Destinations
Best Beaches Ever – Rosebud
I love the beach. I love the water, no matter the weather. I especially love the long, long views you get when you look out to sea interrupted only by a passing sailboat, or cargo ship. Not so fond of the sand getting into cracks I didn’t know I had – but that’s...
The One About the Deadly Spiders in Africa
Warning: not for the faint-hearted. We all know Africa can be dangerous. Beautiful, tick. Exciting, exotic, awe-inspiring – tick, tick, tick. And really, really dangerous. More people are killed each year not by lions – but by the hippopotamus! You don’t dare go to...
Dunkled: Walking the Grampians Gently
The Grampians’ Mt Sturgeon walk is like something out of the Hobbit; a tangled, gnarly, grey-green forest with mossy sandstone outcrops and looming mountains cleverly hidden between the trees.
It’s not just about the clothes – 200 Years of Australian Fashion Exhibition
My one foray into the glittering world of fashion was a pair of deeply flared trousers, made from – if you can believe this – apple green corduroy. You would think this would disqualify me from recommending an exhibition about Australian fashion. And you could be right.
Melbourne – Being a Hometown Tourist
There’s a delightfully varied texture to Melbourne, and not entirely because of it’s multi-cultural history, or it’s ongoing tug-of-war between being the home of the country’s best restaurants or Arts venues. One way or the other, Melbourne is worth taking the time to visit, to explore and discover.
Teargas, Swimming Pools and a Midnight Dash to Safety – Nazca
Stuck in the middle of nowhere and the road was blockaded up ahead. Striking gold miners carrying guns and sticks, armed police and nervous locals stood between us and the town of Nazca. Except that we were standing out here, in the pitch dark, cold and with no food, water or toilet facilities. And no way of knowing if the violence was headed our way.
The Day I Didn’t Get Chased By a Bear – Shenandoah National Park
Where I come from, our forests – while they do have their fare share of dangerous spiders and deadly snakes – don’t have predators with huge teeth and razor claws and can leave nothing of you behind except your chewed and bloody boots. Which will make you wonder why seeing a bear in the wild was number one on my wish list for visiting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, USA.
Øvre Eidfjord – Norway’s Unknown Idyllic Gem
The sky gathers clouds into granite clumps like Norse gods readying for an almighty battle. I’m surrounded by sheer rock walls that echo grey and black as though both sky and land are made of the same stuff. Any minute, I’m sure, the heavens will crack open.
Finding Heaven on a Cherry Farm
I’ve always loved cherries – but I’ve never had cherries quite like these before. Opulent, vivid and syrupy, they popped in my mouth and exploded with delightful cherry goodness.
Me and the Grand Canyon, the Grand Canyon and Me
I’ve done some stupid things in my time (no, really) but climbing the Grand Canyon down and up in one day really takes the cake. Thank the pixies that I took a short, mountain-biking Belgian Knight in Shining Armour along with me.
Nafplio – A Peaceful Greek Town With Three Castles (and Eight Forts)
If there’s one thing I learned in Nafplio, on my first day travelling in Greece, it was that a modern GPS navigation unit is no match for an ancient and medieval town plan full of castles.
How to Find Ancient Rome on a Malibu Beach: Visit the Getty Villa
So, you’ve built the world’s largest personal fortune, discovered and developed Saudi Arabia’s oil, married five times and haggled over the ransom to get your kidnapped grandson back. What do you do for an encore? Why, you build a Roman Villa in your backyard of course.