Australia - Brisbane

Views from Aunty JoJo's apartment in Brisbane, Queensland

The State of Origin Rugby League match is played annually between Queensland and New South Wales. And although I've spent more years living in Sydney, I am an ardent supporter of the Maroons (Queensland). And this is because Brisbane was the place where all my adventures in Australia began.

In August 1999, I was offered the chance to work for Queensland Power Trading Corporation as part of the PwC team. I jumped at the chance and re-located to sunny Brisbane. Some of my happiest moments include:-

• Waking up every morning for a walk along the river to the Botanical Gardens, and back, before going to work. It's especially beautiful when the purple jacaranda trees are in bloom


• Lobster dinners (almost!) every weekend at Breakfast Creek Wharf for A$10 - and they come with free champagne ....aah...those were the days before I had to worry about cholesterol


• Watching my friend, Jenette, scream when a Chinese waiter unveiled the "phoenix claws" dim sum (a.k.a chicken feet) in Fortitude Valley


• Visiting Newstead House - Brisbane's oldest surviving residence - for the first time. It was a museum that allows visitors to touch and try, which was fantastic!


• Driving around in a cool Toyota Celica that I rented from Georgie, a colleague from QPTC

Best of all were the PEOPLE - Queenslanders are dinky-di Ozzies and proud of it! I quickly discovered that I needed to learn Strine after missing two meetings because I didn't know what an arvo was. It's Aussie slang for "afternoon". By the time I left a year later, my collection had expanded to over 100 phrases and here are some of my favourites...

• Free grog - Alcoholic beverages free of charge (good to learn in any language :-)


• Up Shit's Creek in a barbed wire canoe without a paddle - Hopeless situation


• Off like a bucket of prawns in the hot sun - Spoilt / Rotten


• Up at sparrow's fart - Wake up very early in the morning


• Technicolour yawn - What happens when you're drunk :-P

But please don't ask me the difference between a woos and a sook. I innocently asked this question at work one day, and set off a 2-hour debate which left me none the wiser.

Australia - Great Ocean Road

Australia is a blessed land, "girt by sea" and filled with mile after mile of gorgeous (and expensive!) ocean views.

I fulfilled one of my dreams in August 2006 by driving the length of the Great Ocean Road. Staying just ahead of a tour bus filled with Chinese nationals, I drove all the way from Geelong to the London Bridge - 260kms (one way!) and back to Geelong.

• All along the way, I found myself torn between the majestic ocean views and the emerald green hinterland scenes. So I stopped for morning tea, lunch, coffee, afternoon tea and lots of photos in between.

In addition to the world-famous Twelve Apostles and London Bridge, I fell in love with a little town called Apollo Bay. The foreshore views of the bay are breathtaking - among some of the best I've seen in the world.

Aunty Jo-Jo@ Twelve Apostles, Victoria

USA - Los Angeles

The City of Angels was the first US city I visited in 2000.

After seeing so much of LA on television over the years, the real experience fell a little flat. It was hotter, dustier and noisier than I imagined. But it was real.

The tour of Hollywood homes was hilarious. I've got tons of photos of houses and front lawns, but no idea who they belong to. But I did see Henry Winkler's (a.k.a the Fonz) police patrol car. That was probably the most exciting thing I saw all day :-)

Still, it is a city that attracts huge numbers of blonde, good-looking hopefuls hoping to make a break into the entertainment world. So, make sure you collect the autograph of your waiter because you never know, he may be the next Leonardo de Caprio!



Aunty Jo-Jo @ Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles

USA - Washington DC

Aunty Jo-Jo @ White House, Washington D.C.

The 3 M's - Museums, Memorials and Monuments - are what I remember most about Washington D.C.

Apart from the usual sights: White House, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Smithsonian, I also had the privilege of visiting the inner sanctum of the World Bank. Very impressive...especially the cafeteria that serves first-class cuisine from five continents....and the priceless artworks that are scattered around the lobby. And their role is to help finance development of third world countries? Enough said ;-)

USA - Disneyland

One of my earliest memories of childhood was watching The Mickey Mouse Club on our black & white TV.

Every episode ended with a little cartoon figure of Tinkerbell waving her wand, and spreading little stars all over the Magic Castle.

Disneyland is a magical place to every child.

My inner child discovered that truth when I visited Disneyland for the first time in 2000. For the record, I entered the park at 8am (opening time) and left only at 12 midnight (when the gates closed)

What a fantastic day it was...

• Taking a photo with Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck is a must - whatever age you may be
• The Indiana Jones ride is such a realistic re-creation of our favourite archaeologist's adventures. You have got to try it
• It's a Small World is an amazing ride filled with dolls wearing national costumes of different countries. But only go if you don't mind the song playing in your head for the next 3 days.
• Riding the Magic Mountain roller-coaster, after a Coke & hot dog, is NOT advised. I have never felt so sick in my life!
• The scariest ride in Disneyland is..... Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs....go see for yourself why that is...
• Don't miss the parade that happens at 8pm every night. Cinderella, Snow White, Goofy, Ariel, Belle and all the other Disney favourites make an appearance

I'd like to record a special note of thanks to Kathleen and her husband William, who insisted that I make Disneyland a stop on my tour of LA. Also thanks for the free entry ;-)