Blackjack J and other tales of mild debauchery
July 15, 2005Machans Beach, Qld, Australia
7:39am
Two months we have been away.
Last we spoke, I was in Cairns, posting and researching future destination points. Very soon after accomplishing these tasks, I shut the powerbook down and contemplated what mild debauchery I could dive into while alone. I settled on visiting the local casino to see what was what.
It was big, loud with mostly Asians at the tables, and mostly locals at the slots. There was roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and a few other games that were foreign to me and my vast casino experience. I went to the bar and ordered a pint, a liquid perusal if you would. I circled the floor like a vulture and because I looked so darn cool with my mustache the pit boss was eyeing me for a card counter. Ok, deep down I wanted to be thought of someone that mathematically devious, but I am sure I looked like the mook that actually am.
Finally, after one of the female dealers actually said to me, “it’s ok darling, we’re not going to bite”, I sat down at one of the $10 minimum blackjack tables. I hit three aces on my first three hands, none of them turning up blackjack, but winning them all. Of course this is the point where I start thinking of a gambling run that will allow us to continue this adventure for another couple of years, but of course, casinos were not built on winners and I lost the next hand. I went in with the idea of losing $50, a comfortable enough amount to sheepishly tell Steph I lost. I actually got up to $100 and almost had the sense to walk away with a meager victory, but no, I whittled $50 away faster than you can say Jack Robinson, before quickly disembarking from my stool with my original $50 still intact. And just to say I lost something, on the way out, I slid a sawbuck into a slot machine and lost that in about fifteen seconds. So a beer and a sawbuck later and I was back in the fresh air. Away from the cacophony and cigarette smoke. Neither the pit boss, nor the Asians, noticed I was gone.
The next two days were very quiet. Wednesday we spent at Palm Cove, what used to be our favourite beach until we realized how loud it was. Not loud enough to wake up the mighty Hud, but loud.
This is because we had been up to Cape Tribulation the day before, where the beaches are so serene and unfettered. That’s if you hit it in between tour buses of course. It’s so easy to complain about something. Excuse me while I punch myself in the pancreas.
Wednesday night Steph went to Yoga and I made fajitas. I did not like the fajitas as much as the burritos. Yeah. Ok. Well. Moving on.
Thursday we spent near Birri Bana, our lovely home.
We have really lucked out in our rentals so far, and the next one looks ok as well. We have heard Byron Bay is busy and full of backpackers and hippies, but I am sure we can handle that. Lots of our friends recommended Byron, but I think it is because they were in Byron when they were backpackers and/or hippies. So we will see how a mustached 35 year old and his wife and his son can mix with the gang. By the looks of it, our apartment is about 10 minutes away from the hub of Byron, probably tucked into some little quiet area like our present place is. In any event, Steph and I will be conscience of our anxiety this time, as it’s usually about two days before we start to relax and settle into a mild routine. Hud of course, being a superhero, just Cheshire grins and says what’s next? We have three nights in Noosa Heads, north of Brisbane before Byron, which is also supposed to be nice. If it isn’t? Whatever. I am as flexible as Olga Korbet baybee.
Last night we went out for dinner. We realized, that while over budget, we were not over budget that much, so we deserved a night out. Compared to our last two destinations, we did very well in Cairns. We ate out only twice (including last night) in three weeks. We made every lunch and every breakfast and we were very aware of the daily knick knacks, diet cokes, cappacianios, that add up and can destroy a budget. So Sonya’s by the Sea it was, and it was nice. This of course was the location of my drinking to excess a couple of weeks ago, so I was cowering a little, hoping I did not pee in the tip jar. But alas, the bartender did recognize me, but only as the guy staying at the big house down the road, not the guy who got in a fistfight with the waitress ( all speculation, all the time). We each had a thin crust pizza, mine with lamb, rosemary and olives, Steph’s with Thai chicken, red capsicum and cashews. Hud had chicken nuggets, his favourite as he says about everything now.
So pretty light fare for the next couple of days. Really sticking around our pad to appreciate it and get value from it. We will go to Cairns today to let Hud play by that big pool he so likes. I will stare out my mirrored glasses, looking somewhat moronic with my stache and all. But that was part of it. It is an exercise in not caring what people think and it is working. It works.
Whatever works.
Love to all,
J.
posted by Jason @ 5:24 PM
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