2008-10-03 On my way from Byron Bay to Brisbane
I met a lot of funny people during my time in Byron Bay. As I’ve said before, Byron is the place to be. A small surfer-hippie-new-age-city with no big food chains and no skyscrapers. One road with stores and then the beach. That’s about it.
Everyone I have met have said that Byron Bay is their favorite place in Australia, and those who says another city have in most cases not yet been to Byron Bay. The life style is just so relaxed. People are riding their bikes with surfboards attached. However I will tell you more about this place later since me and Jenny went there.
They have this very sleezy restaurant/pub/night club or just place called Cheeky Monkeys. This is where all the craziest things are happening since there are only backpackers and they/we are known to be roudy. At our hostel I met up with Lea from Germany, John the man from Canada, Sofie from Finland and then Moa – the Swedish Viking from Norrland. All of them are just amazing in all different ways, we were honestly a great group. And of course I had my comrades Martin the German game developer and Mark the Danish supermodel by my side. 
One evening when we were on our way out, later on to Cheeky Monkeys, me and Moa went completely crazy. The Swedish Vikings went in front of the group, were a bit roudy, jumpy and screamy. Since we are sooo big and strong and represents Vikings very well. Ehem.
We had a great time at Cheeky Monkeys, of course, and we went there every night. It’s a place which can lower you since you see so many different things, in some aspects it’s more like a sexclub where no one cares about anything, anyone or who they go home with.
Yaddi yaddi! The day came when I were leaving Byron Bay for Brisbane to await Jennys arrival. At 07:00 I waited for the bus. It did not turn up for three hours, during which time we could not board the other bus going to Brisbane since we were not booked on that one. And I say we – because I met up with this absolutely talkative, funny and great Brazilian guy – Filippe.
He is around 29 years old, works here in Australia as a geolog since the last six months and I loved talking to him. There was not a quiet moment until we boarded the bus and both fell asleep and woke up a few hours later just 20 minutes from Brisbane.
We talked about everything between heaven and earth, about how corrupted Brazil is, how the integration works in Sweden in my opinion, and lots of other differences and we both told stories of things we’ve experienced.
One story that had had impact on him and his life… In Brazil he travelled out in the jungle with a few men to do some work. One thing they had to do was to put a device in a big pool of mud (gyttja) where the mud reached up to the chest. Filippe didn’t want to do it but a man who lived in the area said that he would.
When this man walks through the chest-deep mud Filippe yells to him “Why are you smiling man, you know you are walking through a pool filled with mud that reaches up to your chest?” The man continued to smile, he has lost almost all of his teethes during his hard life, when he screams back still smiling “I have work, I have work!”
Amazing, huh? How ignorant we are most of the time. And how disrespectful we are complaining all the time about our problems. “Should I buy a Nokia or a Sony Ericsson? I don’t know, oh my, this is difficult… I can’t decide…” Do I need to say that when it was time for them to get the device from the pool of mud, Filippe himself went in to get it?
Except for this I was instructed in how to handle some dangerous animals if I ever go to the Brazilian jungle. For instance I know now how to deal with jaguars… And no, I don’t mean the cars. 
Filippe told me that he had had plenty of opportunities to train his skill during his work, defending himself against jaguars by getting them scared.
If I ever see one I should instantly put my backpack on top of my head. This makes me look much bigger, more of a threat. Then I should stare at the jaguar and make noises in order to show them that I will fight them til the death. It’s easier if there is only one jaguar he told me, haha. And that they might scare you if they come from behind and even if they bite you, you should put your backpack on top of your head and scream… no shit??
Oh… I had almost forgotten about him. Michael. When me and Filippe sat there talking, waiting for the bus, I guy from last night that we met at Cheeky Monkeys came to us. He was obviously on his way to Brisbane to.
Let me tell you like this… He wanted me. Yep. Although I’m straight and told him no. I realized when we were at Cheeky Monkeys and he asked me if girls like my tongue piercing. OH! I have forgotten to tell you about that… that’ll have to wait for a new blog entry. However, and I told him that I did not know since I had not kissed anyone.
Then – he asked me if guys like it. And he looked a bit horny. Very disgusting and disturbing sight. And I told him – “NO, I am not gay. The only ones who are supposed to touch my tongue are girls (Jenny) and my dentist.” He still wanted me. Moa and Sofie had to protect me all night so he would not dare to come near me again. (They sat on both of my sides!) 
And now you might understand how I felt when he came to the bus station. Fortunately he had booked a later bus, which arrived maybe ten minutes after ours had departed. Although, he caught up with us at McDonalds in Brisbane. He found us. I said good bye to Filippe and went to the hostel – but not alone. He followed me there. And the whole time he kept talking about blow jobs and that he only likes sexy people no matter which gender they are and he wondered if I had ever given a blow job. “No, since I’m NOT gay!”
At the hostel I had an argument with the girl who worked there, whom I met and came along with before, the thing was that I had booked one bed in my old room so I could be with my old pals. She told me that they don’t make reservations into certain rooms, only beds, and I told her the guy I booked with confirmed that I were to go in my old room. Whereby she called me a liar and so on. No mistake had been done from them. However, it was a good argument since I didn’t back down. Now I knew she was an evil bitch. 
Michael got a different room anyway! Muhaha!
My new room was packed with Swedes. Yeah, well, three anyway. Two girls and one guy. And wow… At this point I realized why I don’t miss Sweden that much. They were so typical Swedes. Just complaining all the time on everything and anything. Such a contrast compared to Filippes story.
Unfortunately I recall everything they said but I will only tell you that they complained. And on the second day I got angry and couldn’t keep my mouth shut so I told them exactly what I thought and told them about Filippes story. And that I don’t miss Sweden, because of people like them.
That – was fun and relaxing. I like being honest – especially with myself.
