A SEA of love for South East Asia

I have been putting off writing this post for some time.  It’s as if it symbolises the end of the adventure.  Truthfully, it has more to do with the fact that I don’t know where to start.   Logically, the beginning would seem like a good place, but after ruminating on this issue for some time, I’ve decided that I don’t want this to be a blow-by-blow travelogue-esque type blog.  No.  So in the end it’s not quite that simple.

We’ve travelled to South East Asia a few times over the years.  There is something about the place that keeps drawing us back in.  It goes beyond the mere fact that I have Thai heritage, because I have a love for more than just Thailand.  In all of our adventures to the place I have always been impressed by one thing.  No, it’s not the culture or the food.  Nor is it the history or the pristine natural environments.  Yes, all of these things are amazing.  But it’s the memory of the people that has always struck a chord with me.

Village boy at the warung near Sunda Kelapa

An impromptu village sing-a-long

My summer reading list

A couple of months ago, when I realised that, according to my calendar at least, summer was descending upon us and that I had a six week overseas holiday coming up, I decided that it was time to think about some appropriate summer reading material.

While I did have that six week holiday up my sleeve I didn’t want to be too optimistic about how many books I could read over the course of the holiday, and the remained of the summer.  I have chosen five books that I have either wanted to read for some time, been recommended by friends or that I have heard good things about.

So the contenders are:

Rapscallionism in Rutherglen

I don't know whether what happened in Rutherglen was actually rapscallionism, but I do like the sound of that the alliteration makes, and that's all that really counts right?

About a week ago M, my dad and I took a trip to Rutherglen.  It’s about a 4 hour drive from Canberra, through Holbrook, passed Albury / Wodonga in north-eastern Victoria.    

The area is probably most famous as a wine region.  However, with stretches of dry paddocks, windmills and the odd dilapidated corrugated iron shed, Rutherglen is also quintessential regional Australia.  It is at once quaint, small and feels somewhat remote and isolated, while at the same time it is cultured offering beautiful wines, fine dining and amazing produce.

A Rutherglen paddock in the morning ©dhdesign

Sensational sampler of Spicks and Specks

Tomorrow night M and I are off to the Spicks and Specks Spectacular when they visit Canberra.

The idea that Spicks and Specks won't be returning to our screens in 2012 is devastating, like losing a close family member.  I'm going to especially miss the drunk-aunt-at-the-family-dinner Denise Scott, and hearing Adam Hills saying "Thanks for watching Spicks and Specks, my name's Adam Hills, good night Australia".

There have been some amazing moments over the years, and I'm feeling particularly sentimental, so I thought I might share a sample of some of my favourite moments over the years.

Since I started by mentioning Denise Scott, here's a clip of her in an episode with Jordie Lane (who is also her son).

One of my favourite games on the show has always been 'substitute'.  It requires a member of the team singing a song using the words from a book or text, and their team needs to identify the song that they're trying to sing.  The first time I saw Megan Washington do this on the show I got all spine tingly.  Watch this and you'll see why.

Thai Tham Boon - December 2011

Back in November I told you all that the reason for our impending holiday is to visit my Mum’s village for a tham boon.  You were all probably wondering what a tham boon is, right?  Well, even if you weren't you are going to find out now.

Tham boon means to ‘make merit’.  Making merit is an intrinsic part of Thai culture and Thai Buddhism.  The act of making merit can take many forms – giving alms to monks, taking offerings to the temple to marking milestones in a person’s life.

The tham boon that my family is hosting in Thailand relates to the blessing of a cho fah which has recently been built.  The cho fah will house a bronze statue of a monk who was very close to my mum when she was a young girl. 

The cho fah be dedicated to my grandparents on both sides of the family, and other relatives who are no longer with us.  My brother and sister-in-law will also have their marriage blessed.

The exterior of the cho fah

The interior the cho fah.

An obvious outsider

This post comes to you thanks to a recent work trip, a hotel bar, a beer and a desire to appear absorbed in something both important and interesting.

While sitting by myself in a hotel bar in Adelaide recently I noticed that I had updated my Facebook status at least five times with inane, mundane and generally pointless crap (I hear you, what else is Facebook for?).  I had also managed to enter into a playful stoush on white chocolate, and read the material for my meeting cover to cover at least three times.

Oh, what to do?  I shall not flea to my hotel room at 6:00pm, and I have to eat.  But how to do this on your own without feeling and appearing like a loser.  Or how to avoid appearing like a serial killer as you listen intently to the conversations that are happening nearby because if you didn’t you would end up speaking to yourself....

I’m wondering, who out there is fearless enough to dine in strange cities independently?  And, if you do, please share the secret to how you do it?

Gig review: Gurrumul

Another week, another concert it would seem...  I am at the National Theatre in Canberra again, but this time there’s a slight change of pace.  The person I’m here to see is Gurrumul.