Rich Dengrove, Alexandria VA

I just read the product of your DUFF trip, The Antipodal Route. I enjoyed it. I thought I knew something about Australia, but I obviously don't.

RUNNING TO AUSTRALIA. Guy, just think: now you're world famous. OK, so they don't know too much about you in Bhutan or Tanna Tuva, but many do know you in Australia. If you take the right positive attitude, you can see yourself as being well-known as Bush, Jr. Of course, if Bush, Jr. were in the limo, I doubt anyone would say: "Who's that in there with Guy."

NO PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. It's not exactly true that a stranger wouldn't help you in the U.S. if you needed it. I live in an apartment house, a living arrangement not conducive to friendship. What makes it worse is that it is inhabited by every nationality known to man. The place is a veritable United Nations.

I am on talking terms with only two of my neighbors, and passably friendly with only one other. However, when some trouble happens, everyone closes ranks and tries to help. When a fire happens, when the roof caves in, people are trying to help one another. I would imagine, given the dangers of something like a Hanging Rock, Americans would be helpful there too. It's friendliness in between emergencies that would be the problem in the States.

THE FAR SIDE OF THE EARTH. Ah, Hurricanes for the Australians. Those Nawlinian drinks are pretty powerful. When I was in New Orleans in the early '80s, I went to Pat O'Brien's Bar [where the Hurricane was created]. I could have gotten $2 back for the glass if I had been sufficiently sober to hand it back to the waiter. However, I wasn't. I bet others weren't either. That is why so many households have them as mementos. Hurricanes are so strong they remind me of the drink Old Factory Whistle. One shot and you're through for the day.

THE EASTER BILBY. My wife has seen marsupials on TV and, as an old horse woman, she doesn't trust them. While they are exotic and you like to look at them, she thinks they are prone to being temperamental. Maybe that's why you weren't able to report about anyone who has trained marsupials to do tricks.

Didn't you read about 'Ron Jeremy'?

FOOTY. Footy a family game? That the women decided to shop rather than see it says it all. It sounds like Soccer (Footy?) in England, which, as we all know, gets violent. I know the rules prohibit violence to such an extent that you would presume it had been eliminated. However, I am always dubious about the extent to which rules are practiced. By comparison, I bet, our football players are wimps; they wear scads of protective gear.

BELLO CAMILLO. So your Australian friends are friends with Maoris, who come ultimately from New Zealand. The Australians were only a relatively short time ago supposed to be a racially and ethnically centered people. It was impossible for an oriental to immigrate to Australia. Now, Australia is very racially and ethnically tolerant. Of course, I doubt Australia is as tolerant as the U.S. Once the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs) ruled the U.S. Now, a friend has cued me there was a sea change when no one was looking. She says that there is a new racial, ethnic elite that rules America; and she's part of it. She pointed out she is Welsh, Scottish, Jewish, English, Irish, Italian and German. The new elite, she says, is not the WASP, but the All-American MUTT.

It will prob-ably take a little longer for Australia to be ruled by the All-Australian MUTT.

BLUE MOUNTAINS. Having seen pictures of Normal Lindsay's nudes, I have to agree they have flesh on them, unlike the nudes we are used to. Also, they are more athletic and graceful. I don't know about their intelligence or their depth, however.