Currently en route to New York, I was sitting on the first of three flights watching Ben Affleck in Argo, which he produced, directed and also acted in as a CIA agent involved in secreting a group of diplomats out of Tehran during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. As the movie (which is very good) … More Welcome to New York
On the 1st day of January, 1892 they opened Ellis Island and they let the people through ~ Brendan Graham, Isle of Hope Isle of Tears These are the opening lyrics to an all-time favourite song of mine which has been performed by many, usually Irish, entertainers including Celtic Woman, the Three Tenors and Tommy … More Roots
There are so many worthwhile causes in this world. I find myself saying “no” to requests for donations to all kinds of charitable organisations who approach via door knocking, mailouts, emails and telephone calls. It seems overwhelming sometimes. Only recently have I realised that the reason “we” in the western world are so inundated by … More So Many Worthwhile Causes
Many stories came out of my year in Cambodia. I feel particularly close to one of my patients and I am not sure I ever fully told (my part of) her story. At 25yo this young woman who I will give the pseudonym of Phan, was admitted to our ward weighing 21kg. Her father carried … More The Story of One Patient
The bright lights and glittering merchandise in airport duty free stores once drew me in as intended, tempting me to purchase things I might never consider necessary, desirable or affordable at other times. These days as I walk the sparkling hallways of various airports on my already-extravagant travels, I have no desire to so much … More The Lucky Country, A Fortunate Life
Back in familiar surroundings, my days are going to be less blog-worthy for a while, but I’ll write when something of interest happens. Yesterday was blog-worthy so here I am! As a well resourced country Australia has the facility to respond in an influential way to emergencies of international importance. A current example is the … More Africa, Asia and Australia in a Day
It’s nice to be home! With Sydney’s 55km Spring Cycle Challenge behind me (Sunday was a beautiful day for it and despite cycling amongst the hoardes, it was relaxed and without accident), I now have many other commitments ahead of me. Visiting various friends and family, attending a day of Ebola training, the Sydney to … More Worlds Colliding
A quick message from Phnom Penh Airport. Last night I received a message from one of the Alice Springs town camp kids I have known since she was five years old. She is a real stand-out and now at 16, attending boarding school with a focus on her education which if you knew where she … More Special Farewells
There’s something quite exotic about the streets of Phnom Penh, especially at night when I regularly get a sense of being inside a historical South East Asian novel, which I don’t ever recall reading. The closest I can think of is the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which is set in 21st century India. … More Here in Subcity
As a young teenager in the mid 1980s Mum sent me off to boarding school and suffered severe consequences for her sins. Noone is capable of shedding such sorrowful and persistent tears as the teenage me was. Then in 1989 I traveled to London and spent the following six years living, working and studying in … More Crying for Cambodia
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