Devastation

Feeling the world as deeply as I do, I am devastated about the carnage those disaffected, misguided and violent men who make up ISIS have wreaked upon us all in recent days. The murder and havoc in Baghdad, Beirut and Paris in particular. I've been active on social media this morning and wish to share my thoughts wider than my circle of friends, and their friends. So here I am, sharing some of my beliefs, thoughts and refections.

Reflections about peace, tolerance, harmony, good people overcoming those who would do damage. Forgiveness and a view of people as people, individuals with families who love each other, parents who want the very best for their children. No matter their culture, race, religion, no matter where they live in our world. The extinction of 'other'.

'Other', the 'them' and 'us' mentality, feeds the people who are ISIS. The more we are 'we' and learn about and celebrate our similarities and differences, the greater chance we have of defeating violence and terrorism. Tolerance will take away the recruits. Tolerance and an understanding of each other should mean that young men are not so able to be disaffected because they are understood and honoured for who they are. Not just young Muslim men, young men everywhere.

I think of the many peaceful people in the world as 'us'. The people who conduct mass shootings in the USA in the name of Christianity; people who kill in the name of Islam; those who supply the arms that enable both to happen, governments who profit from war. They are 'them'. I wonder if people forget in these times that the peaceful 'us' is very much the majority.

I read somewhere that there are around 31,000 people fighting as ISIS. Given there are over 1.6 billion Muslims in our world, it would be a stretch to say these people represent the majority. Indeed, how could 0.0019% of the world's total Muslim population represent all Muslims? Certainly not the lovely, peaceful families I know personally. Families with aspirations for their children that are far removed from losing them in this devastatingly violent way.

Then there seems to be the belief that Muslims are required to apologise for the havoc this minority cause, the belief that all Muslims are responsible, even those who are fleeing to escape the indiscriminate violence in their own countries. Leaving all they know, their homes and economic bases to find peace with their children. Where are the apologies from other world religions when a non-Muslim kills in the name of their religion, the apologies from governments who make war on civilians and the arms dealers who profit from all of this?

What if all the arms in the world were destroyed or there was no profit in war? Wouldn't that be a world we could all enjoy.

The media play a role in perpetuating the drama and hate, especially these days with such instant coverage and the sensationalising that happens. The media being controlled as they are to show part of a story. To feed the cult of the other. There has been terrorism from a variety of causes, including religions, internationally and within nations, for generations. The crusades were religious terrorism, the persecution of Jewish people, the PKK, the Basque unrest. Too many to mention here.

I do hope those wanting their homelands free of oppression, being able to rule themselves and live in peace, may have their causes are highlighted when they fight against ISIS. I do worry that other news is being pushed from the public's consciousness, such as the atrocities and terrorism perpetrated by Israel on the Palestinians. What a world we live in, when will it settle?

This evening I feel sad, watching the stories on the news, only from Paris. Lest we forget Baghdad and Beirut where families are also suffering. Families who want just what families want all over the world, a better life for their children. Lets work on that. All of 'we'.

Somewhere over the rainbow.....

Blue Mountains

My recent trip to the Blue Mountains provided me with lots of places to play with waterfalls. It's such a beautiful place, expansive views all with the blue haze that gave these hills their name. The eucalyptus oil burning off the trees in the sun. 

I really enjoyed getting out walking, although it was teeming with people on most of the trails. I found the big shots a bit difficult with the mix of haze, light and shadows so have added some water shots here. I have a great series of the two women enjoying that waterfall, wish I knew who they were so I could share them. 

I couldn't believe how close the Blue Mountains are to Sydney yet how different. Once again AirBnb came to the party with the best apartment, so close to everything yet so peaceful. I had another moment of being glad to be from Aotearoa. There was a wonderful band playing at the Station Bar in Katoomba. A lovely bunch of guys with a variety of instruments and that NZ funk sound I so enjoy. They chatted with us during their breaks, seems they love do Fat Freddies and others. 

The pizza was the best I've had in a very long while as well. I was starving after a day out exploring and ready to enjoy some music and dancing. 

The sun playing havoc with the Wentworth Falls

Cooling off

In the cool of the trail

It's November? How did that happen!

For the first time ever, I've missed a month. That's right, no entries for October. The reasons are many, probably the main one the demands of writing for a job and not just for pleasure. A bit like someone who loves to cook becoming a chef with the demands of the public. My demands have been deadlines and a variety of topics I've needed to research in this new place. Somehow after being on a computer all day creatively writing and preparing presentations means I'm not as keen to do the same at home.

I've also been out and about. A lot. So busy doing I don't get as much time to write about it. Sailing has been interesting, a whole day Sunday commitment. I tried out for a racing team, a serious one, and decided I didn't want to commit to the time it would take, plus there was yelling and I'm a bit over that. It was a hectic sail and yelling was needed once or twice.

Sailing in regattas on Australia One and working with the 12 Metre club to do some promotional work and fund raising is more up my ally. Enjoyable sailing, meeting lots of different people out enjoying the water. There may be twilight sailing too, a great Friday night activity. There's just so much to do in this big ciy of small villages.

My lease runs out soon, I've been here six months already, and need to decide where I want to be. Really love this location so will stay if I can. I managed a long weekend in the Blue Mountains and took some great pics I'll share here soon. This weekend I'm in Brisbane getting some much needed whanau (family) time with two small ones. Amazing how much they change and grow in a few months.

The youngest is awake now, couch time is over and playtime about to being. All is well in my world.

It's a small world after all

I've had a few moments of small worlds lately. I have a follower here who's name didn't register as it might have. Then I got the loveliest email from Les. Touching base after way too many years, too many to mention really. Les and his lovely wife Annette lived at the beach on the Coromandel that was my soul place. The most beautiful beach in the world, even after all my travels it's tough to beat.

Les drove us unruly teenagers to school on a little mini bus through scorching heat when we all would rather have been at the beach; through storms that closed the roads during storm season; through those days when the road was metal and rutted, not like the highway it is today. He knew all of us well, I babysat their kids in that lovely A-frame wooden house on the corner.

There are stories of those long journeys to school and back, journeys that were the first hour plus of my days back then. It was a long way to school, it was a culture shock heading from the small school to high school in the small town an hour plus away.  I did lots of reading on those buses, scenery only holds interest so long with the daily commute when you're high school age.

There was the time that one of the younger girls bit into her egg and there were guests there. I'm shuddering just thinking about it. It's a story I tell when people are eating boiled eggs. There were times when we couldn't get to school because of the slips on the road ahead, barely getting home through the slippery rain. There were the times the surf was up, the beach too tempting. The smell and taste of the little red guavas on the the side of the road.

It's funny, I'm not one to go back there. I tend to live more in the now enjoying each day as it comes and saying yes to opportunities and adventures. It wasn't the easiest of times for so many reasons and tonight's email from Les took me back some years. In a good way. His words brought to mind this from Jim Carrey. Les and Annette are following their dreams, exploring their beautiful country in their retirement.


















And here's one of my beautiful place taken by Judy Drok Photography. There are plenty more on her website.

The weekend

A picture is worth a thousand words, well there was supposed to be photos but the iPad didn't want to help me do it. Oh well, may add them later. What an eventful weekend. Thursday was the Marriage of Figaro at the Opera House, the Sydney Opera House; Friday evening excitement with a Meetup; Saturday brunch at the market; Saturday night '80s party, dancing all night; and then there was Sunday.

The Sydney 12 meter club has restored Australia One, the original Bond Americas Cup challenger, and Sam and I got to sail on her on Sunday. It was fantastic, out down the harbour and out through the harbour heads. Fast once the wind picked up. A weekend to bottle,  might need a quiet one next weekend although there is a sail on offer then too.

And finally, the photo

Reflections

I've been in a reflective mood lately, counting my blessings and appreciating the space I find myself in. The space in all it's dimensions. Take today, well it started last evening after yoga. Samantha and I have bought a table at the Gangsters Ball next month and preparations have begun. Like getting a costume to wear. We Internet shopped last week and they arrived yesterday. The giggles started as we checked them out at work, we are beginning to get a little bit of a reputation there for enjoying ourselves fully.

Try ons followed dinner, hilariously the costumes all fitted. Skimpy and not covering enough but fitted us both. There will be no photos of that experience, suffice to say there was riotous laughter as the corset ribbons were tightened, the tulle arranged, shoes added. We both loved the sailor outfit most of all, we need a second one. My sparkly heeled, high high heeled, blue satin shoes worked perfectly. The pics shared today caused more work hilarity. Apparently we are the funny ones, good thing is we now have some colleagues keen to come to the ball too.

It's been a while since I've been where there is a ball season and I'm slightly regretting giving away my gold dress and some of those shoes. The gold one would fit again now, yoga and all this walking and healthy eating has me looking okay. Maybe I just need a new wardrobe, I know Sam will help. More about today, it was Abi's birthday last Friday and mine on the Monday so a team lunch was in order.

Macchiato Wood Fired Pizza Co has become a bit of a go to for me. Perfect Italian food, amazing desserts, banoffi pie mmmmm, and best of all, very best of all the perfect coffee. Dopio, double espresso. Perfect. And that's high praise from me. I have struggled a little getting the best coffee here. The weekend found me brunching at South End Cafe after a Friday out celebrating my birthday with cocktails and the very best Spanish tapas at Tapavino followed by some divine raisony sherry. Yes three lasses out drinking sherry on a chilly evening enjoying the best company.

So this has become a 'what I've been up to' that I've had very little spare time to write here, to write emails, to keep up with my social media. I'm very conscious that I owe emails, need to get some stuff done like sign pieces of paper that will end an era. Other pieces that will enable new beginnings. In a way this is procrastinating, thinking time.

Here are some of the promised reflections. Friends, I have found the best of friends here. The 'make new friends' of the poem. Through Meetups, at work, in my neighbourhood. Pleasant people, friendly in a way others told me Sydney might not be. Old friends, the ones I'll keep. The ones who write to me, make me laugh, don't mind if it's been a while between calls, comment on my comments and generally make me warm inside. The gold that sit nicely with the silver. Complimentary. Special.

Economies of scale. Well this reflection deserves it's own entry so I won't dwell too much now. Suffice to say that where there are many people, there are many amenities. Like my new yoga studio two minutes walk down the road. The place where I've been enjoying getting back into my most preferred activity. I think of Cayman Kim when I'm there, Monday yoga was our weekly get together. And my Al Ain yoga crew. Economies of scale that mean the city I live in has the very best public transport system too and so much to do. Like the going to the opera Marriage of Figaro on Thursday evening and hearing Louis de Bernieres speak next week.

Reflecting this evening as I wandered back from yoga on how I feel I've landed in the right place at the very right time doing the right thing. I've been published a few times in this new job and have another article brewing, due tomorrow. My work social media posts are popular too it seems. So all is well and truly well in my world. My lovely warm little home is still perfect and I enjoyed reading in the sun on Sunday. Noah and I talked on Sunday too. He had the funniest response when I showed him my view, it was almost snowing where he was.

"Wow grandma, where's that? Is it your place? Can I swim there? Can I come and visit?" He was very excited at the prospect of a visit, I am too. Photos will follow then.

In Cayman it was sunsets

In Sydney it's sunrises. I'm not sure if that's about the closing of old chapters and the beginning of new ones or if it just is because it is. The sun has always been my happy place, a home flooded with the rising of the sun ideal for me. Sydney has been very good to me so far, there's plenty to do like wandering along the coastal walkway from Bondi to Coogee. A lovely outing on an otherwise stay at home wet day. 

I sheltered at Bronte, coffee warming me while I waited for a break in the weather. The waves pounding the sand and crashing up against the rocks, spray filtering the air. Sea air, sharp with salt. I can see the attraction of living at these eastern beaches and may look there when my lease expires. For now the closeness to work and town win. That lovely morning when I can wander a variety of ways. Going out and being able to get home easily late at night. I do catch the train, I do wander through Kings Cross at night much to the horror of some locals I know. It's okay, really. I've wandered much worse places and been just fine.

Today Samantha and I ventured north to a new cafe her friend has opened, Maslow's. Her son is the most amazing chef, his food a work of art and the best coffee. This evening there's a Meet-up at Darling Harbour, it's a school night but a bit of dancing will be good for me. Meet-ups have been such a bonus, landing not really knowing anyone here and now having friends to hang out with on weekends. Like Celia. 

There's so much to write about! New things keep popping into my head as I write, disjointed and random adventures and discoveries. Like the recent breakfast at the Kings Cross market with my lovely Sydney family. Corn fritters, coffee, sun and the best company. Something I repeated this Saturday with quite different company. People watching, chatting, chilling on the sun. 

Next weekend I'm off to Brisbane on my first official outing in my new job. Attending a conference on Saturday and enjoying my Brisbane family on Sunday and Monday. Bonus. My new job is a writing job, preparing presentations, social media and web posts and writing articles for professional and other publications. Time to research built in. Presenting at conference and other fora expected from time to time. Does this sound like my perfect job, well yes it does. 

So best I get ready to salsa. Here are a few pics from my wanders. 

Wild water, he was wise to run

Sunrise sparkling on the water

Bondi