Sep 28

Current mood: impressed

Well after a night of green dreams and mental processing – that was Wicked ladies and gents….
What a mix of blown away amazingness and dashes of disappointment!
Our programmes were autographed but badly smudged – I can’t even make out who’s signed it!
Sharon Osbourne hosting the gala turned out to be a pre-recorded message!
Abs and I both suffered in act 1 with what we named the Chenowith (sp?) Blues. I just couldn’t get used to the British Galinda. And then Dahncing through Life…. oh dear! Let’s not – I’d rather Dance!
I thought Idina was holding back a bit on the acting in ‘the Wizard and I’ but maybe that’s cuz I had in my head how that would look on stage and she couldn’t quite live up to it.
The acting kicked in nicely though when Fiyero and Elphie have their moment with the Lion Cub and I started to care….
Musical Elphie is much more raw emotionally than book Elphaba – who just turns into this ice maiden who dares not let anyone in. Idina sounded like she was about to burst into tears at any given moment. Fav line was just before Defying Gravity when she says ‘the Wizard should be scared of me’ – like she doesn’t quite believe it herself, but is making a decision in that moment of the way her life is going. I adored ‘No Good Deed’ – And ‘For Good’….sobbing into my tissue!!!
I had no idea that Boq turned out to be such a Glinda nutter – was pleased he turned into the Tin Man! Thought it was a very clever plot device that’s not in the book as was the Fiyero/Scarecrow thing (which Abbie spotted way before I would have!) I also LOVED the Dr Dillamond reveal under the blanket – Martin Bell manages to reduce people to tears with two lines that consist of ‘baaaaaa’! And then the bookend of Chistery speaking! *dabs eyes*
BUT……I HATE the ’she’s not dead really folks’ smaltzy, American. sugar-coated ending with her and Fiyero/Scarecrow off in to the green sunset!!!
That totally negates all the passion and tragedy and feeling you have for Elphaba as a truly tragic heroine. Misunderstood, dying for what she believed in – not faking her own death so that she and Fiyero can escape together and leave Oz to whatever fate decides! The whole of why I loved this musical on CD is that sense you have all the way through that this amazing woman is on an inevitable road to destruction. It makes all the songs she sings so poignant and full of irony. Her not being dead is like not having the Titanic sink at the last minute…..or having Frodo faking going to the Grey Havens and then staying and settling down with a little hobbit lady somewhere outside Hobbiton!
I felt a bitter sweet ending where Glinda and Scarecrow Fiyero (who if I remember rightly leads Oz in the Oz Mythology after the Wizard departs) vow to honour Elphaba’s memory and have her live on by making the changes to Oz without ever clearing Elphie’s name…would be SO MUCH better! In my brain I intend to imagine that it ended my way!
It wasn’t perfect – but I still loved it…..and that, after all, is the core of what Wicked is all about…..
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Sep 6

Current mood: chipper

Well, my adventures may not have saved the world from the tyranny and oppression of the Dark Lord, but they were certainly full of memories.

Our Emyn Muil equivalent was the overnight bus to Airlie Beach. A LONG night of travelling but we got there as the sun rose over the canefields.

Our time on the Waltzing Matilda sailing round the Whitsunday Islands was everything I could have dreamed of (well, except the no washing my hair for three days – something about bad for the coral or blocks up the pipes or whatever….ah well – thank the Lord for headscarves…did my best to look like a ’50s Bond girl – not quite sure I pulled it off!)

All the islands look like Jurassic Park – all tree-covered and unspoilt – half expected to see pterodactyls soaring overhead. What we did see was plenty of whales and the odd dolphin.

As for the snorkelling …..

Turtles, Nemos, eels with bright purple heads, ‘Alan’ the fish I swore followed us around with his googly fluorescent eyes, electric blue little fish, bright yellow butterfly fish – MASSIVE purple and green parrot fish….and on and on. And the coral was just outstanding. What an amazing ecosystem lying just under the surface. God has well and truly healed me of my fear of being out of my depth in the sea – I didn’t really give it a thought and saw no sharks, jellyfish or other nasties…. Just a pause here to say how sad I was that Steve Irwin died on Monday…. a real Aussie character. he will be missed.

The gang on the boat were lovely and it was a pleasure to be cramped in with them! By the way – if any of you by some miracle are reading this – hope you all well!! Send me a message – would be good to hear from you!

Back at Airlie Beach we had a fantastic night out in the infamous ‘Beaches’ bar but the following morning there was a battle for our leftover pizza against some local ants……the ants won…….

Back to Brisbane and a final night with the family before heading to Sydney!

The Four Seasons was a taste of luxury I could well get used to. I was so excited by the minibar – I took pics!!

We were very restrained and restricted ourselves to an arrival G&T ….I felt so sad to leave the icebucket unused everyday.

Breakfast there was a feast with every conceivable type of brekkie available. My fav was the orange brioche french toast with bacon and maple syrup….mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Blue Mountains were….big and blue……..(like Elijah’s eyes!??!!) I almost had beautiful scenery fatigue.

I also fulfilled one of my main ‘wish list’ items by stroking a koala – who was 1 year old and called Lilly. Will try to upload the vid at some point…

Then Hong Kong…..

Patrick, Jane, Hannah and Daniel did the best Hong Kong-in-24 hours tour EVER! We clocked up travelling by car, taxi, minibus, boat, ferry, tram, train and funicular railway!!

We ate Dim Sum till we thought we would explode – fav thing was the white doughy balls with meat in. We went to Union Church and saw five people get baptised! We experienced 30ish degrees heat in 70umidity (I LOVE air conditioning)

Then – my final wish list point – we got upgraded to business class and got to play with the reclining bed/seats and sip champagne on our way back to Heathrow! Hurrah! Thank you Jane for the cheeky suggestion to the check-in girl!

So there is my whistle-stop blog of the last bit of the Aussie trip. So much more than I can fit in one blog really – but those of you that know me will no doubt be subjected to the pic marathon very soon if you haven’t already!

Where next I wonder?

Cali? Vancouver?!……

hmmmmmmmmmmm…………………let the saving begin!

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