Strange sculptures in the desert

Second day in Broken Hill.
Yesterday I hired a mountain bike and rode it 11km to the Living desert where I climbed a hill to see the sculptures. It was amazing up there. Probably one of the greatest places I've been. Seeing those sculptures in those surroundings (nothing but red desert all around) was very special. The ride there was also pretty exhilerating. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take me. I was right in the outback and there was only a very few cars on the road. Saw some fresh roadkill. I came across a bunch of ten year old kids on their bikes who happily showed me the way to the top of the hill. So much place in this country, which gives it so much more room for conversation.

Walked to the train station to find it closed. Horror. "I'm going to have to stay here 'til tuesday!" I said. Which would eaten up a lot of my time (3 days). I called the coach company though, and they managed to locate a place in town that would still be open. I found the place and luckily, got a ticket out of there. So at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning I'll be boarding a coach to Dubbo.

I also paid a visit to the Pro Hart gallery (there are many artists and galleries in Broken Hill). It was a nice eclectic collection, which I had to see very quickly as it was near closing time. I also saw some nice Dali sketches there.

Big chess for big boys in the park

Perhaps I have an excuse for not writing, but what does it matter?
For the 4 days I was in Katoomba I only did something on the first day. I went on a great walk with Tim and Daniel, a couple of brothers I met from Queensland. The days after I was ill and couldn't move much. It was the perfect place to recuperate though. I managed to see the Blue Mountains and the Three Sisters, three majestic peaks looking over the valley.

On Monday I returned to Sydney, and in much higher spirits. The first night there I met some Belgian guys who gave me some very good medicine for my stomach which worked. I also met a 65 year old guy named Michael Moore. What a fellow. I spent a lot of time with him drinking tea, planning my itinerary and listening to his stories. He reminds me of a buddha, he seems to have spent his life being silly (in an innocent way) and making other people happy. He told me how he once tried a cigar and only managed to get wet tobacco all over his face. He hadn't tried drinking until he was 40 years old.

And now I'm on the train to Broken Hill!
We stop at Bathurst so the smokers can have a waff. I don't get out, watch 20 others hurriedly light up or roll. The skinny couple who look like junkies. The aboriginees dressed in hip-hop clothing. You don't look cool smoking when there's 20 of you doing it at exactly the same time.
Saw this sign on a metal barn in a field.

KEEP CLEAR
EMEGENSY USE

Orange doesn't look a pretty town. Gun shops, auto shops, electric stations, run-down shacks, and supermarkets.

-

I went for a walk around Sydney yesterday because the sun was out and it was the first day I'd felt fully alive again in a week. I walked through Hyde Park and saw the lovely fountain. Also saw a large scale chess game taking place. Was great to watch. Took a lot of pictures.

Drink

Well, I didn't do much today, since I was in bed until 5pm. All the time I was lying in bed I was thinking I'd have to get to the train station and buy a ticket to Katoomba for tomorrow. But then I remembered that I actually have free tickets already, which I got with my Countrylink pass. Al I have to do is get to the station at any time tomorrow and they will issue me a ticket. The train runs hourly apparently.

So what did I do last night? I went to tha bar on the corner for a drink and to meet some people. I saw a guy sat by himself and so joined him. Turned out he was from Leeds, and I ended up drinking plenty of jugs with him. We also met another English guy. I felt like shit today and even vomited. I don't remember drinking that much. We made arrangements to meet again tonight but since I didn't get up until 5 and I don't want to be seedy tomorrow, I didn't bother.
So now I relax on a leather sofa at 10.30pm listening to Do Make Say Think, content with the idea of going to Katoomba tomorrow.

Heading North

My 3rd Monday in Melbourne, and also my last.
The great Ocean Road was in fact, exactly that. Had a great time with Ben and his pals along the way and in the town where they grew up, Mortlake.
A raucous time. Lots of drinking, and lots of general silliness. Justin bought 5 pink shirts (each for a dollar) and we all had one each, each with a little slogan written on the back.

I wore one that said "teabag?".
And now I have it in my bag, a grand souvenir, along with a Mortlake stubbie holder.

Right now I'm sat in a bar near Spencer Street station. I will embark on a train at 19.55 leaving for Sydney, and should arrive there approx 6.00
I have no idea as yet where I will head (which hostel to go for etc.) when I get there, but I can take care of that on the train. I will pass the time now more wisely, with a few beers for the road.
I have enjoyed Melbourne. I had a few downers while I wasn't so well but that's to be expected. I didn't do much socialising but I've enjoyed touring the city by myself, getting to know the place, and seeing a lot of things even Melbournians haven't seen.

I'm still undecided as to how long I will spend in Sydney. I would certainly like to be there for the weekend, or Friday at least.
For the moment I don't see how a spontaneous or whimsical approach could go wrong . - Oh and I still need some more socks...

11pm Same day - train to Sydney
(Writing may be incoherent because of the ride)

I should arrive in Sydney in a few hours.
What should my duties here be? I've already nominated a hostel to stay at which is 100 metres or less from the station I will land in.
One resolution, a very important one which I will attempt, is to quit being a poor sad arse and get meeting some ther fellows.

The first thing I will do when I get there is sit on my sack and have a cigarette, I'm not one for rushing about doing stuff when it isn't bloody necessary.

"Know thyself" - Dr. Grogan, The French Lieutenant's Woman

"Love your parents as you love yourself" - Desmond Dekker

Bins and Pockets

I have blood on my sweater and I only washed it two days ago!
No, I Haven't been in any fights, just a nose bleed to go with the fever.
I feel a lot better today, I was even whistling in the shower.

It is 10.40 am and I am sat outside the Victoria library on Swanston Street. It's quite chilly but the sun is starting to rear over the building onto my back. I'm waiting here because I'm moving into a new hostel, the Greenhouse in the centre of town. I cannot check in there until after 12 noon and i have already had breakfast. In or outside the library is my favourite place to sit anyway, plenty of seats and plenty of space.
Looks and feels like it'll be a clear fine day today, a perfect day for walking in the hills or something. I wonder if that's possible today.

People stop to smoke by the bins in Melbourne. The top of the bins look like this: You put rubbish in the big hole at the top and butts in the recesses in the corner. Sometimes you see piles of butts, maybe 50 - 100. I suppose somebody pushes them in when they have cooled off.

I still wonder if I could live in a city. I'm entranced by them at first, but after I've had a taste of everything wouldn't I yearn for a change? I suppose not, cities are changing all the time. A lot quicker than small towns anyway.

When you're travelling your pockets become your home more than anything else. Everything of importance goes into a pocket, and eventually each pocket becomes designated for particular things. ie. my rear right trouser pocket for loose change. My right jacket pocket for my wallet, my left for my passport. Now that I have a cold though, I have tissues in nearly all of them too. Some used, some unusable.

To begin at the beginning...

A black book and black pen to write thoughts from my tar-blackened head.
Sat in e-fiftyfive on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne. I can hardly hold the pen properly.
It is my Grandmother's 80th birthday tomorrow, I must think of a way to call her. She would be happy to hear from me I'm sure. If I wanted to speak to her at 6am their time I would have to call at 2pm...
Which doesn't seem so feasible.

-

Ah, a warm shower has just the same effect as a glass of cold beer in Summer or a cup of warm tea in Winter.
2 cold beers and I want no more. I need to have another night relaxing and reading by myself (although the one thing I've been craving for the past week is company - it doesn't apply here) and just basically taking a little care into my body for a change.

-

On seeing the snake earlier on in the trip:
Myself and Matt were following a footpath towards one of the great lookouts in Springbrook National Park when he gave me a halt sign from in front and said "Shh".
I saw ahead of me a black snake-like shape moving slowly across the path.
I almost lost my lungs in my throat when I saw the size of it. It must have been 2 metres in length and as thick as a barge pole.
"What kind of snake is that?" I asked.
"Only a python. Not venomous, but it has a nasty bite."
We waited a couple of minutes for it to move off the path, but it was still dangerously close (I thought) and so we walked through the undergrowth at the other side of the path.
This was a lot more dangerous as there could have been more dangerous beasts lurking there in the undergrowth. We were still extra cautious on the way back from the lookout and the python had only moved a couple more feet. It had noticed us, surely, but had not bothered to evade us, as we had it.

-

And it's about time I made some plans:

Tues 28 (Grandmother's Bday)


Wed 29
7pm. Pickpocket (movie) @ the ACMI


Thurs 30


Fri 1st


Saturday 2nd July
The Great Ocean Road with Ben
Duck Soup (movie) @ 5.30 and 7.30


Sunday 3rd
Recuperate? Spend time with Ben


Monday 4th
Leave for Sydney

Balance as of 28th June:
£953.96