My brother welcomed me at his house in Bathurst, Australia this week. It's peaceful here -- drivers never honk their horns. And for the first time in three months I don't have to lie on immigration forms about what I do for a living. (I'm a journalist, for any of you who don't know.) In the Middle East, I always wrote "bicycle repair" when asked about my occupation.
During the trip from Lebanon to Australia, I worried something would stop me. I woke up in Beirut on the morning of my flight to the sound of a jet fighter tearing accross the sky. I looked out the window to see if it was Israeli, knowing that if it was, I wouldn't be going anywhere that day.
Later at Beirut airport, takeoff was delayed due to a fight in the rear of the cabin which didn't end until an old woman was escorted off. This meant the airline had to hold our connecting flight in Abu Dhabi, and when that plane was late touching down in Sydney, passengers refused to stay seated while the interior was sprayed for foreign insects. Immigation wouldn't let us off until the spraying was finished, and it couldn't start until everyone sat. The standoff lasted nearly half an hour. One indignant passenger even phoned the Sydney Telegraph's newsroom on her mobile and claimed we were all "being held hostage."
So here I am in small-town Australia. I've got a bike to noodle around on and soon my brother and I will board a train to see the country together. There's not much to worry about here except for sunburn.
Oh, and poisonous spiders.
snakes...dingos...the odd crocidile.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're somewhat safe. Remember to pickup a kiwi to bring back to canada. Preferably one of them organic types with blonde pigtails and a desire to do odd thinks like ride bikes in winter (though I doubt they get much snow in australia during their winters)
Have a good one, see you when you return to the land of beavers and mooses.
Btw, i'm still making fun of May :-D and being published. Its a sad state of affairs when that happens.
Hello Robert. Sorry that I missed you over the past couple of weeks. I have been busy going to Cameron's and then to my mother's 80th birthday.
ReplyDeleteJoe is to retire Dec 31,10. We think we might go to Australia and Ne Zealand!!! Sounds liek fun.You'll have to send info on what to do etc. We miss you lots and are glad to see you somewhere safer!!!