Sunday strolls at the beach

After a week of rain, what a joy it was to see the sun again today! The perfect opportunity for a walk on the beach. The only challenge being… which beach to choose?! This morning I headed to Palm Cove with a friend for a walk and brunch – who can resist French toast with bacon and maple syrup on a Sunday morning? Not me, that’s for sure!

The sound of silence

I woke up around 4am this morning in a bit of a panic. It was eerily quiet. I couldn’t hear anything. You’re probably wondering what’s weird about that? It’s kind of hard to explain what it’s like when you wake up to absolute silence when you’ve heard rain hammering down so hard on your roof for 48 hours that you’ve been struggling to hear yourself think! Never mind cats and dogs, when it rains in the tropics, it sounds more like elephants!

The thing about living in a place surrounded by World Heritage rainforest… it tends to rain a lot. That’s why they call it The Wet Tropics!

The sound of peace

Lying in my hammock this evening, enjoying a cup of tea, I heard two coucals calling. One of my favourite sounds in the world.

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There are 30 species of coucals, but only one in Australia, the Pheasant Coucal or Swamp Pheasant Centropus phasianinus.

The morning after…

There is a very serious problem sweeping Australia. All over the country incidents of public drunkeness are on the rise, with some offenders staying drunk for days! These shocking drunks are literally off their trees and staggering all over the place from over-indulgence in alcohol. They’re a public disgrace. Go to any rural centre in northern Australia and you can see them huddled together under trees looking sick and depressed. Others lose all fear and become friendlier than normal, forcing people into awkward and uncomfortable encounters.

“They don’t want to ingest a lot of alcohol, but they’re probably just being forced into the situation” says Dr Glen Chilton, of James Cook University, Townsville.

Stormy Weather

After several weeks of sweltering heat, frayed tempers and cold showers, the first storms of the season finally broke this afternoon. What sweet relief from the oppressive heat and stickiness of the build up! Just in time to prevent us all from succumbing to a chronic case of mango madness!

And what better way is there to spend a stormy afternoon than listening to some old classics?! Here are a few of my all-time favourite tunes for a rainy afternoon. Enjoy!

A building to lift your spirit

Being such a nature lover, it takes a lot for me to get excited by a building… but the Sydney Opera House is truly exceptional. A building that lifts your spirit.

Jenolan Caves

Taken at the spectacular Jenolan Caves, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, a few hours drive from Sydney, New South Wales, September 2011.

How to feel really good

Kisauni, Mombasa in 2003

Let me tell you a story…

Once upon a time, I was a volunteer in Mombasa, Kenya. Every day I squeezed into a matatu (a privately owned mini bus) and made my way into the city for work along with thousands of others. Every day I saw a disabled man pedalling a rickety little home-made cart (made of fruit boxes and pram wheels) across an insanely busy junction with his hands. Taking on the cars and the buses and chaos and the choking fumes of the morning rush hour… in a box. Every day I feared for his life, taking on the traffic in what seemed like a suicidal errand.

“Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”

– Douglas Adams (1952-2001)

Playful Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo. Taken at Sydney Botanic Gardens, 2011

Wangari Muta Maathai, 1940-2011

RIP Wangari Maathai

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There are people around the world who commit small acts of heroism every day. There are those who show great courage in pursuing what they know is right in the face of great intimidation. There are those who dedicate their lives to public good, whatever the personal cost to themselves.

Professor Wangari Maathai was all those things, and more, inspiring others to start “doing the best I can”.