10 November 1998

Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

So much has happened since my last writing, I almost don't know where to begin! I am currently in the public library in Newcastle, New South Wales. Before I get ahead of myself, I'll tell the story in order.

Last Saturday, I went down to the grungiest part of Sydney, a suburb of urban decay called Cabramatta. I took the train down there for a few bucks then had to walk a couple miles through some very seedy terrain to reach the fabled used car mecca. I arrived in one piece, avoiding any random drive-by shootings or any other poor luck of the sort. I checked out a few dealerships that were advertising cheap cars, but eventually settled on Maz's Used Cars, a funky Lebanese-owned dealership with all kinds of lemons on the lot. Oh, I mean to tell you it was a trip! Anyway, I went in there and was not talking price (at all), only quality of the vehicles. I settled on a 1984 Toyota Corolla. took it for a test spin, seemed to run fine, the engine was quite clean actually (which will make more sense later on, so keep reading). They wanted almost $1700AUS for it, but I told them there was no way in hell they would see that kind of cash from me. I told them $1100 to which they responded with a counter offer of 1500, to which I recountered with 1300, to which they said 1400, and as I was leaving, they said, ok, 1350. And so it was. That breaks down to about 800 or so, maybe a little under in American bucks. Not a bad deal really. I think I was a little pressed being that I didn't want to walk back through the hood to get back to the train station. I was just happy to be mobile again and double happy to know I could get the heck out of Sydney for good. All proud, I motored my way down to the local petrol station (not a gas station in Australia), mind you I was also driving on the left side. The road rule here is drive left pass right. Yield to traffic coming from the right, especially in roundabouts, called circles in the states. I got good at it quick though since I had been in New Zealand for the month before. Actually it's pretty easy, but it was a bit tricky getting used to the stick shift being on the left side, and the turn signal on the right side of the wheel. it was so damn funny at first how every time I would go to use my turn signal, I would turn on my windshield wipers!! Oh, it was a riot!! Just glad I could find a little humor at that time, 'cause I certainly needed it, what with getting over my illness which, by the way, only recently subsided. Felt fine for a while, but my GI tract was just warped!

I made it back to Sydney in one piece and stayed the night with my stinky roommates. Yes, the two guys in the room, one above me, and his buddy sleeping for free on the floor below me both reeked of some foul body odor that was just repulsive to the nines!! Lucky me, I was still on New Zealand time, so I had no trouble waking up every day at 5am. I packed my things the night before (Saturday night), and Sunday I was out the door and headed north. Wasn't quite sure where, but the final destination was Brisbane. figured I'd just cruise along and take my time, stopping along the way at cool little towns. I took highway 1 up the coast and turned off at Gosford, then got on the local road of Pacific Highway. Cruised through some nice towns, eventually settling on Newcastle. This is a hip little surf town with a thriving economy and active shipping ports. Used to be convict colony, but is as far from that as you could imagine now. Positively BEAUTIFUL beaches here with crystalline clear bluish-green water, almost like San Diego in some ways, but clearer. I'm staying at a new backpacker lodge that, upon my arrival, was only 3 days old. It is exceptionally clean and reasonably priced, run by 3 surfers, all of which are well traveled and can appreciate the need for a homey kind of place. It’s only a two minute walk from the surf beaches so it’s a steal for a minimal $15 AUD/night (about $12 USD). I found a great gym for $15/week and have been working out daily, blowing off the cobwebs from my sickness-induced inactivity! Signs of LIFE!! I'm feeling great with my normal voracious appetite back in place. I'm now looking for some brutal hikes to do, and have been surfing twice in Australia so far. The water temperature is a balmy high 60s or so, or about 19 degrees centigrade. Just a springsuit is all I'm wearing, and comfortably so. No real swell to speak of yet, but there is a low pressure system sitting off in the Tasman Sea, so we will see more soon.

Now for the drama, enough of the mundane traveler's tedium!! Anyway, last night we were all sitting there in the living area of the lounge when Craig, the guy that worked there says to me, "hey bill, isn't that your car out there?" I say, Yeah. He says, "well there's someone doing something to the door!" I get up and race out there only to find two crackheads wasted on something, actually I think it was heroin as I would later find out. So I find this lady in her late 20s or so and she was pregnant of all damn things!! Her little sidekick henchman was the lookout guy. I found my car with the passenger side moulding ripped up, like she was just about to use the coat hanger to get the lock up. Mind you I have nothing in the car anyway, and purposely so for these types of reasons. So we all go out and confront these wastoids and she's saying that it's her friend's car and that she doesn't know where he is, blah, blah, blah. So I said it's NOT your car and if you don't beat it I'm going to rip off your head, not to mention your fried friend over there.

We called the police who responded amazingly within 15 minutes. Crackhead lady took off, as did the henchman, but he didn't get too far. The police took a brief statement from me and afterwards, upon my incessant begging, they let me come along in the squad truck to search the streets for these clowns. We lost the lady, but found the guy a few blocks away. WE stop, get out, and proceed to throw the guy up agains the bonnet (hood) of the truck. They broke out the rubber disease gloves to handle him since he was so disgustingly filthy. They questioned him for a bit, but he was too fried to answer. They then started emptying out his pockets and I mean to tell you this guy was loaded......with trash!! Yes, like garbage and the like. Coke bottles, spent cigarettes, old crumpled paper, and yes, even a used syringe!! Oh, he was a wreck. They couldn't arrest him for whatever reason, but they did run his name through the Australian criminal registry, so if he's busted again, they'll know who he is. And off I went back to my posh accommodations by the beach. I returned and took off the main coil wire to the distributor cab. Sure, go ahead and break in, but you are NOT getting my car!!! And here we are!!!

Well, my time's up all, but I do promise to respond to your individual emails tomorrow or the next day. Will be moving on up to Port Macquarie and then to Coffs Harbour, and finally up to the Gold Coast!!! GREAT WEATHER HERE I COME!