Getting to the point

It's time for another retro post from the Kodak era.  This time, it's Atlanta, Georgia, and the Florida Keys. I made my first and only visit to Atlanta in January 1996. On the same trip, I also visited Florida for the first time. This included time in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, before driving down the Florida Keys to Key West.

I was flown to Georgia by Scientific Atlanta, a leader in cable television technology that’s long since disappeared. The company flew me in business class for an intensive week of training and face-to-face meetings with its marketing team. At the time, Scientific Atlanta was bidding for a nationwide Optus Vision cable telephony contract. My company was handling its technology public relations activities and I was the account’s lead consultant. 

Scientific Atlanta was based in Lawrenceville, a northern suburb of Atlanta. As a result, it booked me into a local hotel, located more than 50km from Downtown Atlanta. However, without transport, I didn’t get to spend time in the city proper, aside from an expensive evening at an inner-city nightclub. To get to the club, I hired a town car and driver for the evening which cost more than USD75. It was a lot of money for a 30-year-old back then and there weren’t any rental car outlets in the immediate area.

My trip got off to a rocky start. A week before I flew out, my company laptop was stolen. Opportunistic thieves had noticed a window ajar in my first-floor apartment. They'd climbed onto a nearby roof and broken in. This resulted in an 11th-hour scramble between Christmas and New Year's Eve to secure a replacement device before my flight departed on 3 January. 

Years later, out of the blue, I received a call from Five Dock Police Station. They’d caught someone trying to pawn the stolen Digital HiNote at a secondhand shop. I attended an interview with a police officer who agreed that, thanks to the passage of time, the laptop was worthless. Its technology had long since been superseded. It's good to know the police maintain a stolen goods register long after the initial crime was committed.

Once my week of training and meetings was done, I flew to Orlando. Gary, an American friend from Fort Lauderdale, collected me from the airport. We spent three days exploring Disney World, the Epcot Centre and Florida’s Space Coast. At the time, the Space Shuttle Endeavour was on the launch pad undergoing final preparations for launch. A few days later, while in Fort Lauderdale, we saw it power into orbit on television.

Gary offered to extend our time in Orlando to watch the launch in person. However, I decided to forgo the opportunity as I didn’t want to pass up a planned visit to the Florida Keys. I quietly regretted the decision for years until I finally witnessed a live shuttle launch a decade later.

Seeing the best of American space technology up close and personal was a dream come true. Visiting the Kennedy Space Centre had always been a childhood obsession. I recall watching a live broadcast of the first Space Shuttle launch in 1981. Unfortunately, the launch was scrubbed as the countdown approached the five-minute mark. Television New Zealand didn't broadcast its successful launch a few days later.

In the years since I’ve been lucky enough to return to Kennedy on two other occasions. For this inaugural visit, Gary and I booked a bus tour that drove past the launch pad and stopped briefly outside the towering Vehicle Assembly Building. Beyond Kennedy, I loved riding Space Mountain at Disney World. Sadly, the Epcot Centre proved a real letdown. I doubt I'll ever return.

Gary and I drove from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale to spend time with his friends. I don’t recall much beyond a string of nights out on the town. Although we enjoyed an afternoon visiting the fabled Miami Beach, We stopped for a late lunch at Compass Café. At the time, it was located on the ground floor of the Waldorf Towers Hotel, a beautifully restored Art Deco building on the Miami Beach beachfront.

A few days later Gary drove four of us down the Florida Keys for three fun-filled, alcohol-fueled, nights in Key West. Driving over the Seven Mile Bridge was a real highlight. I'd seen images of this extraordinary structure in an old National Geographic magazine. As the name suggests, it spans an extended stretch of open water linking Boot and Big Pine Keys. There's something undeniably surreal about driving for miles over the open sea.

Like all good tourists, I had my photo taken with Key West’s iconic monument marking the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A. It's the image that opens this post. The colourful concrete buoy, erected in 1983, immortalises the city’s geographic claim to fame. As the sign says, it’s a mere 90 miles to Cuba from here. In hindsight, it was probably the only real touristy thing we did in Key West.

My strongest memory of my time in Key West was an outrageous drag performance I saw one evening at 801 Bourbon Bar. I later discovered that the show, starring RV Beaumont, was considered one of the USA’s most iconic drag shows. Beaumont’s portrayal of Bette Midler, and Mary Poppins, including an outrageously suggestive performance of "A Spoonful of Sugar”, was truly legendary!

My summer vacation in Florida finally ended after landing in Sydney on the early morning of 21 January. I hope to return to Miami and the Florida Keys someday.  While I’m there, thanks to a childhood spent watching Gentle Ben, I'd love to take an airboat ride through the Everglades.

The Grand Canyon

Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the Grand Canyon twice. Both visits were day tours from Las Vegas. I’ve also passed over it at 30,000 feet while flying trans-continental across the USA. My first overflight took place while travelling to Syracuse, New York, as an exchange student in 1983. No matter what your vantage point, the Grand Canyon never fails to impress. 

My first ground visit occurred in July 2000. At the time, I was on my way to Text 100's San Francisco office for a two-week General Manager’s secondment. I flew into LA on Friday 28 July, passed through immigration and transferred mid-morning onto a flight to Las Vegas. 

I spent three days exploring Sin City, including a spectacular helicopter flight that took me into the Grand Canyon at Grand Canyon West. The day trip involved two separate activities. The first was a breathtaking flight from Henderson Airport over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon, concluding with a landing 3,200 feet below the rim. 

We landed on a sloping plateau, about 30 metres above the canyon floor, with an uninterrupted view of the Colorado River below. Our group of four, excluding the pilot, spent about 20 minutes on the ground toasting our visit with a glass of bubbles. 

I’ll never forget the moment we flew over the canyon rim. The sensation of the ground suddenly falling away into a vast abyss will stay with me for the rest of my life. An American couple flying with me made the moment all the more memorable. As we passed the rim, the wife let out a classic melodramatic “wow” followed by more gasps and groans in a distinctly American drawl. Her breathless enthusiasm was rather infectious. 

The tour included a video of our flight. When you play it back, this woman's delirious commentary can be heard in the background. Decades later it still makes me chuckle. I've arranged for the VHS tape to be converted to MPEG4.  I'll try to upload a reel soon.  

Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of this video was its creation. The pilot controlled two cameras as we flew, skilfully cutting from one to the other as the scenery unfolded below. Then, when our tour was done, he opened a hatch at the helicopter’s rear revealing a bank of video recorders. The company had set these up to simultaneously record our flight. The pilot ejected a tape from each machine and gave a copy to each of us. It's hard not to be impressed by such an efficient set-up.

From the canyon floor, we flew to Guano Point on the West Rim. Here members of the local Hualapai Indian tribe took us on a walk to view the canyon from ground level. Along the way, our local guide shared stories of the tribe’s history in the area and explained the magnificent geography unfolding before us. Of course, a ubiquitous display of handcrafts was also on offer. 

In the years since the Hualapai have expanded their simple tourism venture to include an impressive glass floor Skywalk platform. This lets you walk out past the rim and experience the same “ground falling away” sensation I enjoyed on my helicopter flight.

My second visit to the Grand Canyon, in 2002, was also by air. However, this time I was en route to Utah’s iconic Monument Valley courtesy of the aptly named Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines. My day trip started with a flight to Grand Canyon National Park Airport in a relatively spacious De Havilland Twin Otter Vistaliner. From here we were taken by minivan to the Grand Canyon South Rim to soak in a classic view of the canyon itself.

Most of the tourism images you see of the Grand Canyon are taken from the south rim. The canyon is 731 meters deep at this point and spans more than 10km to the northern rim. I can confidently confirm that the vista is every bit as awe-inspiring as those postcards and posters promise. Although, like a typical antipodean traveller, I was equally enamoured by the squirrels running rampant around the lookout’s stunning vantage points.

We then returned to the airport and took a second flight to Goulding's-Monument Valley-Oljato Regional Airport. Landing here marked my first visit to Utah as much of Monument Valley’s famous landscape straddles the Arizona state border.  This remote little airport can be seen in the image above.

Monument Valley isn't a valley in the conventional sense, but rather, a flat and desolate landscape surrounded by crumbling rock formations that rise hundreds of metres into the air. They're the last remnants of a sandstone layer that once covered the region, eroded by hot dry winds that howl through the desert.

Once again, the local tribespeople were our guides. Our Navajo hosts took us on a four-wheel drive through the desert, stopping to take in many of the national park’s iconic views. The area’s dramatic rustic red buttes and mesa have long been used as a classic background for Hollywood Westerns, a tradition that began with Stagecoach, starring John Wayne, in 1939. 

It also provided the backdrop for one of Forrest Gump’s more memorable scenes. Do you recall the scene where Forrest Gump runs across the country? After gaining a large group of followers he decides it is time to stop. This pivotal moment in the movie was shot on Highway 163 in Monument Valley. The Forest Gump viewpoint has become so renowned that Google Maps now marks its location a few kilometres north of the state border.

However, my day tour focused on classic vistas south of the border including North Window Overlook and John Ford Point.  The latter location is ironically named after a Hollywood producer. Here you get a stunning view of the Three Sisters, a tripartite collection of soaring rock pillars.

The image of me in a cowboy hat above was taken at a stunning lookout in the Monument Valley Tribal Park Visitor Center. It shows West Mitten Butte and East Mitten Butte, just two of at least a dozen similar formations visible from this elevated location. Just out of view to the right is the equally impressive Merrick Butte. It's best viewed from a lookout called Artist’s Point, as shown in the third image above.

At John Ford Point, a Navajo local kindly rode his horse onto an outcrop overlooking the valley below. As you see above, this allowed us tourists to capture an iconic Lone Ranger moment. Then, for a healthy tip, he let us sit on his horse for another memorable photo opportunity. Naturally, I was inspired to capture my own cliche moment for immortality.  

However, the breathtaking views of the two Mittens ultimately captivated me. These photogenic buttes, each with an opposing rock finger, are the iconic formations most often associated with Monument Valley. Driving past these towering burnt ochre outcrops was awe-inspiring and worth every penny of my pricy day trip.

The tour finished with a return flight to Grand Canyon National Park Airport where I transferred onto a tiny Cessna Caravan. This aircraft normally seats nine passengers. However, for reasons unbeknown to me, the pilot flew a weight-restricted flight back to Las Vegas. As a result, there were only four of us on board. I was even weighed before take-off.

I vividly recall buying a souvenir shirt and some sort of knick-knack at the airport, then witnessing an airline staff member's crestfallen face as I returned to the gate with my goodies. Thanks to my shopping spree this staff member was unceremoniously offloaded from the flight.

Then, as we prepared to take off, the pilot kindly warned us that the afternoon flights are often rather bumpy. As he explained, the sun’s unrelenting heat generates increasingly turbulent updrafts as the day progresses. He wasn’t wrong. More than once our tiny aircraft was bounced around in clear air as we passed over the Colorado River’s ancient rifts and gullies.

NOTE: April 2024

The images illustrating this story were scanned from original printed photos. As you can see, I have plenty of spectacular Kodak moments waiting to enter the digital era.

Siblings for supper

Garry and I spent Saturday night in Rouse Hill. We took time out to visit Garry’s parents before heading out for dinner at Osso in the town centre. On a whim, we decided to walk into town. Google Maps said it was possible in less than half an hour. To our surprise, we discovered a well-maintained footpath linking his parent’s home to the suburb’s commercial hub. This paved track, lit by streetlamps, wanders through bushland, across an artificial lake, and then directly into town. It took us less than 15 minutes to reach the restaurant.

We’ve dined at Osso several times now. The food is always well presented, and incredibly good value. The meal involved Garry and his siblings, as David and Katie are currently in town with their kids. The adult siblings dining together is something we haven’t done for more than a decade, making our meal even more special. The evening was then capped off by decadent dessert cocktails, crafted by Jason, at his house.

We stayed overnight with Rhonda and Murray before returning to Nicole’s and Jason’s for a family reunion the following morning. Another precious family moment for two very proud grandparents.

27 million and counting

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) population clock ticked over 27 million around 3.45pm AEST on Wednesday, January 24. This incredible milestone reminded me of a similar headline in 2018. At the time, we were in Melbourne exhibiting at an annual trade show. Despite the late hour, I recall lying in bed watching the clock tick over 25 million. It's hard to fathom that, less than six years later, another two million people live in Australia.

The country's population has grown by an extraordinary 624,100 over the past 12 months. That's equivalent to adding the entire population of Tasmania (572,800) in just one year. This rapid growth easily exceeded the previous record of 442,500 set in 2009. 

Therefore, it's no surprise the nation is experiencing a massive housing shortage. The strain is present everywhere you look. The national rental vacancy rate was 1.09% in January, falling 0.04 percentage points over the month. In Sydney, the rate dropped to 1.20%, while the median price for rentals in the city hit $900 a week, up 20% on the previous year. Perth still maintains the lowest vacancy rate in the country at 0.76%. Meanwhile, rental affordability is at its lowest in at least 17 years.

The Federal Government is currently working with the States to build 1.2 million new homes over the next five years.  As part of this initiative, New South Wales is committed to building more than 380,000 homes, or 75,000 homes annually.  However, with high-interest rates and rapid inflation dogging the construction sector, it's no surprise this target isn't anywhere close to being met. 

Here at home, we're already feeling the impact of these market dynamics. Our apartment building is currently tendering for retrospective repairs to its fire protection infrastructure. Over the last two years, quotes for these works have increased by a third. We're now scrambling to find another $200,000 to get them underway. 

In the current economic climate, how can any first-home buyer afford to build, let alone buy, a home?  Affordable housing is a pressing national policy issue. It'll be interesting to see how bold politicians will be as they strive to solve the current crisis.

New memories one day at a time

I’ve spent a week catching up with family and friends in New Zealand. It’s been six months since my last visit.  I'm not sure how time passed so quickly, although running a highly seasonal business always makes Christmas and New Year fly by. This trip, I spent my time visiting my Mum in her rest home at Bethlehem Views and enjoying several weekend outings.

Friday saw me spend some quality time with Mum. She was delighted to see me and still knows I’m her son. I was warmly greeted with tears of joy and an enormous hug when I walked in the door. Mum has never done that before.  It was a very touching and rather special moment. We spent the afternoon visiting McLaren Falls and enjoying a light lunch at the local cafe. Sadly, recent dry weather meant the falls weren’t at their best.

 

Saturday was taken up with a day at the races in Tauranga. It’s been decades since I last spent time on a racecourse. The weather certainly played its part. Our group enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon under a temporary gazebo. I started well with a healthy win on the first race I bet on. However, by the end of the day, I'd lost more than I'd won.

Sunday was spent enjoying the beach and the last of the Summer sunshine with Mum before joining my brother Hamish and his family for dinner in Papamoa.  This dinner followed an adults-only session we all enjoyed on Friday night at Nectar in Tauranga.

Today saw me returning to Bethlehem Views for a final visit with Mum. It was a sad affair as Mum was struggling to stand and remain alert. Sadly, her dementia continues to take a toll. Her mobility is declining and her cognitive abilities are increasingly unpredictable.  It’s hard to know how smoothly future visits will unfold.

Given Mum's declining health, earlier in the week I decided to extend my visit to make the most of my time with her on this trip. I fly home tomorrow. I won't be back in Aotearoa now until August. Hamish is heading to Europe for two months so I’m coming over to share Mum's visiting hours with Matt for a week.

UPDATE: 6 May

Mum’s began experiencing regular falls within weeks of my return from New Zealand. At first it was once or twice a week, but more recently it’s been almost once a day and a few times twice a day. I’ve decided to book another visit over the June long weekend. My brothers and I worry that Mum will break a hip if these falls continue. This may be the last time I see her mobile and alert if things don’t improve. Here’s hoping our fears prove unfounded in the months ahead.

Swept away by history

Last weekend I visited a temporary Banksy exhibition at the Sydney Town Hall. The exhibition features more than 160 artworks from this globally renowned street artist. The art on display includes limited edition prints of his most recognized pieces, a body of work spanning almost three decades.

Banksy’s artwork often take the form of multi-layered stencils. Some of his most striking art installations also integrate objects already present including street signs and fire hydrants. His work is often satirical, combining dark humour with thought-provoking messages about art, philosophy, and politics.

A Banksy original regularly commands valuations in the millions, including iconic works like Girl with Balloon. A original framed copy of this artwork was sold for $1.4 million by Sotheby’s in 2018. In a classic Banksy move, immediately after the auction ended, a shedder hidden in the frame was triggered by remote control. It partially shredded the piece to protest the folly of capitalism. Ironically, this act instantly increased its resale value.

During last week’s exhibition, I discovered that another of Banksy's most recognized pieces, English Maid, was originally painted on a wall in our London neighbourhood. It’s an image of a maid lifting a section of the wall and sweeping dust under it. In hindsight, I have a vague recollection of seeing it outside the Roundhouse on Chalk Farm Road. Sadly the artwork, created in 2006, has long since disappeared. 

All in all, it was a superb show. Interestingly, the same organisation that arranged the Van Gogh exhibition we saw in London is responsible for this event. I love Banksy's whimsical style. I'll be sure to buy one of his works the day I win Lotto. My first piece will be, The Mild Mild West, a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail. Painted in 1999, it was Banksy’s first major street art installation.

Afterwards, my route home took me past another iconic artwork. I walked through Hyde Park as I was keen to explore a dramatic sculpture on the park's western boundary. It depicts four golden bullets and several spent shells standing vigil over passersby. It appeared a few years ago but I’ve yet to discover its origins. I’m happy to report that it's a stunning memorial to First Nation's people who've fought on behalf of Australia. Now that's progress!

No.72 locked in

Destination number 72 on the list of countries I've visited is now locked in. We've just booked flights to Samoa in September for what's fast becoming an annual ritual. For the last seven years, we've been booking an annual Spring vacation in a tropical location (setting aside pandemic border closures).

This annual pilgrimage has included time in Bali (Indonesia), Fiji (in 2018, 2019 and 2022) and the Cook Islands. We've chosen Samoa this year in part to secure Platinum Frequent Flyer status until the end of 2025. Qantas was running a double status points promotion last week. As a result, by choosing flights carefully savvy frequent flyers can secure enough points to maintain or improve their status with less travel.  

I already have several flights booked including a trip with Garry's parents to Far North Queensland in June. I've also booked flights to New Zealand in March, to Tasmania for a business event in May, and to Melbourne for an annual trade show in August.

A round trip to Samoa involves four flights as we have to fly via Brisbane. This extra domestic leg, with double status points locked in, is enough to secure Platinum status for another year for Garry and me. For now, we've only booked our flights. We've yet to finalise a hotel booking. Stay tuned for more details on our tropical plans in the months ahead.

UPDATE: 28 March

We’ve booked a villa at Return to Paradise. It’s a locally owned resort on the southwest coast of Samoa. The photo above was taken by my friend Nicole Webb. She stayed at the resort with her family last year.