Inspiration and admiration are words that the "A" list celebrity club have watered down so much as to almost allow us to lose sight of their true meaning, while being replaced by the now ubiquitous and almost mandatory "I have been on such a wonderful journey" installed in the hierarchy of our day to day psyche of "feel good" adjectives. But to see and meet real people who you have admiration for and that can genuinely inspire you without even knowing they have done so is still something that can take your breath away, it just means the words you use to describe them seem inadequate when the "luvvies" that prune and groom themselves in the public arena use them like some cheap confetti.
I am here in Sydney taking in all that I can from not only a different culture (and thankfully climate!) but a different attitude to that of the U.K from where I have spent most of my life. There are many tales of hardship as with every big city from the simple beggars and street bums to the somewhat uncomfortable feeling i had from seeing a fully regaled older Aboriginal gentleman pedalling and selling his glorious culture for a few dollars at the ferry terminal.
Sydney is a truly diverse and enthralling city, it draws you in slowly at first, then piece by piece unravels itself, revealing it's soul and daring you to ignore it, it steals your heart as it let's you sample all it's wares, like a temptress that would surely have had your head on a plate just a few centuries ago, you ignore Sydney at your peril and most definitely at your loss. I can think of few cities i have travelled to in the world that make you feel at ease and as one with so quickly, true it has it's drawbacks and the tourist industry (of which the majority would be of Asian origin) is very well catered for, but if you scratch the surface of this wonderful city and go off the beaten tourist track it reveals a beating heart that inspires and leaves you so full of admiration it would fair rival the prodigal son's homecoming. Sydney wants to pull you in and wants you to take part, the Australian people know what it is to smile and enjoy the fayre that life in this part of the world have to offer, it's a truly amazing place to visit and as an Englishman abroad I have been wooed by the temptress that is Sydney and keeping my head is going to be a very difficult task !.
I am here in Sydney taking in all that I can from not only a different culture (and thankfully climate!) but a different attitude to that of the U.K from where I have spent most of my life. There are many tales of hardship as with every big city from the simple beggars and street bums to the somewhat uncomfortable feeling i had from seeing a fully regaled older Aboriginal gentleman pedalling and selling his glorious culture for a few dollars at the ferry terminal.
Sydney is a truly diverse and enthralling city, it draws you in slowly at first, then piece by piece unravels itself, revealing it's soul and daring you to ignore it, it steals your heart as it let's you sample all it's wares, like a temptress that would surely have had your head on a plate just a few centuries ago, you ignore Sydney at your peril and most definitely at your loss. I can think of few cities i have travelled to in the world that make you feel at ease and as one with so quickly, true it has it's drawbacks and the tourist industry (of which the majority would be of Asian origin) is very well catered for, but if you scratch the surface of this wonderful city and go off the beaten tourist track it reveals a beating heart that inspires and leaves you so full of admiration it would fair rival the prodigal son's homecoming. Sydney wants to pull you in and wants you to take part, the Australian people know what it is to smile and enjoy the fayre that life in this part of the world have to offer, it's a truly amazing place to visit and as an Englishman abroad I have been wooed by the temptress that is Sydney and keeping my head is going to be a very difficult task !.
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