The (almost) tenth birthday post

As I write and post about food, travel and health elsewhere in the blogosphere these days, it's a bit of a shock to realise that this neglected blog is about to hit it's tenth birthday in a couple of weeks.

If you've lost the plot in recent years (as I indeed have) - here's a recap of the past 48 months.

1. I ate and massaged my way around Chiang Mai for a big birthday with a zero on the end of it.

2. Two months later I was wheeled into surgery to remove a rather large cancerous tumour from my belly.

3. I visited Hades, in the guise of 'modern' oncology. Drugs that f*ck with your tastebuds are a new kind of hell for any food lover. 

4. While hanging out in the underworld, I was overwhelmed by the support and generosity of so many friends from the blogging community. Especially those veg*ns! Thank you. I will never forget your kindness.

5. Strangely before this life disruption I'd been brewing a huge change in my work/life. The big move to Sydney I'd scheduled was only put back one month in the end.

6. The paint was barely dry in the hastily spruced up Inner West pad, when I headed to Europe for 4 weeks. I fell in love with Lisbon's colour, tastes and experiences, ate the best seafood pasta in Amalfi and scoffed homemade liqueurs in Sicily. I had a bit of a WTF? experience in Prague, long dreamed of visiting but it was overcast and full of pigs knuckles. Fortunately 9 days in Berlin (and a further week in London again) got my mojo back.  

7. After having some downtime from my business (being sick, convalescing, moving home and relaunching a new way of working online) I commissioned a designer and web builders and launched a fully updated site. I've talked at an international conference, run my first online course and fronted teleseminars.

8. Back to food - it's fun getting to know the cuisine of a new city. But Sydney is no Melbourne. The thing I've had to learn about eating here is there are no 'equivalents', no 'where's somewhere like (Melbourne restaurant)?' It's a different kettle of fish. Will share some of new faves here soon.

9. In May this year I had three amazing weeks in Sth America. Santiago was a bit like Wellington in the 1970s but greyer. Buenos Aires was fab - especially Palermo and environs. Rio was bonkers, a city on speed with amazing topography and views. I flew over the Igussu Falls in a helicopter!! And Peru is a land of contrasts from the first world food culture of Lima to a near siege experience at Juliaca airport (nothing like being in a tiny terminal surrounded by machine gun slinging police). I experienced the wonders of Machu Picchu and drank many pisco sours. It's an amazing country, though I'm glad I passed on the guinea pig.

10. I've just celebrated another birthday. The first spent in Australia in many years. Billy Kwong was the perfect place to toast the coming year. 

I'm very pleased to say I'm alive and (officially) very well. Looking forward to experiencing more of my local flora, fauna and food.

So what have you been doing while I've been gone?