World Writers in Oz

I find that most Americans are surprised to learn that many famous British and American writers visited—and wrote about—Australia. Mark Twain wrote extensively about Australia in his book Following the Equator. The work includes information about his lecture tour and the people he met, but focuses more on what he saw and learned, both positive [...]

Koala

While writing was a primary goal of my first Australia trip, and has remained a major component of all my travels since that life-altering trip, I also have a great fondness for photography. When I landed in Australia, in addition to my trusty Nikon FM2, I had a fair number of lenses, a tripod, and [...]

Matilda and friends

While Australians will likely understand the title Waltzing Australia instantly, the meaning might not be obvious to non-Aussies. Of course, mention the famous poem and song “Waltzing Matilda,” and the connection will be made for more folks. However, there are still some outside Oz who are scratching their heads as to the meaning of much [...]

Kakadu

From the Red Center, I traveled north, to Australia’s Top End. I was only in Darwin for a day before I headed out with a small adventure tour group to visit Kakadu National Park, and wonderful wilderness made internationally famous in the movie “Crocodile Dundee.” On our second day in Kakadu, we visited Yellow Water.
Yellow [...]

Kings Canyon

From Alice Springs I headed, in company with a largely Australian group of campers, into the delightful wilderness of the center, where we hiked, camped, and explored.
We drove to a spot about two miles from the head of Kings Canyon. Undulating, scalloped stone walls fell from the plateau above like a great, ragged, red furbelow. [...]