Launch of Nature Says No

In the industry this would be known as a 'soft' launch.  Basically in lay men terms.. if you haven't got the money for flags, fireworks, press launches and massive advertising budget then it's a 'soft launch'.  If you have all the trimmings type of launch it's a hard launch (probably because it's hard on your wallet!).

So it is on Ebay now and it has been formally introduced into Facebook (I looked on advertising on Facebook but it's 35 pounds a day plus .44p per hit!).  So will wait on that one for a while! It even has a website www.naturesaysno.com.au.

All leaflets and Sales sheets and finalisation of labels for Retail are being worked on this weekend and then it's the stores foot tramping and selling next week.  A friend of mine who did a marketing degree is putting together something for the press.  She was the one who was sacked from work on the same day I left and is moving along with unfair dismissal. In the meantime I think she wants something to get her teeth into and offered to help me!

The insect repellent got a stringent testing when on Anzac day I went with Gary and his 'girfriend' Maria for a trek to the nearby waterfall.  When we arrived after driving my Beetle down an almost 4x4 track, with me wincing as the rocks scraped on the sporty low chassie. On arrival we all got out to be greeted by welcoming clouds of mosquitoes.  So sudden and cloud covered were we that  I had to shout to Maria to 'close the door' as the clouds seemed to dissipate inside the car.  (Trying to get these winged wanderers out of the windows and applying more repellent was our mission on the  journey back).  Thank goodness I had mixed my latest insect repellent mixture before we left which we hurriedly sprayed all over.  If this didn't work, I thought, we are all going to come out of this with more holes than an antique dart board (was going to do the joke one..more pricks than a retired prostitute, but thought that a bit rude).  Certainly me with a red face from embarrassment... or probably from insect bites...  As we tramped through the forest we all had our own cloud following us from behind.  A natural mosquito event that happens at the end of the rainy season apparently - according to our guide Gary.

I was a little concerned about what would happen when we finally made it to the end of our grail - where the lure of the swim in this celestial waterfall was beckoning.  Wondering how many mosquitoes were praying to their mosquito God that we all disrobe into swim wear  to expose acres of fresh flesh.

Luckily,  as we ventured further up the stream with stronger water  and brighter sunshine, the clouds of mozzies beat a a buzzing retreat.  I spent much of the time watching intently Maria's back as she had a spaghetti top on with open back as she was in front of me and was impressed how well my repellent kept them off.

Look there's a mosquito!

No mosquitoes over here!

We decided to walk to the waterfall on Anzac Day which is a public holiday in memory of all the diggers and people killed in the water.  It was so lovely to walk through the rainforest and quite unbelievable that such stunning scenery is literally a 5 min drive away (and a 2 hour walk!).

It struck me as quite strange that now my main friends here in Port Douglas are both couples!

Not quite the Ozzie saying that I feel like a 'spare dick at an orgy',  which could quite easily happen.   Ironically with Mariella and Geoff.. who I have mentioned in a previous blog they are the main people that I hang out with.  It seems to work quite well, though it did go through an unsettling time recently when Mariella worried that Geoff was going to go off with me once she moves away to University.  I have had time since then to talk to her in a roundabout way to convince her that she needn't worry.    To be honest quite taken aback that was even contemplated!  But it seems I am a bit of a mediator between them both with both asking for advice about the other, so I hope that I have my uses.  In return I have wonderful friends who I am very fond of and without them would certainly be a lonelier person!

Gary has now linked up with a kind of girlfriend 'Maria'.  They met through a couch surfing website.. and so she came to surf on his couch (a good way to see the world for free accommodation) so they were coming round often for dinner and watch films with me.  I think that the initial impetus has petered out.. she is a bubbly Colombian girl, very sweet and I am sad to say that Gary is rather grumpy, moody and rather quick to chide.. so I think she is making some space between them.

Well, a few things bubbling away for work, men etc... but all will be revealed to you when they are revealed to me!