Category Archives: Australia

“The Wide Brown Land for Me.”

Posted on 22 July 2021 by sheg4184

‘I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains,Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.’ ~Dorothy McKellar, 1908 The Australian landscape may not change quickly but change it does. Growing up in South Australia, I had assumed … Continue reading →

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Poemat means ‘poem’ in Polish

Posted on 30 May 2021 by sheg4184

My mother has often said there is nothing more decadent than having someone else cook a meal in your own kitchen. We tried it out last weekend and found her theory thoroughly validated. Judyta Slupnicki is a woman who loves … Continue reading →

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Roaming in the Riverland

Posted on 14 May 2021 by sheg4184

It is dawn. The sun sits like a navel orange on the horizon, reflected in the dimpled river. The air is crisply cold, but that doesn’t seem to bother the pelicans swooping low and dipping for breakfast. Two wrens dash … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Thai Dining

Posted on 29 April 2021 by sheg4184

“Be consistent—people will come back because they like your food, they don’t want it to change. Don’t compromise on quality either. Today’s customers are knowledgeable about food. They’ve travelled and know what to expect. If you cut corners and buy … Continue reading →

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A Picnic with Shakespeare

Posted on 17 April 2021 by sheg4184

Apologies dear readers, I meant to post this piece weeks ago, but mislaid the draft. At least it is an almost current event when compared to many of my recent mediaeval travel stories! Last night (early March!) we lugged an … Continue reading →

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Sea, Saki & Sashimi

Posted on 11 March 2021 by sheg4184

It’s a modest block of flats, almost drowned out by the ostentatious and more glamorous towers that cluster along the beachfront. But from the balcony, the view over a long stretch of white sand that sinks beneath the roiling, boiling … Continue reading →

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Sculptures by the Sea

Posted on 2 February 2021 by sheg4184

Several years ago, I took a handful of young boys to walk along the coastal path from Bondi to Tamarama, to check out the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition. We were absolutely rivetted by the creativity on display and I’ve … Continue reading →

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Port Elliot Treasures

Posted on 18 January 2021 by sheg4184

We are in Port Elliot. Again. Purportedly in the height of summer. Yet we sleep snuggly under our quilts and travel with layer upon layer of clothes like Sara Lee’s Danish pastries. Whatever the weather, however, Horseshoe Bay, with its … Continue reading →

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Navel Gazing

Posted on 8 January 2021 by sheg4184

Happy New Year to you all. For those of you still contemplating weeks or months of lockdown, my sincere commiserations. In South Australia, while we remain wary, we have enjoyed a simple but unrestrained Christmas season. And I don’t mean … Continue reading →

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“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”

Posted on 20 December 2020 by sheg4184

It’s almost Christmas. The tree is up and brimming with angels, even my grumpy Filipina one. The Kris Kringle list is out. The Christmas menu has been finalized. Our supplies of red are running low, but we have plenty pf … Continue reading →

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