UPDATE: Aerosinusitis - aka Plane Brain aka Sinus Squeeze

A few years back I wrote one of my more popular blogs on a condition called aerosinusitis, (click here) or plane brain as it was referred to in this article in the Daily Mail. The fact that my blog article was viewed some two and a half thousand times made me realise I wasn't alone.

I'm not talking about a minor headache caused by the everyday stresses of flying due to any combination of last minute packing, traffic delays en route, missed connections, having to fight for overhead bin space, or having your personal space invaded by some alien in the next seat. This is much worse.
 

Farmers Market @ Newport

May 2014 Newport, Victoria

This little farmers market takes place in the car park at the Substation the first and third Sundays of each month. Those familar with Farmers markets will know what to expect; an eclectic mix of food stalls selling everything from organic fresh fruit and veg, to freshly baked bread and cakes, and dips, jams, and much much more. The joy of visiting the markets is always the tasting experience, and the stall holders are happy to share the fruits of their labour. Prices are pretty steep compared to your local supermarket, but you're paying for something that little bit different. I wouldn't normally pay $8 for a bag of mis-shaped dark chocolate pieces, but oh my god, was it worth it! Best time to vsiit the market is the first Sunday of the month, when it's just a hop skip and a jump to the artists market next door!

Artists Market @ Newport

May 2014, Newport Victoria

This interesting little market has been held on the first Sunday of every month since 2009. The stall holders are a mixture of the more traditional artists and then some of the more unorthodox craftspeople, so there's a little bit of something for everyone. It's held in the Substation, which is a dedicated space in Newport for local arts and culture. The building is a bit of a gem, and worthy of a visit in its own right. Throw in a coffee shop, some live classical music, and the farmers market outside and you have a perfect way to spend your Sunday morning. You'll find the Substation just next door to Newport train station, about 20 minutes from Melbourne CBD.

Altona Beach @ Sunset

Altona, Western Suburbs April 2014

There are few nicer ways to spend your autumn evenings, than enjoying a relaxing stroll with your wife along the sea front at Altona. This was a particularly calm and clear evening, with a delightfully colourful dusk skyline.   

Mountain Biking in You Yangs National Park

April 2014, You Yangs, Victoria.

We often go walking in the bushland of the You Yangs National park, around forty five minutes south west of Melbourne, and thoroughly enjoy it. I finally got round to taking our mountain bike down there this holiday weekend. Absolutely brilliant! Boy do I regret that taking me four years to get round to. 


There are two designated biking areas, containing over 50km of excellent tracks. I tried the easier and flatter Kurrajong Plantation area, that consists of three loop tracks of around 20km, and route 15 which has a few jumps and high bank turns to muck around on. This area is designed for riders of all abilities, and since it was the first time I had been mountain biking since the early 2000's with my PCWB chums, I was happy to ease my way back into the saddle. Plus our mountain bike dates back over 15 years old, and even though we recently had it serviced, it's lacking any form of suspension, and frankly would scare the crap out of me going hell for leather down hill. read more...

Over 30s Guide to Hostels - Top 10 Tips

Something interesting has happened in the world of hostels over the past few years. A very subtle but important change. If you look closely, the word youth has all but disappeared from hostels around the world. Even the YHA never goes by its full name anymore, just by its trendy three letter acronym. Which is great news for those of us over 30, who aren't ready to hang up our backpacks just yet. Backpacking and hostels go hand in hand, and our memories of travelling the world are built from the unique experience of sharing budget accommodation with like minded explorers. 

Want to get in on the action? Don't let your age stop you. Modern hostels can be light years ahead of the crusty old dorms of yesteryear - they now come fully loaded with private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, barbecues, terraces, open fires and designer kitchens. And they still offer the best travelling experiences you can find. 

There are still plenty of dives out there, and everyone has their own hosteling horror stories, and a few of mine are included below. If you haven't used a hostel before and you're over 30, or you just need a refresher course, then this guide might just well save your life. Or at very least, a good night's seep. Read on:  

Point Cook Coastal Park

April 2014, Point Cook, Melbourne. 

Point Cook is the place I call home, and a place often ridiculed by Melbournians, much like the west side of the city as a whole. The most common argument is that it lacks culture or soul, and admittedly it's pretty hard to argue against. After all, that's the downside of any new and purpose built residential suburb. It takes time for a new town to define itself and find its purpose. What frustrates me are the naysayers claiming there is nothing to do. If they ever dared leave the city, they would soon realise that west side of Melbourne has easy access to national parks and raw countryside that most Melbournians can only dream about.

Gannets at Pope's Eye Fort, Port Phillip Bay

Koalas in Cape Otway, Victoria

48 Hours in Mildura

March 2014. Mildura, NW Victoria, Australia.

Mildura is a large country town, located five hundred and fifty kilometres north west of Melbourne. It owes its existence almost entirely to the colossal Murray River, in an an otherwise landlocked, and arid desert region. It was Australia's first irrigation colony, and remains the biggest and by far the most interesting across the country. It's also still off the beaten track, so it's a great time to visit, before everyone else realises how delightful it really is. Here's a guide of how to spend a fascinating 48 hours in Mildura.  

Fair Dinkum Aussie Phrases - How to Speak 'Straylian

God bless 'Straylia! For keeping local dialect alive and kicking. The Aussies have their own unique vernacular of some five thousand plus expressions, making them the world leaders in non standard linguistics. Or slang. Strewth. 

 

I for one love the local Aussie slang, and think they should use it proudly, before the next generation get consumed by Americanism. You can easily google much more definitive lists than this one, but these are the the most common ones I've heard, and some of the funniest for a pom. Have a read and have a chuckle, especially at the context of when I first heard some of them. 

3 Days with Jamie Oliver in Australia

March 2014. Sydney & Geelong, Australia. 



I probably should clarify the title. Jamie didn't come all this way just to see little old me. In fact, Jamie probably still doesn't know who I am, even after spending a few hours with me each day. But, he did come to Australia, and I was fortunate to spend those few hours a day with him, and get up close and personal. Although I'm not a big fan of cooking shows, I admit I'm a bit of a Jamie fan. I always find him engaging and witty, and above all passionate. It was great to see that he's just like that in real life.

To cut a rather long and boring story short, it was a work based visit, and I had to squeeze in a live cooking show (not my gig, but hosted by our charitable arm), a lunch with Jamie for fifty of our VIPs, and a two hour photo shoot at our Geelong Store. Here's a quick rundown of what went on:-
 

Sydney: Top 5 in Five

I often say this and I genuinely mean it - Sydney has the best natural location and setting of any capital city in the world, even if it's not the official capital. The huge natural harbour gives way to a myriad of ferry routes to all parts of the city, the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge are perfectly poised at the gates to the CBD, and there are glorious beaches in every direction. Sydney should be on everyone's list of must see cities. If you do get the chance spend a weekend here, here's my top 5 of things to see.

Mentone Beach, Melbourne.

A Sydneysider last week told me Sydney was better than Melbourne because Melbourne had no beaches. I humoured her a little because (1) as a pom, I've got no desire to get into the debate on which is the better City and (2) I presumed she purposely meant no OCEAN beaches, since Melbourne is surrounded by the bayside beaches of Port Philip Bay. 

Using Melbourne CBD as an Office

I've had a last minute meeting called in the city this morning, due to some problems with a TV sponsorship we're running. Since I have to be back in the CBD at 4pm for a check up, I thought I may as well use the city as an office.

 

A recent study "found people who work from home start earlier, work up to three hours longer and get more done, while they felt more energised, less stressed and had fewer distractions." Is it the same when you're working from the city? Let's put it to the test. 

The Cost of your Coffee Habit

Last year the Sydney Morning Herald declared "forget beer, we're becoming a nation of bean addicts."  

To back that up, you'll find the quintessential image of Australian commuters is no longer a throb of suits and  briefcases... It's one long line of suits holding take away coffee cups. They even invented their own coffee version - the flat white. (For the record, it looks like a latte, tastes like a latte, and smells like a latte.)

Chronic Car Parking Problems for Melbourne rail commuters

I used to commute by train to work in Melbourne, but since my previous employer started at 8am, I never had a problem finding a parking space. Judging by my experience today, I'm thankful I no longer have to.

Sydney to Manly Ferry

24 March, 2014. Sydney, NSW. 

This rates as the best of all the routes on the extensive Sydney ferry network, in my humble opinion. The thirty minute journey ($14 return) from Circular Quay leaves the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in its glorious wake, as it glides out to towards the ocean beach at Manly. 

For tourists, there is arguably no better way to get a photograph of the city's landmarks. It also gives you a glimpse into the fortunate few who use this commuter line to get to work in the CBD, before returning each evening to their idyllic beachside retreats. The dolphins aren't guaranteed unfortunately, but I've been lucky enough to catch them twice. 

Airport Transfer Links to CBD in Australia's Biggest Cities

I generally prefer to use public transport to get from the airport to the CBD, regardless of whether I'm travelling for business or pleasure. I guess it's really a matter of personal taste, but give me the space, peace and reliability of a train over the cramped back seat of a grubby cab as it crawls through rush hour, any day of the week.

It's also the most eco-friendly way to travel, and whilst not everyone may be fully on board the 'green' transport bandwagon yet, at least you can feel like you're doing your bit.

Australia has some of the best, and possibly some of the worst airport public transports links in the world, and having sampled them all, here's a run through of each one:

Pre booking Weekend Parking at Melbourne Airport

I try to make overnight business trips go as smoothly as possible. I get all my tickets organised, pack early and lightly, even have a prepacked bag for toiletries and one for chargers and cables, and of course, I check in and book my airline seats online. I am not too bothered about saving time, I am more concerned about making my life easy. There's enough stress as it is. 

This includes airport parking. I hate all the hassle of long term parking - if finding a free space in a tarmac area the size of ten football fields wasn't bad enough, you then have to wait for the bus to turn up and stop at least a dozen times before you get to the terminal. I also hate getting ripped off, but since I'm not paying when it's a business trip, I hate the hassle even more. So I generally park in the ridiculously over priced short term area at Melbourne Airport (even if it's technically not allowed in the business expense guidelines book - which technically I have never seen.*)