Under The Southern Cross I Stand ...
Back in Perth and back where I started, all those six months ago. Doesn't time fly?
Perth has been as peaceful as it was the last time I was here and I spent the time just emptying my backpack. Over the past six months my backpack gained a TARDIS-like ability to hold everything I put in it. So much so in fact that a couple of weeks ago it weighed in at over 22kg. Lugging this around put me in the foulest of moods so I knew that something had to give.
I took a pile of clothes (items I did not even recall packing) to an op-shop in Fremantle and mailed a 5kg parcel home. I wanted to use airmail but this would have bankrupted me so I settled for sea-mail. It'll be on the ocean floor soon enough.
I've also been trying to figure out my best plan of attack in Thailand. I fly into Bangkok, a city of culture, tons of sex (the type that you pay for and watch), and filthy air. Friends who have visited in the past have given me good advice and places to see so it should be okay. Beyond that I am unsure but I think I will head North and then get to Cambodia and then Laos, or maybe in a slightly different order; my knowledge of the geography there is crap. Then after that I don't know. It will be strange being in that situation as for the last six months I have always known what my next steps were likely to be. It will be like starting to travel all over again. I have not felt this way since leaving India for Sri Lanka last year. Hark at me name-dropping. Sorry.
Anyway, here is a short list of things that I like/dislike about Australia. You can stop reading now if you like.
Things I like about Australia (or "My Holiday"):
1) Vegemite. It's not like Marmite. It's different.
2) Cooper's Pale Ale.
3) North Queensland. A truly beautiful place. Quiet too.
4) Nine's Wide World Of Sport. Marvelous effort, that.
5) Barbequeues. Unlike British BBQs these are like Smeg kitchens on wheels. Very plush. Food's good too.
6) Old Holdens.
7) Er...
8) That's about it.
Of course this list is not everything I liked. I had a very nice time here and there are a lot of individuals who made it even better for me. Thanks to them all...
Things I disliked about Australia:
1) Tailgating on roads. Some drivers do not seem to realise how dangerous this is.
2) Sports-utes. The Aussie-Geezer's ("hoon") weapon of choice. Never to be seen carrying a load.
3) Flies. Everywhere (except TAS).
4) Not being able to go outside unless you're wearing your radiation suit (or sunscreen). Skin cancer is big here.
5) Victoria Bitter. This stuff makes Stella seem palatable. But if there's nothing else...
6) The roads into Perth City. Totally incomprehensible.
This is, of course, not a serious list. I'm just padding really.
Perth has been as peaceful as it was the last time I was here and I spent the time just emptying my backpack. Over the past six months my backpack gained a TARDIS-like ability to hold everything I put in it. So much so in fact that a couple of weeks ago it weighed in at over 22kg. Lugging this around put me in the foulest of moods so I knew that something had to give.
I took a pile of clothes (items I did not even recall packing) to an op-shop in Fremantle and mailed a 5kg parcel home. I wanted to use airmail but this would have bankrupted me so I settled for sea-mail. It'll be on the ocean floor soon enough.
I've also been trying to figure out my best plan of attack in Thailand. I fly into Bangkok, a city of culture, tons of sex (the type that you pay for and watch), and filthy air. Friends who have visited in the past have given me good advice and places to see so it should be okay. Beyond that I am unsure but I think I will head North and then get to Cambodia and then Laos, or maybe in a slightly different order; my knowledge of the geography there is crap. Then after that I don't know. It will be strange being in that situation as for the last six months I have always known what my next steps were likely to be. It will be like starting to travel all over again. I have not felt this way since leaving India for Sri Lanka last year. Hark at me name-dropping. Sorry.
Anyway, here is a short list of things that I like/dislike about Australia. You can stop reading now if you like.
Things I like about Australia (or "My Holiday"):
1) Vegemite. It's not like Marmite. It's different.
2) Cooper's Pale Ale.
3) North Queensland. A truly beautiful place. Quiet too.
4) Nine's Wide World Of Sport. Marvelous effort, that.
5) Barbequeues. Unlike British BBQs these are like Smeg kitchens on wheels. Very plush. Food's good too.
6) Old Holdens.
7) Er...
8) That's about it.
Of course this list is not everything I liked. I had a very nice time here and there are a lot of individuals who made it even better for me. Thanks to them all...
Things I disliked about Australia:
1) Tailgating on roads. Some drivers do not seem to realise how dangerous this is.
2) Sports-utes. The Aussie-Geezer's ("hoon") weapon of choice. Never to be seen carrying a load.
3) Flies. Everywhere (except TAS).
4) Not being able to go outside unless you're wearing your radiation suit (or sunscreen). Skin cancer is big here.
5) Victoria Bitter. This stuff makes Stella seem palatable. But if there's nothing else...
6) The roads into Perth City. Totally incomprehensible.
This is, of course, not a serious list. I'm just padding really.