serialhenry's Xanga

A Year on.. and what has changed?

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:38:54 GMT

So its been just over a year since I set off from the bosom of my mother's home in Sydney Australia, to face the big wide scary world alone. It was a dream which culminated within my mind during 2 impatient years. During that time I was newly minted with a Bachelors degree and working up the ranks in an Engineering concern. All through out, I have been blogging my thoughts, sometimes even during working hours (naughty!) about my frustrations, my hopes and dreams. What I remember when I cast my mind back is that I had more frustrations than anything else. I was in an industry and job that I had no vision for, and a lacklustre and passionless life with only one singular goal - which was to go overseas and do anything else but stick about in a 9-5 job in the same city that I spent my life in.

Ergo, brings me to this time. Fast forward 1 year. I'm sitting in my flat in Watford, about 20minutes train ride from the heart of London. 2am at night. Possibly the music I'm listening to now and also possibly sheer boredom has inspired e to take stock. I'm writing as it happens in my head, so the lack of structure and logic will be apparent in the writing style.

What makes this occasion significant is that I am about 1 month away from embarking on another trip, where I will once again face changes to my situation, much like a year ago when I stepped on the plane in Sydney, with the single mind of not returning for a time. Now, after having set my self up and formed a routine, a group of friends, and a nice flat, I am preparing the final stages of wrapping it up again, my clothes and worldly belongings earmarked for a box to be delivered back home to my mom's house, and in the process of looking for airline flights for the journey back home.

The journey back home symbolises a closing of a chapter for me. The journey coming full circle. I try and remember how I was a year ago and how I am now. What I can say is that I have changed in the past year more than I have in the 4 or so years after my graduation. So much has happened. I feel I have experienced more life in the past year than in the past decade or so of my life. And for that, I sit here, typing away, hopeful and happy. For once I feel a certain hope and optimism that has frankly not been part of my psyche in the past. And what a lovely thing that is.

Without wanting to run away with these 'blue sky' 'fist pumping' self congratulatory notion, I want to just explore this a little more. Sure, what I have done - go away, live in a foreign country - is not exactly ground breaking stuff. Its not like i went to somewhere in Africa and gone on some truly adventurous journey and slayed dragons along the way. Its pretty tame, but, I'm a pretty tame guy anyway.

So the real question in my mind at the moment is - what will I tell my little brothers. Considering that they are children, 9 and 13 years old - how will I justify why I went away and lived on the other side of the world? How can I convince them that what I did was worthwhile? How can I inspire them and make them think that what their older brother did was something really cool? All in the context of a little kid's understanding of the world - when you really break it down into simple things I think you really really get to the essence of a matter - and if you can get a little kid to understand it, it is something really worth saying.

So I have considered this, and will do so until my return, which is pencilled in for sometime in July. How will I convince a panel of 9 and 13 year old boys about the validity of what I have done. I will return to this subject later.

At the moment, its been almost 1 month since I was made redundant from my job in London. I blame the economy, the CEO, the engineering market, the Bankers, the politicians, Gordon Brown, W. Bush, Lehmans Brothers, Ronald Regan, Margaret Thatcher, the neighbour, etc etc.. In essence I place blame squarely on anyone else but me.

In seriousness, I took that as a blessing in disguise. As a matter of fact, to be honest I really wasn't bothered. Before that announcement, there was a more serious announcement from the UK govt that they changed the Visa rules, meaning essentially that the Visa that I was going to apply for was now not viable for me, and hence, I would have to return back home before the 5 years or so I had set aside to live in the UK. In retrospect, it has made me reassess my goals, and a key part of it was to go back home, get into a Master of Business course in a leading university in Sydney, and basically work to the hilt. So losing the job, frankly, wasn't as big a deal. i mean i dont take it lightly, but in the scheme of things, was not the end of the world scenario that it could have played out to be in my mind.

So the past month, i've been taking it real easy at home. Bordering on sedentary as a matter of fact. My days consist of waking up at 9am, concluding breakfast at 11am, in time to watch an episode of Smallville, and so on, you get the pattern. I've been blessed in that time to have the opportunity to go to Paris and stay with a friend and attend a kick ass Parisian party. I've also gone to venice and met a friend which I have been meaning to do for months. I've also played a shit load of xbox360. in between that, I have been plotting my next european getaway, and slowly arranging to have my worldly possessions hawked to the highest bidder. If anyone needs a 15" tv, lamps, and other household goods, let me know.

So the plan is - Norway to meet a friend from uni - then to Latvia to observe the women there who are fabled to be all catwalk models, then travelling by train across Europe back to London, with various stopovers in between, and then fly from London back to Sydney. All this to be executed beginning 15th June 2009, and concluding somewhere in July 2009.

In short, lots to do, lots done already. Happy.

fuck me this was a long post.

The Vulgarisation of Australian Culture

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:44:37 GMT

Lately I've noticed a trend going on in the news site I frequent daily. Ever since my high school days I have patroned the Sydney Morning Herald (smh for short), which I considered to be a high quality newspaper which the intelligent people read. Heck, its a broadsheet, all self respecting newspapers are broadsheets! Makes reading on the train or juggling it with your toast a real chore no doubt.

Yet, despite being away from home, I still frequent the smh, to catch up with the news back in Oz. And in the meantime I have acquired a taste for high quality and intelligent news with respected news agencies such as the Times, Guardian, Financial Times, etc. These are well respected, long standing and have a great tradition of reporting and commenting on the news.

And this is where the comparisons become more and more apparent.

No doubt I like popular culture, and celebrities, and quirky news stories. But I realise that there is an increasing emphasis on stupid and braindead news. One feature that irks me is the emphasis on presenting scantily clad women, no matter what the context of the story may be. There is also alot more allusions to nudity, alot of reporting on pornography, alot of commentaries about sex, an obession to sex, and an over emphasis on reporting affairs of rugby, truly one of the most boring and brain dead sports out there.

ie, I feel that either the SMH is being run by a committe of hairdressers, and beauty pageant contestants or, it rather reflects the crude preoccupations of the Australian society at large. We are talking about a culture that is more and more becoming obsessed with celebrity culture, with the antithesis of this - intelligent discussion, a reporting of serious news, and insightful commentary, being a distant second to the instant gratifications of celebrity, young women, and other stupid topics.

Dare I say it, I am acutely aware of how 'Hollywood' the Australian culture is becoming. There, I put it out there.

No doubt there are other quality news agencies in Australia which focuses on real current affairs, and matters of serious concern - such as The Australian, The Monthly, and thankfully the ABC.

However what saddens me is the apparent degrading of the quality of the news paper that I once held in high esteem, and perhaps, finally seeing the effects of round the clock bombardment of Hollywood into all aspects of Australian media.

Where once Australians of the past were well liked and respected around the world due to the humble, tough and self effacing character of a people who lived simple, gave generously, and fought wars far away from home - now we are becoming a spawn of a hubris culture of Hollywood that would make even an American blush.

its been a long long time

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:34:03 GMT

after a year or so of hiatus, I'm back on my blog site again.
I find my self the equivalent of a 24 hour plane ride away from home, in a country that is famed for its dreary weather, and being the coolest city on Earth, according to the English. I'm cold, its winter, I've never lived through a winter in my life, so its going to be all new to me
Ah yes i'm in London. forgot to mention.

So a few blogs back I wrote about my plans to go overseas and see the world. It was fun. I spent my life savings, and now trying to claw back some money by working 9-7, along with all the suits in this city. So far, not too bored yet, not as bored as when I was back at home, and blogging during working hours.

Its been 8 months being away from home. of which 5 months has been spent in London. I'm not ready to go home yet, and I dont feel a tiny bit homesick at all. But I do miss the following:
* Pho. I mean good Bankstown Pho.
* Kebabs. I mean good turkish kebabs from Auburn
* Mum's cooking
* my little brothers
* my dim witted German Shepherd Dog.
* my room in my parents place
* driving
* my mates. Maaate
* 1.5 hour commutes. Not!
* Golf ranges
* Quiet walks at night around Brisbane CBD
* Jogging along the shorelines
* my massive rear projection cinema with home theatre system which cost me a fortune
* Driving fast
* Taking the surfboard to the beach and just lying out in the water
* Kings Cross and the seedy nights out
* Befriending backpacker girls from Europe and doing international exchange of sorts
* Harry's de Wheels late at night
* Heat and sunshine
* Warm evenings where you could walk barefoot around the neighbourhood
* Clubbing in Sydney
* Clubbing in Brisbane, fortitude valley

Summer of 08' in London

random musings

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:25:26 GMT

Its been raining alot lately. In a way it is a welcome relief from the drought conditions we have had the past year or so in Australia.

I'm enjoying the rain. Its great for quiet musings. The grey skies, the reflections on the water, and people sheltering underneath umbrellas conjures up a bit of romance. Call me crazy.

Or maybe its because we have not had rain for a good portion of a year. Its been a long time coming.

Anyway, I just wanted to write about the music I am listening to, which has now become one of my favourites for times that you want to reflect, to muse, and just stare outside the window. Also great for rainy days.

The band is called Beirut. The album I am listening to now is 'The Flying Cup'.

(thats a cover for another album. I'm aware)

Lovely.

On another note, the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has officially said 'Sorry' to the 'stolen generation'. Basically it was an apology for the past wrongs done to the Aboriginal people here in Australia, for generally screwing around their lives. It goes deeper than that of course.

At first it seemed like useless weepy-eyed rhetoric. But upon reading the people's reactions to the speech, and the emotional release that followed thereafter, I thought, maybe this symbolic gesture wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Some cynics note that a mere speech will not get rid of aboriginal poverty, inequity, abuse, or 'petrol sniffing'. But I think it is so refreshing to see a new Australian Government acknowledging past wrongs, even if it is in essence merely symbolic. Some important things in the scheme of life are more than just the tangible things, it is things like this that somehow changes the dynamic and energy of a people in ways that we cannot see or describe. Like one person said it was like a chain was lifted off of them.

The cynics can deride all they want. Great changes were made with changes of heart first. Mr Rudd, I commend you for stirring the heart of the nation today.

(photos sourced from www.smh.com.au)

In other sadder news, I was shocked to hear that one of our great Korean National Treasures was lost to fire.

Its pretty clear now that it was general ineptitude that led to the gate being burnt to the ground. No doubt heads will roll for this. But apart from this, it is a huge loss. People crying in the streets as they looked on at the charred remains of the 610 year old structure, which dated back to King Sejong's era, the structure that defied and still stood despite countless wars, and turbulence. It was a comforting symbol of the tenacity of the Korean people, that despite all challenges, we still stood. Only to be burnt down to the ground in 6 hours, by a lone arsonist.

The authorities failed to install the necessary security measures on what was regarded as Korea's Number 1 National Treasure. They installed a total of 8 fire extinguishers, 1 hydrant, 4 CCTV cameras. And at the time of the fire, there was no-one guarding the structure. I think a school or an office block would have more security than this. The fire department didn't have a clue about the internal structure and layout of the structure either.

This may be trite, but it brought to mind the old adage: you don't know what you got until its gone. It is also embarrasing in a sense that we did not protect our so called most treasured asset even to a passable standard.

Take home lesson: protect your assets.

Questions about Los Angeles

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:53:24 GMT

If anyone out there reading this resides in LA or knows it very well, I'd like your advice.

I'm trying to book accommodation and so far I have a choice of staying in either Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Venice Beach.

So far the accommodation in Hollywood sounds the most attractive. Close to bars, clubs, walks of fame, and of course the Hollywood sign. Plus the hostel offers free shuttle bus services to the beaches.

I'd obviously like to be in a central hub of LA. That is, if a 'center' of LA actually exists.

I want to do a wide range of things: see museums, night life, and other things that tickles the fancy.

And also, I'd like to know where the Korean Americans hangout

Suggestions most welcome!! Also other things like safety, especially at night as I love nightlife.

BTW, I've got my tix, finally.

Dates & Itinerary:

17 Apr 08 - 21 Apr: Seoul. (cheapest flight from Sydney to LA involves a stopover in Seoul. Made it a couple of days while I was at it)

21 Apr 08 - 5 May: Los Angeles for a week, San Francisco, possibly Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

5 May 08 - 2 June: Mexico, starting in Mexico City (the D.F homie!)

2 June 08 - 27 June: Back to USA, from LA travelling east. Notable cities: DC, Philadelphia, NY, Chicago

27 June 08 - 18 Jul: Canada. Toronto, Montreal, Nova Scotia. Not sure about heading west. Flights were on the expensive side.

18 Jul 08 and onwards: Back down to Boston to catch a flight to Dublin and then to London. For some strange reason it works out cheaper this way. Otherwise a Toronto - London direct one way costs $1200???? versus $450. strange.. Also it is cheaper than flying NY - London direct.

Backpacking preparations

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 07:59:09 GMT

I bought a heap of travel goods the other day to take advantage of the end of year sales. I bought a 70 Litre backpack plus a heap of other accessories. I hate spending money nowadays as all I want to do now is to go and travel, and to travel I have to save some more money.

I've browsed around for a nice sturdy backpack that will essentially carry all my stuff for a year on the road. The first few backpacks I saw were the premium brands such as 'The Northface' and Berghaus. I almost fell over backwards when I saw the price of those backpacks. $600 sounded far too steep, even for a fancy, complicated looking one. I assumed that the steep price had something to do with backpacking becoming fashionable with young people and that backpacks were 'normally that price'.

I managed to pick up my backpack for $100, which is a far cry from the prices that the top brands command. Quite happy with the deal. It normally retailed for $150, which is still a very reasonable price. Its tough, looks good and has alot of pockets. Probably doesnt have the brand power, which is fine, I don't plan on doing a catwalk on the runway.

Other notable item was a lightweight, quick drying pair of trousers. Again, the adventure type retailers inflate the prices through the roof! I managed to pick up a pair in a fishing and camping store (read: more down to earth) for a fraction of the price.

So these are my first few steps in preparation for the round the world trip. Still got heaps to do.

Phase 1: the great American Roadtrip

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:21:54 GMT

I've never really studied the map of America in detail before. As I am in the midst of planning a huge road trip that will take me from LA to NY, I've studied it a bit, and realise, that America is just simply HUUGE. The array of options, is mind boggling.

Its kind of scary too. Its like the time when I was a little boy in Pusan, Korea, and getting scared by a huge ship that was moored not so far away from my grandparents house. It was so big that it was scary, and the times I had to walk past it, I remember closing my eyes out of fear.

It will take 41 hours of driving to reach NY from LA , if I were to take the most direct route. Obviously more if there are side trips to be made (which I intend to do)

Current destinations so far:

San Francisco, LA, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Houston (Kennedy Space Center), New Orleans, Miami, Washington DC, New York

If you have any Must see places in US to recommend, I'd like to hear it please.

A side of me says that I'm way too naive in a worried sort of way, another says, 'lets go now already'.

The Big O.E

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:44:41 GMT

I 've been thinking and talking about going overseas for a long time. It seems like I have a rough idea of what I want to do. Here is where I'm at now:

Leave roughly around Mid Feb or early March 08

Touch down in L.A

Do a 'driveaway' across the U.S. This is so cool. What you do is you drive someone's car, like a delivery person. Typical clients are companies, rich folk, or people who had to fly back home and want their car delivered. The cool thing is you don't have to pay a rental fee, only the gas! This is so perfect for that huge 'road trip' across America, to really see the landscape and all the small towns, big towns, etc. I'm salivating just at the thought of it! see this link

End up in N.Y. See whats happening there

Touch down in Canada. Working holiday for ~ 6 months.

Possibly make a trip down to Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru. Bit of jungle action. See wildlife.

Make way over to Europe via U.K---> France. Meet up with friends I've met here in Aus, in Norway, Denmark, Germany.

Make way over to Asia via the Trans Siberian or Trans Mongolian. Need more research here...

Id like to go to India, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Korea.

and then back home.

Things to do:

Obtain official University transcripts, notorised.

Obtain international drivers license

Obtain Driving Record

Obtain Canadian Working Holiday Visa

Book a Round the World Ticket.

Buy Backpack

Read lots and lots of guide books

Apply for a leave of absence from work. 1 year

Refine itinerary

Theres a long way to go

"What makes life dreary is want of motive" - George Elliot.

Life Balance

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 01:29:19 GMT

I really wished I sorted my shit out when I was younger.

Now I'm 25, which means that the end of my youth is on the horizon.

25 is a time where you really do have to make choices that will stay with you later in life.

I do believe that there is more to life than money, career, and dare I say, family.

I have written before about my urge to go away and travel, but life always has its complications. I have debts to pay off before I can do that. Also, I'm stuck on working on a project at the moment.

The project I am working on now is giving me valuable experience that is doing good to my resume. The pay is also not too bad.

However, I am conscious that my youth is not going to last for much longer. This may sound frivolous to some, but I consider this a big issue.

I've been given another offer by my boss to move up to a more senior role. This is a great chance, but the main thing I am worried is my perceived limited time of youth.

Do I stay on and continue to work through my career or do I enjoy myself while I am still young? Go travelling, etc? I'm conscious of my youth not being an unlimited supply.

Balance Balance Balance. Noone said adulthood was easy.

Travel Plans

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 01:09:27 GMT

After being bombarded with tales about the grandeur and sheer audacity of the little Emirate territory Dubai, I've now re-set my targets from Korea to Dubai. Hopefully I can score a job within my current profession rather than go to Korea to work as a menial English teacher. Check out these pics! Dubai, I'm coming soon.