Tate's Birth Story, Part I of Many

In my mind, Tate's birth story started Thursday, November 29, 2007 in Cairns, Australia (The Great Barrier Reef).

I turned 40 on August 25, 2007.  My gift to myself was a 2 week trip to Australia.  My whole life I have wanted to go to 2 places...Greece and Australia.  I had made one dream come true November 2005 when I went to Athens while visiting one of my best friends who was living in Berlin at the time. And this trip to Australia came only 2 years later.

My first day in Sydney.....

Lunch at Circular Quay overlooking the famed
 Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
And yep!  I climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
later that week!  AMAZING!!!

I went by myself;  by this time I had traveled quite a bit internationally alone, but never for such a long period of time.  But no matter;  I wanted to go and I was intent on going.  I flew to Sydney via Los Angeles, leaving Houston late Friday afternoon, November 16 arriving in Sydney on Sunday, November 18 at noon.  A few years prior I had met a woman named Sue from Sydney while traveling to London from Paris with my friend Victor.  The three of us had stayed in contact, and once I decided on this trip I let her know I was coming.  She graciously offered to pick me up from the airport and show me around her city when she wasn't busy with work.  (I did not stay with her)  I stayed in Sydney that Sunday through Friday.  Friday, Sue drove us up to her hometown of Mudgee, a gorgeous quaint little town in the countryside of Australia and we returned to Sydney on Sunday evening.  I flew out to Cairns on Monday morning to have my dream of going to the Great Barrier Reef come true.  I did make it out to the Reef that Wednesday, and that day deserves a post all of its own...absolutely breathtaking.

Thursday, I had signed up for a tour of the Daintree Rainforest along with a woman I had met on Tuesday from California named Tammy.  It was to be a Jeep Safari tour of the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation.

My hotel was the first pick-up for the tour.  I ensconced myself in the front seat.  Tammy was picked up by the 3rd or 4th pick up.  And on the 6th pick up, two guys got on the jeep/bus.  This really tall hot guy, with dark brown hair and blue eyes got on first, followed by a shorter, younger guy.

The really tall hot guy who took my breath away was Christian.

The jeep ride to our first stop was about 30-45 minutes, and I sat up front tongue lolling about.  For whatever reason, Tammy had not sat beside me when she got on the bus; I think she didn't see me.  In any event, she was in the back of the jeep WITH CHRISTIAN!

Our tour began with a ride down the Daintree River complete with crocodiles and snakes.  At some point the four of us introduced ourselves and from that point on we kind of spent the day together.  I would come to find out later on that Christian had taken a picture of me on purpose because he thought I was so cool and pretty.  He said at first I noticed, so I tried to move out of what I perceived to be a landscape shot, but he tweaked the camera and got my picture without me knowing :)  It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day, an amazing adventure and just so much fun.

See the nasty snake up there?!!  EEEWWW!!

Crocodile!!!

Yep!  That's Christian in front of me!  Great view ;)

Feeding the kangaroos!! 

Cape Tribulation Beach

And that's Flat Tom with Raik and Christian!
My friend's son asked me to take his Flat Tom with me.
His Flat Tom 'won' as being the one who traveled
the furthest that Thanksgiving.

On the way back to our respective hotels in the jeep as we sat there all trying to keep our eyes open, I mustered the courage to ask Christian and Raik (the cute, younger guy who I had to yet to figure out was Christian's partner!!!) to join Tammi and I for dinner that evening.  She and I had planned to go out for dinner previously, so I thought it'd be great to have the guys come along.  And they did!!

Christian and Raik met me at my hotel a bit before Tammi arrived after we all went home for quick naps and showers.  We wandered around the block waiting for Tammi for a bit then we headed out for dinner and drinks.

As we wandered around Cairns, the four of us, the night air blew gentle breezes amongst us.  It was warm and humid, but a languorous humid, one that beckons laughter and meandering about as new friends are made.  Christian and I talked and laughed together as Tammi and Raik followed slowly behind us engaged in the conversations of new friends.

As the night wound down, we drank last glasses of wine and beer and exchanged email addresses.  I was heading back to Sydney the following morning, Tammi had a day left in Cairns and Raik and Christian had the weekend left before they headed off to Brisbane.  They walked me back to my hotel and we said our good-byes.  Christian enveloped me in an amazing hug;  though I then thought it would be my first AND last hug it was to actually be the first of many amazing hugs.

I was back in the states that Sunday after spending Friday and Saturday in Sydney, hanging out with Sue a bit and enjoying my last days in that amazing country.

Once home, I knew I wanted to email Christian.  I wanted to reach out to this man who touched me in such a profound way, ways I can't even express.  So I did.  I emailed him.

And he emailed me back.

Thus a friendship was formed.

Oh and I didn't figure out he was gay until I'd been back in the states a couple of weeks.  

But it didn't matter.  Though I knew there would be no romantic relationship, I knew this man was going to be very important to me and that our relationship would be part of my life always.

New friends out for a night on the town in Cairns, Australia!!