Top 5: Finds In Darwin

I have spent a bit of time visiting Darwin this year, and have discovered some gems in the city for escape, relaxation and beauty.

Now the tourist guides will mention a war museum, a couple of crocodile parks, and the new waterfront as places to visit. Although then they run out of suggestion, I found.

One of them is the view from the Darwin Trailer Boat Club. Family friendly, you can sit inside and out, and there is a pool for the kids, while the adult take in the ocean view and the plethora of drinks available at very reasonable prices. The food is not amazing, and I watched the footy there once, so it's not high end - go for the views!

The best view in Darwin has to be the sun dipping into the ocean at sunset, from the Nightcliff Jetty - or just off the jetty so that the jetty features in your view. Spectacular colours, such a show.

This area is packed with locals and visitors alike for the daily setting of the sun, and has rustic old-fashioned food vans, well worth the visit. You'll need to eat if you didn't come prepared with a picnic, because families and groups set up here with the most amazing smelling food!

Once the sun is down, and when it's in season, the Darwin Deckchair Cinema is the next find - below the Esplanade, it is tucked between the town and the sea. The movies are a good selection, the chairs are comfy enough, and there is also a rotation of food options through the week.

My favourite find, however, has to be Eva's cafe in the Darwin Botanical Gardens. A converted old homestead, the verandas and the back decking are the perfect place for an escape, among the trees of the Gardens. The food and coffee is very good, and the service was tops each time I went there.

The last Darwin recommendation is an extension of the Botanical Gardens, down to Mindil Beach. I managed to get the strip of sand mostly all to myself, for a total get away.

A walk along the path and up the hill, towards the Darwin High School, gave me a view across the water and beach, which was well worth the climb.

This area has sunset markets on most days, and I would imagine gets swarms of beachgoers on weekends.

Lots more to explore in this part of the world, but these have been my delighted finds so far!

How Did We Get Here, Australia? The Lasting Impact Of Politicising Tampa And SIEV X

It's 14 years this weekend since the sailing and subsequent discovery of the tragedy of the "SIEV X". This August it was the same anniversary of the Tampa affair. Both these events involving the boat journey of asylum seekers trying to reach Australia for protection have had profound effects on Australia's immigration policies and treatment of asylum seekers, and refugees.

The story of the Tampa affair is stepped out via these photos of the amazing Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children Ballarat, on their Spring Stroll last month.  Each card held by a grandmother sets out the main points.

The SIEV X - or so called 'Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel X' as the Australian government of the day labelled it - was a boat that set off from a tiny fishing village in Indonesia with 421 passengers aboard. Overcrowded and unseaworthy, the boat sunk.

353 people are thought to have died in the water, including 146 children. These were reportedly families attempting to join other family members who had already made the journey to Australia. 45 people from the boat were rescued, and returned to Indonesia.

Evidence suggests that Australia knew the boat was there, in trouble, and did nothing to help the people on board.

You can read a full chronology of the SIEV X here.

These two on-water events happened amid an Australian election. John Howard used the Tampa story in his campaign, and whipped the media into a frenzy about 'boat people'. He then used another SEIV in the same October as his example of "children overboard", which was received by the boarder Australian community, but proved to be lies in later Senate Inquiry evidence.

Howard's solution for Tampa was the birth of the Pacific Solution, and the first use of the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru as a "processing centre", in a deal agreed on on September 10 2001.

The date before the Western world changed it's view of Muslims, and developed a never-before-seen awareness of terror and terrorism, as 9/11 in New York City happened. The climate for foreigners in Western nations, including Australia, changed.

Julian Burnside QC paints the impact of this world event, the treatment of the Tampa, and subsequent Australian fear-mongering about asylum seekers coming by boat in many speeches, as it was his full introduction to the refugee policy of Australia. You can read a transcript of his Hamer Oration here, delivered just last month.

The Howard government in full election campaign mode used this post-9/11 attacks fear to whip up further a public fear of 'boat people', linking those on the Tampa. Because there were Muslims onboard the Tampa. The old White Australia rhetoric was powerful to the voting age at the time.

The Muslims on the Tampa were mostly Hazaras from Afghanistan, actually fleeing the Taliban. But that fact would never be mentioned in the press buzz of fear of the day.

Most of those on the Tampa were transferred to a camp Nauru, and held there until 2004 when the refugees in this group were finally brought to Australia and placed in the community under restricted temporary conditions.

The notion of "classified" information about events such as the SIEV X, and today's call of "On-Water Matters", draws obvious parrallels in Australia's current turn back policy.

Nauru has been closed, reopened, closed, and reopened to it's current status - many men, women and children have currently been held there, now as declared refugees, since October 2013. The end of the current chapter of this blight on Australia's human rights records, treatment of the world's asylum seekers and refugees, and enduring legacy of the Tampa is not yet closed.

Additional Links:

How Tampa Become A Turning Point - Amnesty International Australia

Tampa Affair

Nauru Processing Centre

Children Overboard

Byron Bay Bluesfest 2015

Chilled, easy to get around, great music discoveries across each of the days, good food - Bluesfest in Byron Bay this year was everything you want in a music festival.

We bought tickets on a bit of a whim, really, months ago, and then several of the bands we had been swayed to see pulled out. Yet when the Easter long weekend approached, and Jess and I met at Brisbane airport for a roadtrip down to Byron, we were petty excited about the musical experience ahead.

After settling in to our digs for the weekend, we navigated the bus transport to get us into Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, and made our way straight to see the second half of Wagons' set in the Jambalaya tent. Always fun, the band played many of the punchy live tracks that win over new listeners, and thus, our music feast began.

We switched to the big Mojo tent, and took in the sounds and moves of Jurassic 5's hip hop tunes, along with a decent crowd.

I then ducked back to the Jambalaya tent for one of my much loved Aussie bands, Boy & Bear. Tracks from both their albums, they impressed as always live, with Lordy May, Feeding Line, and rhythmic Milk & Sticks.
Part Time Believer was in there, with Three-Headed Women, plus the emotionally charged Back Down The Black shone. A little return to their EP days with Rabbit Song, before big tracks of Golden Jubilee and Southern Sun rounding out their big and popular set. Always amazing live.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue brought big band blues jazz funk to Mojo, which was seriously fun to a very dancy crowded tent.

Still on Mojo, I finally got to see Counting Crows, who I have never seen live, despite having their album on high play back at college. Opening with Round Here, the crowd took over the signing straight away, which set the scene for the set. Crowd favourites like Omaha and Mr Jones created mass tent sized singalongs, which were incredible. Lead singer Adam was engaging, but didn't really need to exert his voice too much with such eager crowd participation.

Color Blind was a stand out, and the set ended with an encore of Rain King.

Checking out some of the live RocKwiz music and quiz session first on the next day, I then jumped across to the Delta tent for Declan Kelly presents Diesel 'n Dub.

Alex Lloyd featured, with Emma Donovan and Frank Yamma doing a collection of Midnight Oil songs - each a strong political voice, for the rights of our indigenous brothers and sisters across Australia. The set opened with our PM's recent grab of hideousness, talking about his idea that living in remote communities are about 'lifestyle choices', which set the scene for the set, speaking out against the proposed closure of these communities. Thus, Beds Are Burning, especially resonated.

A sudden and heavy rain shower had us seeking shelter up at the Juke Joint tent after this - where in the process, we discovered the country blues storytelling tunes of Matt Anderson - one of our finds of the festival, and the most by chance. Engaging and witty lyrics, he had the whole pretty-full crowd, hanging on every word.

After catching up with a friend over dinner between sets, I then rejoined Jess for a bit of Gray Clark Jr funk, before we called it a night just before music's end.

Day three we arrived for the start of the music of the day, and took in Luluc and their sweet melodies in the Juke Joint. A packed RocKwiz was next on the bill for us, as we watched them get the quiz started, before I then ducked over to Crossroads tent for Nikki Hill. I had read good reviews of her first set for the festival, and enjoyed her energy and girl power of this set.

Mariachi El Bronx delivered some fun Mexicana funk in Mojo next for us, before I returned to Juke Joint to see the full Wagons set. Beer Barrell Bar was a stand out, as was Drive All Night Till Dawn, with crowd favourite Willie Nelson featuring the usual encouraged participation to end the set.

I got back to Mojo and worked my way into the crammed tent for Hozier - who killed it! We had seperated for this because of which act we had each seen before, and when we met back up for Alabama Shakes just after we wowed that we had just seen a packed tent full of people singing song we had never heard before. Turned out they were Someone New and Take Me To Church. We know who he is now!

Alabama Shakes was another amazing musical discovery for me, who rocked that full tent also. Then we changed to Crossroads for a slightly more mellow David Gray, who played loads of favourites like Babylon, Sail Away, and This Year's Love, mingled with new tracks from his new album, and ended with Say Hello Wave Goodbye.

Wanting to cut off both my feet by this bus ride home that night, we rested up ready to do it all again for the next day.

Easter Sunday at Bluesfest was marked with organic chocolate-filled doughnuts and coffee to start our festival going, whilst admiring the mud patches around most of the bigger tents. Our gumboots were a welcome fashion piece, with so many versions seen across the weekend.

The Beautiful Girls is what got us out of bed to get there for their set on this day, and watching them play their chilled tunes was well worth it. Their set also featured Matt's son on stage, who played along on his mini-guitar and showered the front crowd with Easter eggs on cue. Cute!

I watched a little of Ash Grunwald next, and then a little more of Gary Clark Jr, before talking a walk around and catching a couple of Diesel's songs in a packed Delta tent.

But the set of the festival for me was next, and we both made our way into the big tent for Xavier Rudd And The United Nations. Such great multicultural tunes, with a message, and such stage presence. Xavier was powerful in delivery and politics, and they showcased their new album across the set, and really impressed. Again, another act I have not seen live before, and was so blown away by here at Bluesfest.

We sat at sidestage seating for some dinner and Rodrigo y Gabriela instrumental brilliance. Wow!

The eventual headliner of the Festival was next on Mojo, and we got into position expecting a massive crowd and set from Ben Harper And The Innocent Criminals. Opening with Glory & Consequence, and adding Amen Omen, the two hour set started very low key and flat, before Burn One Down got some crowd attention again.

Excuse Me Mr brought some energy back, but he had lost a bit of the crowd by then. Several new tracks were sprinkled in, with Steal My Kisses a standout of the set. A shame that the final act for my festival lacked the punch we had anticipated, but it only highlighted how very good local Rudd was just two sets prior.

An incredible long weekend away, with epic music hours, catching up with friends, some great food, and some very sore, tired and muddy feet! Worth every leg ache, for sure!

Our Beautiful Names: Art And Poetry In Castlemaine

Yesterday, as part of the Castlemaine State Festival, the Writing Through Fences group opened their Our Beautiful Names exhibit at St Mary's hall.

The title of the show is taken from a poem within the exhibit, referring to the practice in the Immigration system to refer to people by a number:

...
let us be strong,
let us forget numbers,
let us call out
our beautiful names.

The art works on display, and poems available in a booklet for purchase, have all been created by people held in Christmas Island, in detention centres around Australia, and some from both Manus Island and Nauru.

Such beautiful works, showing such pain, the fluctuating hope and despair, and the humanity of those stuck in this highly politicised situation.

The hall also contained an area at the back dedicated to those lives lost recently within the Immigration system, with one death this past week making the dedication all the more emotional for the room.

The room at the opening was filled with people now living in the community, under bridging visas or whatever their circumstances have allowed. The joy and energy from the young artists, so proud of their works on display, and the gathering there to see it, was infectious!

The photography from Fly Camp in Nauru caught my eye, along with several pieces from some of the men I know from there.

The exhibit is open until the final day on the 22nd March, with donations and proceeds from the booklet on sale going towards finding more way to promote these works, and support the ongoing work of the group to provide an emotional and creative outlet for the people in these circumstances.

Please get along if you can, and see and support this amazing collection of works.

There's Been Something Spiritual About This Test Series

This Test series here in Australia, against India, has been about so much more than just cricket.

I first read the devastating news of Phil Hughes' fatal injury when I was at work - one of my sister's actually sent me through a message just as I started reading about it, to check I was aware - and watched and waited like the rest of the worldwide cricket family with hope. I was glued to the feeds of news and updates for the 2 days. And then when the news came through of the 25 year old's death I needed to step away. I got back out to work, to do something meaningful. To remind myself of all that is really important in the world.

I watched our great captain Clarke work through his grief, lead his team, and support the Hughes family. I watched through a live stream, the funeral from country NSW, and teared up at the love and strength shown in Clarkie's eulogy. Never have I been so proud of a sporting figure.

Work had me out of contact and out of touch for the first day of the Adelaide Test, the first day of cricket since the abandoned match that took Hughes' life. I was flying home, on my way to Adelaide, to join MY cricket family.

It has been a little tough for me to feel the full weight of the emotion of it all, I think because of what I do, where I work, and what I hear about every day. But seeing the shrine of bats and flowers and messages out the front of Adelaide Oval, and in front of the photo of Phil Hughes brought it home for me.

The final stands of the RADelaide Test, with the impossible victory that Australia pulled off in the closing session...felt magical. Something spiritual was going on, something special. Whether we believe that Phil was looking down, or whether we just acknowledge that this playing group were playing more to honour their fallen mate than just for the mere game, it felt very different to any other win I have been present for. It was emotional. Meaningful.

I watched the rest of the series from home on a respite for the rescheduled Brisbane test, from grabs from the TV at work during the Melbourne test, and then again on a respite break just now for the Sydney test. Australia have taken the series 2-0, with 2 draws being the last results. Many significant cricket aspects went on this series - the Clarke injury, the newly crowned captaincy for Smith, the incredible form of Smith, Warner's grit, Johnson's unstoppable bowling, Dhoni's retirement, Kohli's form and captaincy...but there was a greater, more serious theme.

The collective draw of breath and fear that rippled through the ground, and screens, when the very first bouncer hit a batsman on the helmet. And each time someone reached 63. These were painful reminders of the tragic loss.

Images from the Summer like Smith's first hundred, in Adelaide, when he raised his bat to the sky, standing by the 408 painted on the ground. The whole team managing to gather together in winning jubilation, again, just above that 408 on the ground at the Adelaide Oval. Warner's hundred in Sydney, when he went to ground and kissed the pitch where Hughes had fallen. These will be lasting memories from this emotional Summer. Far greater than the series score.

Vale Phillip Hughes. Forever Young.

Aussie Faces In The Hinterland

As much as we like to pretend that we encounter our Australian native animals all the time, we don't really come across them very often. Unless you live in the bush, you don't see them in their natural environment at all.

That's why spotting them is still a pretty special moment.

These two guys crossed my path as a drove back down the mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterlands. The koala walked across the road, without a worry in the world, totally stressing me out, given the bend in the road he was near.

The kangaroo just happened to catch my eye, as I was taking in the spectacular views around another bend. And there he was, watching the car go by. I hope he stayed on that side of the road!

Tassie Big Things

Setting off on a roadtrip from Launceston to Hobart after a football game this Winter, Laura and I happened the have checked out the list of Aussie Big Things that are in the Apple Isle, and started making some detour suggestions as we set off. Not big detours, but a slight diversion that would have us collect THREE! Our co-roadtrippers thought we were mad, but they went along with it nonetheless. And loved the end result, I might add!

The diversion meant coming off the main highway, and joining the road that had us also go past the Great Lake. Which was very pretty.

But first on the Aussie Big Things trial were the Big Wickets! In Westbury, they are standing in the public park, next to the football/cricket oval, and stand tall to mark the achievement of the local Australian test player. We were pretty excited to have found these!

Next up, and just further down the road, was a refashioned silo, painted with a handle and spout addition to be the Big Coffee Pot. This was on a farm on the side of the road in Deloraine.



A little further up the road is Mole Creek, and given that we were on a roll, we were hardly going to stop now, so close to another. The Big Tassie Devil! He is sitting out the front of a Wildlife Sanctuary, and looks pretty menacing!

Three Big Things in one day, plus the gorgeous Great Lakes area - definitely worth the detour on our drive down the island state!

Views Above And Across Hobart

Tasmania has just been listed by Lonely Planet as one of the top regions of the world to visit in 2015. In my visit to the Apple Isle of Australia in the middle of this year, I took the chance to pop down to Hobart to visit 2 of my favourite people in the world - and they showed me these amazing Winter views of their city.

Mount Nelson was the first of the high points. Driving up to the Signal House, we got out into the chilly morning air - so fresh! - and took in the cloud covered valleys below. Further outward, the view included the point where the Derwent River mount meets the sea, off into the horizon.

Next, we made our way up the windy roads to get to Mount Wellington. Here, the morning sun once again gleaned off the waters below, and highlighted the clouds lingering around the river valleys.

Stunning, natural views of Australian landscape. Fresh air, Aussie bush smells and colours. One of the many reasons for Tassie to make such a worldwide travel list!

Campbelltown Food Trail - Foodie Treats Tour In Suburban Adelaide

If you had have told me that the neighbourhoods of Adelaide are rich with multicultural food experiences before I attended the Words To Go conference, I surely would have scoffed at the suggestion. Despite going to visit the Australian city of churches on an annual basis, I usually only scratch the surface on what this city has to offer. But I can now tell you there is amazing food, all ranges of treats from all corners of the globe on offer! And the Campbelltown Food Trail is the way to sample many of them, for a day out.

A community project, the businesses of Campbelltown City Council are benefiting from a clever idea of running tours around the area to taste their wares - a council showing off their top qualities, in a pretty lovely way!

There are 21 businesses on the list at the moment, and we got to sample six of them, including morning tea and coffee, plus a lunch stop.

After the drive out to the North Eastern suburb, we stopped at Java Lifestyle Coffee and Tea, for coffees and churro treats to start the day.

Next was the olfactory pleasures of Mercato. The nonnas above were sitting, rolling pasta among the shelves of every pasta type you could image. The smells of this Italian gourmet food emporium were heavenly. From cheeses and wines, to coffees, deli goods, and sweets.

Our third stop was a wholesale cake store that was run by a very proud Latin American patisserie, Elbio, and his All About Sweets. A tour of the mini factory was part of our visit, which had us sampling decedent Postre Chaja, Massini Chantilly, and other equally exotically named cakes. We were also present just as the Lovingtons were being dipped into chocolate, and their coconut layer was being added. You can surely imagine the smells filling this room!

Our mini bus then ventured into residential streets, away from any shops or stores, and pulled up out the front of a house. The whole bus was puzzled when we were invited to jump out, and visit a home here.

The Kumar's Indian Cuisine Services is home based, serving home cooked Indian curries and savoury snacks - from their home, aptly labeled The Kumar's At Number 20! Once inside we met the family, as dish after dish was laid out in front of us.

Lunch was three different and delicious curries, with rice, and pakoras. Finished with the surprisingly sweet jalebi - a red coloured curly swirl of sugary treat!

Next up, as our stomachs very getting very full, we stopped into Salta In Bocco, which is another mini factory producing almond breads. The fig and pistachio was a hit, in it's curling, crisp and colourful form.

Amazingly, lastly we had a proper lunch stop, with a sit down restaurant experience at Assaggio, a Mediterranean inspired cafe. Wine and tapas sized tastings were served, alongside pizzas which were very good.

All in all, a very full day trip in Adelaide, pun intended! Such a delight to experience so many tastes, but also to meet and hear from the people behind the businesses. Each visit oozed the love and care each of the owners put into their food, and shed warmth onto their visitors, making them welcome to sample and discover their wares. A really great community run foodie experience in the suburbs!



Jouljet Notes
Serious Tip: Don't eat beforehand, as you'll need room for all the treats available to sample
Time: Campbelltown is about a 20 minute drive from Adelaide city, and our tour of 6 locations with tasting and purchasing stops, was around 5 hours
Cost: A bus tour, like we took, is around $60, depending on how many there is of you, and how many stops you want to make. Or you can download the map of places, pick out the ones that spark your taste buds, and drive yourself!
Quirky Tip: Call ahead and pre-arrange a visit to the Kumar's onto your tour selections if you can. A very entertaining, and delicious stop!

Being a participant at Words To Go, I was lucky to be included in this tour as part of the experience. But all thoughts and flavour recalls are all my own!

Faces Of Adelaide

At the very end of the Words To Go Blogger conference I attended, I spotted some impressive pieces of street art on my way back to the hotel. A new-to-me area of the city of Adelaide too.

The top two faces are familiar works to me, from all the street art spotting I have done in Melbourne. The top one, found on the side of a terrace-sized building along Leigh Street is a Rune piece, and the striking middle piece is an Adnate work of art. Don't recognise the boy, but he is a mischievous paste up that also caught my eye along the same pedestrian strip.

The Bridge Beauty was still there, too. Adelaide does have some life about it after all, if you going looking for it!

Couple Of Interstate Matches

Thwarted at last minute attempts to go to this weekend's match in Adelaide, given that I have been unexpectedly grounded from work, - the match was sold out over a week ago! - I have managed to see the Hawks play at a few more interstate matches this season. More interstate than home at the MCG, in fact.

The first of these latest ones was a much anticipated match up against trade traitor Buddy Franklin - the Hawks played the Swans at ANZ Stadium on a Friday night before I was due to go back to work, and fit in perfectly.

A gathering came together in outer Sydney, before we all made our way to the match. B and her parents, Cass and Flash, Melissa and LB and myself found ourselves our seats right in the middle of the Hawthorn supporters section - a delight for the home supporters in our group!

Nervous about the match ups, as this game was and is always a real test for the two sides, we were most impressed with our Hawks for much of the game. Buddy seemed to have a usual match for him - inaccuracy after frustrating inaccuracy, and his deflection did not seem to bother us at all. But then he had a third quarter burst of brilliance, as he is want to do, and blew the game apart. Bloody Buddy!

The next match, many weeks later, was down in Tasmania. An annual trip for me, I got down to Launceston bemused after reading a ridiculous article about how the footy experiment in Tassie wasn't working out.

Laura, and her mates joined me from across the country and from down in Hobart, for the match, between Hawthorn and West Coast.

The Hawks had a great day out, as this Tassie jaunt often gives us a happy hunting ground, and the lads were cheered off with enthusiastic cheers and singing.

All throughout the weekend - spying Hawks and Eagles colours of people in the streets on the Saturday morning before the match, seeing a pretty decent crowd at Aurora Stadium, and then spotting Hawks fans all over the town that night, and still more brown and yellow to be seen on the roads leading south, all the way to Hobart - I couldn't help be reminded of that spiteful article. Yeah, footy down in Tassie is not working at all!

Our group alone enjoyed the little city for a night, sampled the ciders, the beers and the wines. I vaguely remember some local food being consumed also. Then we took in some local sights before roadtripping to Hobart. The trip to Tassie for the footy is such a great Winter getaway.

Haven't been to a live match since, stuck with waking in the early hours over my recent travels and streaming the radio coverage. Still, the Hawks are looking good to me this year, again!

Words To Go – Tips And Inspiration

A gaggle of bloggers was invited to Adelaide for an event within Tasting Australia, to chat about food and travel and social media and photography. A lot of networking, loads of great tips and words of wisdom, and a host of amazing photos were shared across the forum, and the following day of touristing, as part of Words To Go 2014.

The forum was held in the kitchen of the Adelaide Central Market, and after being greeted at the airport and catching a much needed night of sleep, I joined the group early on the Monday morning, ready to be inspired. There were some impressive speakers on the agenda, and within the gathering.

Follow Your Heart

Lauren Bath, Australia’s top Instagrammer, who now does it for a living, talked about focussing on what interests you, shooting for yourself. She has learnt photography through her IG, and now does it for various tourism boards around the world, among other clients.

Robyn Eckhardt of Eating Asia fame also talked about blogging for herself. She spoke about how the discovery of a place when travelling can be very personal, and discussed that discovering a new place is really about finding how that place along your travels speaks to you.

YTravelBlog’s Caz spoke about setting outlandish goals, and to never let anyone tell you that cannot do something. To find the thing that you love – travel for her and her family – and do that. It feeds her soul.

The amazing Katie Quinn Davies from What Katie Ate told us she was an ‘all or nothing’ kind of person, and that she too advised to put everything into what you do – which is what she does. Focus too on the incidentals, the details.

Get Amongst the Locals

Robyn and her partner David Hagerman, photographer for Eating Asia, spoke about visiting a market in a new place as a starting point. They both spoke about standing back and observing, to watch a place, and to wait for things to happen. Robyn spoke about lingering over a meal or a coffee to watch – watch what the locals are eating, how they are eating, who pays, who makes the decisions, are they sharing or having individual dishes. Sit and watch what goes on, to really learn about a place.

David spoke about how food is a window into different cultures. The people behind the food, and how they interact with their environment, how they tell the story of a new place.

Robyn also told us all to say yes to unexpected encounters when travelling, and that a traveller and photographer needs to leave themselves open to things. Like being invited to a local’s home for a meal, for example, which we would never do at home.

Robyn introduced the idea of following a particular thing around a destination – focus on an ingredient, for example, from the market, and then follow how it is used, sold, eaten, grown. This gives a new places an added life, and an added very real story. She also talked about giving into your obsessions, about taking photos of a particular thing. Go with it!

Tips

I hope Lauren gets a cut of the download volume on SnapSeed, because she shared this phone app with us as her number one way of editing and improving her raw photos, and I am pretty sure the majority of the forum downloaded it there and then. It’s really great!

David spoke of getting an overview photo of where you are at, and then to capture specific moment shots, before getting down to elegant detail shots. He talked about using people in the photos, to bring the scene to life. Start with people, he quipped, and the rest becomes more interesting. Being mindful of the background of your target, composing back to front. David also talked about how he interacts with people to be part of the shot, with such amazing results.


We were treated to an array of photo examples throughout these talks, which inspired us all even more. Our later walk through the market displayed many of the tips that were shared!

Along with the tips and invaluable blogging, travelling and photography advise, I met some awesome fellow bloggers, such as Maureen from Orgasmic Chef, and Tania from My Kitchen Stories. I got to catch up with Nicole from Bitten By The Travel Bug, and share recent travel stories with Jenny from A Taste Of Travel. I also met Sam from Travelling King, Heike from But It Tasted Good and Aga of A Matter Of Taste. Plus I have a new list of other blogs to read and discover!

A Couple Of Footy Games

I just know already that I am not going to get along to many AFL games this year, because of my FIFO work schedule and loads of travel planned, so in the last respite break at home I have absorbed as many games on TV as I could and also went along to two of the Hawks' games.

The first game of the season I found out the result from another worker in the centre, as a result of wearing my Hawks hat as part of my everyday outfit. The next game I stayed back at the internet room again at work and nervously watched the score tick over, with a close win at the end.

For Round 3, I was home, and at the MCG, rugged up against the cold. The match was the 2013 Grand Final rematch, and the occasion when Hawthorn got to unfurl the Premiership Flag from the previous year.

Disappointingly, the match did not live up to the hype of the rematch, and the Hawks' might blew Freo away this time.

To get to work for each rotation, I am flown from Melbourne to Brisbane before the early morning flight the next day. As chance would have it, the Hawks played the Gold Coast on the Saturday night before my last rotation, Round 4, and I requested an earlier flight to get me there in time for the match.

A train over to the Gold Coast from my airport hotel in Brisbane was pretty easy, albiet and hour long, to get me to Metricon Stadium. The Suns have lots of activities going on around the ground before the match, and I was impressed at the swarm of followers this start-up club has attracted.

Again the Hawks proved too good, blowing the Suns out to a 99 point thrashing. I have seen the Hawks in some incredible form!

In the middle of my work shift was the timing for the Round 5 match, and I stayed back writing reports to watch the heart-hurting end to that match. The Geelong rivalry continues!

The next match I was in flight, getting back to Australia, and learned the score when I landed back in Brisbane. For yesterday’s match I was away at a tropical island getaway for a much needed rest, with limited internet – but got an update at regular intervals, and also a photo of the conditions from the MCG from one of my sisters, and I was more than happy to be where I was!

The Hawks are doing very well so far! Looking forward to scheduling in a few more matches for the season, around my crazy travels.

The National At Sydney Opera House

Seeing one of my favourite bands, off the back of a year with an album release that I loved, at the forecourt of one of Australia's most iconic buildings, on a warm Summer's night - can there be a better gig!? I worked hard on logistics to attend this, and all that wrangling of life was so worth it! What a night!

The National came on stage just as the light in the sky was fading, and Sydney's Opera House and Habour Bridge were lighting up. Jess and I had just caught the very end of the support band, and soon abandoned the long bar line as the starting time drew closer.

Opening with Don't Swallow The Cap and then I Should Live In Salt, the band then played Mistaken For Strangers, previewing the mix of albums this set list would feature.

Bloodbuzz Ohio brought the crowd and collective singing back, before Demons and Sea Of Love from the new album were played. Afraid Of Everyone and Conversation 16 rose the crowd again.

I Need My Girl was dedicated to usual bassist Scott, who was back home, having just welcomed a new baby - and just maybe, watching the live stream! The beautiful This Is The Last Time, was next.

Pink Rabbits, England and Graceless was a powerful trio later in the set, before an amazing About Today.

The encore of the near 2 hour show finally featured a rousting Mr. November, complete with Matt Berninger riding the tops of the crowd to "I used to be, carried in the arms of cheerleaders".

Back to the stage for the final two songs of the night, Terrible Love was an on-mass sing-a-long right there under the stars, before the incredible acoustic Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, where the whole band stepped to the front of the stage, and led the crowd to sing the whole song. The memory of this still gives me goosebumps.

Pylon Climbing - The Poorer Travellers Bridge Climb

One of the most iconic structures in Australia is the bridge many of us affectionately refer to as the coathanger - the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I have completed the Bridge Climb many years ago, and whilst I recommend it because it is an incredible experience, there is a much more affordable, and faster alternative, for similar views.

The Pylon on the city side - here on the right - is open for exploring. You enter the stairs from the road level of the bridge. We had braced ourselves for a big, hard climb, but before we knew it we had reached the top look out point.

Completing the circuit at the top, we enjoyed each views, from the city to the bridge. We watched as ferries came and went past the Opera House into and out of Circular Quay.

Inside at the top level there is a photo exhibition of the Bridge, and also evidence of the crazy cat lady who used to live up here with her cats, and was the curator opening the pylon for visitors years ago.

In addition to the views, the pylon has several rooms of displays, including a video playing in the small theatre, outlining the history of the Bridge, from concept to design, to construction, and the role it has played in Sydney life.

It was such a surprisingly good and unusual thing to do in Sydney, and for such a small cost.