Blogs from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania - page 10

Final Prep Hello readers, My bike has started its journey of approximately 9,300 miles to Sydney, Australia. Did you know that if you want to ship your vehicle to a foreign country you need to get a "carnet" to ship it? This document is akin to a passport for your vehicle and requires a boat load of paperwork (in fact much more work than a visa would be for a person). Crane Worldwide is assisting me with both the carnet and getting my bike shipped to Australia and back. Crane knows a thing or two about shipping motorcycles around the world, they were responsible for shipping Harley Davidson's bikes all over the world for their last big anniversary celebration. The bike will go by boat to Australia instead of by plane. If you ship by plane ... read more

Hi all, We're embarking on a mini road trip to Ulura. We decided to make Sydney our starting point for the blog after spending the weekend visiting the relatives. We had a great time catching up with our family, especially our daughter Sasha. We left Alyssa in Sydney as she is attending a drama camp. So, its just the two of us. Alyssa will be joining us in Adelaide after her camp. We left early after saying goodbye and our first stop was the Blue Mountains, where we had breakfast. It was cold and foggy, with the occasional sprinkle. Not much of a view with the thick fog. Next stop was Bathurst, where we visited the National Motor Racing Museum.We had lunch and did a lap of Mount Panorama at almost grey nomad pace. Great view ... read more

Last year I was silly/brave enough to welcome a stranger, from Austria, into my house for 6 months. Fortunately that stranger turned out to be the most wonderful young lady and she was a blessing to me during a really tough time with my mum and a scary health issue. Hannah was such a sweetheart and I grew to love her and was very proud to call her my "pretend daughter" to everyone. Well my pretend daughter decided to leave me in March and fly home to her real family and I miss her a lot, so I decided to be an annoying parent and invite myself over to visit with her in beautiful Klingfurth Austria! I am very grateful for the wonderful cyber friendship I have made with Hannah's mum, Petra, and I sure do ... read more

How often have you seen someone you thought you knew and turns out you didn't? On a plane and a guy walks down the aisle...eyes locking..."Hello I know you"...smiles "I know you too" then to his seat...voice very familiar...wrestling where do I know him from? Says he works selling work clothes in Melbourne...he sure he didn't know me after all...me wrestling for months I know this guy...face and voice very familiar. Recently ping..brain engaged...he's John from Married at First Sight...I knew I recognised him! At Sydney Airport to meet Travelblog's bvchef...a guy looking at the information board...never met him before but looks like the TB photos I have seen...ask him if he needs help...if his name is Brendan. Take him home...no reason to doubt he is who he says he is...UNTIL...YEEKA...who is this guy really? ****** ... read more

THE ART OF THE PORTRAIT...eyes, ears, noses, lips, foreheads, hair or no hair, smiles, scowls or just looking...facial expressions as open hands to the soul. The secret of a portrait photo to me is the expression captured in a moment in time...their inner soul captured if they are connecting with the lens...not just looking. But if they are not connecting with the camera lens...that they look comfortable...or their thoughts in a world of their own...not at all self conscious. Conveying a confidence of self. That is why I take time taking my portrait photos...the facial expression is everything. So it's no surprise that I am enamoured with portrait painting...artists spending an eternity bringing their subject into focus...brush stroke by brush stroke...their character and soul emerging in dabs of paint...viewer also engaged...those that can do it...staggering skill. ... read more