Went on a day trip to see the recreated Gold mining town at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, and despite it being quite chilly there it was a really good day out! Best bits were going down the mineshafts, amazing to think about the conditions people worked in back then, and also made me identify a little more with the plight of the previously trapped Tasmanian miners! Scary!
First, don’t go and see The New World. I think Terence Malick is pretty amazing as a director, and does shoot this movie incredibly well in terms of cinematography- it’s very poetic. However there is no excuse for putting out a movie of such incredible tedium, it’s totally over-indulgent and would have been fine if he had cut the last hour of the movie out.
Second, everyone needs to see In The Shadow Of The Palms - Iraq.
This is a movie that everyone should see, especially in England and the
USA. After watching this you cannot help but be moved by the
realisation of what is happening to ordinary Iraqis, it’s a total
disgrace. If, like me, you couldn’t quite connect on an emotional
humanitarian level with what is happening there, because of the spin
given to the conflict by western media, this will certainly change
that.
This is a remarkable piece of film making, not only because it is the
only footage I have seen that shows the reality of war for Iraqis, and
because it is so well shot and put together. Well done Wayne
Coles-Janess .
I actually took some short video clips before I left, a month ago, and today as a real reminder of some of the key stages in my trip these past 8 months. So below we have todays wrap up, but there’s the 7 month clip, and the pre trip clip. Apologies for my formal video speaking mode, must be the ingrained public school boy in me appearing in interview situations. Sheesh. (anyway, these are more for me too look back on than anything else).
Hmm, just occurred to me that soon this blog is going to sleep - I like to think I’m not such a geek that I’d carry on blogging at home! Photos yes, bla bla no. Unless I make a separate one. Who knows.
So anyway, there might still be time for one or two more stories before I head back to London (only 3 weeks to go!!)…but currently I’m just staying in, doing work again for good old Investis, and trying to get a new room mate in here to take my place…. so not much to tell I’m afraid :)
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Okay peeps, just like my decision to take off down under came outta almost nowhere, I can announce that I am heading back to blighty next month!
I’ve had a beautiful time here, but in my gut I feel like it’s time to come back even though I haven’t managed to see alot of things here, the place is just too damn big to do it in one go at a leisurely pace. Oh, I’ve fretted and thought about the possible amazing things that I could still see if I stayed and worked doing odd jobs along the way, but I can only take so much hostelling and meeting drunken teenage backpackers in one year. And I’ve done alot more than most of the muppets that come here and never leave Bondi beach. And old Mr Mastercard is very upset with me, so I better get my sorry ass back to the real world and appease the beauty.
And last but definitely not least, I actually miss some of you more than half as much as I thought I would (or whatever B Baggins would say) :)
23rd May, someone is givin me a couch to sleep on for a bit :)
