Several very early phone calls on both mobile and hotel phone, being interviewed from across Australia to Canada and Britain again; very tiring, being woken up at 0500 hours, but feel it is my responsibility to maximise exposure for Seeing Is Believing to restore sight to the children of the world; a small price to pay, not so?
Richard headed off to prepare microlight; myself and Jon walking into town for light breakfast, haircut for me, getting my wrist-watch battery changed etc.
Lady outside jewellery shop stops me; “Are you that blind pilot man we saw on the TV?” When I admitted this, she laughed delightedly, telling me “I was a bloody stupid blind man, and we are really proud of you!”.
This in the middle of the crowded pavement; it appears her brother is blind, and he is struggling to come to terms with it; not using any speech-output for a computer etc; Everywhere we go, people recognise and congratulate us; man at jewellery shop refuses to take payment for watch for same reason; simply wonderful, humbling hospitality from these great Aussies.
Had a swim in the hotel pool with Jon in the afternoon, after long radio interview being recorded live by a reporter.
Should be writing up my Blogs, not relaxing by pool with a cool beer, but a little voice inside me agreeing with Jon telling me I need a break; thank you little voice- I still feel guilty, falling behind with my Blogs over last few days, not having my computer with me for weight reduction.This evening taken by |Peter to Tim’s, Darwin’s best steak house, sitting outside with loads of locals around us, verifying Tim’s claim!
Huge steaks here, weighing a kilogram, with accompanying huge salads and bowls of French-fries. Tim says anybody who is unable to finish their steaks have to saddle them up and ride them home!A wonderful, wonderful evening, enjoying more protected ice-cold bottles of beer, great company, and that joi de vivre! Peter explaining that Darwin is like the Northern frontier, with most people coming here either running away from the law or their wives!
Into bed around midnight, still very, very tired, but so, so happy, despite knowing that tomorrow we fly at dawn, with a responsibility to fly some 2,000 miles plus from one end of Australia to the other, so we can be in Sydney in time for the business luncheon organised to welcome us there!
What a wonderful life, hey?!