14 Jan We were loaded into two seven-seater vehicles which arrived a bit late - on Indian time. Smaller vehicles were handy because the roads became quite tortuous. Thirty six really tight switch-backs to be exact, coming down off the plateau after Ooty and towards Masinagudi. The terrain changed from lush rolling hills to dry open savannah. Between those we dropped perhaps 1000 metres down a steep ravine. Looked a bit like Africa except for the eucalypts and low undergrowth like lantana. The heat increased as well. The switch-backs were numbered and many turns showed announcements for free ambulance services, discouraging excessive speed. Even a sign advertising a free mortician van! At the bottom we were following narrow bitumen roads and dodging traffic. The savannah opened out a bit more. Outside Masinagudi village the forest thickened ... read more

Jan 13 We enjoyed a beautiful sunrise from the balcony of our room. One of those where one is looking down on the mist and smog of the villages down below, and the air is crystal clear above that layer. The green shades of the tea plantations were lovely, and the patterns of the tea plots, interspersed with White Oak trees, symmetrical without being manufactured. We enjoyed a late western style breakfast: Omelettes, pancakes, toast and vegemite provided by Stephanie from the group. We piled into the minibus and took the somewhat serpentine route to Swamy & Swamy tea plantations and processors. Hairpin bends like never before. The guide took us for an uncomplicated but enjoyable walk through the plantation, the factory and of course the store. A simple and clean operation that harvests, cuts, dries, ... read more

5-9 January 2014 It's great to be back in India; this time for a mix of work and private travel. I arrived ahead of Catherine so that I could do a bit of work. Given my work with CSIRO in the Animal, Food and Health Division, it was a great opportunity to exchange ideas with some rapidly growing companies. Home base was the Crowne Plaza hotel in Maradu for a few days. Well above our normal standard but... I travelled by taxi or private car to see the facilities of several natural product and biotech companies: Synthite; Camson; Arjuna; and Stirling. Each has their own story to tell, and I'll let them tell it through their websites, but I was very impressed by the scientific sophistication and sense of bigger purpose of these science-based companies. My ... read more

Thanks to Queensland Premier Newman's decision to shift the May Day long weekend to October, our travelling group gathered at Easter this year. In between wonderful meals and full-bodied coffees, we actually saw some sites! Fitzroy Gardens; Abbotsford Convent; Smith Street. Its all good. Dinner last night at Chin Chin was memorable modern Asian, washed down of course with our favourite: BeerLao.... read more

We took a break from skiing in Rauris and headed south into Slovenia. The roads were clear and so we took the back blocks. Without really planning it, we ended up a dead-end valley where the only path through the mountains was via a rail motor. The car was loaded onto a carriage and passengers off-loaded into carriages. Great scenary, though I was constantly concerned whether I had secured the handbrake. My imagination ran wild, and of course all was fine. Into Slovenia through the frontier, and somehow we missed the instruction that said get a permit to drive on the roads. Careering confidently down the highway towards Bled, our car was joined by two quasi-military looking vans. They followed us for perhaps a kilometer when they turned on the persuit lights and directed me into ... read more