WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO OF LATE....

-Before heading to Australia a week ago I hit the Singapore Beer Festival

-Flew to Perth and stayed with Gordon for a night and one more night in the city

-Visited the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art

-Warily rented a Toyota Corolla (not as cool as the dented one I owned after college) WITHOUT a GPS (too expensive)

-Ate barramundi, marron, kangaroo, emu and yes......vegemite.

-Did a wine tour in the incredible Margaret River region (tour included three wineries, a brewery, and a cheese and chocolate maker). I was the oldest on the tour

-Took a canoe trip on the Margaret River....I was the youngest non-dependant on the tour

-Declined to climb the 61 meter (200 feet) Gloucester Tree. This behemoth in Pemberton in southwest Australia has elongated rebar pegs drilled into it in a spiral staircase style from the bottom all the way to the top. People (children included) much braver than me were flying right up it. There's NO WAY this thing would fly in the U.S. http://www.southwestlife.com.au/outdoors0104.htm

-Did a 10k "Walk About"

-Strolled across the Valley of the Giants "Tree Top Walk" in Walpole

-Saw kangaroo "roadkill" that encouraged me to drive far slower than I had been

-Accidentally turned on the windshield wipers approximately two dozen times in an effort to flip the turn signal on (seems the yokes are reversed as well on these autos)