In the future my husband and I plan to travel back to Canada especially Newfoundland and spend 6-12 months exploring and soaking up the culture. We visited in 2014/15 enjoying it so much that we made an immediate plan to return after retirement, which can’t come quick enough.
I came across these amazing driftwood sculptures while driving through the countryside in North Island New Zealand. The artist appeared to work from his home which was surrounded by these beautiful creations. I remember feeling creative just looking at them.
What better way to start the April 2016 A – Z challenge than with some fun facts about my amazing country, Australia.
Some of the many and varied amazing landscapes of New Zealand’s North Island.
We each inhabit a specific vantage point from which we blog. What’s yours?
Inspiring Max is inspired by my thoughts, experiences and  travels. It is a mixed blog that aims to think outside the square and encourage its viewers to consider a different way of looking at life. My blog is represented by a gray double rainbow that reminds me that even after the darkest storms comes the rainbow to assist us to change our perspective. Some of the values that I aim to share on Inspiring Max are
Positivity
Empathy
Real life
Sharing
Practical
Expressiveness
Creativity
Thoughtfulness
Individuality
Variety
Empowerment
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/perspective/
Tell a broad story using a series of short, focused scenes.
This was our day at Fanta Wild Adventure Park, Zhenzhou, China. We came to watch our daughter in the diving show and enjoyed immersing ourselves in another culture, creating many amazing memories  as we were stopped by many of the locals wanting to take a photo with us and practice their English as we toured the park.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/snapshots/
I can still remember the excitement my husband and I felt when we found the Flamingo Pond in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong. We had walked past the park everyday however we didn’t realise what it actually was until our second last day when we entered and found a secret treasure. Prior to this experience as Australians we had only seen the odd Flamingo in a zoo. These beautiful creatures in a flock were majestic. We stood watching them for more than twenty minutes leaving because the sun was beginning to set.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/state-of-mind/
Old Quebec City has many murals however the first created, known as the mural of Quebecers is very special. It depicts life through the history of Quebec and its citizens. I could have looked at it for hours and still find something new. Cleverly disguised as part of the artwork on the building are:
If you ever get the chance to go to Old Quebec City seek out the Mural of Quebecers–its definitely worth a look.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/life-imitates-art/
This tree in the Shoalin Temple, China is the oldest living thing I have ever seen. Our guide told us it was 1500 years old, which initially left me speechless. I struggled to understand the changes that would have occurred in it’s time. However, once I grounded myself, I enjoyed spending several minutes in this grand old masters presence mindfully connecting with both past, present and future. I love trees, they give me energy, especially those that have been around for a very long time.
What is the oldest living thing you have seen?
Today is Australia day. To celebrate I would like to share my A-Z of Australian things. Although far from a complete list it is  fun way to share Australia. Included in the list are:
A:Â Aboriginal Art – Paintings by indigenous Australian often using a dot design.
   Anzac biscuits – Australian biscuits eaten by our troops on the shores of Gallipoli hence the name. They are made from rolled oats, golden syrup, coconut and butter.
B:Â Beaches – Australia is known for its sandy beaches. The most famous being Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Bondi Beach Photo Credit: Google Images
   Black Box Flight Recorder –  The black box voice and data recorder was invented in Australia.
   Beetroot – Your typical Aussie hamburger include beetroot, lettuce and tomato.
   Baby Safety Capsule – Developed in 1984 to make sure babies and small children could be safely locked into a seatbelt.
C: Cockatoo – There are 21 varieties of Cockatoos in the world and all can be found in Australia. In my area the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is common and are often seen on the ground in groups   looking for food.
   Caramello Koalas – Small Australian chocolate bar
Photo Credit: Cadbury
D: Dual Flush Toilet –  Toilet with two flush buttons—able to flush either a half or full load of water dependent on amount required.
   Dame Edna – Australian iconic entertainer known for her
   Didgeridoo – An wind instrument, invented by Aboriginals and originally found only in Northern Australia. It is  thought to be the oldest musical instrument in the world.
E: Emu – Australian flightless bird
   Esky – Portable coolers keeping food and drink cool in the Australian sun.
   Electric Drill – originally invented to drill through rock this technology was later adapted to household use.
F:Â Fair Dinkum – Aussie slang meaning true or fair. Used when wanting someone to believe you.
   Fridge – In 854 the first mechanical ice making machine was invented in Australia that lead to the development of the refrigerator—”fridge.”
G:Â Great Barrier Reef – World’s largest coral reef covering 2,300 kilometres off Queensland
Photo Credit: Google Images
   G’day Mate – Australian welcome
   Google Maps – 2003-4 Australian’s Lars and Jens Rasmussen developed the platform that developed into Google Maps.
H:Â Holden cars – Holden is an Australian automaker based in South Australia. With limited choice for cars in the early days many families had a Holden.
 I: Icy Pole – Famous Australian water ice block
Photo Credit: Peters Icecream
J: Jackaroo/Jillaroo – Male and Female workers on a cattle or sheep station in Australia.
   Jumbuck – name for sheep in Waltzing Matilda.
K: Kangaroo – One of Australia’s most iconic marsupials
   Koala – small bear-like herbivorous marsupial that eats gum leaves.
Photo Credit: Google Images
L: Â Lamingtons – Spongy butter cake coated in chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut.
   Long wearing Contact Lens – Were developed by the CSIRO as the original ones couldn’t stay in day and night for long periods.
M: Melbourne Cup – “The race that stops the nation” is the richest two-mile handicap horse race in the world. Run the first Tuesday in November, it is a public holiday in Melbourne.
   Meat Pie – The meat pie is an Australian icon. Traditionally it is pastry filled with beef and gravy just big enough to fit into your hand, making it easy to eat on the go.
   Macadamia – A tree nut specific to Australia with a creamy texture.
N: Nullabor Plains – 1200 kilometre stretch of desert runs from South Australia in the east to Western Australia. Its name means no trees, just flat mostly straight road. In fact, the Nullabor holds the record for the worlds stretch of straight bitumen 146.6 kilkometres.
   New South Wales – My home state between Queensland and Victoria.
O: Opera House – Multi-purpose entertaining venue on Sydney Harbour. A white building during festivities it is changed dramatically using lights.
   Outback – The Outback is the large, remote, arid space that covers a Australia. Usually covered in red soil.
P: Platypus – Unique Australian mammal that looks like a cross between a duck and beaver
Credit: Gambassa
   Plastic Banknotes – Invented by the CSIRO, making bank notes tougher and reducing their ability to be counterfeited.
   Powerboard -Invented in 1972 allows multiple electrical devices to be powered from one electrical socket.
Q: Quokka – Australian macropod about the size of a cat found on Rottnest Island off Perth
Photo Credit: Google Images
   Quoll – Carnivorous Australian marsupial first seen by Captain Cook in 1770.
Photo Credit: Wikipeadia
   Queensland– Australian state north of New south Wales.
R: Rotary Clothes Hoist – Clothes line that raises and lowers as well as swings around in the wind.
   Rottnest Island – 18 kilometres off Perth, it is home to Quokkas, pristine beaches and world-class surf.
S: Sydney Harbour Bridge – The world’s largest steel arch bridge and connects Sydney to the north shore. I travel across it everyday on my way to work and never tire of the sight.
   Surf Life Savers – Australians classics that keep our beaches safe by rescuing swimmers in difficulty
Photo Credit: Google Images
    Surf Ski – Australian invention to assist in saving lives see above photo
    Speedos – Australian men’s swimmers—sometimes colloquially referred to as “budgie smugglers.”
   Splayd – Australian invention that combines the spoon fork and knife
T: Tim Tams – Iconic Arnott’s biscuits that involves two layers of chocolate biscuits joined together with chocolate cream and covered in chocolate.
U: Ugg Boots –Â Unisex sheep skin boot with fleece on the inside.
   Uluru – Also known as Ayers Rock is a large sandstone rock in the Northern Territory.
Photo Credit: Google Images
   Ultrasounds – Invented in Australia through work with the Department of Health.
V: Vegemite – Sandwich spread most Australians won’t travel without and most of the rest of the world try but find it very bitter. Below is the original ad that explains alot.
http://youtu.be/0yA98MujNeM
    Victoria – Southern State of Australia on the East Coast—Capital is Melbourne.
W: Wiggles – The original Wiggles —children’s entertainers—are Australian.
Photo Credit: Wiggles
   Wine casks – Wine casks are an Australian invention to carry large amounts of wine in a plastic bladder with a simple pouring spout
   Wi-Fi Hotspots – Wi Fi technology was invented in Australia through research at the CSIRO.
X: XXXX Beer – Famous brand of Queensland beer
Y: Yackandandah – Small tourist town near the New South Wales and Victorian border
Z:Â Zeehan – Former silver and gold mining town in Tasmania