val-g.blogspot.com

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: January 2011

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Sunday, January 16, 2011. Out of the Jungle, Part 1. We rose early, sore and smelly, to the morning calls of birds. Bob and I packed our mosquito net as Jim snored away. Bob was chipper, a fact that annoyed me since numerous times during the night he had shifted sharply in his sleep, causing the net on my side to fall in my face and knock his water bottle against my head. And is one of the largest squirrels in the world. The day soon became mugg...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: October 2010

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Tuesday, October 19, 2010. Eager to sit out of the sun I plopped down at the table, picked a design, and got to work. Batiks are made by 'drawing' hot wax on a piece of cotton or silk. You then paint the canvas, with the wax keeping the colors from mixing. When finished the wax is removed and colors set. I was not expecting tacky tourist shops blaring music, flashing light trinkets, and scaffolding and bags left haphazardly around the caves.

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: December 2010

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Thursday, December 23, 2010. In the Jungle, Part 2. The boat sped upstream, drawing its abhorrent sound of motorized technology from the forest. Forgiving the intrusion, birds began to call. Cicadas resumed their chirping, and the rainforest, for the moment, forgot we were there. We stood together, the three of us, glancing from the sparsely detailed map, to the encompassing vegetation. Well, we just followed the large, road-worthy street signs.

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: Sky High

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2011/04/sky-high.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Monday, April 4, 2011. The undulating calls of gibbons. Ushered me into my last day in Malaysia. Bob, Jim, and I left early to try the canopy walk. The three of us are fairly fit, and I thought we were walking at a fast pace, but suddenly two Malaysian boys sped past without a drop of sweat on their brows, politely leaving our dignity in the mud. We finally reached a series of steps to the head of the canopy walk. High-pitched cries echoed f...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: September 2010

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Sunday, September 26, 2010. Dingo and his minions. Well, it's been a while . . . about six months. I took a novel writing course a while back and have been focusing on writing when I'm not walking pups. But still, a sorry excuse for my blog's abandonment. I'll try to be more regular in my posts incase anyone's been extremely faithful in checking. If so, kudos. In an earlier post I mentioned our cat Dingo and how he got his name. Dingo hissed at ...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: September 2009

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Thursday, September 24, 2009. I woke up yesterday at 5 am, nudged Bob, and asked, "Why is the sky orange? 100km winds had whipped the dry central lands of Australia, stripping soil and dust into its torrents. Unfortunately for us, the wind then decided to dump it all on Sydney. An orange haze was all that could be seen for hours. A journey outside left many with raspy breath and dusty apparel. Tuesday, September 22, 2009. Race to the Opera.

gmcbuddlowdown.blogspot.com

LAND OF THE ZIA: WALKABOUT '09 - DAY 4 - MILE 596 - THE VIEW

http://gmcbuddlowdown.blogspot.com/2009/04/day-4-mile-596-view.html

WALKABOUT '09 - DAY 4 - MILE 596 - THE VIEW. From the Grand Canyon we headed north. It was weird.the Grand Canyon just seemed to end. Not long after leaving the Grand Canyon; however, we came across another 'not so grand' canyon. This one cost $2 bucks to get in [as opposed to the $25 per car fee at the GC]. It was actually pretty impressive. Along side of the canyon was a Native American market place where I picked up some pottery and a cool handcrafted Christmas ornament. Now as to be expected, this ki...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: October 2009

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Sunday, October 25, 2009. When Ghosts May Walk and Skeletons Talk. Australians don't quite get Halloween. This is a very disappointing fact. Sure some shops put out a few costumes and ghostly figures, but the plastic fades and witches can only peer meekly around fat ornaments of St. Nick in swim shorts, stockings, and reindeer statues prematurely invading the city. . Back in the States Halloween is such a fun event! I mean, come on! Seems like t...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: Beneath the Boughs

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2011/02/beneath-boughs.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Monday, February 21, 2011. A tree grows, weaving leaves through twisted canopy to reach the sun. Its roots pull from the soil, cascading downhill, like many others in the rainforest, to drink from the clear water of the river. I’m sitting in the middle of the boat, watching the ancient forest fly by, as we head upstream to the cascades of Latah Berkoh. After we dropped our bags we hired this local boat to take us to Latah Berkoh, a small series ...

writeinsydney.blogspot.com

Write in Sydney: January 2010

http://writeinsydney.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

Trying to find home while writing halfway around the world. Monday, January 4, 2010. Night falls prematurely, forcing temperatures to icy depths. While mutli-hued lights hang from homes, blazing color into frozen lands, pine trees are adorned indoors beside the warmth of the fire. When Bob and I left Sydney, bright orange flowers erupted in chandelier-like blooms, rose breasted parrots began to build nests, and the lovely Pacific Ocean warmed the turquoise southern shores. Two weeks and a day ago, we...