Off to Oz

Waking up this morning, I realized that once my head left the pillow, it will be 48 hours before my head  hits another pillow. And this one will be in another continent, in another hemisphere. Just about as far away from Minnesota as you can get and still be on the surface of the Earth.

My son and I are heading to Australia - Sydney, Port Douglas and Cairns - for the next ten days. This will be my third trip to Oz, but my first to Queensland. I am excited about doing the Harbor Bridge Climb in Sydney, eco-touring in Port Douglas, (rivers where snorkeling is guaranteed croc-free or your money back!) and diving the Agincourt area of the Great Barrier Reef.

Oh, and should we survive that, I'm speaking at the Queensland Public Library conference  June 5th on Dangers and Opportunities for libraries today.

 

We'll be attempting to answer the question: What will break the bonds of the three Bs and get people into libraries? Are the Queenslanders ready for this???

 It is still amazing to me that one can travel so quickly and so far. Within the last year alone, I've been to Singapore, Beijing, and Santiago and before the end of the year will be going to Ireland and Bangkok - along with lots of trips within the US and Canada. This is nothing compared to full time speakers, of course, but for an Iowa farm boy, hot stuff. Jet travel makes it possible of course.

In some ways, I envy those pre-jet travellers. Imagine the adventure, the drama, the one-in-a-lifetime uniqueness of a trip to Australia before the 1950s. I am sure were I to actually experience the discomforts of travel by ship,  rail and prop plane, I would never romanticize about such journeying again.

But travel is a prime exemplar of how our culture embraces speed. Fast and furious experiences that pile up as passport stamps. Blog snippets rather than books.  - the sacrifice of depth to breadth. Always trying to do more at work, rather than doing better at work. Is there a growing desire a simpler, less frenetic world? Or maybe it is simply geezerdom kicking in?

I will do my best to stop and admire the view from the top of the Harbor Bridge. 

Comments

[Chris Lehmann]

I don't think it's geezerdom, unless I have it at 35 years old (which is possible.) I tend to move at frenetic pace, but I find, more and more, that I need that hour at the end of the night when everyone has fallen asleep where I can just sit and reflect, read, think, stare at the walls... I think it is a reaction to the speed at which the other 18 waking hours tend to move.

[Jerrie]

Doug,

Loved the photograph! :) Have fun in Australia! You will be a success at the conference; however, be careful on the climb and "extra special-careful" when you and your son are snorkeling....Those crocs are dangerous! :) Stay safe so you can come back to our 2007 GaETC conference!!!!

Regards,
Jerrie