Gena is an old friend that I met on Bowen Island at my school (BICS). She only stayed for three months but in those three months we developed a good friendship. When I heard that our world trip would cross over Australia, Gena came to mind. When we arrived at their house in Port MacQuarie, I was so happy to see her. We were there for dinner and caught up on each others lives. It was strange to see her, like a dream, but it was definitely real. The next day Gena stayed home from school while her Mom, Dad, Orion (her older brother) and Taron (her younger brother) went on with their daily business. My Dad, Birch, Gena and I went . . .
on a walk through a National Reserve. It was really creepy because you didn't know what was crawling through the branches in the trees above. After a very long while we arrived at a lookout platform looking at a narrow but long waterfall. Although I didn't feel like it (it was three against one) we continued down the trail to the base of the waterfall. That seemed to take forever but we soon got there (with a few encounters of imaginary snakes). The waterfall was beautiful and we took a few pictures and then we got distracted by something small and slimy crawling on our shoes . . . LEACHES, LEACHES, LEACHES!!! Even though we sprayed ourselves thick with bug repellent (which are supposed to keep away leaches) they were still all over our shoes. I have to admit Gena and I went into hysterics and Dad quickly took them all off of our shoes and thankfully we didn't get any down our socks. The moment of beauty was ruined and Gena and I forced Dad and Birch away from the waterfall into a leach free zone back up the trail.
The walk back was somewhat uneventful but I was thirsty, hungry and exhausted and it was not really what I would call enjoyable (although everyone else seemed to be having a good time). We had a picnic lunch and then went to visit Gena's Dad at the cheese factory he was working in. We didn't stay too long since he was hard at work and we headed to a very popular milk shake place.
When we went back to Gena's place, Orion, Taron and their Mom also arrived so we decided to go to the beach. We went boogie boarding and had a great time surfing the waves even though I inhaled a huge amount of salt water. Then thunder started to rumble and I am talking very, very loudly. We made it to the car in time before it started raining and the lighting outside was unbelievable. When we got back we had showers, ate some of my Dad's amazing pasta and Gena and I watched a movie.
The next morning we said our sorrowful good-byes and set off again. I had a great time and I hope Gena and her family will come out to Canada sometime and visit.
Allie
When we went back to Gena's place, Orion, Taron and their Mom also arrived so we decided to go to the beach. We went boogie boarding and had a great time surfing the waves even though I inhaled a huge amount of salt water. Then thunder started to rumble and I am talking very, very loudly. We made it to the car in time before it started raining and the lighting outside was unbelievable. When we got back we had showers, ate some of my Dad's amazing pasta and Gena and I watched a movie.
The next morning we said our sorrowful good-byes and set off again. I had a great time and I hope Gena and her family will come out to Canada sometime and visit.
Allie
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