“For my part I know nothing with any certainty,
but the sight of the stars makes me dream” – Vincent Van Gogh
There’s something special about a starry night, isn’t there? Calming, relaxing… little twinkles of light dancing against pitch black background.
Beautiful.
Light pollution has unfortunately lessened the stunning sight of a starry night sky over cities across the world, but there are still pockets where it can truly be marvelled at. (more…)
“somehow you feel certain that this large, brooding, hypnotic presence
has an importance to you at a species level
–perhaps even at a sort of tadpole level–
and that in some way your visit here is more than happenstance” – Bill Bryson
It’s one of those that is a must-do for any want-to-be traveller who finds themselves in Australia. Ayers’ Rock – known to the Aboriginal’s as Uluru – is so much more than just a ‘bloody big rock’ in the Red Centre. Sacred to the indigenous people, greater knowledge and understanding is leading to a greater appreciation of the site by tourists who are coming to visit it, with the historical climb to the peak now closed for good as a result.
However, the major attraction that keeps people coming time and time again, is the sunset.
‘Living in a foreign country is one of those things that
everyone should try at least once. My understanding was that it
completed a person, sanding down the rough provincial edges
and transforming you into a citizen of the world’
– David Sedaris
Living abroad. The big one. Tell you what though, I’d have to disagree with Sedaris, I think I’m still a little rough around the edges. Not quite a “completed” person.
Still, it was definitely something.
All in all I spent thirteen months in Australia, thirteen quite brilliant months I may add. The majority of that time was spent roaming and exploring Melbourne, with the rest split between Sydney and Western Australia (the East Coast I travelled back in 2015 and can be read about in detail here). (more…)
‘By a certain time in the afternoon, one ceases to remember details’
– Virgina Gay
It’s a contentious thing these days, the Races. Animal cruelty is high on the agenda of today’s society, with traditional sports such as fox hunting and horse racing their main targets.
Now, I won’t turn this into a political post, however I do want to put it out there that support neither of the aforementioned sports. Saying that I was, at the time, on the fence regarding horse racing. Or rather, my desire to enjoy “A Day at the Races” and all the glamour, mess and fashion statements that come with it. (more…)
‘Our bodies were printed as blank pages
to be filled with the ink of our hearts’
– Michael Biondi
As the saying goes, you wait years for one to come along and two arrive in quick succession. Something like that anyway.
I was in my mid-teens when I first decided I wanted a real tattoo. I’d had plenty of henna tattoos picked up on various summer holidays by the beach before then, but it was really during my GCSE years that I made my mind up about wanting ink permanently etched on my skin. First it was designs in my workbook, then it was me drawing them on my skin, slowly working out and planning what I wanted and where I wanted them.
However, it wasn’t until 30th May 2017 that I actually followed through, an early 24th birthday present to myself. Rather than starting small though, I found a phenomenal artist in Eloise to complete pt.1 – my shoulders. (more…)
They built the road as a war memorial
for their fellow soldiers and servicemen who had died in the war,
a road which took more than 10 years to complete.
Okay so technically I didn’t actually “drive” the Great Ocean Road myself, rather I was part of a tour group that was taken along it as part of a 2-day trip. Even still, I will consider this yet another completed action on my bucket list.
The reputation of the Great Ocean Road is that it is one of beauty. A twisting, winding pathway along the southern coast of Australia. Beautiful hillside landscapes on one side and a never-ending seascape on the other. The “must-see” sights include the 12 Apostles (more…)
‘Cirque du Soleil means Circus of the Sun. When I need to take time
to re-energize, I go somewhere by the ocean to sit back
and watch the sunsets. That is where the idea of ‘Soleil’ came from,
on a beach in Hawaii,
and because the sun is the symbol of youth and energy’
– Guy Laliberte
On 12th March 2017, after falling in love with the theatre company Cirque du Soleil many years previously whilst at University, I was finally able to see them live.
Touring Australia with their show KOOZA, I was able to see their performance at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne. Described the The Independant as “a show that blends, almost to perfection, its subcontinental sounds, its stunning lighting and costumes with theatrical ingenuity and acrobatic wonder”, my expectations were high and my excitement ever-growing. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. (more…)
‘I’m a sport fan. So, I have always watched everything,
and I used to watch racing. Formula One was always on.
The genius about it is that it’s on at lunchtime on a Sunday’
– Asif Kapadia
Despite growing up a stones throw from Silverstone, it took until I was in Melbourne to actually attend a Grand Prix.
It was alright, the Melbourne circuit is pretty sweet and it is a cool experience. Sure, it involves a lot of head twisting mind, and you only get to see the cars breeze past you for just a second, but (more…)
‘The gem of New Zealand’s West Coast Glaciers’
The west cost of New Zealand’s South Island has several stunning glaciers that provide many a beautiful photo opportunity, but perhaps the best known of all is the Franz Josef Glacier.
Glacier’s themselves are pretty awesome. A body of dense ice centuries old that is constantly moving and shifting due to it’s own weight, influenced by its on-going climate. Unfortunately, due to fluctuating weather conditions (more…)
‘One of the more tiring aspects of hitchhiking is a need to be sociable and make conversation with whoever is driving you.
It would be considered poor form to accept a ride, hop into the passenger seat and then simply to crash out until you reached your destination‘ – Tony Hawks
Unlike Tony Hawks, I am afraid to say that I did indeed crash out during my hitchhiking experience. Now, my hitchhiking experience may not be quite so exotic / painstakingly frustrating / dangerous (delete as appropriate) as other people’s experiences might be, but I believe that it still counts.
The reason I crashed out was the circumstance. For one, it was other backpackers who picked us up. Secondly, the backseat of the VW was a bed. Thirdly we had just walked the Tongariro Crossing, and I (more…)
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