Tale of an adventure - meeting Everyday people wherever they are

100 Strangers, 100 Personalities, 100 Stories

welcome to yet another episode

Published: April 11, 2022

Welcome to yet another episode and to start off it was an excellent day (11th April 2022) here in Sydney. Although over the past few days there has been some rain showers and sunshine here and there, today was however, absolutely gorgeous. And I was excited to get out to enjoy the sunshine, to take pictures for my project and be part of all the drama that comes along with it. As I reached the station, I noticed the approaching train from a distance and by the time I walked towards the rear-end where the compartments are relatively empty, the train almost came to a halt.

Jumping onboard, I went to the top deck and settled onto the backseat by the windows. The morning sun is now shining with a soft comfortable glow giving warmth to the skin; I set back relaxed and refreshed. The train seat is kinda blueish while the walls are painted white and in between a bunch of people seated here and there. As my eyes were still open all I could see was a couple of heads in front of me covered with hair, swinging slightly sidewise as well as back and forth as the train moves. The color of their hair was mostly black or should I say grey – varying degree of grey – in many shades.

Half an hour later I reached St James station where I got off and as I was heading towards townhalls, I decided to take a walk around Westfields. Usually, it is quite busy during the day for heavy foot traffic so I was walking around here and there checking lighting conditions that would be good for taking photos. The busker who plays violine was not there today and instead it was two little girls who were voicing along some tunes of some of those popular songs. I have never taken photos at Westfields, and it seems like the lighting conditions are not the best, sometimes it’s too harsh, sometimes it’s kinda dark. So, my best bet is Hyde Park – well, until at least I have found such a place in Westfields, and Hyde Park is just minutes away which is quite convenient.

After moving through the crowds, I went inside the Westfields and while walking, I noticed her from across and I watched her going out taking the stairs near the phone booth at Market St. She stopped there for a while, and I thought she might be crossing the street but instead, I noticed her lighting a cigarette. I don’t like that smell, so I waited by the footpath until she finished, and that’s when I approached her – in my usual way. “Hey” “Busy? can I ask you something” waving my hands. Nodding her head, she affirmed, and I went on “I need a photo of yours. I kinda like your face. It’s for a project”. Perhaps I said “five minutes” adding to fill in the silence. Initially she probably misunderstood my questions or perhaps because of some previous experience, she replied, “I can give you my number” But then I asserted that it was for the project and as I shown the details of it – the 100strangers Flickr page and my personal blog, she happily came along. She took a second to finish off and after that I decided to take her to Hyde Park and that’s where I took several photos. On the way to the Hyde Park when I asked her name she told “Sam” (Eddie Laurence is her real name) as we shook hands. I laughed because I am known by the same name too. This is not my real name though. My real name is very clumsy and hard to pronounce so I shorten it to “Sam” – something easy for people to pronounce and remember.

blue mountains

As we started to talk, she mentioned of her love for drawing and travelling around. She pointed out that Blue Mountains and Canberra always fascinated her as a favorite travelling destination. I have been to blue mountains once to visit some parts of it and from my own experience it is indeed an excellent place for exploring for those who love nature. I remember seeing the waterfalls, walking up the hills through the woods to get to the cliff overlooking the valley underneath – the clouds and vast greenery – in the midday sun, making it an experience that would awe many explorative minds.

Although of Canadian and Kiwi descent, she is however, fascinated by Japanese culture – far from her own country and of the country of her parents and perhaps culturally quite different as well but that was perhaps the very reason, she feels so attracted to it – I thought.

As we talked more, it also became apparent she is a big fan of music and Avril Lavigne remains one of her best inspirations. Although when she started singing during childhood, she faced lots of difficulties and even embarrassment but through persistence over the past few years her performance now significantly improved. She remembered of seeing a video taken of her singing during her early age which stayed with her for a while as she thought it was embarrassing to watch that video. Anything that happens during those impressionable years does make people very susceptible to emotions and perhaps it’s a better idea to encourage them and not to make them feel ridiculed. Many would have quitted but – to her credit of course – she persisted.

She further mentioned of her being extroverted in nature during her early childhood to become more and more introvert over the last couple of years due to some emotionally charged up incidents. Although we didn’t talk much about it, but I tend to believe people in general are much more introverted as they go through many life’s experiences and when a true passion comes along, they find more and more absorbed into it and less and less likely to interact with the rest of the world as the passion becomes their own existence.

DREAM is not what you see in sleep, DREAM is something which doesn’t let you sleep.

As she had to go for work, I had to wrap up after a few more photos and a brief discussion but what filled my mind with joy was that people can sometimes find those passions even at an early age and be dedicated to it altering many life’s choices that they made in the past that led them elsewhere.

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