Managerialism defeats terrorism (in some alternate universe…)
Each time a child needs a new passport, a full application must be completed. […]
The Solitary Traveller V: London & Stratford-upon-Avon
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” […]
The Solitary Traveller IV: The South Downs Way
The name ‘Sussex’ derives from the Kingdom of Sussex, according to legend it was founded by Ælle of Sussex in 477 AD, then in 825 it was absorbed into the kingdom of Wessex and the later kingdom of England. The region’s roots go back further to the location of some of Europe’s earliest hominid finds at […]
The Solitary Traveller III: York and Durham
York is a ‘Scandy‘ town but not Durham. York & Durham Arriving in a very old city is a strange and wonderful experience. Often one may have relatively little knowledge of the geography, history or people but on arrival, there’s always a gut feeling one has about the place or at least a response as […]
The Solitary Traveller II: Isle of Man
I have read many times, in brochures, books and websites that the Isle of Man is a microcosm of Britain. Mostly, this is said in reference to the natural environment but it applies to history, architecture and many other features of life on the island. My trip to Mannin, voyaging aboard the BEN-MY-CHREE, was about walking […]
The Solitary Traveller: The Lake District
“The history of mankind is the instant between two strides taken by a traveller.” […]
Digging Deeper
My research journey from Bloomsbury to Ballarat was sparked by a rough sea voyage. I wrote this article, while battling seasickness, on a large ferry bound for Denmark from Iceland. Of course, there are pills to ameliorate the worst effects and the ship was very stable but it had me thinking about the life of my ancestor, […]
August 2015: My Reading
The gull sees farthest who flies highest. Richard Bach As citizens of a free society, we have a duty to look critically at our world. But if we think we know what is wrong, we must act upon that knowledge. Tony Judt I have lived a great deal among grown-ups. I have seen them intimately, close at […]
The Benefits of School Exchanges
“Travel is still the most intense mode of learning.” Kevin Kelly There’s many experiences I wish all students could have as part of their schooling. Going on overseas exchange, or hosting a visitor, is high on my list of absolutely life-changing events. Our school promotes this notion of ‘a wider world view’ by encouraging travel and […]
The State of the Birds (Citizen Science)
The long-term goal of this project is to establish a set of bird indices for all major Australian bird groups, so that future SOAB reports can also report on indices for shorebirds, waterbirds and seabirds. […]