Souvenirs of Australia, 2011

Have I mentioned that my husband and I are budget travellers?

When we travel, instead of souvenir shopping we look for local rocks and, of course, sea shells. We pick nice ones and carry them around for the rest of the trip and bring them home. The price is right, as long as you don’t have to pay overweight charges.

Neither of us is a geologist or even a reasonably knowledgeable hobbyist. We just like pretty and interesting rocks.

On the trip, each location gets a plastic bag and a crude label. When I get them home, I feel obliged to label them so we can review the adventure and relive the trip. My labelling is part of the whole process and now we have quite an interesting collection of boxes of rocks on display. Other people might collect fine china or antique pens. We have rocks.

I print little tiny labels (6 point font) with the place name for where the rock was found. With a small paint brush I apply glue to the back of the teeny tiny piece of paper, place on the rock, smooth it down, paint over with another layer of glue to seal, and put in a box for future conversation.

Crescent Beach, BC

Now, my husband has never bought me jewellry, or paid any real money to give me flowers, but I do give him credit for carrying a couple of large attractive rocks home at my request. He brought one down from the Peak at Whistler Mountain, and another up 300 steps from our local beach. They both have positions of honour in the house. He even cooperated by posing with them for these photos, although the photos don’t really do them justice.

The little label says “Whistler”

Since our last trip to Australia, though, the bar has been raised. I have told him that he will be excused from all future birthday, anniversary, Valentines gifts, if he can just bring this one more rock (see photo below) home for the front yard.