I’m writing this from the Spirit of Tasmania as I watch the ocean roar by beneath me. But we won’t talk about that just now. A lot has happened since last week, so we’re going to back up a bit.
Last Monday I was sitting in The Blacksmith feeling pretty good. Feeling like I could make things work. I didn’t have a place to stay, but I knew something would turn up. I ended up being there till they closed in the early afternoon, then slinging my backpack on, and heading out.
I want to make a note real quickly about The Blacksmith before moving on. I discovered the spot when I first showed up in Belgrave, because I asked for cafe recommendations from the lady in the book shop I wandered into. Over the course of several days spent in The Blacksmith I got to know the names of a number of their employees, and had nothing but pleasant and informative conversation with them. Alana and Ash made me feel appreciated and welcome in their little town. Nick made me excited to travel more, and appreciative of how easy it is to get into America when you’re actually an American. (My apologies to any non-citizens who have to pass through LAX.) Zoe was very kind to me, told me about the local music scene, and invited me to a show she would be singing at. The food was good, the coffee was satisfying (though slightly confusing for an American), and the people were altogether lovely. Thank you for having me, Blacksmith. (And Nick, good luck in Canada. Especially at your Los Angeles stop.)
That said, I think I headed out on Monday on a positive note. But after walking for some time, and I don’t know how many miles, I definitely began losing that positivity. It was warm, and I was tired, and moving about quite aimlessly. Just trudging along a suburban road, kind of looking for a good place to hang up my hammock for the night, and realizing rather quickly that I wasn’t in a good place to do that. I called someone I’d met from the church I’d gone to the day before, but he didn’t pick up. I also messaged another friend from there through Facebook, and he got me in touch with the church. After some time, the church got back to me saying that Ian De Graaf, who had introduced himself to me Sunday morning, had space for me. I got his number, gave him a call, and he came and picked me up in his Volkswagon van, and drove me back to his lovely home in Kallista.
Ian introduced me to his wife Ineke, and her sister, and we had dinner. And for the next six days, this lovely house was opened to me as a home. Ian several times dropped me off in Belgrave so I could get some work done at The Blacksmith, and brought me to the post office in Upwey so I could retrieve my phone. (Yes, I have my phone back.) On Thursday he brought me to the train station so I could head into the city to catch my flight to Tasmania on Friday, and after my plans changed unexpectedly, he picked me up again from Belgrave so I had a place to stay till my boat trip on Monday.
The first thing I did the morning after I arrived at the Kallista house was walk around in the quiet, and take photos. I’m really glad I did, because I don’t know that I would have had a great opportunity during the rest of my stay. And I have really been enjoying photographing indoor spaces, especially people’s homes — practicing showing the mark a person leaves on a place, through the little details and personality that I house can have. Ian and Ineke certainly do have a lovely home up in the hills, well worth photographing. The road that leads to it is quite still most of the time. There are trees everywhere, standing like sentinels over this nearly untouched bit of territory, as if daring the city to try and take it away. From the back yard on clear days you can see Melbourne, some forty-odd miles away. There haven’t been many clear days of late, with all of the fires going. But even the view filled with smoke was something to see. It’s not that it isn’t beautiful anymore; it’s just different.
I only took a real walk outside one day while I was in Kallista, and looking back now I wish I had done more. It was a perfect sunny day in the sixties, maybe seventies as the sun got higher, and I went out into the woods on a path nearby. At some points it was like being in a narrow hallway of ferns and fungi and towering mountain ash, at others I was walking through low golden fields of brush with scattered trees in the middle away from the surrounding walls of green. The birds in Australia are much more enthusiastic singers than those in the States, so far as I’ve heard; I sat in a tree for some time and listened to them, and felt the wind blowing, and let all sorts of emotions wash over me. I nearly felt like crying, but mostly just laughed. It was such a powerful experience. I’m looking forward to having more of those. It was also fun exiting the forest and finding myself at a bird-feeding attraction, where several tourists were anxiously watching the white cockatoos and screaming when the curious birds decided to fly up onto their arms and shoulders, or fight one another for proffered food.
My time in Kallista was nice. Ineke especially was a very intentional listener, and very good at asking meaningful questions. She and Ian both were great subjects — meaning they largely ignored my camera when I had it out. My time in their home was peaceful, and I’m so grateful to them both for taking me in on such short notice, and making me feel welcome.
I attended church with them again yesterday, and was able to talk more with some others there, all lovely people. The general opinion on Tasmania is that it is a beautiful place, with a pace of life much slower and more relaxed than that of Melbourne. I’ve been told that Tasmanians stand about and talk a great deal, because they don’t have many places to be and aren’t in a hurry most of the time. They sound like my kind of people. And while I’m sure this is something of a generalization, there has to be some truth in it as well, and I’m looking forward to finding out for myself.
In the meanwhile, I’m probably going to get something to eat on board, as I’ve several hours left before docking and haven’t had much of anything today. I did have some leftover pizza, and a cappuccino, of course… Honestly, I might end up getting another cappuccino later. Or maybe a hot chocolate.
with love,
— Joel
Geeky Things
Camera: Fuji X-Pro2
Lens: Fuji 35mm f/2 & 90mm f/2
Location: Kallista, Victoria, Australia
Processor: Capture One 20
Notes: Most of these were shot with the 35mm f/2, which I’m being reminded is such a phenomenal travel lens, and just a great lens in general. The exceptions here are the images from my walk, which were made with the 90mm f/2. The portrait of me in the traffic mirror and further are then also with the 35mm.