As the opening beats from “Don’t Say No” by Midnight Boy came from the speakers of my television, for just a brief moment, I was transported back to the 80s and to Brisbane’s (in)famous nightclub, The Beat. Back in those days, Joh Bjelke-Peterson was still the Premier of Queensland, and I was a young man about town who would often head out on Sunday nights with friends to dance to tracks like “You Spin Me Round” (by Dead or Alive), “Relax” (by Frankie Goes To Hollywood) and others. Both the music and lyrics of “Don’t Say No” are highly reminiscent of that era.
It was an unexpected welcome opening for the fourth heat of this year’s Melodifestivalen, the competition which chooses Sweden’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was a heat I was anticipating very much due to the Australian connection. Days before Australia went on to announce Guy Sebastian (yawn) would represent Australia at this year’s contest, we already had an Australian connection. The band JTR were born in Sweden, but lived in Australia for about a decade, before returning to Sweden a few months ago. They have an Australian step-father, I understand, and while living here, competed in the X-Factor television show. I thought their song and performance were both quite good, and so was pleased they made it through to the final in a couple of weeks time. Oh yeah, and they lived in Logan City, a place where I associate with “losing my virginity”. :) Another story.
The other “Australian connection” (albeit a slim one, he recently holidayed here) was Måns Zelmerlöw. I’ve been a fan of his for a few years. He sings well, he performs well, and he’s pretty easy on the eye (check out this image on his Instagram account and you’ll see what I mean). The song wasn’t all that memorable, but he performed it well, and the presentation was a little more interesting than the usual stand on stage and perform routine, interacting with animations on the screen.
Aside from those three, there was nothing particularly exciting about the remaining entries. “It’s like it’s still 2009”, my friend Graeme said the other week, remarking the formula has become a little stale with the same song-writers every year, and an apparent cookie-cutter approach to selecting the singers and the songs. After the nightmare of last year’s co-presenters, things have improved this year, with Robin and Sanna being good choices. But what was with the comedy appearance by the contest’s producer, Christer Björkman? My feeling is that he has done a terrific job over the past decade with the contest, but maybe it’s time for him to move on, allowing for a regeneration of the contest.
Having now seen all four heats, I’ve decided my firm favourite is Jon Henrik Fjällgren, the reindeer herder from a Sami community up north. Andra Chansen (second chance) is this week, and then a week later, Sweden will choose its entry for Eurovision. It’s a shame we didn’t go through a similar selection process for Austraia.
We had plans to meet to exchange the wonderful eeepc which had been such a wonderful gift during my recent sojourn in Europe. I used it to blog my travels on a daily basis, and even if I couldn’t actually blog daily due to an absence of wireless connections, it was far more convenient than using an internet cafe to record my thoughts as I travelled.
Yulli’s Surry Hills
After we quickly established the difference between a WEP and a WPA connection (as I recall), Damo discovered it was going to be a fairly easy tool to use, so long as there were wifi connections in the part of China he was travelling to. That remains an unconfirmed matter, of course.
And even though there were some issues with a smaller keyboard and the lack of an external mouse, we were both confident after a short-while they could be overcome.
It’s only two weeks til Damo leaves and he’s a little bit stressed about things. I suspect the break tonight helped him relax a bit, which is a good thing after all he’s been through over the last few months. :)
Without wishing to misquote him, I suspect he was mightily impressed with Yulli’s, a new bar on Crown Street, Surry Hills. Most memorable were the dolmades, along with the “chips” which included a range of vegetarian options.
The bar was still as comfortable as when Michaela and I visited a few weels ago. We had a great night, and the staff, as per last time, were extremely accommodating. A great place for a Monday night.
“I’ve heard mixed reports”, the barman at a nearby venue told me when I mentioned I was meeting a friend for dinner at Bondi’s “Blanca Bar & Dining”.
“It’s Mediterranean food, with “Japanese flavours”, the waitress told us. And with a Finnish chef! What an odd combination, we thought. As you’ll see from the photographs, in common with Japanese food, the presentation was beautiful.
Though they also offered a 10-course meal, we chose the 7-course meal, and it was absolutely perfect. And the taste? We thought all but one of the dishes was excellent. Great flavours. The perfect amount of food. A couple of bottles of wine, and we were very happy, as we left the restaurant. The wine probably forced up the price a fair bit, but even for two people, it was good value (comparatively speaking) for quality food and service. Highly recommended.
“You want it in WHAT currency?”, asked the woman behind the counter. And then, “Sorry, we only have hundreds”, when I asked for a variety of denominations. Although it looks impressive, this 100 SEK note is worth only about $20 AUD. Thanks to a strong AUD, I asked for 10, but got 11 of these little beauties for just over $200 (including the handling fee) today, in anticipation of my first twenty-four to forty-eight hours in Stockholm. Juding by what I’ve read about the price of food and alcohol in Stockholm, they’ll disappear pretty quickly.
It was good advice from Damo, who suggested that if I had Swedish currency in my wallet when I arrived in Stockholm it would be one less thing to worry about. I’ve booked my accommodation and I’ve bought my Stockholm Card (which covers transport and museum access for 72 hours). And now I have some currency to pay for the train trip from the airport into town as well. Getting the currency takes away the “drama” of using a new ATM at the end of a long flight. It also makes “the big trip” a little more “real”, if you know what I mean.
That, and the fact that I finished work today.
I normally wake about five and get into work at about 6, but this morning I slept in until 8, and strolled in about ten past nine. Slack eh? Rather than chimes of “why are you late?” and “did you sleep in?” I was greeted with really terrific surprise when I arrived at work this morning. One of my colleagues, Melissa had decorated my office with streamers, a map of Sweden, and bon voyage messages. I was totally chuffed.
I had a couple of hours in “hand over” with my replacement, providing her with THE MOST comprehensive set of “handover notes” EVER. “I’ve never been this organised in my whole life”, I told her, when I presented her with something equating a small novel. “Look there’s probably things I’ve forgotten, and you’ll probably curse me about some things”, I told her, “but I think this covers everything”. That was code for “don’t call me on vacation unless it’s absolutely necessary”.
And from there, it was off to lunch with Damo at Quay. A three-hat restaurant, they have an excellent lunchtime deal. Two courses, a bottle of wine, great company and conversation. And stunning views of both the bridge and the house. Does life get any better? I’ll leave it up to you Damo to write a review, as you’re much better at these than I am.
An afternoon nap followed. What a perfect day! The only sour note was the slack-arse 303 buses from Castlereagh Street. Nothing for forty five minutes and then two arrived at once. The first stopped, the second just drove straight past. Not happy Jan…
As I walked into the Lismore Bowlo, the sounds of “Heading in the Right Direction”, a song made famous by Renee Geyer were already drifting through the air. Hearing that song, which has always been one of my favourites, immediately set the perfect mood for the evening.
The venue was hosting the popular Lismore Supper Club, a spot I’d heard about for quite some time. While it’s fundamentally a bowling club—and a great, community-based one—it has really established itself as a versatile venue for hire in recent years. We even held our school reunion here a couple of years ago, and it was a perfect fit for that.
The band played a great selection of songs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s with a distinct funky, soulful feel. They covered classics by artists like Etta James, the Doobie Brothers, and Little Feat, and even included a couple of original songs.
The crowd was mostly fifty-plus, and the music certainly felt rooted in that era, with nothing much newer than about 1980. Regardless, the music felt good, the vibe was lovely, and I was completely enjoying the night.
It was particularly great to see a band playing where no one was watching the show through their mobile phone. This kind of traditional, live music gathering is important for Lismore, which has a rich history of live music that, sadly, hasn’t been as present in more recent years. The band tonight included some very well-known local musicians, which speaks to the area’s talent. Lismore, of course, is the birthplace of major Australian bands like Grinspoon and Skunkhour, and this enduring live music scene is what makes this place special.
Having spent a couple of days in and around Kowloon, I was keen to discover today a little more of the “real”, Hong Kong. I’m not saying those areas around Kowloon and Central aren’t “real”, but I just wanted to get a non-tourist sense of the place as well. So I hopped on the train and randomly selected Tung Chung on Lantau Island.
It’s one of a a number of former rural villages around Hong Kong which has been given the modern treatment. Of course, there’s a number of very high rise apartment buildings, there’s a massive shopping centre, and there’s a lot of parkland. Beyond that, I couldn’t find much evidence (well none, actually) of the former rural village.
I spent most of the afternoon there just sitting and watching the people go by. As you look around, it seems like a fairly middle class district, with a great deal of uniformity in the way in which people looked and dressed. I could have been at any Westfield Supermarket anywhere in Australia. After being in Hong Kong, I so totally understand Market City now.
The waterways and the mountains around the town centre are quite spectacular, and you actually get to see the sky, in stark contrast to the city.
What I found most interesting though, was that was the first place where I’ve seen gay men be affectionate towards each other. I’d read that it was okay to be gay in Hong Kong and all that kinda stuff. And it was not unusual to see men being affectionate towards each other. But I certainly didn’t expect to see it in the middle of the this particular district.
I was also the only non-Asian person I saw in the community.
I don’t know if it’s been such a great tourist experience, and maybe I’d have been better off going somewhere else, but it was interesting to see something of the way in which “the real folk” live.
And so with only twenty four hours left of my “big trip”, I’m now aching to get home. After all this time on the road, I’m feeling tired, and really looking forward to just getting home. I’ve done all that I wanted to do. Now, I just want my bed! And I’m missing friends and family. See you soon.
In the next couple of years, I’ll likely be taking a step back from full-time work and embracing semi-retirement.
As I transition, I’ve started the fascinating and sometimes daunting process of sifting through the ABC Radio archives—particularly the early work that has now been digitised to rediscover moments of my on-air career.
On top of that, I’ve got a treasure trove of content sitting on hundreds of cassette tapes and DATs in boxes at home.
The exciting part is how effortless it is now to dive into that analogue archive: finding a specific clip, generating a transcript, and pulling out the best bits is simple, opening up a world of old material.
I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing the Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser on a number of occasions. Today, I’m sharing one such interview from the time leading up to the announcement that Sydney would host the 2000 Olympics.
Dawn Fraser explained her upcoming move from Sydney’s Balmain to the Riverina town of Barellan was primarily driven by the people and her health, specifically to avoid the city’s pollution and allergens that aggravate her asthma, which had recently led to emergency hospital visits.
She said she would continue with paid guest speaking under her Sydney agent and was looking at semi-retirement, having bought a three hundred-acre property where she planned to put on stock, leveraging the help and advice of her new neighbours, and supporting her daughter who had just been accepted as a swimming coach in nearby Narrandera.
She was optimistic about Sydney’s bid for the 2000 Olympics, citing its superior technical and security packages. She also addressed the persistent myth about the Tokyo Olympic flag incident, denying the popular version of the story.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Well, it’s only a matter of weeks now until we find out whether or not Sydney will host the year two thousand Olympics. But the region is about to gain its own contact with the games. Former Olympian and parliamentarian Dawn Fraser is packing her bags later this year, leaving Sydney from Balmain to Barellan, east of Griffith, the hometown also of that other great sporting achiever, Evonne Goolagong. She’s in Barellan at the moment and is my guest this morning. Dawn Fraser, thank you very much for your time this morning and welcome to the program and welcome to the region.
DAWN FRASER: Well, thank you, James, and I’m very happy to be here, I must admit.
JAMES O’BRIEN: What do you think of the two thousand Olympic bid? Do you think we’re going to be successful?
DAWN FRASER: I think that we’re very successful. In fact, I think the other cities now are getting very aware of Sydney’s bid. And their technical bid is the best that the IOC, which is International Olympic Committee have ever seen. And I think that’s probably what will win the Sydney bid.
JAMES O’BRIEN: But that’s that’s the technical things. And of course you’ve been to just about every Olympic Games since then. Is it always the the technical things which wins or does politics also play a role in this.
DAWN FRASER: Oh, politics always play a role in the Olympic Games, of course. But I think technical and security that our security right throughout the world is the best in, in Australia. And also, you know, our technical is probably, as I said before, the best that the IOC have ever seen.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Since you began at the games back in the early sixties. What sort of changes have there been to the games?
DAWN FRASER: Well, for instance, uh, the hosting country now, uh, prepares and looks after quite a lot of third world countries. In fact, uh, you know, in, in nineteen eighty, we looked after Zimbabwe. We took the whole team. Australia, I’m saying took the whole team to Moscow. And then we looked after them as far as medical, uh, physiotherapists, coaches and trainers. Uh, since then and last year in Barcelona, we had three South African countries that we looked after.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Terrific. Now, in terms of actually moving to the area, what has prompted this move from Balmain to Barellan?
DAWN FRASER: Well, first of all, let me say it’s been the people. And secondly, may I say it’s been my health. Um, and also, you know, the fact that it starts with a B, I think coming.
JAMES O’BRIEN: From.
DAWN FRASER: Them.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Yes. I’ve been noticing in the paper the last year that you’ve been making quite a few visits to the area and especially being involved with the swimming club.
DAWN FRASER: Yes. Well, I’ve, I’ve actually been coming down to Barellan now for the last seven years with the, with the Barellan Swimming Club, and last year they made me a life member. Um, so, you know, the kids are from around the area and surrounding areas have improved greatly over the last seven years. And of course, you know, we’ve been a bit of a very competitive club now. And I think my daughter has just been accepted as the swimming coach at Narrandera. So there’s going to be a lot of competition around the area. And I think that’s going to be very good for this particular region.
JAMES O’BRIEN: But you mentioned, for example, your health and there is that the issue of the asthma. We’ve just had some figures come out the other week showing that this area has a high rate of asthma. So I’m just wondering why you’re moving to this area if you’ve got to avoid asthma.
DAWN FRASER: Well, it’s very interesting because the things that I’m allergic to only happen in the city. For instance, I’m allergic to, uh, to yeast and, uh, and and pollution, air conditioning. Well, you don’t need that very much out here in the country. And, uh, and we haven’t got the pollution out here that that’s in the city. The pollution around Sydney has been so great in the last, and it’s been increasing in the last two years. But, uh, any sort of virus that I get just increases my asthma. So I think, and I feel that I’ve got to do something about it. I enjoy living, and I don’t want to sort of, uh, be overtaken by the particular sickness. So I think it’s better if I do that.
JAMES O’BRIEN: So you’ve had some substantial problems the last couple of years. Have you in Sydney?
DAWN FRASER: Yes, I certainly have. I mean, uh, you know, over the last three and a half years, I’ve had two emergency sort of dashes to the local hospital. And, uh, and that’s been sort of, uh, a bit frightening. And it’s made me sit up and be aware of the situation that I’m in.
JAMES O’BRIEN: I’m just wondering, though, what you all do. I mean, are you looking at a career in politics? Would you would you like to be the member for Murrumbidgee or or are you looking at a hotel or what will you do in Barellan?
DAWN FRASER: Well, I still I still will be, um, under control of my agent in Sydney, and I still will do guest speaking positions, which I will be. I get paid for doing those things. And then, you know, I am looking at a semi-retirement sort of thing. And with the three hundred acres that, um, that I’m looking at at the moment here in Barellan, well, I’ve put some stock on that. And then, uh, you know, I think that semi-retirement is going to be good. My daughter’s going, as I said, going to be working at Narrandera. And if she goes very well out there, which I think she will, it’s about time she started looking after mum.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Now you’re putting some stock on the land. I mean, do you have a background in farming at all?
DAWN FRASER: No, I don’t, but I have a lot of very good friends here in Barellan that help me. And you know, I’ve been learning a lot over the last two or three years since I’ve been here, and I do know a little bit about it. And I have spent a lot of time on, on, on land. You know, when I went to Adelaide to live, I had forty five acres at a place called prospect.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Oh, yes.
DAWN FRASER: And I had some cattle and sheep, and I looked after the, the land by sowing it and putting pulling trees down and putting trees up and with a tractor and stuff like that. So I’m not afraid of the hard work that I know is in store for me. And while I’m healthy and things like that which I am when I come out here, I can’t see any hassles. And, you know, as I said, the people of Barellan have been very good to us and we’ve fitted in and I think we’ve been accepted into the community, which is a big plus and it’s just a matter of, um, of asking the right people for the advice and going off and doing it yourself. If you make mistakes, you then go back and ask advice again.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Now I’ve been meaning. I’ve been wanting to actually chat with you ever since. Late last year when I interviewed a fellow on the morning program about their memories of the Olympic Games, and this fellow said that it wasn’t you who climbed up the flagpole and stole that flag in Tokyo. It was in fact, him.
DAWN FRASER: Well, if that guy was named Desmond and he came from, um, from Western Australia, which I don’t think he was, it wasn’t him at all, because.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Was it a fellow called Peter Hawkins?
DAWN FRASER: No, it was not.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Who was it?
DAWN FRASER: Uh, well, actually, it was Des Piper from Western Australia, and he was in the Australian hockey team. So I don’t know the guy that, in fact, I. Someone sent me the, uh, the paper clipping of the Wagga Wagga news.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Oh, yes.
DAWN FRASER: I wrote back to the editor and just said, you know, that this isn’t the true story, and please tell the person that he stopped using my name.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Oh, dear.
DAWN FRASER: Because it wasn’t correct. Yeah. But I mean, you know, everyone sort of has dinners on those sort of stories. And they say that they know they know those people. In fact, the the flag wasn’t taking anywhere near anyone else. There was only three of us. And those three people know who they were.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Okay, Dawn, thank you very much. And welcome to the area. Thank you.
DAWN FRASER: James, thanks very much.
JAMES O’BRIEN: Dawn Fraser, who’s moving to the area from Balmain to Barellan. My guest this morning on the morning show and you’re listening to ABC Radio Riverina, James O’Brien with you until eleven.
