Marla recently wrote on her blog that she was heading to live in South Africa and was looking for some of her favourite bloggers to keep her blog ticking over whilst she is packing and travelling.
In her own words “I admit, I have a Dream Team in mind, a list of my favorite bloggers who make me laugh, cry, think, or inspire me to do or be better”.
Strewth…
This got me thinking, I mean if you put aside that I was actually on the Dream Team in the first place, where the hell did I fit in?
Do I make her laugh?
Well possibly. After all she’s one of those educated people that can spell properly and write with the correct grammar, so maybe she reads my stuff when she needs a bit of a laugh. I’ve got form here; my English teacher always said she got a good laugh at all the commas and apostrophes that were in the wrong place…
Make her think?
Yes, no (hell is that grammatically correct?). Crikey, she’s probably thinking this “Landy” bloke from Down-under has got a few screws loose, you know, as they say in Australia, he’s got a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock…
Inspire?
Okay, I’ve got this rather audacious plan to climb the world’s highest mountains, heaven forbid, even Mount Everest, and if I’m not touring touring the Australian Outback in one of my Landrovers with my family, Janet and TomO, you might find me climbing a mountain, but I’ve still a long way to go.
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She thinks I’m sexy? (If I was a sheila I’d being going nuts over me!)
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Okay I made that up, there was no reference to it, but at the end of the day she’s only human, and she probably thought it is best left unsaid…
But now we’ve broken the ice a little bit and we’re getting to know each other better, can I just put this out there, ‘cause it did get me thinking the other day when I read Marla’s post, why on earth is she going to South Africa?
Okay, don’t go thinking I’ve got anything against South Africans just because those bloody Springboks go beating us at Rugby Union every so often, no, I wouldn’t be that shallow yes I would be.
I mean that Mandela bloke seems to have done a lot of good things for his country, and they’ve got all those game parks where you can get eaten by a pride of lions spend a pleasant day watching the animals. And sip on a cool drink as the sun sets, just as the hyenas come out with that heinous laugh that says you’re dinner tonight…
Okay, maybe she’s following her man I thought, nothing wrong with that of course, but strewth, couldn’t he get transferred to Paris, London, New York, or the Australian Outback.
You see all these places are perfect for those poetry type people. I’m thinking that Prosetry has got somethin’ to do with poetry…
Didn’t they have that Shakespeare bloke in England? Okay maybe not London, but I’m sure he visited there every so often. New York is full of people writing about something and calling it poetry or “art”. And Paris, how the hell would you know what they were writing about ‘cause it’s all in French, but at least Marla’s bloke could ruminate with her while canoodling down the Seine, or in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Note to self, check that ruminate isn’t a “rude” word and been used out of context.
Don’t worry, I was leaving the best to last, the Australian Outback, the good old “Aussie” outback, where they call a spade a spade and you can find a quiet place by a billabong where you can ruminate till your heart’s content under the shade of a Coolibah tree.
We have some great writers who have done just that and you don’t even need to look past Banjo Paterson, strewth, he seemed to go from pub to pub, writing, drinking, having the time of his life, and his writing is all pretty good.
Yeah, you might have noticed I’ve got a few pictures of the Aussie Outback sprayed between my ramblings, and yes, don’t worry I’ve frequented all those watering holes, that’d be the pubs, although the amber liquid doesn’t seem to have brought the same flair to my writings as it did Banjo’s.
But if I keep drinking beer travelling the outback I might get some inspiration from the vast rolling plains, where the red parched earth kisses the never ending blue sky far off in the horizon.
But South Africa, hey?
My only experience of South Africa is from that movie The Gods Must be Crazy. You know the one: some bloke chucks a Coke bottle out of a plane and the Kalahari Bushmen and get all excited thinking it is a gift from the Gods…
Fair dinkum, if someone was throwing a bottle out of a plane at ya, you’d hope it would be a full bottle of the finest amber liquid…but I’m digressing!
Makes me laugh hard every time I watch that movie, even if Janet, my wonderful partner, says what does that say about me after 25 years of watching it every Friday night.
Well, all I can say is “Marla Must be Crazy” and we wouldn’t want her any other way…
Cheers, Baz, The Landy
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About Baz:
“Baz – The Landy” is Barry O’Malley from Sydney, Australia. He lives in a leafy suburb with his partner, Janet, and their beautiful son, TomO…
His aim is to climb as many of the world’s highest mountain peaks that he can manage, including an attempt on the summit of Mt Everest…
This is the story about the journey as it unfolds, along with a collection of other ‘life’ experiences he has accumulated over the years…
There is so much to learn and experience, to master, and this blog provides a great opportunity for just an “average Aussie bloke” to write about the journey as it unfolds. To share it with you…
He feels the legendary mountaineer, Walt Unsworth, was summing him up when he penned the following in one of his writings…
“But there are men for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. Usually they are not experts: their ambitions and fantasies are strong enough to brush aside the doubts which more cautious men might have.
Determination and faith are their strongest weapons. At best such men are regarded as eccentric; at worst, mad…”
He kayaks and rows, strength trains and rock-climbs, and these pursuits provide plenty of opportunity to keep fit and have fun in the great outdoors with his extended family and friends…
And why the need to climb high mountains?
“He wants to test himself, to push the boundaries, to see what he is capable of. He truly believe it is a great way to explore one’s true self…”
But who knows where the journey ends up taking them…
And if there is a motto he lives to, it is this…
“Those that don’t think it can be done should not bother the person doing it…”
So grab a coffee, click on “The Landy Link” and have a read of some of the stories and yarns he is writing as the journey unfolds…
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Want more Baz, The Landy? Want to know what a “Landy” is? Do like Marla does and go obsess over his blog for awhile: The Landy
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Traveling Marla is unplugged for three weeks while she prepares for her move to South Africa. She put out a call for guest posts (see original request here), and is grateful to receive so much support! Please see the full list below.
Please support these writers by reading each of their guest posts and checking out their own blogs!
Thanks, as always for taking time to read my blog and comment. Although I’m offline right now, I will return in a few short weeks when we’re settled in South Africa and I promise to read all of your comments!
Love, Marla
Benjamin Prewitt – Expression of my life – An evolution of art Kayla, of Encounter Peru Kriscinda, of Heavy Metal Homesteading Lynne, of Home Free Adventures Jeff: my witty and hilarious ebberlubbinbrudder Jody, of Human Triumphant Julie of J-Bo.net Ingrid, of Live Laugh RV Ned Hickson of Ned’s Blog Rose, of On the Go Fitness Pierr Morgan Leslie and Amanda, of Survival is Relative Colin of Uber Beast Mode Robyn, of You Think Too Much Baz – The Landy (Out and About and Having Fun) Brandon: my quirky, brilliant, dashing nephew Dallas, of Crazy Train to Tinky Town CultFit Caroline, of Currer and the Bells Dakota Garilli Trophos, of The Dancing Professor Leo, of Doggy’s Style
Strewth, who you callin’ an average Joe 😉 Come over, you’d fit in well…and love it!
Brilliant post mate! Be inspired and please take care.
Really awesome post, Baz!
I gotta say, I think I was especially looking forward to your guest blog! Being Marla’s big brother, I used to think I was a good writer with all the creativity and brains and whatnot. Then she had to go get herself all educated and bonified, now I’m a johnny come lately all paranoid about my spelling and grammer every time I write something she and her artsy friends might read!
Nice to read something from a regular joe. Pics are really fantastic! Remind me of a much more vast and desolate american southwest. Love to spend a couple years toolin’ around that country of yours! Guess I’ll start following your blog for at least a taste!