you again?
so here's another blog. if you're just tuning in and haven't seen me since uluru, make sure you read the uber-long entry below too.
today, we went to see the aboriginal park here in cairns - tjapukai. we woke up at 7:30 to catch our 8:20 bus across the street at the hotel there, but even though we were all (six of us - na, me, xena, raj, roshan, and abdul - did i mention we ran into them here and have been spending pretty much all our time with them?) there and prepped with our water and sunblock, the bus that finally came at 9:30 said we weren't on his list. he was running back and forth to the tour office at gilligan's (our hostel, where we booked the thing) and they were calling the companies, and all this is made more complicated by the fact that xena and the gang were getting a discount for the park admission given the parts they'd miss on account of the whole Deaf thing, and suggested that we not talk and get the discount too. so we had spent the day before in the tour office, writing back and forth to the tour lady, not talking to her and making her think we were discount-worthy too. so today was voice off as well. anyway, that bus left and we went back into the tour office to try and sort it out. again made complicated by the fact that the two american girls na and i had chatted with the previous night in our room were there booking a dive or something. we waited outside so we wouldn't foil the plan. talk about a tangled web... anyway, things got more complicated before they got simpler, but long story short(ish), we took a later bus up there, skipped the sky rail over the rain forest, and got a free $24 buffet lunch out of it. we went to all the performances (na and i 'terped for the movies that had no subtitles (there should always be subtitles) and for the bush food/medicine presentations...) we threw spears and boomerangs. the women are not supposed to play the digeridoo, or else they'll fall pregnant, but xena didn't know and she tried it last week up in darwin. anyway, we're back in town for a couple hours before we head up there tonight for the evening show/dinner. it should be cool, though there are likely some overlaps.
it's interesting to see the different "story waters" - dreamtime stories - creation stories - of the tribes from different areas. and the similarities. On the heritage walk we did in melbourne, we learned that all the people in the tribe had one of two totems: the wa (crow) or the eagle. you had to marry someone of the other totem. here, it seems the two groups are wet and dry - you still have to marry across though. and the children get the totem of the father.
anywho, we're still learning bsl and interpreting into it is certainly a challenge. i need to practice my fingerspelling! but we seem to be managing - xena can usually put together whatever i'm saying and then she makes it more bsl for the boys. i think the third brother might be coming to cairns today. more signing! oy. my eyes are watering just thinking about it.
i really do feel bad pretending to be Deaf. never would have even occurred to me had xena not suggested it. but it's half the price! and interpreters sometimes get discounts too, right? we're not evil, right? (here's where you say "not at all, amy, no worries")
so tomorrow we'll go book a snorkelling/diving trip. i think xena and raj want to dive, but the rest of us will opt for the surface for now. i think we're gonna use quicksmart (a division of quicksilver), cuz we've heard good things about them, but we'll see what the tour office says - we found a guy who seems honest, so we'll just hold our breath and see what happens. i mean, what could really be bad? it's the great barrier reef ::knocking on wood, of course:: ?
ok. sorry for the extra reading. hope you're all well.
love,
amy
oh, and an extra shout out to ericH and leslie from st louis who we met at uluru and then ran into on the street here in cairns! they were headed out the next day and kindly offered to buy us lunch before their flight. they have now officially bought us breakfast, lunch, and dinner, (and gelato), though not in that order. i hope you're trip to new zealand was great and can't wait to hear about it. all the best and thanks again!
email me
today, we went to see the aboriginal park here in cairns - tjapukai. we woke up at 7:30 to catch our 8:20 bus across the street at the hotel there, but even though we were all (six of us - na, me, xena, raj, roshan, and abdul - did i mention we ran into them here and have been spending pretty much all our time with them?) there and prepped with our water and sunblock, the bus that finally came at 9:30 said we weren't on his list. he was running back and forth to the tour office at gilligan's (our hostel, where we booked the thing) and they were calling the companies, and all this is made more complicated by the fact that xena and the gang were getting a discount for the park admission given the parts they'd miss on account of the whole Deaf thing, and suggested that we not talk and get the discount too. so we had spent the day before in the tour office, writing back and forth to the tour lady, not talking to her and making her think we were discount-worthy too. so today was voice off as well. anyway, that bus left and we went back into the tour office to try and sort it out. again made complicated by the fact that the two american girls na and i had chatted with the previous night in our room were there booking a dive or something. we waited outside so we wouldn't foil the plan. talk about a tangled web... anyway, things got more complicated before they got simpler, but long story short(ish), we took a later bus up there, skipped the sky rail over the rain forest, and got a free $24 buffet lunch out of it. we went to all the performances (na and i 'terped for the movies that had no subtitles (there should always be subtitles) and for the bush food/medicine presentations...) we threw spears and boomerangs. the women are not supposed to play the digeridoo, or else they'll fall pregnant, but xena didn't know and she tried it last week up in darwin. anyway, we're back in town for a couple hours before we head up there tonight for the evening show/dinner. it should be cool, though there are likely some overlaps.
it's interesting to see the different "story waters" - dreamtime stories - creation stories - of the tribes from different areas. and the similarities. On the heritage walk we did in melbourne, we learned that all the people in the tribe had one of two totems: the wa (crow) or the eagle. you had to marry someone of the other totem. here, it seems the two groups are wet and dry - you still have to marry across though. and the children get the totem of the father.
anywho, we're still learning bsl and interpreting into it is certainly a challenge. i need to practice my fingerspelling! but we seem to be managing - xena can usually put together whatever i'm saying and then she makes it more bsl for the boys. i think the third brother might be coming to cairns today. more signing! oy. my eyes are watering just thinking about it.
i really do feel bad pretending to be Deaf. never would have even occurred to me had xena not suggested it. but it's half the price! and interpreters sometimes get discounts too, right? we're not evil, right? (here's where you say "not at all, amy, no worries")
so tomorrow we'll go book a snorkelling/diving trip. i think xena and raj want to dive, but the rest of us will opt for the surface for now. i think we're gonna use quicksmart (a division of quicksilver), cuz we've heard good things about them, but we'll see what the tour office says - we found a guy who seems honest, so we'll just hold our breath and see what happens. i mean, what could really be bad? it's the great barrier reef ::knocking on wood, of course:: ?
ok. sorry for the extra reading. hope you're all well.
love,
amy
oh, and an extra shout out to ericH and leslie from st louis who we met at uluru and then ran into on the street here in cairns! they were headed out the next day and kindly offered to buy us lunch before their flight. they have now officially bought us breakfast, lunch, and dinner, (and gelato), though not in that order. i hope you're trip to new zealand was great and can't wait to hear about it. all the best and thanks again!
email me
posted by theonetheycallamy at 1/31/2005 12:39:00 AM
2 Comments:
Dear Amy, you're not evil, not at all. Hope that makes you feel guilt free ! This adventure is so amazing. Each entry is so filled with energy and learning, it's a real joy to read/. Hugs and love, Barbara
(Lights up on Amy, sitting on a stool center-stage.)
AMY
Oh, hello. I'm Amy.
(A strange noise -- like something bouncing -- is heard offstage. Coming closer. Amy turns. Suddenly, HOPPITY THE KANGAROO JR. enters stage-left.)
HOPPITY JR.
(laughs) Well hey kids! I'm Hoppity the Kangaroo Jr.! Has anyone seen my mom?
AMY (signing in BSL)
You're... a tasty morsel.
HOPPITY JR.
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
AMY (signing in BSL)
Perfect, then you won't understand when I sign to you that I'm not really Deaf.
HOPPITY JR.
Oh! You must be Deaf!
AMY (signing in BSL)
You really do look very tasty.
HOPPITY JR.
Sorry, no comprende... Let me just reach into my pouch and get you the discount vouchers. We're running low on these, I mean the money comes directly from donations that would go to the Home for Wayward Koalas...
Wait, what are you doing?
AMY?! NO!
(Sorry, you know I love you and entirely condone any discount achieved by any means. And I've eaten things way worse than kangaroo, and envy you your culinary adventures. Miss ya, kid. You WILL take pictures diving 'round the reef, right...? -Matt)
Post a Comment
<< Home