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Mindful Art

A trip to the Art Gallery is more than just an experience in viewing fine art and sculpture. It is an activity in the art of mindfulness. As you walk through an art gallery, take your time and allow yourself to connect with it. Let yourself get lost in the different genres until you find a piece that speaks to you. Continue reading “Mindful Art”

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Beginners Guide to Uluru

Central Australia is a popular destination, especially for visitors who flock to take in the magical views of Uluru. The red brown rock, shaped like a jelly mould, has a history dating back more than 60,000 years which can be best appreciated by helicopter or guided walking tour around it. Uluru is home to the Anangu Aboriginal people who are happy to talk to you about this sacred site located on Pitjantjatjara Lands. Continue reading “Beginners Guide to Uluru”

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A beginners guide to ……..

In this new monthly series, I will be preparing a beginners guide to visiting popular destinations to allow you to fully enjoy your travel experience around the world. When I first started travelling I found it hard to locate authentic, real life accounts of what the country I wanted to visit was really like.

Since then I have created my own formula for researching a destination to ensure I am as prepared as much as possible. Of course, there will always be a few surprises and unexpected encounters along the way. But if you are armed with as much information as possible, you will be able to handle many challenges thrown at you along the way.

The most important skills to have when travelling are flexibility, an open mind and understanding to expect the unexpected.

This will allow you to experience something truly wonderful on your journey.

Pictures courtesy of Google Clip Art Gallery

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Adelaide Cafe Culture

As summer heats up; the bars, cafes and resaurants across Adelaide start to draw more and more people.  Summer is a popular time for people to not only enjoy the warm weather, but to taste some of the State’s best food and wine. Summer is the perfect opportunity to get outside and explore the food and wine options about town. This month I have taken the time to get back out there to visit a few of my favourites. Continue reading “Adelaide Cafe Culture”

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Books can improve your social life and stimulate your brain

This weekend in Adelaide is the Jaipur Literary Festival (JLP), where authors showcases their latest works. The JLP rounds out the annual Oz Asia festival and provides a look into stories about culture and lives of people told through the eyes of a writer. It is not only an entertaining weekend, but one of learning through storytelling. Continue reading “Books can improve your social life and stimulate your brain”

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Why Do Australians Love Their Sport?

This week many football fans will be scrambling for access to much sought after tickets to the AFL Grand Final. According to fans, AFL is the most popular sport in Australia followed by rugby union.

Australia’s love of sport goes back more than 150 years when the first football, rugby and cricket clubs were created the 1870s. Since then sport has been embedded in the Australian culture. A culture built upon shared values, stories and rituals.

The venue is everything to an Australian sporting event as it is also a place where people can connect and socialise. The grand final will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and resonates a powerful feeling amongst fans sitting in the stands to cheer on their teams like the Romans did watching a gladiator battle.

It is a game where friends, family and strangers come together with a shared passion. Even rivals will congratulate each other when one team beats another. Sport brings the community together with a sense of shared identity and strengthens their bond. They identify with not only their team, but other fans and a feeling of belonging.

The momentum continues off the field and makes its way into the workplace where colleagues put in their footy tips each week. Then on a Monday after the games are over, they gather around the water cooler to share banter about whose team did the best. Sport creates an environment for collaboration and the breakdown of workplace silos.

When it comes to values, Australians look for honesty in their sporting heroes and turn away from those whom display bad behaviours. They admire their sporting legends’ success and encourage the success of their next rising star.

Whether Australians watch or participate in sport, it boosts their self esteem and national pride. Sport is open to people of all ages, class, gender, race and background. It breaks down barriers between social classes, prejudice and celebrates diversity

As a result, when barriers are broken down on the playing field, it translates to life off the field where everyone can live, work and play together with national pride and morale. All of which is associated with Australia’s obsession with sport.

grand-final

Pictures courtesy of Google Clip Art Gallery