The Redfern "Problem"

Courtesy of CouchSurfing ( or "CS" as its known by its surfers--http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/car_and_nat), Natalie and I will be staying With Karl, Tom, and their French housemate at their humble abode near Central Station Surry Hills by the Redfern boundary. They're all in their 20s, have a large pull-out futon for us to sleep on (bring on the travel sleeping sack...), and are the proud owners of a python named "Dog." Sounds great, right?

Well, when I told a good friend of mine--a friend relatively familiar with the Sydney area, as he studied abroad there--that I was staying near and/or in Redfern, he immediately said: "Oh no. Not Redfern. Stay away from there. Even our professors warned us not to go there."

Naturally, my first thoughts were somewhere along the lines of, "Well, crap..." And naturally I was immediately instilled with an unavoidable fear. Would I indeed be safe in Redfern? It's one thing to entrust your safety to complete strangers (note: my father might beg to differ...he still has slight issue with this whole "CS" thing), but quite another to entrust your safety to an inner-city suburb characterized by drugs, violence, and--god forbid--prostitution.

But, before entirely panicking about my impending Redfern-induced doom, I did what I always do during panicky times: I researched. I turned towards the always trusty (well, that's open to interpretation), good, ol' internet. I poured through blogs, scoured city reports, typed in Google searches such as "Is Redfern dangerous?" or "Will I be kidnapped, raped, injected with heroine, and tortured to death in Redfern?"

My results were extraordinarily interesting.*

Turns out Redfern is host to a large Aboriginal population. Located almost directly by the Redfern Station (on the west side of Redfern, while Central Station is on the east side), there is what most Australians refer to as "The Block." "The Block" is essentially 4 streets that intersect with one another to form a large rectangle. Within this large urban rectangle, there are various housing projects. And in these various housing projects reside a large population of poor Aboriginals. In fact, it's the most concentrated population of Aboriginals in the entire Sydney area (and in many areas of Australia, for that matter).

People have told me that Australia is like America in the '60s. I never realized to what extent this is true.

Taxi drivers won't go near "The Block." No one who isn't Aboriginal goes near "The Block." Furthermore, because of the enormous amount of racism, people all over Sydney have pawned the entire suburb of Redfern as a no-go area. Even people who haven't been there themselves warn against going there. Redfern is a huge "problem" they say. There's so many drugs, so much violence, they say.

But, like I said, I did my research. It appears that east Redfern, the part of the suburb east of the Redfern Station, is just fine. That's where I'll be staying. It's the west part of Redfern, on the west side of the Redfern station, that can be dangerous.

I'll admit; learning that I'd be staying in East Redfern allowed me to breathe a huge sigh of relief. Which in turn made me feel extremely guilty. As most of you are familiar, the [West] Redfern "Problem" is clearly deeply rooted in a very tension-filled Aboriginal-Australian history. And obviously, that part of history is still ongoing. Am I now, too, part of the problem?

This thought, of course, made me feel unbelievably sad.


*No, for those of you wondering, you will most likely not be kidnapped, raped, injected with heroine, and tortured to death while in Redfern. You will likely be 100% just fine.

Sydney (Looks like Mars??)

Check out today's BBC headlines, and you'll see that a large outback dust storm hit Sydney early Wednesday morning. It was so large, in fact, that many people woke up believing it was the end of the world.

Now why would they think that? Remember that much of greater Australia--beyond the more popular East Coast destinations--is comprised of outback...outback comprised of a deserty red dust. Consequently, when the dust storm hit Sydney, it literally turned the city a red-ish orange and stayed this way until about noon (Australian time).

Pictures here: Sydney is Red!

Is there some kind of spider karma?

Because I just killed one in the shower, and I'm hoping there isn't...

Two Limericks, by CSS

There once were two girls in Australia
The result of US econ failiah
In October they'd landed
On Syd. beaches so sanded
Decked out in swim paraphernalia.

The girls met a lass named Matilda.
With Aussie info she was filled-a.
She gave them a tour.
Told them good Aussie lore.
Then went waltzin' o'er a big ol' field-a.


(Note:

1. For the purpose of this limerick, the word failure has been changed to "failiah" so that it appears as it sounds according to Australian pronunciation. The author did this because a) she couldn't think of anything else that rhymed with Australia except for "azalea," and because b) it's far more authentic....don't you think?
   
2. The author takes no responsibility for the poorly written nature of the above. )

not quite 19 Things To Do

1. Fiddle excessively with my new toy - the Asus netbook.
2. Mourn the termination of my Verizon service and thus the obsessive compulsive relationship with my blackberry.
3. Distract myself by researching pay-as-you-go phones to buy once I arrive in Aus. Feel amused and slightly consoled by referring to it as my future "untrackable drug lord phone."
4. Scour facebook for an appropriate 2"x2" picture I can pass as a "passport photo" so I don't have to pay an exorbitant $8 at CVS to take them.
5. See Carlyn 1-3. 
6. Use the utmost discernment to pick the 1% of my closet that will actually accompany me to the southern hemisphere in this. Legit, right?
7. Compulsively plan how I will manage to say goodbye to everyone before Friday.
8. Steel myself for chopping my hair off tomorrow.  Figured it would be more manageable. Now, having doubts.
9. Print all itineraries, maps, and public transport info for the first legs of our trips. Photocopy all important identification documents. Stash in various pockets of my backpack to be safe. Again, the word compulsion comes to mind.
10. Contact various couchsurfers and all potential Sydney connections to make sure we actually have somewhere to stay when we arrive.
11. Finish the various arts and crafts projects that I began this summer so I would feel I was being constructive. T-shirt quilt, NCS scrapbook, and my old room's new paint job all need to get wrapped up.
12. Pick which songs will comprise the 8GB of available space on my ipod, which I wont be able to update while I'm gone. Meticulously construct the best playlists of all time.
13. Eat as many Foods I Will Miss as possible: Chipotle, Trader Joe's corn salsa, Pumpernickel's bagels, Thomas Sweets. Currently looking for volunteers to help accomplish this goal.

19 Things to Do Before Australia:

1. Go to AAA and apply for International Drivers Permit (IDP).
2. Get passport photos for IDP.
3. Don't lose IDP.
4. Somehow obtain 6+ months of my birth control pills that somehow totals less than $100. To try: Walmart, Target, Costco...other big conglomerate pharmacies.
5. Activate basic travel insurance via Hostelling International (part of a gift received years ago for Christmas...thanks, Aunty M!)
6. Long underwear...buy it.
7. Obtain Dan Brown's Lost Symbol for the 14-hr plane ride. Note: Don't let anyone convince you that "it's just the same old plot set in DC--oh god, and just terrible writing." You love these fictional(???) conspiracy theories. Be true to yourself. And Dan Brown.
8. No need to clot: Practice leg exercises for plane ride.
9. Be at your hair appt, 1pm, Tuesday. Tell them you want an "Aussie Outback" look. Look insanely shocked and/or surprised when they look at you with clueless eyes.
   
10. Fix reading glasses for the 2349203498th time. Thank the nice people at Virginia Vision Associates for being so patient and wonderful.
11. Pack, you suppose. 
12. Rewatch: Rabbit-Proof Fence
    
13. See: Australia
    
14. Don't see: Wolf Creek
15. Pour through Let's Go, Australia! book Natalie gave you. 
16. Research crocodile death statistics.  
17. Exchange your US dolla dolla bills for their equivalent in AUD (exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.15 AUD) and make it rain.
18. Start calling all men "blokes" and all women "sheilas." 
19. Pick up your brother's bassoon from his high school band room (unrelated).
    

Brrrrrrr!

According to Brony, the woman Nat and I will be staying with in Tassie, the weather upon our arrival will be a bit chilly. And by chilly, she means 10-20 degrees Celsius (50s and 60s in Farenheit). I thought my backpack would be filled solely with swimsuits, shorts, and tank tops galore. Clearly I was mistaken.

Luckily I do enjoy a good, crisp morning. And granted, compared to some of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic winters I endured growing up, this is nothing. Not only that, Brony says the weather begins to warm up by the end of October. Brony also says, however, that you can experience all four seasons before lunch, as the weather in Tassie is entirely unpredictable--so much so, in fact, there's supposedly a saying: "If you don't like the weather, go and have a cup of tea and it will have changed by the time you get back."

Clearly I will not only have to develop an appreciation for tea, but I will now need to buy a light, warm, and easily packable thermal (yet again, Brony knows best...) and winter leggings (a.k.a. long underwear)...They're good for layering. I'm thinking about throwing in a pair of REI wool socks too...

welcome... again

Considering that I finally sent the link out for this blog, some of you might just be getting here for the first time. So, stalk away. Bookmark. Check in. You know the drill.

And again, a call for any and all recommendations you might have for us while we're down there... leave a comment or send me an email!

Crocodiles Creep Me Out...

...So why am I going to a place famous for fostering these carnivorous, Captain Hook-eating reptiles (please see above picture)?

Just something to ponder...



p.s. Thank you, Bill Bryson, for pointing this out to me in your hilariously insightful In a Sunburned Country.

p.p.s. It has recently been brought to my attention that there is something called the "Crocodile Cage of Death" in Darwin, Australia. Brave tourists get dropped into a 9 foot long, 4 cm thick acrylic tank and are essentially dangled as bait for 15 whole minutes in front of a hungry 2,000 lb salt-water croc named "Choppa." I'm sorry. This does not sound fun to me. (Again, please see above picture).

To Buy Or Not To Buy: The Itty Bitty Netbook

Leave it to my 53-year-old father (to be fair, 53 isn't really that old...) to be the one to advise me when it comes to all things technological.

As we sat in the San Francisco International Airport last night waiting to board our flight home to D.C., Dad and I noticed a middle-aged guy a few seats down from us typing away on his little Netbook. Says my dad to me: "You know, I've been thinking. You should really get one of those for next year. Most come with built-in wireless and webcam, which is pretty much all you need while traveling, right? Plus they're only about $300. You and Natalie could easily split one, then sell it upon your return"...

...Great idea, Papa Sylvester. No, but really--I'm 100% serious. For the past few months, I've been super fickle, back and forth over whether or not bringing my almost brand-new MacBook Pro is ultimately the best idea. Not only is it an object I'd prefer to not lose/not have stolen, but it's also extremely large and bulky. Natalie and I are already trying to keep our luggage under 15 kg (~33 lbs) so we can fly as cheaply as possible on most budget airlines; perhaps a Netbook might help?

I discussed this possibility with Natalie. Turns out all dads think alike. So, under the influence of both of our fathers, we're currently looking into purchasing an itty, bitty Netbook of our own. The best option seems to be the Asus - Eee PC Netbook (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1218095770701&type=product). Battery life isn't the greatest, but we both figure we won't be in a situation where an electrical outlet isn't available. Plus, it's relatively cheap, especially when you consider that we'll only be paying approximately $150 each. This seems to be the best option, no?

Ahh so many things to figure out before we leave. Countdown = only 2 weeks remaining!

One month and counting!

As of 6:35am, Oct 2 (pending United's on-time departure of flight 863) Car and I will be in Sydney.

October 1st will have magically disappeared, but I think that ranks pretty far down on our list of mental diversions.

Let the countdown begin!

This is highly exciting except for when I think about all the stuff we have yet to accomplish.

It's official. I have a backpack--one small enough there's no way I'll be able to bring that 7th pair of shorts or stack of American candy bars to remind me of dear ol' home sweet home (pun intended), but big enough I can bring all that I 100% need. It's a Kathmandu 70 + 10 High Peak...5,000-6,000 cubic inches...not bad, eh? Limited number of outside pockets (good for travelers and tourists, as the backpack is consequently less pickpocketable), expandable brain, detachable fanny pack, adjustable size, hydration system, etc. It also comes with a tiny little orange emergency whistle attached to the chest buckle. Not sure how much good it will do me when I'm about to be devoured by one of Australia's many, many, many deadly creatures. But it's nice that the Kathmandu backpack people thought of it anyway. It at least makes me feel safer.

Not going to lie, I've spent more than a few minutes a) stuffing my backpack with miscellaneous items to give it a "full" appearance, and b) buckling it on and admiring myself in front of my full-length mirror, then c) thinking to myself, "Damn, I look good." I'm not normally the accessorizing type, but god does this make me feel like a legitimate traveler. Thank you, Overstock.com, for this amazing $85 find. And your $1 shipping.