Leaving Port Arthur we spent time viewing the diversity and abundance of wildlife and plant-life of the Tasman Peninsula. Vicki admired the rugged bush and spent time in the car imaging what it must have been like for convicts trying to escape complete with leg-irons attached!!. The Tasman Peninsula is well known for its rugged eastern coastline, and much of it is now a national park. At Eaglehawk Neck, the thin isthmus connecting the peninsula to the main island...

After arriving back in Tasmania safe and sound I'm having the pleasure of showing my dear friend Vicki a very small slice of this wonderful island state for a week. It seems strange being here....freezing cold.....and missing my good friends still enjoying the Chinese summer!! Port Arthur is a World Heritage Historic Site about one hour drive from Hobart, the capital of this wonderful state (and my home town). We set off from home early yesterday morning and spe...

Well here I am back in Australia for a month or so to catch up with family and friends. Rather than write a story each week from Hobart I will just keep adding to this one to cover my time at home unless I go elsewhere on this wonderful island and want to share it with my OS mates!!. I hope you all enjoy a look at my hometown......So look forward to tales of fun and frivolity as I catch up with as many people as I can before embarking on another academic year in ...

It is farewell to Nanjing but only till next semester. Looking forward to seeing all my family and friends but not looking forward to the multiple flights in order to get there. You all know that me and airplanes don't have a friendly relationship and as for the wonderful stopovers at boring airports along the way.......what can I say.....they all start to look the same..just prolong the agony!!! Hit the airport nice and early with a view to getting a good seat ...

Life in Nanjing continues to be full of surprises.....after judging the lead up local competition I was asked to judge the Provincial final for the CCTV Outlook English Talent competition...a rather important event for students across China apparently. Anyway it seems that I have been seen on national TV!!!! Little did I know as I don't watch that channel (as its all in Chinese) but many of my students saw it and they are now calling me "mei jiao shou" (beautiful...