12:13 p.m. - 2003-09-12
Trouble in Paradise
2003-09-11 - 12:13 p.m.
Oh dear. Things have gone pear shaped. Steph and Andy, the perfect couple in my eyes, have pretty much split up. They started to have their differences over the whole casino thing (Andy got carried away and lost some money), then Alastair planted a seed in Andy's head to go with him to Alice Springs. On Monday Steph and I went back up the coast to Port Douglas for a couple of days and Andy didn't want to come. We said goodbye to Alastair because he was supposed to be getting a ride in a camper on Tuesday. Steph was a bit suspicious and thought Andy was up to something. She checked their bank balance on Tuesday night and half of their money had been withdrawn, leaving $150 (that's �60). She thought he was trying to scare her or piss her off. When we got back on Wednesday morning I thought they would kiss and make up, but Andy told her he was doing a relocation (drive a van back to its original home for cheap, but you have to drive virtually non-stop) with Alastair. He is going to go to his parents in Perth and save some money and sponge off them. He said in not-so-many words that Steph can't come and that she is mental and should go home to her Mum's in Florida. I can't believe how selfish he is being. He's left her before when they were living in Hawaii. I think she's had enough. They are in Kuranda at the moment, selling their jewellery. If they do go their separate ways then maybe Steph and I will hitch down the coast. I want to leave tomorrow and get to Magnetic Island for the full moon party. I doubt I'll make it though.
Port Douglas was nice. We didn't do much except laze around the pool. It was really hot. I was just relieved to get away from that damn casino.
We had a good time getting drunk on Coopers stout and smoking weed. We got caught doing both on the premises (you�re not allowed to bring alcohol from outside the hostel), but were let off. We put on our usual jukebox video favourites:
Motley Crue�s �Girls, Girls, Girls,� ZZ Tops �Legs� and Aerosmith�s �Love in an Elevator.� It�s worth it just to see all the men�s eye�s in the bar being drawn to the TV whilst they pretend not to be interested in such sexist and worst still, dated soft porn.
Nick rang me again, he said he developed the second roll of film and it came out really well. He reckons he can get me into The Bellingen Global Festival as a volunteer. He knows the art director.
Wednesday 10th September
Just got back from Port Douglas. The minibus that was taking us back to Tropic Days got a flat halfway and we had to sit and wait on the side of the road in the midday sun. Steph was worrying about Andy and whether he�d gone to Kuranda without her to sell their jewellery.
He was still there when we got back, but so was Alistair and he was supposed to be going to Alice Springs the previous day. Steph is suspicious because when she asked Andy what Alistair�s plans were, Andy said he�d talk to her about it later. She thinks they may have a scheme to go to Alice together.
I�m going to Kuranda today. I was going to join Steph and Andy, but I think they need some time alone. I hope they don�t split up, as they seem to make a great couple but you never can tell from the outside.
Friday 12th September
Kuranda was nice, lots of souvenir shops and didgeridoos everywhere. I had to wait ages for a bus back as they were all packed. I ended up bumping into Steph and Andy anyway. They�d had a massive argument and Steph had been crying. She doesn�t know what to do. Andy threatened to �send� her home to her mothers in Maryland.
So they�re are going their separate ways. Steph seems to be handling it really well and is being exceptionally nice to such a selfish prick considering his attitude towards her. He just want a to be single and have his fun with Alistair. Steph and I did wonder in Port Douglas if Alistair is gay�
I�m so bored. All we ever do is sit around the pool being lazy, poor, stoned and indecisive and eating Pizza Hut pizzas. Then we go to the Casino and usually lose money. It�s awful, I�ve been here for so long and Cairns is a shithole really. There isn�t even a beach here!
We are possibly leaving on Tuesday. Steph has to go back to Kuranda to see this woman who owns a hemp store. She wants to take her to a spider farm where they breed them to take the venom to make anti-venom.
The dynamics of the group has changed and I feel like I don�t want to be involved anymore. Alistair is weird. I can�t figure him out; I�m not sure if he likes me much. He told me that his tents smells and that it didn�t before I moved in. It could be me, as I don�t use anti-perspirant anymore. It has aluminium in it, which could be a cause of breast cancer.
I want to move on now and meet new people; but then again hitching with Steph could be fun. I just have to remember that I don�t know her that well. I�m pissed off that I�ve spent too long here and done sod all. I�ve just gotta go with the flow and roll with it!
