This WordPress site just told me off for not having much “about” me – so You (God bless you all) can learn more about Me!
Me Me Me – is that what blogs are about? I thought that it was really a record for Me of what I am seeing on this world adventure : sights and smells, places and people, etc. With the added bonus that anyone back home who wanted to could check up on what was happening with me. AND it helps me as I don’t have to write over and over again in little emails. Selfish,
Anyway, I am James Charles latterly of Seaford, Sussex, in the UK. Then of Woy Woy on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I now live in quite central Sydney – first colony established in NSW in 1788. Not much different in fact, from England, apart from the weather…..
I started living with Brenda (an old friend from Drama school, waaaay back when) in 2011. In return for domestic work and walking the dog I got to live in a quaint little backwater. When I am not side-tripping to Western Australia, Queensland and somewhere near Canberra (ACT as they call it – Australian Capital Territory!) and who knows where else….. as a citizen since 2017, I can go and work anywhere – and that could be anywhere!
Recently I was in Eden, far south of NSW where the weather was more than temperate – too early for whale watching (they turned up near Sydney later) and all-in-all, following my heart and my instinct for adventures off the beaten track.
My first work here – when I was allowed to – was as as a Concierge in some smart apartment buildings in Sydney city – to keep the financial ship afloat. I then moved to the City of Sydney itself as a Visitor Services Officer. James the Pom helping visitors to have a good time here. I spent ages peddling my bike learning about the city and its treats, as well as working as an Actor in both paid and unpaid (expenses only) roles. Feel free to read theActor Blog if you wish and comment if you wish.
With Covid came an absence of Tourists – hence no need for Tourism helpers and I lost that job. Prompting me to remember than I was past retirement age, so I could do that.And – as a Citizen – I can claim free education, so for the past 5 years + I have been online working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing and English. It keeps the brain cells from atrophying!
jamesthecharles 
Think I’m keeping up with you ‘life’…………..shame I don’t have map to chart your progress………the train sounds wonderful, the fortune teller alarming and the cricket interest baffling!! Hey ho ………me I’m working on JERUSALEM which opens this week, providing some initial input int a new production of HAMLET going on up state this Summer, called Hudson Valley Shakespeare, teaching at Juilliard and dealing with badgers ruining my garden in Clifford, smoke detectors going off (remember that with alarm?) and trying to sort out my Visa situation as ever. Hey ho.
Keep those blog entries and we’ll all feel we’re a mad Brit abroad!!
Love Andrew
Hi James
I picked up your blog via Marilyn, who has great news.
Great stories, well worth preserving.
Just reading White Mughals by William Dalrymple which is an excellent deeply researched story of affairs in India in the time of the East India Company. These often produced children who were sent back to England to join the best of our society – were they regarded as immigrants by the Border Agency? These were more often the males.
The book also gives a very good history of the elite and their changing lives as they were sucked into local culture. Perhaps you were not there long enough to feel the pull to take on local dress etc.
The other link is that WD also wrote From the Holy Moutain which is another in depth travel story of the middle East in his case making links to religious history. All good reads when you are hiding under a sunshade to avoid the newly learnt horrors of skin cancers.
We are shortly heading off for our walk and will miss your gentle presence.
A x
This is delightful reading and I’ve now subscribed. Keep up the jaunty and thoughtful work.
Sarah x