The Perfect Holiday

a story based on a single true event ........................

 

 

The Perfect Holiday

 

 

 

A story

 

By Jen-JG

 

 

…..……..The heat in the car was oppressive and soon body odours were unpleasantly noticeable. The heavy rain, incessantly pelting down for the past two hours, made the dangerously narrow road a slippery, muddy hell path that tried to draw us onto its craggy edges and suck us into water logged grass and oozing mud.

 

 

The windscreen wipers swished in a vain attempt to clear the angry mass of water that slammed and rushed against the windscreen in torrents, seemingly intent on forcing entry to the car’s dry interior.

 

 

We persevered and finally pulled up at Yeppoon. As If by magic the skies cleared and the sun burst through darkened clouds. Very soon we were parked at the beachfront overlooking dazzling golden sands. Blue-green seas surged upwards, topped with frothy foam, and plunged downwards again to rush with excited surges up the beach, leaving dank seaweed to glisten on soggy sand as the waves continued their mad rush seaward, before the next inbound surge began.

 

 

Even as we enjoyed the beauty before us, the skies dribbled -- most of the beach population scurried for cover.

 

 

After the heat in the car, this minor cloud bust was heavenly, so we wandered along the shore, mindless of the laughing jeers cast our way, and smiled at the sight of gaily clad youngsters duck diving as they tried to dodge the rain drops.

 

 

The air had been washed clear and fresh and we were delighting in the salty tang -- when a new and different smell assailed our nostrils.

 

 

Fresh Baked Bread! How delicious it smelled – and how it wakened our sleeping hunger pangs.

 

 

Leaving the shore, we hurried across the road to a Fish and Chip stand and were waiting to be served when the smell of Hot Roast Beef drifted past us. As one we turned and literally followed our noses to a delightful sidewalk café facing the beach.

 

The café was enchanting. Each table dressed in a red and white check tablecloth with a red candle stuck into a green wine bottle gave the area a happy casual feel- and the food smelt delicious.

 

 

The waitresses, wearing pale blue uniforms and sporting white frilly aprons and caps looked delightful. They scurried around, serving hungry patrons with a variety of delicious and beautifully cooked meals – each with a free cup of steaming, creamy coffee with just a dash of chocolate and nutmeg on top.

 

 

We settled at our table and enjoyed our meal of Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding, with crisp baked potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and baby beans. We didn’t really want and desert after that. Then - we were offered the choice of Apple Dumplings and custard with lashings of cream and/or ice-cream, -- or bread and butter pudding loaded with fruit and nuts, topped with jam and of course of cream and/or ice-cream to top it off with, – we couldn’t and didn’t resist. The delicious coffee topped off a perfectly wonderful meal and we were loth to move - but we forced ourselves too.

 

 

After all Cooboorree Park was just down the road. So we set off again.

 

 

When we arrived at Cooboorree Park, and paid our entrance fees we walked into this wonderful Animal Park and Zoo. The weather was perfect now. Clear blue skies, brilliant sunshine, sparkling drops of liquid trembled on rich green grass underfoot and native flowers added their own fragrance to the already overloaded air.

 

 

Animals in cages nuzzled each other or strutted proudly around their enclosure. Monkeys swung, cavorting in dizzy leaps and jumps. Birds called and whistled to each other. Snakes slithered around or dozed in the shadows beneath large rocks scattered within their protective concrete havens, while emus, and kangaroos strutted or hopped freely everywhere.

 

 

W preferred to admire the free roaming animals and birds, as the animal cages hadn’t been all been fully cleaned out yet because of the heavy rain. The animals themselves were well cared for and healthy - but the cages had become rather – smelly.

 

 

Funny thing about animal smells, they really do linger!

 

 

We’d heard some great reports about the Limestone Caves in the area and decided to check hem out, although I wasn’t overly pleased about the idea of heading deep inside the ground through a black hole in a hill.

 

 

After taking several deep breaths, and following a guide holding a smoking tar torch, we entered the blackest hole I’d ever seen. The flickering light caused weird shadows to dance against the walls, while the smoke drifted back to tickle my nose. It did smell unusual, but not as bad as some cigars I’ve had the misfortune of being close to.

 

 

The guide led the way deeper into the void then flicked on a large torch illuminating a wide area in front of us. It was incredible! Shapes and forms from some fantasy world were shaped from the rocks; shadows lurked beneath oddly shaped stepping stones: hidden paths led everywhere and nowhere. Our breath caught as our voices and footsteps echoed, causing dozens of bats to take flight, with such a wild flapping and high pitched squeals, that it scared us almost witless.

 

 

Momentary fear added its stench to the dry dankness around us.

 

 

A sudden click and coloured lights lit the huge cavern we’d entered. Vista after vista of mystery, magic, perfection and dreams passed before our eyes, as we gazed in spellbound wonder at the magical place we found ourselves. No one wanted to leave this wonderland and no one spoke as the guide led us back to the surface. As we left these fantastic scenes behind, we took with us a lasting impression of heaven buried in the subterranean fairyland inside the Limestone caves.

 

 

We travelled on to Rockhampton and after a sound sleep, took a picnic lunch to the famed Botanical Gardens. Absolutely superb! Well tended garden beds, filled with masses of rich vibrant colour. Other flower beds in the process of being re-dug, leaving rich loamy soil open to the sun and air. Much to the delight of small birds busily hunting and pecking for a quick easy meal, overall clad gardeners raked up freshly mown grass.

 

 

The large array of native trees and flowers added their own particular grace and beauty with full blooming fragrances surrounding us at every step.

 

 

Birds, larger and more colourful than we’d thought possible thanked us for sharing our lunch with them, by serenading us in a most delightful manner. Beautiful swans glided past, regal, calm, creating not a single ripple to mar the perfect reflections on the glass like surface of the nearby lake. To complete a fantastic lunch, a lyrebird strutted past, his magnificent tail in full display, so eloquent in his beauty.

 

 

Lunch was over – time to head for the races, so we packed up and dumped the rubbish and leftovers in the large bins provided for that purpose and left – post haste for the race track.

 

 

After turning into the busy car park – we found an empty space and parked. It was fairly quiet for now – and for a few moments we just stood there enjoying the peace – knowing full well what awaited inside..

 

 

Nothing for it, time to head for the entrance.

 

 

Talk about confusion! Everything was a mass of noise, colour, and movement. My companion went his way. Betting, drinking and chasing better odds in the bustling betting ring, while I headed in the other direction. I wanted to see the horses being prepared. Proud creatures, striding, walking, being led. Curry combs, and polishing rags, linseed oil and brushes, feed bags and blinkers, jingling bits and irons all added their particular smell and sounds to the already confused scene of strappers yelling and cursing while jockeys received instructions from trainers and owners. Attendants mucked out old stalls, preparing them for new occupants waiting their turn at the starting gate, and providing a harvest for millions of flies buzzing and settling on the soiled straw, only to rise with an angrier buzz each time they were disturbed.

 

 

Making my way back to the betting ring I placed my bets then watched as the horses made their way to the birdcage enclosure. I joined smartly dressed race goers on the rails and looked over the horses. How different they looked now. Beautifully groomed with eagerness in each prancing step, bridle and reins gleaming and silver stud work, the flat racing saddles with the high set stirrups firmly settled over clearly marked numbers on saddlecloths. Jockeys dressed in different coloured silks, waited for the mounting order then did so with an self assured swing and lift from the strappers, with hands held low and clasped for that express purpose.

 

 

Once aboard the prancing, high stepping animal, the total picture was complete. In ordered single file, the horses canter, trot or walk from the birdcage enclosure, and head towards the starting stalls.

 

 

All my bets had been placed with the bookie in the betting ring so I joined my companion on the rails and waited.

 

At last – the race I was waiting for was ready to start. Three races down with my ticket now riding for a win. Perspiration trickled its way down my spine. Anticipation surged and nerves knotted my stomach. I breathed hard, filling my senses with the mixed perfumes, colognes, after-shaves and hairsprays that wafted around me in dizzying waves. Concentrating harder, I managed to clear these oppressive smells from my mind and enjoy the sweet bouquet of massed roses and carnations against the rails in front of me.

 

 

"THEY’RE OFF!" The yell startled me back to reality; seconds later rushing thuds, horses and jockeys in a blur of mixed colours flashed past. People yelling - screaming – cheering and cursing, became a mixture of sounds and impressions as I sank deeper into dazed disbelief.

 

 

My eyes locked onto to the result board as the green flag rose to flap gaily in the blue sky above. The world around me darkened and whirled me down where voices became a dull numbed roar. "No 7! It’s number 7 ---- 7 wins!"

 

 

I breathed deeply but could only smell roses --- roses ---- roses------

 

 

 

……….I came to my senses with a start! Gazing around the room I realised I’d been dreaming again. Rising to my feet, I stretched, rubbed my fingers over my silken sleeves, relishing the slinky sexy feel of it, walked to the wall safe and opened it with a combination I’ll never forget. After all, it got me all this didn’t it? 7.5.5.7. The quadrella paid $28 thousand dollars for 50 cents --- and I had a $10 ticket on it.

 

 

"Nothing feels better than silk on naked flesh," I thought " but nothing smells sweeter that all those bundles of crisp $100 bills

 

 

I held several bundles of notes in my cupped hands and breathed deeply.

 

 

Somehow, I could no longer smell the roses or incense that filled the room such a short time earlier.

 

 

 

 

©Copyright Jen – JG Feb 2008

 

 

 

Author's Note

Honesty please - be brutal, be kind - be honest - many thanks

Reviews

[cyanskye]

Very interesting story. I love the surprising ending. I did find that I sort of lost the dreamy quality at the beginning of the story, and was reading a travel-log, you brought the dreamy quality back once you arrived at the race track. Overall, quite enjoyable.

[Brie]

Great! The way you described it made me feel like i was there! Nice job!
-Brie

[Ady]

Your use of imagery in this story was fantastic.

[DarkAngelWriter]

Oooo... that was awesome. You brought us into the setting, and did an amazing job at it. Great write =)

[A.J. Smith]

What a fun, enjoyable read, Jen...an exciting vacation journey for all of my senses. You really do a most exceptional job of addressing all of your readers' senses with your writing. I found myself chuckling aloud a few times, and smiling throughout. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[Phil Sanders]

Absolutely wonderful .. the imagery created by the wonderful use of language is magnificent ...

[Alexander W. Quinn]

Another true event story??? Boy, you have led one heck of an interesting life Jen! Which parts are true, I wonder?
The story itself was great. I loved the opening sentence. It had enough of a pinch of humor to pull me into the read. I was also fascinated by your decription of the caverns. I have never experienced something like that before, but it sounds so wonderful!
Did they really let kangaroos roam the zoo freely! That's simply lovely! I grew up near the Philadephia Zoo, but the only critters they let have free roam of the place were peacocks.
As for editing, I found two little things to look at.
1st) >>>We didn't really want and desert after that>We'd heard some great reports about the Limestone Caves in the area and decided to check hem out,

[Nick Erickson]

You did an excellent job of taking the reader with you on your vacation, with wonderful imagery - very vivid. I really liked the end, the smell of money won...
Well done!!

[Tania Leigh]

Honestly, Jen, this made me quite hungry! lol

All joking aside, I delighted in reading this. You must keep in mind that the snow banks where I live are taller than I am in some places right now, so I was very grateful to be carried away on this journey....your imagery was impeccable here, as I could smell the food and feel the sunshine, and the feeling of suspense at the end was very real......very nicely done :-)