Oprah Down Under

“I am overjoyed to be here in Australia. This is a big adventure and I'm going to open myself up to every little thing along the way. I want to experience as much as I can."~Oprah

She came. She conquered. The whole country was boisterously wowed by her electrifying presence. It was not hard for her to win the hearts of this nation. It was in fact quite effortless on her part. The squealing fans down under were transfixed by her seemly omniscient power - critics and cynics including; even those who were less enchanted of her person.

She is famous. She is rich. She is sensational. She is generous.

The corporate world tagged her as Lady Midas with a Golden Touch. And for those in the real world who were the beneficiaries of her generosity called her a Fairy Godmother without a Magic Wand.

Her name is a byword in every household all over the world. Yet, in all that facade, she remains true to herself: Reachable. Loved. Wanted. Through it all, she is a true human as well as humane. In a communal term of spiritual, social, intellectual and psychological sense, she is Inspiring! Awe-Inspiring!

Now she's gone. She was teary eyed when she bade goodbye to this country that is geographically distant from the rest of the world. But she promised she would come back. There's much left to be desired in this immense single-country-continent with far-flung cultural ethnicity and multicultural diversities stretching from end to end.

She left us a legacy of lasting memory for what she was as a person our naked eyes had seen her in the flesh. She left us an impressionable legacy of enviable and euphoric experience of what it was like to be in her show or to watch her show even if it meant standing by the sideline securely clutching to the barricading rails under the heat of the sun - in an open air - within the vicinity of the famous Sydney Opera House.

Talking about miracles is not my area of authority to speak of. But Oprah showed us what a miracle was all about.

"I believe miracles happen in our lives not just sometimes but every single day."~Oprah

Wasn't she right? Miracles happen but every single day! To you and me, to us, in any form in every way. As I personally gave up vying for a ticket to be a part of her Ultimate Australian audience; honestly knowing that I am not  an Ultimate Viewer of her show from beginning to the end, however, I will unashamedly admit that I admire her to the point of being called Lame by my girls. I conceded that if she would come, I'd just watch her on the TV news. That would be enough to make me happy.

But the insistence of my friend Lucy made me to reconsider the possibility of going. To 'just go' without expecting anything. It was only an spontaneous reaction ignited by our curiosity to see Oprah -the world's most famous American Talk Show Queen.

There was no plan made a week before that. The week when Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure American Viewers touched down Sydney International Airport, the media frenzy begun so was the Oprah Mania. Australia held its breath in great anticipation to the arrival of Queen Oprah who flew in on her own luxurious jumbo jet plane later the following day.

Nonetheless, at the time Oprah heralded her unsuspecting throng of 300 American audience with an ultimate surprise news of their lifetime, they all went berserk. She told her frantic audience that they were coming down under with her. That was when my friend Lucy's imagination stampeded as she went wild with over-excitement just like everyone did. And I was one of them.

Lucy wanted to sit down prettily right in front of Oprah in the audience. She glossed her think-tank or brain bank and set it to the highest degree with an aim that she would interview the mighty lady afterward. It was her dream. Her goal. Somehow, someone got to dream big! Why settle for less? It did not happen unfortunately. Lucy was eluded by that miracle.

In Oprah's desire to make everyone happy, she created a miracle to happen for us: Luz, Marissa and I and to many others who were there. And in our desire to see her at any cost or at what cost; we dared, we took a risk. A risk worth taking. The day was Tuesday, 14th of December 2010. A week after she and the rest of the entourage arrived after they all finished their one-week Ultimate Adventure touring around the country in split groups.

As I've said, we did not plan to be there at all. It was extemporaneous, on a spur of the moment thinking. But we came up with an agreement that if we were truly to see Oprah, we must leave home early. First, to beat the traffic congestion. Second, to catch the train to Circular Quay  on time, and third, to find the right vantage, which was 1:99 ratio possibility, where we can position ourselves to see the once in a lifetime big O Motion.

Yet, the night before I was worried because I got hitch with slight fever. Still, I managed to get up early in the morning as usual.

The forecast for that day was cloudy and scattered rain showers. But doom and gloom did not stop me from getting things ready, ate my brekky, and get dressed up. When I took the garbage outside to the bin, the morning was refreshingly cool. So I decided to do a quick walk about to the oval which is just a stone throw away while waiting for Lucy.

It didn't take five minutes when I spied Lucy's white car coming. She and another friend, Marissa, arrived earlier to our appointed time, so it was good. She left her car in our compound car park area then we headed to the rail station. We took a train to the city and stopped at Central Station and took another train to Circular Quay. On arrival, we walked to the Opera House.

Many people were there already and the forecourt of the Opera House was fully seated with 6,000 fortunate Australian Ultimate Viewers. It was only 8:40am. Surprise, surprise! We suddenly found ourselves joining the queue and we just went along with the flow of the crowd. Then some of Oprah's staff made rounds to give us unofficial tickets that looked more like raffle tickets for us to get through a tight security marquee for screening prior to entering the vicinity. We were also issued with Orange wrist bands which was taken out from our wrist on entrance to the security door.

We were very lucky to be among in the extra crowd of early birds that gathered worms. We were allowed in to fill the adjacent space available closer to the venue just a little outside the forecourt where the official audience seated. We were just standing on the sideline.

The atmosphere was incredibly vivacious. The crowd's reception to Oprah's cheer leading chant of Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie received a resounding response of oi! oi! oi in perfect unison from Australians. Much especially when she breathlessly declared at the top of her voice "I ... Love ... Australia!!!! the more the crowd over reacted and they didn't hide their ruckus exuberant joy. The experience was truly exhilarating and amazing!

I was very happy enough to be where we were positioned. We thought we would settle ourselves anywhere closer we could get just to be there. But as it turned out, good things happened when you least expect it. The weather cooperated beautifully and the clear blue sky came out instead of being cloudy and the heavens held the rain until Oprah was gone!

Before the show commenced, the sun started to climb up the summit of noonday and the air was getting very hot! Again, Oprah's staff went around to provide us with a squeeze of sunscreen. So we virtually washed our face with white cream to protect us from Skin Cancer which is prevalent here. In truth, I don't like sunblock for its unpleasant feel to the skin and unwelcome smell. But in that time, I desperately needed one even if I was ready to get sunburn.

So One little dream came true for me. Because I originally planned of watching the Oprah Show Live if I would turn 60. The date had elapsed and I didn't make it to be in Oprah's audience, as a birthday gift to myself. I confess, in all honesty, we do not celebrate birthdays. But just as I thought, it won't do me any harm to at least give myself a treat.

Now that I have seen Oprah four months past my birthday, my wish after all did come true and mission accomplished. And she is really cool and well-loved by Australians. She is so overpowering that she caught everyone up with Oprah mania fever. No one can resist her charm mainly due to her Gift giving spirit. Without which I don't think people will come to love her.

The Oprah juggernaut is over and NOW we are back to earth here down under!

And LIFE goes on....

Thank You Oprah and Thank You Mr Andrew Mcevoy from the Ministry of Tourism.

Having been here for 23 years, Now I can truly say, "I (Still) Call Australia HOME!"

Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Hugh Jackman, Olivia Newton-John and Russell Crowe