Day -4: The happy moment

Bridge Rd

Every so often on any trip I experience moments of sublime happiness – when I am where I need to be, when I need to be there, with nothing that needs to be done immediately and plenty of time to simply enjoy the moment.


My first such moment on this trip was yesterday at 10:15 on a tram back from Richmond, stopped for the lights at the corner of Bridge and Punt Roads.  I had just arranged for my mail to be redirected from my former address, and for my Post Office Box mail to be held while I am overseas.  These were the last chores I had to do before departure.  I had been trying to think of anything I had forgotten or left out – and coming up empty.  Suddenly I felt a smile spreading across my face and all the stress and tension of the last few days dissipating.  As the tram rumbled across the intersection, I looked around me at all the scowls and tight faces of people still tied to the daily grind and had to resist the urge to laugh.  For the next year, people, I am among you but no longer of you.

This is freedom!

My workmates were very generous and gave me a gift card to Paddy Pallin.  I have taken that card in and used it to buy -

• a 7-LED mini torch (1xAAA) to replace a larger one (6 LED, 3xAAA) that had developed a couple of dud LEDs;
• a tiny 2-LED crank-charged torch for emergency use to replace a cheapo one (3xLR44) that kept getting turned on, wasting the batteries (I might take the cheapo one too, and keep it someplace where it won't get turned on accidentally);
• a small Victorinox pocket knife to supplement my travelling toolkit;
• a high-tech neck cord for my glasses;
• an ultra-light titanium cutlery set to replace my fragile plastic utensils.

 So my "kit" has received a very useful injection of quality additions and replacements.  Thanks to Sarge and the other guys at RAV.

This afternoon I go to have some drinks with people I've "met" on the Lonely Planet's "Thorn Tree", where I post as "TrevorGudsell".  This travel business is so hectic!