ozblog2008

Wednesday 3 June 2009

Karen talks on the BBC Radio about Australia

I was invited to speak on a 'desert island discs' style show on BBC Radio Berkshire about my Winston Churchill Fellowship award and trip to Australia by Sarah Walker on June 3rd 2009 at 3pm. It was great to be able to talk about the benefits of volunteering and how fantastic the Australians are at volunteering. I also plugged The Prince's Trust to encourage some fund raising. A link to the show will be posted shortly.

Wednesday 24 December 2008

Santa comes to Melbourne

Josie and Tilly were thrilled with all that Santa provided - Karen would like Santa to provide Christmas in Australia every year!

Kylie at Christmas

What a great concert with Kylie Minogue - her final concert in Melbourne, her home town and we managed to celebrate in style with lots of dancing and singing. Thanks to Jo and Charlie for a great and very memorable Christmas present and for a fantastic, foodie, champagne Christmas.

Christmas in Melbourne

After Brisbane I needed a nap on the plane to recover as nightclubbing and dancing was to be soon replaced by cycling and chasing toddlers around the pool. Managed to squeeze in a visit to The Ardoch Foundation which is dedicated to education for young people and met with Kylie Paine to find out more about their approach. Hitching a ride on the tram is so convenient and Christmas shopping in the sunshine makes a change!
Cycling around the City on Christmas Eve really is a great way to see Melbourne and the added bonus is it's so flat! The whole family (minus Stuart in the UK) managed almost a 20 mile ride and Wendy and I realised that it is actually much easier on a tandem!

Getting hotter down under in Brisbane

After useful conversations with charities 'Big Brothers, Big Sisters' and 'The Red Cross' my work here is over for a time...as I drive further up the coast it gets hotter - temperature approaching 27 degrees...how will I cope back in the UK?!
Magical Christmas in Brisbane with the whole place lit up with lights, music, acrobatic shows...met up with Charlie from Sydney who is staying with his family in Brisbane and after another 5 hour road trip explored Noosa...fantastic beaches...followed by great nightclubs and restaurants in Brisbane.