Some weeks ago now, I came back from a marvellously productive trip to Western Australia. I spent two nights in Margaret River, where I took a morning helicopter winery tour with
Eco Star helicopters to
Voyager Estate and
Watershed Premium Wines, followed by an afternoon microbrewery tour with
Taste the South to the
Cowaramup Brewing Company and the
Colonial Brewing Co. This was for two articles for
Scoop Traveller WA.
I also dropped by
Beckett's Flat winery, and sent home a box of kosher wine, and checked out
Olio Bello olive grove for
Motorhome World. This The next five nights I was in Perth, three of which I spent with my cousins, one of whom has a kosher bakery in Perth, Golden West. I thought fresh bagels were good, but I've never before had the pleasure of taking one right after it's cooled from the over, straight from the rack. Beautiful.
I also spent some much overdue time with my great aunt and uncle.
On the Sunday, I went to the
Red Bull Air Race, the main reason I came to Perth in the first place. In short, it's awesome fun: loud, packed, fast and dangerous-looking. I was there with a friend from Sydney and his Perth-resident girlfriend. Much like my cousin's bagels, we ourselves baked, and after four or so hours in the sun by the Swan River, we went our separate ways to watch the rest on TV.
Since I've been back I've finished an article for Tiger Airways' inflight magazine,
Tiger Tales, about literary culture in Melbourne. I had the great pleasure of interviewing
Arnold Zable and
Alicia sometimes, as well as Kris Hemensley of the extraordinary
Collected Works bookshop, Jill Bartholemeusz of the
Melbourne Athenaeum Library, and Zoe Dattner and Louise Swinn of
Sleepers Publishing. It should be out in January, so if anyone's flying Tiger Airways, check it out.
I also wrote about one of my favourite cafes, Animal Orchestra near Melbourne Uni, for
Postcards, as well as the seriously demented
Il Duce Si Diventa.
I've also done a historical bus and walking tour of what was once Orthodox Jewish Carlton, in Melbourne; written a round-up of caravan and motorhome laundry products; and assembled a feature on solar power in RVs.
I've been a busy boy, and a slack blogger!
I compensate with many images, some of which I hope you will enjoy.
