FRANCE IN THE PACIFIC, go figure...

Well I am really missing Paris but that 20 hour plane trip is hideous, so where does an Aussie go when she needs to practise her waning French, munch baquettes with egg-shell crusts, spread slices with runny cheese, and pop a grape into her mouth while reaching for a chilled glass of bubbly? And only a 2-hour flight away? New Caledonia of course. Haven't visited before, but Lonely Planet assures me the hype is correct and Noumea is bursting with French-style food albeit at Parisien prices (as lots of it is shipped from the mother country), daily fresh food markets and little boutiques and French names for streets (or should I say Rues?) Gastronomic anticipation aside, I was delighted to read that New Cal (or NC) has a thriving writers' community of successful authors. Hope I get to meet some. It'll be inspirational to chat in Franglaise to kanaks and expats. November, roll on...

I'm even booking my accommodation in the Quartier Latin! Beat that!

WINTER IS COMING FOR SOME...

Somewhere between Brussels and Luxembourg. Hmmm. Just makes me want to leave Australia!

TRAVEL BUG

Just finding a picture to put on my new, revised blog led me to salivating over places visited and dreaming of places yet to visit (and write about of course!) Fraser Island, a short flit over the water from Noosa, is one glorious place. You can see how dazzling the sand is. We are heading into what looks like being a very hot summer, while you Northern Hemisphere dwellers are shaking the mothballs out of scarves and winter coats (that is if you actually put them away at all!) Strangely I prefer winter (an Aussie winter is very short and mild) so we don't get enough time to moan and groan. But one of my most exhilarating experiences was taking a train from Brussells to Luxembourg and driving through a blizzard most of the way. The photos of that trip certainly have a white hue rather different to Lake Mackenzie on Fraser Island, my blog pic. But what is the point of this entry re writing? Well, I've spent the day collating photos of Noosa, one of my favourite spots, to go with an article I'm pitching to Go Nomad an online travel magazine. Wish me luck...

TIME OUT

Well I changed the definition of time out alright! Phew! Been a long time between blogs, tweets, facebook status updates etc etc. Life does get in the way doesn't it? I feel like I'm missing a hand, though, as even though I've had a quick look at what all you other creative people have been doing and enjoying a quick peek through your blogs, I just haven't felt like I've had anything to say. Ever felt like that? Settling in to city life, finding too many shops to hit, not to mention relocating my private tutor business. Now I feel like I'm getting my act together for the mo' and will be blogging on a regular basis again, hopefully. Not that I still feel like I have much to say but it is good discipline isn't it? I also feel like a bit of a gate crasher at a party with all you English geerls I follow and you all seem so witty and upwardly mobile. I feel like I'm travelling on a bit of a tranquil pond and have a lot of rowing to do...til next time and I hope it's not months this time!
Truth be told I'm reading petite anglaise's book based on her blogging life (which is about to come to a halt!) and it got me rather missing my blogging life (even though it's very mediocre compared to petite's! and thank God for that...I also got a quick non-writing-related mention in our local rag re a big bridge opening (which starts in my street so makes jogging easy as it links to the cultural hub of town!) so that got my journalistic juices flowing (or trickling) too!

Travelling again

My, I have such an exciting life! On Friday morning (early!!!!! because someone likes to get an early start!) will be taking a road trip to Townsville, North Queensland. It is over 1000 km, so will be on the road 2 days each way. It can be a very long trip, and unfortunately boring in some bits, as the road doesn't go close enough to the coast. You're driving through the wonderfully samish Aussie bush. Hopefully no kangaroos will pop out to say hi when we're travelling at 120km per hour! Anyway, thankfully you may say, my blog may be quiet for a few days as travelling is pretty exhausting (especially with a husband and puppy!) so I won't be feeling like chatting. It is a great time to hit the road over in Oz - winter - although our days are 26 deg C. Townsville is in the tropics (I'm in the sub-tropics) so it is still around 30 deg C. Not a bad winter!