nufsaid

January 2011 - Posts

• The cast (and a thank you)

  I’ve gone on about how great it’s been to visit my Nuffield friends, but special mention has to be made to the families who’ve not only put up with a random English girl turning up on their doorstep, but made me feel incredibly welcome... Posted Jan 20 2011, 12:05 PM by NufSaid Select Tags... SaveCancel Filed under: Nuffield, Travel [Edit Tags]

• The end is nigh

  So this is it. After three countries, 101 days, 41 different towns and cities, seven changes in time zone and more than 100 blog posts, I’m on my way home. I’ve met some amazing people along the way, visited incredible farms and businesses... Posted Jan 20 2011, 11:43 AM by NufSaid Filed under: farming, Nuffield, Travel, farm, Australia, fishing, Grand Prix, flood, Flooding, Tim Tams [Edit Tags]

• A water slide: Climbing in rock pools: And a beach-side barbeque special guest (even if the locals did insist on spoling his presence with all the ‘vermin’ nonsense): Not a bad way to spend a lazy January afternoon, eh? Read More... Posted Jan 18 2011, 06:12 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Australia [Edit Tags]

• Jelly bum

  When it comes to the sea, I’m a massive girly wimp. Whichever ocean I’m in I freak out about the thought that – regardless of distance – somewhere in the water there are sharks. And jelly fish. And those hideous scary anglers with... Posted Jan 17 2011, 03:33 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Australia, jellyfish, sting, stinger nets [Edit Tags]

• Water, water everywhere

  Some more flood photos, this time from a friend of a friend’s farm near Rockhampton, another of the areas to have taken a battering this week: Note the pig on the shed roof on this one: Most of the flood waters have receded now and the clean-up... Posted Jan 15 2011, 11:06 PM by NufSaid Filed under: farming, Food, Australia, Queensland, floods, Flooding, queensland floods, rockhampton [Edit Tags]

• I’ve had a go at describing what the floods are like over in Queensland, but this email I received today from past Nuffield scholar Ronald Thompson gives a better impression of what farmers are going through over in the worst-hit areas. Ronald farms... Posted Jan 14 2011, 11:38 PM by NufSaid Filed under: Agriculture, farming, Food, Australia, Queensland, floods, Flooding, queensland floods [Edit Tags]

• Spuds at Spud’s

  I’ve come to the conclusion I’ll have to start wearing platform shoes if I spend any more time on farms. I understand the need for giant cars when you’re driving across bumpy and muddy terrain, but does the clutch on four-wheel drive... Posted Jan 13 2011, 04:17 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Agriculture, farming, Travel, Food, Australia, australian agriculture, planting, potatoes, western potatoes [Edit Tags]

• Floody hell

  I’ve mentioned the rain and floods several times over the past few weeks and months, but things have started to get scary over here in Australia. This is Toowoomba, where I drove through in December: Over the past couple of days, Toowoomba has received... Posted Jan 12 2011, 01:02 PM by NufSaid Filed under: farming, Travel, Food, Australia, rain, Queensland, Brisbane, toowoomba, floods, Flooding [Edit Tags]

• A natural fisherwoman pt2

  I still look uncomfortable, but I’m definitely getting better: I had no idea what I was doing, but it seems I’m pretty good at sea fishing. You should see the bruises I have on my leg from yanking it out of the sea though. My arms are still... Posted Jan 12 2011, 12:58 PM by NufSaid Filed under: fish, Australia, fishing [Edit Tags]

• I scream, you scream…

  I spent today hanging out with two fat cows. I’m not being rude – that’s the name of Kate (Ed’s wife) and her friend’s ice cream company, and this morning I pretended to assist in whipping up a batch of mint-choc-chip. I’ve... Posted Jan 10 2011, 10:31 PM by NufSaid Filed under: Agriculture, milk, Food, Australia, icecream, regional food, ice cream, regional branding, two fat cows [Edit Tags]

• Having brainwashed his children into realising the joys of Robin Hood (oo-de-lally), I’ve left Rob’s pad to travel three hours south-west to a place called Busselton. As well as some fantastic beaches and scenery, Busselton is home to Ed Cox... Posted Jan 09 2011, 11:51 PM by NufSaid Filed under: farming [Edit Tags]

• Things that don’t happen in a city #5172…

  …being woken up by a sheep outside your bedroom door at 5.30am. Aren’t inquisitive pet sheep the best? Read More... Posted Jan 05 2011, 04:25 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Agriculture, Australia, sheep [Edit Tags]

• Long-distance Clara, eat your heart out

  I can’t tell if I’m meant to be John Candy or Steve Martin, but I’ve had a bit of a Planes, Trains and Automobiles-esque escapade all in the name of coming to visit the farm of my Aussie bestest, Rob. Rob is a fellow Nuffielder who farms... Posted Jan 04 2011, 03:21 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Travel, Australia, perth, trucking, Kojonup, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Steve Martin, John Candy, Rob, Pigeon Strret, Lond Distance Clara [Edit Tags]

• Getting wrecked in Fremantle

  I’ve come to the conclusion my Western Australia travel guide should stick to his day job. I hopped on a bus today and headed to the coastal town of Fremantle, which is just outside Perth. Despite being “just a harbour” (R.E-W, 2011... Posted Jan 03 2011, 02:27 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Travel, Australia, perth, Protugal, trade, Western Australia, Dutch, Freemantle [Edit Tags]

• Watery extremes

  Having heard about nothing but rain for the last two-and-a-bit months, today I finally got a taste of what things are like on the other side of Australia. Flood waters are expected to peak today in Rockhampton and Bundaberg - two of the towns I’ve... Posted Jan 02 2011, 01:34 AM by NufSaid Filed under: farming [Edit Tags]

• Cheers, cobber

  It’s been a real treat to have a couple of unexpected catch-ups with a friend from home during my two stop-offs in Sydney. He’s been super-generous in letting me stay, showing me the sights and teaching me how to live like a true ‘Stralian... Posted Jan 02 2011, 12:54 AM by NufSaid Filed under: Australia, Dan [Edit Tags]

• I am not a robot

  You’ve had four hours sleep, a considerable amount of champagne has been drunk to see in the New Year and it’s over 30 degrees. So what’s the best way to spend the first day of 2011? That’s right – dancing in a field with... Posted Jan 01 2011, 03:05 PM by NufSaid Filed under: Australia, Music, festival, Sydney, Klaxons, Field Day, Marina and the Diamonds, Mystery Jets [Edit Tags]