Year: 2017

We talked about goals achieved, horrors faced, expectations met, and those that slipped through the net. We spoke of hopes for the future, plans and life changes, even muddling along. We felt that 2017 was a slight, but only slight improvement on 2016, and that we were looking to 2018 for funner, happier times, not…

This Xmas will be remembered for our boys joining us here in Australia and for us nearly completing all the formalities to become Australian citizens. Its been an incredible five years and one which, if you had asked me in Delhi Xmas 2012 – 2013 where we could have ended up, believe me Australia was…

For those of you who read Tiger Mum this photo of children performing at Hong Kong airport may bring back some thoughts of the book, tactics, parenting pride and pressure not necessarily in that order. They were kinda cute. There is so much emphasis on achieving and spending a day with a delightful young civil…

Approaching Australian Citizenship as I am, it is perhaps right that I start expressing myself sometimes in Oz speak so this blog is entitled “Bonkers for Honkers” the Australian name for Hong Kong. Why it is called Honkers I havent really been able to find out but we all know it is something to do…

Our trip to Hong Kong comes in a busy month so there wasn’t much time for planning. Packing late one night we both went on instinct.  HK is usually hot and humid so I packed skimpy tops and summer dresses. Hubby wasn’t sure he even packed his suit trousers so the state of unpreparedness was…

This time last year I was walking the streets of South Ken and North London and admiring the many beautiful Christmas wreaths on the doors. This year I am walking the streets of Paddington and Red Hill in Queensland and find nature embracing front doors, gates and fences unaided, uninhibited and unrestrained. It just wants…

In the spirit of Marina’s Critters here is the latest – his name is Craig the Crow and for some time now he has been watching us from the branches of an enormous Norfolk pine we can see in the distance.  We feed the Butcher Birds who sing so sweetly to us and I guess…

Did I mentioned I enjoyed the Museum of Democracy in Canberra ? Well I loved it actually and here is one more reason why. Then I promise I will stop raving about it. In a room in the Old Parliament Building there was a whole section devoted to the Prime Ministers of Australia.Lots of standard…

I spent many hours in the Museum of Australian Democracy. NO, I am not looking at ways of becoming a member, more fascinated by the excellent work they have done at presenting their democracy to us all and making it memorable, clever, noteworthy and amusing.  Lets start with just the basics – have you ever…

In conversation sometimes I talk about the war. People look at me a little perplexed as I am too young to have been in them but of course for me it is 1974 in Cyprus when lives were lost. Most of us will never experience or have the misfortune to live through one, but a…