We left Cervantes (late - bloody Greyhound buses!) on Thursday evening for the final leg of our journey to Perth. We were very much looking forward to getting to a real city. We arrived at about 8pm, checked into our hostel and nipped out for a thai meal. Yum! We even had a bottle of wine. Hell - hang the budget! Go mad.
The hostel's nice, with high ceilings, character and decent facilities. The Lonely Planet says that it "lacks atmosphere", but we've found along the way that that means that the hostel lacks drunken young travellers making noise after 10pm and making lots of mess. Perfect.
Anne will be based in Perth for a while now I think, since I'm flying to the UK on Monday to go to the wedding of some friends, where I'll be one of the two best men. The better of the two? It'll be weird to be leaving Anne for nearly two weeks, having been with her almost constantly for the last two months since leaving Sydney. I'll miss her (sob!) and I'm sure she'll miss me a lot. I believe that.
Saturday morning we rose and hit the town, and found a suit hire shop, where I got them to measure me. I've been trying to get my measurements sent back to the UK for weeks now (for the wedding) but have not found a suitable place since none of the towns we've been in (even, weirdly Darwin) have had such a shop.
After that we did spent the morning doing jobs - shopping for toiletries, going on the internet and arranging stuff. So nice to be in a city again with good facilities (and cheapish internet!) Anne's looking for volunteer work or a farm-stay while I'm away, but is having no joy finding anything at the moment. Ho hum.
Perth's an attractive city, quite small but first impressions are good. We're staying in an area called Northbridge which from what we'd heard was a little dodgy. We've been reading in the paper about the curfew recently introduced there to keep kids off the streets after 10pm. Seems fine to us now - a bustling bar area. There are lots of security guards and police around, so I get it used to be bad. I'd have been worried about Anne staying here alone if it was bad, but it's busy and seems safe so that's ok.
We've explored the city a bit now, and this morning went to the Perth Mint (a money-making venture if ever I saw one). (Do you see what I did there?) We did a tour and saw molten gold being made into a bar - very interesting. We also picked up a "Walking In Perth" book, giving lots of good walks and did one of the city walks. Good stuff. Nice to be back in a place where it's not so exhausting hot!
The story:
Stephen and Anne, both in their late twenties, quit their jobs and left London. They took a year off. They first travelled to Australia, with a week in Tokyo on the way. After living and working in Sydney for three months they toured Australia for five months. They then spent two months exploring New Zealand using rental cars. They ended the year with two weeks of sun in Fiji, and a short jaunt in LA and San Fran. They then returned home, to a new life!
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Culture round up
It was with buckles swashed and timbers completely shivered I raced through Treasure Island (a children's book, after all) and started on John LeCarre's The Looking Glass War. His spy books are quite realistic, in that, unlike in James Bond stories, the spies are human and make mistakes. They're empire-building, petty, and care more about whether they can claim for their lunch on expenses than whether telling their wife about their job will hinder their efforts. Very refreshing. Now I've started on John Gribbin's Almost Everyone's Guide To Science - a good guide to EVERYTHING in science, much of which I learnt years and years ago and so have forgotten. Nicew to find some good books in that market in Geralton as I was getting sick of having the time to read books but few books I wanted to read.
As for movies, we watched Doctor Doolittle 2 on the coach. Yikes! I hoped to never see that. It was rubbish. One star. I suppose kids will like it. On the same journey we watched Behind Enemy Lines, with a strangely cast Owen Wilson. Quite entertaining - two and a half stars.
At the hostel in Geraldton we watched Lake Placid on video. Very amiable, with plenty of laughs. I knew Rose from the Golden Girls was going to be trouble from the moment she turned up. Four stars.
At the flicks last night we watch Charlies Angel's: Full Throttle. We were torn between that and the new Terminator film, neither of wich we really wanted to see. We didn't like the first film (we saw it when we were last in Australia!) This one we enjoyed more, perhaps because we knew what to expect. Some of the jokes were quite funny - I laughed out loud once or twice. Lots of the Angels dancing around wearing not much in a post-modern "ironic" way, which at the end of the day still has much the same effect as when "exploited" women do it. Me? I liked the colours. Three stars.
As for movies, we watched Doctor Doolittle 2 on the coach. Yikes! I hoped to never see that. It was rubbish. One star. I suppose kids will like it. On the same journey we watched Behind Enemy Lines, with a strangely cast Owen Wilson. Quite entertaining - two and a half stars.
At the hostel in Geraldton we watched Lake Placid on video. Very amiable, with plenty of laughs. I knew Rose from the Golden Girls was going to be trouble from the moment she turned up. Four stars.
At the flicks last night we watch Charlies Angel's: Full Throttle. We were torn between that and the new Terminator film, neither of wich we really wanted to see. We didn't like the first film (we saw it when we were last in Australia!) This one we enjoyed more, perhaps because we knew what to expect. Some of the jokes were quite funny - I laughed out loud once or twice. Lots of the Angels dancing around wearing not much in a post-modern "ironic" way, which at the end of the day still has much the same effect as when "exploited" women do it. Me? I liked the colours. Three stars.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Bookish boy
I've recently finished reading an imaginatively titled history book: Europe Since 1870, by James Jolls. It was pretty good, especially at explaining the causes of WWI. It was published in the early 1970s, so was rather weaker on the end of the Cold War, etc. Following that I read the first part of Spike Milligan's war memoirs, Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall. Pretty funny, and interesting. I'm now reading Treasure Island, which I picked up for a dollar!
Whilst reading these I came across a Watch Tower book (Jehovah's Witnesses) called something like Evolution Or Creation. It was funny, offensive, and misleading, often using the natural (and correct) willingness of scientists to question everything to "disprove" the theory of evolution. Anne got annoyed with me reading the funniest bits out. One bit said something like "The theory of evolution means a constant struggle to survive, involving hatred, wars and murder". Ahem.
Whilst reading these I came across a Watch Tower book (Jehovah's Witnesses) called something like Evolution Or Creation. It was funny, offensive, and misleading, often using the natural (and correct) willingness of scientists to question everything to "disprove" the theory of evolution. Anne got annoyed with me reading the funniest bits out. One bit said something like "The theory of evolution means a constant struggle to survive, involving hatred, wars and murder". Ahem.
Cold winter morning
Having moaned in my last posting that we were too hot and looking forward to the colder weather, we got off the bus in Carnarvon at 4am on Monday morning (after a 12 hour journey) and it was really cold! Brrr! I don't think we've been cold since Tokyo, back in February!
We were booked into a caravan park on Monday night, as the local hostel had no double rooms (shared dorms be damned!) and the lovely people at the caravan park had said that if our caravan was empty on the Sunday night they'd leave the key out for us so we could get into it when we arrived.
We trapsed to the caravan park, laden with big rucksacks, and joy upon joys, the key was waiting for us! We got in and slept (in our clothes) for a few hours. We were up early - no rest for us - to see if we could get a tour at the local School Of The Air, but were told to come back on Tuesday. Since we were up we went to Woolies and got eggs, bacon, juice and muffins and then went back to the caravan for a cooked breakfast - not too shabby!
The caravan's nice and would sleep up to six people, at a squeeze. Better than anything Tom and Pippa Fletcher ever had, I think. Best of all we have kitchen facilities inside, and so have been cooking and eating well in our time here! So nice not to have to share facilities with young "travellers" who seem intent on never washing up and leaving wet tea-towels lying in heaps so they'll never dry. (Now I think of it, that must mean that someone is at least drying up, but anyway.)
We spent Monday morning orienting ourselves in Carnarvon. It's a nice little town and there seemed to be enough here to entertain us for three days. My sister lived here for a couple of months while working on (I think) a banana plantation, I now find. In the afternoon we did a heritage trail walk around the town. The "exhibits" had mostly been destroyed years ago, but at least they made the effort.
That night I'm ashamed to say we watched the final of Big Brother. Reggie won, as expected. She's a simple girl from Tassie, and is the only Aussie I've heard say "Fair Dinkum" since we've been here.
Back To Skool
And so Tuesday morning we went to the School Of The Air (SOTA). We'd read about these, and there are five of them in Western Australia. SOTA are correspondance schools, which include an element of teaching over radio. The kids sit in their homes in the middle of nowhere (in just their pants, apparently, as it's usually so hot!) talking to the teacher ("Yes Miss, Over"). The Carnarvon SOTA has sixty pupils, spread over a vast distance.
We watched a video on the school, and then sat in on a class. The teacher was in radio contact with two 12 year olds and was going through some worksheets on gold prospecting in Western Australia. It was interesting to see (and hear) as the kids were really attentive. The sound quality was poor, and they're looking to upgrade to a fancy sattelite system.
That afternoon we went on a huge long trek ("Come on Candice-Marie!") to Babbage Island and out to One Mile Jetty. We saw old trains being displayed there, and a ring of odd, furry caterpillars. We were shattered when we got home. We had sausages, potatoes and vegetables for our tea.
Yes, we've seen some bananas
This morning (Wednesday) we were up with the larks again to go to a banana and mango plantation. It was a good 5k walk there, then we were early so walked a further 1k and back to a big satellite dish which our literature said helped to "intercept" Halley's Comet. When we got back to the plantation we went on an informative tour and saw the bananas growing (as you'd hope you would at a banana plantation). We then had a chocolate coated frozen banana each. Yum! We were shattered when we got home and fell asleep after lunch.
We were booked into a caravan park on Monday night, as the local hostel had no double rooms (shared dorms be damned!) and the lovely people at the caravan park had said that if our caravan was empty on the Sunday night they'd leave the key out for us so we could get into it when we arrived.
We trapsed to the caravan park, laden with big rucksacks, and joy upon joys, the key was waiting for us! We got in and slept (in our clothes) for a few hours. We were up early - no rest for us - to see if we could get a tour at the local School Of The Air, but were told to come back on Tuesday. Since we were up we went to Woolies and got eggs, bacon, juice and muffins and then went back to the caravan for a cooked breakfast - not too shabby!
The caravan's nice and would sleep up to six people, at a squeeze. Better than anything Tom and Pippa Fletcher ever had, I think. Best of all we have kitchen facilities inside, and so have been cooking and eating well in our time here! So nice not to have to share facilities with young "travellers" who seem intent on never washing up and leaving wet tea-towels lying in heaps so they'll never dry. (Now I think of it, that must mean that someone is at least drying up, but anyway.)
We spent Monday morning orienting ourselves in Carnarvon. It's a nice little town and there seemed to be enough here to entertain us for three days. My sister lived here for a couple of months while working on (I think) a banana plantation, I now find. In the afternoon we did a heritage trail walk around the town. The "exhibits" had mostly been destroyed years ago, but at least they made the effort.
That night I'm ashamed to say we watched the final of Big Brother. Reggie won, as expected. She's a simple girl from Tassie, and is the only Aussie I've heard say "Fair Dinkum" since we've been here.
Back To Skool
And so Tuesday morning we went to the School Of The Air (SOTA). We'd read about these, and there are five of them in Western Australia. SOTA are correspondance schools, which include an element of teaching over radio. The kids sit in their homes in the middle of nowhere (in just their pants, apparently, as it's usually so hot!) talking to the teacher ("Yes Miss, Over"). The Carnarvon SOTA has sixty pupils, spread over a vast distance.
We watched a video on the school, and then sat in on a class. The teacher was in radio contact with two 12 year olds and was going through some worksheets on gold prospecting in Western Australia. It was interesting to see (and hear) as the kids were really attentive. The sound quality was poor, and they're looking to upgrade to a fancy sattelite system.
That afternoon we went on a huge long trek ("Come on Candice-Marie!") to Babbage Island and out to One Mile Jetty. We saw old trains being displayed there, and a ring of odd, furry caterpillars. We were shattered when we got home. We had sausages, potatoes and vegetables for our tea.
Yes, we've seen some bananas
This morning (Wednesday) we were up with the larks again to go to a banana and mango plantation. It was a good 5k walk there, then we were early so walked a further 1k and back to a big satellite dish which our literature said helped to "intercept" Halley's Comet. When we got back to the plantation we went on an informative tour and saw the bananas growing (as you'd hope you would at a banana plantation). We then had a chocolate coated frozen banana each. Yum! We were shattered when we got home and fell asleep after lunch.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Back-end of nowhere
We thought Broome was going to be a fair size town, but in fact it was v. small. (It did have a car rental place caleed Broome Broome, so that at least kept me amused for ten minutes.)
The journey out of Broome was another long coach journey, but a daytime one this time. Whilst Anne was surprisingly good on the night journey, I was able to pass the time by listening to comedy shows on my MP3 CD player. Some kind soul (I met on the interweb) was kind enough to send me three CDs with 25 years' worth of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, so I giggled to myslef for most of the journey. I rarely sleep on journays, but I think I managed a few hours. On the latest coach journey I ignored the film Serendipity but watched Four Weddings And A Funeral. I'm sure everyone's seen this - it's a very funny crowd pleaser. It gets four of my stars, losing one for having Andie McDowall in it. (Somehow, Groundhog Day survives having this annoying actress in it, but this film suffers a little: "Is it raining? I hadn't noticed.". Yuck.)
After the long long coach journey from there, we arrived in Port Headland (and had a quick row, to celebrate the end of another tiring journey). This is an even smaller place which is a mining community (I so look forward to a city!) They also "make" lots of salt here by flooding and area with sea water, letting it evaporate, and then collecting the salt. It's odd to see huge mountains of salt around the town. Huge long trains take the salt and iron ore form the town, and huge ships come in to transport more. Big vehicles for such a tiny town. We did a self-guided heritage walk on Saturday morning. It was good, though some of the sites weren't that interesting. It's a shame the UK don't have these in little villages (like Welwyn, where I grew up) as we have a lot more (known) history than Aussie towns and these walks are a good way to spend a morning and help you get your bearings. We then tried to go to the local historical society museum, but that is run by volunteers at the weekends and was closed. Lazy b*ggers.
It's so very hot, all the time. I didn't think I'd ever think this but I'm looking forward to the colder weather as we travel south. People keep telling us it's very cold in Perth, but I don't know if that's cold-for-Aussies or actually really cold. We'll have to see. We don't have many warm clothes, so if it's really cold we'll be wearing the same jumpers for the rest of our time in Oz.
Another (longer) overnight journey tonight. Yikes.
The journey out of Broome was another long coach journey, but a daytime one this time. Whilst Anne was surprisingly good on the night journey, I was able to pass the time by listening to comedy shows on my MP3 CD player. Some kind soul (I met on the interweb) was kind enough to send me three CDs with 25 years' worth of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, so I giggled to myslef for most of the journey. I rarely sleep on journays, but I think I managed a few hours. On the latest coach journey I ignored the film Serendipity but watched Four Weddings And A Funeral. I'm sure everyone's seen this - it's a very funny crowd pleaser. It gets four of my stars, losing one for having Andie McDowall in it. (Somehow, Groundhog Day survives having this annoying actress in it, but this film suffers a little: "Is it raining? I hadn't noticed.". Yuck.)
After the long long coach journey from there, we arrived in Port Headland (and had a quick row, to celebrate the end of another tiring journey). This is an even smaller place which is a mining community (I so look forward to a city!) They also "make" lots of salt here by flooding and area with sea water, letting it evaporate, and then collecting the salt. It's odd to see huge mountains of salt around the town. Huge long trains take the salt and iron ore form the town, and huge ships come in to transport more. Big vehicles for such a tiny town. We did a self-guided heritage walk on Saturday morning. It was good, though some of the sites weren't that interesting. It's a shame the UK don't have these in little villages (like Welwyn, where I grew up) as we have a lot more (known) history than Aussie towns and these walks are a good way to spend a morning and help you get your bearings. We then tried to go to the local historical society museum, but that is run by volunteers at the weekends and was closed. Lazy b*ggers.
It's so very hot, all the time. I didn't think I'd ever think this but I'm looking forward to the colder weather as we travel south. People keep telling us it's very cold in Perth, but I don't know if that's cold-for-Aussies or actually really cold. We'll have to see. We don't have many warm clothes, so if it's really cold we'll be wearing the same jumpers for the rest of our time in Oz.
Another (longer) overnight journey tonight. Yikes.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Blog of life
A friend, Simon, has said (using our comments facility!) that, whilst another report of world-travelling he's following could be compared to a James Cameron film: all glam and exciting, ours could be compared to a Ken Loach film: all gritty and down to earth. I was quite pleased with this analogy. We're doing this blog in part to keep in touch with people at home but also as a record of our travels for our own benefit, and I thing a "real" diary will be good to look back on.
Travelling for such a long period of time means we're living our life at the same time as seeing the world, rather than getting away from everything and living in a "time-out" situation. Travelling can be pretty tiring, and we've had to make sure we do normal things and don't get sick to death of "another beautiful national park". We've made our own little routines and, being a creature of habit and slightly obsessive-compulsive, I've found ways to bring home away with me. I take the opportunity when I can of watching movies - one of my great loves - and this leads to some days when I watch three films (all good, none amazing). Yesterday was one of those days.
First we watched Swimming Upstream, an Aussie film which came out at the cinema when we were in Sydney. It's about a boy, growing up in Brisbane in the 50s and 60s trying to win the approval and love of his unpleasant, damaged father (Geoffrey Rush). I enjoyed it - three stars.
Then it was to the outdoor, deckchair cinema to see Whale Rider, a New Zealand film about Maoris. We'd read a lot about this film and were reasonably pleased with it. The little girl in the lead was impressive. Three stars. The outdoor cinema was fun!
Also three stars for the late night film we watched on SBS, Harry, He's Here To Help. This is a French film we'd wanted to see for a while. Whilst we enjoyed it, it wasn't a good as we'd heard and I get the feeling it got more praise than it deserved as it is French. Still a solid, entertaining effort though.
Travelling for such a long period of time means we're living our life at the same time as seeing the world, rather than getting away from everything and living in a "time-out" situation. Travelling can be pretty tiring, and we've had to make sure we do normal things and don't get sick to death of "another beautiful national park". We've made our own little routines and, being a creature of habit and slightly obsessive-compulsive, I've found ways to bring home away with me. I take the opportunity when I can of watching movies - one of my great loves - and this leads to some days when I watch three films (all good, none amazing). Yesterday was one of those days.
First we watched Swimming Upstream, an Aussie film which came out at the cinema when we were in Sydney. It's about a boy, growing up in Brisbane in the 50s and 60s trying to win the approval and love of his unpleasant, damaged father (Geoffrey Rush). I enjoyed it - three stars.
Then it was to the outdoor, deckchair cinema to see Whale Rider, a New Zealand film about Maoris. We'd read a lot about this film and were reasonably pleased with it. The little girl in the lead was impressive. Three stars. The outdoor cinema was fun!
Also three stars for the late night film we watched on SBS, Harry, He's Here To Help. This is a French film we'd wanted to see for a while. Whilst we enjoyed it, it wasn't a good as we'd heard and I get the feeling it got more praise than it deserved as it is French. Still a solid, entertaining effort though.
Sunday, July 13, 2003
Helen Daniels's painting retreat
After the long long journey, we arrived in Kununurra and checked in at a nice hostel we'd booked. Kununurra is a few hundred kms from The Bungle Bungles - huge weird rock formations. We wanted to see them, but the ground-based trips took two or three days - we didn't have that long. So it was we splashed out for a flight over them in a tiny (six-man) plane. I've never been in such a small plane, and the Bungle Bungles were really something special so I'm glad we did it. Typically for this vast country these rock formations were only really made known to the Aussies in the 1980s. Amazing that such things can exist unnoticed for so long.
When I flew to the Grand Canyon in a little plane in 1995 my mum and sister were both ill due to the turbulence. Anne and I took travel sickness tablets to try to ward off this, and thankfully we weren't ill.
In the afternoon we both fell asleep (thanks, I suspect, to the travel sickness tablets) and later went to watch the sunset at Kelly's Knob look out. Kununurra is a small town, built to service a nearby dam when it was built in the sixties. There's not a lot else to do here!
Saturday we relaxed in the very very hot sun, by the pool. What a nice way to spend the morning. It was too hot by midday, so we retreated to the room, then went to a nearby national park to look at some more rock formations.
Today, Sunday, we are hanging about waiting to get the bus to Broome, on the west coast. We're not looking forward to this journey - our first over night bus journey. We leave here near 5pm and don't arrive in Broome until 8am on Monday morning - yikes. I'll have to put up with fidget-bum Anne that whole time!
When I flew to the Grand Canyon in a little plane in 1995 my mum and sister were both ill due to the turbulence. Anne and I took travel sickness tablets to try to ward off this, and thankfully we weren't ill.
In the afternoon we both fell asleep (thanks, I suspect, to the travel sickness tablets) and later went to watch the sunset at Kelly's Knob look out. Kununurra is a small town, built to service a nearby dam when it was built in the sixties. There's not a lot else to do here!
Saturday we relaxed in the very very hot sun, by the pool. What a nice way to spend the morning. It was too hot by midday, so we retreated to the room, then went to a nearby national park to look at some more rock formations.
Today, Sunday, we are hanging about waiting to get the bus to Broome, on the west coast. We're not looking forward to this journey - our first over night bus journey. We leave here near 5pm and don't arrive in Broome until 8am on Monday morning - yikes. I'll have to put up with fidget-bum Anne that whole time!
Movie overload
On our last night in Darwin we watched the v. good comedy Office Space on the wazzark lantern. We'd seen it before. It's a very funny movie - recommended - four stars.
On our 11 (11!) hour bus journey from Darwin to Kununurra we were treated to three (three!) films, which made the time pass more quickly. Two of them we'd seen before, but it didn't matter as they were both five star films - Monsters Inc. and Ocean's 11 (remake). Nice!
The other one was Hearts Of Atlantis starring Anthony Hopkins. It was OK - two and a half stars.
On our 11 (11!) hour bus journey from Darwin to Kununurra we were treated to three (three!) films, which made the time pass more quickly. Two of them we'd seen before, but it didn't matter as they were both five star films - Monsters Inc. and Ocean's 11 (remake). Nice!
The other one was Hearts Of Atlantis starring Anthony Hopkins. It was OK - two and a half stars.
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Bruce all righty then?
Anne's comments on the movie Bruce Almighty about sum it up. Poor. It's a shame - annoying as Jim Carrey can be, he can often do OTT comedy well, and the concept for this film offered a good opportunity, especially coming from the director of the decent Liar Liar. The main character, who is given God's powers, is a horrible one with whom no-one can sympathise. He should have been smited at the start rather than been taught a lesson. The film attempts to teach a lesson, and fails due to the smug Carrey failing at the heartfelt stuff. Jennifer Aniston does nothing and Morgan Freeman fails to impress. We should have seen Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle instead, and that's saying something! Two stars.
Read a book instead
I'm currently reading a great book called The Surgeon Of Crowthorne, by Simon Winchester. It's about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, and specifically about an insane veteran of the American Civil War who was one of its major contributors. Recommended for those who like anecdotal history, words and dictionaries.
Darwin devastated by SKT's birth
Darwin is notable as a city partly for what is missing. Cyclone Tracey destroyed much of the city on Christmas Eve 1974, about the time my mum was returning home having given birth to me. Such was the destruction, that it was debated whether to rebuild the city. And to think, all this when I was only just starting to bring joy on the other side of the world.
Nude Photo Shock!
I've added a second photo album to my Yahoo photos, to cut down on load time. I've also added a few photos, including ones of spiders from our night-time rainforest trek and, you lucky people, one of our skinny dipping adventure. Censored, natch.
Read a book instead
I'm currently reading a great book called The Surgeon Of Crowthorne, by Simon Winchester. It's about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, and specifically about an insane veteran of the American Civil War who was one of its major contributors. Recommended for those who like anecdotal history, words and dictionaries.
Darwin devastated by SKT's birth
Darwin is notable as a city partly for what is missing. Cyclone Tracey destroyed much of the city on Christmas Eve 1974, about the time my mum was returning home having given birth to me. Such was the destruction, that it was debated whether to rebuild the city. And to think, all this when I was only just starting to bring joy on the other side of the world.
Nude Photo Shock!
I've added a second photo album to my Yahoo photos, to cut down on load time. I've also added a few photos, including ones of spiders from our night-time rainforest trek and, you lucky people, one of our skinny dipping adventure. Censored, natch.
Monday, July 07, 2003
Welcome to Darwin
After a short (2.5 hour) flight on Sunday evening, we arrived in Darwin and checked in a lovely 4 star hotel. We're bored of hostels and so decided to blow the budget on a nice, sizable room with good facilities.
Oh, would that it were...
In fact we'd pre-booked a room in the Melaleuca Lodge hostel. The Lonely Planet said it was a good hostel (and the YHA my sister recommended was fully booked). However, it's being bulldozed to make room for a better hostel in the future, and the new management are content to run it into the ground. The facilities are dreadful, and what's worse is that management don't give a hoot about complaints. They have no interest in improving the place (or even in keeping it functional) and we are in no bargaining position having pre-paid, and with all the other hostels having no double rooms. Grah! Sometimes I hate travelling.
This experience is a shame, as Darwin is a nice city. Hot though (over 30 degrees, and this is the middle of winter!) Today, after I'd stopped seething with anger about the hostel (and the chance of me turning big and green had subsided) we went for a walk around. We explored the really nice parliament building, went to a good pre-loved bookshop, and later went on a historical walking tour. We're shattered now, and have been seeking out air conditioning all day.
I don't want to go back to that horrible hostel. : (
Oh, would that it were...
In fact we'd pre-booked a room in the Melaleuca Lodge hostel. The Lonely Planet said it was a good hostel (and the YHA my sister recommended was fully booked). However, it's being bulldozed to make room for a better hostel in the future, and the new management are content to run it into the ground. The facilities are dreadful, and what's worse is that management don't give a hoot about complaints. They have no interest in improving the place (or even in keeping it functional) and we are in no bargaining position having pre-paid, and with all the other hostels having no double rooms. Grah! Sometimes I hate travelling.
This experience is a shame, as Darwin is a nice city. Hot though (over 30 degrees, and this is the middle of winter!) Today, after I'd stopped seething with anger about the hostel (and the chance of me turning big and green had subsided) we went for a walk around. We explored the really nice parliament building, went to a good pre-loved bookshop, and later went on a historical walking tour. We're shattered now, and have been seeking out air conditioning all day.
I don't want to go back to that horrible hostel. : (
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Movies, book and TV
On the way to Cairns from Townsville last week, the coach driver put Chocolat on the video (French for chocolate, probably). It was certainly watchable, though a bit of a wet fairy tale. It made me hungry though. Three stars.
Today we're in Cairns, waiting to go to the airport to get a flight to Darwin. It's dreary and raining, so to pass the time we went to the flicks to watch The Hulk. Directed by Ang Lee (the most versatile director ever, surely!) it stars Aussie Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, who gets angry and turns green. It's quite long and slow, and I doubt the kids in the audience enjoyed it that much. However, it's entertaining and a very good comic book adaptation. There's a great battle between the Hulk and the military in the middle, but the last battle is a bit of a mess. Nick Nolte overacts well as a mad scientist. Good stuff - three and a half stars.
Having finished the new, over-long, Harry Potter book, I've now started on Robert Harris's Fatherland. Am enjoying having time to get through a decent number of books.
Since we had a TV in Port Douglas we spent Tuesday night glued to it, watching The Simpsons, Neighbours, Big Brother, Becker, Everybody Loves Raymond (v. good) and the overrated CSI. I think we overdid it. The next night we did the tourist thing, left the TV behind and went to watch Cane Toad Racing in a pub. It's questionable which night was more intellectually stimulating.
I've heard that a bomb scare in teh UK led to the Big Brother house being evacuated. Since most of the even slightly controversial people are now out of the Aussie house it's duller than ever. One girl, Reggie, is a cert to win. To liven things up they've introduced a bra-less flirt from the UK house now. Clutching at straws I say.
Today we're in Cairns, waiting to go to the airport to get a flight to Darwin. It's dreary and raining, so to pass the time we went to the flicks to watch The Hulk. Directed by Ang Lee (the most versatile director ever, surely!) it stars Aussie Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, who gets angry and turns green. It's quite long and slow, and I doubt the kids in the audience enjoyed it that much. However, it's entertaining and a very good comic book adaptation. There's a great battle between the Hulk and the military in the middle, but the last battle is a bit of a mess. Nick Nolte overacts well as a mad scientist. Good stuff - three and a half stars.
Having finished the new, over-long, Harry Potter book, I've now started on Robert Harris's Fatherland. Am enjoying having time to get through a decent number of books.
Since we had a TV in Port Douglas we spent Tuesday night glued to it, watching The Simpsons, Neighbours, Big Brother, Becker, Everybody Loves Raymond (v. good) and the overrated CSI. I think we overdid it. The next night we did the tourist thing, left the TV behind and went to watch Cane Toad Racing in a pub. It's questionable which night was more intellectually stimulating.
I've heard that a bomb scare in teh UK led to the Big Brother house being evacuated. Since most of the even slightly controversial people are now out of the Aussie house it's duller than ever. One girl, Reggie, is a cert to win. To liven things up they've introduced a bra-less flirt from the UK house now. Clutching at straws I say.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Tropical Rainforest joy
From Magnetic Island, we returned to Townsville to get the bus to Cairns. Not much to Cairns, from what I saw last time (other than trips to do) but we weren't there long enough to confirm that impression or otherwise. Early on Sunday morning we got a bus up to Cow Bay, just south of Cape Tribulation, where we were staying in a rainforest retreat called Crocodylus. We stayed in a tent/cabin IN the rainforest. It was grand. I think it's been Anne's favourite place so far (not least because it had a great, cheap restaurant!)
We spent Sunday afternoon wandering up the long, largely deserted beach (on the way there we spied a cassowary and a snake!) We've had glorious weather for days now, and the nice thing is it's not half as humid as it was when we were up this way in December 2000 (Aussie summer). On Monday morning we were dropped off at a creek. We paddled up the creek to a waterhole where it was safe to swim (i.e. no croc or stingers). Again on the beach in Cow Bay we came across nudie bathers (though saw nothing to match the man on Magnetic Island strolling on the beach in just his hat), and since Anne and I now found ourselves alone amid a dense rainforest we decided to throw caution to the wind and go skinny-dipping! We felt very daring and it was fun, especially in the hot sun. We had to be careful not to burn our bits. Photos to follow. (Reckon.) Stop picturing us naked!
On Sunday night, we had retired to our cabin early for a romantic evening. Our antics were disturbed by a bunch of people outside, shining torches through the canvas. This was the hostel-organised Night Walk, and these people were searching for "wildlife". They wouldn't have seen much through the mossie-net anyway, but we didn't appreciate the privacy-invasion. Anyway, on Monday night, we joined the Night Walk and traipsed round the forest from 8 until midnight with a man named Possum! We had torches and saw lots of spiders, some fungi, two birds (only two!), a bandicoot, a white-tailed rat, and a black and white possum. Again, my mammal-spotting abilities came in useful. I think I may have some aboriginal tracker blood in me. My genealogy work may later reveal this for sure.
After a late night, the last thing we wanted is an early morning, so we got up at ten to six for a sea-kayaking trip! We kayaked (i.e. canoed) to an isolated beach where we had a "tropical" breakfast (it involved lots of fruits), swam and snorkelled on the reef. Yay! I wasn't very good at keeping the kayak straight, and Anne got frustrated with me. Anne wasn't very good either and I got frustrated with her. Thus we were even and neither of us has any right to go on about it. Got that Anne?
Alas, we left the rainforest hostel this morning and travelled by bus down to Port Douglas, just north of Cairns. Anne didn't want to leave. As there were no double rooms left in any Port Douglas hostels we splashed out an extra four quid a night on a motel room. We weren't chuffed with having to break the budget, but though a bit of luxury would be nice. Imagine our disgust when a sign at check in told us that this was a budget motel, and it's being pulled down at the end of the year so we shouldn't expect great things. We have a fridge in our room, and a kettle, the TV doesn't work very well and there's no laundry. Frankly, I've stayed in better hostels.
Here endeth today's blog.
We spent Sunday afternoon wandering up the long, largely deserted beach (on the way there we spied a cassowary and a snake!) We've had glorious weather for days now, and the nice thing is it's not half as humid as it was when we were up this way in December 2000 (Aussie summer). On Monday morning we were dropped off at a creek. We paddled up the creek to a waterhole where it was safe to swim (i.e. no croc or stingers). Again on the beach in Cow Bay we came across nudie bathers (though saw nothing to match the man on Magnetic Island strolling on the beach in just his hat), and since Anne and I now found ourselves alone amid a dense rainforest we decided to throw caution to the wind and go skinny-dipping! We felt very daring and it was fun, especially in the hot sun. We had to be careful not to burn our bits. Photos to follow. (Reckon.) Stop picturing us naked!
On Sunday night, we had retired to our cabin early for a romantic evening. Our antics were disturbed by a bunch of people outside, shining torches through the canvas. This was the hostel-organised Night Walk, and these people were searching for "wildlife". They wouldn't have seen much through the mossie-net anyway, but we didn't appreciate the privacy-invasion. Anyway, on Monday night, we joined the Night Walk and traipsed round the forest from 8 until midnight with a man named Possum! We had torches and saw lots of spiders, some fungi, two birds (only two!), a bandicoot, a white-tailed rat, and a black and white possum. Again, my mammal-spotting abilities came in useful. I think I may have some aboriginal tracker blood in me. My genealogy work may later reveal this for sure.
After a late night, the last thing we wanted is an early morning, so we got up at ten to six for a sea-kayaking trip! We kayaked (i.e. canoed) to an isolated beach where we had a "tropical" breakfast (it involved lots of fruits), swam and snorkelled on the reef. Yay! I wasn't very good at keeping the kayak straight, and Anne got frustrated with me. Anne wasn't very good either and I got frustrated with her. Thus we were even and neither of us has any right to go on about it. Got that Anne?
Alas, we left the rainforest hostel this morning and travelled by bus down to Port Douglas, just north of Cairns. Anne didn't want to leave. As there were no double rooms left in any Port Douglas hostels we splashed out an extra four quid a night on a motel room. We weren't chuffed with having to break the budget, but though a bit of luxury would be nice. Imagine our disgust when a sign at check in told us that this was a budget motel, and it's being pulled down at the end of the year so we shouldn't expect great things. We have a fridge in our room, and a kettle, the TV doesn't work very well and there's no laundry. Frankly, I've stayed in better hostels.
Here endeth today's blog.
Friday, June 27, 2003
Anne and Stephen's Tropical Island Adventure
Stephen here. We arrived in Townsville on Wednesday afternoon. We'd stopped there briefly on our last trip to Australia at the end of 2000. We checked out the hostel and found that the kitchen was tiny. We figured this gave us a great excuse to treat ourselves to a meal out, and so after dark we sauntered down to Tim's Surf And Turf and had the eponymous steak and prawns. Yum!
Townsville was just a stopover to take us to Magnetic Island - 8km off the coast. It's a very attractive island (or a repulsive one, depending on your polarity). (Do you see? It's magnetic.) In fact the island is not magnetic, and is so called as Captain Cook's instruments went funny as he sailed past it in 1770.
We passed the tropic of Capricorn back in Rockhampton, so we're into Tropical North Queensland now. Thus Magnetic Island is truly a tropical island. It really is beautiful here. Much more heavily populated than Keppel Island (where we were a week or so ago), though still populated with odd wildlife. We're surrounded by possums as we eat, and "screaming" curlew birds wake us in the night.
We scrabbled around the island on Thursday, walking (and climbing) about 10k, exploring the bays and beaches. Unfortunately Anne got bitten to ridiculous extremes by mossies. She has bad reactions to bites, and has large lumps on her leg, arm and bottom. Her back looks like she's been removed from The Matrix! She's itching, is in pain, and is very unhappy about it. Fortunately she has a supportive boyfriend who puts up with her irritability like a martyr. I am great. Poor Anne though (for being bitten).
Today we scrabbled over a big hill to a secluded beach at Balding Bay. We sunbathed there for hours. After some time we realised that a few of our fellow bathers were entirely nudie! This was, we later read, an unofficial nudist beach. Unfortunately it was generally only men and older people who'd shed their clothes - none of the more nubile younger ladies. I was thus able to concentrate my attentions on the new Harry Potter book, which Anne finished two days ago.
This afternoon we went through hell trying to book hostels north of Cairns. We got quite stressed and realised we should have booked earlier. We may end up spending one night in a dorm again. Oh noooo!
Townsville was just a stopover to take us to Magnetic Island - 8km off the coast. It's a very attractive island (or a repulsive one, depending on your polarity). (Do you see? It's magnetic.) In fact the island is not magnetic, and is so called as Captain Cook's instruments went funny as he sailed past it in 1770.
We passed the tropic of Capricorn back in Rockhampton, so we're into Tropical North Queensland now. Thus Magnetic Island is truly a tropical island. It really is beautiful here. Much more heavily populated than Keppel Island (where we were a week or so ago), though still populated with odd wildlife. We're surrounded by possums as we eat, and "screaming" curlew birds wake us in the night.
We scrabbled around the island on Thursday, walking (and climbing) about 10k, exploring the bays and beaches. Unfortunately Anne got bitten to ridiculous extremes by mossies. She has bad reactions to bites, and has large lumps on her leg, arm and bottom. Her back looks like she's been removed from The Matrix! She's itching, is in pain, and is very unhappy about it. Fortunately she has a supportive boyfriend who puts up with her irritability like a martyr. I am great. Poor Anne though (for being bitten).
Today we scrabbled over a big hill to a secluded beach at Balding Bay. We sunbathed there for hours. After some time we realised that a few of our fellow bathers were entirely nudie! This was, we later read, an unofficial nudist beach. Unfortunately it was generally only men and older people who'd shed their clothes - none of the more nubile younger ladies. I was thus able to concentrate my attentions on the new Harry Potter book, which Anne finished two days ago.
This afternoon we went through hell trying to book hostels north of Cairns. We got quite stressed and realised we should have booked earlier. We may end up spending one night in a dorm again. Oh noooo!
Snorkeling memories
Anne neglected to mention my antics whilst snorkeling off the Whitsundays. First off, I swallowed a load of saltwater in one horrid mouthful. I felt dodgy for the rest of the day and kept burping. Blargh!
Second, we bought a disposable underwater camera in Airlie Beach before we set sail. I was swimming on my back underwater, posing so that Anne could take a dramatically heroic shot of me. Once she'd taken the photo I swam into some hard coral and cut myself (ripping my stinger suit). It hurt like hell, and the crew of the boat told me that coral can grow inside you if it infects you. I'll keep you posted as to whether I turn into Coral Man. (In my X-Men outfit, at least I have the uniform.)
Second, we bought a disposable underwater camera in Airlie Beach before we set sail. I was swimming on my back underwater, posing so that Anne could take a dramatically heroic shot of me. Once she'd taken the photo I swam into some hard coral and cut myself (ripping my stinger suit). It hurt like hell, and the crew of the boat told me that coral can grow inside you if it infects you. I'll keep you posted as to whether I turn into Coral Man. (In my X-Men outfit, at least I have the uniform.)
Sunday, June 22, 2003
Welcome To The Hell-Hostel
We were forced to sleep in a shared dorm last night, with five strangers.
This is not good. We're not really up for that, and have been getting double or twin rooms everywhere else. In most of those we have to use a shared bathroom, so we are roughing it a bit.
Neither of us were pleased by having to share a room at the Airlie Beach YHA. A computer error meant that they couldn't tell us if a double was available when we booked, but they would put that down as the preference.
After stressing about it, and considering blowing fifty dollars on a room in another hostel, we got an OK night's sleep in the end. It still meant that we had no privacy, and when Anne fell asleep with her glasses on and her book open (as she always does) I had to sneak across the room in my pants (cue joke about there being room in my pants) to take her book from her and put her glasses in their case.
Someone had plugged their mobile in to a wall socket by my bed and left the phone on. I switched it off so I wasn't awoken by text messages in the night, though later wondered if they had set the alarm to wake them up. They should have kept it by their bed, shouldn't they.
Plus, Anne and I had been given "stinger suits" (thin wet-suit type things to wear while snorkelling) and if we'd had a private room we could have tried them on and looned around in them pretending to be space aliens or something. As it was we probably would have felt embarrassed doing this in front of the surly, anti-social people in our room, so didn't.
Not the way a couple in their late twenties should be travelling. We'll try to avoid that happening again.
Movies and books on the coach
We saw Rush Hour 2 on the coach from Rockhampton to Airlie Beach. It was really poor, made bearable only by Jackie Chan's fighting and stunts. Two stars (for the fights).
Snow Dogs starring Cuba Gooding Jr was on later in the journey, but we couldn't bring ourselves to watch that. Anne was immersed in the new Harry Potter book, and I was finishing off Nicholas Parsons's autobiography, The Straight Man: My Life In Comedy. I picked this up for two dollars (about 80p) in a "pre-loved" (second-hand) book shop in Hervey Bay. I got it as I liked the picture on the front as much as anything, but it was an interesting look at the entertainment industry in the second half of the last century. Its start pre-dates most of what I've read about comedy (i.e. Peter Cook and his ilk) and had some good insights. I now have the dubious claim to fame of knowing more about Nicholas Parsons than anyone I know. (I bet now that Colin will come up with loads of stuff I didn't know about him.)
This is not good. We're not really up for that, and have been getting double or twin rooms everywhere else. In most of those we have to use a shared bathroom, so we are roughing it a bit.
Neither of us were pleased by having to share a room at the Airlie Beach YHA. A computer error meant that they couldn't tell us if a double was available when we booked, but they would put that down as the preference.
After stressing about it, and considering blowing fifty dollars on a room in another hostel, we got an OK night's sleep in the end. It still meant that we had no privacy, and when Anne fell asleep with her glasses on and her book open (as she always does) I had to sneak across the room in my pants (cue joke about there being room in my pants) to take her book from her and put her glasses in their case.
Someone had plugged their mobile in to a wall socket by my bed and left the phone on. I switched it off so I wasn't awoken by text messages in the night, though later wondered if they had set the alarm to wake them up. They should have kept it by their bed, shouldn't they.
Plus, Anne and I had been given "stinger suits" (thin wet-suit type things to wear while snorkelling) and if we'd had a private room we could have tried them on and looned around in them pretending to be space aliens or something. As it was we probably would have felt embarrassed doing this in front of the surly, anti-social people in our room, so didn't.
Not the way a couple in their late twenties should be travelling. We'll try to avoid that happening again.
Movies and books on the coach
We saw Rush Hour 2 on the coach from Rockhampton to Airlie Beach. It was really poor, made bearable only by Jackie Chan's fighting and stunts. Two stars (for the fights).
Snow Dogs starring Cuba Gooding Jr was on later in the journey, but we couldn't bring ourselves to watch that. Anne was immersed in the new Harry Potter book, and I was finishing off Nicholas Parsons's autobiography, The Straight Man: My Life In Comedy. I picked this up for two dollars (about 80p) in a "pre-loved" (second-hand) book shop in Hervey Bay. I got it as I liked the picture on the front as much as anything, but it was an interesting look at the entertainment industry in the second half of the last century. Its start pre-dates most of what I've read about comedy (i.e. Peter Cook and his ilk) and had some good insights. I now have the dubious claim to fame of knowing more about Nicholas Parsons than anyone I know. (I bet now that Colin will come up with loads of stuff I didn't know about him.)
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Notes from Stephen to correct Anne
In response to Anne's post (below) about Great Keppel Island - me naming the crow Russell was a clever pun. Russell sounds like Rustle, which means to steal, and that's what the crow was attempting to do.
We also saw some Kookaburras close up, and I've just uploaded lots of photos to the yahoo photo album (link on left) which include our wildlife spots of the last few days (and, yes, plenty of John Possum).
We also saw some Kookaburras close up, and I've just uploaded lots of photos to the yahoo photo album (link on left) which include our wildlife spots of the last few days (and, yes, plenty of John Possum).
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
So long, and thanks for all the treats.
We bidded (bade?) a sad farewell to my mum today at Hervey Bay coach station. She's off back to Brissie, from where she'll fly to Ayres Rock, and then to the UK. It's been great seeing her, and we only bickered a bit (mainly when I was driving). I'd like to thank her publically for all the treats and hotel rooms, and for travelling all this way to see us.
Anne is a saint for putting up with both of us moaning about the illogical pedestrian crossing light sequences (having tolerated me moaning about them for three months). She was amply rewarded though - especially with the luxurious Noosa appartment!
Now we're in Rockhampton ("Rocky") - The Beef Capital Of Australia. We're here so we can go to Great Keppel Island tomorrow for some beaching and treking. It's a tough life, but it's the path we've chosen.
Anne is a saint for putting up with both of us moaning about the illogical pedestrian crossing light sequences (having tolerated me moaning about them for three months). She was amply rewarded though - especially with the luxurious Noosa appartment!
Now we're in Rockhampton ("Rocky") - The Beef Capital Of Australia. We're here so we can go to Great Keppel Island tomorrow for some beaching and treking. It's a tough life, but it's the path we've chosen.
Movies
A couple of movie reviews. On our last night with my mum we took her to see Phone Booth at the flicks and then for a pizza. I'd been annoying Anne for weeks by calling the film Telephone Box instead of Phone Booth, and I annoyed her even more by asking for the tickets with the wrong name too (Tony - I can hear you wincing in sympathy with Anne). The lady selling tickets didn't even register my hilarious mistake - spoil sport.
I enjoyed the film a fair bit (though Anne didn't like it as much as I did). It was interesting more as a novelty work I suppose, but was well done, and I pretty much got what I expected. Three and a half stars.
On the coach from Hervey Bay to Rockhampton today we were treated to mad-cap comedy Rat Race on video, with bad picture and bad tracking. Damn, I miss DVD. I'd never been interested in this film, but I suppose it was quite entertaining in a ridiculous way and an OK way to pass part of a six hour coach journey. The plot was preposterous throughout, and I was particularly amused when at one point (no more silly than the rest of the film) the girl behind me muttered "Oh, as if". How I laughed. I'm sure this is generous, but I'm giving it two and a half stars.
I enjoyed the film a fair bit (though Anne didn't like it as much as I did). It was interesting more as a novelty work I suppose, but was well done, and I pretty much got what I expected. Three and a half stars.
On the coach from Hervey Bay to Rockhampton today we were treated to mad-cap comedy Rat Race on video, with bad picture and bad tracking. Damn, I miss DVD. I'd never been interested in this film, but I suppose it was quite entertaining in a ridiculous way and an OK way to pass part of a six hour coach journey. The plot was preposterous throughout, and I was particularly amused when at one point (no more silly than the rest of the film) the girl behind me muttered "Oh, as if". How I laughed. I'm sure this is generous, but I'm giving it two and a half stars.
Monday, June 16, 2003
A few books
Stephen here. One thing I didn't get much time to do in Sydney was read books. Since I was walking to work I wasn't reading during the day and I was often pooped at night. Since we've not had time to watch films lately (sob) I thought I'd summarise the books I've read.
In Sydney I read a great book on the history of transportation (of crims) to Australia, Robert Hughes's The Fatal Shore. This was reasonably heavy going, but really interesting, especially when living and working in the centre of it all. (I won't give star ratings for books - since books are highbrow and thus can't be summed up just with stars.)
Also in Sydney I read half of How The Mind Works by Steve Pinker. This was also heavy going, but really rewarding. It explains so much and goes into a lot of haman nature in great detail. I finished it as we were travelling.
So only one and a half books read in the three months we were in Sydney. I'm quite a slow reader, but this is slow going even for me. Now we're travelling I'm reading more, which is good, and swapping books at secong hand stores (though I "released" How The Mind Works at BookCrossing.com).
I read BBC reporter John Simpson's A Mad World, My Masters - stories from his time reporting foreign affairs. Simpson is a great story teller and often very funny. I'd read his first auto-biographical book before I came out here and am looking forward to his next.
After three non-fiction books I dipped into fiction with Robert Harris's Enigma - a good yarn set around code-breaKing Bletchley Park during WW2.
Then it was on to Michael Palin's Hemmingway's Chair. It was well written and amusing, but I thought the plot was a little lacking. Maybe I need to know more about Ernest Hemmingway?
I've just started another Robert Harris book: Archangel (about a hunt for Stalin's notebooks). I'll let you know how that one goes.
Looking forward to the new Harry Potter next week! I think we'll splash out on that, though Anne will read it first as she reads really quickly.
In Sydney I read a great book on the history of transportation (of crims) to Australia, Robert Hughes's The Fatal Shore. This was reasonably heavy going, but really interesting, especially when living and working in the centre of it all. (I won't give star ratings for books - since books are highbrow and thus can't be summed up just with stars.)
Also in Sydney I read half of How The Mind Works by Steve Pinker. This was also heavy going, but really rewarding. It explains so much and goes into a lot of haman nature in great detail. I finished it as we were travelling.
So only one and a half books read in the three months we were in Sydney. I'm quite a slow reader, but this is slow going even for me. Now we're travelling I'm reading more, which is good, and swapping books at secong hand stores (though I "released" How The Mind Works at BookCrossing.com).
I read BBC reporter John Simpson's A Mad World, My Masters - stories from his time reporting foreign affairs. Simpson is a great story teller and often very funny. I'd read his first auto-biographical book before I came out here and am looking forward to his next.
After three non-fiction books I dipped into fiction with Robert Harris's Enigma - a good yarn set around code-breaKing Bletchley Park during WW2.
Then it was on to Michael Palin's Hemmingway's Chair. It was well written and amusing, but I thought the plot was a little lacking. Maybe I need to know more about Ernest Hemmingway?
I've just started another Robert Harris book: Archangel (about a hunt for Stalin's notebooks). I'll let you know how that one goes.
Looking forward to the new Harry Potter next week! I think we'll splash out on that, though Anne will read it first as she reads really quickly.
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
A map!
I've put a link to a map of Australia on the left of the diary. Should have done this ages ago really. See how little we've come in two weeks.
Highway 1 Revisited
We hired a car on Sunday and left Brisbane. On the way out we went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, where we saw koalas (of course), roos, wallabies and other animals. Mum really liked the koalas and took literally thousands of photos of them (not literally). We saw koalas move and even jump, which is quite a novelty, as they usually just sleep in the day. We were able to feed the kangaroos which was pretty good too.
Last time we were here (Nov, Dec 2000) Anne and I drove up Highway 1 from Brisbane to Cairns, and that's the road we took up to Noosa after leaving the koala sanctuary. We drove a couple of hours to Noosa - a posh(ish) beach resort at the top of the "Sunshine Coast". It's very pleasant here. Mum forked out for a luxurious two bedroom apartment with kitchen, laundry and two (two!) bathrooms! After exploring a little Anne and I (over)cooked some pasta and we watched Analyse That on the movie channel. It was rubbish, and it's horrible to see Robert DeNiro do comedy. Two stars.
The weather was glorious on Monday, so we sat on the beach all morning and baked ourselves. This was just as well, since the weather's been grotty today. We timed things right though and did a three hour costal and rainforest trek without getting wet. We'd been told to look out for koalas, so my mum and I did our necks in by straining to look for them up in the trees. We saw very little though, other than pretty birds and big spiders (my mum maintains they weren't as big as some she's seen in her dental surgery in Welwyn Garden City). Finally my mum spotted a big koala sitting in a gum tree and we were then happy.
We now have a couple more nights here in Noosa before moving on. Life is hard.
Last time we were here (Nov, Dec 2000) Anne and I drove up Highway 1 from Brisbane to Cairns, and that's the road we took up to Noosa after leaving the koala sanctuary. We drove a couple of hours to Noosa - a posh(ish) beach resort at the top of the "Sunshine Coast". It's very pleasant here. Mum forked out for a luxurious two bedroom apartment with kitchen, laundry and two (two!) bathrooms! After exploring a little Anne and I (over)cooked some pasta and we watched Analyse That on the movie channel. It was rubbish, and it's horrible to see Robert DeNiro do comedy. Two stars.
The weather was glorious on Monday, so we sat on the beach all morning and baked ourselves. This was just as well, since the weather's been grotty today. We timed things right though and did a three hour costal and rainforest trek without getting wet. We'd been told to look out for koalas, so my mum and I did our necks in by straining to look for them up in the trees. We saw very little though, other than pretty birds and big spiders (my mum maintains they weren't as big as some she's seen in her dental surgery in Welwyn Garden City). Finally my mum spotted a big koala sitting in a gum tree and we were then happy.
We now have a couple more nights here in Noosa before moving on. Life is hard.
Saturday, June 07, 2003
Surfers Paradise to Brissie
Anne and I arrived in Surfers Paradise at lunch time on Wednesday. The weather wasn't good, and the "paradise" looked very much less than that. The hostel wasn't up to usual YHA standards either, and was run by a bunch of miserable, coughing, lazy, unpleasant English girls who were more interested in partying than cleaning up after themselves or opening reception. The food store near the hostel was woefully inadequate and we ended up having a "Ragin' Cajun" burger at McDonalds. We then trekked the 3.5km into town and bought a cheap steak and salad at Woolworths. That night's meal was one of the most glorious things ever to pass my lips, so the day wasn't a complete disaster.
The next day, the sun shone and shone. Suddenly we could see the attraction of Surfers Paradise, and we rushed to the beautiful beach and spent the morning there. This was more like it. Hurrah! Funny how much difference a bit of good weather can make.
The sun didn't improve the hostel, however. Never visit The British Arms YHA hostel at Surfers Paradise, I tell you.
Much better is the hostel from which I'm writing this blog - the YHA in Brisbane. We arrived here on Friday morning and I went to the airport after lunch to meet my mum (where she was shocked at my head - see my last post). She'll be with us now until about 17th June.
She took us for a nice Italian meal last night, and today we took a bus tour of the city. At first it didn't look like there was much here, but the bus tour revealed some very pleasant areas, including countless parks, nice buildings, and a man-made beach and pools by the river. We spent hours wandering after the bus tour, and got a catamaran up the river. Again, the winter weather's been great, so that has helped.
We're (my mum is) hiring a car to drive up the coast from tomorrow. It should be great fun. It's good to see my mum after four months away. I hope I don't annoy her too much! Anne and I are in tight tight budget mode, so we're having to adjust for my mum who is here for a holiday and is not looking to skimp. What makes it easier is that she seems to want to treat us - hurrah!
On an unrelated note, someone has contacted me about my family tree research (which is on our home page). They're sending me the details of a cousin of my dad's who lives near Cairns. Small world!
The next day, the sun shone and shone. Suddenly we could see the attraction of Surfers Paradise, and we rushed to the beautiful beach and spent the morning there. This was more like it. Hurrah! Funny how much difference a bit of good weather can make.
The sun didn't improve the hostel, however. Never visit The British Arms YHA hostel at Surfers Paradise, I tell you.
Much better is the hostel from which I'm writing this blog - the YHA in Brisbane. We arrived here on Friday morning and I went to the airport after lunch to meet my mum (where she was shocked at my head - see my last post). She'll be with us now until about 17th June.
She took us for a nice Italian meal last night, and today we took a bus tour of the city. At first it didn't look like there was much here, but the bus tour revealed some very pleasant areas, including countless parks, nice buildings, and a man-made beach and pools by the river. We spent hours wandering after the bus tour, and got a catamaran up the river. Again, the winter weather's been great, so that has helped.
We're (my mum is) hiring a car to drive up the coast from tomorrow. It should be great fun. It's good to see my mum after four months away. I hope I don't annoy her too much! Anne and I are in tight tight budget mode, so we're having to adjust for my mum who is here for a holiday and is not looking to skimp. What makes it easier is that she seems to want to treat us - hurrah!
On an unrelated note, someone has contacted me about my family tree research (which is on our home page). They're sending me the details of a cousin of my dad's who lives near Cairns. Small world!
Dude - where's my hair?
I've not "blogged" this before as I wanted to surprise my mum when I met up with her in Australia, but just before we left Sydney I had my head shaved! Not bald, but a "number one" all over. It was a bizarre experience. I felt breezes on my head for days, and kept catching my reflection and recoiling as I thought Phil Mitchell had finally tracked me down (or "tracked me dahn").
I figured I have an opportunity to do this sort of thing, as I don't plan to look for work until next February. When am I going to get that chance again? I'm used to it now and can hardly remember what I looked like with beautiful locks.
I met my mum at Brisbane ("Brissie") Airport yesterday, and she was shocked. It took her a moment to recognise me with my new hair, and she immediately decided she didn't like it. I've told her she'll get used to it, but she could barely look at me yesterday. So it's a new look that not even a mother could love. At least Anne's stuck with me. (We have joint travel insurance.)
I figured I have an opportunity to do this sort of thing, as I don't plan to look for work until next February. When am I going to get that chance again? I'm used to it now and can hardly remember what I looked like with beautiful locks.
I met my mum at Brisbane ("Brissie") Airport yesterday, and she was shocked. It took her a moment to recognise me with my new hair, and she immediately decided she didn't like it. I've told her she'll get used to it, but she could barely look at me yesterday. So it's a new look that not even a mother could love. At least Anne's stuck with me. (We have joint travel insurance.)
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
Winter travels
After Coffs Harbour we travelled up the coast to Balina, a small tourist resort about 20 miles south of Byron Bay. We stayed in Balina for two nights.
Friday night we went Greek Style, and had a meze in a restaurant. Whilst cheap, it was a little over our budget. Ahem - we'll learn. It was good though! We spent a relaxed Saturday just wandering around Balina. We walked for a good while up the coast (still aching from our previous walks and injuries!) We did a self-guided tour of a historic Balina street (in which most of the historic buildings had been replaced) and went to a good, small naval and maritime museum. They had a raft which had been sailed from Ecuador to Australia in the seventies! The aim was to show that people could have sailed that far in pre-Columbus times, and hence that migration from the Americas to Australia could have happened. There were also lots of war displays. V good for a two dollar donation.
On Friday night we had the small hostel to ouirselves, which was great. On Saturday, however, several guests arrived - a young girl, an older man, and a couple of old women. The young traveller was welcome, but couldn't the others have paid for a proper hotel room? How selfish of them! We watched The Bill with them for a bit in the evening, then antisocially went to our room to read.
On Sunday morning we did the short coach ride to Byron Bay (annoyed only by the dire older couple sitting behing us - they were so dull and annoying). Clearly, the relaxed hippyish Byron Bay was just what I needed. I was expecting it to be a bit grungy and unplesant, but it's actually really nice, with good beaches and good places to walk. On Monday morning we walked along the coast to a lighthouse and Ausralia's easternmost point - the Lowestoft of Down Under! We were looking out for wildlife, amd saw some bush turkeys. Odd to see turkeys wandering around in the wild. We'd been told that you can sometimes see dolphins in the sea from the lighthouse. We'd looked ofr a while and seen nothing, and when Anne went to move on I was determined to stay to see some dolphins (for free, rather than paying for a tour!) A few minutes later I spotted six or seven of them in a group swimming up the coast, and was disproportionatley chuffed with myself for the rest of the day.
On Monday afternoon we went to the local hippish cinema, which my sister had recommeded to me. We watched The Hours, a mad-cap, hilarious film which keeps you laughing from start to finish. Of course, that's a joke. This is the much Oscar nominated movie starring Nicole Kidman's fake nose. It's about three women in different times, and kept me interested for the two hours it lasted. Good stuff - four stars.
Anne is currently off having a massage. I myself am relaxed enough as it is. Ahem.
Sunday was the first day of winter here, so I'm pleased to report we went to the beach on Sunday and sat by the pool yesterday - we've got a little tanned. Our tans had both faded in the months we worked in Sydney. It's grey today, but we're heading north tomorrow so we're not worried. Surfer's Paradise here we come! (Apparently it's not nice - I think we'll be the judges of that.)
Friday night we went Greek Style, and had a meze in a restaurant. Whilst cheap, it was a little over our budget. Ahem - we'll learn. It was good though! We spent a relaxed Saturday just wandering around Balina. We walked for a good while up the coast (still aching from our previous walks and injuries!) We did a self-guided tour of a historic Balina street (in which most of the historic buildings had been replaced) and went to a good, small naval and maritime museum. They had a raft which had been sailed from Ecuador to Australia in the seventies! The aim was to show that people could have sailed that far in pre-Columbus times, and hence that migration from the Americas to Australia could have happened. There were also lots of war displays. V good for a two dollar donation.
On Friday night we had the small hostel to ouirselves, which was great. On Saturday, however, several guests arrived - a young girl, an older man, and a couple of old women. The young traveller was welcome, but couldn't the others have paid for a proper hotel room? How selfish of them! We watched The Bill with them for a bit in the evening, then antisocially went to our room to read.
On Sunday morning we did the short coach ride to Byron Bay (annoyed only by the dire older couple sitting behing us - they were so dull and annoying). Clearly, the relaxed hippyish Byron Bay was just what I needed. I was expecting it to be a bit grungy and unplesant, but it's actually really nice, with good beaches and good places to walk. On Monday morning we walked along the coast to a lighthouse and Ausralia's easternmost point - the Lowestoft of Down Under! We were looking out for wildlife, amd saw some bush turkeys. Odd to see turkeys wandering around in the wild. We'd been told that you can sometimes see dolphins in the sea from the lighthouse. We'd looked ofr a while and seen nothing, and when Anne went to move on I was determined to stay to see some dolphins (for free, rather than paying for a tour!) A few minutes later I spotted six or seven of them in a group swimming up the coast, and was disproportionatley chuffed with myself for the rest of the day.
On Monday afternoon we went to the local hippish cinema, which my sister had recommeded to me. We watched The Hours, a mad-cap, hilarious film which keeps you laughing from start to finish. Of course, that's a joke. This is the much Oscar nominated movie starring Nicole Kidman's fake nose. It's about three women in different times, and kept me interested for the two hours it lasted. Good stuff - four stars.
Anne is currently off having a massage. I myself am relaxed enough as it is. Ahem.
Sunday was the first day of winter here, so I'm pleased to report we went to the beach on Sunday and sat by the pool yesterday - we've got a little tanned. Our tans had both faded in the months we worked in Sydney. It's grey today, but we're heading north tomorrow so we're not worried. Surfer's Paradise here we come! (Apparently it's not nice - I think we'll be the judges of that.)
Monday, June 02, 2003
Photo update
Hope to do a longer update on our time in Balina and Byron Bay tomorrow, but for now we've uploaded some photos to the Yahoo photo album (Big Adventure Photos link to the left).
Friday, May 30, 2003
Quick movie update
A quick round up of the films we've seen in the last week and a bit. I mad the most of the VCR in Sydney (before Richard bought it) by hiring Top Gun, which I'd never seen. Anne thought it was odd I'd never seen it, since I've seen so many films. I quite enjoyed it - it was so cliched and silly (partly because I've seen it copied so much I suppose) but ultimately well done. Very silly in parts, and Quentin Tarantino seems to have the subtext down pat with his "Go the gay way" dissection. Three and a half stars!
Also in Sydney I watched Changing Lanes while Anne was working (she'd already seen it). Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson in a witty revenge drama. Pretty entertaining, though tied up too neatly at the end. Three and a half stars.
At Coffs Harbour YHA we've seen two vids. The first was the dreadful Vertical Limit. This is a mountain climbing thriller which is just ridiculous. It stars Chris O'Donnel, with the supporting cast being either unknowns or bit players in US TV series. It has some entertaining moments I suppose, but everyone watching was laughing at the bits which ought to have been tense and exciting. One and a half stars.
Better was The Patriot, which we saw last night. This long US Civil War drama, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, is entertaining and fun. I remember when it came out there was controversy about the accuracy of it, but I certainly didn't come away thinking I knew more about the civil war - I didn't assume it historically accurate. Gruesome in places, and not as good as Braveheart, it gets four stars.
Now we're in YHAs and don't have the pick of the video library (or even, necessarily, a say in what's on) I figure the quality of the films we watch will be much more variable.
Also in Sydney I watched Changing Lanes while Anne was working (she'd already seen it). Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson in a witty revenge drama. Pretty entertaining, though tied up too neatly at the end. Three and a half stars.
At Coffs Harbour YHA we've seen two vids. The first was the dreadful Vertical Limit. This is a mountain climbing thriller which is just ridiculous. It stars Chris O'Donnel, with the supporting cast being either unknowns or bit players in US TV series. It has some entertaining moments I suppose, but everyone watching was laughing at the bits which ought to have been tense and exciting. One and a half stars.
Better was The Patriot, which we saw last night. This long US Civil War drama, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, is entertaining and fun. I remember when it came out there was controversy about the accuracy of it, but I certainly didn't come away thinking I knew more about the civil war - I didn't assume it historically accurate. Gruesome in places, and not as good as Braveheart, it gets four stars.
Now we're in YHAs and don't have the pick of the video library (or even, necessarily, a say in what's on) I figure the quality of the films we watch will be much more variable.
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Free spirits. No, make that Bad Attitude
Hello. Stephen here. We left a raining Sydney by coach at 1pm on Monday - bye bye Sydney. We were on our way - free as birds. However, I was getting stressed. No more security. Carrying everything on our backs - how would we cope? Plus my knee was still smarting from the weekend.
But after a three hour journey (US Marshals on the video - I didn't watch it) we arrived in Newcastle. It wasn't raining, but it was very windy. The hostel was nice - a heritage building, big staircase and roaring fire. We immediately signed up for a free meal at a local Irish pub - they get the backpackers in by giving them a free meal and the backpackers buy drinks. Everyone wins.
We met in reception at 6.30pm, and walked to the pub with ten others (in line). Anne didn't like this. It reminded us of ITV's Club Reps programme and we half expected to be made to sing dirty songs. We were feeling quite antisocial. Oh dear - bad us. When we got to the bar the free sausage and mash was just fine, and we got talking to an Aussie couple who were travelling around. We left after two drinks and were in bed by nine (after sitting reading by the fire for a bit).
Next morning were were catching a coach to Port Macquarie at 10. I got in a strop when we didn't have milk for coffee. Grrrr - need my morning coffee. I was being irrational and calmed down after a bit, but realised I need to change my routines and work out what I need and don't need. We bought milk when we got to Port Macquarie - job done.
On Tuesday afternoon, just after we arrived, we went to a Koala Hospital, run by volunteers. There was some information to read (which Anne, as ever, lapped up in style of Number 5 from Short Circuit) and then there were several pens with trees in. We got to play Spot The Koala as we looked in the trees. Some had been brought in suffering from burns following bushfires, others had been attacked by dogs or hit by cars. Some had "wet bottom", a form of chlamydia (sp?). One particularly was a sorry sight. She was almost blind and would never leave the hospital. We watched a lady feed her with a milk solution, and the koala was the most animated we've ever seen one. It was quite amusing. Anne got all soppy - I doubt she'll ever want to eat a koala sandwich again.
Later that same day, we were walking to town when Anne slipped on a metal grate and fell like a sack of potatoes. I didn't have a chance to try to save her, though obviously I would have done my best had I had time. She fell on her hip and elbow, and got a wet bottom. I offered to take her to the koala hospital to see what they could do, but she refused medical attention. There was nothing I could do - Anne's and awkward patient. She soldiered on, moaning. It was raining, and didn't stop raining before we went to bed (past ten this time!)
So are we coping? We're pretty fussy people, so I guess it will take us a while to get out of our routines. Many of the other backpackers seem to be gaunt and unhealthy, with persistent coughs, so we're determined not to fall into similar habits. Most are also well under 25, so we're feeling pretty old. But this morning was nice and hot and sunny. We wandered around Port Macquarie, and sat on a bench reading our books in the sun - glorious. The coast here is pretty spectacular, with some big waves. I think at one point we may have even started to relax!
So, on to Coff's Harbour by coach in an hour or so. We're spending two nights there (and then have at least two nights at each stop until Brisbane) so we can slow our pace a little. Go, laid back us.
But after a three hour journey (US Marshals on the video - I didn't watch it) we arrived in Newcastle. It wasn't raining, but it was very windy. The hostel was nice - a heritage building, big staircase and roaring fire. We immediately signed up for a free meal at a local Irish pub - they get the backpackers in by giving them a free meal and the backpackers buy drinks. Everyone wins.
We met in reception at 6.30pm, and walked to the pub with ten others (in line). Anne didn't like this. It reminded us of ITV's Club Reps programme and we half expected to be made to sing dirty songs. We were feeling quite antisocial. Oh dear - bad us. When we got to the bar the free sausage and mash was just fine, and we got talking to an Aussie couple who were travelling around. We left after two drinks and were in bed by nine (after sitting reading by the fire for a bit).
Next morning were were catching a coach to Port Macquarie at 10. I got in a strop when we didn't have milk for coffee. Grrrr - need my morning coffee. I was being irrational and calmed down after a bit, but realised I need to change my routines and work out what I need and don't need. We bought milk when we got to Port Macquarie - job done.
On Tuesday afternoon, just after we arrived, we went to a Koala Hospital, run by volunteers. There was some information to read (which Anne, as ever, lapped up in style of Number 5 from Short Circuit) and then there were several pens with trees in. We got to play Spot The Koala as we looked in the trees. Some had been brought in suffering from burns following bushfires, others had been attacked by dogs or hit by cars. Some had "wet bottom", a form of chlamydia (sp?). One particularly was a sorry sight. She was almost blind and would never leave the hospital. We watched a lady feed her with a milk solution, and the koala was the most animated we've ever seen one. It was quite amusing. Anne got all soppy - I doubt she'll ever want to eat a koala sandwich again.
Later that same day, we were walking to town when Anne slipped on a metal grate and fell like a sack of potatoes. I didn't have a chance to try to save her, though obviously I would have done my best had I had time. She fell on her hip and elbow, and got a wet bottom. I offered to take her to the koala hospital to see what they could do, but she refused medical attention. There was nothing I could do - Anne's and awkward patient. She soldiered on, moaning. It was raining, and didn't stop raining before we went to bed (past ten this time!)
So are we coping? We're pretty fussy people, so I guess it will take us a while to get out of our routines. Many of the other backpackers seem to be gaunt and unhealthy, with persistent coughs, so we're determined not to fall into similar habits. Most are also well under 25, so we're feeling pretty old. But this morning was nice and hot and sunny. We wandered around Port Macquarie, and sat on a bench reading our books in the sun - glorious. The coast here is pretty spectacular, with some big waves. I think at one point we may have even started to relax!
So, on to Coff's Harbour by coach in an hour or so. We're spending two nights there (and then have at least two nights at each stop until Brisbane) so we can slow our pace a little. Go, laid back us.
Friday, May 23, 2003
A man of leisure
Yay - no more work for me. I left The ABC on Wednesday. Quite an experience there. I was working on improving the processes in a few areas, and was designing diggy Excel spreadsheets to do lots of cool things. (Remember that this is accountancy so "cool" is a relative term.) I borrowed a book from Andrew and Shae on Excel programming and have now taught myself macros and VBA to a reasonable level. After I'd designed a sheet, full of whizzy macros for the petty cash officer I went through it with her and taught her how to use it. It was clear to me that this spreadsheet would save her a lot of time and make her record keeping better. I'd made it idiot proof so she couldn't corrupt it - only the cells she needed to type in were unprotected, and there were double checks and validations everywhere. Anyway, I didn't want to scare her off as she's quite a nervous person, so I took it slow and walked her through the process. After the first day, it was clear that this would cut her work by a huge amount, so I was surprised when she said, "Yes it's good, but I don't think I'll be able to use it." Oh dear. I asked what was wrong and said that I'd change it to her specifications. She said that she was worried that if she used this spreadsheet she'd have nothing to do for much of the day. And that attitude pretty much summed up the culture there, and, I've heard, at many public services. So long as you fill your day it doesn't matter how inefficient you are. Grrrr! I didn't tell her that her boss was looking to throw more work her way, but I was pleased that by the time I left the cashier's office was running smoothly with my program, and she seemed happy.
I was also working on another department, where I was hindered at every step by the guy I was trying to help. He was such an arse, and seemed to think I was there to make his life more difficult. If he'd given me the time and support I needed I could have cut his workload and made his life easier, but as it is I had to leave that to my replacement (whom I advised to go over this guy's head and not to rely on him).
So having finished work, I am now unemployed - hurrah! We have a few days to sort things out, and then we start our trek up the coast to Brisbane, where we'll meet up with my mum.
Today and yesterday I've been sorting out accommodation and coach trips between Sydney and Brisbane - we leave for Newcastle (about three hours north) on Monday, after our flat's been inspected.
After a nice meal in a Spanish restaurant, we went to our final quiz at our local bar last night. Richard came too, so of course we won (we need him for the music and sport questions!) I was touched when the quizmaster gave us a big pack of Tim ams as a leaving gift (if you've read my praise for these Aussie biscuits you'll know why I was so happy). We stayed afterwards and chatted with him and the quiz regulars after. I'll miss the routine of our regular Thursday quiz. In the three months we've been here we've not missed one Thursday, and have won all but two times. Creatures of habit, us.
So now our routines are gone. Travelling is, by its nature, a haphazard and disorganised affair. It's apt then that we have our two week journey to Brisbane planned with military precision, and have accommodation booked for most of our stops. Ahem. One step at a time I say. Maybe by next February I'll have relaxed, and will wander round singing "Hakuna Matata" (sp?) all day. (It means "no worries".)
(When I say we have the journey planned with military precision, I'm saying it's planned well. Looking at the number of "friendly fire" incidents and other PR disasters in the recent Gulf War you may think the term an oxymoron.)
I was also working on another department, where I was hindered at every step by the guy I was trying to help. He was such an arse, and seemed to think I was there to make his life more difficult. If he'd given me the time and support I needed I could have cut his workload and made his life easier, but as it is I had to leave that to my replacement (whom I advised to go over this guy's head and not to rely on him).
So having finished work, I am now unemployed - hurrah! We have a few days to sort things out, and then we start our trek up the coast to Brisbane, where we'll meet up with my mum.
Today and yesterday I've been sorting out accommodation and coach trips between Sydney and Brisbane - we leave for Newcastle (about three hours north) on Monday, after our flat's been inspected.
After a nice meal in a Spanish restaurant, we went to our final quiz at our local bar last night. Richard came too, so of course we won (we need him for the music and sport questions!) I was touched when the quizmaster gave us a big pack of Tim ams as a leaving gift (if you've read my praise for these Aussie biscuits you'll know why I was so happy). We stayed afterwards and chatted with him and the quiz regulars after. I'll miss the routine of our regular Thursday quiz. In the three months we've been here we've not missed one Thursday, and have won all but two times. Creatures of habit, us.
So now our routines are gone. Travelling is, by its nature, a haphazard and disorganised affair. It's apt then that we have our two week journey to Brisbane planned with military precision, and have accommodation booked for most of our stops. Ahem. One step at a time I say. Maybe by next February I'll have relaxed, and will wander round singing "Hakuna Matata" (sp?) all day. (It means "no worries".)
(When I say we have the journey planned with military precision, I'm saying it's planned well. Looking at the number of "friendly fire" incidents and other PR disasters in the recent Gulf War you may think the term an oxymoron.)
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Ah, extreme odd trial
That's an anagram.
Of The Matrix Reloaded. This is my review. We saw it at the flicks on Saturday afternoon (and brilliantly escaped the rain). I loved the first film. I liked it at the cinema, but I've seen it on DVD a few times since and I think I like it even more now. It's so stylish and original, and Keanu Reeves does really well as a dazed and confused Neo.
So the first of the two sequels (next one out in November!) Was I excited? Probably not as much as I was with the second X Men film, since the first one was really good without blowing me away, and it was clear that the sequel could be just as good. There was nothing that original or different about X Men - it's just a retelling of an old comic book. With The Matirx I thought they'd have to go a long way to equal it, so I wasn't expecting miracles.
So I'd have to say that I wasn't that disappointed since I was expecting to be disappointed. If you follow me.
The film's exciting, and fun, and there are some great bits (the freeway chase, especially). However, there's very much a "seen it before" feeling. Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith seems to have been relegated to comic relief, since seeing so many clones of him is just amusing and you never really feel he's going to duff up Neo good and proper. Equally Neo doesn't seem as kick-ass as he was at the end of the last one. I suppose the fight scenes wouldn't have been as good if he just moved his arms around nonchalantly.
And as I was expecting, whilst Keanu Reeves was perfect for a Neo who didn't quite understand what was going on in the first film, he's less well cast as a saviour and superhero.
The effects are good, but watching CG people running around often feels like you're watching a cartoon. During Neo's fight with multiple Smiths I was in turns amazed and bored by the technology. The scenes of Neo flying were great, and made me wish they'd hurry up and get the new Superman movie into production. Alas it seems that's not going to happen for a while. (They should get Nicolas Cage back on board for that too.)
Back to TMR, there's too much rubbish philosophy in the film, especially in the first half hour. "But what is control? Do we control machines or do they control us? Ahhhhhhh - do you see? Ahhhh." There is some good stuff though, especially with a discussion of Neo's purpose as "The One" near the end, which changes your understanding of the films (I don't think I fully understood it, however).
So not a disaster, but not an equal to the first one. The original was a five star movie, but this one's just a three star one. That's probably a bit unfair on the film, since it's being judged in relation to it's predecessor, but I never claimed to be fair. Perhaps it will seem better once the trilogy's complete.
Of The Matrix Reloaded. This is my review. We saw it at the flicks on Saturday afternoon (and brilliantly escaped the rain). I loved the first film. I liked it at the cinema, but I've seen it on DVD a few times since and I think I like it even more now. It's so stylish and original, and Keanu Reeves does really well as a dazed and confused Neo.
So the first of the two sequels (next one out in November!) Was I excited? Probably not as much as I was with the second X Men film, since the first one was really good without blowing me away, and it was clear that the sequel could be just as good. There was nothing that original or different about X Men - it's just a retelling of an old comic book. With The Matirx I thought they'd have to go a long way to equal it, so I wasn't expecting miracles.
So I'd have to say that I wasn't that disappointed since I was expecting to be disappointed. If you follow me.
The film's exciting, and fun, and there are some great bits (the freeway chase, especially). However, there's very much a "seen it before" feeling. Hugo Weaving's Agent Smith seems to have been relegated to comic relief, since seeing so many clones of him is just amusing and you never really feel he's going to duff up Neo good and proper. Equally Neo doesn't seem as kick-ass as he was at the end of the last one. I suppose the fight scenes wouldn't have been as good if he just moved his arms around nonchalantly.
And as I was expecting, whilst Keanu Reeves was perfect for a Neo who didn't quite understand what was going on in the first film, he's less well cast as a saviour and superhero.
The effects are good, but watching CG people running around often feels like you're watching a cartoon. During Neo's fight with multiple Smiths I was in turns amazed and bored by the technology. The scenes of Neo flying were great, and made me wish they'd hurry up and get the new Superman movie into production. Alas it seems that's not going to happen for a while. (They should get Nicolas Cage back on board for that too.)
Back to TMR, there's too much rubbish philosophy in the film, especially in the first half hour. "But what is control? Do we control machines or do they control us? Ahhhhhhh - do you see? Ahhhh." There is some good stuff though, especially with a discussion of Neo's purpose as "The One" near the end, which changes your understanding of the films (I don't think I fully understood it, however).
So not a disaster, but not an equal to the first one. The original was a five star movie, but this one's just a three star one. That's probably a bit unfair on the film, since it's being judged in relation to it's predecessor, but I never claimed to be fair. Perhaps it will seem better once the trilogy's complete.
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
A bit of rambling about our plans
We'll be leaving Sydney next Monday and starting Stage Three of the Big Adventure - travelling anticlockwise around Australia from Sydney. (Stage One was Tokyo, Stage Two: living and working in Sydney - keep up at the back!) We'll be giving up what little security we have with our jobs, our cosy little studio flat and the people we know in Sydney. We are quite (as in completely) excited. I've no idea how we'll fill our days.
Once we've left Sydney I won't be in internet cafes so much (indeed, can't afford to be - they're more expensive outside the big cities). This blog will probably change from a place for my rambling thoughts with diary also to a travel diary proper. This will please a number of you.
Australian youth hostels tend to be pretty good, so there's no need to pity us too much. Unless we have to, we won't be staying in dorms - we're in our late twenties, so of course we're above the straight-from-uni travellers who come to Oz for the sole purpose of destroying their livers and we don't fancy sharing a room with them.
I'm a little worried that will mean we're less sociable than other travellers (he says, having just snobbishly put down a majority of the travellers here). There's less motivation to chat to strangers when traveling in a couple. When you're travelling alone you have to talk to others to keep from going mad. It may be that we find that we too have to talk to others if we drive each other mad, of course.
We won't have a TV any more, so less of The Simpsons for us (and fewer movies too - sob). Some youth hostels have a wazzark lantern in the common room, but you have to put up with what other people are watching. (What am I saying? It's more than likely to be The Simpsons - that show is always on, and is internationally loved.)
For the moment though, it's time to start getting things in order here. My job finished today (huzzah!) and Anne's ends on Friday. My mum's coming to Oz to travel around a bit so we're timing it so we meet her in Brisbane. With our recent weekend hikes I may even be able to keep up with her - she usually wears me out when we go walking with her.
Once we've left Sydney I won't be in internet cafes so much (indeed, can't afford to be - they're more expensive outside the big cities). This blog will probably change from a place for my rambling thoughts with diary also to a travel diary proper. This will please a number of you.
Australian youth hostels tend to be pretty good, so there's no need to pity us too much. Unless we have to, we won't be staying in dorms - we're in our late twenties, so of course we're above the straight-from-uni travellers who come to Oz for the sole purpose of destroying their livers and we don't fancy sharing a room with them.
I'm a little worried that will mean we're less sociable than other travellers (he says, having just snobbishly put down a majority of the travellers here). There's less motivation to chat to strangers when traveling in a couple. When you're travelling alone you have to talk to others to keep from going mad. It may be that we find that we too have to talk to others if we drive each other mad, of course.
We won't have a TV any more, so less of The Simpsons for us (and fewer movies too - sob). Some youth hostels have a wazzark lantern in the common room, but you have to put up with what other people are watching. (What am I saying? It's more than likely to be The Simpsons - that show is always on, and is internationally loved.)
For the moment though, it's time to start getting things in order here. My job finished today (huzzah!) and Anne's ends on Friday. My mum's coming to Oz to travel around a bit so we're timing it so we meet her in Brisbane. With our recent weekend hikes I may even be able to keep up with her - she usually wears me out when we go walking with her.
Monday, May 19, 2003
A visit from the police
On Sunday night, at about 10.30, the mad couple next door started another big row. We couldn't hear the bloke but the girl was screaming like crazy and there was a lot of banging. We were tired of it by now and concerned about the violence. When I threatened to call the police last time the girl said she didn't want that. I didn't threaten this time, I just called them, and they came about 20 minutes later.
Between the time I called the police and the time they arrived, the couple on the other side of the mad couple complained about the noise. I went out to have a nose and lend my support and the guy was outside saying that he wasn't hitting her and his girlfriend was hitting him. I really don't know what to believe, but was getting sick of it. He was very desperate for us not to call the police (I didn't tell him they were on their way) but when he went back in the rowing didn't stop.
When four policemen arrived (we buzzed them in when we saw them on the security camera channel on our telly!) Anne and I stood by our door listening in, and it was one of the weirdest conversations we'd heard. Certainly not the sort of thing you hear on The Bill (which The Aussies adore!) Two talked to the guy inside the flat, and two brought the girl out into the hall and talked to her. They were both drunk, though she was speaking clearly. She moaned about her man for a while, and said that he goes out wearing one shirt and comes back in another. She said he's seeing another woman in the building - a "55 year old big Italian Mama" (they're both in their early thirties, maybe late twenties). When the police asked if she worked she said she didn't as there was no point, then went into a tirade about wages in coffee shops.
We then heard a foul-mouthed outburst when another resident came out of the lift. She screamed at him, calling him a "troublemaker" for calling the police and suggested he was homosexual. This was all while the police were there! Those poor coppers had the patience of saints.
The policeman said they'd have to keep the noise down, else they'll be back. He said, "if we go are you going to keep on rowing?" Our jaws dropped when she said she may murder him. The policeman paused before saying, "don't say that. You're not serious are you?" and she went into a long speech about how she'd thought about it, but then everyone wants to murder someone at times. We expected her to be carted off at this point, but amazingly she wasn't.
The policeman suggested she seek help, and try to find somewhere else to live, but she refused, saying that she'd end up in "the projects" (state funded housing) and the people who lived there were absolute scum. I couldn't believe she was saying this and would pity anyone who had to live next door to her.
I say the girl was speaking clearly, but at times she was talking absolute rubbish. She started telling the police about the angels in heaven at one point (not connecting it at all with her situation) and at one point said that she was so angry that she was shivering her timbers. I think I nearly revealed my location at this point by laughing out loud.
It was a nasty experience, and though some of it was very funny, we felt very sorry for the situation these people were in and sad that they seemed to have accepted it and had no intention of doing anything about it. Sad sods.
Mind you, we were the ones cowering behind our door in turns giggling and being horrified at what we were hearing. Who are the sad sods?
The police came to our flat afterwards (giving the game away quite spectacularly - our neighbours will now know for sure who called them!) and told us to call if there was any more trouble and that the couple were well known to them. To be fair, whilst we hear them a fair bit it only explodes like that about once a fortnight. We didn't hear much more from next door for the rest of the night, and will be out of there in a week. Yay!
Between the time I called the police and the time they arrived, the couple on the other side of the mad couple complained about the noise. I went out to have a nose and lend my support and the guy was outside saying that he wasn't hitting her and his girlfriend was hitting him. I really don't know what to believe, but was getting sick of it. He was very desperate for us not to call the police (I didn't tell him they were on their way) but when he went back in the rowing didn't stop.
When four policemen arrived (we buzzed them in when we saw them on the security camera channel on our telly!) Anne and I stood by our door listening in, and it was one of the weirdest conversations we'd heard. Certainly not the sort of thing you hear on The Bill (which The Aussies adore!) Two talked to the guy inside the flat, and two brought the girl out into the hall and talked to her. They were both drunk, though she was speaking clearly. She moaned about her man for a while, and said that he goes out wearing one shirt and comes back in another. She said he's seeing another woman in the building - a "55 year old big Italian Mama" (they're both in their early thirties, maybe late twenties). When the police asked if she worked she said she didn't as there was no point, then went into a tirade about wages in coffee shops.
We then heard a foul-mouthed outburst when another resident came out of the lift. She screamed at him, calling him a "troublemaker" for calling the police and suggested he was homosexual. This was all while the police were there! Those poor coppers had the patience of saints.
The policeman said they'd have to keep the noise down, else they'll be back. He said, "if we go are you going to keep on rowing?" Our jaws dropped when she said she may murder him. The policeman paused before saying, "don't say that. You're not serious are you?" and she went into a long speech about how she'd thought about it, but then everyone wants to murder someone at times. We expected her to be carted off at this point, but amazingly she wasn't.
The policeman suggested she seek help, and try to find somewhere else to live, but she refused, saying that she'd end up in "the projects" (state funded housing) and the people who lived there were absolute scum. I couldn't believe she was saying this and would pity anyone who had to live next door to her.
I say the girl was speaking clearly, but at times she was talking absolute rubbish. She started telling the police about the angels in heaven at one point (not connecting it at all with her situation) and at one point said that she was so angry that she was shivering her timbers. I think I nearly revealed my location at this point by laughing out loud.
It was a nasty experience, and though some of it was very funny, we felt very sorry for the situation these people were in and sad that they seemed to have accepted it and had no intention of doing anything about it. Sad sods.
Mind you, we were the ones cowering behind our door in turns giggling and being horrified at what we were hearing. Who are the sad sods?
The police came to our flat afterwards (giving the game away quite spectacularly - our neighbours will now know for sure who called them!) and told us to call if there was any more trouble and that the couple were well known to them. To be fair, whilst we hear them a fair bit it only explodes like that about once a fortnight. We didn't hear much more from next door for the rest of the night, and will be out of there in a week. Yay!
Tuesday movie review
As Anne said yesterday, I won't review The Matrix Reloaded until it's released in the UK because I'm nice.
Which means only one review today: Man On The Moon the biopic of Andy Kaufmann. This is a reasonable movie, and pretty amusing in places. I'd rarely seen Taxi and wasn't very familiar with Kaufmann's comedy. The film seems to ask, was he a madman or a genius? I'd say neither. He seems to be a pretty mediocre comedian, though he obviously caught the US's attention at some point so maybe he had something.
I liked that they got a lot of the cast of Taxi back to play themselves when they we younger (though without enough screen time to make it look ridiculous). Great REM soundtrack too. Three stars.
Which means only one review today: Man On The Moon the biopic of Andy Kaufmann. This is a reasonable movie, and pretty amusing in places. I'd rarely seen Taxi and wasn't very familiar with Kaufmann's comedy. The film seems to ask, was he a madman or a genius? I'd say neither. He seems to be a pretty mediocre comedian, though he obviously caught the US's attention at some point so maybe he had something.
I liked that they got a lot of the cast of Taxi back to play themselves when they we younger (though without enough screen time to make it look ridiculous). Great REM soundtrack too. Three stars.
Sunday, May 18, 2003
More photos
I've added a batch of new photos to the Yahoo photo album today (link to left). Annoyingly, when I went through and rotated the ones that were on their side they got put to the end (as the most recently added) and so some are now out of order. Grrr.
Thursday, May 15, 2003
Release a book today
I've been told about a great web-site called Bookcrossing.com. What you do is sign up, and then leave books you've finished with in public places with a note inside and someone else can pick them up and register what they're doing with the. A cool idea when it works. Sign up today using this link with me as your referer (My "Screen name" is Oz-Traveller). Once I start travelling I hope to get through lots of books, so this could be a good way to get free ones.
Do "traveller" and "travelling" have one "L" or two? Different spell chacks are telling me different things and I've just got confused.
Do "traveller" and "travelling" have one "L" or two? Different spell chacks are telling me different things and I've just got confused.
Jobless and homeless (in just over a week)
We've given notice on our flat, and I've given notice at work. Yay! We'll be off travelling soon and are dead excited.
After me thinking my boss might be a bit of a git about it he has, of course, been fine. I clearly worry too much. I now have less than a week left and (bar any casual work we may do on our way round Oz) I now won't be working until next February at the earliest (assuming no disasters force us to change our plans) (and assuming we don't find we hate travelling!)
After me thinking my boss might be a bit of a git about it he has, of course, been fine. I clearly worry too much. I now have less than a week left and (bar any casual work we may do on our way round Oz) I now won't be working until next February at the earliest (assuming no disasters force us to change our plans) (and assuming we don't find we hate travelling!)
Go us
Last night was our penultimate quiz night at The Brighton Bar on Oxford Street. We've been every Thursday we've been in Sydney and it's been great fun. We won by a silly amount last night so got the $40 bottle shop voucher. If we win next week we'll just buy everyone a drink since we won't be able to carry all that "grog" in our backpacks.
Not that winning is a foregone conclusion anymore. We've now not come first twice. Last week we came third (sob).
This quiz has been a great way to meet the locals. The manager of the bar has been an invaluable source of info on the Aussies, and all the regulars at the quiz (including the quiz master) are really friendly. Funnily we probabl;y feel more part of the "community" here than we have done in Ealing thanks to this quiz. (We started going to one in Ealing, but they stopped it after a few weeks.)
Not that winning is a foregone conclusion anymore. We've now not come first twice. Last week we came third (sob).
This quiz has been a great way to meet the locals. The manager of the bar has been an invaluable source of info on the Aussies, and all the regulars at the quiz (including the quiz master) are really friendly. Funnily we probabl;y feel more part of the "community" here than we have done in Ealing thanks to this quiz. (We started going to one in Ealing, but they stopped it after a few weeks.)
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Published again
Following last Wednesday's 650 essay on plastic bag taxes, I've now got a letter in the Sydney Morning Herald. It's in response to yesterday's Heckler, which was about the two types of people on escalators - those who stand and those who climb. Obviously, I'm one of the latter. Here's a link to the letters (mine's some way down - search for "climber"), though that link will be out of date after today, so here's the letter:
Steps ahead of the upwardly mobile
I recognise myself as one of Janine Harrison's escalator "climbers" (Heckler, May 14). She claims we are of a more primitive mindset than our laggard companions - the cruisers.
I've often looked at this dull, motionless lot with pity. They must, I imagine, be so exhausted from sitting on a train that, having travelled a good 30 metres from their seat, they need a rest. Perhaps their lives are so futile that they know that it doesn't matter a jot when they reach their destination, since no one will notice their presence.
The climbers bound up the stairway with joy in every step. "Hurrah - a new day has begun. All rejoice with me," we seem to be singing as we skip gaily up.
Like Janine, I've chosen my team. May the more nimble win.
Stephen Taylor, Darlinghurst, May 14.
Steps ahead of the upwardly mobile
I recognise myself as one of Janine Harrison's escalator "climbers" (Heckler, May 14). She claims we are of a more primitive mindset than our laggard companions - the cruisers.
I've often looked at this dull, motionless lot with pity. They must, I imagine, be so exhausted from sitting on a train that, having travelled a good 30 metres from their seat, they need a rest. Perhaps their lives are so futile that they know that it doesn't matter a jot when they reach their destination, since no one will notice their presence.
The climbers bound up the stairway with joy in every step. "Hurrah - a new day has begun. All rejoice with me," we seem to be singing as we skip gaily up.
Like Janine, I've chosen my team. May the more nimble win.
Stephen Taylor, Darlinghurst, May 14.
Budget time
The federal budget was announced yesterday. No red briefcase outside Number Ten for these cats, just straight-talking down in Canberra.
Tax is a hot point in Australia. The Aussies are always complaining about tax from what I can see. I think this comes from a distrust of government in general. Despite this distrust, Aussies are pretty law-abiding and, after a good moan, go along with what their government says. I've read that this complaining about the government whilst doing exactly what they're told can be traced back to their convict origins, but I'd say that's a bit of a stretch, especially given that about 50% of the population has arrived in the last 50
years or so.
Anyway, yesterday income tax was lowered for all, partly thanks to more tax coming in through the Goods And Services Tax (GST), which was introduced a few years ago (amid much wailing and gnashing of teeth). This is a sales tax like the UK's VAT, but the rate is lower Â? 10%. The across-the-board income tax cut benefits the wealthy more than the poor, so it's a pretty crappy measure.
There's going to be a Federal Election later this year, in case you were wondering.
Of course, defence got a boost in the budget thanks to "The Times In Which We Live". The recent defence-budget-justification-exercise in the Gulf seems to have done its job and arms manufacturers are grinning all the way to Armageddon.
The papers are saying the public health service - Medicare - should have got more investment. From the sound of things it's not in a great state (much like the NHS). I'd like free dental care to be introduced, since I've just lost a filling. I phoned around some dentists this morning and I think it's going to cost me about 100 quid to get it replaced, and that's if I'm lucky and it doesn't need a lot of work. Grrr! I could do without this expense, especially since I've just forked out for new contact lenses.
Perhaps I should rescind my resignation from my job at the ABC? Nah - of course I'd rather travel, even if it does mean no income. We leave in a under two weeks! I guess it's budget time for Anne and me too.
Tax is a hot point in Australia. The Aussies are always complaining about tax from what I can see. I think this comes from a distrust of government in general. Despite this distrust, Aussies are pretty law-abiding and, after a good moan, go along with what their government says. I've read that this complaining about the government whilst doing exactly what they're told can be traced back to their convict origins, but I'd say that's a bit of a stretch, especially given that about 50% of the population has arrived in the last 50
years or so.
Anyway, yesterday income tax was lowered for all, partly thanks to more tax coming in through the Goods And Services Tax (GST), which was introduced a few years ago (amid much wailing and gnashing of teeth). This is a sales tax like the UK's VAT, but the rate is lower Â? 10%. The across-the-board income tax cut benefits the wealthy more than the poor, so it's a pretty crappy measure.
There's going to be a Federal Election later this year, in case you were wondering.
Of course, defence got a boost in the budget thanks to "The Times In Which We Live". The recent defence-budget-justification-exercise in the Gulf seems to have done its job and arms manufacturers are grinning all the way to Armageddon.
The papers are saying the public health service - Medicare - should have got more investment. From the sound of things it's not in a great state (much like the NHS). I'd like free dental care to be introduced, since I've just lost a filling. I phoned around some dentists this morning and I think it's going to cost me about 100 quid to get it replaced, and that's if I'm lucky and it doesn't need a lot of work. Grrr! I could do without this expense, especially since I've just forked out for new contact lenses.
Perhaps I should rescind my resignation from my job at the ABC? Nah - of course I'd rather travel, even if it does mean no income. We leave in a under two weeks! I guess it's budget time for Anne and me too.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
A saturated solution
It's been pouring with rain for a couple of days now. Grrr. This morning I could barely see out of the window - the rain was that heavy. However, it had died down a bit when I left the house, and I had an umbrella and a slightly water-resistant jacket so I was OK. I was nearly at work when I thought "Ha! I've beaten the weather. The torrential rain has proved no match for my umbrella and slightly water-resistant jacket. Look at me - I'm as dry as can be!"
At just that moment a bloody great bus drove through a puddle right next to me and soaked my trousers through and through. There were loads of people near me, and yet I was the only one who got wet. I swear I saw a smile of the bus driver's face.
I tried to pull off this disaster with style and grace, but wasn't sure how to look nonchalant when my trousers were dripping water.
Not a good start to the day on which I'm going to really annoy my boss by giving a week's notice.
At just that moment a bloody great bus drove through a puddle right next to me and soaked my trousers through and through. There were loads of people near me, and yet I was the only one who got wet. I swear I saw a smile of the bus driver's face.
I tried to pull off this disaster with style and grace, but wasn't sure how to look nonchalant when my trousers were dripping water.
Not a good start to the day on which I'm going to really annoy my boss by giving a week's notice.
Misspellers of the world untie
I've figured out why I'm getting so many visits from people searching for "Delta Goodrum". It's because I've misspelt Delta Goodrem and so people who also misspell it (by putting a u into the last name where the e should be) have a greater chance of getting my page (or another page which similarly misspells the name) than a proper site. The influx seems to have stopped now - perhaps everyone else but me can now spell.
I'm sure I looked it up when I first wrote it, but I guess whatever site I looked at had also got it wrong.
I'm sure I looked it up when I first wrote it, but I guess whatever site I looked at had also got it wrong.
Footbrawl - the angry Aussie
The Aussies like their sports, and why not - the weather's generally pretty good out here, and the TV's pretty bad, so spending time outside is the better option. However, they don't appear to be the laid back race I'd been led to believe by the Fosters and Castlemaine XXXX ads. Every Monday the news is full of football (AFL) and rugby players who are waiting for the sports judiciary to decide their fates following violence during the weekend matches. Two weekends ago an Aussie Rules footy match descended into an all-out scrap! I know this happens in the UK sometimes too, and our soccer players certainly aren't the most placid chaps, but this is every week, and there are usually a good four or five players in trouble. We've seen numerous eye-gouging incidents, plenty of "collisions" with the ref, and a whole host of punches, kicks and pushes. (I've not heard much about fan violence here, so perhaps the fights are kept on the pitches, unlike in the UK.)
And it't not just in sport that the Aussies could do with demonstrating some anger management techniques - they're very aggressive drivers too. They use their horns a lot, and reports of road rage incidents are common. There was a report recently of a man barging a woman off the road, dragging her out of her car, beating her and raping her. Blimey - no need for that! Hardly the "no worries" attitude to life I was expecting.
I put this to a taxi driver when I was on a trip for work. He said that the Aussies used to be laid back, but because of immigration since WW2 nearly half the population were only second generation Aussies or newer, and that has changed the make up of the population. I don't have the information to check his figures, but that would be a very large proportion of recent immigrants. I wonder if he's right. He did say that things are more relaxed outside the big cities, which I suppose is inevitable.
Still doesn't justify the racism that is rife in a country where the vast majority of the population are themselves immigrants.
Violent crime is fairly common, though I can't say whether it's more common than elsewhere. What is amusing though is they call a mugging a "bashing" as in "an old lady was bashed today as she walked home from the shops." An unpleasant meaning, but trust the Aussies to give it a funny name.
And it't not just in sport that the Aussies could do with demonstrating some anger management techniques - they're very aggressive drivers too. They use their horns a lot, and reports of road rage incidents are common. There was a report recently of a man barging a woman off the road, dragging her out of her car, beating her and raping her. Blimey - no need for that! Hardly the "no worries" attitude to life I was expecting.
I put this to a taxi driver when I was on a trip for work. He said that the Aussies used to be laid back, but because of immigration since WW2 nearly half the population were only second generation Aussies or newer, and that has changed the make up of the population. I don't have the information to check his figures, but that would be a very large proportion of recent immigrants. I wonder if he's right. He did say that things are more relaxed outside the big cities, which I suppose is inevitable.
Still doesn't justify the racism that is rife in a country where the vast majority of the population are themselves immigrants.
Violent crime is fairly common, though I can't say whether it's more common than elsewhere. What is amusing though is they call a mugging a "bashing" as in "an old lady was bashed today as she walked home from the shops." An unpleasant meaning, but trust the Aussies to give it a funny name.
Aussie Film Week
For once the movie reviews are actually relevant to our Big Adventure, since the three films we saw this week are all Aussie films. All were on video, and first up was a film Richard brought round: Two Hands. This was released in about 1999 and stars Heath Ledger as a bouncer in a Kings Cross strip club, trying to work his way up in the Sydney underworld. Kings Cross is the red light district of Sydney, popular with travellers as it's cheap and has lots of hostels. We've reasonably familiar with it (we looked at flats there) so it was good to see it on film. The action takes place at various places around the city, many of which we recognised. Aussie films made in Sydney seem to be keen to avoid showing the opera house and bridge - presumably they are just for the tourists. It's a good, enjoyable film and gains half a star since we recognised some of the locations. Three and a half stars.
Next up, Crackerjack - a comedy about a Bowls club with comedian Mick Molloy. He plays guy who is a member of a bowls club simply to get a city parking space, and is roped into a tournament when the club hits hard times. Lots of jokes about the old people's sport and pretty amiable. Nothing you've not seen before, but well made and a decent gentle comedy. Three stars.
The third film in our Aussie Trilogy - Rabbit Proof Fence. This was out in the UK a bit before we came away, and is directed by Phillip Noyce. It's about the "stolen Generations" of Aborigines. Right up until the seventies half-caste children were removed from their Aboriginal families and put into camps to train them in white-ways "for their own good" This attempt to breed to Aboriginal out of the children is astounding and, naturally, is something the Aussies aren't proud of. At the time, however, they genuinely seemed to believe it was for the children's own good. This story follows three such kidnapped kids as they escape and try to get home on a 1500 mile journey along a fence (a rabbit proof one). The film's good and at ninety minutes doesn't have time to drag. Kenneth Brannagh is very good as the "protector" of the Aboriginals (i.e. the one responsible for implementing the cruel policy, and for looking for the escapees). The astounding story overwhelms the film a little, and it's hard to really comprehend how far these kids have walked. Four stars.
The Matrix Reloaded comes out here on Friday - yay! We'll try to see it at the weekend. I suppose that that's kind of an Aussie film too (filmed here). But doesn't really count.
Next up, Crackerjack - a comedy about a Bowls club with comedian Mick Molloy. He plays guy who is a member of a bowls club simply to get a city parking space, and is roped into a tournament when the club hits hard times. Lots of jokes about the old people's sport and pretty amiable. Nothing you've not seen before, but well made and a decent gentle comedy. Three stars.
The third film in our Aussie Trilogy - Rabbit Proof Fence. This was out in the UK a bit before we came away, and is directed by Phillip Noyce. It's about the "stolen Generations" of Aborigines. Right up until the seventies half-caste children were removed from their Aboriginal families and put into camps to train them in white-ways "for their own good" This attempt to breed to Aboriginal out of the children is astounding and, naturally, is something the Aussies aren't proud of. At the time, however, they genuinely seemed to believe it was for the children's own good. This story follows three such kidnapped kids as they escape and try to get home on a 1500 mile journey along a fence (a rabbit proof one). The film's good and at ninety minutes doesn't have time to drag. Kenneth Brannagh is very good as the "protector" of the Aboriginals (i.e. the one responsible for implementing the cruel policy, and for looking for the escapees). The astounding story overwhelms the film a little, and it's hard to really comprehend how far these kids have walked. Four stars.
The Matrix Reloaded comes out here on Friday - yay! We'll try to see it at the weekend. I suppose that that's kind of an Aussie film too (filmed here). But doesn't really count.
Monday, May 12, 2003
Danger, danger - low voltage!
Following Anne's post on Sunday with the story about her not conducting any electricity, I was wondering if there could be a commercial use for such a person. Any suggestions would be welcome - I could make my fortune yet...
Losing my brain?
I'm having a crisis of confidence. Having completed the weekend Herald cryptic crossword two weeks in a row I began to get cocky. I thought I was invincible. I was walking down the street with a new-found swagger which said to the public, "Look at me, go on - look at me. Ask me anything. I'm a cryptic crossword mastermind I am."
My comeuppance was not long coming. This weekend I could only complete half of the crossword (I know it was half because I counted). And today's is going even worse. What is happening to me?
Mind you, I've entered the prize crossword competition three times now, and haven't won the Macquarie Dictionary. What are the chances of that happening?
My comeuppance was not long coming. This weekend I could only complete half of the crossword (I know it was half because I counted). And today's is going even worse. What is happening to me?
Mind you, I've entered the prize crossword competition three times now, and haven't won the Macquarie Dictionary. What are the chances of that happening?
Thursday, May 08, 2003
Sixties Nine letter
Here's the letter I sent to Streets a few weeks ago, following the suggestions on this site. I had the final ice cream the other week (Guava Lamp) which was OK, but if you're going to have a fruity ice cream, stick with a Solero I say. Thanks for the suggestions. No reply yet. I'm sure they're just running a feasibility study on them or something.
Dear Sir
I am a big fan of ice cream, and have enjoyed your Magnums for years. The Sixties Nine range this year has been especially good (even if the ads have been a bit racy!) I didn’t like the Candy Warhol one at all though – why “musk” flavoured ice cream? Isn’t “musk” something animals secrete?
My favourite is the ChocWork Orange, or the John Lemon.
I have thought of some more puns for ice creams you can add to your range. Here they are, along with some suggestions of what the ice creams would taste like.
Barley Harvey Oswald – perhaps the chocolate coating could have little bits of barley in, or the ice cream could taste of orange barley. Or lemon barley.
Cuban Missile Cassis - this one could be really nice!
Viet-Naan – This could taste of naan bread that you can get in Indian restaurants. I know this sounds bad, but the Candy Warhol one wasn’t nice either.
From Russia With Fudge – after the James Bond film “From Russia With Love”
Beam Me Up, Butterscotchy – this is like Mr Kirk says in Star Trek!
Apple-O 11 – Apollo 11 was the spaceship that landed on the moon. I don’t think you’ve done an apple Magnum yet.
Blackcherry Panthers – like the US militant group The Black Panthers. This could have black cherry ice-cream. If you didn’t want black cherry flavoured chocolate too you could have liquorice chocolate. Or blackcurrant flavoured chocolate as I don’t like liquorice and I don’t think many other people would.
Ice Cream of Jeanie – Like I Dream Of Jeanie. Plain vanilla for this one.
Elderflower Power – like Flower Power. This would have a white chocolate coating and would taste of elderflower. It might be shaped like a flower too!
A-Choc-alypse Now – instead of “Apocalypse Now”
I had a lot of fun coming up with these. If you decide to use any of these I don’t want any money, though some form of acknowledgement on the wrapper would be nice.
Yours faithfully
Stephen Taylor
Dear Sir
I am a big fan of ice cream, and have enjoyed your Magnums for years. The Sixties Nine range this year has been especially good (even if the ads have been a bit racy!) I didn’t like the Candy Warhol one at all though – why “musk” flavoured ice cream? Isn’t “musk” something animals secrete?
My favourite is the ChocWork Orange, or the John Lemon.
I have thought of some more puns for ice creams you can add to your range. Here they are, along with some suggestions of what the ice creams would taste like.
Barley Harvey Oswald – perhaps the chocolate coating could have little bits of barley in, or the ice cream could taste of orange barley. Or lemon barley.
Cuban Missile Cassis - this one could be really nice!
Viet-Naan – This could taste of naan bread that you can get in Indian restaurants. I know this sounds bad, but the Candy Warhol one wasn’t nice either.
From Russia With Fudge – after the James Bond film “From Russia With Love”
Beam Me Up, Butterscotchy – this is like Mr Kirk says in Star Trek!
Apple-O 11 – Apollo 11 was the spaceship that landed on the moon. I don’t think you’ve done an apple Magnum yet.
Blackcherry Panthers – like the US militant group The Black Panthers. This could have black cherry ice-cream. If you didn’t want black cherry flavoured chocolate too you could have liquorice chocolate. Or blackcurrant flavoured chocolate as I don’t like liquorice and I don’t think many other people would.
Ice Cream of Jeanie – Like I Dream Of Jeanie. Plain vanilla for this one.
Elderflower Power – like Flower Power. This would have a white chocolate coating and would taste of elderflower. It might be shaped like a flower too!
A-Choc-alypse Now – instead of “Apocalypse Now”
I had a lot of fun coming up with these. If you decide to use any of these I don’t want any money, though some form of acknowledgement on the wrapper would be nice.
Yours faithfully
Stephen Taylor
Big Bother
Big Brother started here a couple of weeks ago (the third Australian series, so I hear). There are two houses - a "round" house and a "square" house. I guess they'll try to shake things up by moving people between houses at some point. The nominations are different this year too - they ask the housemates for the two people they don't want to be evicted and then the two housemates with the fewest positive votes are up for nomination.
Other than that, same ol' same ol'.
Despite my explanation of the Aussie Big Brother nuances there, I've not watched more than a couple of minutes at a time. Having been a fan of the first two UK series I tired of the third and can't be bothered any more. The Aussie series isn't doing too well in the ratings, I gather, though it's a bit early to tell. It's on at 7pm every night (meaning Seinfeld is no longer on - grrr) which means all the swearing has to be beeped out. Since one of the houses seems to be filled with potty-mouths that makes for pretty tiresome viewing (unless you're into "dance" music and can get a vibe from the incessant beeping, I suppose).
I read in The Herald that they're filming the British show "I Wish I Was Still A Celebrity - Let Me On The Telly" somewhere up the coast. So glad to be away from that. Apparently it's doing wonders for the economy in the area though, so it's not all bad.
These reality TV shows certainly had their moment, but I'd be happy for them to curl up and die now. Having said that, Anne was glued to "Surprise Wedding" the other week. That was until it became clear that every single couple was going to end up getting married and no one's lives were going to be destroyed on national TV. How dull.
Other than that, same ol' same ol'.
Despite my explanation of the Aussie Big Brother nuances there, I've not watched more than a couple of minutes at a time. Having been a fan of the first two UK series I tired of the third and can't be bothered any more. The Aussie series isn't doing too well in the ratings, I gather, though it's a bit early to tell. It's on at 7pm every night (meaning Seinfeld is no longer on - grrr) which means all the swearing has to be beeped out. Since one of the houses seems to be filled with potty-mouths that makes for pretty tiresome viewing (unless you're into "dance" music and can get a vibe from the incessant beeping, I suppose).
I read in The Herald that they're filming the British show "I Wish I Was Still A Celebrity - Let Me On The Telly" somewhere up the coast. So glad to be away from that. Apparently it's doing wonders for the economy in the area though, so it's not all bad.
These reality TV shows certainly had their moment, but I'd be happy for them to curl up and die now. Having said that, Anne was glued to "Surprise Wedding" the other week. That was until it became clear that every single couple was going to end up getting married and no one's lives were going to be destroyed on national TV. How dull.
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Strange, punctuation
Upon closer inspection of my article in The Herald yesterday I saw that some commas had been inserted in (I say) the wrong places. This can only be due to the "editing" process. What do we pay our newspapers for?!
I also noticed a few grammatical errors that were all mine. Oh the naked shame!
I also noticed a few grammatical errors that were all mine. Oh the naked shame!
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
Published in Oz
Following my Metro letter tirades it was inevitable that I'd try to instigate change using pen-power here too. Today it happened. Here's a link to my "Heckler" article in today's Sydney Morning Herald (under the rather imaginative pseudonym, Stephen Taylor). I've pasted it in full below.
I'm quit serious about this tax - I think it's great. Apologies to Anne's sister, Kerry, for making her famous in New South Wales.
How about a tax on plastic bags?
Stephen Taylor has good cause to bag grocery shopping.
Since coming here from Britain a few months ago, I've been overwhelmed by the generosity of checkout staff in supermarkets. When it comes to giving me free plastic bags, these people are not backward in coming forwards. Refusing to throw them away, and preferring to reuse them, I have a large ball of the things festering under my kitchen sink.
In one supermarket I went to the checkout with eight small items in a basket and left with them dispersed throughout four plastic bags. Funnily enough, the staff member who served me was wearing a badge encouraging the frugal use of such bags. At least the thought was there.
Over time I have become more stubborn and out-spoken, and have begun to refuse the blasted things. But when faced with a surly checkout girl, who takes it as a personal affront when I tell her I've brought my own bags to reuse, my bravado soon fades. I want to reason with her and say, "Don't you realise your attitude towards distribution of these bags is irresponsible? They will just become litter, or landfill, and damage the environment, taking decades to biodegrade. It will be your children and grandchildren who suffer. You're destroying their planet, you heartless ignorant fool. Mother Earth's blood is on your hands." I don't say all this of course. I'm British, and that would be terribly impolite.
I'm particularly sensitive to this issue, not because I'm environmentally friendly (although I try to do my bit), but because my girlfriend's sister has a bee in her bonnet about it. When she's visiting us and we go to the supermarket, if we have forgotten to bring our own bags we are forbidden from using new ones and end up carrying home vast amounts of shopping piled precariously into our arms. What we don't drop on the way home we keep.
The solution? Follow the Irish. On a trip to Dublin last year I was initially taken aback when charged the equivalent of 30 cents for each plastic carrier bag I used in the shops. This was due to a recently introduced tax on the bags. The tax is there to reflect the fact that these bags are not free, as they carry a very real cost to the environment. My initial indignation was soon replaced with surprise at how easy it was to adapt to this regime - my girlfriend and I simply carried a few bags in our pockets.
The only downside of this was that we were carrying the same plastic bags in just about every photo of our trip, giving people the impression that either we shopped at the same stationery shop every day, or we treasured these particular bags so much we were unwilling to let them out of our grasp.
So, I recommend a tax on plastic bags. We could do with the same thing in Britain, too, but from my experience the problem is less pronounced there because British supermarket staff rarely pack your bags for you, their thoughtful inaction giving you greater autonomy over the number of bags you use. If this measure isn't taken and the problem continues, I may have to bring my girlfriend's sister here. Then you'll be sorry.
I'm quit serious about this tax - I think it's great. Apologies to Anne's sister, Kerry, for making her famous in New South Wales.
How about a tax on plastic bags?
Stephen Taylor has good cause to bag grocery shopping.
Since coming here from Britain a few months ago, I've been overwhelmed by the generosity of checkout staff in supermarkets. When it comes to giving me free plastic bags, these people are not backward in coming forwards. Refusing to throw them away, and preferring to reuse them, I have a large ball of the things festering under my kitchen sink.
In one supermarket I went to the checkout with eight small items in a basket and left with them dispersed throughout four plastic bags. Funnily enough, the staff member who served me was wearing a badge encouraging the frugal use of such bags. At least the thought was there.
Over time I have become more stubborn and out-spoken, and have begun to refuse the blasted things. But when faced with a surly checkout girl, who takes it as a personal affront when I tell her I've brought my own bags to reuse, my bravado soon fades. I want to reason with her and say, "Don't you realise your attitude towards distribution of these bags is irresponsible? They will just become litter, or landfill, and damage the environment, taking decades to biodegrade. It will be your children and grandchildren who suffer. You're destroying their planet, you heartless ignorant fool. Mother Earth's blood is on your hands." I don't say all this of course. I'm British, and that would be terribly impolite.
I'm particularly sensitive to this issue, not because I'm environmentally friendly (although I try to do my bit), but because my girlfriend's sister has a bee in her bonnet about it. When she's visiting us and we go to the supermarket, if we have forgotten to bring our own bags we are forbidden from using new ones and end up carrying home vast amounts of shopping piled precariously into our arms. What we don't drop on the way home we keep.
The solution? Follow the Irish. On a trip to Dublin last year I was initially taken aback when charged the equivalent of 30 cents for each plastic carrier bag I used in the shops. This was due to a recently introduced tax on the bags. The tax is there to reflect the fact that these bags are not free, as they carry a very real cost to the environment. My initial indignation was soon replaced with surprise at how easy it was to adapt to this regime - my girlfriend and I simply carried a few bags in our pockets.
The only downside of this was that we were carrying the same plastic bags in just about every photo of our trip, giving people the impression that either we shopped at the same stationery shop every day, or we treasured these particular bags so much we were unwilling to let them out of our grasp.
So, I recommend a tax on plastic bags. We could do with the same thing in Britain, too, but from my experience the problem is less pronounced there because British supermarket staff rarely pack your bags for you, their thoughtful inaction giving you greater autonomy over the number of bags you use. If this measure isn't taken and the problem continues, I may have to bring my girlfriend's sister here. Then you'll be sorry.
Monday, May 05, 2003
Delta a success!
Well, following my post about Delta Goodrum a week or so ago, I think I can now tell that she is a success in the UK without looking at the BBC's web site. I've just looked at my site traffic report and have seen that most people are arriving at this site after searching for "delta goodrum" and related topics (usually from a UK IP address). Always welcome new readers, obviously, but am afraid they're going to be disappointed when they get here!
Lady Dr Penelope
Following a (deserved) sharp dressing-down of a supermarket checkout girl, one of Anne’s friends has nicknamed her “Margot”, after Margot Leadbetter (Penelope Keith) in The Good Life. I guess that makes me Jerry (Paul Eddington – he of the immaculate comic timing)
This is an unfortunate coincidence, since Anne would prefer to be more like the delightful Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal), with me being like Tom (Richard Briers). Anne thinks the self-sufficiency life would be a good one, though I can only assume she means in an appropriate rural location and not in Surbiton. Yes, it would be hard work, but we’d be working for ourselves and being “at one with nature”, and the rewards would far outweigh the costs.
However, if I am to be likened to a Richard Briers sitcom character, I’m afraid it would more likely be well-meaning but irritating busybody Martin Bryce from Ever Decreasing Circles. I’m not that much of a busybody (and certainly am not at all irritating) but I’ve had my moments of policing the neighbourhood.
Back home in Ealing I’ve had to phone the council a number of times to report abandoned cars in our street. Bl**dy lazy, thoughtless scum! (The people who abandoned the cars I mean, not the council.) I also repeatedly complained to the council about someone’s hedge that was taking over most of the path, forcing pedestrians into the road. After a few months and a few calls I was pleased to see as I walked to town one day that the hedge had been cut back. Then I realised that the whole flat was empty and heard from a neighbour that the aged tenant had been moved out and put in a home. I suspect my complaints brought him to the council’s attention and I feel a bit guilty about this, though I have to assume it was for the best. (Ahem.)
Anyway, since living in Sydney I’ve had Anne ring the Syringe Hotline (she was working for the council so it was more convenient for her to get the number) to get some syringes cleared from our street (yes, we live in a classy area!)
I’ve also been round to our neighbour’s in our building to complain about the noise a couple of times. The second time there was a girl in there screaming, and shouting things like “Don’t hit me”, “I’m calling the police” and “I’m pregnant you *******, you’ll hurt the baby”. This was pretty disturbing, although she was being so overly dramatic that I was bit suspicious she was just a drama queen.
When the guy opened the door in his pyjamas (yes, he had a door in his pyjamas – do you see what I did there?) I said I’d be calling the police soon if they didn’t shut up. He was pretty calm, and I couldn’t really judge if he’d really been beating his girlfriend up. The girl was hidden around the corner so I couldn’t see the state of her. He told me that it wasn’t him making the noise and there was nothing he could do about it. In my tired state I said “Well shut your girlfriend up then”. I realise this came out wrong! I called to the girl and asked her if she wanted me to call the police and she said no. I said in that case keep the noise down and consider the other people on the floor, in my best Richard Briers voice.
At one point the guy said, “We’ve lived here for longer than you”, implying, I think, that that meant I had no right to complain about anything. That threw me a little and I paused, before asking, “What’s that got to do with anything??” He conceded that it had nothing to do with anything and we continued our (reasonably civilised) row. After a while he asked me for help to move his things out of there and find a new place to live! I really just wanted some sleep and didn’t want to get involved.
They did shut up eventually. It may be that he gagged her before thumping her further, but we got to sleep all the same. It’s a horrible thing to hear, but I did offer to call the police and she declined.
Fortunately I didn’t say “Keep the noise down, it’s after midnight” which I nearly did, since when I got back to our room I realised that it wasn’t even half past eleven – Anne and I had gone to bed really early after a tiring day!
So anyway, if I’m Richard Briers in Ever Decreasing Circles rather than The Good Life then I guess that makes Anne another Penelope – Martin’s long-suffering wife Anne Bryce (Penelope Wilton) - instead of Felicity Kendal. I have to assume that Anne is suffering in silence and waiting for Peter Egan to come along so he can flirt with her and bring some much-needed light into her life. What Anne doesn’t realise is that won’t happen. Sitcoms aren’t real – doesn’t she even know that?
This is an unfortunate coincidence, since Anne would prefer to be more like the delightful Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal), with me being like Tom (Richard Briers). Anne thinks the self-sufficiency life would be a good one, though I can only assume she means in an appropriate rural location and not in Surbiton. Yes, it would be hard work, but we’d be working for ourselves and being “at one with nature”, and the rewards would far outweigh the costs.
However, if I am to be likened to a Richard Briers sitcom character, I’m afraid it would more likely be well-meaning but irritating busybody Martin Bryce from Ever Decreasing Circles. I’m not that much of a busybody (and certainly am not at all irritating) but I’ve had my moments of policing the neighbourhood.
Back home in Ealing I’ve had to phone the council a number of times to report abandoned cars in our street. Bl**dy lazy, thoughtless scum! (The people who abandoned the cars I mean, not the council.) I also repeatedly complained to the council about someone’s hedge that was taking over most of the path, forcing pedestrians into the road. After a few months and a few calls I was pleased to see as I walked to town one day that the hedge had been cut back. Then I realised that the whole flat was empty and heard from a neighbour that the aged tenant had been moved out and put in a home. I suspect my complaints brought him to the council’s attention and I feel a bit guilty about this, though I have to assume it was for the best. (Ahem.)
Anyway, since living in Sydney I’ve had Anne ring the Syringe Hotline (she was working for the council so it was more convenient for her to get the number) to get some syringes cleared from our street (yes, we live in a classy area!)
I’ve also been round to our neighbour’s in our building to complain about the noise a couple of times. The second time there was a girl in there screaming, and shouting things like “Don’t hit me”, “I’m calling the police” and “I’m pregnant you *******, you’ll hurt the baby”. This was pretty disturbing, although she was being so overly dramatic that I was bit suspicious she was just a drama queen.
When the guy opened the door in his pyjamas (yes, he had a door in his pyjamas – do you see what I did there?) I said I’d be calling the police soon if they didn’t shut up. He was pretty calm, and I couldn’t really judge if he’d really been beating his girlfriend up. The girl was hidden around the corner so I couldn’t see the state of her. He told me that it wasn’t him making the noise and there was nothing he could do about it. In my tired state I said “Well shut your girlfriend up then”. I realise this came out wrong! I called to the girl and asked her if she wanted me to call the police and she said no. I said in that case keep the noise down and consider the other people on the floor, in my best Richard Briers voice.
At one point the guy said, “We’ve lived here for longer than you”, implying, I think, that that meant I had no right to complain about anything. That threw me a little and I paused, before asking, “What’s that got to do with anything??” He conceded that it had nothing to do with anything and we continued our (reasonably civilised) row. After a while he asked me for help to move his things out of there and find a new place to live! I really just wanted some sleep and didn’t want to get involved.
They did shut up eventually. It may be that he gagged her before thumping her further, but we got to sleep all the same. It’s a horrible thing to hear, but I did offer to call the police and she declined.
Fortunately I didn’t say “Keep the noise down, it’s after midnight” which I nearly did, since when I got back to our room I realised that it wasn’t even half past eleven – Anne and I had gone to bed really early after a tiring day!
So anyway, if I’m Richard Briers in Ever Decreasing Circles rather than The Good Life then I guess that makes Anne another Penelope – Martin’s long-suffering wife Anne Bryce (Penelope Wilton) - instead of Felicity Kendal. I have to assume that Anne is suffering in silence and waiting for Peter Egan to come along so he can flirt with her and bring some much-needed light into her life. What Anne doesn’t realise is that won’t happen. Sitcoms aren’t real – doesn’t she even know that?
Tuesday movie reviews (contains X Men 2 spoilers)
Here are the three films we watched in the last week:
We saw In The Bedroom on video, an Oscar nominee from a year or two ago. I wasn’t keen on this as it looked a bit dull, but I went with it as it came highly recommended and enjoyed it a fair bit. It starts slowly and gradually gets interesting. It then takes a nasty turn and gets a bit miserable, before changing again half an hour before the end into something more sinister. Good performances and an interesting film. Three and a half stars.
Also on video, we say Spy Game starring Brad Pitt and Robert Redford. Whilst not a bad film there was little in this to deserve its cast and I was left feeling disappointed. Two stars.
The big one of course was X Men 2. I liked it a lot. I’ve read reviews which praise this film saying that it’s not as dull and clinical as the first film, but I think that’s unfair on the first film, which I didn’t think was dull and clinical - I thought it was a good film which did a good job of introducing the characters and concepts to non-fans like me and also managed to be fun and interesting. Anyway, the second film expands on the characters from the first (mainly Wolverine) and introduces some cool new ones. Great fun and not as dumb as it could have been.
Pity the guy who plays Cyclops – the dullest of all the X Men. What’s his mutation? – he has a laser gun in his head and has to wear sunglasses all the time. That’s not very cool when his mates get to teleport, heal instantly and read minds. I bet he’s bitter inside. He probably fears his friends only take him along for his firepower. If he dies his chums would be sad for a bit, and then go out and buy a gun to replace him. I suppose that’s the nature of random mutation. Perhaps elsewhere in the X Men universe there are mutants with utterly rubbish powers, like being able to digest paperclips (but no other metals). Or harmful ones, like being able to lose all your limbs at will (a power that can only be used once).
It’s a great blockbuster action flick, but one criticism I have is that there were too many “exciting” climaxes at the end, which tended to lessen the overall impact. I’m a bit sick of this trend in recent action movies. The ending goes something like:
“Oh no – all the mutants are about to be wiped out – PANIC!”
“Oh wait, it’s OK, they’ve been saved.”
“But look, now all the human’s are going to be killed – YIKES!”
“Oh, hold on – they’ve been saved now too.”
“But wait one more minute - the building’s going to collapse. Our heroes are surely for it now!”
“No, no. They’ve escaped – look.”
“Oh yes, so they have. But feel my dismay as I see that their aircraft is about to be engulfed in a huge amount of water!”
“My goodness you’re right. Oh would you believe it – saved again.”
I was tiring by now of these shrinking threats, and half expecting it to continue…
“Oh no, now Wolverine’s shoe-laces are undone. What if he trips over?!”
“No, he’s seen them and tied them now.”
“Oh yes, so he has, but look – a sparrow has flown into the windscreen of the aircraft!”
”It’s OK – the sparrow is only stunned. He’ll be fine in a few minutes.”
…etc.
Another criticism: other than in one (good) fight scene, Kelly Hu’s Lady Deathstrike is underused. Also, her blades come from her fingertips, rather than from the knuckles like Wolverine’s. By my reckoning this means that she’ll have much less power behind her strikes. Wolverine can lock his arm and put the whole of his bodyweight behind his attacks, but this poor girl had better have mighty fingers! And how can she clench her fists when her blades are retracted? The adamantium knives, which can’t be bent, would surely rip through her fingers and hand. Unless they retract all the way into her forearms, I suppose. Oh yes, that must be it.
(Hold on – also why doesn’t Cyclops’s laser burn through his eyelids, or the inside of his head? If you think you’ve spotted an inconsistency which could bring down the whole X Men universe and make it not believable any more, add a comment below.)
Criticisms aside I enjoyed this witty, action-packed blockbuster. Four stars. (I’m tempted to give it more but feel I’d probably be letting my childlike excitement get the better of me.) Let there be more sequels please.
We saw In The Bedroom on video, an Oscar nominee from a year or two ago. I wasn’t keen on this as it looked a bit dull, but I went with it as it came highly recommended and enjoyed it a fair bit. It starts slowly and gradually gets interesting. It then takes a nasty turn and gets a bit miserable, before changing again half an hour before the end into something more sinister. Good performances and an interesting film. Three and a half stars.
Also on video, we say Spy Game starring Brad Pitt and Robert Redford. Whilst not a bad film there was little in this to deserve its cast and I was left feeling disappointed. Two stars.
The big one of course was X Men 2. I liked it a lot. I’ve read reviews which praise this film saying that it’s not as dull and clinical as the first film, but I think that’s unfair on the first film, which I didn’t think was dull and clinical - I thought it was a good film which did a good job of introducing the characters and concepts to non-fans like me and also managed to be fun and interesting. Anyway, the second film expands on the characters from the first (mainly Wolverine) and introduces some cool new ones. Great fun and not as dumb as it could have been.
Pity the guy who plays Cyclops – the dullest of all the X Men. What’s his mutation? – he has a laser gun in his head and has to wear sunglasses all the time. That’s not very cool when his mates get to teleport, heal instantly and read minds. I bet he’s bitter inside. He probably fears his friends only take him along for his firepower. If he dies his chums would be sad for a bit, and then go out and buy a gun to replace him. I suppose that’s the nature of random mutation. Perhaps elsewhere in the X Men universe there are mutants with utterly rubbish powers, like being able to digest paperclips (but no other metals). Or harmful ones, like being able to lose all your limbs at will (a power that can only be used once).
It’s a great blockbuster action flick, but one criticism I have is that there were too many “exciting” climaxes at the end, which tended to lessen the overall impact. I’m a bit sick of this trend in recent action movies. The ending goes something like:
“Oh no – all the mutants are about to be wiped out – PANIC!”
“Oh wait, it’s OK, they’ve been saved.”
“But look, now all the human’s are going to be killed – YIKES!”
“Oh, hold on – they’ve been saved now too.”
“But wait one more minute - the building’s going to collapse. Our heroes are surely for it now!”
“No, no. They’ve escaped – look.”
“Oh yes, so they have. But feel my dismay as I see that their aircraft is about to be engulfed in a huge amount of water!”
“My goodness you’re right. Oh would you believe it – saved again.”
I was tiring by now of these shrinking threats, and half expecting it to continue…
“Oh no, now Wolverine’s shoe-laces are undone. What if he trips over?!”
“No, he’s seen them and tied them now.”
“Oh yes, so he has, but look – a sparrow has flown into the windscreen of the aircraft!”
”It’s OK – the sparrow is only stunned. He’ll be fine in a few minutes.”
…etc.
Another criticism: other than in one (good) fight scene, Kelly Hu’s Lady Deathstrike is underused. Also, her blades come from her fingertips, rather than from the knuckles like Wolverine’s. By my reckoning this means that she’ll have much less power behind her strikes. Wolverine can lock his arm and put the whole of his bodyweight behind his attacks, but this poor girl had better have mighty fingers! And how can she clench her fists when her blades are retracted? The adamantium knives, which can’t be bent, would surely rip through her fingers and hand. Unless they retract all the way into her forearms, I suppose. Oh yes, that must be it.
(Hold on – also why doesn’t Cyclops’s laser burn through his eyelids, or the inside of his head? If you think you’ve spotted an inconsistency which could bring down the whole X Men universe and make it not believable any more, add a comment below.)
Criticisms aside I enjoyed this witty, action-packed blockbuster. Four stars. (I’m tempted to give it more but feel I’d probably be letting my childlike excitement get the better of me.) Let there be more sequels please.
Sunday, May 04, 2003
No worries?
Stephen here. If we came away to Australia shirk all responsibilities and forget about home and the UK, I must say we've not really succeeded. Since we left we've had a lot of stuff to deal with there and seem to have been on the phone to my mum a lot to get her help.
Just before we came away I received a speeding fine. I've never had one before, and was a bit annoyed, but it's my own fault so I can't complain. It meant, however, that I had to leave my driving licence at home and my mum has been dealing with it. Grrr.
We're renting out our flat in Ealing and are paying a letting and management company to find tenants and manage the property. They found tenants without too much difficulty (but we did have to pay for a new bed to be put in the spare room). The problems started when the gas inspector found that our (relatively new) gas fire was not installed properly and "capped it", meaning it can't be used until it's fixed. B&Q only installed it in February 2002, so it's still under warranty, however we can't find the forms. We thought we'd given them to the management company but apparently not (they better have look thoroughly!) My mum's been searching through our stuff for them, and we've written to B&Q. B&Q don't seem to be able to find any record of the installation. Grrr.
The next big problem is the bl**dy Inland Revenue. They've fined me 100 pounds for not submitting a tax return for the year ended 5 April 2002. You only need to self-assess if you receive a return to fill in. I didn't receive one (and have never had to self-assess before - I've always paid tax via PAYE). Perhaps they had an old address for me, or it got lost in the post. Or perhaps the unhelpful idiots didn't send it. Am I supposed to have phoned them on the off chance that I was meant to receive a form? Last year my mum didn't receive a return to fill in, and phoned the Inland Revenue to ask why (since she usually self-assesses). They were quite patronising and told her that if she didn't receive a form then she didn't need to submit one and perhaps she should go away and leave them alone. What a stupid system when they'll fine you for not returning a form, and the only way you know whether you're obliged to
submit a form is if you receive one, and they have know way of knowing if you received it or not. Grrr!
I've had to pay the fine and have appealed. The Inland Revenue haven't acknowledged my appeal and my mum can get no joy from them. I've asked them to send a new form to my mum's address so she can fill it in for me and submit it, but they've not sent it and have instead sent a threat of a further fine if I don't submit it soon. Grrr.
From this you may be able to tell that my mum is a godsend and is probably getting sick to death of us being away and having her run around sorting everything out for us! (Sorry and thanks, mum!)
Things were probably easier before mobile phones and the interweb. At least then we'd have been blissfully unaware of all the problems back home.
Just before we came away I received a speeding fine. I've never had one before, and was a bit annoyed, but it's my own fault so I can't complain. It meant, however, that I had to leave my driving licence at home and my mum has been dealing with it. Grrr.
We're renting out our flat in Ealing and are paying a letting and management company to find tenants and manage the property. They found tenants without too much difficulty (but we did have to pay for a new bed to be put in the spare room). The problems started when the gas inspector found that our (relatively new) gas fire was not installed properly and "capped it", meaning it can't be used until it's fixed. B&Q only installed it in February 2002, so it's still under warranty, however we can't find the forms. We thought we'd given them to the management company but apparently not (they better have look thoroughly!) My mum's been searching through our stuff for them, and we've written to B&Q. B&Q don't seem to be able to find any record of the installation. Grrr.
The next big problem is the bl**dy Inland Revenue. They've fined me 100 pounds for not submitting a tax return for the year ended 5 April 2002. You only need to self-assess if you receive a return to fill in. I didn't receive one (and have never had to self-assess before - I've always paid tax via PAYE). Perhaps they had an old address for me, or it got lost in the post. Or perhaps the unhelpful idiots didn't send it. Am I supposed to have phoned them on the off chance that I was meant to receive a form? Last year my mum didn't receive a return to fill in, and phoned the Inland Revenue to ask why (since she usually self-assesses). They were quite patronising and told her that if she didn't receive a form then she didn't need to submit one and perhaps she should go away and leave them alone. What a stupid system when they'll fine you for not returning a form, and the only way you know whether you're obliged to
submit a form is if you receive one, and they have know way of knowing if you received it or not. Grrr!
I've had to pay the fine and have appealed. The Inland Revenue haven't acknowledged my appeal and my mum can get no joy from them. I've asked them to send a new form to my mum's address so she can fill it in for me and submit it, but they've not sent it and have instead sent a threat of a further fine if I don't submit it soon. Grrr.
From this you may be able to tell that my mum is a godsend and is probably getting sick to death of us being away and having her run around sorting everything out for us! (Sorry and thanks, mum!)
Things were probably easier before mobile phones and the interweb. At least then we'd have been blissfully unaware of all the problems back home.
Friday, May 02, 2003
Quiz and drugs
After a blip (fourth place!) a couple of weeks ago, we won the quiz again last night. It seems we can't win now without Richard's help as he's good at music,
sport and geography. We won by a few points against our arch rivals - it was a good night, with plenty of friendly rivalry.
Now onto the drugs. There's been a big scandal in Australia this week with a massive recall of pharmaceuticals and alternative medicines. A company called
Pan Pharmaceuticals has been accused of poor practices and falsifying test results, resulting in some of their products differing in active contents by
700%. Apparently people who took a herbal travel pill were trying to jump off ships and out of planes from the hallucinogenic effects! The big problem is
this company supply drugs to other companies who sell them on and there's a lot of confusion within companies as to whether their products are sourced form this
(allegedly) rogue company. It's led to pharmacist's shelved being cleared and huge lists of recalled drugs in the papers. A bit of a mess really.
sport and geography. We won by a few points against our arch rivals - it was a good night, with plenty of friendly rivalry.
Now onto the drugs. There's been a big scandal in Australia this week with a massive recall of pharmaceuticals and alternative medicines. A company called
Pan Pharmaceuticals has been accused of poor practices and falsifying test results, resulting in some of their products differing in active contents by
700%. Apparently people who took a herbal travel pill were trying to jump off ships and out of planes from the hallucinogenic effects! The big problem is
this company supply drugs to other companies who sell them on and there's a lot of confusion within companies as to whether their products are sourced form this
(allegedly) rogue company. It's led to pharmacist's shelved being cleared and huge lists of recalled drugs in the papers. A bit of a mess really.
Thursday, May 01, 2003
X2
We saw X Men 2 (or X2) at the pictures last night. It came out first here in Oz, which was nice (partly because we're ahead of the rest of the known-universe, time wise). I won't review it today or write any spoilers, since I know some of you will be seeing it at the weekend. For the moment I'll just say that I enjoyed it, though the ending suffered from a problem common to
a lot of blockbusters nowadays. A good start to this year's winter blockbusters.
After the movie Anne and I played The X Men on the way home, with me trying to scratch Anne with my Wolverine-like unbreakable adamantium claws (unbitten fingernails) and Anne being the lovely Dr Anne Grey (i.e. an-gry).
a lot of blockbusters nowadays. A good start to this year's winter blockbusters.
After the movie Anne and I played The X Men on the way home, with me trying to scratch Anne with my Wolverine-like unbreakable adamantium claws (unbitten fingernails) and Anne being the lovely Dr Anne Grey (i.e. an-gry).
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