Introduction
From home base in Belgrave Australia, our travel has included frequent house exchanges through the Homelink organization, volunteer service in south east Asia, secondment and study leave overseas, cultural tours, artist in residence posts, maintenance of the grandchildren in Birmingham, family gatherings and weddings in far places, and generally having a good time. Travel has been and continues to be very rewarding and enriching in many ways.-
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Category Archives: Asia
Kyoto, Nara & Osaka
There is an infinite number of Shinto Deities, in practical terms about 8000. So, together with the 3000 Buddhist deities there is a need for lots of Temples, Shrines and removing of shoes. Due reverence and respect are paid to … Continue reading
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Tokyo
We joined the throng of travelers coming to Japan for the cherry blossom season. Luckily many of the trees are in coming to full bloom. In Tokyo some of the trees are about 20 m high. So, what happens to … Continue reading
Hong Kong
A couple of days stopover in Hong Kong en route to Japan. Haven’t been here for decades, not since the handover to the original owners from the Brits in 1997. Hence lots of change. Many towers of up to 50 … Continue reading
Galungan and Kuningan
Galungan is a time of big celebration. It’s when the ancestor spirits come back looking for their home. Houses and businesses of the believers have huge intricately decorated bamboo poles out front. These are called Penjors, which the ancestors are … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Pottery
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Rituals, Mud Dancing and Expats
Very humbling experience today at the pottery, as I sat making 1kg bowls for testing different sorts of glaze traps. Bandem, the gun thrower, was sitting at the opposite wheel nonchalantly making 40 cm salad bowls from 5kg balls of … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Pottery
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Toward a Greener land
“Oc health and safety” regulation has a lot to answer for. In the olden days when recycled newspaper was used to wrap meat and fish & chips, did anyone ever die of newspaper poisoning? Many kids had their first taste … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Pottery
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Expecting the unexpected in Ubud, Bali
With the encouragement and support of the Australian Business Volunteers organization we are delighted to return to this corner of paradise. The purpose of this visit is for me to be an ABV technical advisor at Gaya Ceramic, a pottery … Continue reading
Cross Culture
Di and Garry who have been volunteers in Bali for over two years have a wealth of cross cultural tales. Given the romantic image of the European journeyman artist who goes ‘native’, marries a Balinese princess, and settles down to … Continue reading
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Life to a different rhythm.
Vee said: Fancy actually living in Bali. We only had two weeks there at a writer’s conference. It’s so beautiful…
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the elusive Perceval glaze
Pottery is never far from consciousness. Was surprised to be reminded of an interesting effect in the fading architectural grandeur of Subak Tabola Inn in the Bali hills. An old nemesis had for years and years been trying to get … Continue reading
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The Kite Flying B team
The locals next door invited me down to the beach for kite practice, next big competition being later in September. As you will see from the clip, the wind was not up to much, but there was a bit of … Continue reading
The green green hills of Bali
Ahhh. The green hills of Bali. Soooo beautiful. But first to escape the city traffic. For wheels we have a teeny tiny Suzuki jeep of minimal brakes and many rattles. Its lack of power is seldom a problem. The traffic … Continue reading
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Sanur Kite Festival
Much of Balinese life seems to happen in a sort of meaningless, random, slow motion. So it was a surprise to see that the tribal passions of the locals can be aroused. Not cricket or footy, and only the expats … Continue reading
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Bali 2010
As Queen Helen is about to embark on another adventure as a volunteer in Bali next month, it seemed timely to recall last years Bali sojourn. In September 2010 Queen Helen had been hard at work in Bali. A gig as a … Continue reading
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Singapore 2011
A couple of days in Singapore on the way home, to see nephew Scott, Val and the little ones. Pearl, age nearly one, has made her first step to stardom by appearing in a magazine, charmingly ‘works the room’ when … Continue reading
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