tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-100967982012-01-30T14:54:26.330+11:00rambutans are wonderously tasty fruit found in abundance in south east asia. they are seemingly hairy on the outside, but a deft hand quickly reveals the sweet and juicy flesh within. dont bite too deep else the bitter nut at the very core will be your reward!ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-76110355670139836582012-01-06T23:02:00.032+11:002012-01-07T00:02:15.969+11:00

It's wrong to have favourites but truth is we always do. Twyzle was a rescue cat from the RSPCA and it was girlfriends idea at the time to adopt. It was me who got custody when we broke up but Twyzle was the kind of cat happy with anybodys company. I loved him dearly, and cried a river when he died 6 weeks ago. But he was not my favourite.Merv was a few weeks old when he was abandoned by a stray.

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-61036456034926879322012-01-03T07:44:00.004+11:002012-01-03T19:05:29.453+11:00

Myself and a few other atheists finished 2011 in a small regional town being bombarded by the life's work of people such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. At this point in history it still takes an unusually courageous individual to stand up and carry the argument. These men are not alone, but they have shouldered the burden.2011 is a tipping point for the debate about reason over

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-55953086976799273282011-10-30T12:40:00.004+11:002011-10-30T12:58:09.438+11:00

Recently had a few rants thrown my way, one about my appreciation of public transport in Melbourne and then a more detailed effort about my articles on Sony cameras. To set the scene, I bagged the Sony Alpha range on the basis their SLT version of SLR is a gimmick looking for a market. Sony make some great gear, but have failed to grab a slice of the SLR market since launching the Alpha range.

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-47319661342746382312011-06-19T11:22:00.004+10:002011-06-19T11:31:11.193+10:00

"The rank and file appear increasingly rank, yet hardly ever file."I think you know when it's time to move on, and if you let the Universe guide you a little it always works out for the best. That much desired label seems to be used by all and sundry, like a worn out phrase taken drastically out of context and eventually losing it's original meaning altogether.It seems like a good time to pick

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-41364627699030873202011-06-07T17:19:00.003+10:002011-06-07T17:26:08.673+10:00

The reality of travel journalism, at its best, is not lounging about a spa pool waiting for another cocktail to arrive, but getting up at 6am to trek into the village and chase fisherman about the beach with your camera. You get back to the hotel hot and sweaty and too late for breakfast, but you don't care because the excitement of those photos captured on the camera contain an expression of the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-15369644065904687732011-01-30T10:59:00.003+11:002011-01-30T15:17:05.710+11:00

Peaceful places where people are few but naturally pleasant.Crowds only happen when Monks gather in the mornings.Fast food is when sticky rice is ready to leave the steamer.A land where elephants still wander the forests.How do such large creatures disappear from sight?I can get lost inside a Tokyo train too. Anyone can.Trains flow like rivers but lack their grace. The river cares for its people

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-79903252625773321552010-10-27T18:03:00.003+11:002010-10-28T12:43:20.489+11:00

The Victorian Writers Centre asked me to respond to a short Q&A about freelance writing. True to form my reply was over the word count and a day late! Seriously though, my initial write up was too long at 1100 words, so I'm posting the full length version here in case anyone is interested. The original questions are shown first, and then my reply.1. You travel write on a freelance basis. How did

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-41360170211277196112010-10-13T21:12:00.003+11:002010-10-13T21:15:07.333+11:00

This is what happens when I stop doing work for 30 minutes and get distracted by text-to-type movie making technology...

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-15162575474245365142010-02-11T10:00:00.007+11:002010-02-12T10:42:45.983+11:00

Humans are unique creatures on this planet to be capable of such remarkable complexity in thought. Hypocrisy is regrettably one of the tragic consequences of that complexity, and something that can really get to a person. It shakes your sense of fairness, undermines your trust in someone and ultimately removes the foundation for a positive relationship between colleagues and friends.Yesterday

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-15703613608129309522009-08-16T17:12:00.004+10:002009-08-16T17:20:23.626+10:00

These rocks do rock. The talented Fletcher boys have been shooting a lovely video of Christian Fletcher shooting some lovely still images. Beautiful place, artistic photography and some great video production. Check out this video and other fabulous examples of the EOS 5D MkII...EOScars.com

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-66118884939986039112009-07-22T09:48:00.002+10:002009-07-22T10:28:06.448+10:00

What's worse than waiting four weeks to get a washing machine fixed? Spending hours on hold with the same 30 seconds of music cycling over and over and over.Let's start with the nitty gritty. For christmas we bought an LG washer-dryer unit, a fancy one that saves on space, saves on water and was being sold at a great price because the economic downturn had hit hard on luxury items such as Lexus

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1548234126489379622009-07-06T11:53:00.005+10:002009-07-06T12:43:07.983+10:00

I am surprised to find this morning that I might be in greater agreement with Hartigan than I first thought. I've never thought newspapers would be killed by the internet, not just yet anyway. I'm of the view it's bad editors that kill newspapers.This week's comments at Canberra's National Press Club was a rally call to champion the worthy content of newspapers, to stake a claim to the relevance

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-24410169395423811142009-06-30T09:26:00.002+10:002009-06-30T10:16:05.049+10:00

Members of the ASTW have been outraged by a few events in the media recently that challenge the validity of travel journalism in Australia. This comes at a time when genuine journalistic standards are under extreme financial pressure, after a decade of decay and an appalling lack of editorial integrity sweeping the media landscape. The art of travel is being squeezed into a lowest common

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-87605099240765719072009-06-26T10:30:00.002+10:002009-06-26T10:30:58.123+10:00

The ancient Romans knew well the value of restraint upon the expression of man. The literary canons under which Roman authors published were rigidly imposed, demanding exact use of rhythm and meter when delivering their message. If you can imagine trying to write an service manual for a German car using only Haiku and half the alphabet, then you're half way there. Not only was there a requirement

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-45863434654498284252009-05-25T15:32:00.003+10:002009-05-25T15:39:16.731+10:00

Ooooh uh oh oh!A good discussion has popped up between some members of the ASTW regarding the recent announcement by News Ltd that they'll be looking for their contributors to provide more than just words and pictures from now one, they want moving pictures to embellish their growing online presence. This has raised a few hackles and stirred up some old wounds. I joined in with my two cents worth

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-215013232596089262009-05-14T15:50:00.007+10:002009-05-14T16:57:01.468+10:00

Today is Dick Day, a day when almost everyone in America has something to say about Dirty Dick Cheney and his cavalcade of Neo-Con carnage. The flaming wreck of the movement conservatives is engulfing the entire political landscape of the American media, and Dicky is fiddling while the Republican party burns.I love it, I really do.The comic relief began today with reports of former president

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-70945260341742474912009-04-29T11:29:00.002+10:002009-04-29T11:31:15.743+10:00

Jay Griffiths talks of the Imperial psyche, men who seek to conquer, assail, claim and penetrate the wild lands and unkown cultures beyond their own borders. It's a bleak picture of cultural destruction, devastation and denegration. In many ways the modern travel market has not come far from the arrival of The Endeavour. But I travel not to add countries to my list, or to claim my ownership of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-45110819667418721942009-04-25T23:38:00.000+10:002009-04-26T23:38:48.791+10:00

I'm worn out by the relentless struggle to live, to keep my head above water, one step ahead of oblivion, one fall away from a cliffs edge. My body aches of the effort, my mind is numb from consciousness, my feet sore to the soul from having travelled so far. I want to let go, to slip into the river and let the water carry me, guide me, place me where i belong. I dont belong here, there is no

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-10798133455556527572009-04-04T23:52:00.001+11:002009-04-26T23:57:45.616+10:00

Until the wall street inspired credit crunch and resulting global train wreck the global economy was growing on the back of unsustainable demand from western consumers. Quite simply we were spending more than we were earning. At some point the money was going to stop flowing.Up until the crash we assumed the question was how large a global population is environmentally sustainable? Now we have to

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-79334137639925336062009-02-17T22:19:00.002+11:002009-02-17T22:34:43.641+11:00

Someone told me that Australian's are now officially fatter than Americans. Good golly, that's pretty fat. At least that's what I first thought. However, my recollection of super-sized entrance gates at Disney Land tell me something different. Maybe the average Aussie is less inclined to be fit and fab, but they're neither likely to be blobs of flab. There is another explanation. Maybe the new

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-30374779956454179142009-01-21T22:39:00.001+11:002009-01-21T22:40:56.565+11:00

At last America has a president. Thank goodness.

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-84655893116895642232008-11-29T13:32:00.004+11:002008-11-29T17:11:33.335+11:00

Every now and then it's worth looking around at what other people are doing and seeing if there's something fundamentally different you're missing out on. This chap has got a great recipe working for him, and a great camera...I like Canon cameras, but have due respect for other brands. I do seem to run into a lot of photographers whose work I really like and also shoot with a Canon. Is it

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-74933132945042649462008-11-20T13:42:00.003+11:002008-11-20T13:52:38.212+11:00

My first film images shot in nearly ten years were taken on a second hand Great Wall DF-2 during my most recent trek through China with a group. Two other folks on the tour decided to follow suit and bought themselves a Shanghai Seagull for similar purposes. Here's what we got!To my surprise the exposures were mostly on the mark. Film is very forgiving of exposure. The camera itself did prove

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-14346391759678261422008-11-02T15:38:00.006+11:002008-11-04T02:58:13.356+11:00

Brand new camera gear in Beijing is not very cheap, but when you really need to go camera shopping in Beijing there is one place where the range and selection is pleasingly overwhelming. For fans of second hand cameras there is even better news.I've known about the Beijing Camera Market for years but have struggled to find an accurate description of how to find it. Check the bottom of this blog

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-54896180702105522712008-09-06T10:45:00.001+10:002008-09-06T11:01:06.958+10:00

Everybody else is talking about. Here's the man himself playing 1922 Blues...

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-24452854581646901512008-09-01T10:51:00.006+10:002008-09-01T11:13:24.910+10:00

A traveller who will be joining us in China next month to explore the Silk Road has been reading some work by Colin Thubron. She highlights the paragraph, 'In two years there'll be nothing left of the Old City, just a sample town for tourists. Ten thousand people have already been moved out, and paid rubbish for their homes.'My colleague goes on to ask, "In the chapter on Xian, the author writes

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-67499387578948582502008-07-07T17:00:00.002+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.383+11:00

Photographer Chip Forelli is a very talented landscape photographer. If you can't learn something from looking at his work then you shouldn't bother owning a camera. He has a lovely little book on blurb, but it's worth visiting his website just to see a little inspiration for how landscape imagery can be more than just trees and lakes. He uses movement in his landscapes too, employing super slow

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-80607643131409514272008-07-07T14:35:00.003+10:002008-07-07T14:41:26.679+10:00

Travel insurance is great so long as you don't have much valuable to insure. Professional camera equipment is bad enough, but even a modestly capable laptop can quickly exceed the fine print.I did a little asking around and found that most professionals simply don't have it. Too expensive. When they can get cover it's priced at a rate that makes it more practical to carry the loss of equipment

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-80758274787437710022008-07-04T13:58:00.004+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.597+11:00

When asked "What is this?" I had to pause to think. The answer came out "Norwegian pop band echoing 90's indie tunes with a hint of Lush and Sonic Youth." I could have added Darling Buds and The Primitives blending Medicine and Go Betweens, but then no one would know what I was talking about.Je Suis Animal are young, funky and freshly released into the Australian market. Lost & Lonesome are

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-40876774870208619412008-06-29T15:09:00.004+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.664+11:00

I was surprised to find a touch of the Silk Road right here in Melbourne this week, in a fine gallery on the edges of Bridge St. Distinctive paintings by Chinese artist Huixuan Zhao are on display at Dickersons, and it's worth taking a closer look.Miss Huixuan casts a youthful eye on ancient stories. The technique on display is called Gongbi, literally meaning "fine brush". The style originates

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-56069181708559925352008-06-19T17:19:00.003+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.754+11:00

My life as a travel writer is much like that of the Giant Panda - sitting in a field of bamboo, surrounded by his preferred diet even though it yields next to no nutritional value.Over time the Panda Man grows fat, mostly from inertia than from a lavish diet. In the absence of true predators it's hard to stay lean, the only real competition for the bland diet of bamboo is other Panda Men. Some

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-33336629071779111822008-06-02T12:31:00.004+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.828+11:00

How to visit Fiji and avoid most of Fiji. Lovely...Day 1Landed in Nadi. Smiley old man drove us to hotel. Will be a nice hotel when finished.Day 2Smiley old man drove us to airport. Caught little plane to Labassa. Airport is the size of a postage stamp. Picked up by 4WD and drove for an hour. Sugar cane everywhere. Arrived at jetty in the mangroves. Boat to Nukubati Island takes under eight

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-69705129206346039132008-05-24T00:16:00.002+10:002008-05-24T00:20:24.315+10:00

Airlines are all pretty much the same aren’t they? They all fly nice planes that are safer than your family car, they have lots of seats and everyone has to endure the same airport security procedures before the plane takes off. So is there a difference between full-service and discount airlines?I’m here to tell you that not all airlines are the same, and having paid my money to travel with Tiger

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-43225697396139061752008-05-18T11:42:00.002+10:002008-12-09T16:56:21.973+11:00

A friend of mine pointed out that in centuries past the best and brightest of our society were people who made things. They were creators. The drive to construct is part of our human nature, and our modern lifestyles rarely allow us to fulfil that need.Before the rise of modern cities the most intellectually capable of our society were people who used their hands to create. Masons, painters, wood

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-3469901200180792512008-03-26T08:54:00.002+11:002008-12-09T16:56:22.142+11:00

Each year members of the ASTW have to tally their work and demonstrate that they really are travel writers. This year's magic numbers are 36,000 words, 32 articles and 185 photographs. That excludes a handful of articles that ran in different markets or the syndicated outlets. It's a little more than I did last year, but still a long way behind the big guns of Australian travel. 50,000 is a good

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-86257411916196548172008-03-18T13:59:00.002+11:002008-03-18T14:06:46.936+11:00

The face of Dim Sum dining in Melbourne has been changed forever. A little shop tucked away in the back streets of Little Saigon, in Footscray, has begun dispensing delicious dim sum parcels, freshly made for you to take home - steam them when you need them.The range covers all the regular cantonese "little hearts", including Har Gau, Sui Mai and Char Sui Pau. Devotees of Shanghai dumplings will

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-31788342349123442522008-01-15T23:57:00.000+11:002008-12-09T16:56:22.432+11:00

A little wisdom from the father of a friend. "You have four good hours in you each day - the rest is crap."And so another 20 hours of crap works it's way to a finish. The clock just struck 12am and I wonder whether my four good hours begin now or will my brain can figure a way to save them up for when I really need them. Perhaps if I go straight to sleep I can save about three of them for when I

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-53298447574646769902008-01-09T15:24:00.000+11:002008-12-09T16:56:22.550+11:00

This week someone asked me to write a bio about myself and what inspires my photography. Boring as a boat of full of backgammon. The indigenous artists of Australia had the right idea - make a stencil from your hand and bugger off to let someone else tell the story."Photography was a creative pursuit against a background of boring career moves. I quit graduate school after studying molecular

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-42946651784161611942008-01-09T11:27:00.000+11:002008-01-09T11:34:49.250+11:00

Who would have thought that a career in medical research would prepare me for travel journalism, but the fact is that I would never have learned to write if not for the riggers of scientific communications.Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can know assemble the highlights of my medical career and link to a few published articles that bare my name. All those years standing at the lab bench

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-85694903129407682532008-01-03T10:46:00.000+11:002008-01-03T11:16:29.844+11:00

When you read the press reports from Indian cricket writers you'd almost believe that they're the only side that ever got a bad call. I don't recall reading too many stories blaming the umpires for any other team losing a test match. The reason is of course that one decision does not determine who will win or lose. The melodramatic pleas from Indian media and players reveals the extent to which

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-53782818728679698512007-12-11T12:15:00.001+11:002007-12-11T12:15:41.920+11:00

The task of cleaning up my office and bringing order to the chaos was a simple chore, yet one that compounded years of disarray inside my head. In the end it only happened with the dedicated efforts of my wife, and I realise now how difficult life can be without a rail to guide one's path. Working for yourself is one way to test your metal. Not only are you accepting full responsibility for the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-40520463297884038122007-12-08T11:44:00.001+11:002007-12-08T11:47:37.796+11:00

The dust has settled and the historic winds of change have swept across Australia. In the face of overwhelming popular opinion we have left behind the relentless arrogance of the conservatives in favour of something a little more kinder. Just how kind is yet to be seen, but the most interesting development in the post-Howard era is not the collapse of the Liberal Party - that was entirely

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-63773505525988885552007-11-23T08:57:00.000+11:002007-11-23T09:13:34.458+11:00

The key to good government is a strong opposition. The irony of this truth is easily lost in Pakistan at the moment, but in Australia we're only just waking up to the reality of 11 years of poor opposition politics from the Labor Party. Such is the arrogance of the current Howard government that their brand of politics borders on fascism. Having spent 11 years running down budgets for health and

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-73278355692647706072007-10-28T22:03:00.000+11:002007-10-28T22:05:53.706+11:00

Evil is created when good people say, "it's good business".- Boston Legal

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-74576828778683567902007-10-23T08:02:00.000+10:002007-10-23T08:41:22.850+10:00

Flying with Jetstar on an international flight is a bit like meat-loaf - you know it won’t be as good as a decent stake or lamb chops, but you end up disappointed by the experience none the less.I'm convinced that most of the "low-cost" differences that characterise low-cost airlines are purely for show. They want you to think you're saving money by pointing out constantly that nothing is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-9518082544683524362007-10-13T09:18:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:22.896+11:00

The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) is a unique group of people who are incredibly talented, very intelligent and almost without exception full of generosity.Two years ago it was suggested to me that I join the ASTW, and I was encouraged to come along to a few functions as a guest of some more established members. At the time I didn't realise what a lift-up I was getting for my career

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-72069667580338515222007-09-25T12:43:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:23.098+11:00

My parents always told me that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I didn't listen to them and I don't listen to them now.My favourite piece of writing this year is a short piece on cruising the Pacific, which at first sounds like any other sun-drenched travel story that focuses more on the pool deck than the countries a ship visits. This one did neither, because it was a

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-77208661208022793672007-09-03T23:04:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:23.488+11:00

Sometimes you can't see the forest for the palm trees.Tabin Nature Reserve is one of the more important patches of forest in Sabah, held high by the Malaysian government as an example of eco-tourism and green friendly governance. While the reserve is now home to an increasing number of rehabilitated orang-utans, tht hasnt translated into better opportunities for tourists to actually see the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-89816173221046851402007-08-07T20:06:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:23.700+11:00

I've been a little worried about Kevin Rudd lately. He's been somewhat absent from the pre-election-campaign campaign. But it looks like the Labor Party has been quietly preparing themselves for the main event.It has to be said that John Howard's effort to make himself and his government seem relevant of late have not done the job. The dirty tricks and grand stunts are reflecting poorly on a

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-33473584365970944852007-08-01T17:42:00.000+10:002007-08-01T18:06:38.935+10:00

Arrogance runs rife in Tasmania today as John Howard flies into Launceston to intervene, interrupt and ingratiate.The sudden allocation of $45million to negate the planned downgrading of a regional hospital came as a surprise to most people. Not the least of which is the state government who had their hand out for Canberra's crumbs, but told they need to be held more accountable. So who accounts

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-52731716315621563862007-07-24T12:10:00.001+10:002008-12-09T16:56:23.939+11:00

Palau Sipadan is truly one of the world’s most remarkable underwater sites. From above the water you can see little more than a few buildings, sandy white beaches and lots of trees. What you cannot see from the shady view of the beach is the sudden drop-off a few metres from the beach. One minute you’re floating above the coral and thousands of schooling fish, the next you’re facing hundreds of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-19266782926404262622007-07-17T11:51:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.220+11:00

The mysterious jungles of Borneo are home to cheeky troops of Orangutans, bizarre outbursts of Rafflesia flowers and a very nice place for cocktails.The first two days of our adventure into Sabah to capture images of habitats and wild creatures has been flavoured with truly exotic encounters and true five-star service. Our home base has been the Rasa Ria, a Shangri-La hotel based just north of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-48663651781130246022007-07-12T17:24:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.360+11:00

Make bags, not war.That's the lesson from Sarah Conners. Unlike certain governments from wealthy western nations, Sarah has found something better to do with her time than just invade countries and manipulate world oil prices.She makes bags, groovy bags.Being a straight man raised in Melbourne's outer suburbs I clearly know nothing about fashion, but I have had the good fortune to marry into it -

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-23541275547779302782007-07-09T18:20:00.000+10:002007-07-09T18:35:17.126+10:00

Thomas King is a native Indian who lives in Canada. He's also a great story teller who imbues his conversations and correspondence with a measure of historical perspective.I had the pleasure to hear Mr King on the radio again today, a repeat of a lecture he gave many years ago. He talked about "status" and the law, and the way in which white mans legal definitions can remove the status of being

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-37599323423791735182007-07-04T09:51:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.471+11:00

Visiting Lake Titikaka is not a wildlife adventure. Nearly everything that moves has become a part of the local diet, and as you journey out into the unknown depths by boat the only thing you can see are weeds, reeds and lots of water.The real stars of the lake are the handful of inhabited islands, and the quirky lifestyle aboard the floating villages at Uros. How do you float a village on a

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-7747209360384280392007-06-15T00:07:00.001+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.627+11:00

Four fun highlights to enjoy in Anaheim California. • Watching a freeway pursuit in a barAustralians go to the cricket and run across the pitch naked, and Californians steal cars and try to evade the police while television choppers spotlight them from above. I like to think of LA freeway pursuits as the purest form of reality TV. The line between art and life has been removed completely and we

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-60887218214256017772007-06-10T00:29:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.754+11:00

Disney Land is a place where dreams still come true, where young children are immersed in a world of fantasy. This is not an amusement park, the rides are about fantasy instead of terror. It's the traditional themes that still make Disney a unique destination.The looks on children's faces as they stand in line for a ride says it all. They're bursting to get onto a ride and the excitement is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-49673290506468612722007-04-24T08:46:00.000+10:002008-12-09T16:56:24.922+11:00

In the middle of the South China Sea I’ve discovered that I am on a cruise entirely filled with self-serving members of the Republican Party. I didn’t realise that we had a few ‘Liberal Democrats’ on the ship until enduring repeated comments from the more voluble of our passengers, former advisers, trade attaches and men who made their money from oil. I’m stuck on a floating cliché.Over dinner I

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-65933916242951121362007-04-04T00:58:00.000+10:002007-04-04T02:31:42.752+10:00

There is some very good analysis being written on the state of human rights in the USA. It's the stuff of history books. Decades from now people will look back at the remarkable events surrounding the Iraq war and the subsequent collapse of trust in the American style of democracy.If this was a plane crash the explanation would be described as a "chain of errors". No single fault could have

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-70891247356337897782007-03-19T01:22:00.000+11:002007-03-19T01:27:18.810+11:00

For an interesting glance at how the political landscape has been changing in Australia and a timely reminder of what essentials a democracy make, try this document prepared by the Humand Rights Council of Australia...Eric Sidoti's Paper from August 2003

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-20558517469169833432007-03-18T23:34:00.000+11:002007-03-19T08:53:02.059+11:00

John Howard tells us that the next election will be decided on character - he says the people of Australia will have to decide who they trust. Thanks goodness for that. Little Johnny seems to be under the apprehension that people voted for him in the past few elections, but it's more likely that people voted against the other guy. As we get closer to the election date expect to see a few more

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-60662634726852972832007-03-16T09:56:00.000+11:002008-12-09T16:56:25.297+11:00

Al Gore's attempts to legitimize the climate change debate have drawn criticism from mostly the least credentialed of our society. Attention seeking scientists with no expertise in the field, infotainment publications and the occasional current affairs show trying to masquerade as news.The New York Times has published a clever piece of work that demonstrates the essential problem of debating

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-9928482068864186542007-03-14T23:39:00.000+11:002007-03-15T00:31:13.128+11:00

Benevolence is big business in travel these days. Every company wants to be seen handing out money to children, helping to build hospitals and launching themselves a new foundation. But marketing their generous credentials seems to warrant bigger spending than the charitable donations.In the days after the 2004 Tsunami the reaction from Maureen and Tony Wheeler was decisive and committed. Money

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-23072178165756903642007-03-12T13:37:00.000+11:002007-03-12T13:46:19.867+11:00

The last voice of considered reason in Australian politics is Barry Jones. He'll never be Prime Minister, he's not that much of a bastard to apply for the job.He gave the Manning Clark lecture this year, at a time when conservative politics has elevated their arrogant attacks on anyone and anything that disagrees with their twisted and self-serving view of the world. Barry gives us hope, just as

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-50303954042665035752007-01-25T08:25:00.000+11:002008-12-09T16:56:25.432+11:00

The key to great holiday photos to enjoy the experience and let the photo reflect the moments, people and places that made your travels so memorable. Here are five basic tips to help you return home with photos that show everyone else what a great time you had. Get closer – To some people this is obvious and to others it’s the exact opposite of what they expect. A wide angle lens will

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1167173870282214182006-12-27T09:56:00.000+11:002006-12-27T09:57:50.293+11:00

Who is responsible for Travel?It’s hard to imagine how burning tonnes of fuel in a jumbo jet en-route to a holiday in Thailand’s hill-tribes could qualify as Responsible Travel, and yet the RT branding applied to many adventure holidays are designed to make you think you might even be saving the planet. If you were a little confused about the true intention of Responsible Travel then you’re not

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1165912976010828272006-12-12T19:00:00.000+11:002006-12-13T09:38:30.530+11:00

Today I learned a lesson in why racism is such an issue in Australia. If you're white then you have no place judging people by their colour. If you're a recent migrant however, the rules are a little different.I was appauled to see two dark African men get involved in an incident in Footscray today. A white pedestrian was hit by a parking car, but the outrage of the victim was greeted with

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1160831058103986532006-10-14T22:36:00.000+10:002006-10-14T23:04:18.863+10:00

This month I have to say goodbye to a lovely little girl in China, but soon she'll be seen all over the world.I don't acutally know her name although we have met twice. I took her photo on my first visit to Ping'An, a small town in the Longji Rice Terraces about two hours north west of Guilin. She is the daughter of a Zhuong family, one of the ethnic groups that populate the cool climes of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1157997146192176072006-09-12T03:22:00.000+10:002006-09-12T04:02:20.196+10:00

Women and girls of the Zhuong ethnic group crowd around our bus to porter our bags and packs up to the rice terraces. One lady was smaller than the wheelie-bag strapped on her back.A visit to such a remote village in China is a treasured memory for all our travellers during the photo tour. On this instance we have taken a morning flight out of Shanghai and the temptations four-star pampering in

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1143826519206357362006-04-01T02:37:00.000+11:002006-04-01T04:41:02.220+11:00

After just a week in China I have discovered that there is more to this country that delicious food and an abundance of bicycles. I wonder how well the west really understands the ways of our Chinese brothers and the capacity of these people to take big strides forward.I have been travelling with a group of photographers, starting in Beijing and heading south to Hong Kong, and have enjoyed the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1142991916824707872006-03-22T12:43:00.000+11:002006-03-22T12:50:41.450+11:00

I picked my hotel in Penang through an online service, and booked the second cheapest option that offered air-conditioning. The location was the real attraction, right in the thick of good eating, cultural icons and an ample supply of trishaw riders. I couldn’t afford the luxury and indulgence of the Eastern & Oriental, but there’s not that much to differ between one hotel and another – is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1142046458651972552006-03-11T13:03:00.000+11:002006-03-11T21:47:29.246+11:00

I sat in my local coffee shop and read a few choice bits from the day’s papers. The cafe had recently changed hands and so had the brand of coffee - the rich and full experience of last week now replaced with a cheaper substitute that will be tolerated by the majority of patrons. It's a similar scenario in the media.The market appeal for genuine quality and full bodied analysis of issues is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1140913111507068952006-02-26T10:30:00.000+11:002006-02-26T11:25:39.033+11:00

Why do writers write and who do they think they are writing for? Is there a greater purpose to the life of a travel writer than just their own aggrandisement and the pleasures of privilege?A recent discussion on the banality of columnists raised the question, "What makes someone think that their spin on life's trivial occupations is worth printing in the paper so that millions of other people

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1131869572522586302005-12-08T20:50:00.000+11:002005-12-18T13:53:50.270+11:00

Today is the end of a journey that I will complete only once in this life. It is a story that started in the Greek Islands on romantic Santorini, traversed the Moorish bastions of southern Spain, wound it's way through the cool air of Sri Lanka's hill country, made a short visit to Bangkok before the long haul across to East Africa, and finally comes to an end here at Victoria Falls. This is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1134363583463218892005-12-05T15:43:00.000+11:002005-12-12T15:59:43.480+11:00

The life of the hippo is a mysterious existence of roaming in the forest, gutteral moans and calls, and fierce battles with their own. They are truly bizarre and wonderful.There are two undying memories I have of the African Hippopotamus. The first is a pod of hippos relaxing in the water at Ngorongoro Crater with egrets and heron gently resting on their backs while the blue sky above reflected

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1136196750139900412005-11-25T16:03:00.000+11:002006-01-06T11:33:10.333+11:00

Bargaining for souvenirs in Malwai is often a friendly but slow process, made slower still by the relaxed pace of the locals and their tendency to name themselves after movie stars.It's about 600 billion degrees outside. Our campsite is situated at the southern end of Lake Malawi and the afternoon cloud has failed to arrive. Instead of cooling off a little the mercury continues to rise and what

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1132734973071187112005-11-22T18:19:00.000+11:002006-01-02T15:05:06.253+11:00

The sunny side of Zanzibar is filled with pearl white beaches, delicious seafood, and a fleet of fishing vessels that are as distinctive as they are charming.On the northern tip of Zanzibar the heat of the afternoon sun is cooling down a little and the fisherman are getting ready to head out to sea. The water is crystal clear, reflecting torquoise blue off the pale white sand below. Zanzibar is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1132736406847801182005-11-12T17:43:00.000+11:002005-12-13T16:27:04.906+11:00

There are two big advantages to 'small group adventure travel'; making new friends and packing the most experiences into your time as humanly possible. Our small group travelled for a week in Kenya with GAP Adventures and set the bar to a whole new level.Africa has always been an exotic choice for the budget backpacker. They leave behind the world of hostels and bus schedules in favour of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1130085455805524232005-10-24T01:59:00.000+10:002005-12-17T12:51:26.946+11:00

Tasmania is a place where people take the time to enjoy the passing of time. Wew spent a breif weekend enjoying the food, the views, and the trail of lovely old wooden boats.The great surprise of travelling around Tasmania is the ease and speed you can travel from one place to another. Having stepped off a flight to Hobart i took little over an hour to collect a hire-car and arrive in the small

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1129190888817306452005-10-13T17:50:00.000+10:002005-10-13T18:21:47.486+10:00

The division between business and friendship is one of modern times and represents the very worst of our western cravings for wealth. The notion that market forces can generate the best outcome for everyone is an old and tired dogma that overlooks the humanity of our societies and will ultimately divide nations into rich and poor.There is one concept that pops it's head up in my life again and

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1126583012967738232005-09-10T17:59:00.000+10:002005-09-13T13:43:32.980+10:00

The dispossessed people of Sri Lanka continue to wait for help from a government that has failed them. Yet, in the midst of suffering and loss, they demonstrate the most unexpected reserves of smiles and laughter.The message was repeated over and over - "The government no help". I am walking along the foreshore of Dewatta, a fishing community on the western outskirts of Galle. There are

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1126100910570176312005-09-07T23:44:00.000+10:002005-09-27T18:30:02.180+10:00

The work underway to restore basic living standards in Sri Lanka may have attracted some negative press, but we need to make sure that we do not lose sight of the achievements and continue to support the hard work ahead.I have heard people complain about the disaster response and the various NGO's who have bene involved. I hear things like the futility of building wooden houses because they are

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1125832545661244902005-09-04T21:13:00.000+10:002005-09-04T21:15:45.683+10:00

Although I travel a lot it is rare that I cover the same ground twice. Sri Lanka is a rare exception to that rule, and to my surprise it seems I may leave a stronger impression than I first thought.The short group adventures which characterise the majority of my journeys gives ample opportunity to make connections with your fellow travellers. I had assumed, however, that the impression left by

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1123059381512404582005-08-03T18:55:00.000+10:002005-08-05T02:31:07.883+10:00

Put two men together and the quality of their decisions is instantly halved. When I ran into a friend in Spain we each had half a thought to see a bull fight, and off we went. Luckily for me my companion was knowledgable on the subject and a good teacher. Until that night the notion of the matador and bull fighting was a mystery more than anything, the reality of the bull's fate merely a

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1123059295374856522005-08-02T18:53:00.000+10:002005-08-03T23:06:17.826+10:00

I went to Spain as a photographer, but I came home an alcoholic!Devotees of fine wine may cringe at the idea of dropping ice cubes and soda into a glass of house red, but it's a great recipe to rejuvenate the body and mind after a long day in the sun. Most people have heard of Sangria and possibly enjoyed a playful indulgence in the comfort of a local restaurant. Tinto de verano is not Sangria,

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1122966674738813842005-07-31T17:10:00.000+10:002005-08-03T22:54:38.866+10:00

Nothing brings out a city's true colours like a market, and in Madrid there is an explosion of colour and life when you get off the metro at La Latina on any given sunday.Standing on the corner of Calle de Toledo I could listen to an arabic jazz band go wild I picked out a nice lithographic etching to add to my travel wall. I could have bought some truly beautiful leather bags, purses and

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1122965813084627882005-07-12T20:54:00.000+10:002005-08-05T02:15:02.410+10:00

High on the west side of Sikinos I sat next to a chapel and watched the sunset in silence. The final warmth of the sun drifted across the sea and out of sight. Far in the distance the silence was broken by a herding cry on the goat trail. Within minutes the farmer and his stock were upon me, nimbly edging their way through the ancient village walls, urged onwards by the fatherly calls of the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1123171197954061242005-07-11T03:52:00.000+10:002005-08-26T02:15:39.503+10:00

At 3 o'clock in the morning I found myself wandering the central village of a small Greek island looking for a room. It turns out I was more lost than I thought - I wasnt even on the right island! Earlier that day I decided on a whim to head for the island of Folegandros in the South Cyclades. It is famed for beautiful cliffs and beaches, and makes a cosy stop-over on the way to Milos. I

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1123171645791789092005-07-01T14:02:00.000+10:002005-08-26T02:16:51.010+10:00

The life of a charter yacht skipper rolls from one place to the other making dreams come true for aspiring travellers. The azure waters of the mediterranean are no longer a playground for such skippers, but a thinly woven collection of friends and transient homes. The yacht itself is both a vehicle of freedom and a vessel of containment, never far from the mind or body. Yainnis is one of these

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1122966803176798702005-06-27T13:12:00.000+10:002005-08-05T02:22:38.650+10:00

My whole life I wondered exactly what it was like to holiday in the greek islands.I had read novels where people lose track of time and life as they immerse themselves in a world of questionable retsina and sultry men. The experiences described invariably seemed to have been born of a need to escape the known world in favour of something unfathomable. For this reason I had failed to comprehend

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1119290880273601672005-06-21T03:55:00.000+10:002005-08-04T12:48:37.186+10:00

Buddhists, Steve Jobs and travel photographers all have something in common. I'm not very gregarious. There's a good reason I hide behind the camera instead of posing about in front of one. And it's not a 'problem' that needs to be dealth with, it's not a little thing I need overcome, and it's not something that might be treatable with anti-depressants. I like being this way, and it's nice to

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1117890591353678592005-06-05T01:00:00.000+10:002005-08-02T20:52:46.936+10:00

Today I became ordained as a minister. It took just a few seconds online. You may call me Reverend Ewen. At first I was humble with responsibility, vowing to use my power for good instead of evil. I had not considered what function I would fill. I simply clicked on a website and became an instrument of God. It's an everyday sort of thing I suppose. The good people from Universal Life

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1117810517647675692005-06-04T00:12:00.000+10:002005-08-11T10:01:58.590+10:00

business ethics is fast becoming an oxymoron. the gradual development of the western work ethic has side-lined any genuine recognition of the individual in favour of ever reducing incentives for the employee. if you feel that your work environment is a 'carrot and stick' situation with very little carrot then you're not alone. i have listed my top five techniques that the modern management

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1115966532107754382005-05-13T16:41:00.000+10:002005-08-02T20:58:09.570+10:00

High in the Atlas Mountains a few hours drive from Marrakech you will find very few pieces of land flat enough for a soccer game. The children of Imlil have managed to keep their interest alive, however, by using unwanted plastic bags to make a soft and padded ball which doesnt roll too far down the hill - even when little Hussan deliberately kicks it over the edge!Just two hours drive from the

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1115037845345100792005-05-02T22:07:00.000+10:002005-05-03T00:55:35.446+10:00

Owning your own internet domain name was once the provence of geeks and big business, but the trend for collecting new and interesting domain names is increasingly popular with the masses. The phenomenon is not restricted to enthusists in the manner of bird watching or train spotting, dont get me wrong. And let's not assume such collectors are eccentric recluses with idle money and fancyful

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1114911882919293452005-04-25T11:43:00.000+10:002005-08-02T21:02:31.056+10:00

Henry Ford is attributed as saying "if i had asked my customers what they wanted they would have said faster horses". The lessons of a man who changed the world resonate not only in the echelons of corporate success but at the bump and grind level of normal lives too. I look back over a lifetime of striving for a better life and now I can see that all along there was another way. I'm a

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1114911228898857402005-04-01T11:30:00.000+10:002006-01-13T10:52:01.406+11:00

I got off a plane in Casablanca today and read my Lonely Planet language guide for Morocco. I am floored by the diversity of language I find myself immersed in. And this started me contemplating the greater miracle of language - and I froze with awe.In this country you may encounter centuries old tongues of the Berber. The very same place may commonly use Morrocan Arabic as well, a form of

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1109748959455486122005-03-02T18:28:00.000+11:002005-08-02T21:06:53.733+10:00

Sometimes when travelling you meet some really remarkable people, but don't limit your vision to those wearing a turbin! Some years after the country of India was formed an English comedian once commented that the country was so full of foreigners that they even called him a foreigner! So when your heart is open to knowledge and wisdom do not restrict your vision to that of the exotic, this is

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1106617794522554492005-01-25T13:25:00.000+11:002005-03-02T18:19:50.596+11:00

"It's all about little people getting things done, what have the big people got to be afraid of?" ...This was the answer I received from a friend when I commented on the generosity of small business people in Australia, and the appauling lack of same from big business. When the Australian Shareholders Association hit the press with it's advice that corporations do not have a mandate to spend

ewsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01738284346033497451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10096798.post-1106002559837935192005-01-18T09:01:00.000+11:002005-01-18T10:04:51.786+11:00

There are two reasons why democracy has failed to deliver it's ideals in the west - the lack of representation for those who voted, and the lack of informed choice in the voting process. The nett result is an increase in poverty for the poor, exceeding wealth and power for the rich, and the frittering away of state owned infrastructure and community values. Naomi Klein paints a vivid picture of

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