Monday, June 19, 2006

Finally back on Australian terra firma. Apologies to those who expected eye witness, hot off the press news about my travels and travails but alas twas not to be. In Sweden things where frenetic with the Stockholm Challenge and then in Greece a shortage of access prevented me quite successfully from posting to the blog.

Needless to say, I am in serious denial about being back. My body has rebelled in sympathy and become riddled with some flu-ey type thing that has sufficiently impeded any acceptance that I am back and that I will soon have to grapple with the everyday reality of making a living and having a life. I must give Melbourne credit though. Although it is winter, Melbourne is still capable of turning up the sun dial even though temperatures are on the icy end of the scale.

From my vantage point I look out over my neighbour’s leafless fig tree. It still holds fruit. In the distance and over the fence a lemon and orange tree are doing a fine job of simultaneously soaking up the sun’s morning rays while reflecting back impossibly saturated orange and yellows. It seems we can only find romance in foreign places but I look at this country, my country and feel blessed to have such bounty and beauty just at the edge of my vision.

The story of my journey will now be told through pictures that I will gradually put up (emphasis on the gradual). I have learnt something the Greek’s place a high value on and that is pacing: the slower the pace the more you see. I hope I can harness that wisdom in this frenetic-obsessed culture.