Diving the ghosts of Corsica, Part I

Diving the ghosts of Corsica, Part I

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It had been 18 months since my last dive, and I fumbled clumsily whilst preparing my gear. I was sitting with two other divers in the spring sunshine, beside the picturesque little harbour at Erbalunga, Corsica. Our dive operator Rym, who took the task of conducting our refresher dive seriously, asked us questions about equipment and protocols as we fitted our kit together. Soon we were leaving the harbour in his fibreglass hull inflatable for a nearby spot, and rolling…

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Podcast Episode 16. Driving the Nordschleife, Germany

Podcast Episode 16. Driving the Nordschleife, Germany

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G’day all and welcome to the Midlife Crisis Odyssey Podcast, where not all who wander are lost, but some of us definitely are. I really enjoyed my first day exploring the Nürburgring, which had included a visit to the RingWerk Museum and touring the Formula 1 track facilities. My guide had mentioned that the Nordschleife, the Nürburgring’s spectacular and fearsome 21km circuit, was open for public driving that afternoon… If you would like to see the post for this podcast,…

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The Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry

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We were in the neighbourhood, so my sister suggested we drop into the Normandy town of Bayeux and check out the Bayeux Tapestry. Now I’m always the first to admit my ignorance of something, and although I had heard of the work, I have to say I knew nothing about it. I imagined an old tapestry, hanging vertically in a cold, dark, ancient chapel somewhere in France. But mate was I in for a history lesson. As I contorted our…

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Visiting Mac

Visiting Mac

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It was one o’clock in the afternoon when we pulled up beside V.C. Corner Cemetery, near the small village of Fromelles in northern France. It was cold and drizzling rain, and the gloomy light made it feel much later in the day. We were the only visitors. We made our way though the gates and onto the lush, wet grass. Six large trees border the edge of the cemetery, and were sporting fresh, early spring growth. Beyond lie neatly cut…

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A Look Around the Louvre

A Look Around the Louvre

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Keen to avoid the ticket queues outside Paris’ Louvre Museum, Vicki and I thought we’d be smart about it and pre-book online. The Louvre website informed us, however, that due to a technical issue online booking was unavailable, so we resigned ourselves to just turn up the next day and take our place in line. Jumping off the train at the Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre metro station, we joined the throng surging towards the exit. I’d heard many…

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Leaving Ukraine again

Leaving Ukraine again

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My second stint in Ukraine, after returning from a few months in Germany, has been a rollercoaster to say the least. I have been welcomed by Ukrainians that are now close friends, been fed a huge array of delicious foods, toasted with home made wine and spirits, and tour-guided through historic sites. I have seen a great deal more of the country, from cities to small villages, and the rolling cropping country that feeds millions here and around the world….

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Memories, Hopes and Changes

Memories, Hopes and Changes

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It had been 3 months since I had been to the city, and I was wondering if I would see much change. Security was still tight; the soldiers manning the checkpoint on the edge of town were strict and cautious, inspecting our documents and vehicles carefully before waving us through. They were fully kitted out and armed, and their heavily dug-in positions lined the road. The first thing I noticed as we reached the city was the increased amount of…

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The Sound of the Footy

The Sound of the Footy

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When we were kids at primary school, we would ask each other deep and insightful questions like ‘what’s your favourite sport, footy (Australian Rules Football) or cricket?’ Other sports never featured in this most important of schoolyard inquiries. Depending on what season it was, I would answer one or the other. In summer, I would be convinced that I loved cricket the most, but in winter I would answer ‘footy’ without hesitation. As a kid growing up in Victoria, football…

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Podcast Episode 15. Outside the Pyramids of Giza

Podcast Episode 15. Outside the Pyramids of Giza

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G’day all and welcome to the Midlife Crisis Odyssey Podcast, where not all who wander are lost, but some of us definitely are. Having spent the first day of my visit to the Pyramids of Giza getting a feel for the place, and venturing inside the Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre, I returned the following day ready for some wider exploration. If you would like to see the post for this podcast, you can find it here If you liked…

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Podcast Episode 14. Inside the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

Podcast Episode 14. Inside the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

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G’day all and welcome to the Midlife Crisis Odyssey Podcast, where not all who wander are lost, but some of us definitely are. After a 20 minute walk from my accommodation I arrived at the Giza Plateau. I paid to enter the site, and bought extra tickets to venture inside two of the Pyramids. Not only was I visiting one of the most amazing historic sites on earth, I was going to enter two of the spectacular ancient monuments! If…

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