should be worried if I’m not 100% sure a song is by a Finnish band when I hear it. :D The song was in English and my only excuse is that I haven’t been listening to Finnish music for four months, other than the ones I have on my laptop. We were driving to Noosa and Bill had a cd playing and I didn’t expect to hear any familiar music from Finland! He got the cd from a Swedish girl but still it felt a bit funny to hear the song especially when Bill told he really likes the song. I don’t mean Finnish music is bad but I didn’t expect to hear a song by a Finnish band played loudly in the car! :D

"Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing tosay is what counts."
- Margaret Lee Runbeck -