Advance Australia Fair

Well we have been down here in Australia for 1 month now and, after feedback from fans (actually my sister-in-law, the lone member of my readership from Australia), I felt I had left out some of the more important aspects of my journey.

I have had the honour (or insult depending on your point of view) of being mistaken for Vince Vaughan 3 times since moving to Bendigo.  For your approval I have posted two photos of us, for you to decide if we look alike.  I welcome your feedback, and I am positive Vince would as well.

Probably more importantly I, along with 20+ million others in this nation, just celebrated Australia Day.  This holiday commemorates not the day Australia became a country, January 1, 1901, (think Canada Day, Independence Day, Mexican Independence Day) but the day in 1787 that the first fleet (read prison transport) landed at Sydney and turned Australia into a huge British social experiment…or something like that.  Now, some 226 years on, Australia should celebrate its standing as one of the best countries to live in on the planet.

I celebrated this day in Mt. Eliza, Victoria attending a ceremony presided over by Carlton Football coaching legend David Parkin.  His speech fluctuated between a lyrical praising of Australia and a three-quarters motivational speech.  This left me wondering whether to start singing “Waltzing Matilda” or throw down the second (free) sausage I was nibbling and tackle someone.  It also left my sister-in-law fuming over the inequalities that still exist today (insert angry comment - "I ask you, where are the aboriginal people; women; and acknowledgement of different religion asides from catholicism in this ceremony?".....can you believe this from an important human rights lawyer?!?!?!), and hunting for someone, probably me, to turn into a tackling dummy.

The most cyclical part of the whole day was the fact that all this revelry was hosted on Canadian Bay Road.

Now, onto month two…