BITTER SWEET

A couple of weekends ago I finally got around to heading down the track for a Territory-style minibreak. Though some may wonder why people living in the tropics would crave the experience of immersing ourselves in thermal pools, rather than say, waterfalls, the numerous thermal pools in the region are quite popular with both locals and tourists alike.

MY CHAI

I can't remember the first time I had a chai tea, but it was probably at some event including wall to wall tie-dye, dreadlocks and nag champa wafting on the breeze. I do recall the first one that made an impression on me though, at an autumn food festival in South Australia, served from a huge steaming pot, milk and honey already added and being kept on a low boil throughout the afternoon.

MIDWAY

One word that ties together two parallel subjects, 'Midway' is the title of a Chris Jordan film about the devastating effects that plastic pollution is having on albatrosses nesting in the Midway Atoll of the North Pacific ocean. I saw the trailer late last year, utterly devastating and a well past due wake up call. The full film is scheduled for release in late 2013. Here in Australia I've been reading up on our own 'Midway situation'. The remote and pristine paradise of Lord Howe Island is yet another distressing case study for marine plastic pollution and its devastating effects on bird life - namely shearwaters. Learning about both of these situations within a short period, as well as the alarming microplastics statistics from recent surveys, was the jump-start that put me onto a path to concerted plastic reduction.

HERMIT PARTY

Last week I participated in the Darwin Harbour Clean Up Day, and headed out on the early ferry to Mandorah, a small community that is a short 15 minute ferry ride from the Darwin CBD, though by car it's closer to 2 hours! There is a pretty amazing assortment of shells on some of the more remote beaches around the Top End, so I tried to squeeze in a little shell collecting on the side too.

DIY DUKKAH

Dukkah, or 'duqqa', is a type of Egyptian side dish made from blended spices, herbs and nuts. This palate-piquing accompaniment can be made using a range of different ingredients - including hazelnuts, sesame, cumin,mint, caraway and coriander. Whichever recipe you prefer, investing in a good mortar and pestle alongside a small collection of common key spices will keep you in cheap homemade dukkah for years! You can of course buy it pre-made in delis but it can sell for prices bordering on the criminally insane.