Tag Archives: blog

Rice is absolutely central to Balinese society. In Bahasa Indonesia, the lingua franca in Bali, nasi, the word for rice, also means “meal”. But in Bali, rice is so much more than that: the whole process of growing and harvesting rice is at the very core of the island’s religion and culture. Since around 900 CE, the Balinese have followed […]

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Is there anything more restorative than mountain air in summer? Australia’s Snowy Mountains are a wonderful place for summer walking. The bonus of being in the Antipodes is that the height of summer falls across the Christmas – New Year break. It is my chance to take time out to reflect on the old year, […]

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You never know what you will come across on a walk in the Australian bush! In October, my husband and I had a brief interlude in Katoomba, the principal town in the Blue Mountains, just a ninety-minute drive from Sydney. Our charming 1930s guesthouse gave us access to the myriad of local arts, boutiques, coffee shops and bistros, […]

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Is there anything that says “Mediterranean” more than bright sun bouncing off blue waters and old  white-washed walls? Add fresh seafood and salads bathed in rich olive oil, and the picture is complete. The tiny islet of Tabarca, just off the coast of Alicante in Southern Spain, is the real deal. The island was originally […]

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It was a “simpler” time … I visited Myanmar late in 2012, with photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours and local guide Mr MM. The country had just opened its doors to international tourists, and was on the brink of change. Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest, and was still locally and […]

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