Europe08: 10 weeks to go

Well, the excitement level has just moved from first gear into second.  Two and a half months still sounds like quite a while, although preparations have commenced.

On Sunday JB and I filled our backpacks with clothing, shoes and books, put them on and walked over to Brunswick St oval for a walking trial.  Regardless of the odd stares we received as two apparent backpackers and their dog locked their front door and walked up the street, we persisted.            

JB estimated that we were each carrying in the order of 20-25kgs, which I figure to be about right for the impending trip.  Considering it will be winter, weather jackets and a few extra layers will be handy.

Compulsory viewing in our household each night has been the Tour de France and to think that in a few months we’ll be driving through the same terrain makes the heart skip a beat. 

68 days to go.

When in Rome by Penelope Green

Because we’re traveling later in the year I’m reading as many travel narratives as possible – particularly for the countries we’re visiting.  So a few weeks back, one Sunday afternoon down at Readers Feast in Bourke Street I scanned the first few pages of When in Rome and headed to the register.

It chronicles the journey of Penny Green – a Sydneyite in her late twenties, with a good job – who is seeking the elusive ’something more’.  So she ventures off to Italy where she studies, waitresses, freelances and generally spends time awaiting for some life direction to come her way.

It’s not a ground-breaking read nor particularly profound but it ambles along at a nice pace and offers insights into what life as a young female foreigner in modern day Italy is like.  Although I’ll be traveling Italy with JB who is of Italian background and who I will probably rely on to do most of the communicating, the observations and little tips are interesting and will hopefully be useful.

Comfortable and uncomplicated, this is a nice little travel narrative.

Jonestown by Chris Masters

If you have ever had the opportunity to view a Chris Masters report on Four Corners this book is well worth a look.  Written in Masters’ inimitable style, this story is so thoroughly researched, drawing on a multitude of sources, that at moments I found myself questioning how on earth he managed to secure some of the on-the-record interviews. 

It charts the life and times of Alan Jones, a perplexing and interesting character.  Being Melbourne based, I have to say Jones is not really part of the psyche here; Jones’ two major claims to fame are rugby coaching and as a broadcaster in Sydney; yet there would be few Victorians who could say they have not heard of him. 

The controversy that surrounded the launch of the book- Masters’ initial publisher refused to publish at the eleventh hour on legal grounds – seems to have been a little sensationlised in retrospect.  This biography introduced me to a lot of information about Alan Jones that I had no idea of, but it doesn’t really defame him; rather it’s more like reportage.

Just for the amount of detail, humour and thoroughness of research this is a quality read.