Hello Everyone, Happy New Year! I certainly feel this will be a great year for me and I hope it is for you too. But before I go on I owe you all an apology. I am sooooooooo sorry I have not posted any articles since October. You may have heard of the old Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times” well last year I bore the full brunt of that curse.

We Were Hacked – Almost to Death

Apart from a very sad personal experience, which I will not bore you with, in October all our web sites were hacked and they inserted some malicious code on them. You may have seen a Google message on this site that said “visiting this web site could harm your computer”

Luckily we were able to clean up this web site and our other smaller web sites very quickly but our main website eSTV was badly affected and it took us months to get off the Google banned list.

It was a rotten year and at the end of it, I just wanted to disappear

I Decided to Go “Bush”

When it was all over, I was so exhausted I decided to go away for a break. It was the week before Christmas and everywhere I rang was already fully booked. But in any case what I really wanted was somewhere quiet, not full of tourists, so I decided to go “bush” that is, go to the Australian Outback where few people go for a holiday. I looked on Google maps and found a small town in the middle of Australia which became my destination. Then I Googled to see if there was a motel in the area and I found there were three. I rang them and they were all empty.

I found my desert island.

So I set off for West Wyalong – a place whose claim to fame (as I later discovered) is the length of its main road and the fact that it has a bend in the middle of it. Other than that, there is nothing there except three pubs, two Chinese restaurants, a country department store, a supermarket, an RSL club, and a few small shops. And some wonderful people.

But I was in no hurry to get there, Australia closes down for Christmas until after the New Year. It was a perfect time have an adventure.

I decided I wanted to see as much of the country as I could so whenever I saw a name on a sign that took my fancy, I went there. I didn’t even take a map (which was actually an accident, I left it on the kitchen table) I just knew the direction I was heading in.

I saw some wonderful little country towns here is a short list of some of the towns I visited while I was away: Goulburn, Yass, Gundagai, Cootamundra, Junee, Temora, West Wyalong, Bundaburrah, Bumbaldry, Cowra, Blayney, and Lithgow.

Nothing to Brag About – But that doesn’t stop them

Wherever I went, the people were amazingly friendly. I came to realise that is a feature of country towns. I stopped at a few pubs along the way and as soon as I walked in; the locals knew I was a stranger in town and would strike up a conversation. It happened so often I got to checking my watch to see how long it would take for the first person to start a conversation with me.

I think Temora was the quickest; I was still looking at my watch when a group at the bar started talking to me and Goulburn was the longest (it was also the biggest country town I visited) where it took almost 5 minutes.

The first question they always asked me was, had I just moved into town? No one guessed I was on holiday. I think going to these towns for a holiday is unheard of. But let me assure you that is our loss, not theirs.

After getting over the shock that I was on holiday, everyone asked where I was going and when I told them West Wyalong (which in all honesty was just a point on a map I chose, to give me a general direction to head in) they said I was crazy. Every one said “Stay here, there is more to do here than in West Wyalong” and as more to do usually translated into drinking at the pub or going to the one club in town to play the pokies, or eating at one of the two or three café’s in town, I really wondered what the people of West Wyalong did for entertainment.

My first stop was Goulburn, a fairly big country town. As a city boy who mainly wore a suit or sports coat and slacks, I didn’t own much casual wear, so I decided to buy some country clobber (cloths). I found a department store and my first impression was, it’s like going back to the 50’s (1950’s but it could easily have been the 1850’s).

I decided to stay the night and found a cheap old motel. It was comfortable but short on power points, so you had to choose between having the TV on or the fridge. I watched the local TV for about 5 minutes and decided the fridge was more interesting. 

At 7:30 I decided to get something to eat, the pub was open but the kitchen was closed and so was every café in town. I bought crisps and a meat pie at the garage and had an early night.

Gundagai, Where the Blue Gums are Growing and the Murrumbidgee’s Flowing

Everybody in Australia has heard of Gundagai or at least heard that great song by Banjo Paterson, “Along The Road To Gundagai”. But I doubt many people have been there. So that was my next stop.

If you haven’t heard the song here it is, I bet you can’t stop singing it after you’ve heard it. By the way, about halfway through, you will hear something unusual.

Gundagai was the place to be in the 1850’s. It had a ballroom, hotels and restaurants and was the hub of the region. But In the middle of the night on 24 June 1852, the Murrumbidgee River burst its banks and a catastrophic flood swept through the town.

The water rose quickly, destroying seventy-one buildings and only three houses were left standing. Almost 100 people drowned, and many others were left clinging to trees. It was only through the heroic efforts of four Wiradjuri men who risked their own lives, in basic canoes, that many others were saved.

The disaster is still the deadliest flood in Australia’s recorded history.

But that is not what Gundagai is famous for. It is famous for the bronze statue of the Dog on the Tuckerbox that was unveiled by the Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons, on 28^th November 1932.

The origin of Gundagai’s famous The Dog and The Tucker Box legend is actually unknown. I’ve done some research but haven’t found the origin of it, other than a story about a poem called “Bullocky Bill” written by ‘Bowyang Yorke’ in the 1850’s. The poem is about the partnership of the bullockies (the men who drove bullock carts, the primary form of transport in the bush in those days) who opened up the land to settlers, and the dogs who accompanied them and guarded their possessions.

Don’t ask me why a legend of dubious origin about a dog is more memorable than Australia’s deadliest flood and the bravery of four Aboriginal men who saved many lives. I can only think of the advice given to actors, never play opposite a dog, they will steal the scene every time.

The Most Unusual Café I Have Ever Visited

I can’t remember the name of the town. It just appeared like a mirage in the early morning haze.

One minute I was on a country road surrounded by trees and paddocks when I came to a crossroad. The road ahead and to the right was unsealed and the one on the left was sealed, so I went left. Two minutes later, I crested a hill and saw a bustling country town ahead.

I decided to stop for breakfast and looked for a café. I found a beautiful old world café that was pretty busy so I decided it must be “the place”.

It had a courtyard out back which was full so I took the only table inside. The first thing that struck me was that everyone was talking to everyone else. I thought I had imposed myself on a private function but it was only 10am.

People would walk past the café, see someone seated at a table and pop in for a chin wag before setting off again. Two ladies came in to buy take away coffees and an iced drink and immediately the assistant asked them how was their mother and they entered into a conversation that gave me a good snap shot of country life.

The waitress came to my table, asked me the usual question: had I recently moved into town, where I came from, who was I visiting, where was I staying and finally, what did I want to eat?

Every time I answered a question, she repeated my answer loudly so everyone in the café could hear it and they all knew I was on holiday on my own and visiting country towns. They all looked at me approvingly, nodded hello and proceeded to talk about the merits of various country towns and why this was the best one.

Unfortunately, no one mentioned the name and it will forever be anonymous to me. Oh and I had a great breakfast of steak, eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, toast and something they called coffee.

The Purchase that Saved My Life

When I was in Temora I saw a shop that had a sale on 3G wifi sticks and I decided I had better buy one as I was having no luck accessing the Internet at the motels I stayed at. I didn’t know it then, but that purchase saved my life.

That day I finally made it to West Wyalong. I chose a motel on the highway leading into town mainly because it looked like an oasis on a desert island. It had palm trees that leaned over the driveway, a pool and bar-b-que facilities. When you cook like me a bar-b-que can cover a whole gamut of ills.

The room I had in West Wyalong was incredible. Large, comfortable, airy, light with a table where I could set up my computer and a huge bed, a sofa and armchair. I had the whole motel to myself, including the pool, bar-b-que area and outdoor cabana.

Bush Australians Are the Friendliest People on Earth

I stayed there for a week and half, going for long walks and shorter ones into “town”. They were shorter because I never got more than a 100 yards from the motel before a car would pull up and offer me a lift.

It’s true, every time I left the motel, within minutes a car would pull up and the driver would introduce himself, ask if I was the guy visiting town on holiday and then offer to drive me where ever I was going. One time I said I am not going anywhere and he said “okay, hop in I’ll drive you there”. I began to wonder how I was going to get a decent walk but I was blown away with the genuine generosity and friendliness of country people.

On my first excursion into town to buy meat and vegetables, I could never walk into a shop without a friendly assistant asking me the usual questions.

After they felt they knew me, they were happy to serve me and always had a handy tip or three. One lady in the general store on discovering that I was going to be in town alone on Christmas day, invited me to her house. She said all her family were coming over for Christmas and one more would be no problem. That was the first of three invitations I got. All of which I politely refused, as I really was looking forward to the solitude and my first attempt to Bar-B-Que.

That turned out to be a disaster. The motel owner told me not to pull the lid down while I was using the Bar-B-Que but not the reason why. I forgot his advice, put my meat and jacket potatoes on the BBQ and pulled the lid down and went to my room. About 10 minutes later I saw the owner and his wife running with buckets of water. Curious, I opened my door to see what was going on, only to see the fence next to the BBQ was on fire. Apparently, the flames shoot out from under the lid and the fat that splattered on the fence caught fire.

My Brush with Death

How easy it is to be seduced by this great country. It is big, masculine and the epitome of freedom.

The hills roll on forever and in most parts there are no trees, just countryside as far as the eye can see. One day, I noticed my cheeks were aching and I realised I was walking around with a smile a mile wide. I have never been so happy.

However, the time came when I woke up and decided it was time to move on. I was sorry to leave West Wyalong but the longer I stayed the harder it would get. By now I had acquired a map and I estimated the town I wanted to visit was about 90kms away. A short drive by country standards.

It was a hot day, over 40 degrees centigrade but I had air conditioning in the car so no problem. I had run out of bottled water, so I determined to buy some at the next garage, but on such a short trip it was not a necessity. I would be at the next town in time for breakfast.

Not long after I left the motel I noticed my car was overheating so when I saw a garage I pulled in to see the mechanic. But when he saw I was driving a Volvo he quickly told me he had no tools for my car and didn‘t expect anyone else would either. “It’s a city car” he said in that tone country people reserve for city folk. He sold me a 5 litre container of coolant and said I should get back to the city as soon as possible.

I left and in my distress I forgot to buy water. Then I missed the turnoff that would take me to the highway and ended up on a country back road. A quick check of the map showed me that if I followed it, I would get to another town, not the one I was originally heading for, but from there I could get back to the highway.

Along the way, my engine overheated regularly, so I had to stop frequently to top up the coolant and soon I could see that I would not have enough to get to the town. Then my radiator hose blew, and I was stranded.

It was then I realised I had broken every rule in the book.

I didn’t have any water, it was over 40 degrees, I had not told anyone where I was going and I was not even going where I intended. I was on a back road with no traffic and I was at least 30 kms from the nearest town.

I tried making a phone call but my phone could not get a line in the bush. I had no means of communication to tell anyone I was in trouble. I wasn’t too worried though, as a regular walker, I had no doubt I could walk the 30 kms, I have often done 20 in the city.

But in that heat it would have been suicidal, so I decided my best option was to walk at night. What I didn’t think of was how dark it gets at night. When night came, I left the car but after a hundred yards or so; I lost the track I was walking along.

Then I remembered some advice I heard on the radio, it is better to stay with the car if you break down in the bush. So I went back to it but I had trouble finding it in the dark. That was when I realised the situation was serious.

I thought about my last Skype conversation with my daughter and suddenly I remembered the Wi-Fi stick. I didn’t think it would work, but I plugged it into my laptop and blow me down, it did. I Googled for a tow truck company in the area, found their web site and sent them an email. It was then that my luck turned and just as my email arrived in his inbox, the guy was checking his email and responded. After a little haggling over the price, at which I was at a distinct disadvantage, he agreed to come and get me.

It was an exciting and expensive end to what I planned as a quiet holiday, but I came back to work happy to be alive and raring to make the most of this year. I’m Back. So let’s get on with the show. Welcome to the new Shadow in the Flame and to the new Ric. I know I have lost a lot of readers after the great hack and the long period of silence. But I have one piece of good news already.

Shadow in the Flame Wins Award

One of the first emails I opened on my return to the office informed me that Shadow in the Flame had been selected as one of the top 50 Philosophy Blogs. I will load the banner they gave me as soon as possible but it was like God saying, well you came close, but this is a new year and I expect you to make the most of it. You can see a list of the Top 50 Philosophy sites here : http://www.zencollegelife.com/50-best-philosophy-blogs/

For three and a bit glorious weeks I was “The Man” roaming the highways and byways of this magnificent country. It changed my life or more appropriately it changed my attitude. It renewed my faith in mankind with “kind” being the operative word.

But I also learned that living in the bush is a constant struggle, something that hasn’t changed since the first settlers left the cloister of Sydney, the first town, now a beautiful city which I am lucky to call home.

We have a lot of rebuilding to do this year but it is a challenge that palls into insignificance when compared to that which the stoic people of the outback face every day. I learned from experience that a stoic achieves happiness by submission to destiny, something I had read but never really understood. I dedicate Shadow in the Flame to the wonderful people wherever they are, who live life to the best of their ability, who ask for little and share whatever they have, most of all, their good will.

I think we will have a lot to discuss this year and I look forward to receiving your input via comments and articles. I look forward to writing again. And though I didn’t think I would say this two months ago, I look forward to 2011. Thank you for your patience. Let’s make 2011 our best year ever.