During his recent overseas trip , revisiting the action packed haunts of the swinging l960s and early l970s , journalist and political activist, Pete Steedman ( subject of the ongoing Steedman Chronicles in Little Darwin ) , crossed from France to Italy. While he failed to crack the Da Vinci Code, he did crack his head on a marble slab when he took a tumble on poorly lit steps at a motel. Bleeding profusely, he was taken to hospital in an ambulance where his head was wrapped like a Christmas pudding , a brace placed on his neck. The motel management was relieved when battered Pete informed them that he was an Australian , not a Yank, and would not sue the pants off them .
During his travels , which included the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey , an expensive trip to Harrod’s , he spent a delightful time being driven about by John Varnom , closely involved with Richard Branson of Virgin in the early days of the record business , now a renowned chef and author of cooking books , still with an interest in records.
Back home in Melbourne , Steedman misses Varnom’s tucker expertise as he opens yet another can of baked beans or spaghetti to decorate a piece of toast . Pete’s finances are now such that he would have trouble finding three coins to throw in a fountain as part of a romantic gesture.
