2022 eh. So far this year has had some interesting developments (completely out of the blue) which required some emergency mental gymnastics, mildly Machiavellian plotting and 'wake the fuck up' decision making. The short story is that I'll be staying in New Zealand for the forseeable future. Long term. Permanent resident this year if its … Continue reading regrowth…
Category: Human connection
Porridge …
Welcome back to reality, motherf@cker! It's expensive! (Warning - the following contains a LOT of 'I" statements cos I'm too lazy to write properly at the moment and my thoughts are still a bit wobbly from what I'm hoping is T3 and not early onset dementia.) Yes I'm home, or at least closer to home … Continue reading Porridge …
gone baby, gone…
So it's 'Take 3' tomorrow morning for myself and the Scott Base crew's 9am C17 flight to Antarctica, courtesy of the good ole USAF. We were supposed to leave Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday...weather delays are part of the fun (unfortunately). Disinfected buses collect us from our managed isolation facility at 6m and will shuttle … Continue reading gone baby, gone…
exodus…
After 5 months of stress, anxiety and dislocation with uncertainty and isolation my bedfellows every sleepless night since March, I'm finally on my way out of the dumpster fire that is Australia 2020. Unfortunately not on a ship (so the Exodus analogy ends here) but rather a grumpy and sour Qantas flight to Sydney and … Continue reading exodus…
Spamdemic…#5
Well of course Thursdays flight was cancelled, wasn’t it. Just for a few brief hours I’d allowed myself to entertain getting to Australia ok. It took a lot of phone calls, luck and pleases to get this sorted, but eventually a super helpful lady at the Thai Airways ticketing counter at Chiang Mai airport ( … Continue reading Spamdemic…#5
Spamdemic…#4
One key aspect of solo travel is knowing when to call it - when to blow that "full time' whistle and head home. To be able to read the signs around you, look at your motivations, assess the risks and take action. I've hammered this point to fellow travelers over the years; now to take … Continue reading Spamdemic…#4
Spamdemic…#3
Friday morning and the streets here are getting emptier every day. Fewer and fewer people are venturing out; a combination of the smoke and the fear of Covid19. There's still the odd Westerner about, but we're definitely the minority now - the rowdy groups of backpackers and lovesick honeymooners are largely gone. The usual streetscapes … Continue reading Spamdemic…#3
Spamdemic…#2
So barely 12 hours after I arrive in Chiang Mai, the Australian Government announces outgoing International travel bans, effectively cutting Australia off from the rest of the world. FFKS. I learn about this while sitting in my favourite Chiang Mai cafe having my usual breakfast. Awesome. So I check the news. Doom, gloom, fear and … Continue reading Spamdemic…#2
Spamdemic…
Hmmm. I may have done something stupid. Dubbo was doing my head in after almost 3 weeks so, irritated by the the ineffective plodding of our government and hysterical coverage of Covid19 pandemic by the Australian media, I've decided (after much angst) to bite the bullet, get the FUCK out of Australia and see whats … Continue reading Spamdemic…
processing…
Back in Dubbo for a week now - a city of endless straight lines and unforgiving heat - these first 10 days of re-entry spent in a seesawing fever/fugue state brought on by the lightning fast onslaught of influenza picked up on Day 1 in Christchurch. No, it wasn't Coronavirus just a vicious flu and … Continue reading processing…
Man Down! 