Model Sightings

While jogging along 9th and 26th today, I felt as if I had happened upon a model shoot. At least 20 tall, svelte, well-dressed girls were casually sauntering the streets around me. Not only did their average 5'9 stature set them apart, but also their assertive gracefulness of step. With prefect sun lit hair and flawless skin, they looked too put together, even for New York.

What's going on, I wondered? It wasn't a sorority gathering. Everyone walked separately and floated ethereally.

Then it dawned on me, these girls were students at the Fashion Institute of Technology on 26th and 7/8th Ave. The fashionable clothing, the confident strides, it suddenly all made sense.

**Conclusion: best model sighting location in NYC, and probably the world = corners of FIT**

And the adventure continues...Blind man sitghting

Though my adventures in Australia concluded a few weeks ago, I've realized that there are still tons of New York excitements waiting documentation. So thus continues the tales of the wanderlust in the big city.

Today while on 7th Ave., I happened to walk alongside a blind man. Yes, a blind man, a blind man walking in Manhattan. Dressed in a beige trench coat, the 50 year old man held out a black cane, tapping the sidewalk before him. Though not at a New Yorker's speed, he still traveled at a relatively comfortable pace. At intersections, he would stop because he would bump into people paused at the curb. At these incidences, he would turn to the person next to him and if it were clear from him to proceed onward.

I'm amazed at how this man traversed New York City blind! Though I do not know the degree of his condition, I'm pretty certain he was legally blind. Perhaps it is the crowded-ness of NYC that makes it both so dangerous yet also paradoxically "safe."

Trip-End Reflection

This trip has been a fantastic experience of traveling and learning about the people, culture and environment of Australia.

Initially, I had misgivings about going to Australia. I thought it would be too similar to the US, that it would be cold because of winter, and that I would be lonely as none of my friends were traveling all the way out there.

However, Australia has proven to be one of the best places to travel. As an English speaking country, is was easier to research than most. The visitors centers were excellently staffed and I could communicate with the locals. Having a car also gave me freedom -- I could lengthen or shorten my stays at each location -- from bus and train timetables.

I was able to experience so much more of Australian as a travel guide writer than I would have had as an average tourist. This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

As I close the 2008 summer chapter, I've have moved into my new apartment and started work. It'll definitely be a different lifestyle, albeit the traveling for work component will probably continue. I plan to post my random musings sporadically on this blog.

Thanks for reading!

L

P.S. Below, I'm including a few entries on general Australia that I didn't get a chance to post. Read on if you're interested.

Politics and Government

The Australian government is sometimes termed the "Washminister System," a combination of Washington and Westminster political structures. Compared with the American political system, the Australian system is similar enough to be understood, but different enough to be interesting.

In Australia, it is mandatory for all citizens over 18 to vote--hence their 98% voting electorate (the US has somewhere between 40 and 50%, and that's only registered voters!). They are fined an initial $20 which goes up if they fail to comply.

Accustomed to the separation of powers in the US political system, I was unfamiliar with the parliamentary system of government. In the Australian parliamentary system, there are two representative branches, the House of Representatives and the Senate. The representatives are based by population and New South Wales, the most populous state has 49 of the 150 representatives. Bondi, an area in Sydney only a few square km large has one representative, as does a part of Western Australia with area with three times the size of Texas. On the Senate side, there are 76 senators, 12 from each of the 6 states, and 2 from the two territories (Northern Territories and ACT -- Canberra).

The Prime Minister (PM) is selected by the majority party in the House. And because the PM is chosen from among the House of Representatives, the House is more "powerful" than the Senate, which is contrary to that in the US. There is no term limit for the PM and he can remain in office as long as his party and the people wish him or her to be. Furthermore, there are no birth restrictions in Australian, anyone can be PM. (Theoretically, I could even be PM!)

The current PM is Kevin Rudd of the Labour Party (like the US Democrats). He follows John Howard, a Liberal (like the US Republicans)PM who served for over a decade. Rudd has ushered in many new policies and is very popular with the younger generation.

Jenolan Caves

Riddle of the day: What grows but is not alive?

Answer: Stalgamites, stalgatites and helicites. The underground cave world is home to growing formations that are not alive, yet continue to grow over millions of years.

Jenolan Caves is a large cave system about 3 hr drive west of Sydney and part of the Blue Mountain tourism attractions. It is an attraction with 13 show caves (caves decorated with white lights open for touring) and a wide array of adventure tours and activities.

Jenolan Caves is also an excellent example of great tourism management. Jenolan Caves not only has to its credit the title of oldest discovered cave, it is also a fantastically run tourism site. They have transformed the typical cave tour into an underground world experience.

For example, they use their Cathedral Chapel in their Lucas Cave to hold weekend classical concerts. Musicians have claimed that the acoustics in the cave rival, if not surpass, those of the Sydney Opera House. Concerts in Caves??? Seriously. Who would have thought about holding musical concerts in caves! And the result is phenomenal. Jenolan Caves offers a range of showcase caves with lights, along with spelunking adventures and ghost tours. Absolutely fantastic. If you are in the Sydney/Blue Mountain area, they are definitely a must visit.

Sydney Fortune Tellers

Strolling down George St. with map in hand and camera slung across one shoulder, I was enjoying the workday bustle of Sydney as the quintessential tourist. From behind my sunglasses, I noticed an Arab man in the crowd headed my direction. With a dark sapphire turban and a little bowed-legged limp, he stood out among the black suited business workers in the CBD.

As we neared each other, he suddenly looked to me and said, "I see it in your eyes behind your glasses. You will be (??)lucky in the next few days." Wait, did he say "lucky" or "unlucky"? The sounds of traffic had covered up the most important part of his prophecy! But before I could ask to clarify, the man had disappeared into the crowds.

For a moment, I stood there puzzling over his words. Though I typically don't dwell on fortunes, it is slightly disconcerting when a sixty year old Middle Eastern man singles you from of the thousands on the street to give his prophecy, and its most disconcerting to have the critical piece inaudible!

As I had no way of determining the entirety of his words, I tried convincing myself that he had said "You will be lucky," that my glass is half full. Nevertheless, part of me still wanted to believe otherwise. However, I resolved to put this little incident behind me, that is until a few hours later.

After exploring the Circular Quay, I headed for the harbourside Royal Botanical Gardens. The lush green lawns beckoned to me, literally, with their signs inviting me to "Walk, Sit and Picnic upon them." I followed their biddings and selected a sunny spot upon a slope to enjoy the harbor vantage.

The Botanic Gardens are the lawns at the bottom of the beautiful pic of the CBD.

Suddenly, another Muslim man about thirty years of age walks up to me in the park and says, "I see it in your eyes, you will have good fortune in the next few days."

Hun?? Taken aback by the reference to eyes and fortune again, I declared "You're the second person who's told me that today."

"I can read it in your eyes and I can tell you more," he said. Was there really something about me that day that called the attention of fortune tellers? My traveler radar sounded and part of me reacted: Tourist Gimmick! But Australia isn't known to hassle tourists. I've been traveling around the country for two months and nothing like this has yet happened. Could the Arabic men really see something beyond what I saw?

My self defensive instinct kicked in, "I'm sorry, but I don't have any money."

"That's okay. You will have one good fortune and two people will be jealous of you. I can tell you more and you can decide what you want to give me afterwards," he continued good naturedly.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't have any money to give," I replied again. "Thanks though."
"Have a good day then." And he left.

Regardless, curiosity piqued, I decided to do as they do in the movies: follow this man and see what he would do. I allowed him to walk about 100m away before I began to trail him. Though outfitted in black, his blue baseball cap made him easy to spot from a distance. He meandered around the park a bit, and turned around a few times. I kept feeling as if he knew I was trailing him--following someone undetected it hard. Nothing occurred and after about 5 minutes, I let him go as I continued on my exploration of the park.

As I recount the conversation with the second man now, it does seem like the ultimate scam: tell people their "fortune" (always good of course) and then get money for it. But it was the coincidence of meeting two fortune events in one day, in a country not known for schemes such as this, that made the experience seem semi-believable. All in all, I would like to believe that I will have good fortune because "It's in my eyes."