Australia: What, me write?
So, I’ve been home for seven weeks now. And have spent those seven weeks driving all over the state of Victoria with Bec, catching up with friends and family. We’ve knocked up just short of 4000 km (or around 2500 miles) in the car. Not a bad effort.
But tomorrow, we leave again. Unfortunately, this time it is not nearly as exciting as our previous 12 month journey. We fly to Scotland, where we plan to work for another 6 months (roughly until the end of October) before leaving the UK with our pockets stashed full of cash. Or, failing that, I guess we could buy some of those laundry bags with dollar signs printed on them. They always look cool.
Which brings me to the point of this entry – given my life is going back to a 9 to 5 routine, I’m not sure if the writing bug will still be hanging around. Clearly the little bastard deserted me over the past 7 weeks. And so now the Fanta Pants Diaries will probably languish in internet no-man’s land, next to Buffy fan sites, and forecasts of millenium bug doom. We’re planning some brief travel when we leave the UK (so, what do you know about Sri Lanka?), but until then, well, I don’t know.
To keep you entertained in the meantime, here’s a list of a few books I read over the course of the past 12 months that I could recommend.
Fools Rush In, by Bill Carter. I mentioned this book in my entries about Sarajevo; a sledgehammer of a book that I can’t recommend highly enough. I cried when I read it. Bec cried when she read it. Not because it’s particularly sad, it just grabs all your emotions and swirls them round and round and round until you realise that all anyone really needs in this world is love. Read it.
Trail of Feathers, by Tahir Shah. Dude goes deep into the Peruvian Amazon in his quest to unravel the myth of the Flying Birdmen of Peru. Great travel writing.
On the Road, by Jack Keruoac. A classic. It did take a bit of getting through, but it’s definately worth a read.
31 Songs, by Nick Hornby. Hornby’s writing is ridiulously easy to read, yet maintains a level of intelligence that most writer’s fall well short of. In this book, he writes a series of essays detailing his connection to 31 different songs, everything from Bruce Springsteen to Nelly Furtado to The Avalanches. Anyone who likes music should read this.
Touching the Void, by Joe Simpson. The story of two mountain climbers in the Peruvian Andes who strike trouble when one breaks his leg. Strikes trouble, geez, I’m selling it a little short – the guy is bloody left for dead by his mate, falls down a huge crevasse, and somehow lives to write the book. It was made into a documentary film a few years back – I haven’t seen that, but the book will have your jaw banging on your knee.
Other than that, the other thing I have been reading for almost 18 months now is the travel blog of Conor Grennan. The funniest (and posibly best all round) travel writing I have read, bar none. Makes Bill Bryson seem about as funny as the Pope. Read this, and you’ll never return to the Fanta Pants Diaries. Seriously, I wouldn’t even expect my family to keep reading this after checking out Conor’s. http://tblogs.bootsnall.com/conor//
Cheers to all the people who have been reading this over the past while, and especially those who have left messages, and especially those who have left messages whom I have never met. Thanks heaps. Check back in six months time!
Tags: Australia, Travel
Dave
June 15th, 2006 at 11:09 am
hi there, indeed i have been occasionally been reading your blog a damn site more interesting than work i tell you. It is reassuring that there is someone outthere doing something other than sitting at a god forsaken desk.
So anyway welcome back to scotland.
craig.
June 16th, 2006 at 7:55 am
Hey Craig, good to hear from you mate. Being back at the desk is not all that much fun, especially when my best mate is out there travelling at the moment. Reading his emails while I’m at work is torture.
I’m working at a small structural firm, Wren & Bell, in the west end. Got in touch with Gordon, but he couldn’t offer me anything. Oh well.
Anyhoo, don’t work too hard mate.
Dave
July 14th, 2007 at 5:10 am
Hey Blue and Bec,nrnrSorry have not been in contact….very bloody slack!!!!! Sounds like you guys are having the time of your lifre, very jealous. Enjoying your diary entries -fantastic. nrBrisbane is going great, cirque doing very well. Got into 2007 Gourmet Traveller restaurant guide, was one of our few ambitions. Trying to start a family, but proving to need more practice! Have got steph and sol with us at the moment and nrDeb stone as well – so a very full house. All recovering on beroocas as we went out for Sarahs bday last night. She was born on bastille day. We are soo frenchy,wee weenrnrSorry about the broad based email. Covering lots of territory quickly with a big brush. Let us know your movementw, it has been tooooooo long since we last saw you and would love to catch up. You are always welcome in Brisbane, we have plenty of space to stay. Keep safe guys. missing youn Spock and Sarah
July 15th, 2007 at 2:08 am
Hey Spock! Good to hear from you mate. We’ve tried to track down an emil address for you and Sarah since we left but have had no luck.
We’ve about to leave Nepal after three months, bu are stopping in SEAsia for a few months before coming home in October. We’re definately coming up to Brisbane at some point once we’re back. I just don’t know when! Can’t wait to have a feed at cirque.
Catch ya,
Blue and Bec