Or that’s what this internet cafe manager thinks of Apple Mac fans. I don’t mind agreeing. “Like bloody born again Christians, they are!” He’s pushing 55, and has one sort of squished eye from a car crash in ’99. I like him. We’ve been puzzling how to get him more custom. The kids aren’t filling the place and nor are the tourists.
It might be the nasty mural that covers all the walls. On a yellow background is an Earth spinning with coloured ribbons radiating out, and between the ribbons are what I can only describe as “travel highlights”. I am sat in front of an inaccurate interpretation of the pyramids, my neighbouring computer user has a partial vista of Stonehenge in front of him. It’s pretty horrible.
If I were a brooding Counterstrike player, I think I’d go to the cafe with the blacked out backroom with cammo netting on the ceiling, not this place. It resembles a nursery, or a classroom for special needs.
Not that I suggested this to the manager.
Anyway, this is a half hearted update from Australia. We’ve had rain and flooding up the New South Wales coast. Small town Bellingen was entirely cut off, with all roads in and out submerged (pictured, left).
However, Australia has an excellent volunteer service called the State Emergency Services, and these brave souls don yellow vests and lift grannies out of submerged homes and search for missing people. Possibly due to this large community effort only one fatality occured.
At their best the Aussies are very community spirited, that’s when they aren’t making dubious laws to curb the motorbike gangs, the “bikies”.
I love it that newsreaders and journalists have unquestioningly accepted the term “bikie”.It’s just not a scary word, bikie, it sounds like something small and potentially cute.
I narrowly missed by a couple of hours, witnessing a bikie being offed by a rival gang at Sydney airport. About a week later, that bikie’s brother was then also shot. I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s like a low rent Sopranos, but where everyone looks like Vin Diesel with oiled pecs and 6-packs.
I’m headed to Byron to sample a little of the Blues and Roots festival this easter weekend, but will be in Sydney later this month. Any Sydney-siders I didn’t catch up with yet, shout and I’ll see you on the way back.
You’re funny when you’re being rude. If you ever find the time and the inclination to write a travel journal, well you’d have at least one customer.
Sounds like you’re having an eventful trip. I’m surprised to hear about the floods. It hasn’t made the news here in the UK (that I’ve noticed). Last I heard everything was on fire! Hope it hasn’t disrupted your holiday too much.
I guess the bikies weren’t around when you lived there, or not so obvious. It’s fascinating to hear about from a distance, but terrifying that they’re so openly violent.
Australia? Always want to go … someday.
Hello my only, but committed, commenters. 😉 How you doing? Top tip for you Mr Farran, check out Missy Higgins, an Aussie singer songwriter. It’s good stuff, a bit of Crooked Still folkiness but more mainstream. I think you’d like her.
Thank you Ms Newman – what a nice way to start the day. I like a good female singer – Aimee Mann, Crooked Still, Camille, Texas. I’m doing well. Diet is going to plan, work is coming in, the sun is out and Lewes looks beautiful this morning.
Will you be returning to these shores soon?
Think I’ll be gone some time actually, perhaps longer if the world shuts down in the grips of a pandemic! Did you read the Zombie War? It’s quite good and relevant to the movement of a global virus.
Correction: The book is called “World War Z”
Well that’s intriguing. More than just a holiday then? I look forward to the next account of your adventures on the other side of the world.
I read the top review of World War Z on goodreads. Looks like a fascinating read. I love a bit of future history.