Tempe Doesn't Taste Very Good, Day 1

I saw a sign by the train advertising the Blue Mountains and I wanted to go. Andrew kindly drove me out there (not without continuous sarcastic complaints there and back) where we bushwalked (Australian for hiked) an easy six kilometre path called the National Pass/Wentworth Falls circuit. My other cousin Julia couldn't make it, for whatever reason, which turned out well as she wouldn't have been able to handle walking even one km, according to Andrew. Andrew complained quite well about this hike, too, though mostly (mostly) in jest. Hiking with a companion is so different from hiking alone. It's someone to share the views with, but less contemplative solitude. Both are nice.





















After a quick dinner on our return, Julia drove me out to Tempe for my gig at the Stella Inn. In hindsight I needn't have bothered. A nice leisurely dinner would've been better. The entire audience consisted of us musicians - Russell, Ande (the tremendous guitarist from Kellys), Charlie and myself. The other three each brought a single person with. The manager didn't treat us terribly well, either, reluctant to turn off the TV behind us or the music on the P.A. Why have us then? As Russell played he expressed his displeasure audibly and loudly announced that "The general consensus is for Ande to give it a go." Very sour faced man. Aside from him the rest of the bar goers largely cared about sport and gambling - ever so prevalent in Sydney! - loudly watching horses and reacting with even more noise. Didn't make for a great night, but oddly enough I think we all enjoyed ourselves via the misery loves company maxim. I sang five originals then three covers off my request list. The last of these, unfortunately, was Hallelujah. Despite an ailing voice I obliged.

Naturally I didn't sell a CD or a bookmark. Ande very kindly gave me five dollars to buy a hotdog with, when returning for his girlfriend's diary which I found and brought outside to give them. Though ever so talented with music, his approach to it is quite the opposite of little planned me - he wants a nest egg before heading to Europe to try to "make it," playing lots of indoor gigs with his bachelor's in music, scraping earnings with his 9-5 sales job. Helped me realize that my take on music isn't quite so typical after all.

Earnings: 5.00 AUD, 30 minutes
Song of the Day: Purple Dress - Terrence Ho