Author Archives: sheg4184

Cycling Through Normandy and Beyond…

Posted on 1 September 2022 by sheg4184

Life has been reduced to three suburbs over the past couple of months, and the winter glooms have given me no incentive to expand my horizons. But with a couple of free days up my sleeve to sort through piles … Continue reading →

Posted in France, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cycling Through Normandy and Beyond…

Daybreak near Wilpena Pound

Posted on 26 July 2022 by sheg4184

Pulling out past the pub onto the pre-dawn highway,the car headlights cast a narrow channel of white to guide the way.Beyond the sweep of its incandescence,the wider world is locked in darkness.Imperceptibly, a pencil line of blood orange appears on … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged | Comments Off on Daybreak near Wilpena Pound

Fijian Adventure

Posted on 13 July 2022 by sheg4184

The rain is pelting down, flooding the roads, and I am chilled to the bone as I head for Adelaide airport, to head north for warmer climes. I am due to meet the One & Only in Brisbane, before flying … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiji, Food & Wine, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Fijian Adventure

A Taste of the Top End

Posted on 27 June 2022 by sheg4184

A jetty floats above a still, blue sea. Masked lapwings and ibis, tiny double-barred finches and those small but sturdy ‘peaceful’ doves peck about in the grass. Honey eaters dance in the branches of the fig trees with their pendulous … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Taste of the Top End

Riding the Ghan

Posted on 21 June 2022 by sheg4184

“Welcome to the Ghan. Here is your carriage and cabin number. We’ll be boarding in an hour and a half. Coffee and tea are available while you wait, and we will be opening the champagne shortly.” At 11 am, champagne, … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Riding the Ghan

“And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?”

Posted on 9 June 2022 by sheg4184

Winter has arrived in South Australia with a vengeance. Autumn was wet, but June has been wetter. The local papers suggest it may be the soggiest June on record.  Our water tanks are full to the brim and the tides … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?”

The Magical Land of Books

Posted on 17 May 2022 by sheg4184

“There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Magical Land of Books

The Joy of Airports

Posted on 16 April 2022 by sheg4184

‘Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet planeDon’t know when I’ll be back again…’ – John Denver As the world starts to open up again, it seems a lifetime ago that I spent so much time in airports, flitting around the … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines, Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Joy of Airports

Sunday Scribblings

Posted on 27 March 2022 by sheg4184

A week or two of wild winds, white skies, where’s-my-dressing-gown? Autumn has arrived. And then suddenly the wind drops, and the sky is clear, azure blue again. The trees stop churning and the pool glitters serenely, tempting me to cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Food & Wine | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sunday Scribblings

Not Another Brick in the Wall

Posted on 13 March 2022 by sheg4184

While I have always loved a good chat, I used to dread the thought of speaking in public. My voice and my hands would shake. My mouth would go dry. The page before me would go blank. I would wither … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, History | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Not Another Brick in the Wall