G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
When it comes to the discussion of Australian cuisine (a rare conversation topic to begin with, if we are being honest); so much of the focus falls on either the few iconic recipes (pavlova, lamingtons, Tim Tams, and Vegemite to name a few) or on the undoubtedly impressive food scenes that are constantly evolving in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne.
With the exception of backpackers looking to earn their second year visa by doing a little farmhand work or WWOOFing, precious few visitors to the great southern land make it inland to rural Australia – where life goes on largely unmoved by Australia’s international reputation as a tourist hotspot.
It’s a real shame. Ah I’ve highlighted in my posts about the NSW Outback and the New England region, there’s a wealth of quaint charm and interesting history to be found in rural Australia.
And, believe it or not; there’s some pretty fantastic food and drink to be found too.
In the first part of what will hopefully be an eye opening and waistline expanding tour of rural Australia, I’m highlighting three brands doing their part to bring lulu try flavour to the masses.
New England Brewery, Uralla
Uralla is not a town without considerable charm. As the hub of all things Captain Thunderbolt, Uralla’s proximity to nearby Armidale also made it a popular ‘road trip’ to visit the Top Pub and strike out with different girls.
In my absence, the town has gone ahead and started the New England Brewing Company. While I’ve not yet had the pleasure of visiting (hint hint, management), I’ve had their beers on a few occasions while visiting the very groovy Welder’s Dog in Armidale. With a brown, golden, and pale ale as well as seasonal flavours to sample, it’s good to see local beer taking away some shelf space from the likes of Tooheys and VB.
Just a sample of the delicious being brewed by the New England Brewing Company. Photo from their Facebook page.
The brewery also operates as a bar on weekends, and tours of the brewery can be arranged by getting in touch via email or by giving them a call. I imagine you can also get in touch via their Facebook page, or their Twitter.
Beer being locally brewed. It’s beautiful. The beer, that is; not this chap. Photo from Facebook.
Not that they need my publicity; they’re already available in bars across the state and have even taken over the taps in Sydney. That said, if they’d like me to come visit, I’d be open to it…
Super Strawberry, Glen Innes
You know, I drove by this Glen Innes icon every day for six years while in high school, but I only actually stopped off at the roadside attraction in the last few months.
Surrounded by the strawberry patches that fuel the smoothies, strawberries and cream, and other scrumptious treats that draw in weary travellers from the New England Highway, the Super Strawberry is part cafe and part boutique boasting condiments, snacks, and knick-knacks from all over Australia. My youngest brother even did all of his (admittedly last minute) Christmas shopping there.
The Super Strawberry just oozes quaint country charm.
A very accessible stopping off point for those touring the New England or just passing through on their way to or from Brisbane, their strawberry shakes are to die for. Don’t let their GeoCities style website put you off, it’s definitely worth a look.
Bald Rock Beef Jerky, Tenterfield
A town most famous for its annual Bush Poetry a Festival (another in my to do list), Tenterfield is livestock country like so many other towns in the area. With all this good quality beef available. It’s a bit of a surprise that it took so long for somebody to decide to make beef jerky.
I first heard of Bald Rock Beef Jerky when Dan, the man behind the brand got in touch and sent me some beef jerky to sample while I was living in China. It’s perilously hard to get good quality meat in China, so I leaped at the opportunity to get a little taste of home.
Sadly, the Chinese postal service didn’t share my enthusiasm; but I finally got my hot little hands on some when I got home. Sampling both the smoky original and the “just right” level of heat in the chili, my brothers and I all agree that it’s a winner.
My post China diet has also enjoyed the low calorie and therefore guilt free snack, and now that I’m out I guess it’s time to head over to Tenterfield to pick up some more or order some online. For those reading abroad, you can get your hands on some without a lengthy trip to rural NSW. Bald Rock Beef Jerky ships worldwide and has great, low flat rates.
Your Say
Do you have any foodie favourites lying undiscovered or under-appreciated outside of the city? I’d love to hear about them!
Are you a country business specialising in good food or drink looking to get your name out there? Contact me and let’s spread the word!
A close up of a warthog as it forages in Ngorogoro.
An adorable serval cat hunts insects in Ngorogro Crater.
A hippo doing its trademark yawn in a pool by the Serengeti Four Seasons.
Another shot of the leopard as it surveys its domain from its treetop roost.
A lioness sleeps under a tree to escape the scorching Serengeti sun.
A lonely hyena is spoiled for choice by the impala surrounding him.
A herd of mama and baby elephants graze in Tarangire.
A friendly hornbill chilling out at the Tarangire picnic area.
What Are The “Big Five”?
Back in colonial times where erudite British gentlemen didn’t have iPhones and nightclubs to entertain them, big game hunting in the wilds of Africa was a pastime of considerably less universal derision than it is today. Many believe that the ‘Big Five‘ describes the five largest animals in Africa, but in those less sophisticated times, the term ‘Big Five’ was used to describe the five hardest African animals to hunt on foot. For those playing at home, the members of this illustrious hit list were:
African Leopard
Lion
Cape Buffalo
Elephant
Rhino
While (thankfully) it is less common for these beautiful (and in some cases, endangered) animals to be hunted with impunity; many tour companies now use the ‘Big Five’ tag to attract people wishing to see all of these animals. In November of 2014, it just so happened that I got the opportunity to accompany Shadows of Africa on a four-day safari that included the Serengeti, Tarangire, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Better still, we managed to spot all five and hunt them with cameras and selfie sticks at the ready.
Tarangire: Lions and Elephants
The first day of our safari saw me, Lisa of LL World Tour, and Robert of Leave Your Daily Hell packed into the 4wd with our trusty and knowledgeable driver, Timo. That may just be the strangest abbreviation of ‘Timothy’ I’ve ever encountered.
Tarangire’s dry and dusty plains surround a single river, but the sheer abundance of wildlife within the park was just jaw-dropping.
One of the countless zebra I snapped photos of while they ate by the roadside.
In a show of utter safari naivete, we spent a disproportionate amount of time photographing zebras, giraffes, and impala. By day four, we didn’t even bat an eyelid at such pedestrian fare. Strange how quickly we went from slack-jawed to ambivalent.
Our first encounter with one of the Big Five saw us come face to face with a wounded male lion who had sought refuge under a tree by the road. Our truck lurched to a halt as we passed within a metre or two of the magnificent animal. It showed its utter disdain for our gawking by slinking off into the savanna with only an occasional look back over its shoulder at us.
A wounded male lion slinks away from us.
To have come so close to the animal was just awe inspiring. Only a few scant metres (and the car itself) stood between us and one of the most beautiful, dangerous hunters on the planet. It was a humbling experience.
Later that day, bellies full after our monkey harangued lunch; we would come across a herd of female elephants and their young as they ambled with disinterest across our path. So indifferent to our presence were they that one elephant even ventured up to within a few feet of our car to snatch mud from a puddle and splash itself (and us) to keep cool.
This female elephant came up to our truck to play in the puddle we were parked in.
Serengeti: Leopards
In both hunting and tourism, the African Leopard is the hardest of the Big Five to catch in the wild. Solitary and largely nocturnal, leopards are both beautiful and elusive. They also happen to be my absolute favourite animal. You can imagine my utter joy when we came upon one sleeping high in a tree with its recently killed impala dinner wedged somewhere above it to keep it safe from vultures and hyenas.
The sleeping leopard wakes to regard me with disdain from his lofty perch.
We spent a thrilling twenty minutes gazing at and photographing the beautiful beast, and I could have spent a great deal more time. My photos don’t even begin to do justice to just how beautiful this big cat is. Our day also included another elephant encounter, and this one was thrilling in an entirely different way.
Where Tarangire had offered up females and their young, the Serengeti saw us come face to face with a bull elephant who was none too pleased at our presence. With ears flashed out he advanced upon us not once, but twice – eventually prompting our driver to put his foot down and get us the hell out of there.
Danger! Danger! This bull elephant let us know in no uncertain terms that we weren’t welcome.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area: Cape Buffalo and Rhinos
Our final day on safari saw us descend into the otherworld Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Hemmed in on all sides by sheer cliffs, the Conservation Area is every bit as alive with life as the more famous Serengeti. Herds of impala, wildebeest, and zebras; flocks of flamingoes; and an abundance of hippo wallowing in the water made our day’s exploration a real treat.
A hippo doing its trademark yawn in a pool by the Serengeti Four Seasons.
We started our day coming face to face with a couple of grazing Cape Buffalo. Considered the most dangerous animal in Africa by some, the Cape Buffalo is placid enough when encountered in a herd – but gets a kind of superhero strength when cornered or frightened.
A Cape Buffalo on its own can fend off an entire pride of lions
Timo informed us with grave certainty. With their cow-like appearance, it’s perhaps easy to consider them nothing but harmless herbivores, but their sheer size makes them much more daunting when encountered up close.
Hard to believe the Cape Buffalo is such a dangerous animal as it munches on ferns by the road.
As our day wound towards its end, it looked like we wouldn’t get to see the final member of the Big Five. Over-hunting has made the African Rhinoceros even harder to spot when on safari, but we were lucky enough to catch the barest of glimpses of a pair as they foraged for food about a kilometre from where we’d parked. It wasn’t the up-close look we’d have liked, but zoom lenses allowed us to at least snap a couple of photos to complete our collection.
A rhino grazes in the distance in Ngorogoro. As close as we got, sadly.
And the rest
Our four-day safari saw us come into contact with all manner of weird and wonderful animals. Whether they were the commonplace (zebras, wildebeest, and impala), the iconic (giraffes, hyenas, hippos, and vultures), or the more unusual (serval cats, dik-diks, wildebeest, and monkeys) – Africa offered up such a wealth of memorable experiences and sheer beauty for us on our four day visit.
Inquisitive giraffes rubberneck at us as we drive back to civilisation.
So in love with the whole experience was I, that I’ve since accepted a job working with Shadows of Africa as their Australia & New Zealand consultant. Not only does this have the perk of getting me the occasional trip back to Africa to do it all over again, but the privilege of helping other people discover just how moving a safari experience can be.
Next time, I’ll have to try my luck at finding the Little Five.
And the cheetah that eluded me this time around.
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Want to see more amazing photos of Tanzanian wildlife? Check out LL World Tour’s fantastic Tanzanian safari photo essay!
Your Say
What animal would you most like to see in the wild? Have you ever been on safari and ‘hunted’ the Big Five yourself?
It probably seems odd that a guy who doesn’t drive is so damned obsessed with road trips, but there’s something about the allure of the open road and the freedom it represents that has always really spoken to me.
Like so many nomads before me, I’m drawn to the idea of having no more responsibility or role to play in the ‘real world’ than riding its roads, stopping in at its diners and cafes, and taking in the wonders it has to offer.
Or maybe it’s because as a child we lead a rather nomadic existence that saw us living all over the state and commuting to the coast to see family a few times a year. During these years of wandering the sometimes dusty and often isolated roads of rural New South Wales, I was lucky enough to call the NSW Outback home on two occasions: spending two years in Menindee and a year and a half in Tibooburra.
Living out in Australia’s parched red centre was an experience I remember vividly even though I was only eight or nine when I last called it home, and it’s some of these beautiful and often hauntingly isolated places that I highlight today.
Getting on the Road
With its sheer size and the fact that both public and aerial transport are quite expensive, Australia is a country just begging to be driven around. Whether you already own a car or you’re looking to buy a second hand car for your road trip, all that separates you from seeing a side of Australia that very few visitors do is a sense of adventure and a little inspiration.
That’s where I come in…
Highlights of a NSW Outback Road Trip
I’ve highlighted a few of my favourite places from my time ‘out west’ for you below, but be sure to visit Visit Outback NSW if you’re looking for further inspiration or information.
Broken Hill
A bastion of civilisation amid the stark beauty of the desert, Broken Hill is often called the ‘Silver City’ due to its history as a silver mining town. One of the few places in NSW to observe South Australian time rather than NSW, Broken Hill is a fascinating fusion of the trappings of a modern, western country and the rough and tumble ways of the Australian Outback.
It is here, where iconic films such as Mad Max 2 and Priscilla Queen of the Desert were filmed that you can see both the prosperity mining brought to the town and the long shadow it casts to this day. The city of 20,000 is truly an oasis in a very harsh environment, with its parks and cafes in stark contrast to the towns and wastelands that surround it.
In some parts of Broken Hill, mining literally does cast a shadow. Photo sourced from Broken Hill for Real.
Whether your interests run towards colonial history, mining, the stunning scenery, or the quaintness that is a city isolated in both time and place – visiting Broken Hill is, in my eyes, a must to see the ‘real Australia’.
Silverton
Located just a short drive from Broken Hill, Silverton is a small town boasting quite a few reasons why it is worth inclusion in your road trip plans. Whether you’re interested in seeing the curvature of the world while gazing out at the plains or want to visit the Mad Max Museum, this town has something to offer any visitor.
A real tourist hotspot out in the desert, there are options for kids and adults alike – museums, camel rides, shopping, and the arbitrary dinky di (authentic) Aussie pub as well.
Tibooburra
For many Australians, they know Tibooburra as ‘that place that gets the state high on the weather’ – an isolated and often sun baked little town in the very north western corner of NSW.
More a pit stop on your Outback road trip than a destination, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to be seen in this sleepy little desert town. It’s pubs and storefronts speak to more prosperous times, and the town’s drive in theatre is one of the few remaining in Australia. A National Parks Museum and other dusty but charming landmarks exist to occupy your time while you refuel your vehicles and stretch your legs.
My childhood home in the area backed on to the aptly named Sunset Hill Lookout – a tumble of giant’s marbles (known as Tors) that affords a truly breathtaking view of the town as the sun turns the trademark red of the desert to a motley of purple and crimson.
Maybe my enchantment with the town comes from my memories of a harsh but rarely dull life in the area, but I think any Outback road trip would be improved by a stop in Tibooburra; if only so you could see where a young Aussie on the Road did his thing :-p
The iconic red of the Aussie Outback is in evidence throughout the region. Image courtesy of Tourist Maker.
Cameron’s Corner
If standing in three states at once is your thing, Cameron’s Corner is a quirky outback attraction that might be worth the visit. Located on the axis where Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia meet – Cameron’s Corner is both pitstop (boasting a corner store, mechanic, and petrol station) and attraction.
Where else in the world can you play a round of golf that spans three states and three time zones?
Milparinka
A much younger Aussie on the Road had his very first date in this haunting little ghost town in the middle of nowhere.
After my family had been trapped by rising flood waters, we sought shelter in the town’s pub and I was dragged hand-in-hand out beyond the skeletal remains of buildings for a picnic with a girl I thought was terribly beautiful. I couldn’t tell you her name now, but I do remember my heart doing little flips when she grabbed my hand and pulled me back from the edge of the swollen river.
She wore makeup. I think I was in love.
The former Mount Browne Post Office cuts a lonely figure against the endless blue sky.
While I can’t guarantee such formative experiences for every visitor, there’s something special about the sleepy little watering hole that exists near the ruins of a genuine ghost town – Mount Browne. Taking a walk through the husks of what had once been a mining community is an opportunity to walk with the ghosts of Australia’s past, and the restored Milparinka Heritage Precinct gives you a juxtaposition through which to compare it.
White Cliffs
Australian opals are renowned across the world for their startling beauty and range of colours, so why not visit a genuine opal mining settlement as part of your trip? Lightning Ridge might be better known, but I’ve got fond memories of taking a family holiday to White Cliffs’ famous underground motel.
You read that right: a hotel cut into the very heart of the Australian outback where you can escape the heat without having to leave the comforts of civilised living behind.
Above ground, the solar panels glitter and the claim entrances dot the white landscape like hundreds of oversized ant-holes. Some liken it to a moonscape while others compare it to some kind of post apocalyptic settlement carved into the rock, but either way it’s a sight to behold.
Like another world, the pock-marked surface of White Cliffs is something to see.
Sturt National Park
The largest national park in New South Wales, the Sturt National Park is known for the ambitious explorer who risked his life to survey the country’s harsh interior.
A vast, empty space of sand dunes, mesas, and rocks – the Sturt National Park is stark in its beauty, and far from lifeless. If the spring rains are favourable, the desert is briefly transformed into a field of wildflowers, and year round you can spot some of Australia’s iconic wildlife right alongside animals and plants you’ve probably never heard of.
From the towering red kangaroo to herds of emu cutting across the dunes to venomous snakes and hardy lizards, it’s about as close to going on safari as you can get on Australian soil.
Menindee
Another former home of the Aussie on the Road, Menindee is located quite close to Broken Hill and is perhaps most famous for the lakes that surround it. When they’re full, the Darling River fed foursome hold more water than Sydney Harbour and become a mecca for fishing and watersports.
Australia doesn’t do lakes often, but when we do…
Even when dry, the Menindee Lakes are still something special to behold. The bony fingers of trees reach up into unbroken blue sky while below the clay slowly dries and cracks.
Menindee itself isn’t a town full of tourist attractions, but its proximity to the Menindee Lakes and its historic significance as part of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition makes it worth a look.
Bourke
“To know Bourke is to know Australia“, said famous Australian author, Henry Lawson. So isolated is Bourke that ‘out back o’ Burke’ has become a phrase used to describe isolation.
While not as far west or even as isolated as some other cities in the region, Bourke is one of the more tourist friendly stops on an Outback road trip. Located along the route of the Darling Run (a route following the Darling River south), there are plenty of tours, cruises, and attractions to give visitors a better understanding of Outback Australian life.
You can check out Visit Bourke for a better idea of what the town has to offer. All I remember of it was answering ‘Yes’, when somebody called out to a Chris other than me. How dare they!
Wilcannia
Once Australia’s third largest inland port (don’t ask me what the larger ones were), Wilcannia is another example of a town built in prosperity and now existing in the sleepy twilight that comes afterwards.
The otherworldly Sturt’s Desert Pea.
It’s heritage buildings speak of a time when paddle steamers made their way up and down the Darling, and settlers from all over the world rushed to be a part of Australia’s prosperity. It’s also a great place to see the alien Sturt’s Desert Pea in bloom, and ideally located as a day trip from Broken Hill.
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Now that I have my very own spiffy Yakima roof-rack to add some much needed storage space to the family car(s), I’m hoping I can convince a sibling or three to tag along for a road trip later this year!
Failing that, I’ll need to get my own car.
And a license…
Your Say
Have you ever taken an Outback road trip in NSW or another Australian state?
Have you had the pleasure of visiting one of these isolated but beautiful towns?
What is an often overlooked part of your own country that more people should explore?
It might not be quite as well known as Australia’s love of sport, the beach, and an ice cold beer – but Australians love to gamble as well.
There’s a long history of ‘having a flutter’ in Australia. From the abundance of ‘pokies’ (video slot machines) in Australian pubs and clubs to the recent rise in the popularity of online gaming sites such as Full Tilt and it’s competitors, there’s no shortage of Aussies willing to splash a little cash in the hope of winning big.
Like all things, gambling is something that can be enjoyable, but must also be done in moderation. While a visit to Australia certainly doesn’t need you to gamble, there are a few uniquely Australian spins on the pastime that can certainly be enjoyed without breaking your bank.
Melbourne Cup
By far Australia’s biggest horse racing carnival and one of the few days of the year where many people bet, the annual Melbourne Cup is the culmination of the Spring Racing Carnival and brings the entire state of Victoria to a standstill as people don suits & fancy hats, overindulge in drinks, and gather to watch the most exciting few minutes of horse racing they’ll likely ever witness.
Melbourne Cup Day is a state holiday in Victoria, but all states come to something of a standstill for the race in early November of each years. Many workplaces hold office sweepstakes or schedule afternoons out to watch the race at a restaurant or pub, and even the busiest of supermarkets is likely to enjoy a few minutes of quiet as the race is called over the radio.
I’m not much of a gambler (and definitely even less of a horse racing enthusiast), but even I throw a couple of dollars on the horse with the funniest name every year in the hopes it’ll pull out a miracle win and contribute to my travel fund.
Hitting the Pokies
I recently completed my RCG (Responsible Care of Gambling) certification here in NSW, which is a day long course explaining the laws surrounding gambling in the many pubs and clubs in my home state with video poker machines. While some of the statistics made for grim reading, I’d be hard pressed to find a friend who hasn’t from time to time fed a couple of coins into these ever present bundles of lights and sound.
With most bars, pubs, and registered clubs (not to be confused with night clubs) in Australia boasting at least a few of these machines, having a bit of a flutter has become a regular part of many a night out for Aussies.
Australian Casinos
If you’ve been to Las Vegas or Macau, don’t set your standards quite so high when visiting an Australian casino. With only a few casinos scattered across the country, these establishments are impressive without ever quite matching up to the iconic sights you’d expect to find along the famous Las Vegas strip. Australian casinos exist in a middle ground between the out and out decadence of the Bellagio and the seedier charms of a Fremont Street casino.
A big part of this is the prevalence of the aforementioned ‘pokies’ (short for video poker machines), but it’s also a bit of a cultural difference as well. The demand just isn’t there for entire cities devoted to casinos.
That being said, a night out at The Star, Jupiters, or Crown can be a unique and eventful evening. With casinos not being the norm, they make for a unique way to celebrate a birthday or bachelor party – boasting restaurants, live entertainment, sports bars, and the obligatory gambling as well. An evening suited up or wearing your finest cocktail dress, sipping expensive cocktails, and trying your luck on the blackjack table or roulette wheel is definitely a change from the Aussie bar and night club scene that I can attest to.
Two Up on ANZAC Day
Illegal on every other day of the year, ‘Two Up’ was a popular game among Australian and New Zealand soldiers during their lengthy campaigns abroad in World Wars I and II. A relatively simple game in which a neutral party flips two pennies and competing players bet on whether the coins will land both heads up, both heads down, or a mix; it is only legal to play the game on ANZAC Day (April 25th) or in a few of Australia’s casinos.
It’s not the kind of game you’d play often anyway, but it’s a fun tribute to the many Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women who lost their lives in the defense of Queen and country in the so-called ‘Great Wars’.
Gambling Responsibly
I don’t want to be seen to be actively promoting gambling as a pastime. While it’s something I indulge in on one or two occasions a year at most, I understand that there are those who suffer seriously from gambling addiction. I believe it’s certainly possible to enjoy gambling in a responsible and moderate way without it getting out of hand. If you are going to have a punt in Australia, there are a few tips I’d recommend abiding by.
Set yourself a spending limit and do not exceed it.
Do not gamble alone. Make it a social activity.
Avoid drinking and gambling. Alcohol reduces inhibitions that might usually stop you before things get out of hand.
Take a break. Don’t indulge in marathon gambling sessions. Taking a break reminds you of the time and allows you time to clear your head.
If done responsibly, participating in Australia’s gambling culture needn’t be something to completely derail your trip. It’s no different than indulging in alcohol – perfectly acceptable if you do it in moderation.
Your Say
Have you discovered any interesting or unique gambling traditions in your time abroad?
Do you ever participate in gambling while you travel?
Another year over and that means it’s time to assess the resolutions from the year gone by with one last wistful, nostalgic sigh before looking ahead to what 2015 has in store.
After a less than stellar effort in 2013 saw me only check off three of my ten resolutions, I’m pleased to say that I did considerably better in 2014 – thanks largely to my move away from the hustle and bustle of Nanjing and into the peace & quiet of rural NSW. It’s hard not to be productive when you’re away from the distractions of a night life!
10. Improve Aussie on the Road and launch another website.
9. Get into better shape.
8. Successfully set up a life for myself in Thailand.
7. Check off another 10 bucket list items.
6. Finish Dustbowl.
5. Scuba dive more often.
4. Be a better uncle.
3. Visit 3+ new countries.
2. Be happier.
1. Spend more time outdoors.
Successes
When you consider the fact I checked off all but 2.5 of my resolutions, it might look like a made a concerted effort to pursue them and run them down.
Truthfully, I didn’t consider my resolutions for long after I wrote them; but the fact I achieved so many of them is a good indication of a year well lived and, (perhaps) my being more realistic in my setting of goals each year. My resolutions are slowly falling more into line with my own desires (rather than what I feel obliged to chase after) and my own abilities to achieve them.
Aussie on the Road enjoyed a very good year – with a new design and renewed committment translating into drastically improved traffic and social media, as well as a bit more financial reliability. This year also embark on my first two press trips – a visit to Broke Fordwich in the Hunter Valley, and a five day safari in Tanzania!
I’m still yet to follow through on my desire to launch a second site – but given I’ve yet to really perfect the one I have, I’m okay with that.
My time at home has allowed me to drop from a record ‘high’ of 112kg back down to a somewhat more slim 102kg, and I’m confident I’ll be able to keep dropping the kilograms into the New Year as I battle towards getting back to my 2010 weight.
Visiting the UK (and Stonehenge!) in early 2014 was the achievement of a lifelong travel ambition.
I visited four new countries (the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Tanzania, and Kenya), scuba dived more often (twice is better than the zero times I dived in 2012 and 2013), lived a generally happier life, and managed to be a better uncle simply by being in the same country and time zone as my adorable niece and nephew.
Spending Christmas with them was definitely a highlight.
How did I do on the bucket list? Let’s see:
1. Kiss Passionately in the Pouring Rain
4. Give a speech at a good friend’s wedding.
Giving the second of two best man speeches for 2014. No less terrified.
6. Swim with a whale or whale shark.
9. Go on safari
34. Swim in an isolated canyon or gorge.
108. Be in a real fight.
144. Have a bar or cafe I’m a regular at.
155. Eat haggis in Scotland.
299. Spend the night in a five star hotel.
I also made progress on my desire to scuba dive on every continent (adding Asia), kissing a girl from every country (adding the Philippines, Kenya, and Wales), visiting all of the continents (adding Africa), and seeing a bunch of different animals in the wild (seeing elephants, lions, giraffes, hyenas, rhinos, and hippos).
How the hell wasn’t ‘see a leopard in the wild’ on my bucket list? Definitely a high point in my year.
I also came perilously close to achieving #195 (be in one more play) when I was cast as the lead in a local production of The Producers, only to have my safari plans rule me out! Ouch!
Not a bad year at all!
Failures
Frustratingly, the two resolutions I had no joy in achieving were arguably the two that would have made the biggest difference to my life!
For a few years now I’ve dreamed of setting up a life for myself in Chiang Mai or El Nido where I could focus solely on my writing as both a source of income and enjoyment. Alas, my damnable credit card continues to dog my tracks!
My second ambition – to finish my novel, Dustbowl, continues to be thwarted by my own lack of commitment. I go through flurries where I’ll generate 40,000 or 50,000 words in the space of a few days, only to not look at it again for a month or more.
The upside to knowing that this failing is entirely of my own doing is that it’s within my power to remedy it. You can be sure that ‘Finish my fucking novel’ will again make an appearance on this year’s resolutions.
Speaking of…
My 2015 Resolutions
#10 – Get rid of my credit card
My damned credit card has been maxed out and paid off twice now, and I’m in the process of slowly paying it back down for a third time. As convenient as it is having it, I’m itching to finally get it paid off and then shut down for good.
If it weren’t for the hanging sword of unpaid debt hanging over my head, I’d be considerably more open to the idea of just packing a bag, buying a ticket, and seeing where fate took me.
#9 – Visit 4+ new countries
For the past two years, it’s been a resolution to visit 3+ new countries. Given how easily that has been achieved, I thought I’d up the ante a bit.
Having done the math, I need to visit four countries a year to make it 40 by 40, too. Since my late start stopped me from doing 30 by 30, 40 by 40 will have to do.
Where will those countries be? I haven’t the faintest idea!
#8 – Get back to my 2010 shape
Shortly before Christmas, I weighed in at 102kg and could feel a swell of pride at having shed 10kg since returning from China. More gratifying was being able to fit into the Game of Thrones t-shirt my ex bought me that I’d never been able to wear.
I’d love to be able to pose for this shot with my brothers without feeling quite so inadequate by comparison.
That same day, TimeHop was cruel enough to bring up a status from four years ago when (on the same day) I’d weighed in at a post high school record of 92kg.
Not one to balk at a challenge, I’ve now made it my goal to get down to 92kg or lower by the end of 2015. Methinks it’s going to mean a whole lot more running…
#7 – Check off another ten bucket list items.
I only just scraped in this year thanks to going on safari and staying in the Four Seasons Serengeti, but I’ll keep to my traditional ‘ten or more bucket list items’ goal.
The list is ever expanding, so it shouldn’t be too hard to chase down a scant handful.
#6 – Make writing my primary source of income.
The dream is to someday be able to say “I’m a writer” and mean it in every sense of the word. As it stands, my writing income isn’t quite enough to be considered a full time job.
I’d love to get it to a point that I could say I earned a living solely from my writing – be it on this site, through freelance work, or (gasp) through selling a novel and becoming the next Stephen King or George R R Martin.
#5 – Finish my fucking novel.
With that in mind, I’d like to finally pull my thumb out of my arse and finish my novel. At 183 pages, it’s criminally short for a fantasy epic. I guess I’ve got a lot of work to do in 2015.
#4 – Continue my education.
Whether it’s learning a new language or going back to school to learn something a tad more useful and vocational than my Bachelor of Arts, I’d like 2015 to be a year where I expand my knowledge base beyond useless trivia and fragments of languages.
There’s still the chance that I make a full time return to study in 2015, with a Bachelor in Tourism Management being of appeal due both its subject matter and the fact it’s a course with a few travel opportunities includes. I’m just not sure I want to commit three years of my life to Australian life. There are reasons that I hate living in Australia, after all…
#3 – Be happier.
Every year I say this and every year I struggle to decide whether I’m happier or not. It’s not exactly an easy thing to quantify.
Singing up a storm with old friends. Recipe for happiness.
Still, if I can look back at the year just passed and think of it with more fondness than bitterness – I feel confident in saying that I’m happier. Let’s hope that 2015 can make it a two year streak.
#2 – Launch an Aussie on the Road podcast or web series.
While writing is my first love, I’ve always enjoyed both radio and acting. In 2015, I’d love to launch one (or both) mediums on the site. While I don’t have a face for television, I like to think I’ve got the enthusiastic personality to make vlogging an option, and my past radio experience (however limited) makes me confident I can rock a podcast too.
Sadly, neither is likely to eventuate while I’m living in a village with pedal powered internet…
#1 – Find somebody special
Deep breath
“Awwwwww!”
It’s a ballsy resolution when it’s largely beyond my control, but I’m not getting any younger and I like to think I’ve reached a point where I’m emotionally and mentally ready to add somebody else to this chaotic, fun existence I lead.
In the past, I’ve been guilty of rushing into things buoyed by the irrational belief that I just needed a significant other to find that enigmatic happiness; but these last few years have taught me that it’s entirely possible to love your own life without having a love of your life in it.
I’m always going to have growing and improving to do, but I’m pretty happy with who I am and where I am in life. I’d like to finish 2015 with somebody to share that contentedness with.
Your 2015 Resolutions
What are your 2015 resolutions? How did you go in achieving your 2014 resolutions?
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