I'm a patriotic sort of fella. Last night the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games was on the telly, and every time the Simpsons had an add break I immediately switched channels to have a gander. The first time I did they were showing the velodrome and right there in front of me was the sort of Aussie ingenuity that makes me proud to sing Waltzing Matilda. A guy..., very obviously in the lead...., because he was on a motorbike. I'm not sure how it will go down with the judges, but the concept is gold. Good old Aussie thinking using good old Japanese technology to beat the good old Poms.
Apparently there are fifty three Commonwealth countries. Before I added that link I tried to work out on paper what they were. England is a given. I assume Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are included under the United Kingdom Banner. I know Canadian cub scouts would have given the picture of the Queen on the wall of the scout hall the same three finger salute as I did back when I wore a woggle, and that their equivalent of RSL clubs would probably have a picture of her as well. But after that I was a little stumped. I know America handed in its membership card a fair while back, so maybe they forgot that Federation was the rage in Australia in 1901, and were still counting each state and territory as separate entities. The link opened my eyes, and now I feel that I have brethren in places I have never heard of, but thoroughly intend to visit and exploit as soon as possible.
The flying tram was a little like the love child of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a bus, and wings or no, public transport never in my experience could be said to fly.
Anyone up for a wager on the outcome of the games? I'm going to back Australia and see if the trend continues.
Lovely to see Her Maj in Gods own country too. Now there's a woman who can plant a tree. Be you of republican or monarchist bent, I have to say that in a world where technology renders new purchases out of date from the moment you buy them, being linked to something as steadfast and historically important as the worlds most famous monarchy, and being included as one of the countries on the globe that is still rendered in pink as was all the Empire at one time is special. And I say that as one who wears a tattoo of the Eureka Flag on his arm.
So good luck to all of the athletes. Watch out for mass transport devices plummeting from the sky, throw a wildebeest or other animal local to your country on the barbie, and as the national advertising campaign requires, ask yourself every day.
Where the bloody hell am I.
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