This will be my last post in Spain. I am currently in Madrid, eating callos out of a can (Callos is a Spanish dish made up of various animal parts, but mainly the stomach of some unfortunate beast, in a soup base), drinking Sangria and listening to Camaron, a Flamenco legend who died young.

I leave for Vietnam on Friday, I have no idea whether I am going to have the same luck I had in Spain, meeting bi-lingual people, so as I can do interviews in Vietnamese, as I think it is important for people to express themselves in their mother tongues.

Speaking of tongues, I just got a hair between my teeth from my Callos...ewww! A once in a life time experience, eating Callos, I think!

There are many people I wish to thank, and I will do it in the order to which I travelled Spain.

First and foremost, a big thank you and hug to my Gallician Princess, Mercedes. I met Mercedes on the Way of St. James, two years ago. I had a bit of a holiday romance with one of her friends, and as things go, ended up staying in contact with Merc, more so than her friend. Mercedes accepted me into her family, when I stayed in Vigo, and was a great support when I had hassles getting my camera repaired. You are unique baby, may we meet again! In the meantime, check out her dream project, to build the 'best lil' Albergue on the Camino'. She has run short on funds, so visit here to view advertisment, if you have finances to get involved. Can't wait to share a Thai Green Curry overlooking the farm, Merc!

A big thank you to Alfonso, Merc's brother, who showed me Vigo 'After Dark' (with some mates), and even gave me a mobile phone to use in Spain, when mine wouldnt work. Also thank you to Fernando, another brother of Mercedes, who I interviewed about life in Vigo

In Madrid, thanks goes out to Havebeer (Javier), another friend from the camino, Marta of Escauri , and Yolanda and Oscar of Trovino ....also Julia, for letting me into the apartment at all hours. Thanks to DJ Frankie G for adding music to my pre video rave ,another attempt at honesty in filmmaking.

In Barcelona, a big thank you to Nick, my first couchsurfing buddy, who helped me take some video footage, and even did some great photos of the Overlander, King Kong style in Barcelona (see pic) Thanks to Lili for just being there, for a chance meeting in a noodle bar, giving an interesting interview, half a night out....and introducing me to Rebeca in San Sebastian, who introduced me to some great eating houses, where I tried foi gras. Thanks to Olga of Olga's Place for believing in the project.

In Sevilla I stayed with Rafa, my first hospitalityclub buddy. What a guy, he took me round town on his scooter, put up with my silly looking purple cap, and even gave me a copy of some fantastic flamenco music and documentaries. On the first night, he took me to his favourite tapas bar, I was feeling a little seedy for some reason...and after eating a couple of tapas, had to go outside where I spewed my guts out..little did I know, on re entering the bar, I had left the front doot ajar, and all in the bar, including the chef, had heard my loud stomach emptying retching. Rafa took the whole amusing scenario with a smile.

Thankyou to my two flamenco interviewees, Elena and Asa, for a fun night out, where they preceded to take over the dance floor with their headturning seductive moves.

Next stop, Granada, where I stayed with David and Irene, who were instrumental in helping me get an interview with Cave Dweller's on SacreMonte. Irene also cooked up some great Castillian meals...with plenty of garlic! Thanks to Sun and Joana for allowing me to interview them about life in a cave. For me it was the first time I ate a meal prepared on a Solar Cooking Dome, fantastic!

In Valencia I wish to thank Arnau, German and Paco for being such laid back hosts. Also thanks for organising the Paella, and introducing me to the wonders of eating pigs ears and lips!! Thanks German, Never again!. Thanks to Alberto for giving me an interesting story idea, getting me Gabba Gabba (read earlier post), and introducing me to his father, Alberto Senior, who I interviewed in Cuenca about his gardening and farm.

In Cuenca I also wish to thank Antonio Perez who allowed me to interview him, despite my awful grasp of Spanish.

I'm sure there are people I have forgotton to thank, who I will need to add later, but for now I made sure I covered all those I interviewed, and all those who hosted me....once again....Thank You.

For my video of the week, watch the monkey dance , not terribly cheerful, but clever analogy.

And for song of the week, Black Fella, White Fella by Warumpi band, one of Australia's first successful Aboriginal bands. An oldie, but a goodie, with a nice global message.

I will have to find a copy of the only music video I ever produced, Beer Sandwich by The Fuck Fucks...the only gig ever to be filmed on the roof of the famous Melbourne Rock 'n Roll pub, The Espy! The Fuck Fucks were fronted by cartoonist Fred Negro, who has been in many St Kilda based bands including I spit on your Gravy and now the twits. The craziest gigs I have ever attended have had Fred out the front...usually naked...with a frozen chicken or some such accessory, not a pretty sight!

Tuesday 28th November

Well it's done, eight locations, thirteen interviews, in less than a month... and many people to thank.

I fly to Vietnam on the 1st of December and start the whole process again.

Haven't much to say...just arrived in Madrid from Cuenca on a late train.

Listening to a bit of music from my youth, Flame Trees by Cold Chisel ,reminds me of home.

Anyway...time for sleep, chao

The Art of Travel, Overlander Style

Today I leave for Cuenca, a small town near Madrid famous for it's hanging houses built on a cliff face overhanging a river. It is 'real' Spain, it will be difficult for me to find people who speak English.

To travel alone, away from your own culture, for so long (6 months), is difficult. I think everyone needs a base, a place to call home, a place to return to.

There is still a lot of the world I want to explore, to document. But I am aware I must find a happy mix...between travel and home, between being a stranger in a strange land, and being amongst friends, having community.

I think Vietnam will be difficult for me, I am now ready to settle in to some editing, setting up my site, arranging a television deal. I have to dig deep to find 'community on the road', comradeship amongst the tribes of the world. By meeting people via couchsurfing and hospitalityclub I have found this....but I am always moving, friendships are fleeting, the pace frenetic.

You want to travel the world...this is the reality, it ain't all a bed of roses. But this is a lifestyle choice I want to explore, and I'm currently finetuning the possiblities. 'Can I travel and have a family as well?' 'How do I travel in the most environmentally friendly way?' 'Can I really know a town in three days?' 'Do people still want to watch documentaries?' 'Should I ditch this moustache?'

I must go, a train to catch at three, a new town by six, adios.

Today I interviewed a scientist about the disappearance of the farming tradition in Benimaclet due to urban development. We met up at this 60's style bar called Gabba Gabba last night ..several hours and mucho drinks later...I was Gabba Gabba!! I met Alberto through the couch surfing site. Alberto is working as part of a team on the world's largest computer, 27 km's long! We filmed around Benimaclet this morning, it was an amazing scene to see farmers plots next to the encroaching highrise development, I got the feeling I was capturing a historical event.

Someone gave me a great idea for a story on Valencia. Valencia has traditionally been the food bowl of Spain, with much fine farming land around the city. Currently urban sprawl is encroaching much of this farmland. The suburb where I am staying is known for it's fruit and vegetable markets, so i hope to find a farmer and do a story on him/her, getting some shots out of a city for a change.

Talking about farming, it seems the supermarket model, where farmers sell goods cheap to supermarkets and supermarkets make the biggest profit margins, is the model being used for online video. There are now many travel video sites where lowly filmmakers can sell there films for tuppence.

I have been travelling since July, and before that I spent the summer filming in Tasmania (Nov 2005 - Feb 2006)

It is interesting to read online what is happening in Australia. For 10 years Australia has had a conservative government, which has changed the Australian way of life in ways I don't agree with...but a country gets the politicians it deserves, 'love thy neighbour, build a bigger fence!'.

The ABC are looking at outsourcing all it's documentary production and Kakadu National Park, run by the Nazi wing of Australia's National Parks Department won't mention anything about the high cancer rates of Aborigines living near the uranium mine in Kakadon't in their tourist brochures.

In other news, it seems everyone is having a go at online travel videos.

I want to tell you a story about why I don't travel with travel guidebooks like lonely planet. When I arrived in Dublin, I had nothing planned, the American girl sitting next to me on the plane on the other hand had a room booked, everything organised. I got off the plane, headed to town, asked some young Aussies I met on the street where a good hostel was and sure enough, they showed me to a primo place. After unloading my gear, I went for a drink with the Aussies and when heading to a bar, I saw the poor Amercian girl, still on the street, head in book, sweating profusely, unable to find directions to her booked room.

I like head up travel, talking to people, getting a feel for a place from locals...not some wanker travel writer! I think the likes of social network websites like couchsurfing and hospitalityclub mark the deathknell for travel guides...why lug around a heavy guidebook when you can use social networks on the internet to meet local people??

Wanker of the week!!

Maybe I have been travelling too long...but I currently have very little tolerance for government incompetence. This weeks 'Wanker of the Week' goes to Manuel Hurtado of the Patronato Del Real Alcazar y De la Casa Consistorial in Sevilla. Despite doing everything asked of me to film in the gardens at the Real Alcazar, good old Manuel forgot to tell the over zealous security guards of my visit, so in the end I filmed nada, nothing

Currently in Valencia staying with some computer programming students. Last night German, one of the students gave me some ideas for stories on Valencia.

I am a bit slow in starting today, it has been a long time on the road, my clothes are starting to get that worn out look about them (eg holes in socks)

This is my first experiment with filming overseas, maybe in the future, three months on the road will prove optimum, with a break then taken to do some editing.

But at the rate I'm going, I should get my eight stories from eight locations in a calender month...only two more to go!!

Today I filmed the Cave Dwellers of Sacremonte in Granada. It was a wonderful day, I interviewed both 'Sun', a German Solar Energy Technician, and Johanna, a Spanish girl who has lived in a cave for over a year.

This is documentary, getting access to interesting people, interesting stories...I love it!!

Dr Sun preparing a meal in his Solar Cooking Dome. The dome captures the Sun's rays and directs them to a central point, where temperatures can reach 200 degrees.

Had to change the 'dirty sanchez' name for my mo, do a google search to find out why....it turns out to be a gay sex term...ehhh!!

Sunday 19th November

I have a belief, that when needed, the right people appear in your life. I have so far been very lucky with the people I have met. Granada has not proven the exception, as once again I seem to land on my feet with regard to finding a person to interview.

On Sacromonte (Sacred Mountain) there are people who live in Caves. I had the idea to interview one of the inhabitants and today visited the mountain where I met a German guy who has studied solar energy design and is living in a cave to experiment with low environmental impact living. He uses a large silver dome-like structure to cook his food and even produces art using a spinning platform powered by solar energy.

Ok, ok, I promise that from now on I will only interview Spanish people. But heh, what a story for a place that has been the meeting spot of different cultures for centuries!

Here is a simple video idea, sponsored by a chewing gum company, that has sent one lucky guy, all round the world.

Friday 17th November

Down South

Sevilla story is complete, and I have just arrived in Granada. I interviewed two flamenco dancers in Sevilla and stayed with a top notch flamenco fan, Rafa who really gave me a great insight into the city.

More later, time to find next story. For now, a piece by Paulo Coelho on who to travel differently:

"Travelling differently

I realised very early on that, for me, travelling was the best way of learning. I still have a pilgrim soul, and I thought that I would use this blog to pass on some of the lessons I have learned, in the hope that they might prove useful to other pilgrims like me.

1. Avoid museums. This might seem to be absurd advice, but let’s just think about it a little: if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to go in search of the present than of the past? It’s just that people feel obliged to go to museums because they learned as children that travelling was about seeking out that kind of culture. Obviously museums are important, but they require time and objectivity - you need to know what you want to see there, otherwise you will leave with a sense of having seen a few really fundamental things, except that you can’t remember what they were.

2. Hang out in bars. Bars are the places where life in the city reveals itself, not in museums. By bars I don’t mean nightclubs, but the places where ordinary people go, have a drink, ponder the weather, and are always ready for a chat. Buy a newspaper and enjoy the ebb and flow of people. If someone strikes up a conversation, however silly, join in: you cannot judge the beauty of a particular path just by looking at the gate.

3. Be open. The best tour guide is someone who lives in the place, knows everything about it, is proud of his or her city, but does not work for an agency. Go out into the street, choose the person you want to talk to, and ask them something (Where is the cathedral? Where is the post office?). If nothing comes of it, try someone else - I guarantee that at the end of the day you will have found yourself an excellent companion.

4. Try to travel alone or - if you are married - with your spouse. It will be harder work, no one will be there taking care of you, but only in this way can you truly leave your own country behind. Travelling with a group is a way of being in a foreign country while speaking your mother tongue, doing whatever the leader of the flock tells you to do, and taking more interest in group gossip than in the place you are visiting.

5. Don’t compare. Don’t compare anything - prices, standards of hygiene, quality of life, means of transport, nothing! You are not travelling in order to prove that you have a better life than other people - your aim is to find out how other people live, what they can teach you, how they deal with reality and with the extraordinary.

6. Understand that everyone understands you. Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t be afraid: I’ve been in lots of places where I could not communicate with words at all, and I always found support, guidance, useful advice, and even girlfriends. Some people think that if they travel alone, they will set off down the street and be lost forever. Just make sure you have the hotel card in your pocket and - if the worst comes to the worst - flag down a taxi and show the card to the driver.

7. Don’t buy too much. Spend your money on things you won’t need to carry: tickets to a good play, restaurants, trips. Nowadays, with the global economy and the Internet, you can buy anything you want without having to pay excess baggage.

8. Don’t try to see the world in a month. It is far better to stay in a city for four or five days than to visit five cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman: she takes time to be seduced and to reveal herself completely.

9. A journey is an adventure. Henry Miller used to say that it is far more important to discover a church that no one else has ever heard of than to go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel with two hundred thousand other tourists bellowing in your ear. By all means go to the Sistine Chapel, but wander the streets too, explore alleyways, experience the freedom of looking for something - quite what you don’t know - but which, if you find it, will - you can be sure - change your life. "

Paulo Coelho

Sunday 12th November

Half way point

Don't get too close to the buskers in Barcelona!!

Four stories down and all is going like clockwork, the weather has been unseasonally warm and I have got some great footage.

First stop, Madrid, where the theme was 'following your dream.' I interviewed two people, a friend who works in the music industry and a women who runs a restaurant.

In Barcelona I stayed with an English Banker turned photographer who I met through couch surfing. I was lucky to meet a lively waitress who I interviewed about life in Barcelona.

In San Sebastian I interviewed a friend of the waitress I interviewed in Barcelona, and in Vigo, I interviewed the brother of a friend who studies language at the local University.....all in twelve days, a story every three days.

I'm as busy as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest, so stories will more than likely be edited at a later date.

Tomorrow night I get the red eye bus to Sevilla, then on to Granada, then Valencia..then either Toledo, or Cadiz...all before the 1st of Dec, when I fly to Vietnam, and start the whole process again!

Commitment to One’s Ideas

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Begin it now.

Goethe

Friday 3rd of November

Return of the Overlander

So here I am, with only one month to film eight stories around Spain. And I’ve had a strange desire to grow a moustache, am I once again becoming THE OVERLANDER, “He who makes Travel Videos!”

My alter ego who appeared to me in a vision, one night on the crossroads of some fly spec town in the Australian Outback, and who disappeared, just as quickly, when I once again hit the bitumen of the civilization.

Maybe I need his help, who knows.

Does the 'Dirty Sanchez' Moustache mean the Overlander has returned??

Tuesday 31th October

Six Weeks Later...I finally get the camera part, but!!

I have had a bit of a bad run, to say the least, getting my camera repaired.

Canon Spain said they couldnt supply a part I needed (MA200), so my insurance company tried sourcing the part in Australia, or at least they said they did, Canon Australia have no record of them placing an order! Anyway, after a month of runaround (dont even ask!), Canon Australia finally send the part via TNT international. The part arrives in Madrid (20th of October), but it can't be delivered because TNT Spain were not given my mobile number or passport number.

To cut a long painful story short, after ringing TNT Spain every day and having strange new (extortion) fees appear and disappear, I finally go to the TNT office at the airport and speak in a language every country understands, "Irate, red in the face, yell and scream, 'I want my part" language. After 11 days of waiting, my part appears from behind the desk, minus the 120 euro 'Government import, customs, delivery or whatever it was' fee. Funny that!!

On testing the camera tonight ( I was hoping to film a friend's band) I find the gain problem Canon Spain repaired...has not been repaired.

As I did with this story, I will have to just find a work around, there is now no more time to have the problem repaired for the 4th time.

In Madrid I am interviewing a young women who has set up a wonderful new restaurant, and I have come across a great website where I can contact people at different locations around Spain, stay at their place and get an insight into their town, from a local's perspective.

One story every three days is looking more and more possible!!

Chao

PS: For all you online video boffins, check out this site, a clever way to combine two products, to get paid to make videos...very funny

Monday 30th October

One year as an itinerant filmmaker - a reflection.

October last year, I quit a good job in the public service, training prisoners on a prison farm, to go back to my dream of hitting the road and making documentaries. Despite the financial risk, I knew if I didn't do it, my dream would sit in my gut like a cancer, and 10 - 15 years down the track, i’d regret not taking the chance.

Since then I have;

lost a girlfriend (she left me for a younger man with a real job!),

spent the Australian summer filming in Tasmania, living in a swag (I know where there are three free showers in Hobart!),

traveled to Outback Queensland to film the World's Last Boxing Tent,

dropped and broke my camera twice,

visited ireland again, home of my ancestors, and understood where some of my traits come from.

Visited Spain again, had some major hassles with equipment and women, gave up the demon drink and realized when it comes to learning a new language, I'm useless!

Which brings me to now, with four weeks to film eight stories in Spain. Wow, what a journey, I have met some amazing people. Here are some of my favorite experiences;

Visiting Bruny Island, eating oysters off the rocks, catching my fish dinner and sharing a crayfish meal with Rob and family.

Meeting Bob Brown, Greens Senator, the way politicians should be. What a legend!

Meeting a brave singer from Sudan in Hobart.

Sharing a freshly caught Brown Trout dinner in central Tassie.

Filming from the back of a Harley trike at highway speed.

Witnessing, again a unique piece of Australiana, the Boxing Tent.

Meeting the Flannery's of Dingle, spending a night out with some of them and realizing unlike the English and the Australian, who like to fight when they are drunk...the Irish just sing, God Bless em.

Once again visiting Vigo in Galicia and experiencing the amazing hospitality of the Ramallo family. The Galicians are of Celtic origin, like the Irish, and in the same way are very clannish....if you are in with them, you are treated like family. Thanks for everything Merc.

So here I am, it still ain't paying, but I'm still holding true to the dream. I believe with any trying time, we are only ever tested as much as we can handle. The break has given me time to reassess the project; what I am trying to do, what I hope to achieve.

Stay tuned, it should be fun..

Sunday 29th October

Your challenge, Overlander, Eight Stories in one calendar month!

Many years have passed since i first had the 'internet tv' vision...my sight is fading, my back is bent...but i still have some lead in the wrinkly old scabby pencil!!

The founders of YouTube have since made millions and got mighty high on the proceeds (see video)

and now people can actually get paid for their home made vids

Many people are trying different avenues to make films...and money
(would The Age ever do a story on an Aussie making good online?? Do we really still suffer cultural cringe??)

But I think I have the answer.....gambling!!

Damn right punters, gambling....everything is in place.

Ok, there are now plenty of places to list your videos, youtube, revver, myspace, itunes, blip.tv (this movie for eg, has been watched 525 times

There are good auction sites eg ebay

there are even systems set up so people can pay you via an email address eg paypal

"So where are you going with this overlander?" I hear you ask

Ok, so I make a short video, one face, one place, then I have an auction, where the highest bidder wins advertising space at the finish of the video (eg a click through link to their site, like what is done at revver)

I already have software in place to monitor click thrus to advertisers (php click counter)...everything is in place.

It's such a crazy idea, mainstream media may pick up on it (shit even the age might do a story on it)..and with mainstream coverage, comes webhits.....but...

it all depends on one important factor....people watching my videos.

For six weeks I have waited for a part to be sent from provincial backward Australia...in that time I have researched on the net, watched heaps of the top 'viral videos', examined all the video sites....and watched...waited....all the while learning...more and more...adapting...becoming once again that mythic outback character, that appeared to me one lonely night on the crossroads of an outback road.."The OVERLANDER, He who makes travel videos"!!

Fate has set a challenge....to film eight stories in Spain in a calendar month!! It involves changing tack, and understanding that everyone wants to make films, everyone wants to be paid to travel the world...but the cream always rises to the top, age and treachery beat youth and reflexes every time, this stray old dog still has one or two tricks up his sleeve.