Brisbane is a lovely sub-tropical city about an hour or so north of the Gold Coast. It is the capital city of Queensland, my home state. I went to school and University there and lived there a large part of my life. Even though it was so close, I only managed to find time to spend a few days there on this trip. The main purpose was to house-sit for my good friend Alison who was travelling to the USA for a special workshop. While there I managed to look up a number of my friends. I was especially lucky to catch up with my schoolmate Sandie, who happened to be in town (from Cairns-2000km away) to celebrate her daughter Beth’s 21st birthday. So here’s a glimpse of my Brisbane buddies and the beautiful Brisbane River. ... read more

My first visit home after nearly a year started with a strange feeling of being a little bit alien as I stepped onto the train at Brisbane airport. No pushing and shoving to beat each other to what remaining seats there may be; no cacophony of excited voices; just the piercing, nasal chat of a number of local teenagers enjoying their summer holidays. Their voices sounded really strange to me. It wasn’t until an Asian family boarded the train and started to speak what to me sounded like Chinese that I felt a bit more at home! ”Now, that’s weird!” I told myself. It didn’t take me long to settle back into the cruisy lifestyle that is the Gold Coast. I stayed most of my time at my friend Lisa’s as my own apartment was ... read more

After a whirlwind two weeks back in the Land of Oz for a well-earned holiday, I now have time to share with you all my myriad experiences of my first “Silly Season” in the great “Middle Kingdom”. For those of you who thought it might be a little lonely being so far away from home at a time when friends and families traditionally get together to celebrate, never fear! The following photo essay “documents” a mesmerizing range of activities from parties, tree plantings, cultural concerts, weddings and even a birth, all mixed in with final exams! Not a time for the faint-hearted! Read on and enjoy!... read more

Qintong Town, 15 km north of Jiangyan City (Taizhou Prefecture) in Jiangsu Province, is located in an area criss-crossed by waterways. Qi Hu (Lake) is found on the outskirts of town about a 20-30 minute ride by car east of our hotel. This particular visit we were the guests of Taizhou City itself. It was an opportunity to show their “foreign friends” the ongoing efforts to not only boost economic growth in the area but as a mark of an increasing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment that so often suffers when rapid urban growth occurs. To mark the “auspicious” occasion we were inevitably tagged by a team from Taizhou Television and a number of their family members. We were also accompanied within the reserve by a young tour guide called Crystal. She was ... read more

There are numerous Temple complexes spread around and close to Beijing, but it would take numerous visits to this great city to view and appreciate them all. This blog will feature just two, Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) and Lama Temple. Temple of Heaven The spectacular Temple of Heaven complex is located a few minutes south of the Palace Museum in one of the cities’ most popular parks. It is possible to get a park only ticket, but I chose the “all inclusive” option (tao piao) to allow closer inspection of the temple complex itself. The temple complex is surrounded by a double wall, separating the temple into two parts-inner and outer temples, with the main structures found in the inner one. The inner temple complex is then divided into two main clusters of buildings, north and ... read more