Ben's Blog

If you happen to reside south of the divide, geographically, socially and politically, I highly recommend a trip to Mildura. Bring sunglasses.

It will be a journey into the future. The earth is getting hotter.

In Mildura it is already hotter!

Be prepared. Do not go outside during daylight hours if you can possibly avoid it. If you cannot avoid it, cover your entire body from head to foot in loose fitting garments.

(I personally recommend a burka – available in all good stores)

Carry at least 1 litre of water at all times.

Seek shade. (Very hard to find as going outside in the day-time is frowned upon, so trees are seen as unnecessary)

Only leave the house under the cover of darkness.

In Mildura I didn’t notice any public transport. Presumably because no one wants to walk to the bus stop in the blistering heat.

There are two distinct shades of human in Mildura. Most folks are as white as snow, while others are as black as pitch. The white folks live in air-conditioned homes. They drive around in air-conditioned cars to air-conditioned supermarkets and air-conditioned offices.

All colour is bleached from their skin until they resemble albinos.

They must wear sunglasses at all times during the day as their lack of exposure to sunlight has induced severe photo-phobia.

If they remove their sunglasses they are almost blinded by the harsh rays of the sun, their enemy!

The dark people are the farm workers. The crops must be tended, so brown people from far off lands are commandeered to perform this task.

After just one season they turn black.

So we have the owners, who are white, and the workers, who are black.

It was ever thus!

Ben Boyang  November ‘23