Day 10 04/02/12

OK, before I go on, let me just say, today was the best day on tour yet. What a difference a day (and some sunshine) makes!
I got up and decided to go for a jog and stumbled across a preserved wetland area with walking tracks called "Pamboola". There were various walking tracks and one which opened on to the old race track, so I made like a horse and did a couple of laps. Whilst jogging I ran into this old bloke on a bike who had an accent like Shrek but a LOT less understandable.  For the life of me I could not work out what the hell he was saying! So I tried the nodding and yes and no thing for a while but he eventually found me out though I don't think he really minded.
One thing I'm noticing is how good it is when communities work together to raise funds to create things for the betterment of the community and visitors. Here is a view of Pamboola:

You know it really is a small world. I got back to the caravan park and who should be in the bathroom but one of my neighbours from the folk festival a week and a half ago. I kinda looked at him and looked away as I wasn't 100% sure it was him, and you dare not linger long on a fellow dude in a showering/toilet environment. But he straight away piped up with "Hey you're that bloke from the festival!" So then I knew it was him. We had a bit of a chat and I said I was heading south to Victoria and he gave me a word of advice "Those Victorian bastards sit right up your clacker unless you've got a vehicle that goes like a startled cat!". And sure enough he was right - what is it with Victorian drivers?
I then headed down to Lakes Entrance with pretty much the whole drive looking like this (pretty boring):

View from the road

When I got to Lakes Entrance I went around the pubs and clubs looking for a gig and was rejected everywhere I turned. In the end I started having a bit of fun with them and tried to make them as uncomfortable as possible. One interaction went like this:

Steve: Hey I was wondering if I could come and play a few acoustic tunes for you guys tonight.
Dude behind bar: Sorry we don't have an entertainment budget.
Steve: Oh, that's fine, I'll play for free.
Dude behind bar: *awkward silence* ...erm, no.

So just when I was about to give up, I lobbed into a restaurant called "Miriams". I spoke to the spunky young thing who was setting up for the night and she gave her boss a call and suddenly I had a gig! Yay!
I went and got some food and went to the pub for a few pre gig drinks and ran into a bloke called Tim.
Tim's from Tassie and is currently living on his boat as he travels around. He has been stuck in Lakes Entrance for a while as he waits on an auto electrician to do some maintenance on his boat. He seemed like a nice enough chap (actually reminded me of an older version of my mate Johnny C) so I said if he's not doing anything later he should come to my gig at Miriams.
So anyway, I played the gig, which went really well. Had a couple of tables stay there longer than intended as they were enjoying it so much and had a lovely chat to a couple aterwards who also bought a cd. Sam the owner was also really nice and said she'd be glad to have me back the following Saturday if I was gonna be around. So after being rejected like a redheaded stepchild yesterday, my fortunes turned completely around to: getting a gig, getting paid, getting free drinks, selling some cds, and being offered more work. You win some you lose some I guess. Tim was also stoked as he scored free drinks too as he was "with the band" - he couldn't believe his luck either.
He also jokingly lamented the cruelty of life as for the past week he busted his arse on a fishing boat for pocket change and here I go waltzing into town, play a few tunes and walk away with a lot more than he ever made! haha

Miriam's at Lake's Entrance

Steve doin' the do at Miriam's

Tim has offered to take me out on his boat tomorrow so what a wonderful, random day it has been. Ah.