my home in the mountains

[Whiterook]

Aussie hippies....now somehow that never even occured to me!


I hear 'ya though, on the expansion of society. When I used to go visit family in New Brunswick, Canada, the "big city" of Moncton was this nice place that you could zip around with the car quickly, and had a "small town" feel...and year after year, it got more crowded and built up, to the point it became unrecognizable.

I hate change!

[Geek44]

Yeah mate...Hippiedom is alive and well here. Actually, it never died. There are towns that have grown up around old communes from the 1970s. There are plenty in the next 'town'. It's kind of a place to live an 'alternative' lifestyle without being too alternative or committed. Up in my village, it's mostly middle-class 'norms' for want of a better word, although grouping myself with these people doesn't feel right. I rant at the television and abhor mainstream mediocrity. I see a lot of ignorant double standards in todays hippies. Nothing against them (they're peaceful and gentle at least) but they won't wear leather but they will drive cars. It's more of a fashion thing these days. Anyway...here are some of our neighbours.

This is my son (a while ago now) with a King Parrot. These are wild birds but we have two regular pairs that visit our garden. They will sit on my arm for sunflower seeds.
AAAKing.jpg

This guy needs no introduction. If the non-Aussies new the noises these animals are capable of...they're anything but cute.
AAAKoala.jpg

This is a kookaburra. It's the largest species of Kingfisher and only lives in Australia. Of course everybody has heard its call. They used it in the old Tarzan movies to signify 'jungle'. They will eat anything that will fit in their beak. They have a reputation as snake killers. They dive off a tree limb to catch prey, then fly back up to the perch. They then bash the brains out of their prey against the branch which makes a snapping or cracking sound. We feed our family of four minced meat about once a week. I can pet them but they don't really like it so I don't. I used to hand them meat straight from my hand but I learned that they never let go. Bad news when they've got the meat and your fingers.
AAAKooka.jpg

[Whiterook]

Great pics! Thanks for shareing those!

Yeah, there are a lot of Hippies out here in Western Massachusetts, but they all seem to drive Volvos, and are more concerned with correct wines for dinner than saving the planet. Kinda weird. They bear little resemblance to the hippies of the 60's, except for the long hair, which is rather white now, and frumpy clothes. They're rather peaceful too, but I wouldn't say gentle...they actually display a large degree of elitism.

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Great pics! Thanks for shareing those!

Yeah, there are a lot of Hippies out here in Western Massachusetts, but they all seem to drive Volvos, and are more concerned with correct wines for dinner than saving the planet. Kinda weird. They bear little resemblance to the hippies of the 60's, except for the long hair, which is rather white now, and frumpy clothes. They're rather peaceful too, but I wouldn't say gentle...they actually display a large degree of elitism.

Oh, I'm talking about the twenty-something hippies. The ones who wear patchouli oil rather than taking showers and wear home knitted beannies and jumpers (sweaters). The ones who smoke tons of weed ('coz that's what they did at Woodstock man') and pick magic mushrooms and then hit the dole office because 'all work is slavery man'. The ones who pick and choose what parts of the 'philosophy' they adhere to and what they don't. It's a look for some and a cop-out for others. Of course I'm generalizing to paint a picture here but I'm sure you follow me. Kombi vans are status symbols in some circles. There are plenty of people living 'outside' society out there. I remember crossing the Nullarbor Plain some years ago...drive in a straight line for six days in 100F heat from Melbourne to Perth. We stopped at a place called 'Cactus Beach' in South Australia. It isn't signed and we only found it because it's a 'word of mouth' kind of place. After driving across pink salt flats we found the beach. It's a semi-permanent community on private land. People living in buses and vans for months at a time. It's a world class surfing spot. We stayed there for a night and enjoyed the company...real hippies feelin' the love. Maybe sixty people more or less.

[Whiterook]

OK, so you drove for 6 days to stay at the beach overnight? Heee heeeeee, I knew there was something I liked about 'ya!

Wow, those are some hippies you got there! I thought I was back in 1969 again! Nothing that radical that I know of anywhere near close to my neck of the woods, but some of them college kids like the knitted caps and shlump-wear. And I'm sure the dorms are quite populated by the cannabis plant. Ain't life grand?

[cyberia]

[Whiterook]

Why? No, I'm just sayin'

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Why? No, I'm just sayin'

Is give it a chance...?

[Geek44]

No Em, it's six days to Perth in the west...Aussie Dave's/MAGNA's place, from here. Cactus is about half way. That's six days taking it easy and driving safely...it can be done in 48 hours if you don't sleep and drive continuously. You can expect to encounter wild herds of feral camels and ostriches too. And the biggest freakin' kangaroos you've ever seen. Tall as a man and ten times as strong. Hit one in your car and you're saying hello to Saint Peter.

[Whiterook]

That is so cool! This is such an amazing globe we inhabit, isn't it? I'm afraid I fall to oft into that dreadful fishbowl mentality of grinding day in and day out in the same little pocket of the universe, unaware of how amazing this round rock actually is. What I'm saying is, the farthest afield I've been is Canada and Mexico...quite the world traveller, eh? I HAVE to travel the world some day soon, mate...it's just too damned amazing not to. And one of the must visits is your fair land of Oz!