Port Macquerie

Written 6/12/11

How different is a New South Wales seaside resort to those at home in England. After Sydney's at best indifferent weather, Port Macquerie was bright and on the whole sunny. The shorts that i had brought to Australia finally made their way out of the suitcase. There were still seagulls, but also pelicans who seemed to target our white car at regular intervals.

The town was well planned, the beaches wre sandy and wide, but it was what was missing no tacky souvenirs, no amusement arcades and no overt drunkenness.

The highlight of our stay was a Sunday afternoon river cruise on the Hastings river. Sitting on the upper deck, watching the river flow into the sea. Good fortunate in that we had the chance to see a Sea Eagle perched in a tree, on the return trip this bird was joined by its partner. A spectacular sighting.

On Monday morning I set out to accomplish something that I had long wanted to do. For some months off and on I've been running, before the summer at this gym, now was the chance to run on a beach. I'd hoped for a warm morning, but sadly I was again let down. I set off soon after 6am, but the wind blew and the beach was near deserted but for around a dozen brave surfers in wet suits who took on the waves on Town Beach.

As the waves crashed against the break waters I started to appreciate the skill of the surfer. I grew up in inner city London,I can count the number of times I visited the local swimming pool on the fingers of one hand. As I watched the surfers I thought that if I'd grown up in Australia how much more likely it would have been for me to have developed a more positive relationship to swimming and water in general. As a 58 year old who can manage little more than a width in a swimming pool, I looked on in admiration of those who go out on boards to take on the waves. Growing up in London offered me many advantages, surfing wasn't one of them.

Clarkson

Written 3/12/11

The only item of UK news that has found its way into the Australian media is the televised comment of Jeremy Clarkson that public sector workers on strike should be shot in front of their families. Now obviously Clarkson's comments should be condemned, although I doubt whether any progressives in the UK harboured any doubts about Clarkson's political views even before this tirade.

It is interesting to note the difference in the approach of the BBC. Not that long ago Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were seriously disciplined for some at best comments in "bad taste" on a late night radio show. Yet here is Clarkson on peak time TV offering the feeblest of apologies.

However I think there's a more important aspect to the whole affair. During the summer riots, two young men were imprisoned for more than just a token sentence for posting a message on facebook that they wanted to start a riot in Northwich. However Clarkson goes on national TV and proposes the murder of two million Uk citizens in front of their families and the Prime Minister dismisses it as him as "just being silly". Clarkson says " it was a joke". Strange the two men in Northwich used the " it was a joke" argument in court. It didn't wash with the judiciary, why should Clarkson get preferential treatment ? Unless of course he's a personal friend of Cameron and belongs to the Chipping Norton set.

When the NOTW was exposed for phone tapping, many companies withdrew their advertisements. It would be good if companies now refused to stock Clarkson's books and DVDs. If the BBC won' take the moral high ground, perhaps others should step up.

Political Developments Down Under

Written 2/12/12

While public sector strikes over changes to pensions dominate news in the UK, and the Climate Change talks continue in Durban, here in Australia the hottest political issue of the weekend is the ALP's discussion on whether to change their policy position on same sex marriage.

Ironically this debate at its annual conference in Sydney occurs just after World Aids Day and when Elton John is in town for concerts both here and in the Hunter Valley. The debate appears, based on the opinion of those who have analysed the make up of the ALP, destined to herald a historic change. The supporters of change clearly, and rightly in my opinion, see this as a human rights issue. How can you claim to support equality and oppose discrimination yet deny a feature of life that is enshined in the UN declaration of human rights.

The Labor Prime Minister Julia Gilliard appears to have forced herself into a corner by proposing that Labor MPs be given a free vote on the issue,by insisting on what she calls a "conscience clause". This ,to me, fails to take into account the essence of democracy; democracies should be judged not on how the majority is treated, but by how the majority view and treat minorities. Denying human rights to minorities, is a denial of democracy.

Politicians here, as in the UK, ponder over whether there are votes in it. The ALP have been accused of having this debate because they are under pressure from the left, the Australian Greens being the one party to openly support same sex marriage. Social reform requires those in power to show political leadership, once change is initiated, public opinion often follows. Waiting for "the public" or "let's get the media on our side" is an abdication of responsibility of politicians to lead public opinion rather than slavishly follow it.

Sunny Sunday in Sydney - time for cricket

Written 28/11/11

The sun finally emerged on Saturday afternoon as we were on our way to Parramatta. Arrangements were quickly altered allowing us to spend the next day, Sunday, at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

I should have reasoned that cities around the world do rail maintenance on Sundays, and therefore it should have been no surprise that our journey was stopped short of our destination and we had to complete the last part from Central to Circular Quay by bus.

For some reason this confused a number of passengers who strangely seemed to think we knew the way and asked us for guidance. Anyway after renewing acquaintance with a number of sites, the Sydney bridge and the Rocks, we boarded the bus to Moore Park, home of the SCG. Even from the road outside I could tell that this to be " a bit special".

The SCG is a iconic ground, it has a history of cricket, rugby league and now AFL. Once through the turnstiles we were in eye shot of statues of Steve Waugh and Ritchie Benaud, that stand outside the members pavilion reminding spectators of the tradition and heritage of the SCG.

Sunday marked the 21st Anniversary of ABC's Sunday Grandstand programme and as a result the NSW v WA game was offered with free admission. in additional ground tours were provided incorporating a chance to visit the museum.

Although I've been in the pavilion at a number of English grounds not least the Oval and Lords, to walk through the pavilion at the SCG was an unexpected bonus. There's an eleven year waiting list for membership.

As for the game the 4 day Sheffield Shield fixture seemed to interest us more than the Sydney public. The attendance numbered around a thousand scattered across three stands. As the sun shone the wicket bcame easier and NSW began to build a large innings with Simon Kaditch at one end and young debutant Kurtis Patterson at the other; the scoreboard began to tick over faster.

As the afternoon session moved towards the tea interval, Patterson overtook the experienced Kaititch and moved towards his maiden century for NSW on debut. His century arrived with a boundary just before tea and the crowd rose to applaud the start of what may be the start of a cricketing career already dubbed the new KP by the Sydney press.

In order to spend some time in town we left the SCG after tea but Kaititch would also reached his century and Patterson eventually made 157 before finally surrendering his wicket.

Back in Sydney after a brisk walk around the quay we had the chance at look at the huge cruise ship ( Rhapsody of the Seas) in the harbour that dwarfed the passenger ferries that move about the harbour. We made our way through the Rocks for an evening meal and drink at the Merchantile Hotel. This has become a firm favourite of ours on visits to Sydney. Sunday always brings forth musical entertainment. Usually a traditional Irish style band will deliver well known irish tunes, today however they focussed upon some Johnny Cash standards, however midway our stay a man walked past me who made me do a double take. In fairness he had styled himself as Rod Stewart with appropriate hair, dress and walk. Within minutes he was at the mike offering a couple of Rod numbers. His voice struggled but full marks to his hairdresser.

The evening ended with us battling the car's air conditioning system, on a warm evening, we could not prevent the heated driver's seat from operating; needless to say it wasn't a comfortable journey home, and I finished the night with a butt impersonating rump steak.

Rain

Written 25/11/11

Since we landed in Sydney now 48 hours ago, it has rained. Heavy continuous rain, morning, noon and night. The news says it's the heaviest rain for six months.

Jetlagged, it's 2.30am and I'm trying to sleep, all I can hear is rain hitting the windows and bouncing off the balcony. My mind has turned to constructing a compilation album of songs that focus on rain and the fact it's raining.

My list is as follows:

Purple Rain - Prince

Rain King - Counting Crows

Rhythmn of the Rain - Cascades

Here comes the rain again - Eurhythmics

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

Rainy Day Women - Bob Dylan

Hard Rain's gonna fall - Bob Dylan

Flowers in the Rain - Move

Rain on the Roof - Lovin' Spoonful

Rainy Night in Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips

Raining in Baltimore - Counting Crows

Rain please go away - Alison Krauss and Union Station

Carolina Rain - Ryan Adams

Raining in my heart - Buddy Holly

Rain - The Beatles

Walking in the Rain - Love Unlimited Orchestra

Singing in the Rain - Gene Kelly

Footnote: The rain continued for five unrelenting days, it stopped as quickly as it started.

Thoughts on a journey to Australia

Written 22/11/11

An Inconvenient Truth:
Several times in recent months I've had reason to visit airports. On my last visit to collect my son and his girlfriend, I was met by too unfortunate images the first was a sizeable number of returning visitors arriving in the UK in October dressed as if it was mid summer, but by far the more worrying was the presence at Gatwick of a handful of armed and armoured police officers accompanied by a springer spaniel. Was their presence designed to make me feel safer ? It did not. It is however a sign of the times.

Now we are at Heathrow, after an unplanned tube journey at get there because the M25 is closed because of an accident. Fog has arrived in London and flights will be delayed. I stand in the terminal and am faced with a bewildering variety of people from probably every continent on earth. What hits me is the scale of air transport, and of course this is only passenger traffic, the arrival this week in the shops of blueberries from Uruguay shows the other side of air traffic.
Unless a way is found to reduce the carbon emissions from planes how can we tackle climate change , but as I look at all these travellers I'm left to ponder , how can we persuade people not to fly ?

How can the message of protecting the planet's future or the lifes of people of those who the average air passenger will never know or meet be saved. I write this a week before the UN Climate Change talks start in Durban, South Africa. Heathrow reveals the enormity of the task, and I understand that mainstream politics routed in short termism and the need to win the next election really doesn't stand a chance.

There's nothing to watch and I've lost my desire to read, I find myself gazing at a world map on screen and follow the path of the plane. I look at the route of our flight and I'm suddenly aware that we are flying over Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ahead it seems are the cities and provinces that a few years ago I was barely aware about, and I realise that they are now below me, although of course 38,000 feet below.

Some hours later we land in Singapore. As I walk through the terminal I realise that for the first time in my life I'm away from european dominance. In the past I've travelled to Europe, the USA and Australia but a few hours sitting in Singapore's terminal awaiting our next flight to Sydney makes me realise that there are billions living in Asia and I suspect like many europeans I had previously given this side of the world little attention.

It's the last leg of a very long journey, and I choose to watch the last part of David Attenborough's "Frozen Planet" series. Attenborough issues a dire warning about climate change at the poles. That I should be watching it on an aircraft contributing to the problem hits me, butthe whole series has been BBC television at its best, and should probably be mandatory viewing for those who doubt climate change.

Some time away

Its been more than a couple of months since I've written in this blog, however I've been collecting thoughts, thinking about directions and getting on with the new experience of retirement.

The most exciting project was the research, planning, and finally installation of solar panels on our roof. Frankly after inviting three companies to deliver presentations ( sales pitches) to us I almost gave up the will to live. I discovered I knew more than the first company's salesman, who might as well have been selling double glazing. Eventually we settled on the third company to visit, in large part because by this time we knew what questions to ask, and what answers to expect.

Midway through the process the government announced that household solar panels and the FIT scheme was becoming too popular and therefore they would cut the amount paid for power generated by installing panels for all projects not completed and registered by mid December. Fortunately our installation was booked for November and the efficiency of both the company ( Southern Solar) and our energy supplier (Ecotricity) ensured that we beat the government's deadline.

The other reason for not writing has been that we've been away for nearly a month in Australia and Singapore. While away I decided to write a few pieces as I tried to follow news and events, so the next few pieces were penned in November/early December although they won't appear in the blog till later in December.