Un-suburbian behaviour

I like walking. I am a walker. Wherever I'm going I prefer to walk, if the distance and the weather is reasonable. Here in the western suburbs of Sydney, nobody walks. There are sidewalks (of sorts) but they are apparently mainly for getting from your house to the bus stop or for your kids to hang around on.

I seem to be displaying some very un-suburbian behaviour with all my walking and running. I feel utterly alien and decidedly different. I even got honked at by a lorry driver on my walk to Parramatta earlier today. Me walking down the street was apparently such an exciting sight that he had to honk his horn and lean out the window to wave at me. And it was not the "Hey baby where are you going?"-type of honk but the ""Hey lunatic get back to your asylum!"-type.

I can only speak for the small part of the western suburbs that I am familiar with, but the suburbians of Sydney do not walk, they drive. And they certainly don't run - I am very lonely on my morning runs around the neighbourhood. The running attracts honks from various drivers as well, but in this case I suspect it's the lycra that proves too much for unaccustomed male drivers.

Anyway, walking is an excellent means of transport. You get some fresh air, some sun, some exercise. You can take the time to stop at those places you see from the car but never bother pulling over for. And it justifies eating large quantities of potato chips, which I often do.