It was a long weekend in Sydney, which for me means time to explore a new destination. So I spun the wheel.....and up popped Adelaide. It's somewhere that I've wanted to visit for some time, based on the rave reviews from friends and family who've visited there. I also fired off an email to find some friends to join me, and so it was a real treat to be joined in Adelaide by Lucy, from Wellington, and Cam, Joey, Kate and Craig who all flew in from Melbourne. In a self-congratulatory pat on the back, I can say my choice of both destination and travel companions was excellent. Adelaide itself is a very pretty city, with lovely parks and gardens, and gracious big wide avenues and it's very easy to find your way around. In fact ... read more

Last weekend I was basking in the heat, surrounded by the red earth of central Australia. This weekend I was trying to stay warm in the Australian centre of power. Apparently Canberra became the seat of government because Sydney and Melbourne both wanted to be the capital and couldn't agree where it should be, so as a compromise they came up with Canberra, somewhere in between the two. And that's pretty much what it feels like. It's a funny old town, with massive big roads suitable for a Napoleonic army, but strangely empty of people or cars. This made it very easy to get around. I was there with Mum and Dad who are currently in Australia to visit, and Canberra was new for all us. We had hired a car, easily the best decision we'd ... read more

What kind of nutter would book themselves on a day trip which involves travelling 1100 kms on a bus? Me for starters, and apparently a whole bunch of other people too. So at 6.00am I was waiting for the bus outside my hotel. It was freezing in Alice Springs, about 3 degrees, although the locals tell me that’s good, last week it was -2 degrees. The bus finally rolled by and I joined a coach load of other nutters heading out on quite possibly the world’s longest day trip. Our two guides, GJ and Tick, have control of us for the day and do a fine job in keeping us entertained, pointing out the sights and the animals, and educating us on the plant life, history, aboriginal folklore and geological beginnings of Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock) ... read more

Four days after returning from my holidays I was off again. Not quite so exciting this time: no planes, no foreign languages, no foreign currency and sadly not quite as much sun. All of that said, it was a lovely weekend away, celebrating Waitangi Day in Northland. I had travelled up to Omapere, about 3 1/2 hours drive north of Auckland, with Cam and Ness, for the long weekend. Cam usually lives in Melbourne, but is currently based in Auckland for work, and Ness is from Christchurch, so was enjoying a respite from the earthquakes; however both are old friends from my Wellington days. We had booked a bach for three nights on the beachfront, in Omapere. Or so we thought. It wasn't exactly beachfront, but the beach was only a very short walk away. The ... read more

Just before leaving Tulum I visited the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, not far from where I am staying. The Reserve covers 1.5 million acres and is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. I went with an organisation called Cesiak who do eco-tourism and environmental education, for the afternoon canal tour . We went through the mangroves, floated down the canals looking at bird life and flora and fauna, and enjoyed a delicious dinner afterwards. My birdwatching days from Ecuador came back! I loved it. It was highly educational, and sadly not all that I've learned is good news. Our guide, Hugo, is passionate about people and the environment learning to live together in a sustainable way, and he was scathing about the all-inclusive resorts in Cancun and Playa del Carmen and how they are impacting the ... read more