‘Keeping you bastards entertained isn’t easy’
Now I know how George Negus felt for all those years – constantly striving for an interesting angle and trying to meet the strict deadlines and high expectations of the ABC viewing public. My task is no less demanding in trying to satisfy this media-savvy mob.
Seriously though, I am starting to miss you guys. The first hectic weeks of a new town and trying to find a new place to live pushed routine aside for a while, but after settling into a new house I find myself with time to miss what I’ve left behind. The funny thing is, the person I miss the most is {insert your own name}. I guess part of the point of travelling is to try and discover the inner-self by leaving behind part of the social structure that defines you. That’s harder to do in this modern age, but the effect is still there.
Of course, the other bonus in travelling is meeting new people, which is as good a time as any to introduce you to my new housemates.
(Picture an indoor basketball court. All the lights are out, but a huge crowd is busy taking pictures. Suddenly a roving spotlight starts roaming around the court, and a deep-voiced American announcer comes on. You have to read the announcer part very slowly, and with as much exaggeration as possible)
Announcer: And now, introducing the London All-Stars!
(The crowd erupt in cheers, and the spotlight focuses on a man running onto court}
Announcer: Your fearless leader … the number one spliff smoker and tuba player extraordinaire … Adam!
(Crowd screams as Adam does back flips)
Announcer: Next up is your favourite art student and chronic mumbler … Colin!
(The noise is deafening as Colin walks to the centre of the court, shading his eyes, and reluctantly high-fiving Adam)
Announcer: Next on court, the one … the only … your favourite skater and mine … Matt!
(Matt comes flying over the crowd, launching of a huge ramp, before colliding with Adam and Colin)
Apart from Matt’s skating talents, this is a fairly accurate portrayal of my new housemates. Colin’s moving out in a week, to be replaced by Adam’s girlfriend, and they are all-round good guys. The house is on the bottom floor of a two-storey house, with other occupants above us. There are four bedrooms and no living room. Two of the big rooms double as lounge rooms, which kind of forces everyone to be nice to each other.
I think I’m just about through with sightseeing. It’s possible that I’m clouding my judgment with the fact that I have a bad cold and a bruised heel, which sees me hobbling around London like a leper, but most of the famous sights leave me a bit cold. They are dripping with foreign tourists snapping away and yelling at the kids not to run on the flowers. I went to Buckingham Palace today and the only people speaking English were the hot dog vendors. The other aspect of this is that the sights of London aren’t exactly unknown. It’s pretty hard to be delightfully surprised by something that, thanks to all those holiday programs, is almost as recognisable as your own home. Travelling to me entails finding things that you didn’t know about, rather than confirming that landmarks are still there.
That’s probably why I want to live in London for a while and try to see it from a native perspective. I imagine that this is quite different from what the tourists see and it’s probably more fulfilling. I would like to branch out and see a bit more of the British Isles and Europe eventually, but a job is the number one priority at the moment. There seem to be a lot of IT jobs (I just applied for 17 today), so I’m confident of getting one at the moment. If I descend into raving lunatic land again please send me encouraging emails.
I was seriously thinking about asking you to send some vegemite over but you could have knocked me over with a gum leaf when I saw a jar in the local petrol station. It just goes to show how many Aussies are over here. Apparently Kilburn has a fairly large Australian population but I’ve managed to avoid them all so far. Kilburn is full of large double story houses. It’s a very expensive looking area by Canberra standards, but expensive in London means inner city apartments. There are quite a few Jamaican and Islamic shops in the area but they’re done in a British way. This means small and unadventurous.
I hope that when this cold clears up I get a post-illness energy boost. I’m feeling the pressure to do things, otherwise the next email will be a long one about the paint scheme in my room, and all the interesting things to look at on the way to the shops. Actually, that’s what I usually do in the peak of health. I think I’d better get well, otherwise St. Patrick’s day could be the end of me.
See you on the other side,
Dave.
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