Australia at large

Australia is a huge place. To set me in the mood and to see some of the Australia beyond the tiny area we visited I watched two films on the 'plane. I could not hear the soundtrack so missed some of the plot. Rabbit Proof Fence follows three aboriginal girls who run away, after being plucked from their home to be educated by "well meaning" whites. Tracks tells the true story of Robyn Davidson, a young woman who in 1977 undertook a perilous solo trek across 1,700 miles from Alice Springs to the western coast. The photography was stunning. I took some screen shots whilst watching Tracks - the nearest I got to seeing Ayres Rock!

Ayres Rock

Mia Wasikowska as  Robyn Davidson

Whilst crossing Australia on our way home I had GPS active on my smart-phone so was able to verify that we crossed directly over Lake Eyre which is Australia's largest salt lake and lowest elevation of 15m below sea level. It is the world's 13th largest lake. Except that most of the time it is dry - just salt flats. According to this site it was mostly dry when we crossed.

Lake Eyre from the air

And whilst in "large" mode - here is the point where we crossed the equator according to my GPS:

Actually a few seconds late!

X marks the spot

Railways in Australia

In Britain the gauge wars resolved with an Act of Parliament in 1846 establishing the universal adoption of the "standard gauge" of 4' 8½". No such resolution occurred in Australia so there are three main gauges in use. Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania use the narrow gauge of 3' 6", standard gauge in New South Wales and a broad gauge of 5' 3" elsewhere see here.

I snapped the following examples of the Queensland narrow gauge.

Entering Roma Street station from the east

Goods train near Glasshouse mountains

Landsborough Station

Amphibious vehicle

Double tyres on back axle provide traction for both rail and road

Barefoot Australia

I have posted or will be posting zillions of pictures of our Australia trip elsewhere for consumption by friends and relatives so will confine my discussion in this more public forum to barefoot running and a few points of general interest.

It was, of course, winter time in Brisbane. For us this meant just the right sort of temperature - like a good summer's day in Ireland. We had some rain (unusual for this time of year) but still warm and great to run barefoot in. Brisbane has numerous dedicated cycle and jogging tracks with generally good surface for barefoot running. And so I ran between about 3 and 10 miles barefoot most days during our stay.

Also, following my experience here in Ireland of being asked to leave a Dunnes store because I was wearing no shoes, I tried shopping barefoot in Australia and no-one commented adversely.

I met plenty of other runners but, just as in Ireland, I saw none barefoot. So strange.

Nudgee Beach is within a few miles of where we were staying and provides a vast expanse of sand to run on when the tide is out. Another run followed the Jim Soorley bikeway for some 8km, starting at the Nudgee road end. Another followed an extension of the same bikeway north through the Boondall Wetlands, checking out Anne Beasley's lookout on the way.

Looking north from Anne Beasley's lookout

A sign at the north end of the bikeway

Anne Beasley's lookout tower

A typical raised section of the bikeway

Contrary to folklore we encountered no crocodiles, sharks, box jellyfish or deadly spiders, and were not even troubled with insects. However the sand on the sea-shore was very sharp - it makes a strange noise as you walk and is possibly made mainly of crushed shells. Many of the bikeways and sidewalks were concrete made from this sand and it wore down the soles of my feet to the point of drawing blood. I made temporary repairs with Superglue but I guess it will be some while before my feet properly recover.

Australia

We made it! We went staff travel (standby) but we got on all the flights and were upgraded to business on the longest sector, thanks Kate! It's winter here but as warm as an Irish summer.

Our bus at Dublin airport

Sunset taxiing from Dublin

Business class!

Abu Dhabi control tower

Abu Dhabi landscape

Pressurisation on landing at Sydney

Gold coast

Arrival at Bris

We're off to see the Wizard

Did I say that we're off to the wonderful land of Oz on Sunday (or Monday (or Tuesday))... (we travel standby). The occasion? My last progeny's wedding.  Dublin - Abu Dhabi - Sydney - Brisbane.

We're off to see the Wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We hear he is a Whiz of a Wiz

If ever a Wiz there was

If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was

The Wizard of Oz is one because

Because, because, because, because, because

Because of the wonderful things he does

We're off to see the wizard

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

Freedom or Bondage?

It is right and proper for parents and teachers to teach life skills to their wards but they are almost bound to be biased in so doing. And so we inevitably become indoctrinated and life may not be long enough to free us of such scruples. In a recent post I muted that my parents taught me to wear shoes and to keep dry. But who taught me that church denominations outside the one I was brought up in were suspect? It was never expressed quite like that but that was its effect. Since I don't think that's how God works, I reckon I must have been listening to human reasoning. I remember two girls returning from some sort of Christian camp and being excited about someone there who had been healed - and this being hush-hushed because our church figured miracles no longer happened. It came as a shock, when I went up to Oxford, to find real Christians from other backgrounds.

Too bad that so many of us remain all our life in bondage to what other people think. As opposed to "my yoke is easy, my burden light". Too bad that such bondage leads to stress and stress is a root cause of all manner of chronic sicknesses.

The theory goes: "Your leaders reckon they know the scriptures. So you should listen to and do what they tell. But don't copy their actions; for they talk a lot but do not do as they preach. They bind heavy and hard-to-carry burdens and lay them on men's shoulders. But they will not even lift a finger to move them. They do what they do in order to be seen of men. They make a show in the way they talk and dress, and they love titles and to be known in the right company and to be recognised by men as having a ministry. But you must not be called by a title for One is your teacher, Christ, and you are all brothers. And call no one your father on the earth, for One is your Father in Heaven. And do not be called teachers, for One is your Teacher, even Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted." (my paraphrase). Whereas in practice I get tied up in knots, literal knots in my stomach, for fear of what people might think, or worrying about what I haven't done or can't achieve.

There is great liberty in the doctrine of "the total depravity of man" - that, without God, you are hopelessly bad to the core. If you can really get a hold of that then there is not much lower you can get. And in good company too with he "who... made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

"And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."  Trouble is, I am a wimp - I don't want to suffer and I don't like it when I am dissed. God help me.

True freedom is not being bound to do wrong. "If you continue... you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered: 'We are Abraham's seed and were never in bondage to anyone. How do you say, You will be made free?' He answered, Truly, whoever practices sin is the slave of sin... Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

Oliver!

My mother took me to see the film "Oliver" soon after it was released and it made a great impression on me. I came away sort of dazed. I remember my mother asking me which song I enjoyed most and I told her that obviously it was "Where is love?". Although in hindsight "Who will buy...?" is another tear-jerker.

And that is why, possibly, I have a fascination with curved terraces such as Regents Street, London and the Royal Crescent, Bath. We stopped in Bath on our recent trip to the UK and so, whilst Ali was buying beads, I ran across town (barefoot) and took the next two photos.

The Royal Crescent, Bath

Royal Crescent rear view

The building is quite deep - so I figure the rooms inside must be quite large. And the rear elevation is rather random with later additions, as can be seen from this aerial view I found. Posh facade and not so posh derriere.

Aerial view

So what was it in the film "Oliver" that moved me so much? That puts it in first place of all musicals I have seen. Perhaps I am incurably romantic? Perhaps I fell in love with Mark Lester's face? Perhaps I was moved by the music? Or perhaps the whole thing was just so well crafted from beginning (sepia photograph coming to life) to end (Fagin's adieu).

Some admiration for Mark Lester dissipates on hearing that he did not actually sing any of his songs! There were no film locations - the whole show was filmed in the studio. This link shows some of the "behind the scenes". And the following quote gives some sense of the epic nature of the production:

"This was to be more than "a big picture." The timelessness of its theme, its depth of story and character, its richness of song and dance, its evocation of an era, all demanded painstaking devotion, over a long production period. The original stage presentation had to be "opened up," so that the movie camera might do justice to its several hundred performers amid new colourful settings; and so that 110 musicians, and scores of singers, and the magic of sound engineering might give new dimensions to its music. But it had to be expanded by the addition of far more dancing than the limited confines of the stage had permitted.

"A crew of 350 built the astonishing sets, and symbolic of their scope may be these random examples of the materials used: 110 tons of scaffolding; 10 tons of nails and screws: 1000 cobblestone slabs to recreate roadways of  long ago; 1000 gallons of mixed paints. But cold statistics can convey no sense of the warmth, dedication and "heart" of the vivid life and crowded panorama which so many talents joined forces to create."

Sweet memories are a blessing

The present infinitesimal moment on which we travel through life leaves behind only a trail of memories. But even memories can be rich. We have just come back from a trip to visit Ali's mother in Devon and attend a nephew's wedding, and I had a day to myself whilst Ali went shopping. So I went on a memory trip.

Atlantic waves

Westward Ho!

My first stop was Westward Ho! It is possibly 50 years since I was here last and not much has changed. My goal was to taste the beach again and to locate the apartment block my parents rented. The beach satisfied: it is a long expanse of clean sand stretching over 2 miles. Of course I ran barefoot from end to end stopping only to take pictures and fight the breakers.

Looking south

Looking north towards Braunton

Around the tip of the beach to the Taw estuary

Towards the fishing village of Appledore

Westward Ho!

Zooming in to the apartment block

About here I would have purchased my daily icecream

This, I think, is where we stayed

In that door to the left - which opened into a dank smell

View from the apartment -
recalling that first thrill on arriving here

My next port of call was Lynton, or more accurately the coast to the left of Lynton. I followed signs for Martin Hoe and parked the car above Woody Bay. My goal was to retrace the euphoric walk I took during a Lee Abbey holiday. In fact I only retraced only a small part of it, but some is better than naught. True to memory I wore no top, but this time also barefoot.

Looking north-east from the top

Zooming in - the Valley of the Rocks is at top right

The glen leading down to Woody Bay

Woody Bay hotel

Looking west from the coastal path

Lee Abbey look-out tower

I followed the coastal path eastwards descending to Lee Abbey's beach which marked the starting point for my historic walk. I followed the coast westwards until defeated by unscalable rocks and sea, then retraced my steps to the beach where I swam for some while - the water so warm, so calm.

Regrettably I cannot remember how, back then, I continued westwards: there was no way-marked coastal path in those days. I think I must have used the road for a while before descending back to the coast at Woody Bay, but retracing that part of the route will have to await another occasion.

Lee Abbey private beach

The furthest I ventured

Lee Abbey

My last POI was Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor.  Historically I would have walked here from Exford and continued on towards Dunster, but this time I cheated by parking perhaps less than a mile from the peak.  The views were fantastic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day. Good memories, ephemeral though they may be, are certainly a blessing.

Towards Dunster

Looking south

The cairn

Towards west Exford and Lynton

An unknown hiker starts towards Dunster

This device wasn't there in my days!