How do you tell a story in one blog post that would take a chapter in a book?

What a trip.

Australia, living in it as I have for a lifetime that is getting longer, is big, but occasionally you need the odd reminder.

A three hour flight and a twelve hour drive over two days got us to our destination. One hundred kilometre or more stretches of no bends at all. No rises or dips in the road. Just straight and flat. Massive skies with wisps miles above. Stars at night like a living astronomical map with shooting starts by the minute.

A hour nd a half at 120 kms per hour over wild dirt to get to the nearest town.

Farms so big at one or two MILLION acres it takes hours to drive up "the drive".

Air interstellar clean, water gin clear and glove warm.

Alien sunsets.

Ancient reef cliffs and coral sand beaches.

Waves that can play and crush one set apart.

A crew of players, musical and board, of creativity and virtuosity, from across Australia and, in a young genius named Ryan Burch, from little old Encinitas in So Cal.

Jacques Cousteau's  dear old chef.

It was that good.

Now back in reality, sitting in front of an edit and wondering where to from here. Three torrid weeks, rehearsals and then an Australian tour, followed by the world.

I'm holding onto my hat. It is going to be quite a ride.

Pics: Local flavour, more to come.

An extended silence again. All because of preparations for The Reef.

In two days we jump on a plane and fly to the far north west of our wide brown land, and discover what is in store as we bury ourselves in the waters and desert in preparation for a national tour of live performances of Orchestra and Film which will later tour the world.

The project is in a way a follow up to Musica Surfica. Some of the same team in Richard Tognetti with his Australian Chamber Orchestra, Jon Frank, the matchless Derek Hynd and the Old Coot writing this as Director. To add insult to injury I'm producing it too, and this has provided more than a few headaches as I discover the joys of detail, and the clenching horror of Signing the Contract.

Occupational Health and Safety cast a shot across my bow and getting a realistic assessment of life in a desert surf camp has been an eye opener. The people I've been talking to are true professionals, but I have a very dim view of the bureaucracies that nanny the life out of our lives.

Bring back the days when we all took responsibility for our own stupidity (adventurousness).

One of my happiest memories is as a 7 year old on top of my mate's dad's car, lying on the roof racks, arms outstretched, as he careened down the road at 40mph, my best friend and I playing superman as dear old Tom (his dad) cackled gleefully in the driver's seat below.

Now he'd be locked up.

It's all a bit sad. 

But back to the Reef.

Keep an eye on the web. It's getting national coverage, with a Making Of Documentary happening at the same time, and journos from the big media coming to cover it.

Do I feel a little under the pump?

A bit, as do we all, but I will be glad to get my feet wet and discover what is in store.

Wish us all luck, and believe me it is going to be full of surprises. Because that part has already started.

But that is another story. (Think Derek Hynd)

Pic: Some idea scribbles for the opening, from my little black book. Most likely it won't be this, as first thoughts rarely are.