Random wanderings and ramblings

It's a sunny August day in Sydney, and I'm ready to go and check out all things new. Yesterday i walked all over the city and just looked around to see what's changed after being out of town for four years. So far nothing much is different, my big worry was that I had heard that Newtown had become totally gentrified, and had lost it's bohemian charm that attracted me there so many years ago. It definately has changed - it's slicker and there are more new buildings and less punks than I remember. But the Newtown vibe is still there, my Saturday at the Town Hall hotel and other places showed me that. I was having my arvo coffee at Fish Cafe on King Street when two people I know walked past. Not bad after a 4 year absence! I dropped into Alpha House (the housing cooperative that I lived in for a few years) and some of my flatmates were still there. It felt strange, like I had come home after a long break, yet the lounge room of number 6 was no longer orange, the dodgy carpet was gone, and the trees were all a lot larger. Gorgie Boy the dog was still there, it was good to see him! And Connor showed me around. Ah yes, it does feel good to return to a place where you had many good times.

Later on when I was in the city I popped in to Central YHA where I used to work, to say howdi to my old work buddies. Amazingly, the guy I trained up before leaving was on the afternoon shift and proceeded to offer me my old job back! Hehe.. I was tempted, but then I remembered the $12.50 wage, and the last 3 1/2 years of uni study, poverty and sacrifice, so I told them I'd 'think about it'. I want to get my degree getting me career moves, although I have very fond memories of working at that youth hostel..

Today I think I'll say hi to Stephen Bacon, the man who I used to work with at BNPParibas, and is famously remembered for his purpose in life to become more like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons! It'll be cool to see him, he was always one of those eccentric guys that never ceased to make me laugh, what with his world domination plans and everything.

I walked a bit around Surry Hills, another of my old stomping grounds before I moved to Europe, and I came across the place where Julie stayed when I first met her. Wow that was a long time ago now.. I remember a group of us went back to her hotel room, completely out of it, and that she walked on my back to show me something she learned in massage school. Hmm I wish I could remember more.

Well, enough of this ol' reminiscing, there's a world out there to discover! Time to hit the road! Ciao for now..