Road trips are like a good nights sleep – they foster a sense of freedom and possibility. Gather a carefully curated selection of travel buddies, songs and snacks and you have formed the foundations of an adventure full of a million memories and laughs. Choosing a destination can be tricky. Do you swim in the … Continued
Undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments of my five week trip to Australia last summer was in Melbourne where on a free walking tour we heard about Ned Kelly- one of the most famous figures in Australian history and a national hero. He is best described as the ‘Australian Robin Hood,’ who caused much … Continued
You’ve seen photos of those monkeys in Japan, fur frosted with icicles, warming themselves in the hot springs. That’s what I’m reminded of on a sweltering day in the Yarra River at Warrandyte, a suburb on the outskirts of Melbourne. Groups, couples, families, people with dogs: they’ve all wandered down the path from the main … Continued
Above the ground are some of the world’s most deadliest animals; below the ground and in the water are some of the world’s most deadliest animals – why would anyone want to go to Australia? Simply: it is awesome. Australia is a country and continent unlike any other. For the adventurous traveler, it can be … Continued
When too much art is barely enough: dOCUMENTA 2012 So, it’s a contemporary arts festival in Kassel, Germany. I’m in a massive park, filled with unusual artworks, and I’m confronted by a hill of weeds. I don’t see a number. Is it art? If so, what makes it art? Such are the dilemmas that confront visitors … Continued
I’ve never seen anything so blue. The azure ocean stretched into an endless sky that filled my overwhelmed eyes. I soaked in the salty air, letting the breeze comb through my auburn hair as it murmured to me. The Twelve Apostles stuck out in random chunks across the shallow ocean floor. The majestic rock formations … Continued
When my foot slips off the same ledge for the third time in a row, Jun groans sympathetically and tightens his grip. Swaying perilously from thirty feet above, I shoot my new rock climbing partner an apologetic shrug, await further instruction. I only met Jun an hour ago, and yet he holds my life in … Continued
“I don’t think I could eat our national emblem,” Lisa comments as I lift my fork to my mouth. I pause, think for a while and then pop my piece of kangaroo steak in. It has a delicious smokiness to it. As I chew I think briefly of the unfortunate kangaroo the train hit during … Continued
A famous Australian Playwright -Dorothy Hewitt commented that it’s going to the ‘blonde’. Which means that grasses and shrubs are dried because summer heat is a natural version of peroxide, bleaching the color from everything? Eventually even the suburban front lawn becomes beige and hibernates in its summer coat. People in Sydney people would ask, … Continued
I knew there was a shark there, but I lost sight of him. I must have just snorkeled over his four foot body laying camouflaged on the sea bed floor. I turned to have one last look and then couldn’t find the shark which I knew had to be there. Chris and I signaled to … Continued