http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/travel/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-good-holiday-is-about-unrest-not-rest/ Like a fat full-stop, it lay in my hand. A small orange – not exactly fresh, but purchased anyway because a toothless woman had walked half a day to sell it for just 30 rupees. I looked at it for a long time, then gouged a thumb under its skin. Then I laughed, because I’d travelled half the world and up a mountain’s worth of stone steps to do something I no longer have time to do at home: peel an orange. Like many people, I live a hyphenated life: Angela – mother; Angela – journalist; Angela – commentator; Angela – wife; Angela – cook; Angela – sex goddess (OK, maybe not). There are few moments when I’m just Angela. None when I’m the girl I once was – an inquisitive, globetrotting wanderer who thanked God she was born at the bottom of the world so she could spend her life exploring the rest of it. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-good-holiday-is-about-unrest-not-rest/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-good-holiday-is-about-unrest-not-rest/#item8587 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-fulfilling-marriage-is-more-about-sext-than-text/ Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-fulfilling-marriage-is-more-about-sext-than-text/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-fulfilling-marriage-is-more-about-sext-than-text/#item8536 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mobile-phones-in-the-air-is-vergin-on-plane-ridiculous/ Dear Mr. Branson, What have you done? Seriously, what the hell have you done? I admire your stunning business acumen, your ballooning skills, your outrageous PR stunts, I’ve bought many Virgin records over the years – in fact I still have an original vinyl copy of Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols. Love your work. However, what’s this about allowing mobile phone calls on Virgin Atlantic flights? Tell me you’re taking the piss. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mobile-phones-in-the-air-is-vergin-on-plane-ridiculous/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/mobile-phones-in-the-air-is-vergin-on-plane-ridiculous/#item8507 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/his-love-of-his-pooch-could-see-him-sent-to-the-dog-house/ As a teacher’s kid I grew up on a school campus. This was idyllic for children but, for dogs, it was utopia. Hounds roamed free. Leashes did not exist. And the dog community participated in every aspect of the school’s life. One maths teacher had a beautiful Labrador who dutifully followed him around school wherever he went, including the classroom. As classes were taught, the Labrador would happily sleep up the front, content in the knowledge that he was on top of his subject having heard this lesson many times before. An Afghan who lived near the oval loved athletics. During the season he would regularly join the final lap of the 800m and was responsible for many a school record as nervous kids found extra pace with a large dog literally nipping at their heels. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/his-love-of-his-pooch-could-see-him-sent-to-the-dog-house/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/his-love-of-his-pooch-could-see-him-sent-to-the-dog-house/#item8363 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/id-rather-climb-a-mountain-than-stick-to-a-diet/ WhenI started this column, I vowed I wouldn’t write about my weight. Or diets. I figured if you’re female, you have enough going on in your own head. If you’re male, well, you don’t need it confirmed that we’re all bonkers. But I’m not one for self-imposed rules. And with so many young women seeing body image as the greatest concern of their lives, I don’t think ignoring it is going to help. So, let’s talk about weight. We’ll start with mine. For the past few years, I’ve had no idea what I weigh. I’m a words, not a numbers girl, so rather than curse the scales, I’ll realise my thighs feel a bit flabby, or – as has been the case this autumn – my jeans are a bit tight. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/id-rather-climb-a-mountain-than-stick-to-a-diet/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/id-rather-climb-a-mountain-than-stick-to-a-diet/#item8347 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-were-a-bunch-of-heartless-travel-snobs/ Low cost air carriers have turned us into a bunch of travel snobs. Tell someone you’re about to take a flight to Bali or Fiji and you’re bound to be met with a raised eyebrow or two. That and a swift dig about Bintang singlets, fake tan, Batique sarongs and hair braiding.  Other people can be more direct.  Check out this tweet from @flak in response to the collapse of Air Australia:  “I love it when cheap airlines for bogans go bust”. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-were-a-bunch-of-heartless-travel-snobs/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-were-a-bunch-of-heartless-travel-snobs/#item7819 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/love-and-lust-in-the-department-of-foreign-affairs/ Travel exposes us to foreign sights, tastes and sounds – and many are remarkable, yet after a while, what may surprise us even more than foreign sensations are foreign concepts. The first time a foreign idea stopped me in my tracks was in the midst of a heady love affair in Italy in my twenties. As twentysomethings, the two of us regarded ourselves as very adult in all the ways we valued, and accordingly, after a year or so we had certain conversations about The Future. One day he dropped a proverb into one of these conversations, which goes as follows: “mogli e buoi dei paesi tuoi”.  penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/love-and-lust-in-the-department-of-foreign-affairs/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/love-and-lust-in-the-department-of-foreign-affairs/#item7764 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/assimilation-should-not-be-a-flight-of-fancy/ In any discussion about how best to manage migration in this country, there needs to be a line. And that line is the same one that traces the borders of Australia’s coastline. Every single dollar that we spend on the essential and important task of looking after migrants in Australia, should be spent within the borders of this country. And Abla Kadous has crossed it. The president of The Islamic Women’s Welfare Association has suggested the federal government subsidise regular travel for recent migrants back to their native countries, to visit loved ones, as they settle into life in Australia. Not surprisingly, Ms Kadous has already copped a lot of flak for this suggestion. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/assimilation-should-not-be-a-flight-of-fancy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/assimilation-should-not-be-a-flight-of-fancy/#item7751 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/fuelled-by-carbon-tax-plane-fares-have-lift-off/ Julia Gillard wanted her huge compensation package to give the carbon pricing scheme a soft landing in July. But Qantas has shot down that hope with February price rises. The carbon scheme pushing up Qantas fares is the European version. But their penalty on emissions is much smaller than our $23 a tonne will be. The impact here could be greater. Opposition leader Tony Abbott will use this to further underline his claim that carbon pricing will hurt the economy, and to question whether families will be fully protected from rises in expenses. The airline has preempted by two months the start of the Government’s carbon pricing compensation, $1.5 billion which was to go to welfare recipients in May and June as advance payments. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/fuelled-by-carbon-tax-plane-fares-have-lift-off/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/fuelled-by-carbon-tax-plane-fares-have-lift-off/#item7676 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/reconnecting-by-getting-totally-disconnected/ FOR a year now, I’ve had a little quote pinned above my desk. “Tell me,” it says, “what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” On a particularly joyless day, I scribbled a response: “Make lunch boxes.” But even doctored with my smarty-pants cynicism, that scrap of paper winks at my soul. Some days, I try for ‘wild’ by blasting The Buzzcocks through my office after dropping the kids at school. Other times, I aim for ‘precious’, tinkering with words in the hope they’ll flow from me to you as naturally as breath (they don’t). Now, I’m not one for malcontent. Live well, love well, don’t leave a mess and “yes, please” to another piece of cake is generally my motto. But, recently I’ve felt disconnected, which is absurd because last year I received 13,506 emails, sent 432 tweets and became Facebook ‘friends’ with someone I kissed in 1989. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/reconnecting-by-getting-totally-disconnected/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/reconnecting-by-getting-totally-disconnected/#item7524 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Text to my husband: “Have sorted meatballs and worm tablets.” Except I inadvertently send it to my friend, who wryly messages back: “Glad to see it’s all romance in your house.” Once upon a time, I’d text this man about what I’d like to do to him when next we met. Now it’s reduced to bald instructions to ensure a child isn’t left at school or requests for forgotten dinner items (you’d think I’d remember that pasta goes with bolognaise). Scrolling through our texts reveals a similar theme. Me: “Can you get $105 for drum teacher?” Him: “Just going for a couple of beers with James.” Me: “Pls buy sunscreen.” Him (in shouty capitals because he was cross): “There’s no sour cream. Pls buy some.”