Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Fish and chops

June 17th, 2011

Want to tell an Aussie from a Kiwi? Ask them to say "fish and chips". One gets it right. The other says "fish and chops". Now you know. Unfortunately, it’s rarely quite that simple. Waters made more murky by immigration. Or a multitude of passports.

Met one New South Wales resident born in Venezuela. To British parents. Educated in an English boarding school. Spell in an Aberdeen college. Before breathing helium as a North Sea deep-sea diver. Hazardous occupation I’d wondered. Yes. But probably not as much as a plummy accent in a tough oil town.

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Cuddly critters

June 17th, 2011

Cuddly critter

Caution. Drug-crazed teddy bears ahead. Or, for new-comers to the blog, koalas. Sleep sixteen hours a day. When awake stoned out of their tiny minds on eucalyptus leaves. Every family has one…

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Empire Vale Post Office

June 16th, 2011

Empire Vale Post Office

Australia’s smallest Post Office. In Empire Vale, northern New South Wales.

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Smallest Post Office in Australia

June 16th, 2011

Smallest Post Office in Australia from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken stumbles across Australia’s smallest Post Office. And meets Gary. Postmaster since 1970. In Empire Vale, northern New South Wales.

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Don’t pay the ferryman

June 15th, 2011

Don’t pay the ferryman from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken, and trusty steed Emma, decide to get some sea time in. A short hop on the Burns Point Ferry. Don’t want to over-do-it.

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Back on track

June 15th, 2011

Back on track from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken reaches the small seaside town of Ballina in northern New South Wales. Much more appealing than the tourist resorts further north.

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Beach bound

June 14th, 2011

Beach bound from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Uninspired by the touristy town of Byron Bay, Ken goes in search of beaches nearby. Lennox Heads. In northern New South Wales.

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Rip-off

June 14th, 2011

Unreserved apology. I’d been unjustly grumpy the previous evening. Staggered to discover a pitch would cost me thirty two bucks – over twenty pounds. Soon dark. Moving on no option. Besides, the other two local sites belonged to the same owner. The State Government. Same prices.

Limp offerings doing little to lessen my frustrations. Cost based on two adults. And power was available at the pitch. Struggling to conceal my irritation at their absolute lack of flexibility. Eventually conceding I’d have to cough up. But I wanted a towel. WiFi. And if I’d had something hungry for electricity – a linear particle accelerator or similar – I’d have plugged it in.

Only consolation the generosity of other visitors. Two Lorraines, Reg and David inviting to join them for dinner in the camp kitchen. My offer to wash-up rejected lest it upset their system. Gary insisting I share a proper breakfast with him. Bacon, eggs and toast. Mug of tea.

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Proper breakfast

June 14th, 2011

Proper breakfast from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken joins Gary for a proper breakfast. That’s Gary with one ’r’. Very important.

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To the letter

June 14th, 2011

Never cease to be surprised how supposedly simple names have several spellings. Sometimes more. Often a bit unusual. In the small North South Wales coastal resort of Kingscliff I’d met Brian and Gaile. Lost track of the different variations of Karen. Always ask. Very important to get someone’s name right. Which recently elicited a little gem from sapphire dealer Gary. "One ’r’. Means you’re straight. Two means you’re gay".

[With apologies to heterosexual Garrys. Unless you’re hiding in the closet]

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