It has been some time since I last posted and it has been for good reason. The last three weeks have been full on with activities as my mom, dad and two younger sisters ventured to Australia! Since the last post we have played 4 games and I have been all over southwest Australia participating in some pretty incredible activities. I’ll try to keep this short and to the point with minimal random jaunts and over explaining. So, where do I begin…
I will begin with the week of June 20th prior to my parents arriving. We just lost to Perry Lakes in Kalgoorlie. It was the second straight home loss and we had Geraldton, one of the top teams, coming to town the upcoming weekend. We needed a win to maintain our home playoff advantage for the playoffs. This week was also the last week of school before all the kids went on holiday for two weeks and an additional week off for “Country Week.” This is a week where communities outside of Perth form teams for various sports and travel to Perth to compete against each other.
Friday quickly arrived and I was excited to pick my family up at the airport. I spent most of Friday cleaning my place, in an attempt to make things presentable, and running errands. Like I said, I was excited to see them but knew they would be exhausted after traveling for 36 hours. I waited in the airport, which has one gate, and watched as they came walking in off the runway. They were tired and it was only 7 pm Kalgoorlie time and 6 am Minneapolis time... They should have been full of energy! Despite how tired they were and how much they resisted, I was going to keep them up as late as I could just so they could start a normal sleep cycle and adjust to the 13 hour time difference. It went well for the most part, but when my sisters began falling asleep at dinner I knew it was about that time.
Saturday was spent showing them around town and letting them take their time adjusting. For the game our major sponsor, Skilled, invited my family into their box centered at half court. This was good for them in that they were so close to the court, but not great for me as this gave my dad a direct path to tell me exactly what he was thinking about my play. They were amazed that the boxes were stocked with beer, wine and soda. In college basketball it is very rare to be able to drink during a game. The other interesting point being that the boxes serve beer in glass bottles. This is a definite no go in the US.
We did not play very well against Geraldton and lost our 3rd straight home game. We started slow and got back into the game, but saw a 0-16 run by Geraldton going into the half devastate our chances of a comeback. I finished with a double-double and was given the player of the game award for our team. I was excited for this as I was able to use the mandatory post award speech to thank my family for coming to visit and as a way to introduce them to the community.
After the game we visited the Palace and had a couple drinks. My dad was absolutely amazed to see the opposition team out and hanging out with everyone. He almost had a heart attack when he saw the referees at the bar as well. He was surprised that they don’t have more incidents after games with players, coaches and the officials. Needless to say he took advantage of the rare moment and discussed the game over a beer with the ref.
Sunday morning we all awoke and met for breakfast before heading out into the “bush” for the day. Liam and Wendy from Skilled organized to take us all out for the day to shoot guns, grill out, hunt, fish and enjoy the wilderness of Australia. It was very eye opening for my family as the bush is very different from any sort of landscape near home. It was a phenomenal day. One thing that I never realized until my dad pointed out the Southern Cross constellation is that we have completely different stars in the southern hemisphere. In the bush the stars are like being in the north woods on a lake looking up into a clear night sky.
On Monday, my dad and I left the girls in town to go shopping and wander as we went kangaroo, goat and camel hunting. We left early in the morning and drove for about two hours out of town into the bush. Apparently there are a lot of feral camels that roam around. Unfortunately we did not see one, but the signs of their existence were abundant (carcasses and tracks). We did, however, see plenty of kangaroos hopping around. There are now 4 less ‘roos out there! For someone who enjoys hunting, this was very different and a great experience. Thank you, Liam.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were going to be spent learning about the history of the gold mining industry in Kalgoorlie. Gold mining is enormous here, and the history of the town revolves directly around the gold mines. The plan was to see the Hall of Fame (HOF) and learn the about the history of the Goldfields region and to see how mining was first practiced. After the HOF we would spend a day visiting a former mining town and the Super Pit, a huge open-cut gold mine. Finally we would visit an underground mine and see how mining is practiced today with heavy machinery and technology.
The Mining Hall of Fame provided wonderful information on the history of the early prospectors and what the conditions for mining were like. As a part of the tour we were able to go down a mine shaft and walk through one of the levels of the underground mine. I did not fit very well. I felt as though I was in the Cu Chi tunnels running through Saigon with the Vietcong. The next day we drove to Kanowna, a gold mining ghost town. In 1905 the town had a population of over 12,000 people and by 1953 it was abandoned. The town site is still preserved in that the roads are still there and the buildings foundations are all still identified by signs. When you arrive to the site there is a map and one can envision exactly how it looked as a bustling gold mining town 100 years ago. Later that afternoon my family was able to get a behind the scenes tour the Super Pit. The Super Pit is approximately 2 miles long, 1 mile wide and roughly 400 yards deep. The mine produces 850,000 ounces of gold a year and is visible from space. Gold is currently selling for $1,200 / oz. It is quite an impressive operation.
Thursday we had a different view of the mining industry as we were going underground. The Hall of Fame showed us the original underground mining operations where hand held drills were used. The super pit is a big hole where they blast and excavate using huge equipment. The new underground mine took us beyond 1,000 feet underground. These tunnels allow for dump trucks to enter in and out as well as other heavy duty machinery. It was incredible to see the operations and how extensive the safety protocols are to run a mine. In areas where it was unsafe for someone to walk they use remote controlled machinery. It was like watching someone play a video game.
Friday morning I drove the family to Perth for our double header against Lakeside and East Perth. We left bright and early so we could enjoy a day in the city. We enjoyed dinner, some drinks and sightseeing in Fremantle before doing the “Torchlight” prison tour of the maximum security Fremantle Prison. The prison was in operation until 1991 when it was shut down for sub-par conditions. It was 130 years old at that point. Fremantle is a very eclectic city on the ocean with nightclubs, art rooms, cafes and markets. It is one of the largest ocean ports in WA and home to the Fremantle Dockers AFL team. Surprisingly I have had multiple friends study abroad in Australia and more specifically in Freo. It was really nice to be in Perth and to show the family a bit of the city life out here.
Saturday morning we ate breakfast in the trendy Subiaco suburb of Perth. We were heading to the Fremantle Dockers v. Port Adelaide AFL game in Subiaco at the Oval. Australian Rules football is a treat to watch live. It is a cross between rugby, football and almost ultimate frisbee. It is played very quickly, full of contact and lots of scoring. Fortunately for me and the family we sat near the goals that had all the action. It was a beautiful day to watch a game, with about 30,000 other people, and to see the home team win. Everyone in Australia has great loyalty to their AFL teams and being a part of the environment is far greater than watching the game on TV. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
Saturday night we faced off against the Lakeside Lightning. Ben Beran and co. have a solid team and they sit at the number two spot in the standings. We had lost 3 straight and were risking losing a home playoff advantage. We played far better than we had in the previous weeks and just ended on the short side of things losing by 11 points. A reoccurring story during our losing streak has been not showing up in the first quarter. We’ve allowed teams to jump out on us early and then we play well the rest of the game, but struggle to overcome the deficit we created in the opening stanza. I played well, but faced a little bit of foul trouble late in the game. I finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Sunday morning came and I dropped my parents in the downtown area for breakfast as I met with the team for our pre-game meal. I think Perth is quite similar to San Diego and that was the impression my parents had. That afternoon we played East Perth, a team that had been struggling as of late as well and boasts several NBL players, and with a win we could secure a playoff spot. We came out playing hard and gave ourselves a good chance of winning the game. We trailed at quarter time and we found ourselves slightly behind at halftime as well. Going into the final quarter we had a one point advantage and looked very solid. With one minute and 40 seconds remaining I fouled out. We were up 8 points. The game looked to be ours until East Perth tied the game on a lay-up as time nearly expired. I was in disbelief, but the game went into overtime and we fell by 2 points after hitting a big shot to go up one. The guard for the Eagles came down and drilled a long distance 3 and the ball passed through the net and only hitting the floor. At the conclusion we had lost our 5th game and were facing a fall out of the playoff picture. We played well and competed, but we just didn’t take the win. I finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
After the game, which East Perth provided great entertainment in the social room, I took my family south to the Chegs’ house to celebrate our nation’s birthday! The Australian family had invited all the imports from around the league to an “American” barbeque with hot dogs, burgers and steaks! There was even a Budweiser there. It was a wonderful opportunity for my family to meet many of my friends from AIA and to hear about their experiences as they are far different than mine. My youngest sister Jana had a fun time as Alistair, the 18 year old son, had his friends over as well. Jana was given quite a bit of attention being the “American” girl.
The next couple days we took our time going south and then east to Esperance. We stopped in Bunbury, a small country town on the coast, to have brunch with my friend Trey and to see the beautiful town. There are so many coastal towns that are just magnificent. After Bunbury we continued south to Margaret River. MR is in the heart of Western Australia’s wine region. I spent time down there in December and loved it. It is a small town focused on wine and surfing. It has beautiful vineyards and beaches. We sampled wine a several wineries, felt obligated to buy some wine and had a really nice time.
After MR we continued our travel to Pemberton, home of the 180+ foot Gloucester Tree. The tree was highly recommended to us to visit. I was told that it is the tallest tree or something in WA. Well let me say this, the drive through most of Australia is very empty. The scenery does not change much between Kal and Perth. It is entirely the outback and very little farm land. The drive from Perth south is lined with more trees, but goes along the coast similar to how California would be north of LA. Amazingly the road into Pemberton takes you winding through the Gloucester National Forrest and these huge trees that shoot straight up with a trunk the size of a car and not a branch for 100 feet up. It was like being amongst giant redwood trees.
Arriving at the site I anticipated a hefty admissions fee. On the way to MR we stopped off at some cave sites. We didn’t stop long as the park charged $45 per person for an hour of self-guided walking. At the tree it was a small parking fee and you are on your way. We walked up to the tree, which was a former fire lookout, and saw people climbing it. I looked to see what the ticket situation was – none. These kids were coming off these steel pegs that were plugged into the tree and circled up to the top with no helmet or harness. It was crazy. I started climbing and after about 20 feet I reconsidered climbing the remaining 160 feet but manned up. It was a great experience.
After the tree we continue driving south along the ocean and then headed east towards Esperance, our final destination for the night. The landscape was lush green with rolling hills where farms had their cattle roaming for food. After a couple hours of driving through the forest and southern terrain we were back to the outback as we raced to Esperance.
Esperance is Amazing. It is breathe taking. It is magnificent. The wide white sand beaches are considered the best in Australia. The scenic coastlines take you winding around from beach to beach as you look out into a panorama of offshore islands in the turquoise ocean water. It is a small town and very relaxed. People walk places and shops close early. We spent time hiking the shorelines and climbing massive rocks that have had waves pounding them for centuries. Finally we relaxed on the beach and even plunged into the waves for an hour of body surfing. It is just that incredible.
After Esperance, a 4 hour drive south from Kalgoorlie, we returned back for one more home game. My dad was quite clear in telling me that he didn’t travel this far not to see us win. We got the win for him and it was clear from the tip what the outcome was going to be. We bombarded the Stirling Senators from the beginning and held a 19 point lead after the first quarter. This charge was keyed by Ryan Hulme’s lights out shooting from behind the arc. For the game he connected 9 times from beyond the three point line. We had energy, we played smart and we had a lot of fun. At the conclusion of the game I racked up 26 points and 13 rebounds. The final score was 120-82 and it was a good game to send my family off with.
Sadly it came time for everyone to leave. We spent some time at the horse races on Sunday before packing everything up and departing for the airport. It was a very busy two and a half weeks but an incredible time. I am very thankful for the family that I have. This time off was the first time my dad has ever taken more than a week off of work – something very foreign to the Australian culture. I am happy he did and I know he is as well! I am amazed and grateful for all the hospitality and generosity that was given to me and my family – from wonderful dinners and evenings out, to places to stay, to arranging tours and the overwhelming friendliness and welcoming from everyone. Thank you very much! To the family, thank you for coming to visit, it means the world!
