Monday – Wednesday 9-11 February 2026 We are sitting at Christchurch Airport ready for our departure to Sydney in a couple of hours. How fast did that go! Our last few days have been lovely, and actually, really the world ‘lovely’ sums up our whole trip. We’ve had lots of fun, seen a lot of…
How many do you do?
Sunday 8th February 2026 Many people think that we eat fancy food the whole time we are on holidays. Not only would we be broke if that was the case, but we’d also be extremely unhealthy! Breakfast is an easy meal to keep cheap and simple. While I do love a good breakfast out (who…
When one word won’t do!
Friday 6th and Saturday 7th February, 2026 Beautiful Breathtaking Stunning Pristine Majestic I’m not really sure which word describes it best, but the road trip on State Highway 6 (also known as the Great Coast Road) from Greymouth to Westport was all of them. In fact, Lonely Planet recognise this 100km (1.5 hours) stretch of…
North of the South
Forgive me… it’s been 6 months since my last post. I feel like I’m giving a priest my confession – and I’m not even catholic haha 😉 When people used to say to me ‘retirement is busy’, I rolled my eyes. But here I am, saying I’m busy. Not crazy busy but keeping our days…
Time Travel
OUR WEEK IN THE COOK ISLANDS – 6-11 AUGUST 2025 When today is yesterday but yesterday is tomorrow. I’ve never been good with understanding time changes. At the beginning (and also at the end) of daylight saving I’m constantly asking, “do I add an hour?” or “is it actually 3pm or 1pm”. Even when we…
Frittata, by any other name!
Week ending Sunday 20th July 2025 This week, in my fortnightly segment on ABC Riverina, I talked about Frittata. That may sound like a pretty boring topic, but believe me, this Italian version of the egg-based dish can be very tasty; simple and economical; and a great way to use up your ‘straggler’ ingredients. Last…
Fly Fly Away!
Week ending Sunday 6th July 2025 Umm, yes. Yes, we are on holidays… again 😲 I’m almost too scared to tell you. Or too embarrassed, at least. Tuesday was my Dad’s 85th birthday. As you may know he and Pamela spend about half of the year at their home on Taveuni, Fiji’s third largest island,…
Dinner for one
Week ending Friday 27th June Do you like eating out alone? Prefer the company of at least one other? Or do you actually favour dining in a group? I like all three, but to be honest, I really enjoy visiting a restaurant all by myself. I have no doubt that some people think this is…
FABULOUS FRIENDS
Week ending Friday 20th June 2025 How good is it spending quality time with the people you love! In last week’s blog, I recounted a wonderful long weekend with my three siblings. This week I’ve managed three fabulous loved-one encounters, starting with some of my best friends at our annual ‘red wine night’; then 24…
Sibling fun!
Week ending Friday 13th June 2025 Spending time with my siblings is so good! This past weekend, my two sisters and I hung out with my brother Mark, at his home in sunny Brisbane. We arrived there on Friday and didn’t fly home until Tuesday, so it was an extra-long-weekend, and we had the most…
Do you miss it?
Thursday 5th June 2025 Last Sunday morning, when I was knee deep (arm deep?) in a heap of cooking, Dave asked me, “apart from it being physically hard, do you miss being a Chef?” It was an interesting question. I really, really loved working for TAFE, not least because of the reward and satisfaction I…
Waste not, want not
Week ending Friday 30th May 2025 It’s tempting not to write a blog post when I don’t have anything spectacularly interesting to say. It’s also tempting not to have any routine in my day. Tempting not to get out of bed at a reasonable hour, and very tempting to do no exercise. It’s my personality….
Same same, but different. VANUATU PART 2
Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th May 2025 After checking out of Breakers Resort on Thursday morning we jumped in the hire car (VW Jetta all-wheel drive) and headed through Port Vila city and then north along the ‘ring road’, to take the clockwise direction for a full circle of the Island of Efate. Dave rode…
Post Holiday Blues
It’s a well-researched phenomenon, that when you get home after a holiday, it’s common to get feelings of being rather down and missing the freedom, fun and adventure you had. We arrived back in Sydney from South America on a Thursday, Dave marched for ANZAC Day on the Friday and on the Saturday, we had…
South America 6/6
Bolivia Stage 6 of 6: Thursday 18th to Monday 21st April 2025 “If you had not seen it, even if you had seen on a video, you would not believe it,” said Abraham (our guide), as we drove down ‘Death Road’ (officially named the Yungas Road), the notorious 36km gravel track that winds its way from…
South America 5/6
Peru Stage 5 of 6: Monday 14th to Thursday 17 April 2025 Are you a crier? I certainly am, crying often when I’m happy; always when I’m sad; and sometimes for no reason at all! I most certainly cried with happiness in Patagonia (Chile) when Will and Emma told me they were engaged. I cried…