SPECIAL MOMENTS On this page you'll find very short musings which relate to a particularly memorable moment. Each piece is accompanied by a photograph and the aim is to capture a tiny moment in time that is forever etched in my memory.
	MOULAMEIN, NSW, AUSTRALIA, May 2004 Under the pastel blue sky of an autumnal dawn, memories, tears and shadows collide. Our bodies are reflected in elongated darkness across the cemetery, where our beloved Uncle John now rests, buried deep within the parched ground of Moulamein. This is New South Wales outback territory where the land is flat, arid, plain … yet charming in its own remote and modest way.  The early morning light is immaculate, the chilly air disconcerting in a way we understand, yet can’t fathom. Are spirits swirling in the empty sky? My sisters and I bid a final hushed farewell to a lovely man, and our whispers echo into the heavens. Precious memorable moment.
	NORFOLK ISLAND, MARCH 2007 The setting sun’s broad golden beams penetrate the clouds, plummeting deep into the sparkling Pacific Ocean, where this tiny island resides. The wind catches our hair and the full-bodied red warms us as we laugh into the sky, toast our parents in heaven, and reflect. Today we wandered through crumbling penal ruins, intrigued by history and hardship.  The cemetery overlooking the surf whispered of young lives lost, and the Cyclorama superbly showed us their stories. We bantered with locals, sipped wine in the sun and trawled the shops, finding quality bargains from around the world. Lunch was a stylish affair, merging the remnants of a bygone era with food as good as anywhere. Emily Bay beckoned us with golden sands and tranquil turquoise waters, so different to the rugged coastal walk of yesterday. Having explored and adored Norfolk Island’s many treasures, we understand why this was Mum’s heaven on earth.
	ALASKAN CRUISE, AUGUST 2007 Our cruise ship glides through silky waters, huge, yet dwarfed by majestic mountains and ancient glaciers that pass us by at every angle. The water crafts patterns, which in turn ripple across the reflections, distorting yet as pure as the ice and snow surrounding us. Under a bright cerulean sky, we marvel at the great expanse of nature we are within. This is just the tiniest taste of Alaska, and we are besotted.
	LABARTHE-BLEYS, SOUTH WEST FRANCE, SEPT 2006 The early morning mist is the perfect backdrop as I peek through the arched entrance to an enchanting chateau in this tiny French village, only metres from my own accommodation.  Little did I know that a few days later I would be sitting in one of these seats, being entertained and hosted by the Chateau’s owners, the most chic French couple imaginable.  The dinner was as sumptuous as the interior décor, which included many authentic touches, a Rapunzel staircase and even its own private chapel.  This was once the abode of medieval knights, and I half expected one to appear. A moment of true magic and intrigue.