Category Archives: Australia

Cocktail

Posted on November 7, 2018 by d4vid

The Outback.  The Midterms.  WWI. Three things dominated my thought as I drove from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy. The Outback.  Alien desolation from horizon to horizon. The midterm election.  The die already cast, but unable to hear any election … Continue reading →

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Helliconia

Posted on November 7, 2018 by d4vid

In the early 80s, science fiction author Brian Aldiss wrote a trilogy of books about a planet called Helliconia in a binary star system which means there are regular years (as Helliconia orbits one star) and “Great Years” (as Helliconia & … Continue reading →

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Outback

Posted on November 7, 2018 by d4vid

The Outback is the color of rust.  Literally, the color of rust.  It looks like the surface of Mars or, considering the twisted flora & vicious fauna, probably more like Barsoom. I had a magical moment while driving north on … Continue reading →

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Viticulture II

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

In general, I don’t give much thought to Australian wine.  (Although probably ranking somewhere between upstate New York wine and most Chinese wine.)  Furthermore, judging wines by their names and labels is just as misguided as judging a book by its … Continue reading →

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Equine

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

Reassured by this Anglican church with an open door, I stopped for the night in a town called Horsham.  Since Gotham means “goat home” I wondered if Horsham meant “horse home”.  The town does have racetrack, after all. But apparently … Continue reading →

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Port

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

Spent the night at Port Augusta, a dinky resort town at the top of the Spencer Gulf (which itself cuts inland into the south of the continent from the Great Australian Bight.) The biggest surprise here was finding some excellent … Continue reading →

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Density

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

The population of Shanghai is 23 million whereas the population of Australia in total is roughly 25 million.

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Victorian II

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

Melbourne’s architecture is more of what I think of as Victorian.  This particular building looks like a Sorcerer Supreme ought to live here.Appropriate, as the state is resides in is itself named Victoria.Much like San Francisco (which it reminded me … Continue reading →

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Cockatoo

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

En route to Melbourne, saw lots of sulphur-created cockatoos (like the one from Wikipedia above) all just standing around the side of the road, like pompadoured street toughs loitering on a stoop.

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Drowsy

Posted on November 5, 2018 by d4vid

Australia is super serious about drowsy driving.  There are road signs with warnings and admonitions and suggestion every mile or two.

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Victorian

Posted on November 4, 2018 by d4vid

Spent the night in a boutique hotel in Albury.  (A Midnight Oil song was playing when I walked into the lobby.  Peak Australia.)The main street had architecture that reminded me of the Old West (if heavily painted over.) It’s absurd that … Continue reading →

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Snorks

Posted on November 4, 2018 by d4vid

I’ve been shocked by how few American cars I’ve seen on the road here.  Almost entirely Japanese and German cars.  Only the rustiest of rust buckets turns out to be a Ford or a Dodge. The Toyota Hilux is a … Continue reading →

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Tucker

Posted on November 4, 2018 by d4vid

My first meal after landing I ate under a giant sign that read “Real Aussie Tucker”. Then, driving down the M31, I saw a sign for “Dog on the Tuckerbox” (which, I discovered later, is apparently a famous statue.) Wikipedia … Continue reading →

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Toponyms III

Posted on November 4, 2018 by d4vid

Bundanoon.  Goobarragondra.  Mirrabooka. All the toponyms here sound like they were invented by a child while drawing a crayon map of their paracosm. Wagga Wagga.  Tangambalanga.  Tumbarumba. Or like they’re the name of a Chumbawumba cover band. (More about my general … Continue reading →

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Nutbush

Posted on November 4, 2018 by d4vid

I learned about this baffling phenomenon while listening to Australian radio.  Apparently, in public school or something, everyone in the country learned some choreographed dance to “Nutbush City Limits” by Ike & Tina Turner.  And no one seems to know … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Canberra | Tagged | 2 Comments