It’s Saturday night. I’ve just had a lovely afternoon eating, drinking and walking with John around Newtown, discovering things about the suburb I hadn’t previously known.For example, we paid a visit to Camperdown Cemetery. I do like visiting cemeteries… the history and all that kind of thing… and this one, in particular was fascinating.
Camperdown Cemetery
The Camperdown Cemetery surrounds St Stephen’s Anglican Church, which fronts onto Church Street, Newtown. Most of the burials in this cemetery occurred between 1848-1880 and there are, apparently, quite a few famous people amongst the 18,000 buried. We didn’t actually see any famous graves, but we did enjoy this peaceful little oasis in the midst of inner city suburbia.
It’s Wednesday night, and I’m busy downloading music, videos, and books for my upcoming trip to China. Even with an e-sim and VPN, I anticipate needing offline content during the long flight and at other times when internet access might be unreliable. So, I’m curating my favorite music, books, and videos to enjoy over the next couple of weeks.
This isn’t my only preparation, though. This trip is significant; it’s my first since my amputation a couple of years ago. It’s also my first major solo trip in a while. Before COVID, I used to travel independently overseas quite often without much worry, but a lot has happened in these past few years. Consequently, I feel the need to be more prepared than I used to be, particularly now that I have a physical disability that requires extra consideration.
Despite having travelled with friends and family recently, I’m keen to regain my confidence in travelling independently. That’s why I’ve chosen a destination I’m familiar with. About 10 years ago, my friend Sue and I went on an organised tour of China. Even before that, in 2010, I visited my friend Kate when she was living there. So, I’ve been to China before and have visited most of the places on this itinerary, meaning I know what to expect.
When I booked this trip a few months ago, I knew what I was getting myself into. A bonus was that it was incredibly cheap – around $888 for everything included, although I anticipate some optional extras. But the core experience is familiar.
This time, however, I need to consider my physical limitations more. I’m thinking about how much I can walk each day and the terrain. For instance, I know the Great Wall of China will be challenging due to its steepness and cobblestones. But having been there before, I know I don’t need to climb to the highest point. I can enjoy the experience without covering a huge distance or scaling great heights. I can take my time and don’t need to walk excessively.
James, Phil and Guy on the Great Wall of China in 2010
I’m aware I’ll be part of a tour group and need to keep pace, which I believe I can manage. However, I’m also prepared: if things become too much, I can rest on the bus or sit and wait. It’s not crucial for me to see and do everything, as I might have felt compelled to in the past. I also know from previous excursions that if a day or two proves too strenuous, I can inform the tour guides and opt to stay at the hotel or leave an activity early without it being a major issue or letting others down. I’m also mindful that on similar tours, I’ve seen others with mobility or weight issues that limit their movement, so I likely won’t be alone in taking things easier.
My research and preparations have been quite thorough. A new aspect of this has been using artificial intelligence to help me plan. For example, I’ve used AI to find out the closest restaurants, metro stations, and bars to our hotels. Alongside this, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos for general tips and tricks about visiting China.
This combination gives me a good sense of accessible options. For instance, if a restaurant is only 100 metres away, I know that’s manageable for me independently, without needing to walk kilometres. That kind of information is really helpful. I’ve also researched nearby shopping centres and pharmacies.
Due to health issues, including diabetes, I’ve seen my doctor and have ample prescriptions, so I should be covered on that front. Furthermore, I’ve read some very useful travel guides written by other amputees, offering practical advice which has been invaluable. https://www.limbs4life.org.au/uploads/amplifiedFiles/Amplified-Edition-3-2023.pdf
Additionally, my research into flying as an amputee also highlighted the need for compression socks to manage potential swelling in my residual limb due to cabin pressure, so I’ve made sure to pack those.
My research has helped me identify what’s feasible. For instance, I noticed a jazz club that was relatively close to one venue, but still far enough that it might be an issue, so I’ve decided against it. Looking at the itinerary, I’ve noted free days, which I plan to use for rest if needed. There are also optional tour segments, and I’ve decided to skip most of them, though I will participate in a couple. I have booked an external food tour, which I’m excited about, and I’m also planning to meet up with a friend who lives in Beijing during my free time. These are things I’m looking forward to.
Overall, I’m feeling okay about the trip. When a friend asked how I was feeling, I said I’m pretty good, but also slightly apprehensive about the possibility of falling or injuring myself. I don’t think it will happen, but the concern is there.
My friend mentioned someone she knows who also had an amputation around the same time as me. She asked if I had disclosed my situation. And yes, I’ve informed the airline and the travel company about my needs. And I have travel insurance!! This includes arranging for wheelchair assistance at the airports, as distances within them can often be quite long and challenging. However, a part of me feels I shouldn’t have to disclose it, that I should be able to manage and plan for myself.
This increased level of planning has become routine for me over the past couple of years – consciously thinking about my steps and movements. So, downloading books, music, and videos is actually one of the simpler parts of my preparation.
I head off on Tuesday, so if you think of anything I should consider, please comment below.
“There are signs of life, there are signs of positivity”, a slightly older bloke told me as we chatted on Magellan Street in Lismore today. “Take a look inside the Mecca Cafe. Even the old 50s style cafe booths aren’t looking too bad”, he added.
Even though I’m on leave all week, I went to work at the ABC in Lismore today. For this week I’ve managed to “outsource” most of my day to day activities. But since I didn’t bring a microphone with me, I needed to pop into the radio station to record some material for this weekend’s “Editor’s Choice”.
“It’s nice to do something that doesn’t involve walking around in mud”, I joked with my colleagues there.
It was also interesting to be in the station on the day of visits to the area by the Prime Minister and the Premier. I also made a couple of story suggestions based on our family’s experiences of the last week.
After a couple of hours, I made my way into town for a look around. Being on foot I thought I might be a less obvious “flood tourist”.
As I made my way down High Street, I was able to see how far up the water had come up. I also passed St Carthage’s Cathedral where a number of my family members have been christened, confirmed, married, and farewelled. Despite being on a hill, water entered the cathedral.
Unsure of the source for this image, but it tells the story of a cathedral that’s on a hill.St Carthages Cathedral, Lismore
I took the same route I had regularly taken last year when I was living here. Unfortunately, there was no stop-off for a beer at the Rous Hotel, as I was inclined to do last year.
“You need to take the long way around”, a bloke told me when I attempted to walk down Woodlark Street, to take the bridge home to South Lismore. So I made my way along Keen Street, before turning into Magellan Street.
And that’s where I met the bloke who recommended I take look in the window of the Mecca Cafe. “My granny was a cook there in the 30s and 40s, and my dad played clarinet in a band there”, I told the bloke.
And from there, I continued my path home, via Union Street, South Lismore, taking in the impact of the floods on the area where I grew up, and where I spent a few months last year during COVID. The devastation to the places I became familiar with last year such as Bowen’s Cake Shop and the Duck Pond Espresso was evident, as these familiar shops were barely recognisable.
But there were, nonetheless, signs of life, strength and community, and I captured some of them along the way today.
Stay Strong LismoreDon’t Give Up / Fuck The FloodFree Baby Stuff (at the service station near the railway in South Lismore)Free hot food, water, coffee near the railway station in South LismoreLooters fuck off. Building not safe. Station Hotel, South LismoreThis is a climate crisis.
In other news, a story about Jack was featured tonight as the lead story on Prime 7 News. I’ll post the video tomorrow.
I pre-polled at the last federal election, as I worked on election day for the Australian Electoral Commission. It was an enjoyable and fascinating “behind the scenes” experience at Sydney’s Town Hall. https://thelimbshift.com/2019/05/vote-one-eurovision/
I have a vague idea I might have pre-polled at the previous election too.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve voted at the Bourke Street Public School. Voting at the historic building, only a short walk from home has changed.
The biggest “shift” occurred when the polling centre went from being one with a lot of absentee voters (tourists/renters/backpackers etc) to one dominated by “locals”. It was always a great place in previous times, as the queue for “locals” was always much shorter.
Working on polling day in 2019Election Day at Bourke Street Public School
Yesterday’s queue to vote was the longest I’ve ever seen at Bourke Street Public School. By the time I joined the queue at about 8.15 am and emerged, it was roughly 45 minutes in total. Luckily, I managed to grab a sausage sandwich, as the bloke in front and I held our queue places for each other. The smell of onions cooking was too much!
The sausage sizzle at Bourke Street Public School. Though prepared with coins, they’ve joined the modern world with tap-and-go. They also had cupcakes and were selling copies of the school cookbook.
Voting itself took about 5 minutes. Though the size of the senate paper is often joked about, due to a large number of “unknown” and “fringe” candidates, I also struggled a little with the lower house vote. Aside from our local member, Tanya Plibersek, who holds a very safe seat, I had never heard of any of the other candidates. I knew the parties, of course, and was able to do a valid vote. Often it’s a case of putting the “worst” candidate the last, but this time around there were so many possible options for voting last.
Surprisingly, there were NO posters or people handing out “how to vote cards” for the LNP. Not one. Yes, it’s a safe seat, but there would normally be equal numbers of LNP volunteers, in support of the Senate vote. But this time around, there wasn’t a single poster or volunteer. In fact, over the last few weeks, posters for Tanya have been the only street posters I’ve seen locally.
Since the last time I voted at Bourke Street Public School, they appear to have built a new large building at the back of the historic school frontage. A sign of how much the school appears to have grown in the last few years. Sure, there are still lots of young people living in share accommodation etc, but it’s also a sign the area is now also made up of lots of families with school-aged children.
We knew within seconds we were in the “wrong movie”. We had already felt a little uncomfortable about the size of the crowd and theatre, expecting a much larger crowd in a much larger theatre. But we sat there, chatting, half-watching the ads, until the opening credits appeared and within seconds we realised we were in the wrong theatre. We got up quickly, found the right theatre, and then made our way to the second front row, as the much larger theatre was close to capacity.
We knew little about the film, except that it was based around the fictional character of small-town radio announcer, Alan Partridge. Since we both work in radio, my colleague/friend and I thought it would be fun to go to. Indeed, there are lots of very funny “radio jokes”, and there were lots of moments when we both laughed out loud, making comparisons in our minds between some of the extreme egotism of the character, as an amplified version of the some of the behaviour we sometimes seem in our colleagues.
There were so many moments when we, and all of the cinema, laughed out loud at the roller-coaster of unexpected twists and turns the movie took. There were no moments of predictability. The film romped along at a cracker pace, and importantly, was about the right length. Despite the comic value of it all, the film has heart, and despite the sometimes farcical comedy, all of the characters were, in their own ways, totally believable.
Alan Partridge in the studio
It’s definitely a film I’d like to see again, as I’m sure there are moments, actions and lines I’d probably pick up on which were maybe lost on first viewing. I’d also like to see the first couple of minutes we missed from being in the wrong cinema.
