Previous Lexis Noosa student, Azusa Kurogi visited today and had a catch up with her teacher Michelle.

Azusa spent three months at Lexis English and then went traveling. She found a job working for a travel agency on the Gold Coast and has now been in Australia for two years. She loves it and wants to stay forever 🙂

This is a report by Cambridge CAE student, Marco on a visit to the Eumundi Markets.

“A long time ago a small number of backpackers travelled through the wide country of Australia. Life was hard and there were no Greyhound buses. However, deep in the wild hinterland of Noosa, at a place called ‘Eumundi’, they were able to recharge their energy with ‘spiritual materials’. Of course everything was handmade by the inhabitants of the tiny town and nobody could disturb the peace here, as long as they had their ‘illicit’ substances, everything in life was alright, or so I was told.

Today, Eumundi is a famous tourist attraction, because of this market. Thousands of people rush through the passages between the countless numbers of stalls. People can find many things there, which look especially beautiful or spiritual. Actually, to be honest, most of these gadgets you don’t really need for life. So what makes this place so unique?

The whole market seems very old-fashioned. Also the buildings of the town make it appear like an old ‘Wild West’ town. Furthermore, the architecture of the stores has remained very traditional. The area has a comfortable atmosphere, as there are lots of pretty palms between the path ways. Finally, the store holders are very friendly and relaxed, which is common with people in Australia. One of these people, Roger has been playing Aboriginal music at the market for over twenty years. He is also called ‘the voice of Eumundi’. He has three children and lives in a bus.

As matter of fact, the market is split up into two parts. The historical centre offers visitors handmade things, whereas the so called ‘suburbs’ sell and trade Asian goods, which does not really fit with the market’s original philosophy. One guy from the modern part, who has been working there for fifteen years told me how unexpectedly easy it is to earn a living here. I wondered how he earns his livelihood selling three-dollar armbands. I think every store holder is part of a community in which all members share their profit, so there is no drawback for anybody.

Apart from that, there is a great food corner too. It is impossible to walk through these market corridors without buying a small snack, because the fantastic smell navigates you to the right place automatically.

In conclusion, from my point of view, the Eumundi market is perfect for people who can’t stand big shopping malls and expensive brands anymore. At this market you find things, which are really different and unique. The old-fashioned scenery, the friendly people and the beautiful goods, create a very nice ambience. It is absolutely worth taking a few hours of your time to visit the Eumundi Market.”

Thanks Marco for a great piece of writing ~ well done 🙂