Great Aussie Adventure Part 3

WOW. There is so much to convey I literally don’t know where to start. I’m just going to write it all…if you make it the whole way through, good on’ya! Warning: this update will be largely dedicated to The Dead Weather. But first…

I have been living with Helen, one of the coolest 80 year old ladies I ever did meet, here in Chatswood – a very nice and family oriented suburb of Sydney. The city is a quick 10 minute train ride away, and I have to be honest – I’M LOVING IT. After all the hoopla and running from friends’ places to hostels and back and forth and packing and unpacking and sharing bathrooms and being woken up at all hours of the night when drunken travelers are returning from 24 hour bars…living with Helen is like a true vacation. I have my own gorgeous bedroom and big, wall-length bay window that opens up to a balcony…and my own bathroom. After being a nomad for five weeks, I cannot begin to describe the luxury I feel like I’m being cradled in. I also thoroughly enjoy being of service to Helen. She just recently came down with asthma, which has really slowed her down…it frustrates her, as she likes to get out and do things, be active. Sometimes she gets down, so I do my best to always bring her cheer and make her laugh – every now and then she cracks a smile for me, which is payment enough. I really enjoy cooking her dinner, though she is brutally honest – she doesn’t like the way I cook spinach! And my vegan tendencies are very “interesting” to her. When we first met and I told her I was a vegetarian, she said oh yes, I don’t eat much meat either…just steak at night. I giggled.

Another thing I love about living here is that I get to drive her to appointments, to meet friends, to shop. Something happened, the whole driving on the left hand side of the road thing clicked – it’s natural now. I even take the car into town by myself to pick up things for her. I feel like a real citizen of the world again.

I’ve joined the local library and am tearing it up…I’ve rented all kinds of music books and literature, learning about the Aussie music scene and the impact of the digital age here…as well as some Sherlock Holmes. I was reading Rob Roy, but after having to turn to the index after every sentence to translate the old Scottish dialect that Sir Walter Scott created, I’ve moved on.

I continue to enjoy the sights and sounds of Sydney…it took me three days to get through the New South Wales Art Gallery; not only was the art unbelievable, but it was FREE!!!! A backpacker’s dream! Plus they had an absolutely incredible exhibition by NSW high school students. I was blown away. I’m posting pictures on Facebook for you art lovers – but be advised I have about 200+ pictures to upload, so if you make it to the art photos, I’ll be very impressed. I also spent a few days lingering around the Botanical Gardens, and reading and writing there. The gardens are also free, and packed with people in business suits during the lunch hour, either walking back to work after eating or breaking bread together on the grounds. Every day in Sydney during lunch you will find people in business suits playing footie in a park, or cricket, or eating their lunch…they really do get out of the office and enjoy some sunshine and down time. I love it. Also, fair warning with the Botanical Gardens pictures…there are a lot of trees featured. I love trees in general but I have never seen any like they have here in Oz. Absolutely incredible, like something straight out of Avatar.

Speaking of Avatar, or mass marketed 3-D animation, I saw Alice in Wonderland at the Darling Harbor IMAX, which claims to be the “largest IMAX screen in the world”. I loved the movie, but I’m gonna have to say that the good ole Bob Bullock Theater seems larger to me, from memory. What do we say, everything’s bigger in Texas? Indeed.

All right folks…and now…THE DEAD WEATHER. Most of you are aware that Jack White has been a sort of musical guru for me since I was 18 (as he is with thousands of music aficionados out there). He serves as drummer for this band, with Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar/keyboard, Jack Lawrence on bass (The Greenhornes) and the vixenalicious Alison Mosshart (The Kills) on vocals. They announced their Australia tour after I booked my flights over here – talk about Universe in alignment! I immediately snatched up tickets to see them in Melbourne and Sydney…

Two weekends ago I flew to Melbourne for the first show. This was exciting for several reasons…1.) It was my first time to see The Dead Weather perform since last fall 2.) I was getting out of Sydney and finally seeing another part of Australia and, the most important reason of all…3.) I WAS REUNITED WITH LISA! Lisa is an amazing friend that I met travelling in Europe – deep breath – six long years ago. We did a European tour together. First day on the bus, she boards, approaches the empty seat next to me, and says “Right. This seat taken?” The rest is history. She’s been to visit me in the states. To finally be able to see her again, and in her own environment, was amazing. We’ve both grown and changed, and yet at the same time we fell right back into our groove with each other. She joined me for the concert – and after never having heard of them, she walked away thoroughly impressed. The weekend passed by too fast but I’ll be back with her soon – she’s been kind enough to open her home to me for when I move to Melbourne. I’ll be staying there for about a month while I’m interviewing for jobs at the local record stores and live music venues…(more to come on Melbourne later when I’m actually living there – but just briefly – IT KICKS ASS)

Back in Sydney the following Friday, the day of The Dead Weather show, they announced another show the following night…thank GOD I checked my email that day, otherwise I wouldn’t have heard about it. I received an email notification from them describing “an intimate showing at the Oxford Art Factory”…intimate show with The Dead Weather? I’m there. I went to their show that night at the Enmore Theater in Newtown which is the area near Sydney University, super young and hip with lots of restaurants and nightlife around. The show rocked; there were a few mishaps with the drums, but not to be thwarted, Jack got up with maracas and just sang the song himself…the crowd was on fire. Watching bands like The Dead Weather perform is always such a thrill because there is such an exchange of energy that happens…the crowd fuels the band, and the band pours that back into the crowd. We end up being there not only as patrons or fans, but as an integral part of the show; our participation helps them dig down and release the sounds or vibrations we help inspire in them…ahhhh I LOVE IT! After the show I noticed some people gathering outside the back of the venue, waiting for the band to come out. There were enough people there that I figured well, if they don’t want to talk to us, they will let us know. Ladies and gents, I met my guru. A roady came out and requested that we not take any pictures and no autographs; the band needed to get home…and then they came. Jack said hi first; there was this young hipster kid with super tight too-low jeans and oober blow dried peroxide blonde hair…when Jack shook his hand the boy croaked out something like “I love you Jack” to which Jack responded “ahh you” and pulled him in for a quick bear hug and then ruffled his hair. It was a sweet moment to watch, and the kid practically started crying. I just said, God bless ya, Jack.…I mean, how do you say “Thank you Jack for being an antenna and following your inspiration and helping me trust that instinct in myself for all of these years, and for the brilliant music you’ve brought us and for all of the cool things you’re doing for music with Third Man Records” ...with sincerity in a few short words? I’m sure he hears that all the time. Perhaps he's tired of hearing it. He replied “Thank you sweetheart” and shook my hand. I would be lying if I said it didn’t make my little girl’s heart swell, though I’m sure he said the same thing to every other lady there. It was a real thrill and honor meeting Dean and Alison too, they were super cool. Very generous with their fans. It was a good night.

Which brings me to their final show, at the Oxford Art Factory. People, I have no words. No words to describe the joy, the gratitude, the amazement I feel at the whole thing. The venue room was about as big as my house on South Oak – TINY!!! There were, maybe (?) 150 people in the whole room. TINY. The stage was so small they couldn’t even have all of their equipment on, and no back drop. I got there early and walked right to the front of the stage, arms resting on the rail – when they came on, I couldn’t believe it. They were practically in my lap. I’m not going to go on and on and gush here, except to say that it was an experience I will carry with me forever, and one of the many reasons that I’m so obsessed with music. The way it feels to be a part of a show like that, you’re actually helping them with the creation, you are a part of the creation itself. I took some amazing videos and photos, all of which will be on Facebook…I’m going to try to upload one video here. It was the best live music experience of my life.

I know a lot of you are going to see them at Stubbs when they come to town in April…if you aren’t, I would (obviously) recommend it. Not only do they ALL have talent oozing out of every pore, but they also create this really fun “world”…I remember Austin M. described it like “they create this dark, sinister world but play with it…its dark and freaky but at the same time safe and playful”. I couldn’t agree more. They are all very much in character during the show; Jack tried hard to never even make eye contact with the audience and Alison…well, you’ll see. :) Of course overriding all of this is their incredible sound, a fabulous mix of hard rock and roll with yearning and poignant blues boiling up to the surface here and there…go see it for yourself, people!!!! April at Stubbs!

So! So. Here we are at the end. I’ve been looking forward to The Dead Weather shows so much ever since I got here, it’s going to be weird to not have them looming anymore. But I have a lot to do, things to accomplish, other music to scope out, puzzles to solve, joy to live out. I’m staying here with Helen for a few more weeks – I’m loving the quiet life I’m afforded here, it’s a good break – and then I’ll be on to Melbourne.

Once again, I’m reminded how lucky I am to have all of you in my life, and how lucky I am for being from the best city in the world – Austin, TX. I have been very homesick lately. It’s a good feeling, it drives me to focus and appreciate what I’m doing here even more, so that when I come home I’ll have that much more to give. Love to you all - I’ll write again as soon as I can. It’s a bit difficult because Helen doesn’t have internet (she’s still confused as to what it even is…when she needs me to call her daughters, she asks me to “email” them on her phone…it’s quite endearing). I’ll send another update as soon as I can.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!

My Great Aussie Adventure, Chapter II

Well, lots has been happening on the great island down under.

First, I had the great honor of completing one of my dreams – seeing ACDC perform in their homeland. Angus Young and Brian Johnson still know how to bring the rock, even if there are 100+years between them. The concert was held at Olympic Stadium, and it was a real treat to see the site of the 2000 Summer Olympics…there was a forest of “poles” around with all the names of the contenders printed on plaques…I found one Conrad Benedict printed on the “B” pole. Perhaps mom and dad can look him up to see where he lies on our (apparently very large, from Jesus to Thomas Jefferson) family tree?  But back to the concert – words could not describe the intensity. It is the absolutely largest venue I have ever been in, larger even than the Houston Texan Stadium which blew my mind when I was there…and it was packed to the ceiling. Not one empty seat that I could see. My friend Lisa described it as “Boganville”…a “Bogan” is what we would call hicks or hillbillies in the states…I must say yes, if I were one to subscribe to stereotypes this would definitely be true, as there were many a open button down flannel shirt being sported over black leggings and (too)short denim cut off jeans. When “She’s Got the Jack” was played…well…there was not a clothed female chest in sight (except for me, of course!) When “TNT” rang through the air and ACDC started with “Oye! Oye!” you can’t imagine the sound of 30,000 + Aussies screaming OYE! OYE! It was like an incredible, wild eyed army of Aussie bogans ready to carry ACDC to the frontline. Truly, it was incredible. I could go on about the giant half naked blow up balloon biker chick that ended up being larger than the stage itself, or how Angus Young stripped to his black undies which had “ACDC” printed on the bum, but I’ll leave that all to your imagination. :)

That weekend brought the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras…Mardi Gras here was started by the Gay & Lesbian Community back in 1978 to protest and commemorate the Stonewall Riots in the United States…and well, it’s been around ever since. It’s not at all the Mardi Gras you would find in New Orleans; there were no beads being thrown out, no clothing being stripped off…more of a celebration of differences and the “each to their own” mindset that everyone lives with down here (and which I absolutely LOVE). That being said, it was still wild…we camped out on Oxford Street for hours watching the parade go by, staring at the crazy costumes and people all around us, eating, drinking, and being merry.

There is so much to talk about! One Sunday my Aussie host Nick and I had planned to venture to his favorite beach, Cronulla. Sadly, that same day we learned that Chile was stuck by an earthquake. What followed was a Tsunami warning, which my friend Neal alerted me to (who actually just emigrated here from London, he almost moved to Austin and has family in Conroe, Texas – SMALL WORLD!). So I get a bit riled up and ask Nick about said Tsunami warning…he flips through the telly channels, finds nothing, and says “Nah, she’d be on the news if it were bad.” I look at him a bit doubtful…”Come on Nance, she’ll be right!” Note: Whenever Aussies say “She’ll be right” it means that nothing, no matter if their dog was howling dying in the street or they just lost their job and the bank seized their house, could disturb their peace or alter their course of action. Thus, with these words we headed to Cronulla Beach.

Once there, it was cloudy, rainy, and just a tad lifeless – no bustling tourists crowding your path, as at all the other Sydney beaches I had been to…which was strange, since this was definitely the nicest one by far. We go down to take a swim, and notice signs posted in the sand: “No swimming; Tsunami Warning.” At this point I’m punching Nick pretty hard in the arm. The last thing I planned to do in Oz was be the dumb tourist who ignored National regulations and threw Tsunami caution to the wind. But then we notice there are some people out dancing in the waves…so we ask the lifeguard if it is safe. “Oh yeah, she’ll be right – no sense in this Tsunami warning, all good.” Thus we got in, enjoyed the big waves, and had the beach almost to ourselves. That night on the National News the main story was about the Tsunami warning, and how so many beach goers had thoughtlessly ignored precautions. We changed the channel.

Nick and I definitely had some adventures together…I acquainted him with my backpacker friends, which offers the regular Sydney dweller a completely different outlook on the city…for example, I took him to a Cliffside party at Bondi Beach. There were people dancing on the cliffs, beating bongo drums everywhere you looked, and spinning fire…take away the beach, and it could have been Austin, TX! I was right at home. The favorite cheap drink amongst backpackers here is “Goon”, or what we call Box ‘o Wine in Texas. A regular six pack of beer will set you back $17, so Goon at $11 becomes very popular…until you drink it. Ugh. The next morning was painful, to say the least…

Nick was also nice enough to give me a driving lesson, of which I’ll spare you details except to say that I don’t ever want to do it again. I felt like a two year old in a toy car. Imagine every instinct you have in a car, and in the same reaction time having to flip the course of action you would normally take into the exact opposite, and then execute. Minor example: every time I attempted to signal the blinker, I turned on the windshield wipers. At any rate Nick was a fabulous and ever gracious instructor (“she’ll be right Nance!”) and I’m thankful for his indulgence…but don’t think I’ll be doing that again soon.

On to the job situation! I at last have employment. I’ll be living with Helen, who is 82 (and a real mover and shaker, just like Marge for those who know her -) and likes for someone to cook her dinner during the week, and accompany her to the grocery store. For this I receive my OWN BEDROOM AND BATHROOM (you can’t imagine what luxurious paradise this is after staying in hostels and at friends’ places for five weeks), free rent, free food, and $100/week. I also got a job down the road from her transcribing things online, and I can set my own hours…so allll good! I start next Monday, and will probably stay in Sydney for about 5 more weeks; just enough to recharge (I’m exhausted after being a tourist for five weeks) and make some money. Then I will be off to Melbourne to see Jonny and Lisa.

Now, if you are still with me (can’t believe I’ve written this much!) here are some fun Aussie anecdotes…

1. They don’t believe in air conditioning. Truly the only place I’ve been with AC is the hostel, and thank goodness for that – even coffee shops or cafes don’t have AC. So if you are walking around all day seeing the sights and think you’ll pop in to a café to “cool off” – forget it.

2. No dishwashers. Everyone does their own dishes. I asked Nick about this, as well as the AC, and he replied “yeah, I guess we are pretty environmentally friendly…” This seems to be the general attitude, which I love.

3. Another part of the equation is that as Americans, I think we are used to having whatever we want whenever we want it. That’s not the case here, though it’s carried out with a self-assured efficiency, not the desire for more…for example, all stores close around 6:00 – even bookstores, card shops, some cafes, etc. It’s almost as if they’re saying, “It’s after work. What else are you going to be doing?! Go get with your family or friends…”

4. They show a British television show here that I absolutely LOVE, called Top Gear – basically some car experts who are also comedians do creative things with cars, then they’ll interview a celebrity and have that celeb race a car on their track, and then they’ll showcase a new Audi or Corvette, etc…do we have that show in the states? The last episode I watched had the gentleman in the deep south of the states, Alabama. They drove through it with things like “country is rubbish” and “gay man love forever”, etc written on their trucks (long story as to how they got there) and almost got beaten up by the locals. They did get stones thrown at them.

5. Which brings me to another point, the Aussie perception of Americans. Very interesting. I have, just like in Europe and everywhere else I’ve travelled, been asked if I drive a tractor to school, or ride my horse to work, once it gets out that I’m from Texas. I’ve learned that just being from Texas basically earns you instant international fame, and everyone quickly inquires whether or not I know who shot JR. (!!!!) Recently on the National News, a Los Angeles school was featured for their safe management of gangs and their “zero tolerance” policy. The Aussie reporter began the story with “It is general belief that every American school has metal detectors built in to every entrance, but as we discovered, this is actually not the case…” Huh? Who told them that?

WHEW!! Okay, this wraps it up. Had to take advantage of the free internet time while I’m here (thank you Tim!). I have to close by saying that I have been experiencing some true homesickness recently…for family, friends, loved ones…and that glorious city in the heart of Texas, Austin. I am so thankful for each and every one of you, and SO thankful for that amazing city we live in! Love you all – talk soon.

xoxo
Nancy

Dear friends and family,

Here we are with Aussie Update #1. If you want to be removed from this list, just let me know – you won’t hurt my feelings, but internet time is scarce and it’s much easier to do updates en masse…so far all you cool people who want to stay tuned...

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WHEW! I have been in Sydney for about one week, though it feels more like 1 year. The flight from LA was actually quite enjoyable. The new V Australia Airlines has brand new planes, and each seat has its own TV with free movies, stations, and TV shows on demand, free games (hello Pacman) and a USB plug for Iphones/Ipods/Computer. The plane was brand new and HUGE, and the staff were your typical wonderful Aussies, always smiling and ready to crack a joke with you.

That being said, I arrived at 6:00 am very tired and very stinky. Sydney is one of the most international cities I’ve ever been to, up there with Paris, meaning that the only Aussies I’ve met are friends of friends. The friends I’ve met at the hostel or elsewhere are all foreigners as well. Walking down the street you’ll here at least 5 different languages, and when I say walking down these streets I really mean steering because they are so crowded that you have to pay very close attention…crosswalks are hilarious, it looks like mass exodus every time. The fashion here is also out of control – it’s amazing. The inner city Aussie workers sport really stylish business clothes, most of the women wearing fancy, sexy but very professional dresses…like Mary Tyler Moore style. Sydney has a huge Asian population, and they are much more flashy/sparkly/trendy looking with their apparel. The one thing that still baffles me is how on earth all these women are marching all over town in stilettos. I heard the average Sydney dweller walks about 5 miles a day, and I know as a tourist I’ve walked at least 10 everyday…and this place is like a Texas summer people! It’s HOT! I have no idea how they march around in 3 inch heels.

I’ve eaten sushi at least once if not twice everyday, not even on purpose (though I’ve enjoyed every delicious moment of it) but because on any street you will only find ethnic cuisine…Turkish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Morrocan, and Indian food at your finger tips, in sidewalk cafes or takeaways. They do have “regular” restaurants, if you want to pay $22 for your glass of house wine, for example. There is no such thing as a casual inexpensive restaurant like Chiles or Denny’s here. There is definitely a reason Sydney is called the most expensive city in Australia. I did get to go to a true Aussie hang out with a friend of a friend here, Nick…we went to Bungalow 8 which overlooks Darling Harbour, a beautiful and very touristy site.

Some other interesting tidbits…everything here comes with aioli sauce, and by aioli sauce they mean basically mayonnaise. I still don’t understand this. Don’t even waste your time asking for ketchup with your chips (French fries). There is what seems like a school on every corner…for example there is one right next to my hostel bedroom window, I enjoy watching the kiddoes march up and down the stairs and tease each other and play on the playground, which is located on floor 2 (not sure If they’ve notice the creep y girl staring at them from across the alley). Apparently Aussies are very into private schools, and actually public schools are not as prevalent or full as private schools. ALL of them require uniforms – a friend was telling me that some of the country schools allow their kids to wear their own clothes, but as a nation they opted to make uniforms mandatory, to preserve a sense of equality amongst the kids. When school gets out, the streets are that much more crowded with a sea of different school uniforms. Their economy has been hit like everyone else’s, and the other day I witnessed teachers and schools protesting against low wages. Oz also has a major campaign against binge drinking going on right now…I’ve seen a few billboards for it, and there are HUGE signs for it at almost every train (subway) stop. It basically depicts a drunken scene, like a fight or something, with a big sign that says “Binge Drinking: What are you doing to yourself?” (I took a picture of this, I’ll post pics to Facebook soon.) My friends, the Aussies are drinkers. I mean, really. When I went out with Nick and turned him down for a 4th glass of wine, he looked at me like I was crazy…we started talking about it, and apparently the Aussie custom is that everyone buys at least one round, period. So if you go out with 5 people, you bet your tooshy that you’re drinking at least 5 drinks…and just from hanging out with my other Aussie friends, yes drinking is a very big part of their culture. It is typical for all co workers to have a beer or a glass of wine at lunch during the work day, and Friday afternoon drinks start in the office at 3:00. (Ha, seems like I’m meant to be here, right?! Haha  ) Also, if I haven’t hit this point yet, Aussies are absolutely the most friendly people I’ve ever met. They are so sincere and happy and would love to talk to you if you’re game about anything. Even the customer service reps in stores. Sometimes I am so touched by their helpfulness or friendliness that I will thank them profusely, only for them to look at me weird and say “no worries love”…as in, duh, this is how people treat each other, lady.

I run around with my gang, we all met on the first day here and just hit it off – Caroline from France, Jope from Chile, and Maurice from The Netherlands. We have a grand time, they are all students either undergrad or grad, here for 6 months to study at Sydney University. So far the only touristy thing we’ve done is watch the Chinese New Year celebrations, go to the wildlife center (I saw Koalas and Kangaroos!) and seen Sydney University. Most of my time is spent job hunting and house hunting. I have two interviews tomorrow with Deloitte, will let everyone know how they go! I’m eager to be settled and know what I’ll be doing – bc as soon as I do, I’m venturing down to Melbourne to visit Jonny and Lisa. And though I’ll miss the hostel life, with the amazing, open and friendly people in and out of the door everyday, I’m also ready to have my own place and a wee bit of stability. :)

Whew ! That’s it! Sorry that internet time is scarce, but it will get better here soon when I have my own place. Love you all so much, thanks for helping make me who I am.

Bye for now cobbers –

Nancy