Goodbye (for now)

[Tea]

Tannin and I won't be around much, if at all, for the next 5 or 6 weeks, because we are heading off to points unknown with camera in hand.

Yippee!

We are taking a laptop, which has a modem, but probably won't be anywhere we can log in from very often.

So be good.

PS: as soon as Mrs Pradeep presents him with a beautiful little daughter, I expect that they will want to name her after me. That is OK, I don't mind at all. If you want me to be her godmother, Pradeep, I could teach her to climb trees and peel bananas with her feet. (I think you have to catch them young. Tannin has been trying to learn it for ages and still hasn't got the hang of it.)

PPS: If the unexpected happens and it's a little son that Mrs Pradeep produces while I'm gone, you can name him after me anyway. That would make him something like Tea Bruce Pradeep, as opposed to the girl, who would be Tea Alice Pradeep. Or possibly Tea Bananas Pradeep - I think having that middle name might save a lot of trouble later on in life when she says "banana is my middle name" and people don't believe her.

PPPS: I forget what the PPPS is.

Be good!

 

[Tannin]

We have it all worked out. Ideally, I'd navigate (because I'm good at navigating) and Tea would take care of the driving. Unfortunately, she can't reach the pedels, so we are going to have to do it the other way about.

Which might be a little tricky.

I can drive OK, but Tea's navigation ... well .... it can be a little haphazard sometimes.

By the way, where are we going, Tea?

 

[Tea]

I'll tell you later.

 

[Tannin]

What do you mean, "you'll tell me later"? Don't you know?

 

[Tea]

I'll know soon.

 

[Tannin]

What do you mean "soon"? Look, the idea of navigation is that you start with a particular destination in mind, and you turn left, or go straight, or else turn right according to which turn is going to get you to the place you are heading for. Got it?

Yes, that's right. And and if you don't make any wrong turns, you end up in the right place.

What's that?

Oh. You do it a different way, do you?

No, no, no no. You can't get there first and then decide where you were going afterwards! That's cheating. And you have to decide which place you are going to before you are close enough to read the sign on the front of the Post Office.

OK?

Now, where are we going, Tea?

 

[Tannin]

Oh, for the love of Mike ....

Can you be a little more precise than "Australia"?

Well, I guess that's a little more precise.

Gentlemen, I am reliably informed that we are going to ...

(How did you put that again, Tea? Ah yes, thankyou.)

We are going to, and I quote, "Some places in Australia that aren't Ballarat."

I'll let you all know a bit more when I know myself. It's probably safe to assume that it will actually be one of those places in Australia that aren't Ballarat and where they happen to grow bananas, but I shouldn't be surprised if we wind up in Alice Springs. Or Perth. Or Darwin.

 

[Tea]

Do they have bananas in Darwin?

 

[LiamC]

Bananas! Now I know you are

And you're probably off to the Gold Coast, with all those scantily clad orangatangs (sp? Bleh!) I know, you'll say that it is really the Tweed Coast - because it has bananas, and the GC hinterland has lots of birds and other wildlife :eekers: But we will know!

Good luck and have a great holiday you pair

 

[Tannin]

Well, I have it in mind to go up via Broken Hill and Bourke, then across to Cairns and hire a 4WD to go up Cape York Peninsula and back, then home via the Gold Coast hinterland (not the Gold Coast itself - I hate the place), the Blue Mountains, Eden, and Mallacoota. But there is no way we would fit all that in even if I was navigating and Tea was driving, using her patented cruise control method (which involves placing a large, heavy object on the accellerator and hanging on for dear life). So I guess we will just have to wait and see.

And with Tea navigating, I expect we will hit Port Headland sooner or later.

How bad can it be? WTF? As Tea says, it's an island - we can't go too far wrong.

Still, somewhere in there, I'd like to see some real desert again (I haven't seen any since I lived in Alice Springs, which was almost 40 years ago) and meet some of the tropical species that you just don't get down here in the cooler climate. Also, a week on a coral island would be nice. (We will never squeeze all that in. Just drive at random until it's time to come home, I guess.

And we will be sure to bring back some great pictures!

 

[Mercutio]

Since Pradeep's in the USA now, I think the Aussie constitutional requirement that he work "Bruce" into his son's name is lifted.

Human gestational times are quite a bit longer than five weeks though, and it didn't LOOK like Pradeep had a shotgun wedding. Just the same, if Pradeep DID have a son, I'd think he'd want only the best name there is for the boy...
Zoltan.

You and Tea could always drive to the USA and visit our lovely assortment of er, exotic pigeons and owls and geese... that would in fact be "not Ballarat".

Just a suggestion, of course.

Have fun with all that wildlife-looking. And no whiskey before 8:00AM!

 

[Tea]

Drive to the US. OK. Go to Sydney and turn right, yes?

(But gin is OK, is't it?)

 

[Tannin]

Just as well I'm doing the driving!

 

[Mercutio]

you'll say that it is really the Tweed Coast -

Australia has a Tweed Coast?

Do you have Mohair and Seersucker Coasts, too?

 

[flagreen]

Do they have bananas in Darwin?

Speaking of "Darwin" I think he'll have to write a new ending for the Origin of Species when you two meet up. Bon Voyage...

 

[LiamC]

Zoltan

Bah! Duran Duran my man

Oh Barbarella...

 

[Pradeep]

Have a good trip "Godfather/Mother"

Isn't it coming into the rainy season up North? We may not see you for months if you get bogged!

 

[Tea]

Really? Great! I don't mind if I don't have to go to the office for .. oh .. about 5 years or so would be enough.

 

[Buck]

Have a great time you two. (Gin before 8:00am is okay) Don't mind all of the German tourists, just let Tea do the driving and she'll take care of them.

By the way, I had a Hungarian customer once named Zoltan. If Pradeep Jr. ends up like him, he'll be an environmental scientist and a hunter.

Five years away from the office? Wow, when you get back, the shop will be a whole new world.

 

[cquinn]

Hmmm,

Boy:
Zoltan Tea Banana(s) Pradeep aka ZTB Pradeep

Girl:
Barbarella Tea Banana(s) Pradeep aka BTB Pradeep


Oh, and please do have fun on your trip.

 

[The JoJo]

Have a GREAT trip T&T!

Drive safely!

...Try to drive safely!

...A bus is probably out of the question with you two?

...A taxi?

Ah, whatta hell, just use the TCCPP (Tea's Cruise Control with Patent Pending ) and go for it.

And remember the motto for a good semester, *belly in, chest out, muffled voice" No worries, mate!

 

[The JoJo]

...Just kidding of course. Have fun!

 

[EdwardK]

Have a great trip! By the way, whos minding the shop while you are away? You haven't given that responsiblity to Merc, have you? :wink:

Again, have a great trip!

 

[Bartender]

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen goodbye!

I packed plenty of Gin in Tea's luggage. We figured the other things like clothing and toiletry wer not as important as Gin. Gin does have some medicinal value.

 

[DrunkenBastard]

We figured the other things like clothing and toiletry wer not as important as Gin. Gin does have some medicinal value.

Damn right!

 

[Bartender]

Wow, who woke you up? I guess the word Gin has that magic ring that'll bring a hibernating drunk back to life.

 

[LiamC]

Gin does have some medicinal value.

I thought it was only the Tonic water

 

[e_dawg]

Enjoy, my friend. We will miss you.

 

[Pradeep]

"There are only two seasons on Cape York Peninsula the "wet" and the "dry". The wet is by far the most spectacular, from mid November thunderstorms herald the beginning of the monsoonal rain. The parched land is replenished and the once dry rivers and creeks again flow. It is from now until perhaps April or May that the roads will become impassable and the only way to visit the Cape York region is be by aircraft. This is also the cyclone season, with the right conditions they can form anywhere out to sea and cross the coast in varying intensity. At the end of the wet season the South East trade winds return drying the land, The once parched land is now green & lush and the wild flowers flourish."

Good luck, see you in May

 

[Pradeep]

Oops, forgot this:

http://www.visitcapeyork.com/

 

[Mercutio]

You haven't given that responsiblity to Merc, have you?

Maybe someday. Tannin probably just put up a sign that said "Out to Lunch. Back in November."

 

[Tannin]

Well, I just took a very serious step indeed: signed up for a dial-up account with Big Pong. (Yuk!) $30 a month, unlimited hours, 400MB download. But at least I get local call access from anywhere in Australia. Naturally, I'll cancel it as soon as I get back home. And, of course, much of the time I won't have a phone.

No matter. I can drop in now and then. If she is good, I'll let Tea have a go too. (Excuse crappy typing - I'm testing out the modem link with the new Toshiba.) (Yes, anoither Toshiba, Merc. a Sluggeron 2000 this one. 512MB, 30GB, DVD/CD-burner. )

 

[Pradeep]

Ah, should have let me know Tony, I have an iPrimus dial up account that's still active in Aus, you coulda used it no worries. Good luck with the Pong.

 

[flagreen]

Tea,

Don't forget the continuum-transfunctioner or Zoltan will be pissed. And of course pack plenty of aluminum foil for Tannin's hats.

 

[The JoJo]

Anyone heard of this couple?

 

[Pradeep]

I betcha he's gotten bogged in the back of Bourke. :mrgrn:

 

[CougTek]

Maybe he ventured too far in the swamps and has been eaten by one of those nasty salt water croc.

 

[CityK]

Either that or Tea ate Tannin.

 

[CougTek]

Having Tea in freedom is quite disturbing. Here's one of her relative's notion of Born To Be Wild :

Story

Let's just hope she won't feel too lonely so she doen't turn wacko like that A-yung

 

[The JoJo]

Poor fella, all alone, no women in sight...

And just when he gets a night out in downtown and just might get lucky with a motorcycle, someone shoots at him with a traquilizer dart...