It’s been three and a half years since we landed in tropical paradise. The place has inevitably changed since we first arrived – most obviously, there are less people. The compound has shrunk, but is still diverse, although it seems we keep to ourselves more and more as time goes on. We also don’t go […]
This is Africa
The weekend just past has seen the husband and I experience our first traditional African wedding. It may sound harsh to say, but weddings can be fairly generic. Back in Melbourne I saw my share of Western cookie-cutter weddings when I worked weekends at a function centre over a couple of summers, and frankly they […]
Frequent Flyer
We have just returned to the island after a few weeks travelling in Argentina. For those whose geographical knowledge may not be “all that” let me bring you up to speed: Argentina is a BIG country. Like Australia, it’s not actually possible to drive to all the main attractions in a single week. So, if […]
Bread + Ants = 1 Bad Saturday?
Sometimes the way a day starts is an indicator of how the rest of the day is going to turn out. This morning, for example, I got up, eager for our Saturday morning breakfast ritual of fried eggs and homemade bread. However, when I wandered into the kitchen, I was faced with an invasion, now […]
Who Runs the World?
It should come as no surprise that an oil and gas plant is a male-dominated environment. Engineering on its own is a male dominated profession. The gender of the plant operators and technicians is predominately male. Many of the managers, even those in non-technical positions – also male. The result is that a lot of […]
The Island Routine
For the most part, you might think that living on a tropical island is pretty glamorous. Picturesque views of the volcano, warm weather (despite the annual 6 months of rain), 24 hour pool and gym. Onsite bar. In addition to all this, there is the major benefit of 12 weeks holiday per year, where you […]