JenLeoLIVE!

I Heart Australia: Eat Your Heart Out Rachel Ray!

Can the queen of cheap food travel share the road? There's a new rambling eater in town! Here's a shot of me devouring a possum skewer at the Australian Roadkill stand at  the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.

Thursday and Sunday nights thousands of people flock to Mindil Beach to watch the sunset and stroll the markets gorging on dozens of different kinds of ethnic cuisines. Local bands play all around the park and it's a good place to hear a digeridoo if you haven't before. There are plenty of souvenir stands, too. Sarongs, fishermans pants, pottery, aborriginal art and more are pretty affordable. I even picked up a few crocodile foot keychains for some 5 and 9-year-old friends back home.

Some locals I talked to prefer the Parap Markets because they're a bit less crowded. Either way, a visit to any Darwin market is a fantastic way to get a sense of its large multicultural community.

Today I'm off on a 3 day Kakadu Adventure more than three hours south of Darwin. Click that link to find out my itinerary if you can't wait till I get back on Thursday.

Current: Darwin, Australia
Next: Kakadu with Odyssey Tours.
After that: Arnhemland
Sponsor: Australia's Outback

I Heart Australia: Eat Up!!

I think I'm losing the $1000 bet. It's getting bad. There's no diet in travel, or road trip, or book tour. I'm sure some very disciplined people can do it. But I am admittedly not that focused. And I think I'm getting bigger, not smaller. However, I'm doing a great job of experiencing Australian food. And oh boy do I have some favorites. Want some?

My favorite. Meat Pie!! (Brisbane)

Croc and crab lasagne. We'll give this a miss next time. (Darwin)

Traditional breakfast cooked over the fire in (Litchfield National Park).

Tonight I had smoked salmon on toast and French Onion Soup. Before the Litchfield safari I tried the Barramundi, Mmmmm! Darwin is known for their fish, and especially the Barra. It was great, just grilled with lemon and butter. What I dont have a picture of is the Roast dinner that Danny cooked us on the Odyssey Tours overnight in Litchfield. It was fantastic. A full roast for five, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, onions, damper (traditional Aussie bread), and gravy. Plus a Pavlova and fruit dessert. This is after the champers and apps below.

I Heart Australia: Tiwi Islands Slideshow

DVD photo slide show at onetruemedia.com

Yesterday I visited the Tiwi Islands. Tiwi Tours took us to the Aboriginal community of Nguiu on Bathurst Island, 80k from Darwin. The Tiwis are a friendly group of people who respect their culture and treasure their ceremonies. We had morning tea with some of the Tiwi ladies, watched some of their traditional dances, went to two art centers, had a walk in the bush to learn about medicinal trees, and took a swim in a croc-free watering hole. We also visited an early mission church, and went to a sacred burial ground.

Here is just a sampling of pictures from the day that we had.

The size of the group was about 15 people.  I became friends with four other travelers on the small plane that took us over. You can imagine how happy I was when they asked me over to their house this Sunday for a barbecue.

Early tomorrow I leave for an overnight trip to Litchfield with Odyssey Safaris. Have a great weekend.

 

Current: Darwin, Australia
Next: Litchfield with Odyssey Tours
Sponsor: Australia's Outback
Poker Friends: Online Poker

 

I Heart Australia: Brisbane to Darwin

October 10, 2006
CURRENT: Darwin, Northern Territory

Today I tore myself away from beloved Brissy and flew Qantas to Darwin. I was picked up by Acacia Luxury Transport  (08 8981 8283) in what they call a limo, but resembed more of a town car. I could be the very first of all my travel writing friends to be driven in a luxury car and dropped off at a youth hostel. I love the irony. In case you think I'm getting too old to stay in a hostel-forgetaboutit. Melaleuca on Mitchell is a new hostel in the heart of downtown Darwin with a thriving rooftop pool and bar scene. I'm checking it out for potential mention in an article I'm writing for Student Traveler.

Darwin is known for being laid back, but my schedule is jam packed. Stay tuned for pics, crocodile-crab lasagne chit chat, and more details of the trip to come.

Beeline facts:
Travel: Brisbane to Darwin
Accommodations: Melaleuca on Mitchell    
Dining: Char Restaurant (08 8981 4544)
Internet Access: Yes (October 10-13, Oz time)
Sponsorship: Australia's Northern Territory

Tomorrow: Tour of Charles Darwin University, Meetings with International Exchange Students, Conservation Volunteers Australia, and the Fred Hollows Foundation.

I Heart Australia: Arriving in Brisbane

CURRENT: Brisbane, Australia

On October 7, I was no where. It was a lost day. I left LAX on Friday the 6th, and arrived in Brisbane the morning of October 8th. Little wrinkles in time like that make travel interesting or at least can amount to 30 seconds of pointless cocktail talk should one ever need it.

I couldn't be happier. I'm staying in the home I lived in for nearly six months in 2001. The parents of a dear friend and ex-beau who continue to shower me with friendship and hospitality. Everything is gloriously familiar. And in this constant goodness, I am in love with Brisbane—and my hosts—all over again as if no time has passed. The meat pies. The Queenslander homes. Waking up to the chatter of lorikeets.

Here's how my first night went:

5pm: cold Tasman beer, nuts, and olives
6pm: Australian red wine
6:20pm: The dad inspects my new camera, attaches the strap, charges the battery, and advises on proper practice before I hit Darwin
7pm: The dad gets the grill on
730pm: The mom makes the salads
7:50pm: Another bottle of wine is opened
8pm: We eat steaks, warm potato salad, and green salad with homemade dressing, tossed in a salad bowl made from an olive tree and complete with a story about where it came from.
8:30pm: The camera is ready and tested.
9pm: Talk loosens. The three of us discuss past travels, analyze my life, the ex's life, and I am once again encouraged to hurry up and get married, have children, and oh yes,  there are houses here in Brissy that John and I could afford. Luckily I know that none of us will remember this in the morning. Except that there are houses here that we could afford and this is the second place that I would give anything to move to – Brisbane is on equal par with my devotion to Milwaukee.
10pm: Coffees, Liquors
10:15pm: Patio table adoration talk begins.
10:30pm:  more coffees, more liquors – and I'm called pissweak for not having another Drambuie.
11:00pm: A wee bit of drunk dialing
11:15pm: Reading the Brisbane News a weekly mag, and thoughts of bed.

I love this ritual. Tell me I don't have to be retired or someone's global guest to have this on a regular basis. Today we will walk 4k in the morning, I will work on some assignments, and I'll be in big trouble if I'm not done by 1pm so we can go have some Vietnamese meat pies. There will be errands to run, and the drinking and cooking will start all over again. I Heart Brisbane, Australia to no end.