Day Twenty Eight
Well, I was going to wax lyrical about the stabbing pang of homesickness I had whilst staring out of a bus window listening to a downloaded podcast of “The News Quiz” but then I found out that by downloading the podcast I had somehow managed to wipe all 856 songs and 3 audio books from my itouch so my whimsy fast disappeared.
So I’m left with nothing to run to except Sandi, Fred, Jeremy, Miles, Ava and Charlotte.
Help.
Seeing as I have two months left to go and nowt to listen to I need some advice as to what I’m going to have to download now. I’ve already started with Empire of the Sun and The Shins courtesy of Anne and David (oh they’re good) but if you think you know a banging tune to get me out of bed or an album to watch the Nullabor go by to please let me know…. and Miriam, I am not listening to the Dixie Chicks, and Jeni, I know your sister rocks but I can’t laugh and run at the same time!
Day Twenty Five
Slept under Satan’s arse last night. Across from me was a malevolent black cat with lime green eyes and no pupils and above was a blue vampire who needs to ditch his pan pipe and get a pedicure. Medusa in aqua with a fish tail and Poseidon with a mullet and a bloodied trident completed the experience of kipping at Albany Backpackers.
Day Twenty Three Later
My desk is now underneath a tree by a different part of the shore in Augusta, WA. I’m not entirely convinced I’m not sitting on an ant hill which given that I’m wearing a skirt could be potentially v uncomfortable. I am, however, quite positive that I won’t suffer pictureskew beauty fatigue from sitting next to aquamarine waters and listening to bugger all all day. And watching kite surfers peal off their wetsuits. Heading to Esperance via Albany (as in I can call you Betty, not as in the Duke of) tomorrow. Think I’ll be heading North the middle of next week…
Day Twenty Three
Have just run with a roo. It joined me half a block ahead as I ran beside the shore this morning and it zig zagged in front of me, skittering away from the birds it was nearly landing on before disapearing back into the bush. It was a biggun too.
Day Twenty One Again Again
Felt like I’d left my brain back in Tasi when I woke up this morning but Team Morgan were as ever brilliant and the day was heaven mixed with Jaffa brownies, top south WA tips and a jolly good dose of gossip. Frankly there’s no other reason to be in Perth if Team Morgan are not around.
Day Twenty One again
The air hostess smells of toasted sandwiches every time she wafts past.
“Queen Elvis” – Robyn Hitchcock
Day Twenty One
I’m sat on the plane to Perth listening to “Drugs Don’t Work” – The Verve.
So that was Tasmania. If I hadn’t booked this air ticket I could have easily stayed there another month. Have spent the last couple of days fulfilling all my rally car driver dreams up, down and around the mountains and exploring the West and North coasts, but all the roads I really wanted go down were unsealed and my rental car wasn’t tank-like enough for me to trust I’d get my deposit back if I attempted them. It’s always good to know you have unfinished business somewhere in the world.
I hadn’t remembered the three hour time difference when I booked the flight so I’ll get into my Perth bed local time about 1am, Stanley time 4am. What a muppet.
“Blue Valentine” – Tom Waits.
Day Nineteen
I ran over a hundred Spanish onions today. Well at least seventeen.
Day Fourteen
I was pinned to my desk today (a peaceful, remote, dry park bench overlooking the harbour at Battery Point). A couple with their dog started talking to me. Ten things what I learnt in that half an hour:
1) she was on very strong pain meds for her broken back. The first operation had gone wrong and she is due back in surgery later this month. It has robbed her of two years of her life
2) her first husband was a mean Bavarian who won $1.2 million on the lottery just after she divorced him after twenty years of marriage. He took their two children skiing as an afterthought, but it was too late
3) she is expecting her 16 year old dog Jessie to die later this year as Jessie went downhill fast when she was last in hospital. She has had many other dogs who will be waiting for her “up there”, including Chloe her Maltese who died last year and her neighbour’s dog who died of a massive tumour in her mouth after excessive dog walking (I paraphrase)
4) she has three scars from her previous operation and is hoping that the doctors won’t scar her further (there was no show and tell at this point unfortunately). However the doctors are going to remove one of her ribs to mash up and put in a cage between the damaged vertabrae (got very lost at this point)
5) she was always meant to be with her second husband but his son died in a car crash and he was never the same again
6) once her dog is dead and her back has healed she will go on holiday, maybe to England to see some gardens as gardening is her passion
7) she once bought a new bed and decorated her spare room in preparation for a childhood friend and her husband’s visit. They unfortunately stayed in Sydney declining to spend $200 on a ticket to Hobart after travelling all that way from Germany. They are very rich
8 ) her current partner has been her friend for 32 years
9) she was originally from the Black Forest but has been in Australia for 51 years, the last 8 have been in Tasmania
10) she likes Mozart and cottages
I declined a cup of coffee back at their place.
Day Sixteen continued
Another day, another lunch at my desk, nothing really changes. Except my desk isn’t usually near the fish gutting tables on the public jetty. Am watching the sea roil. Huge waves and steaming white horses. Grey and orange rocks. White sand and turquoise breakers. And forest. And a swell to lose your lunch to.
today my desk 