Year: 2014

Living in Queensland you have to embrace this – and I can assure you it is not some obscure link to anthropological data. It is THE most thrilling sporting encounter between two Australian states.It is actually one of the world’s top rugby league sporting event. With apologies to any Ozzie readers I do need to…

Her name means Diamond and by all accounts she was as bright as one. I am talking about Diamantina Bowen, nee Countess Roma, the wife of the first Governor of Brisbane. This is about her, not him. He was a bit of an unpleasant character, though learned, but she, well, she was quite delightful. Everywhere…

I mentioned how much I enjoy areas which are wild and beautiful but close to the city. This weekend we explored the lovely Mount Nebo which is in the D’ Aguilar National Park and is a mere 30 minutes away in the car. Off we went with a few friends to enjoy a walk in…

One of the reasons I like living here is the proximity of SO MUCH beautiful countryside around me. No need for massive plans, trains, boats and planes – just a short car ride and we are in the most magical areas not that far from the city. I am going to tell you about two…

Attempted to go for a short run yesterday. Waste of time. Nature was far too distracting en route. Not so much pop art but pod art. Enjoy.

This weekend was getting back into town life after a few days away. I say this but almost fall about laughing as where we live seems remarkably un-town like … I was making a banana bread in the kitchen with the french doors open when suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw…

Home to strange creatures and many birds the rain forest canopy, its floor and streams are full of surprises, some visible to the naked eye, others not. We walked through the graded paths, stroked by the ferns which reached out, almost tempted to pluck the pendulous berries of red of the strangely named “walking stick…

We drove up to Lamington National Park from Brisbane and as you leave the valley and start climbing the mountain, the road, often single lane and narrow, prepares you for living in the forest for a few days. The trees, the ferns and the bushes grow up and over and envelop you in almost a…

Ferran Adria breezed through Brisbane. The master chef and father of molecular gastronomy was talking at the Gallery of Modern Art. I could not miss this.  Adria started in el Bulli in 1983.Within a short period of time his cooking became legendary. There were waiting lists that went into years not months.He came to talk…

For any of you who knew me in my Indian life I lived on a so called “Farmhouse” in South Delhi surrounded by large gardens and some pleasant neighbours. My gardener was called Baju and he was employed by my landlords but sadly at such a small salary we had to surreptitiously supplement it every…