As I prepare to sit and write this article, beside me is an ice-cold glass of white wine – purely for inspiration (as well as sipping.) This is not any glass of wine, but quite possibly one of the finest white wines (if not the finest) I’ve ever tasted, and the grape variety is Marsanne […]
Before I left Australia, there had been rumblings of discontent in the media about how Qantas was emerging from the Covid crisis … It had been a long time between drinks (so to speak) by the time I boarded the plane from Sydney to London aboard a Qantas Dreamliner. Covid had kept me grounded in […]
“The more things change, the more they remain the same,” as the French say. And indeed, there is a strong element of déjà vu in the recent riots that is seeing a disgruntled mob torching and razing Chinatown, Honiara for the second time in only the last 15 years. ‘Plus ça change, plus c’est la […]
Congratulations Melbourne The siren has sounded in Perth (of all places – thanks Covid-19) and the 2021 Premier of the Australian (Rules) Football league is Melbourne – the Demons. In a game that saw the lead change many times, Melbourne was finally victorious against the Western Bulldogs. It was their first premiership in 57 years. […]
We arrived at Bannisters, Port Stephens, the location of international chef and raconteur, Rick Stein’s, newest Australian venture after a rainy three-hour drive from Sydney. Beautiful Soldier’s Point, where the hotel sits, is a stunning location just footsteps from the waters and beaches of Port Stephens: the venue bills itself as “Barefoot Luxury.” Rick Stein […]