My Journal

So, is Melaka worth visiting? Absolutely and maybe even more than you expect. A personal Melaka travel story with cheap flights, an inexpensive luxury apartment, local experiences, and hidden surprises. Discover why Melaka is perfect for slow travel. Travelling around Southeast Asia is usually easy, affordable, and if you’re a bit savvy full of great […]

Tourist Beware: Real Travel Stories That Shouldn’t Happen (But Do) Lost Phone. Wrong Passport  International Recovery Mission. I can organise the itinerary, the limousine, the driver, the hotel and the meals and to a certain extent, I can organise the people. But when it comes to their possessions that’s where my job description very clearly […]

DMZ Vietnam Travel Experience: Khe Sanh, War History & The Duck Stop A powerful and personal journey through Vietnam’s DMZ, including Khe Sanh, Vinh Moc Tunnels, and a surprisingly funny visit to The Duck Stop. One of the best things about staying in one place for a while is the people you meet. Not just […]

Why We Behave Differently on Holidays (And What Travel Reveals About Us) Have you ever noticed how you become a slightly different version of yourself the moment you leave home? Not dramatically different. Just shifted. You eat things you would never order at home. You talk to strangers in airport lounges.You wear colours you don’t […]

Tet in Da Nang – When a City Stops and a Nation Comes Home There are moments in travel when you realise you are no longer simply visiting a place you are being invited into its heart. For me, Tet in Da Nang was exactly that. Tet, short for Tết Nguyên Đán, is the Vietnamese […]

 Arrived in Da Nang? A Calm Guide to Settling In What to sort first, what can wait, and how to feel at home without the stress You’ve been travelling for a while now and you’re ready for a break. Not from travel entirely just from constantly moving. You want to stay in one place, unpack […]

Australia Day Abroad – Expat Life Vietnam Calling two countries home I know Australians aren’t exactly famous for chest‑beating patriotism. We don’t pledge allegiance at breakfast, we don’t drape ourselves in flags for fun, and we certainly don’t chant the national anthem at sporting events unless someone’s already had three beers and lost a bet. […]

Surviving Australia, and Missing Dumplings Some trips change you are away. Others only make sense once you come back. When the Wet Season Decides to Stay By the time we left Da Nang in early November, the typhoon wet season wasn’t just arriving it had moved in, unpacked its bags, and made itself very comfortable. […]

Lessons in Life Full Circle: The Day I Returned to Celebrate My Students in Perth A few weeks ago, I was invited back to the college where I used to teach to attend the 2025 graduation ceremony for a group of international students and to give a short speech. To be honest, when the invitation […]

The Travel Reset Button How Slowing Down Recharges More Than Just Your Batteries Some days it takes me three cups of coffee just to remember my own password. That’s when I know I need a reset. And no, I don’t mean a nap I mean the kind of reset you only get when you’re in […]

The Happiness Map – Finding Joy in the Journey A heartfelt reflection on how slowing down reshaped my understanding of happiness. From quiet moments to unexpected connections, I discovered that joy isn’t found at the destination it’s felt in the journey itself. What if happiness had a map? Would it guide us through mountain passes […]

Vinmec Da Nang International Hospital Review Why I’d Fly to Vietnam Before Going Back to an Australian Hospital Testing the Medical and Hospital System in Da Nang, Vietnam Before I dive into my midnight escapade, close your eyes and picture this an Emergency Department in Perth, Western Australia, at midnight on a Friday. If you’ve […]