I had heard of many pilgrimages around the world, like the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  People walking for 7- 8hrs a day for a month or more, walking on a route that had been laid out for many years.  Here you would soul search, ponder life, make friends and connect. I liked this idea but I also like the idea to discover what is close to you as well.  And that is why I thought of simple walks around Sydney where I live. My objectives would be to:

• Walk to different spots around Sydney
• Use this as a time to reflect
• Speak to people along the way
• Help anyone that needs assistance
• Observe, inquire
• Well be a bit of a pilgrim – Sydney style

Melbourne Cup Day and I was off from Central Station on my first Camino de Sydney. I circled Belmore Park astonished at the homelessness filled tents lining the edges.  Bus attendants marking their opinions of the situation with candour, I was told that this has been growing for some years now.  Police were not authorised to move the homeless on, raiding occasionally to ensure no threats of drugs or thefts.  Apparently the Mayor of Sydney was sympathetic and Mission Australia van was spotted doing rounds.

What I didn’t expect either was the witnessing of a man being hit by a car.  Running to catch a bus to the races he jaywalked and unfortunately didn’t see the car coming.  After a few of us rescued him I convinced the driver to drive the man to the closest medical centre.  Both effected by the accident I gave support by travelling with them, then accompanying the man to the medical centre.  It seemed strange that even though the jaywalker had suffered an accident he still continued to jaywalk across George Street to the side of the medical centre!

Straight from leaving the man I witnessed another lady about to jaywalk with several attempts and moving back as cars hurtled around the corner.  Luckily after me explaining what I had witnessed today she agreed to be more patient.

Sprinkles of rain dotted the path as I made my way to a hub of celebrations of Melbourne Cup as people hurried to venues of exclusivity along Darling Harbour and lining up to board cruises on King Street Wharf. Several mobile betting venues lined the route where people happily put their punts in.  I wondered how much of the money spent today could have aided those homeless people in Belmore Park?

Through to Barangaroo where the elite buildings are taking shape and an area once drab and forgotten is being given a new facelift.  Parkland?  Maybe still locked away in the development somewhere perhaps?  I did spot some trees and a new path which was being enjoyed by some joggers in the rain.  Around the wharfs, tourists taking iconic photographs underneath the Harbour Bridge overlooking Luna Park.  More Sydney icons and loads of tourist followed, Opera House and cleansing rain.

I sat under a tree sheltered by the rain in the Botanical Gardens overlooking a grey Sydney harbour and felt a little sorry for Sydney.  We seem to be making all the mistakes of large heartless cities. 

Are we forgetting those people that are our brothers and sisters while we stay focused on our own personal needs?  We work longer hours and spend our money to accumulate more things that perpetuate this.  Or can we take heed from other cities, learn and make changes now before it gets out of control?  At the very least we as individual’s can acknowledge those homeless or not with a smile, a hello, a kind word or conversation…

According to Homelessness Australia (using ABS census 2011)

• On any given night in Australia 1 in 200 people are homeless
• There are currently 105,237 people in Australia who are homeless.
• 56% male and 44% female
• 25% (or 26,744) are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians
• 30% are born overseas.
• Ages – Under 12 17% (17,845), 12-18 10% (10,913), 19-24 15% (15,325), 25-34 18% (19,312), 35-44 14% (14,484), 45-54 12% (12,507), 55-64 8% (8,649), 65-74 4% (4,174), 75 and over 2% (2,028)

I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I walked the Eora People of the Cadigal Clan, the traditional owners of the Sydney city region. I would like to pay my respects to the Elders past, present and future.

View route map for Camino de Sydney – Inner Sydney on plotaroute.com

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