Dear Mary Alice,
Thanks for all your advice. I'm glad you had a great time. I think the people there must be very friendly. I've been getting some wonderful invitations from 'down under.' I wasn't planning on buying any opals but if I do I'll be sure to take your advice. Did you buy opals?
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
Yes, I learned alot about Opals on a shipboard seminar (Crystal Cruises) - and determined that most U.S. jewelers usually offer very low quality (NO FIRE) opals which are not highly regarded in Australia. Since my return I have seen lots of doublets and triplets VERY much overpriced. Black opals are the rarest and value is determined by the RED brillance in the stone. I ended up buying three Opals - two black and one fire. I didn't really need three, but I figured I wouldn't be back for a while and couldn't live without them. I even dropped my bag one day (with a newly purchased opal in it) on a bus (leased by Crystal to ferry passengers around) and after becoming hysterical for about two hours, the front desk called and said the bus driver had turned in my bag!! The Aussies are some HONEST people, considering the bad press from their ancestors and they are very friendly and fun-loving - alot like the Irish!!
Have a great trip down under...
Mary Alice

Dear Mary Alice,
Yes, the Australians seem like very friendly people. But then, I meet nice people all over the world. Opals are very beautiful. I'm glad you didn't lose yours!
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
No visit to Australia would be complete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland. You could go to Cairns or Port Douglas, or you could come to Townsville (this would be better). If you do make it here, our baseball team would happily put on an Aussie BBQ for you and your travelling companions.
Regards,
Sean Fairburn
Townsville, Australia

Dear Sean,
The great barrier reef sounds wonderful. I've been reading about it. Thank you for your kind invitation. I really love both BBQ and Baseball. My favorite American team is the Orioles. What is the name of your team? I'll let you know if we can make it!
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
Our team is the Confederates, and you would fit in well as you have to be 30 years of age or over to play with us. We also have a few Orioles supporters in our ranks.
Regards,
Sean

Hi Bud,
For the Australia trip... Welcome to Sydney
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge - affectionately known as the 'coathanger'. Did you know you can climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
Bondi Beach - Sydney's famous beach, lots of tourists love to go there!
If Bud's into radio appearances (publicity for the trip), he should try Triple J (national youth radio) first
What about the Olympic stadium?
Museum of Contemporary Art - watch out for the curators, they may want Bud to exhibit.
James

Dear James,
Wow! Thanks for all the great information. This will be a great help. Australia is a really big place, did you know it is a continent all by itself? I suppose that since you live there you probably already know that, I guess.
Sincerely, Bud

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Hey, I love the web site. I thought it was just going to be a bunch of pictures of a manequin all over the world, but the historical facts and scientific points are very interesting. They are also brief which makes them easier casual reading. Great job!

Have you considered getting bud a wife? I'm thinking a cute little crash test dummy....
Steve Passas

Dear Steve,
I'm really glad you liked reading my reports. I worked very hard on them but I didn't make them long because that would be boring to read. I hate boring stuff. I won't get married for some time because I'm still too young. Those crash test folks are my heroes. They do really dangerous stuff to make cars safer, I admire that.
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
I have a good friend from Australia that's in the states right now. Maybe I can ask her about some good spots for you to check out. She's also very well traveled. Let me ask you...how long do you plan to be there? Also, how on earth do you fund all these trips?!? I want to go to Australia soon and was wondering what sort of costs are involved.
I'm interested,
-Aaron

Dear Aaron,
Thank you very much! I would love to hear about the places to go see from somebody who sees them a lot. I plan to be in Australia for a couple of weeks. I also want to go to New Zealand.

I don't pay for the trips. Because I'm a young mannequin (and retired) I don't earn any money. Sometimes people give me money for airfare. I'm usually folded up and put in a nice soft bag with a lot of padding. Then when the bag is unzipped I'm in a new place! Cool, Huh? To check airfare prices you can go to Preview Travel.
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
I am impressed with your quick responses. One last question till september: When your creator "assumed the position" did you?
-Sculptor

Dear Sculptor,
Thank you. I really believe it is important to respond promptly to fan mail. Don't you think so? My friend gave a slide lecture on my travels during a theatrical performance called "Assume the Position" which was directed by Nancy O'Riley. Is that what you mean? I don't change my position very often, though. I look forward to hearing from you in September. Are you going on vacation? Tell about places you've been.
Sincerely, Bud

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Bud,
I am writing to commend you on a great web-site. Good work. I really enjoyed reading about your travels and looking at the great photos. I am planning a two month photographic journey across the US at the end of this month. Do you have any suggestions for me about travelling the Western US?
Thank you, and good luck on your "walk about" in Australia!
Ryan O'Rourke

Dear Ryan,
I'm glad you enjoyed my travel snapshots, thank you. I like the buttes out west and Las Vegas is very colorful. Be careful driving at dusk around the Great Salt Lake in the summertime, though. The car I was driving in hit a lot of bugs, they covered the windshield and clogged the radiator. They were two inches thick on the bumper when we washed them off, yuck. Texas is nice. I'm looking forward to seeing Australia.
Sincerely, Bud

bud,
i think your website is wonderful and i must admit i am envious of all your travels....and lack of work! the photos are quite beautiful.....i'm curious how you got past the security nazis at disneyworld...
hotpocket

Dear Hotpocket,
Howdy yourself and thank you! Actually, the people at Disney world were very nice. I showed them my pictures and they laughed a lot. I also told them how much I liked their place. They understood my problem with sitting down, so I got to ride up front on the Monorail. I even got free passes to the Magic Kingdom just by asking! I think if you are nice to people and compliment them, they will do nice things for you.
Sincerely, Bud

Bud,
do you ever feel like a manipulated tool of a socially deviant fringe artist? or did you become obsessed by the DaDa movement of pre world war I?
Sculptor

Dear Sculptor,
As a mannequin I have never 'felt' or 'become obsessed with' anything because I'm made of Fiberglas and paint, really, it's true. I really do like to travel, though, and try to be an ambassador of goodwill and tourism wherever I go. I think social deviants are probably more interesting than other people, though. Where have you traveled? Are you a deviant?
Sincerely, Bud

Dear Bud,
thank you for responding to my questions. as a fiberglass and paint entity, do you have any family that is connected with duane hanson? as the aformentioned entity (and one who doesn't feel or become obsessed with anything) how can you spread goodwill? is is done in the same manner that the jack in the box clown, or bob's big boy does, or is it more like manny, mo, and jack?
-sculptor

Dear Sculptor,
I am not related to the Hansons. But here is a story about my Mom. At least, I think she is my Mom. She hasn't written me or anything but she likes to travel, too.

I never say anything mean. I don't do mean things either. I always have good manners and I'm never rude. I think that if more people did this the world might become a better place. I am kind of shy in person, though.
Sincerely, Bud

Hello Bud.
I am a norwegian,18 years old girl who are going to write about Stonehenge. I am going to hand in this as a project, would you like to help me with some facts?
Thank you! Helge

Dear Helge,
I would be happy to help you with your schoolwork. I loved visiting Stonehenge and learned a lot while I was there. It is beautiful too. The site was used for ceremonial purposes as long as 5000 years ago. What other facts are you interested in?
I have not been to Norway yet. What should I visit when I get the chance?
Sincerely, Bud