Thirsty Thursdays: Hotels Have Hearts – My Posh Night Out In Sydney, Australia

Within a year of living in the land down under, I felt very settled there. None more so than when I got an invite to a posh Gala Dinner at the Sydney Hilton. One thing though – I was a cheap traveller without a suit to wear, just one day beforehand! I had a day Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Hotels Have Hearts – My Posh Night Out In Sydney, Australia[…]

Good Friday at Mount Druitt, Australia: Sunset, Barbecue, Drinks at Pauls…

Good Friday 2011 came round and having been working about 6 shifts a week for the last few months, I found myself with a lucky Good Friday off. In fact it was probably the only Friday I ever had off work at PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Parramatta. I’d need to check but I’d be Read more about Good Friday at Mount Druitt, Australia: Sunset, Barbecue, Drinks at Pauls…[…]

Backpacking in Australia: Touring Woodford Island

Apparently Woodford Island in New South Wales is the largest lake island in the world. No idea how to prove or verify this, and I reckon there will be plenty more in northern Canada and Antarctica, but let’s roll with it. Since one of the residents in nearby Maclean claimed it to be… So what Read more about Backpacking in Australia: Touring Woodford Island[…]

suriname football stadium

Parramatta To Paramaribo

Seriously ask me 3 years ago if I had heard of either Parramatta or Paramaribo, and I would probably have said “no”. Life is a journey and I ended up in both, becoming quite attached to the former and inspired by the latter. So where are they and what are they?   Cities is the Read more about Parramatta To Paramaribo[…]

Visiting Macquarie University in Australia: Throwback To My Student Days

Just last month I went to Macquarie University, on the western edge of Sydney. I had a day off work, and my flatmate Rebecca was still a student at the time – studying at this massive University – Macquarie University. It was a blast from the past and a throwback to my days at University Read more about Visiting Macquarie University in Australia: Throwback To My Student Days[…]

“The Last Plane Out of Sydney’s Almost Gone, And In Seven Flying Hours I’ll Be Landing in Hong Kong” *

The above quote, the headline, the lyric and the song was something which I first discovered on arrival in Australia, “the land down under” back in October 2009. Seems a lifetime ago now. The lyric comes from the Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel hit song “Khe Sahn”, a song which will forever remind me of my time Read more about “The Last Plane Out of Sydney’s Almost Gone, And In Seven Flying Hours I’ll Be Landing in Hong Kong” *[…]

Backpacking in Australia: Touring Maclean, The Scottish Town

Australia has a few Scottish towns and influences of course (Perth for one, and Bothwell for another). But Maclean is in the north part of New South Wales and I popped in to see what was there. Advertising itself and promoting itself as “THE Scottish town in Australia”, tartan designs, bagpipes, murals, Scottish names and Read more about Backpacking in Australia: Touring Maclean, The Scottish Town[…]