Sydney Opera House
Twenty-five years ago, I arrived in Sydney from Melbourne and found myself immediately charmed by its twin architectural icons; the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. For years, every time I drove across the bridge, I…
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The Machine Show, Braidwood 2019
Waking to the sounds of heavy rain, the rest of my group chose to wait it out and ride straight down the freeway. Freeway riding is the antithesis of what I look for in motorcycling,…
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Vietnam motorcycling adventure: part five, Hanoi and Halong Bay
The adventure in Vietnam continues, returning first to Hanoi followed by a cruise on Halong Bay. Starting in Hanoi (see part one here), we drove north to Ha Giang to spend seven days on motorcycles…
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Vietnam motorcycling adventure: part four, riding in the clouds
The adventure in the mountains of Vietnam continues with misty mountain roads, trucks hurtling through small villages and hours of riding high in the clouds. Starting in Hanoi (see part one here), we drove north…
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Vietnam motorcycling adventure: part three, further into the mountains
The adventure in the mountains of Vietnam continues with breathtaking vistas, smoke haze and more repairs. Starting in Hanoi (see part one here), we drove north to Ha Giang to spend seven days on old…
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Vietnam motorcycling adventure: part two, the mountains
And so the adventure begins. After nearly a year of planning, we are heading north to Ha Giang—pronounced ‘Hazan’—to spend seven days on old motorcycles in the mountains near the Chinese border. At 8 am,…
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Vietnam motorcycling adventure: part one, Hanoi
And so the adventure begins. After nearly a year of planning, we are off. The Vietnam Airlines flight was half full, providing the luxury of a vacant seat in each of our rows. The friendly…
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Road trip: Sydney to Jindabyne
This four-day adventure started superbly with a windless ride through the Royal National Park south of Sydney. The tarmac was smooth and the temperature ideal for motorcycle riding. A low number of cars meant I…
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Road trip part three: Ballina to Sydney
This instalment is part three of a 4,000-kilometre road trip. Part one covered the ride along the coast from Sydney to Tilba and then over the Snowy Mountains to Ballarat. Part two covered the 1,607…
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Road trip part two: Daylesford to Brunswick Heads
This instalment is part two of a 4,000-kilometre motorcycle road trip. Part one covered the ride along the coast from Sydney and over the Snowy Mountains to Ballarat. Part two comprises riding 1,607 kilometres north via…
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Road trip part one: Sydney to Ballarat
This year’s holiday break represented an ideal opportunity to take a 4,000-kilometre road trip, with stays in Jindabyne, Ballarat, Daylesford, West Wyalong, Armadale, Brunswick Heads, Ballina, Bellingen and Walcha. This is travelling in its most…
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Sydney Open, 2018
Over one weekend each year, Sydney Open unlocks the doors of more than 60 of the city’s most important and intriguing buildings. Run by Sydney Living Museums, this event provides attendees with access to buildings…
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The Putty Road: Sydney to Scone
This impromptu road trip started out life as a passing suggestion before quickly turning into a two-day riding adventure. Scouring my trusty motorcycle atlas, I was looking for an overnight ride from Sydney, settling on a…
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Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, 2018
2018’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride transformed Sydney into a vibrant hub of dapper riders on custom and classic motorcycles. There was plenty of posing (in a good way) before the crew of 800 or so bikes headed off…
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Deus ex Machina TW200 motorcycle
Deus ex Machina (Sydney) designed and built this extraordinary custom motorcycle using a Yamaha TW200 as the base. Very little of the original bike other than its functional components remain, with an extended swing-arm reminiscent of…
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Guide to Daylesford, Victoria
Daylesford is my absolute favourite country town. Located 115 kilometres North West of Melbourne, it has everything I look for in a weekend escape destination. Fresh air quality food, a town nicely situated on a hill overlooking a…
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Lake Daylesford
Daylesford is my absolute favourite Australian country town. It has everything I look for in a weekend escape destination with quality food, interesting independent retail and a variety of activities in which to partake; you…
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City break: Melbourne
Stepping off the Sky Bus at Melbourne’s Spencer Street Station, we walked serendipitously passed Kinfolk cafe and decided to stop in for flat white and almond milk turmeric latte. Kinfolk is a buzzy, social enterprise cafe…
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Winter motorcycle ride, Sydney to Daylesford
After last summer’s ride over the Snowy Mountains to Ballarat, I felt the beckoning call of a mid-winter ride to my favourite country town of Daylesford. Snowfall in the aptly named Snowy Mountains necessitated taking an inland route through the Blue Mountains to…
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Tasmanian adventure, part two
Our Tasmanian adventures continued—see part one here—with a three-hour drive to Pumphouse Point. Last time I was in this area, The Pumphouse was just an idea making its way through the red tape of government bureaucracy. A…
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