Month: April 2015

R – Reginal Express (REX) Airlines

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Last month I fly to Lismore, Norther New South Wales with Rex Airlines. To me it was just another small airline and the only way for me to get where I wanted to go. Boy was I wrong. REX is Australia’s largest independent airline and services 52 destinations around Australia—South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.

REX was born in Wagga Wagga 2002 after the Ansett Airline collapse shut down the ability of people in regional areas to fly. The people of Wagga Wagga had been able to commute to Sydney daily prior to this with Hazelton and Kendall Air. We had actually lived in Wagga Wagga until two weeks after the 2001  Ansett collapse and my husband had flown to Sydney regularly with this work. I cannot imagine how frustrating it would have been in the six months before REX began flying and people needed to drive for 6 hours to do business in Sydney.

Move forward 12 years and the airline that was born out of need is rewarded for its efforts. In December 2014, REX was awarded ‘Best Australian Regional Airline’ in the Australian Traveller People’s Choice Awards. To my surprise REX has also been recognised as a top performing regional airline by Aviation Week and Space Technology Magazine in the world for the past 6 years and is one of the top 5 carriers in the world.

My experience with REX was very pleasant and even the delays which were out of their control were handled well. Nothing was too much trouble and I do believe they deserve their standing in the industry.20150330_154733

 

#A -Z Challenge

S – Self-nurturing

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Who doesn’t love a list? So write one! Top five slices of pizza in your town, ten reasons disco will never die, the three secrets to happiness — go silly or go deep, just go list-y.

Self-Nurturing, by definition, is taking care of yourself and doing things to improve your wellbeing. This is a skill often omitted or lost when we get busy with life and needs to be replaced to help manage our stress. Self-nurturing goals need to be simple and daily.

If necessary— plan your self-nurturing activities. Aim to practise two to three activities a day depending on what they are. Bigger goals require more effort so fewer are needed each week. Create your list of things you enjoy and that work for you. Some examples include:

  • Alone Time
  • Blogging
  • Drawing
  • Going for a walk
  • Having a facial
  • Having a foot rub
  • Having a massage
  • Having a shower or bath
  • Listening to music
  • Make a phone call to a friend
  • Meditating and relaxing
  • Painting your finger and toe nails
  • Playing games
  • Playing with children or a pet
  • Putting on makeup
  • Reading
  • Sitting by the beach/lake and watching the water
  • Smelling or picking some flowers
  • Socialising with friends
  • Swimming
  • Treat your to a manicure or pedicure
  • Using moisturiser
  • Visiting the library, art gallery or museum
  • Walking barefoot on the sand
  • Watching a comedy show or movie
  • Writing

Of the above list I think my favourite is walking barefoot on the beach and smelling flowers. They use more than one sense so to me this feels more intense. What is your favourite way to self-nurture?

012 - birthday girl getting wet feet

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/the-satisfaction-of-a-list/

Q – Quebec City #A – Z Challenge

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Christmas Day last year my husband and I spent in  Quebec City. According to Google—it was the 2nd most guaranteed place in the world for snow to fall on Christmas Day as well as be on the ground. We were excited. After more than half a century we were going to have our first white Christmas. Great in theory however the weather didn’t want to co-operate. For the first time in over 20 years Quebec City didn’t have a white Christmas. We had a great day wandering around exploring the Plains of Abraham, Chateau Frontenac and Old Quebec City. We were even lucky enough to experience a light dusting of snow as we were walking home from Christmas dinner—I was in my element.

#A -Z Challenge

P – Pretty # A -Z Challenge

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Write about anything you’d like, but make sure that all seven colors of the rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet — make an appearance in the post, either through word or image.

In New Zealand I found some bright and surprising sights that covered all the colours of the rainbow. They all brought a smile to my face.

#A-Z Challenge

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/roy-g-biv/

O – Observation # A-Z Challenge

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Others can help you observe things

Be in the moment

State facts

Enjoy your environment

Reflect on your journey

View your surroundings

Aattentively watch as the world goes by

Test a theory

I see—you see—remember it may be different

Opinions do vary

Notice the differences—celebrate the similarities.

#A-Z Challenge

Share Your World – 2015 Week 15

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Regarding your fridge, is it organized or a mess inside?

My fridge usually starts off the week organised as I clear it out every Sunday to co-inside with the weekly garbage collection. I have my own system to keep it organised—dairy on the second shelf, leftovers on the third shelf, chocolate on the bottom and large items on the top shelf. My husband however doesn’t care for my system and put things wherever he can find a space.

Have you ever been a participant in a parade? What did you do?

When I was a teenager in the 1970’s I participated in the Mattara parade in Newcastle. Mattara was held during the last week in September and celebrating the people of Newcastle and the arts. This festival is over 50 years old and includes people from all walks of life. I remember feeling very proud to  march in the parade representing the Girls Brigade.

How do you stand out from the crowd?

It depends on which crowd I am in as to how I stand out. I don’t deliberately try to stand out but I usually find my own way based on my personality. If |I am interested in what is going on I will start talking and using open sentences give people enough information that they are interested in finding out more. If not I like a chameleon will blend in with the environment and not let others know anything specific about me.

How many bones, if any, have you broken?

I broke my right arm skate boarding when I was 15, my right little toe in the Newcastle earthquake and my right foot when a girls gymnastics beam fell on it about 7 years ago during agynastics set-up.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was grateful that I recovered from illness in less than 24 hours.

This week I am looking forward to celebrating 100 years of the ANZAC spirit.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/04/13/share-your-world-2015-week-15/

N – Nimbin # A -Z Challenge

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Nimbin is the hippy capital of Australia. Although I have known this for many decades it was not until last month that I got to experience what that meant for myself. I was surprised. Tolerance for individualism was everywhere—two woman were verbally fighting loudly in the park. Nobody cared. It was normal.

“They have been at it all morning” said the local shopkeeper.

“Really” we replied.

” It is common for people around here to have rants. Some are just longer than others” she replied very matter of factly.

This set the scene for the rest of our visit.

The Nimbin community developed its identity in 1973 when it hosted Australia’s Aquarius festival celebrating alternate living choices and the arts. It attracted students, hippies, visionaries from all over Australia many of whom stayed on after the Aquarius Festival making Nimbin their home continuing to follow these dreams and ideology.

Names around the village describe its history well.

  • Peace Park
  • Hemp Embassy
  • Hemp Bar
  • Rainbow Power Company
  • Nimbin Co-op
  • The Green Park
  • Hemping Around
  • Tribal Magic

Forty years later the areas is still internationally renown for its alternative lifestyle culture. Marijuana reform has played a large role in the community over the decades. Today they are strongly fighting to legalise medical marijuana through their annual law reform rally—MardiGrass—held in early May.

“May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you and, the pure light within you guide your way home.” Aquarius festival anthem

#A – Z Challenge

Weekly Photo Challenge:Early Bird

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For this week’s photo challenge, get up early and explore the morning light.

These photos show the dawn of a new day in my suburb. I love the early light first shining through the gum trees, unfortunately you cannot hear the birds chirping in a photograph. Sunrise truly is a great time of day.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/early-bird/

M – Metermaids # A – Z Challenge

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Last Monday 13th April 2105 saw Surfers Paradise’s Metermaids turn 50. They were introduced to combat a bad image brought to the tourist strip of Surfers Paradise after the introduction of parking meters in December 1964. The original metermaids wearing a gold lame bikini and tiara walked the strip placing coins in nearly expired parking meters to encourage people to return to the area and bring goodwill.

history-meter-maid

Photo Credit: Google

These bikini clad beauties quickly became an Australian icon—promoting tourism in Surfers Paradise nationally and internationally. Over the decades the metermaids role has changed as well as their uniform. Today they still walk the strip taking photos with tourist and promoting the area in other ways although today their uniform is a gold lycra bikini completed by another Aussie icon—the Akubra hat.

Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Google
Photo Credit: Google
Photo Credit: Google

 Happy Birthday Metermaids—may you live to be a 100.

Don’t Stop Believing

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What’s the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you a year (or five, or ten…) ago?

I have an innate ability to know who to trust. It’s an instant ability I  have to be able to read people. When I interview for new staff I make it clear the person I choose will be the best fit for the team not necessarily the person with the highest scores on graduation. So far my trust has been rewarded by my choices being recognised as great team members by patients as well as other staff.

During the last 5 years however there was one occasion where my trust in a colleague was severely breached. I had to learn quickly not to doubt myself. I was right to originally trust this person however they broke that trust by their actions. I quickly recognised the problem—there was a crocodile in the pond, the pond itself although shaken was solid and full of life.

This realisation during an extremely difficult time helped me to continue believe in myself, build resilience in all concerned and continue to trust others.

Remember, sometimes when things are out of our control it’s not our fault, however we need to do what is necessary to take back control.

Self Belief

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/powerful-suggestion/