Brilliant-Online | Feel Good February | February 2021 Issue

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FEEL GOOD FEBRUARY February 2021 Issue

Great Lakes Food Trail Guiding Power of Life’s Values Taking Steps to Reduce Carbon Footprints Keeping Traditional Wood Craft Alive The Rooms are Alive, with the Sound of Music Tiny House Movement The Future of Travel Tossing for Fortune Talisker’s Travel

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EXPLORE BRILLIANT DIVE IN FOR A NEW INFORMATION EXPERIENCE

A very warm welcome to this latest edition of Brilliant magazine and please feel free to dive right into the depths of our digital multi-media information experience.

We’ve devised the Brilliant format as a sparkling, 360 degrees response to the limitations of the traditional printed word.

This one-dimensional style can only tell so much and - as down through the preceding centuries - it relies on readers’ imaginations to put flesh on the bare bones of a story and create the full picture.

So we decided to bring things bang up-to-date with a new online magazine chock-full of vivid digital elaborations of both its editorial and advertising.

DIGITAL RABBIT HOLES Brilliant comes fully-loaded with a technological armoury of tools for you to build fascinating multi-dimensional images of a story or advert with extra information, images and sounds.

You can veer off down digital rabbit holes of embedded websites, videos, podcasts and other multi-media avenues, building layers of colour and character.

This brings Brilliant alive with fresh perspectives, painting richness and complexity for a fulfilling read.

What’s waiting to be experienced this month?

Those of us still reeling from adjusting to the effects of pandemic lockdowns are probably casting their thoughts to the prospect of travel to get away from it all.

We examine some possible aspects of future post-COVID air travel and also look at the growing trend of downsizing with rural breaks in tiny houses available in scenic locations across Australia.

The eco-credentials of these tiny houses meshes in with this Brilliant edition’s theme of sustainability that pops up in other editorials, including an outline of how an award-winning child care service integrates its principles of sustainability and community relations into nurturing development of young minds.

Brilliant’s digital character means we’re never very far away from aspects of technology that enhance our lifestyles.

How about using a digital innovation to virtually move hi-fi speakers around a room to get the best sound out of them?

We show how this can be done with technology from a leading hi-fi company.

And we see how one of the world’s top semiconductor manufacturers is making Singapore a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI), using the citystate as a launch pad to move to digital transformation.

TRADITIONAL VALUES On the other hand, we don’t stint on celebrating age-old crafts that continue to enrich our lives by fashioning traditional objects of beauty and function. The workshop at a longstanding furniture business run by two brothers does just that - we look at their dedication to producing quality home furnishings that stand the test of time.

Back in the great outdoors – or more accurately, in the sea – there’s a story about the number of historic shipwrecks that lie on the seabed around beautiful Fraser Island, highlighted by the recent chance discovery of one rarely-seen example that was exposed to view by shifting tides and sands.

That’s obviously an apt story to dive into – but dive right into all the others and the advertisements as well for the full experience. Discover Brilliant online.

Robin Wilson, Editor

BELLBIRD PARK ESTATE, NAMBUCCA. LOTS SELLING NOW FROM $175,000.

Rural lifestyle close to the beach.

Property ID 20629170.

SCAN ME TO VIEW THIS PROPERTY

READ MORE

FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE ENQUIRIES

1800 223 768

home@nationwidepropertybrokers.com nationwidepropertybrokers.com Port Macquarie, NSW 2444

CONTENTS WHAT’S ON MID NORTH COAST NSW?

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2021

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BRILLIANT SHOWER

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HDFC OPEN DAY

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CAMDEN HAVEN MUSEUM

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S.S. MARLOO SIGHTED!

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ONLINE

Brilliant-Online editor@brilliant-online.com

PERSPECTIVES

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CHILD’S PLAY WITH TG’S

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GREAT LAKES FOOD TRAIL

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GUIDING POWER OF LIFE’S VALUES

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INFINEON: 50 YEARS IN SINGAPORE

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TAKING STEPS TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS

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LUXE

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SPURS N LACE

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KEEPING TRADITIONAL WOOD CRAFT ALIVE

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brilliant-online.com P.O. Box 9339, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Advertising Enquiry HQ Australia +61 412 137 621 29 Jindalee Rd,Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 Singapore +65 96 817 045 North America +1 (647) 239 3231

THE ROOMS ARE ALIVE, WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC 18

Follow us on our socials

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

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@brilliantonlineinternational

TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT

20

@BrilliantOnlineInternational

THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL

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@AdBrilliant

TOSSING FOR FORTUNE

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Brilliant Online Magazine

FACES

26

TALISKER’S TRAVEL

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ABOUT BRILLIANT

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4

SUBSCRIBE TO BRILLIANT

REQUEST AD PACKAGE

WHAT’S ON MID NORTH COAST NSW FEBRUARY 2021

MARCH 2021 SATURDAY 6TH - SUNDAY 7TH PORT MACQUARIE RUNNING FESTIVAL

Town Green, 1 Horton Street, Port Macquarie portmacquarierunningfestival.com.au

Now in its 10th year, the Port Macquarie Running Festival is held annually on the stunning New South Wales Mid North Coast.

SATURDAY 20TH FORSTER FARMERS MARKET Little Street, Forster fnc.org.au

THE HUB MARKET TAREE

WINGHAM FARMERS MARKET Wingham Showgrounds winghamfarmersmarket.org.au

Taree Showgrounds thehubmarkets.com.au

The Original farmers market in the Manning Valley.

SUNDAY 21ST

THURSDAY 11TH

LAURIETON RIVER WALK MARKET

Bruce Porter Reserve, Tunis Street, Laurieton riverwalkmarkets.com.au Enjoy a bite to eat by the riverside, or get your kitchen in order with a range of fresh produce and gourmet foods to take home. With an extensive range of toys, clothes, fashion, plants, candles, perfumes, fishing gear, furniture and so much more you will love your day out at the Market.

SMALL BUSINESS COFFEE CONNECT, 10AM Hosted by the Micro Business Forum.

Round & Round Roto House, Port Macquarie

PURPLE PEOPLE SHOPPING DAY, ALL DAY Wauchope CBD lasiandrafestival.com.au

SATURDAY 27TH

Judging of shop windows and premises displays.

A part of the 35th Annual Wauchope Lasiandra Festival.

WAUCHOPE FARMERS MARKET

SATURDAY 27TH

Wauchope Showgrounds, High Street Wauchope wauchopefarmersmarket.com.au The Wauchope Farmers’ Market provides an opportunity for local farmers and food producers to sell a large variety of produce and hand crafted gourmet food products direct to the public.

It is a well established community market built on a philosophy of providing the freshest, the best, and the healthiest alternatives to the community, with produce and product often hand-picked the day before the market.

SUNDAY 28TH THE ARTIST MARKET

The Martime Museum, 6 William Street, Port Macquarie marketplaceevents.com.au An eclectic market bringing together a vibrant and colourful collection of works by local artisans and artists.

It will showcase their talents and will be supported by stalls featuring locally grown, made or baked, farm fresh produce and fine food products.

NABIAC FARMERS MARKET Nabiac Showgrounds

Stock up on seedlings for your vegetable patch and meet your local growers and producers who make such a variety of gourmet goodies available for you.

WEDNESDAY 31ST HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN WIX WEBSITE, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM AEDT Hosted by Vermillion Pinstripes, Online.

Register here: how-to-build-your-business-website-on-wixtickets

DO YOU HAVE A NOT-FOR-PROFIT OR A COMMUNITY EVENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR PAGE? Send us an email: editor@brilliant-online.com

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Experience the Brilliant Online Magazine. Meet the Brilliant Team and the Brilliant Businesses in the Hastings District. Let your hair down and dazzle with us. For social distancing reasons, number will be kept small and registration is compulsory.

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THE FOWLEY FIVE THE FOWLEY FAMILY, MOTHER ALICE AND 4 SONS PATRICK FOWLEY (11), RILEY FOWLEY (9), ROY FOWLEY (7), MICHAEL FOWLEY (5) ARE TAKING PART IN THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE FOR THE LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION. They are on a mission to shave the world from blood cancer!

Help support them as they take part in the World’s Greatest Shave to help beat blood cancer.

The photo shows the Fowley four sons and one daughter.

SPONSOR NOW

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Special Appearance: WILD, a new music release from Singer and Songwriter Pam Hata MORE INFO

OPENING HOURS: The museum is run by volunteers and open from Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm.

Opening hours are subject to Government regulations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Closed on Public Holidays.

READ MORE ABOUT RELIVING THE CAMDEN HAVEN

camdenhavenhistoricalsociety.org camdenhavenmuseum@yahoo.com.au +61 408 113 313 58 Bold St, Laurieton, NSW 2443

S.S. MARLOO SIGHTED!

A VERY RARE SIGHTING! Gayle and Trevor Kee spotted the SS Marloo shipwreck on 19 January 2021, from her light aircraft on K’gari.

READ MORE

PERSPECTIVES

About the world, environment and forward thinking businesses.

Learn about how this Old Inn Road vineyard uses organic principles to produce wines such as its 2019 Gold Medal Verdelho.

Learn more about Great Lakes Food Trail.

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PLAY WITH TG’S CHILD CARE

PLAYING IS LEARNING FOR LIFE AT TG’S AWARD WINNING GARDENS Creating beautiful garden landscapes for children to explore, take delight in and learn at the same time sounds like a tall order.

But it’s literally child’s play for TG’s Child Care, the award-winning early learning Preschool, Kindergarten and Long Day care provider that focusses on playbased learning with a sustainable slant.

Its recently-opened Urangan campus serving Hervey Bay in Queensland has all this in spades, just like all of TG’s Childcare’s five others across New South Wales.

NOOKS AND CRANNIES The first thing children notice when they arrive at any of these campuses is the inviting landscaped environment that kindles their natural curiosity to explore and play. They’re warm and alluring places that tempt them to delve and investigate every nook and cranny.

These intriguing combined learning and play spaces are the fruits of TG’s Child Care co-founder Trevor Kee’s extensive landscaping and design background – and they’re hallmarks of the company’s mission to create dynamic environments where children can thrive, learn and have fun.

They’re carefully designed to provide stimulating areas where each child has their own particular challenges to support their emotional, cognitive, creative, and passive and active development.

Their rich environments open up a range of possibilities and caters to each child’s varying moods, needs and interests.

They speak to children as their own little haven where they’re free to explore all its delights at their own pace.

This is where children feel secure and supported as they play surrounded by the beauty of a natural garden landscape.

In fact, children have so much fun creating adventures in these rich learning grounds for hours on end that they usually don’t want to leave.

SUSTAINABILITY VALUES No matter where a TG’s Child Care service is located, its outdoor

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environment is always carefully designed and created with creative play spaces, paved pathways, timber bridges and transition areas using natural materials and local resources.

This keys into its sustainability values and commitment to supporting local economies and local trades in each community.

At the new Urangan campus, renovating the land wasn’t a case of bringing in the bulldozers – instead, a sympathetic transformation took place with a conscious effort to be aware of the natural environment and share appreciation of it with the children who would attend the campus – passing on the value in every leaf, worm and stone.

This extended to the golden palms of the outdoor area, which as part of the renovation process were carefully relocated to a new spot and lovingly replanted to thrive and grow as part of the TG’s Child Care family.

PART OF THE COMMUNITY The palm relocation illustrated a keen desire for children of TG’s Child Care to become both intellectually and socially eco-intelligent by setting examples from the very beginning as this new campus was being created in the community.

With the children already learning how to take care of vegetables grown in the garden, they were also shown care of its other big plants in the form of the golden palms, learning another lesson of sustainability and care.

This was also an exercise in building beneficial community relationships, local trades helping to move the palms to preserve the greenery.

TG’s Child Care’s gardens are fundamental to its belief that exploring nature is part of sustainability and builds a foundation of values for making the world a better place – that begin when children first step through its doors and continue long after they’ve left.

In their natural and safe environments, children develop their independent and creative young minds, and engage in collective thinking with their peers.

It’s where they build relationships with each other, identify their own strengths and share their gifts with everyone around them. tgschildcare.com.au/urangan

GREAT LAKES FOOD TRAIL HIT THE TRAIL TO DISCOVER REAL FOOD Does the thought of bland, factoryprocessed modern food dull your palate and dishearten your conscience?

Are you in search of foodie heaven in the shape of a plateful of authentic, ethically-sourced nourishment?

Then get on the trail of this five-star showcase of sustainably-farmed and honest-to-good fresh food from a collective of premium producers in one of Australia’s most charming locations.

It all happens in the Great Lakes, three hours north of Sydney in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, an area rightly renowned for its picturesque waterways and beaches.

It’s also home to award-winning farmers and artisan producers dedicated to upholding traditional values of providing good, ethically-produced nutritious food.

This treasure trove of fine local produce was a best-kept secret until five years ago, when its leading farmers and producers bandied together to set up the Great Lakes Food Trail.

It’s a one-of-a-kind adventure for Great Lakes visitors and locals alike to get behind the scenes of ethical, traditional

food production – and get a taste of it all at the same time.

By providing this immersive, hands-on experience, the Great Lakes Food Trail is also a shop window for its Core Values of Real Food:

It follows the Lakes Way scenic drive between Bulahdelah and Rainbow Flat with ten unique stops along the way, including these highlights at awardwinning producers:

• IN BULAHDELAH VISIT: - Yeo Farm

Regenerative farming that builds and maintains soil health

- Old Inn Road

Environmentally, economically and socially sustainable Animals that are pasture-raised on paddocks Low-stress stock handling practices Free-to-range animals that can forage with their flock or herd Open and transparent communication with the community Organic farming principles, processes, and practices Diversity that develops healthy

ecosystems

• IN WOOTTON VISIT: - Brush Turkey Café - Great Lakes Paddocks

• IN BUNGWAHL VISIT: This year, the Great Lakes Food Trail will be staged twice: in Autumn (March, April and May); and Spring (September, October and November.

- Burraduc Buffalo Dairy Farm - Bungwahl Public School - Topi Open Range Farm

• IN FORSTER VISIT: - The Coastal Brewing Company

• IN RAINBOW FLAT VISIT: - Valley View Farm

READ MORE

thegreatlakesfoodtrailnsw.com.au sue@williamsonline.com.au www.facebook.com/ thegreatlakesfoodtrailnsw +61 438 433 063 3 Belah Rd, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444

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GUIDING POWER OF LIFE’S VALUES IT WAS ONCE SAID OF ACCOUNTANTS: “THEY KNOW THE COST OF EVERYTHING; BUT THE VALUE OF NOTHING.” This pithy saying reinforced a generic view of accountants as robotic beancounters with no appreciation of the finer, more intangible qualities of life.

Although that may very well have been true in some cases, pigeonholing an entire profession is obviously problematic.

And this particular view of accountants – although somewhat amusing – assumes their approach to work and life precludes them from appreciating values other than those on a balance sheet.

But we all know that’s not the case.

MORAL COMPASS Values are an essential and individual part of everyone’s lives – even accountants.

They’re the principles or beliefs by which we all organise and process how we live and interact with others.

Like most things in life, our values can change and adapt over time, or in response to altered circumstances.

But despite this innate capability to evolve, in essence our values remain as the guiding light of our lives, making up what has become fashionably known as our “Moral Compass.”

That’s why they’re also often referred to as core values – principles or beliefs that you hold dear and are central to the way you live your life.

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BUSINESS DIRECTIONS Personal values have an overarching presence in all of our lives and their influence also extends to the way we handle ourselves in our working lives.

And playing this principle forward, values are necessary components of a business and the way it operates.

These organisational values – just like personal values – should be rooted in the DNA of a company to shape attitude and behaviour, both externally to the marketplace of customers, suppliers and community, and internally to employees.

Central to the ethos and character of a company, they’re the go-to resource that guides how decisions are made.

LIST THE WAYS So, how does a person or a company identify values, compose them into a systematic format and apply them as guiding principles across life and all associated activities?

Australian counselling service Smooth Sailing Counselling has compiled a handy checklist that enables both individuals to do just that and can be easily adapted for organisations.

Devised by Smooth Sailing’s Linda Mitten, the checklist is a step-by-step downloadable guide that takes singling out values that are felt to be important as its starting point.

“When you define your personal values, you discover what’s truly important to you,” says Linda.

“Your values are the things that you believe are important in the way you live and work.

“Some of life’s decisions are really about determining what you value most. When many options seem reasonable, it’s helpful and comforting to rely on your values and use them as a strong guiding force to point you in the right direction.”

The checklist encourages looking back at periods of life and career to identify times that were enjoyed, when good decisions were being made and dreams were fulfilled.

A list is created by selecting up to five of the most important values and how they apply to different areas of life, such as business, health, relationships and leisure.

The entire process raises awareness of the most important factors in life or business that can be used to guide and make the best choice or decision in any given circumstance.

It’s a straightforward, analytical approach with a logical precision that will even inspire accountants to embrace values.

See the Values Checklist on Smooth Sailing’s website:

VALUES CHECKLIST

READ MORE

BRILLIANT VALUES

INFINEON: 50 YEARS IN SINGAPORE GLOBAL AI INNOVATION HUB FOR SMART FUTURE Singapore is set to be a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation, with leading semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies choosing it as its launch pad to accelerate to digital transformation.

The scheme to map out and implement the company’s smart AI future by 2023 was unveiled recently to celebrate Infineon’s 50 years of operations in Singapore, and it aligns with the city state’s digital drive to be a Smart Nation.

The S$ 27 million (US$ 20.2 million) initiative incorporates proactive engagement with Singapore’s semiconductor, electronics and innovation ecosystems through collaborations with SGInnovate - the government-owned enterprise helping scientists develop Deep Tech solutions to challenging global problems - local start-ups, institutes of higher learning and research institutions on new AI solutions.

These organisations will be able to enhance their work by leveraging Infineon’s rich datasets to build solutions.

WORKFORCE UPSKILLING As a first step to prepare for this future driven by AI, Infineon will empower its Singapore workforce to be capable of developing and deploying AI solutions in all its business functions.

INVESTMENT Infineon has invested around S$700 million (US$ 526.1 million) in Singapore over the last decade, with the operation becoming the lead site for smart factory solutions development and global test hub for automotive microcontroller units. It’s also a key node for Infineon global distribution and one of the major microelectronics R&D centers in Asia.

More than 1,000 employees will be upskilled and around 25 unique AI projects covering Infineon’s entire Singapore value chain of activities will be deployed by 2023.

Infineon will also focus on building a mindset of digital growth among staff by encouraging changes in behaviour through habit-changing nudges, and enabling managers to drive enhanced work performance.

The three-year journey to set up Infineon’s global AI hub and seamlessly link Singapore’s real and digital worlds with AI has been dubbed ARISE – Augment digital infrastructure; Reskilling, digital transform and drive change; Implement AI-enabled projects; Share success stories and events to build community; Expand ecosystem partnerships.

Dr. Reinhard Ploss, Infineon Chief Executive Officer, said: “Singapore is a global node of technology, innovation and enterprise that’s able to reinvent itself while conserving its strengths. The country offers a vibrant innovation ecosystem and an attractive environment for top talents to live and work in.

“On its journey to become a Smart Nation, a key step is Singapore’s national strategy to develop impactful AI solutions - this fits well with Infineon Singapore’s vision to make it an AI innovation hub and a key player for our AI strategy.”

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman, Singapore Economic Development Board, said: “Infineon’s decision to locate its global AI innovation hub here is another important milestone in our longstanding partnership, which has spanned 50 years.

“The latest investment will allow Infineon to build new smart solutions for its operations in Singapore and beyond, and in the process upskill its Singapore workforce.”

inf ineon.com

+49 89 234 65555

www.facebook.com/Inf ineon

8 Kallang Sector, Singapore 349282, Singapore

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TAKING STEPS TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS Carbon has been getting a bad rap in recent years, but it’s an essential part of all life on earth and actually the fourth most abundant element in the universe.

It’s all around us in different guises - in gas form as carbon dioxide (CO2), solid form such as graphite and diamond, and compounds like limestone or oyster shells.

It’s the growing quantity of carbon dioxide as the form of the carbon element in our earth’s atmosphere – the so-called greenhouse gas – that’s given carbon such a bad rap.

Carbon dioxide isn’t the only greenhouse gas culprit - it’s up there in the atmosphere with fellow greenhouse gasses methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, water vapours and fluorocarbons.

But it’s the most common one by volume and it outlasts the others by hundreds of years.

For centuries, Mother Nature did a tidy job of keeping our earth’s carbon cycle in check with a balanced greenhouse effect in the atmosphere that generally kept the right temperatures to maintain life down here on terra firma.

But the galloping growth of our industrial societies over the past couple of hundred years upset the balance and created an overload of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas that’s built and given us the crisis of global warming and all its sobering effects.

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BETTER BUYING CHOICES

NEW LIFESTYLES

There can’t be many inhabitants of planet earth nowadays who’re unaware of this global environmental crisis.

Users of swrm can also track the carbon footprints of other daily activities such as commuting, using smartphones or laptops, and even doing the laundry. It’s a powerful tool to make environmentally and socially-responsible choices, all in the palm of your hand.

Ironically, one benefit of another global crisis - the COVID pandemic – has been tangible signs that earth’s atmosphere can recover from excess CO2, once the number of flights made by pollutionspewing jetliners is reduced.

So with widespread awareness of carbon emissions and carbon footprints, coupled with tangible signs of what reduced CO2 pollution can achieve, what can we all do as individuals to contribute towards a cleaner, greener planet?

One option is to use an intriguing new smartphone App on iOS that helps you live more sustainably by tracking your carbon footprint and suggesting better buying choices in the supermarket by comparing carbon footprints of different products.

The app was launched just last year by swrm in the US and allows users to scan items on sale to compare carbon footprints and pinpoint the one that’s most environmentally responsible.

Ever mindful that changes in habits can’t be made without education and explanation, the swrm website provides a wealth of information on climate change impacts, climate science and sustainable living.

The aim is to build a global community of like-minded people, whose actions to help each other build a more sustainable future are all evidence-based.

The swrm App is being rolled-out globally and due to launch on Android this year. Free to download, it can be found on the App Store – in available countries and territories – under swrm or carbon footprint tracker.

READ MORE

And it has potential to change attitudes further up the food chain - each time a product is left on the shelf based on its carbon footprint, that can leverage both retailer and manufacturer to improve product lines with better environmental credentials.

greenswrm.com

www.facebook.com/GSwrm

admin@greenswrm.com

www.instagram.com/greenswrm

LUXE

About latest trends and products in fashion, motoring, grooming, watches, jewellery, design, technology, food and wine, travel, property, architecture and interiors.

Greg French manufactures eye wear for Optex Australia in Port Macquarie, NSW. Find out more about Optex Australia.

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PROUD SPONSORS OF THE SYDNEY QUARTER HORSE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. SHOP NOW

READ MORE

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Meet Weed the horse Photo taken by Mel @ Crazy Horse Designs

+61 265 852 320 Shop 2, 1 High St, Wauchope, NSW 2446

CHECKOUT JEANS AND BOOTS!

We stock a range of products suited for country, western, equine, farm work and tradies.

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Free Shipping Australia Wide. spursnlace.com.au sales@spursnlace.com.au +61 265 852 320 Shop 2, 1 High St, Wauchope, NSW 2446

KEEPING TRADITIONAL WOOD CRAFT ALIVE The age-old skills of traditional woodworking are alive and well at Francis Furniture in Port Macquarie, where brothers Chris and Kim and their team of craftsmen lovingly fashion bespoke furniture that turns houses into homes of distinction.

These brothers-in-arms will soon celebrate 40 years of business, proving there’s still keen demand for handcrafted furniture of character.

Their love affair with all things wooden began when the brothers were growing up in their home town of Cootamundra, south west of Sydney, where Chris went on to work with wood as a shipwright and Kim began using it to build doors.

UNIQUE FURNITURE They’d both built furniture as projects during their apprenticeships, and when they moved to Port Macquarie in the early 1980s their growing passion for working with wood to design and build unique furniture came alive in the form of Francis Furniture.

Over the years since then they’ve established a solid reputation for quality furniture, custom-designed to enhance interiors with the beauty and soul of natural Australian or imported timbers.

Keeping the spirit of traditional woodworking alive and flourishing is fundamental to Francis Furniture – Chris and Kim maintain a policy of welcoming young apprentices to learn their craft and ensure it’s continued for generations to come.

Specialising in the use environmentally sustainable Australian hardwood timbers Tasmanian Blackwood, WA Jarrah, Tasmanian Oak, Blue Gum, Rose Gum, Blackbutt and Queensland Maple.

Using a combination of traditional solid timber methods, modern design skills and expertise to produce the highest standard of handcrafted solid timber furniture.

READ MORE f rancisfurniture.com.au info@f rancisfurniture.com.au www.facebook.com/Francis-Furniture (02) 6581 0276 3 Belah Rd, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444

THE ROOMS ARE ALIVE, WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC Digital interaction that’s transformed so many aspects of everyday life for the better is now applied to the world of hi-fi music.

room in this way takes all the guesswork out of speaker positioning - and means furniture doesn’t have to be moved around to accommodate them.

Innovative industry leader Linn has introduced a high-tech marvel for owners of their music systems that lets them move speakers into their ideal room position, without even getting up from the sofa.

VIRTUAL REALITY

DIGITAL DOVETAILING This virtual speaker placement is at the heart of Linn’s Space Optimisation sophisticated acoustic modelling that matches up speakers with a room’s individual characteristics to open up true musical sound.

Forget about lugging speakers around a room and spending hours tinkering with them to find their best position – now you can sit with your smartphone and use Space Optimisation to move and adjust them.

Digitally dovetailing speakers with a

Owners simply use their Space Optimisation on Linn’s website to input the room’s individual dimensions, and characteristics like windows and other materials that can affect sound quality.

They key-in their listening position and the physical locations of the speakers – then virtually place them into their ideal positions.

If the best sound is achieved when the speakers are seven feet apart, but that isn’t practical because furniture’s in the way, they can just stay where they have to be - and Space Optimisation will re-create the ideal sound of seven feet apart.

FINE-TUNING Further refining – such as setting ambient room temperature and sound options to suit various music styles – is also inputted and adjusted until the room’s personal sound nirvana is attained.

The digital delight of Space Optimisation is also available for use in speakers of other leading hi-fi companies.

But if this all sounds a daunting proposition for non-tech music aficionados, there’s no need for them worry - it’s all part of the set-up services from the specialists of Linn’s dealer network.

Linn has a deserved reputation for sophisticated hi-fi systems that make music come alive - this chic tweak makes rooms come alive too.

This means the sound becomes completely bespoke to the room and its listeners – it’s like the difference between off-the-peg and fine tailoring.

LINN’S SPEAKERS ALSO BRIGHTEN UP ROOM DECORS, WITH A RANGE OF DISTINCTIVE COVER DESIGN OPTIONS.

linn.co.uk/technology/space-optimisation helpline@linn.co.uk www.facebook.com/linnproducts +44 141 307 7777

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WITH HAUSLEIN TINY HOUSE CO. GERMAN FOR SMALL CABIN OR COTTAGE… “hoyss-line” (sort of!)

A ‘Häuslein’ is a small dwelling with a big heart. It’s warm, the lights are on, you’re welcome here. We named our company Häuslein Tiny House Co because of our German heritage as well as our appreciation for German quality engineering which we seek to reflect in our tiny house builds.

READ MORE

www.hauslein.com.au

hello@hauslein.com.au

www.facebook.com/hausleintinyhouseco

+61 466 304 794

www.instagram.com/hausleintinyhouseco

1/22 Janola Circuit, Port Macquarie, NSW, 2444

TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT GOOD THINGS IN SMALL ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGES The Tiny House movement that started in America and became an international trend has now been integrated into an exciting new ecotourism concept across Australia.

Tiny House is a dedicated architectural and social philosophy that advocates simple living in small, affordable and eco-f riendly homes. Doing so means people have to downsize and simplify the way they live, by cutting back on material possessions.

In this way, tiny houses help to reduce consumption for a cost-effective and sustainable style of living.

The entire concept is aimed at allowing stressed-out city dwellers to kick-back, relax and re-energise by living in a tiny house.

In Australia, the company pioneering and developing the country’s tiny house movement is Tiny Away, which has taken the concept to the next stage by partnering with land hosts to site its handcrafted homes on wheels in spectacular rural settings, all surrounded by nature at its f inest.

Its choice of tiny houses live up Tiny Away’s ethos by being designed to be eco-f riendly and built with sustainable materials.

And with them placed on booking platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com it’s easier than ever to take a reviving break in a tiny house.

RURAL BLISS There’s tiny houses available in scores of scenic rural locations across Victoria and New South Wales, just waiting to host city-slickers in need of a comforting getaway close to nature.

Feel the need to really get up close to nature with a tiny house break? How about staying at Merlot Tiny House at Windeyer in New South Wales for an outback experience that’s complete with f riendly alpacas at its Alpaca Farm?

Or there’s Merrijig Valley Tiny House in Victoria on a working cattle property, with great views of Mount Buller and the surrounding High Country to take in. while horse riding, mountain biking, hiking or f ishing. There’s even local wineries to visit.

Elsewhere in Victoria is Tiny House Big View at Bonea, in a peaceful country farm surrounded by views over the Bass Strait and close to National Parks, ocean bays, golf courses and vineyards.

Back in New South Wales again visitors to the Weereewa Tiny House on a ridge overlooking Lake George can experience spectacular changing views across the lake, which disappears during the dry season when the lake bed becomes visible, then f ills up again in the wet season.

These tiny house stays can be as short as a quick weekend break or as long a holiday stretching or weeks, or even months! There’s flexibility in booking, with discounts for longer stays to encourage comprehensive destressing far f rom the madding crowd.

The tiny house concept is also a two-way street – Tiny Away is always on the look-out for new partners keen to generate new income f rom their land by hosting a tiny house to expand the company’s tiny house portfolio.

Good things really do come in small packages with tiny houses, with the added benef it of sound eco-f riendly credentials.

READ MORE

tinyaway.com bigtiny.com.sg ask@tinyaway.com www.facebook.com/tinyaway/ www.instagram.com/tiny.away/ +65 6525 5282

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THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL

BY ROBIN WILSON

UP IN THE AIR In our COVID-19 pandemic-ravaged world there’s probably no more horrifying scenario than sitting trapped in a long metal tube for hours on end, elbow-to-elbow with complete strangers, all of you breathing the same air continually circulated around the interior.

aspect of our lives and has already changed so much - what’s the future of air travel?

Will we ever see a return to those halcyon days of routine air travel – or are our hopes for such a return up in the air?

WELCOME ABOARD THE NEW NORMAL

Those passenger numbers eventually came back, although the healing process in the industry incorporated adjustments in activities and operations to align with reduced demands.

Some airlines went out of business, while others with expansion plans were forced to scale them back to keep operating efficiently and profitably, to keep pace with an altered business environment.

Couple that with fellow passengers aged from a few months to old age and you have the perfect petri dish for fast transmission of COVID-19 infections.

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has described the COVID-19 pandemic as: ”The gravest crisis the aerospace industry has ever known.”

That’s why air travel – with its innate ability to transmit infection across international borders - was one of the first elements of normal life to be severely restricted when the world began to comprehend COVID-19’s virulence and potential for spreading far and wide.

Elsewhere, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents almost 300 airlines, said the industry: “…is only at the very beginning of a long and difficult recovery,” and added there is: “…tremendous uncertainty about what impact a resurgence of new COVID-19 cases in key markets could have.”

It seems incredible now, but not too long ago we were all quite happy to sit cramped into these long metal tubes alongside perfect strangers and breathe re-circulated air, sometimes on long haul flights across the globe that stretched for many hours on end.

To put it in cold perspective, in April, Heathrow Airport’s passenger numbers were down by 97 percent; and it was estimated that 30 percent of the world’s 26,000 commercial jets were grounded.

The air travel industry has also come under concerted fire in recent years from the climate change lobby, which demonised aircraft emissions as a major cause of global warming.

However, despite all the stark realities of cancelled flights, staff lay-offs, passenger numbers dwindling to almost nothing and mothballed fleets of aircraft, it’s worth remembering that even before COVID-19 the air travel industry had a resilient legacy of bouncing back from setbacks.

This argument has achieved a certain degree of ratification during the COVID-19 pandemic, with sharp drop in worldwide flights allegedly resulting in clearer skies and even some repair of the ozone layer.

In fact – many of us looked forward to it, especially those up at the sharp end in Business or Economy with more space to stretch out and indulge themselves in the in-flight luxuries.

It was a scenario that was entirely commonplace and repeated all over the world multiple times each day.

But now that COVID-19 is entrenched worldwide throughout practically every

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A comparable crisis came in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, which engendered fear in the travelling public and as a result, created tumbling passenger numbers.

A graphic illustration of this is the highdemand lucrative US market, which prior to 9/11 had eight dominant airlines, but now only has four.

But the overall result was a leaner and arguably more efficient industry, although passengers forced to cram into the fewer flights available might take issue with that.

ESSENTIAL TAKE-OFF

But those who vilify the air travel industry as a malignant global polluter would do well to consider the many and diverse benefits it’s brought to many fundamental aspects of our modern life.

Its transport and distribution of cargo is

an integral component of international trade and industry, without which many modern businesses and the societies in which they operate would face very real struggles.

And no matter your opinion of the growth of international holidays, this burgeoning industry and its associated tourism businesses provide employment and career opportunities to millions of people around the world.

All this now faces serious and longstanding consequences caused by the onset of COVID-19.

CLOSED BORDERS The shutters came down on international passenger air travel when many governments made it public policy – quite rightly - to close their borders to limit the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Now with vaccines being rolled out and even forecasts made of returns to “normality” in the near future, some are assessing whether or not to lift the shutters, and to what extent to meet demands of the much-mooted New Normal.

So, the easing of government entry restrictions is the basic consideration for getting airlines flying - and the business and tourism dollars flowing again.

What signs are there of this happening, with governments still shouldering the responsibility of protecting their citizens from COVID-19 infection?

The growing availability of vaccines give optimism and it’s likely that soon permissions for travel will be granted to passengers holding vaccine certification.

that have been hemorrhaging money during the pandemic.

And it goes without saying that masks and face shields will be de rigueur in post-pandemic passenger cabins. Most predictions are for these to still being mandated for public environments even when COVID-19 infection rates reduce.

Of course, that probably means requirement of social distancing will also still be place, so it remains to be seen how airlines will square that particular circle with the need for passenger numbers to maximise load factors.

They’ll also be trying to do this in the face of a recent US government mandate that now - and in the foreseeable future - airlines fill no more that two-thirds of their passenger cabins.

Unfortunately, it seems that all these efforts to make airlines Lean and Mean won’t necessarily extend to lower fares.

Some analysts have forecast fares will drop in line with passenger demand, but with aircraft grounded and fewer seats to go round in the global market the airlines may – even with potential lower fuel costs – be tempted to make hay by hiking prices to compensate for all their months of lost operations.

Another aspect to consider in this is the very real possibility of the crisis forcing some airlines into bankruptcy.

For it’s a sad fact that when an airline goes bankrupt it reduces the number of competitors in the marketplace, which forces up prices.

BUCKLE UP The air transport industry’s standard MO of forcing hordes of people to share the same confined space for hours on end flies in the face of any COVID-19 considerations - no pun intended - and makes it a prime candidate for rigid implementation of restrictions.

So, it may very well be that we never return to the days of crowded terminal queues and being crammed into poky aircraft cabins.

Like everything else about this unprecedented pandemic, there’s widespread uncertainty about how - if at all – the industry which has become such an essential and ubiquitous part of modern life – will survive.

Though as we’ve seen, efforts to adjust to the New Normal have already been made and the industry has previously shown that it’s resilient and flexible enough to tailor operations around new restrictions.

And it’s more than obvious that air transport’s essential role in supporting and driving tourism economies around the world has to be revived.

Whether we’ll ever again sit cheek-byjowl with complete strangers in a long metal tube for hours on end remains to be seen.

However, it’s pretty certain that in our future post-pandemic world we’ll still be buckling up and enjoying the ride – maybe just not that many of us as before, and perhaps in slightly more comfort.

Travel Bubbles and Travel Corridors have also been proposed and introduced in some markets as ways to develop flows of air travel between countries that set up reciprocal arrangements, based on assessed COVID-19 rates in each other’s populations to exclude potential new infections.

But this may also involve testing all passengers at both departure and entry, a potentially cumbersome bottleneck which would require administration, create stress and stretch travel times.

IN-FLIGHT SIGNS OF THE TIMES Airlines who’ve managed to operate limited flights within the restrictions of the pandemic have already given some clues about how the air travel experience for passengers will be re-set for the post-pandemic world.

Many on-board amenities, such as inflight magazines, pillows and blankets, have been scrapped.

Even some meals served by cabin crew from trolleys are no more, replaced by snack bags and refreshments.

These pared-back services are for a good and pragmatic reason – to reduce person-to-person contact that may give rise to transmission of the virus.

They also have the added benefit of reducing costs, a vital factor for airlines

23

TOSSING FOR FORTUNE

BY YANN TYNG KOOI

And no, we do not mean a coin to determine your destiny. All you need, is simply, a salad.

Tossing a salad takes on a whole level of meaning when Chinese New Year comes around each year.

LET’S LO HEI During this time, families, and even friends, colleagues and businessmen gather round a table with a large dish containing a variety of colourful ingredients. They deftly grab their chopsticks and begin to enthusiastically toss their ´salad´ while yelling phrases that signify good fortune. From the outside, this is not going to make much sense to someone who does not know the tradition. What are these people doing, violently “playing” with their food and what is it with all the yelling?

This exciting gastronomical acrobatics is what the Chinese call “yusheng” or “lo hei” and it is loosely translated as a kind of “prosperity toss”.

Together with the other quintessential Chinese New Year elements such as round, chubby mandarin oranges and fresh crisp dollar bills in exciting red packets, “yusheng” is a must-have element during Chinese New Year.

The “yusheng” toss is done amidst lots of cheering and laughter. The aim is really to toss the ingredients as high as you can. The higher it is, the more prosperity and good fortune you are welcoming into your life this year.

As children most of us went through the motions of tossing, or at least we tried to, once we mastered how to grasp chopsticks. And we knew it was part of tradition and something we just did and the pickier eaters among us would sample only certain colours from the dish and save room in the stomach for the rest of the delicious dishes coming up. That was really all we knew when it came to the ´yusheng´. We did not

think very much about why we did it, and what it really meant.

ROOTS The “yusheng” originated in China and was then brought to the surrounding Asian countries by Cantonese and Teochew migrants in the late 19th century. Now it is typical to find this practice in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong.

´yusheng´ was a rather humble salad with raw fish slices, some vegetables and a dash of seasoning, nothing more.

This provided a simple base for chefs to work on and many experimented with textures, colours and flavours. It is typical to find ´yusheng´ with seven coloured ingredients, which is what makes it so pretty and celebratory.

SYMBOLISM

This salad is a dish typically eaten on the 7th day of the Chinese New Year. That is when we celebrate Ren Ri (the day when the gods created humans in Chinese mythology).

This colourful and vibrant salad is like no other, and each ingredient even carries its own unique significance. This is one heavyweight dish when it comes to symbolism.

Over the years it has undergone a myriad of transformations, with people adding in their own ingredients and getting creative and innovative to spice up the ´yusheng´ tradition. The original

Each of the ingredients in a “yusheng” dish is carefully chosen. Chefs would do that based on flavours that blend well or give an exciting contrast, but beyond pleasing the tastebuds, ingredients in

“yusheng” are also royally appointed because of their symbolism. So there is nothing random here. No leftover bits of vegetables thrown in to recycle. Each ingredient has its unique, special place and very much respected.

INGREDIENTS Here are a few ingredients to get you started if you are planning to design your own “yusheng” 1. Carrots These are for good luck. Carrots have a lovely fresh and sweet flavour and crunchy to boot.

2. White Radish If you are looking to upgrade your career or change career path, go ahead and prepare a big portion of white radish. They represent happy job opportunities.

3. Green Radish If you feel age is catching up, have more of your green radish. It symbolises eternal youth.

4. Raw Fish Typically salmon, wolf herring, grass carp. This is for abundance and prosperity. The sound of the word fish in Chinese is already similar to the word for surplus and abundance. 年年 有余 (Nian Nian You Yu) - 余 (meaning surplus) sounds like 鱼 (fish). Add raw fish and you will have abundance throughout the year.

5. Sesame Seeds For a flourishing, thriving business, stock up on sesame seeds. Add this to your ´yusheng´ and your business will be given quite a boost.

6. Crushed Peanuts Those who are home proud would be having lots of this. It signifies filling the home with many valuable possessions.

Probably not the favourite ingredient for minimalists.

7. Golden Crackers Children love these bits. When given a royal place in a ´yusheng´ dish, these humble crackers take on a whole different significance. They symbolise wealth. So while the other crisps and chips sit on shelves and feel neglected, these crackers are highly valued during this time.

And no salad is whole without some seasoning. And yes, they too have their symbolism!

SEASONINGS 1. Oil While the ingredient itself may not have a specific significance, the way you introduce this seasoning into the salad is important. Make sure you drizzle the oil in a circular motion and not just dump it into the salad. This is part of

the beauty of gastronomy - it is not always about how delicious a food is or mindlessly consuming it. Pouring the oil in a circular motion signifies wealth coming in from all directions. Some may call it superstition. Or it can also be seen as a very respectful way to treat food. It is a little ritual that helps one to enjoy one´s food even more.

2. Plum Sauce Tangy and sweet, what is there not to like about plum sauce? It gives the salad body and kick and symbolically it represents the strong connections among family and friends.

3. Lime or pomelo juice The fish needs a bit of lime (you can also use pomelo to give it an exotic punch) to counter its fishy taste but more than that, lime represents smooth sailing through the year.

4. Pepper To usher in wealth, pepper can be generously sprinkled over the salad.

RECIPE Here is a simple basic recipe you can use as a base to build up your own special ´yusheng´.

1. Pick some colourful ingredients.

• Fish: raw salmon, smoked salmon, abalone, jellyfish • Vegetables: carrots, white and green radish, cucumber, yam, bell peppers, capsicums, purple cabbage, beets, onions, leeks, Japanese seaweed • Fruits: pomelo, papaya, grapefruit, mango • Crackers: fried wonton skin, wheat crackers • Nuts: crushed roasted peanuts, sesame seeds • Dressing: oil, plum sauce, sesame oil, five-spice powder, pepper 2. Prepare the dressing the day before by mixing plum sauce with sesame oil and water.

3. Peel and shred the vegetables and fruits. (Tip: A spriralizer works magic here.)

4. Prepare the crushed peanuts.

WORDS Something to take note. This is one dish not to be eaten quietly. Some say an auspicious phrase when adding each ingredient to the dish as they are building up the salad.

When tossing the salad, everyone gathered round the table has to shout auspicious sayings. The original sayings included:

年年有余 (Nian Nian You Yu)

- abundance every year

大吉大利 (Da Ji Da Li)

- huge wealth and prosperity

黄金满地 (Huang Jin Man Di)

- floor full of gold

Most of these auspicious sayings consist of four Chinese characters and they are fun to shout out together. Have a go at some of these:

招财进宝 (Zhao Cai Jin Bao) - attract wealth and treasures 财源广进 (Cai Yuan Guang Jin) - many sources of wealth

鸿运当头 (Hong Yun Dang Tou)

- good luck approaches

步步高升 (Bu Bu Gao Sheng) - reaching higher with every step

金银满屋 (Jin Yin Man Wu) - filling the house with gold and silver 生意兴隆 (Sheng Yi Xing Long) - prosperity for one´s business

So now are you ready for some happy tossing this Chinese New Year? How would you innovate and get creative with your ´yusheng´?

Whatever auspicious sayings you are rehearsing to go with your ´yusheng´.

We hope the Year of the Metal Ox will steadfastly bring you sturdy strength, health and wealth for 2021. Toss away and bring in the happy fortune!

5. On the day of the ´yusheng´, prepare and slice the raw fish.

6. You can arrange the ingredients on a large dish and serve ready to toss, or you can place them in separate dishes and add them onto a large plate when you are ready to start the tossing.

Happy Lunar New Year!

25

FACES

About aspiring individuals.

Scotsman Adam Hyslop and Talisker cycle across five provinces of China.

Read about their adventure.

26

27

TALISKER’S TRAVEL

ONE SCOTSMAN AND HIS DOG TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AROUND CHINA CHINA ODYSSEY KEEPS SCOTS TRADITION OF EXPLORATION ALIVE

locations by travelling on the country’s high-speed rail network.

After spending 20 years cooped-up in an office, it was only natural that data analyst Adam Hyslop yearned to set himself free from the corporate life and get out on the open road to adventure.

CANINE LUCKY CHARM

So, when the opportunity of a year’s sabbatical came along, he took the opportunity to make his dream of carefree exploration into the unknown become a reality.

What was remarkable was how he did it.

Taking his cue from the historic pioneering exploits of his Scottish forebears, Adam set out on a 1,200 kilometre cycle ride deep into the unspoiled rural hinterlands of China – with only his trusty Border Collie Talisker for company.

The unlikely duo completed their trailblazing ride from Adam’s home in Shanghai, south-west through picturesque mountain regions to their destination of the famous Mount Wuyi, in a memorable six-week odyssey.

Not bad for someone previously with limited experience of travels on a bicycle.

And even more impressive for three years-old Talisker, who ran alongside Adam on downhill stretches, but was able to give his paws a break by resting in his trailer behind the bike on the uphill sections.

Their journey was enlivened along the way by occasional visits from Adam’s wife Valeria, who met them in some

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Adam, who worked at one of the Big Four consultancy firms in applied big data analytics, has lived in Asia since 2005, the last nine years in China.

When the chance of a sabbatical came up, he realised it was a chance both for much-needed adventure and to explore some of the massive rural interior of the fascinating country he lived in.

Although Valeria had to stay in Shanghai for her job, there was no question about Talisker’s companionship on the trip.

Named after the renowned single malt Scotch whisky distilled on the Isle of Skye, he was an apt good luck charm symbolising the legendary Scottish trait of intrepid exploration.

PANDEMIC CAUTION The COVID-19 pandemic was an unforeseen element when Adam began planning the trip, but when it came time to start in September 2020, restrictions had been in place and become a routine part of life.

THE RIGHT STUFF As with every journey into the unknown, preparation was vital.

Adam carefully researched the right equipment required for the journey and eventually settled on an e-bike, to help take the strain of pulling Talisker’s trailer and to cope with the weight of himself and extra panniers on road climbs.

A bike direction app was also essential for the remote mountainous terrain they’d be travelling through.

His main objective was to go through as many mountain areas and UNESCO sites, as possible via Mount Huangshan, with the ultimate goal of reaching Mount Wuyi.

So, he picked out locations based on a daily average of 50 kilometre rides, based on scenic qualities and recommendations from friends, and came up with a route that looked ambitious – but achievable.

After a few test runs with the bike, equipment and Talisker around Shanghai, they were ready to rock.

ROADS LESS TRAVELLED

The restrictions caused some impact on his booking of accommodation, but thankfully no real effect on the overall experience and he was able to take a COVID-19 test before setting off.

This adventure of a lifetime made a profound impression on Adam: “We must adventure into the unknown from time to time to know we are alive! he says.”

Andi it was for reassuring for Adam to reflect on the fact that Scottish adventurers of centuries gone by had faced much worse risks of disease and illness on their travels.

“I wasn’t totally sure if Talisker would react well to the trailer and I’d only booked the first few nights’ accommodation because I was unsure of what lay ahead.

“However, I was really glad I pushed to make it happen and just got pedalling and enjoyed experiencing the unknown.

“I knew China was beautiful, but was pleasantly surprised at how diverse the scenery, culture, history is and the amount to do and see that’s on offer.

I’ve had many comments from friends that they had no idea China had so much varied beauty and sightseeing.

“Getting into the lower tiers and villages was an eye opener, to see how much of the land is cultivated and how many people work in agriculture.

“Basic tools and methods are still used in the fields yet at the same time, I could buy items in the village shop through mobile payment.

“The people were great, urging me on as I passed by, and many people were very kind and offered help in terms of food, accommodation and local advice on things to see and keep the route moving forward.”

Adam’s highlight of the trip was visiting Mount Sanqing, a World UNESCO site of Outstanding Universal Value, the sacred Taoist mountain just north of Yushan in Jiangxi Province, where he experienced an exhilarating cable car ride with stunning views of the surrounding National Park of forest, waterfalls, lakes and springs.

MEMORABLE MISHAPS As on every journey of adventure, there were some mishaps along the way.

Stopping in a village Adam saw people eating at tables on the side of the road and went to join them for some food – not realising it was a funeral wake.

Luckily the locals appreciated the misunderstanding and directed him to a nearby restaurant.

Later, heading towards Liangzhu at Hangzhou, he found himself going the wrong way at a check point on an eightlane highway and had to cross eight lanes of traffic to get back on the right direction.

And with the bike direction app on a setting that included hilly and unpaved sections he found himself cycling on a muddy path to a new highway that was yet to be completed. Workmen pointed him along the massive, elevated highway to a point where he eventually managed to turn off.

One unexpected benefit came when the ferry that was to take them from Shendu to Qiandao Hu (Thousand Island Lake) refused to let Talisker aboard, so Adam was forced to ride for two days there instead – but found it to be one of the most enjoyable sections of the trip.

But a more painful episode occurred when he was walking in a nature reserve, lost his footing and tumbled 15 feet down onto some rocks – resulting in bruised ribs and gashes on his shin, hands and backside, which all too a few days to recover from.

PAWS FOR A REST As for punctures, there were only two on the entire trip and both were easily repaired.

But the doughty Talisker’s instinct for running got the better of him after about ten days into the trip, when his paws started to get sore.

Help was on hand in the shape of special dog shoes brought for him by Valeria – and he ended up carrying on running in them so much that he’d worn out several pairs by journey’s end.

TAXI HOME Getting back home to Shanghai once they’d reached their destination of Mount Wuyi was a breeze for Adam and Talisker after their two-wheeled exertions – a ten-hour taxi ride.

However, with Adam currently continuing his sabbatical back in his native Scotland, he’s unfortunately separated from both Valeria and Talisker until he can head back to Shanghai.

But having experienced fresh perspectives on the value of adventure and China’s glorious interior landscapes, it probably won’t be long before he teams up with Talisker to once again rekindle the spirit of his Scots ancestry and set forth on another road to discovery.

SEE ALL 14 EPISODES OF TALISKER’S TRAVELS

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