Melbourne Town...Jolly Jazz and a Happy Hora

So where am I at? Right now I am sitting here with last night's makeup still clinging to my face. Moving slowly with the holiday vibe, even though RyRy is off working AGAIN! He is a model citizen, a master of giri (obligation) and a real trooper.

Recounting my journey I believe we have arrived in Australia, me completing 4 flights on my own with only a few wheezy, tearful moments. By the time I reached Japan again, I had flown 10 times on my own, and while the bottomless panic that often accompanies me on flights has eased, I realise now I am always going to be one of those 'nervous flyers' for whom only a valium and a large G&T can provide solace.

Beautiful homecomings - the day I arrived began with a long wait as Ryan had to encouter the worst traffic jam of his career coming to pick me up from Avalon airport...after a couple of hours of searching for one another (sans mobiles) we hooked up just in time to get ready for our first gig in Melbourne.

Here is a little slice of Melbourne as I see it.


Joyful, joyful to play with muso friends again - even if they are young ruffians...the melbourne jazz "derros" have a musical soul I am yet to discover in other places in the world...it's irreverant, it's lacksadaisical, but somehow it combines in a wonderful musical force. I still wouldn't trust these guys with my daughter though, would you?


Fresh outta happy pills!


Obviously the greatest drummer in the world.

But in any case, he looks after his bitch:


We played a solid set to a welcoming home-crowd and the good vibe only continued the following night when we played Mama Fresh as 7 piece to a solid crowd...The next night we had another gig! This one was Shamdoogie, as an 8 piece band, with 4 horns to an absolutely packed house at the Kitten Club. People were losing it, screaming and we had a lot of Cab Calloway call and answer style stuff with the audience. The band was just on fire, lots of stops where the horns would play over a whole chorus without any accompaniment...who would have known that semi-trad jazz would go down so well with a crowd of Craig-David wannabes!

In the midst of all this music and mirth, we had the honour of attending our beautiful friends' wedding celebrations. Katia (pixie) and Noah (cub). 2 gorgeous beings and soulmates, just the mere thought of their loving energy brings a tear to this Nanna's eye! We were invited to their Jewish Shabat dinner - a huge long table laden with amazing foods and smiling faces all talking at once.


Isn't she a tasty dish!

On the Sunday we went to their wedding. It was to be held in the grounds of the Rudolph Steiner school, a sprawling tangle of Australian native forest, grass, cubby holes, and beautiful buildings. Parakeets cawed overhead and and there were even peacocks. Ryan and I held hands and imagined our kids running around this school, climbing trees and being expressive....ahh it was bliss and before long we wandered down to a far patch of forest for the ceremony.

I have forgotten what they call it, but they had a little canopy that the loving pair stood under during the ceremony. Our camera was outta juice, but they looked scrumptious. Noah was all low-key and tres rugged handsomeness and Katia was glowing in a strapless gown in shades of plum and dusty rose (and a little midas touch!)

Everyone gathered around the pair in an intimate circle, so we were all part of the ceremony. The dreamy way Katia smiled during the ceremony, it was just divine...Needless to say we had a really special day with them. These Russian jews can dance...as soon as the ceremony was over it was back to the hall for a good hour of dancing the hora. basically everyone in the whole room was involved, the inner circle of young, handsome men spinning around and around with their hands around each other's shoulder's, the bride and groom leading people out of the large outer cicle to dance and the ladies leading the way with some neat footwork and hand flourishes. After an hour of this everyone was sweaty and grinning! And they carried the two newly-weds on chairs over their heads, bouncing them up and down precariously. I really wished I was Jewish at that point, so I could have the Hora at my wedding.

We trekked on the next day to see a possible venue for our wedding. The place is utterly incredible. We whizzed from there to Albury to catch up with Ryan's folks. We got into some good Aussie outdoor action, rafting down the rapids at this river spot in the country. Ryan and his sister Kate are just like two peas in a pod. Aren't they just dolls!


Ryan's parents threw us an amazing engagement party - lots of family and delicious foods, good wine and happy vibes. We got all excited about being engaged again...such heady times, being able to be romantic and gammy all the time...We had a big old jam, playing some tunes for the crowds... Kate got up and shared her gorgeous, blossoming voice and Ryan's old guitar sensei hopped in as well. Even old man Griffo, Ronny G got up and delivered some velvet Elvis-like tones to the room.


The Ancient Surfer

Well - I guess I should leave this for today - We have a Rockabilly gig tonight and our chart book is un utter disarray. I promised to be a good housewife these next 2 weeks while Ry is being the huntergather, so I guess I'll put on some Buddy Holly and tend to the house - my domestic proclivities constantly wax and wane!

But I just wanted to introduce you to the star of my next blog entry, Miss Lilly Rose Miles.

There's no place like...home?

Two Reasons not to visit Pakbara

Hello loyal patrons of this humble site - apologies for the long stretch of silence, but most of you have hugged, held and harrumphed with us in the flesh these past 6 weeks, as we (or I specifically, Ryan being the shining example of Japanese diligence) have gallavanted across the world, spreading music and cheer.

Now I wanted to begin this blog with a clear pictorial warning about why nobody should ever spend the night in Pakbara, Satun Province, Thailand. I am not saying these people are evil or dangerous, but couple them with a complete lack of beer at any eating joint in town, and you begin to see why I need to offer such a stern and direct warning.

That said, even if you are forced to spend the night in the purgatorial vistas of Pakbara, the next day you are rewarded with this:



Koh Lipe. A slice of heaven surrounded by azure waters filled with abundant sea creatures, while on shore many Swedish gods await you, accompanying the divine sunsets with displays of volleyball prowess, while the Gypsy Kings' 'Bamboleo' rings out every night at 5pm.


A beautiful view

Though the island sits in the Andaman sea, right between the tsunami hit zones of Krabi and Langkawi, incredibly this little place was completely untouched by the devastation. I spent 4 blissful days there in the company of long-lost friends and it was a joyful start to my journey.



Something is coming over me - I don't know how to explain it, but every time I see a cute kid I get this insatiable urge to starting taking pictures, in between going "eeek - sooo cute...ahh kawaii". I am just not sure - Is it the Anne Geddes syndrome? Or am I just getting ridiculously clucky? Either way here are a few samples of my 'kid-pics' from the start of the trip.







It was hard to leave, so, so hard. The only things that made it possible to leave was the prospect of seeing the beautiful Ry-Ry and heading back home for a stretch...

That's a funny thing - this concept of home. I got back to Melbourne and I felt like I was home, but only because it was familiar and all my mates were there awaiting me with open arms. I felt connected to the place, but I didn't feel like it was a home-coming neccessarily. Now, when I visit Canberra, I feel the same thing only 10-fold. I have many memories there and dear friends too, but I can't say in any way that it is home to me.

Now here I am, back in Japan. When I got here, well Ryan was waiting for me and he bought me back to our house and I thought 'Wow - I'm home!' So, is it that having a place where you walk in and shut the door and it's your space...is that home? Or is it having a connection in some deep way, say to another person, so that whenever you are there with them, in whatever place, it is like being home? I like the sound of that, because it means we can make our home where-ever we wander! ( A bad Paul Young song from '86 is coming to mind here...)

I have a lot of stories to tell about my travels...about making joyous music with the Melbourne rogues, about the way your heart leaps in circles when you see wonderful friends again....about how spiritual and sublime it is to watch two friends commit their lives to each other under a gorgeous February sky and how your whole spirit moves to hear the stories of old men.

Then there are the stories of Thailand. Of smashed buildings, ruined beaches and hearty resilience. Of having money to give and finding so much corruption and guile that I felt sick...the burden of money, even when it was raised with love...Of learning and being blessed with teachers.

I have a couple of free weeks and so I am going to share these snippets with you, little by little. It's late now and a cold snap has come over Osaka, alongside a ferocious wind. My clay sake jug is empty and my lover is curled in bed, with another early start, so I leave you with some more images and a promise to tell another tale tomorrow.

Kimba xxx



I love a viking in the morning!


This is my awesome bro -
can you see the resemblence? We are all dressed up to go see the Doors...and hey! They were pretty bloody good and any fool who says they are like a cover band is forgetting about Ray...Yeah, so sexy Jim is dead and he was the pull of the group, but Ray Manzarek wrote all those amazing organ bits...so cut em some slack! We had a ball.


I just look at this and think - Sydoneee mateee!