Australia
What Sylvia Plath and My Friends Have in Common
The most self-indulgent whinge in 2025 is dedicated to 20-somethings panicking about what their life purpose is and how they should be spending their time. In Australia, the majority of…
Cyclone Radio
Plan your trips to the fridge carefully. Things in the freezer will keep from 24 – 48 hours after you lose power. If in doubt, throw it out. The radio…
Not just one interview: I asked the question they weren’t ready for
26th December, 2024 | Narita, Tokyo, Japan Narita Station unfolded like a half-remembered dream: quiet, shimmering and unreal. Somewhere between Terminal 1 and the North Exit, I lost my orientation…
What it feels like to be an Aussie in NYC ahead of a new Trump era
The morning Trump won, I woke up in Brooklyn to the sound of a man yelling, “KAMALA!” out of his car window in the haze of dawn. I intentionally went…
A Meeting on the Clarence
There’s a documentary series on telly right now in “Australia” – I Was Actually There. In it, people who experienced defining moments in our recent history share their story. The…
It’s a nice day for the pokies (Lest we forget)
I’m in the studio audience of a quizshow hosted by an Aussie sporting legend. Only one contestant remains – a bloke around my age. There are maybe 50 of us…
Dancing Like a Fool
“I’m here to seduce you,” the dancing woman declares. I’m not sure how to respond, so I giggle nervously. My friends and I have been admiring her for several minutes.…
First-Generation Guilt
It was my sister’s 14th birthday party when I first realised my parents’ naivety. Henna ran upstairs wiping mascara-coloured tears with the back of her palm. I turned to see…
Something of Worth
When I was 12 years old, my grandmother gave me an unusual gift: a deep plastic tub filled with individually wrapped teacups. My brother received an identical tub – his…
Loving the Grave Not Yet Dug
A sweat-slicked, overworked deli woman stands before me, arm extended with the weight of poverty and its favourite mystery meat – Devon. With sunken eyes and a tired smile, I…
Untethered
I prepare for Tokyo by quitting vapes. One week until departure, and I’ve not bought a single item on my list. I’m a zombie, moving through life in a cloud…
Friends on the Road
The allure of solo travel can promise what sounds like an easy escape into uncharted waters. New lands to be discovered by your feet and new sensations to be snorted…