Size DOES matter – at least for monster state Western Australia! But to make the most of all the amazing attractions and fantastic things to do you need a guide. That’s why I read blogs about the West like WA Explorer – The Outdoor Guide to Western Australia by water-sports-mad world traveller Nina Burakowski – and why I was stoked when she agreed to be interviewed for RED Alert.

RED:  Welcome and thank you for being my latest – and luckiest at #13 – RED Alert victim guest, Nina! What’s your favourite colour?

NINA: Any shade of blue –

RED: Are you sure about that?

NINA: – but looking through all the photos, I may change my mind and make it red!

RED: Haha, THAT was the right answer! Love that RED crab on Cocos Island – and it’s SO on my Aussie must-do travel list. What’s to see and do there?

NINA: I went to the Cocos for a kite-surfing holiday. Thanks to the perfect trade winds, warm ocean and picturesque setting it’s one of the best places in the world for kiting. But if that’s not your thing, it’s pretty awesome for almost anything that combines a deserted island with watersports. Think diving, snorkelling, stand up paddling, surfing or just lazing on the beach. There’s also a great local community on the Cocos that make almost anything fun. There’s always some activity or event going on where the whole island turns up. You can even play a round of golf on the airport runway every Thursday arvo.

RED: Why on Thursday?

NINA: That’s the only day with no flights scheduled on the island!

RED: Hahaha, that’s fantastic – but I’m not sure I want to be on the first flight in on Friday! Where’s the most interesting loo you’ve ever visited?

NINA: It mightn’t be the most interesting, but the loo with a best view (and possibly the most pretentious) is at the Felix Bar inside the The Peninsula in Hong Kong. It has floor to ceiling windows and very grandiose views over one of my fave cities.

RED: Wow! I’ll keep that in mind for when Aussie Loos With Views goes international! What about down here in OZ?

NINA: In contrast I do like the dunny at Gnaraloo (above) but I haven’t been brave enough to open the door!

RED: HHHMMMmmm… that sounds ominous!! How does RED sand affect camping at Gnaraloo?

NINA: It means that everything you take with you ends up RED – and stays RED. So definitely don’t bring the white linen!

RED: Haha, that’s a camping tip to live by!! What are all these Gnomes? Did you join their tour?

NINA: No, we did our own tour. We ended up at Gnomesville after doing a rather large-ish detour on our way further south. I thought it would be a fun stop for my three year old, but the grandparents and I had just as much fun wandering through this little magical world amongst the Jarrah forest.

RED: Why do most gnomes wear RED?

NINA: I did a bit of research and apparently the Gnomes have RED hats because this was what the Mediterranean fishermen wore at night when they didn’t want to be seen – otherwise they wore white hats.

RED:  How weird!

NINA:  What exactly this has to do with Gnomes, I’m not sure, but I reckon the Gnomes of Gnomesville are more the extroverted types and are quite happy to be seen and be the centre of attention.

RED: Well, they certainly are now that they’ve made it onto my blog! What’s your favourite thing to do at Kalbarri?

NINA: I love watching the surfers at Jake’s Point. When the conditions are good this one of the most spectacular surf breaks along the WA coast and spectators can get close-up views from the adjacent cliffs. There’s a few local surfers that are absolute world class and watching them cut up this powerful wave is truly extraordinary. Apart from that I love having dinner at Finlay’s BBQ, hiking in the national park, especially in the spring when the wildflowers are out and watching the whales migrate south from the spectacular red cliffs. In general, it’s a great town with plenty of things to do for everyone.

RED: Kalbarri was one of the highlights of a trip down the WA coast, but then we headed inland to Kalgoorlie. What do you think the Kal Super Pit should become when mining stops in a few years time?

NINA: The photo isn’t the Super Pit, it’s from one of the mine sites that I visited for work.

RED: Oops! Note to self: all big mine sites DO look alike!

NINA: However, I do think the Super Pit should always be some kind of tourist attraction for Kalgoorlie. Mining is the backbone of West Australia’s economy and so much of our current and past history is about resources. I think it would be a good thing for some of this to be more accessible to the public.

RED: Yes, a massive hole in the ground several kilometres long would be kind of hard to rehabilitate so why not turn it into a celebration instead! What makes an Aussie sunset so special?

NINA: The sunset has to be one of the best things about WA. I really can’t imagine the sun setting over anything other than the Indian Ocean.

RED: Oh, it does all right over the Great Southern Ocean as well! Where’s the REDDEST place you’ve ever been?

NINA: Figuratively speaking, RED Square in Moscow. Literally, though, anywhere north of Perth, when the whole earth turns from a sandy limestone colour to a deep rusty RED.

RED: That SO works for me! What are your TOP 5 WA travel picks?

NINA: For me WA is not so much about places to visit, rather it’s about experiences:

1. Watch the sunset – the best things in life are free – like the sunset. Pick a beautiful spot anywhere along the coastline, have a BBQ, grab a beer and a few friends and you’ve got yourself a perfect evening.
2. See the Wildflowers – WA has one of the most spectacular wildflower seasons in the world. I didn’t give much credit to it until the last few years when I started going hiking in some of the wildflower hotspots in the state. The contrast between the rather barren landscape and the diverse colours of the flowers is incredible.
3. Swim with a whale or a dolphin – swimming with the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef off the coast of Exmouth is a unique experience. It’s one of the few places in the world that lets you swim with these gentle giants and for me it really put the whole world back into perspective by appreciating nature and it’s magnificent creatures. Dolphins are regulars almost anywhere along the coast. You can swim with them at Rockingham just south of Perth.
4. Outback Camping – the remoteness and wilderness of WA is best appreciated on a camping trip somewhere remote. I haven’t ventured further north than the Pilbara but would love to camp at Cape Leveque or anywhere else in the Kimberley. I loved Entrecasteaux National Park and Gnaraloo and can’t wait to head further north.
5. Stargazing – best done while camping. I always say that the stars above our heads are one of our best natural assets. There’s aren’t many places where you can get away from light pollution so easily and see the Milky Way so clearly.

RED: Sounds like we’ve got a LOT in common! What will readers get from WA Explorer that they won’t get from anywhere else?

NINA: WA Explorer is the outdoor guide to Western Australia. You won’t find out about where to get the best coffee or food, but will find plenty of cool things to do that embrace nature, camping and other outdoor adventures.

RED: Well, that’s what keeps ME coming back! Apart from mine, what blogs do you like reading?

NINA: I’m totally hooked on reading blogs. It’s one of my favourite past times and I always find new ones to read. For travel in WA I love Wild Western Australia. For other destinations I go to Inside the Travel Lab, World of Wanderlust, Time Travel Turtle and the Travel Tart for a less serious view.

RED: Cool List – one of my weird travel pix once made it onto the Travel Tart!  Thanks for the tips! It’s been a real pleasure to share your RED photos and words of wisdom with the world on RED Alert, Nina.

See more of what Nina’s talking about over on WA Explorer – the Outdoor Guide to Western Australia for more fantastic Western Australia travel inspiration.

And if you’ve got a blog or website and some RED travel photos to share, YOU could be my next  RED Alert guest! Get in touch!!

NEW: RedzAustralia NOW on Facebook HERE!

*ALL Phots courtesy of Nina Burakowski and WA Explorer

Want MORE RED Alert?

See the ones you’ve missed:

• #12: Jill – Red is for Life!
• #11: Anne – InspiRED by Pretraveller
• #10:  Andrew – Rouge et Noir with Highriser
• #9:  Kath – RED turns to Blue in Geneva
• #8:  Iris – A Double-half of RED!
• #7:  Ladyfi – RED Glory in Sweden!
• #6:  Terri – Terri ROCKS Red Rocks!
• #5:  Christopher – I Must Be Off! In the Red Zone!
• #4:  Diane – Adventure before Dementia goes WEST!
• #3:  Riet – Red and REDDER in the Netherlands
• #2:  Annabel – Get in the Hot Spot sees RED!
• #1:  Jim – Holes in my Soles goes to Africa!

The post RED Alert #13 – WA Explorer REDiscovers RED! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’m honoured to have travel writer, photographer and blogger extraordinaire – and loud, proud West Aussie – Jill Harrison as my twelfth RED Alert guest! Jill’s blog, Life Images by Jill is required reading for her wonderful Aussie travel adventures, amazing photos – food, flowers AND travel – along with her generous share of some of her secrets to success in these fields.

Embarrassingly, I’ve broken most of the rules for success with a LONG hiatus from blogging; a change of name and site; and a fail in the ‘visiting other blogs’ department. Even more embarrassing is the amount of time it’s taken to publish this interview – complete with Jill’s AMAZING photos! So to make the long wait worthwhile, I’ve included links to Jill’s posts because I know you’ll want to read more!

But for now, just sit back, relax and see RED!

RED: Welcome to RED Alert, Jill! What’s your favourite colour?

JILL: It must be RED! I even have a RED car! Ever since I have been able to choose what car to buy I have bought a red car! I really like blue – blue sky, blue oceans, blue wildflowers, but I really don’t have much in the way of blue clothes.

RED: Well, for that you get the BLUE name! You’re already an established travel writer and photographer – what made you start blogging?

JILL: I started blogging as a way to showcase and promote my work, to show that I was a serious writer/photographer, to give would-be editors/buyers somewhere to see my work, and to have a permanent record of my work. Looking back over my blog from when I started in July 2008 till now, it has changed a lot. I am a lot more confident and freer with what I publish on my blog now. I think I should go back and update some of my old posts!

RED: Don’t go changing! You’ll lose the that permanent record! What are your top 5 blogging tips?

JILL:

1. Have quality work that people will want to read or see:

2. Blog regularly

3. Edit and re-edit your work

4. Have quality images to illustrate your writing.

5. Read and comment on other people’s blogs. Looking at other blogs, and getting a readership going helps, as you begin to know what people are interested in reading and seeing on your blog, and you get more confident as your readership increases. Link-up parties are also a good source for collecting more readers.

RED: HHHMMMmmm… looks like I’ve got a LOT of catching up to do! Apart from RedzAustralia, which blogs are required reading for you?

JILL:

In no particular order:

1. Jo Castro’s Lifestyle Fifty and Zigazag

2. Communal Global

3. Lisa at Red Willow Photography

4. Tartelette

5. Liz at The Red Bistro

6. Jan at Budget Travel Talk

7. Jill’s Tour Downunder Western Australia

RED: I look forward to catching up with all of those now my blog’s back on track! What was the highlight of visiting the Australian War Memorial in Canberra?

JILL: Placing poppies next to the names of my great-uncle who died within the first few days of the Gallipoli campaign, and my husband’s uncle who died in a prisoner of war camp in Burma in World War 2. You should allow at least a whole day to visit, there is so much to see.

RED: What’s been your most emotional travel experience?

JILL: My son likes to tell people that I cried when we left the Thorny Bush Game Reserve in South Africa. We had a truly amazing wonderful experience and really got to know the guides and staff well as it was a small camp and for a couple of nights we were the only guests. I wanted to stay longer.

RED: And in Australia?

JILL: You get an wonderful spiritual feeling at Cathedral Gorge in Purnululu, especially if you arrive early before the crowds of tourists. It feels like a holy place, a place to talk in quiet whispers, or not to talk at all, to just sit and absorb and be at peace.

RED: I’m yet to see Purnululu (aka the Bungle Bungles), but I’ve had a similar feeling at Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. How do you bridge the gap between landscape and food photography?

JILL: Landscape photography is something I do mostly when we travel. I am looking for images to not only record our trip, but also to help sell a travel story to a magazine. Food photography is something I am practising/learning in the hopes of it becoming my full time work. With food photography you can to some extent control the elements – the setting out, the lighting etc. Whereas landscape photography you have no control over. So two completely different types of photography, but each with it’s challenges. I love capturing the light whether it be in a landscape or food – the light is so important.

What are your best tips for wildflower photography?

JILL: Wildflowers are elusive and so more exciting when you find them, especially if it is a variety you have never seen before. We are so lucky in Western Australia particularly to have so many thousands of wildflowers. You have to know where to look, as weather conditions play a big part in what is flowering where, so research is important. Stop the car and walk through the bush. What might appear barren at first glance can hold a treasure of wildflowers. A macro lens or a close-up filter, and using Aperture priority will help get a good photo, and clouds act as a great natural diffuser. A good wildflower guide is invaluable for identifying wildflowers. It annoys me when I see “wildflower” as the caption in a magazine.

RED: Note to self – STOP doing that!

JILL: Oh – and it helps to have an understanding travel companion when you ask them once again to “stop the car”!

RED: Haha, I’d be putting ‘stop the car’ in capitals to reflect my tone of voice!! But you can’t live on flowers – what’s your favourite RED food?

JILL: I love pomegranates. I made berry sorbet the other day for the first time – delicious! I also love the bush food – Quandongs.

RED: Quandongs nearly made the ‘Q’ section of my Aussie ABC series! And your favourite cherry recipe?

JILL: I prefer to eat cherries fresh off the stalk! But you could marinate them with a dash of something.

RED: Is that your car in the Go Camping Australia cover shot?

JILL: This is my son’s vehicle. It was taken on the Great Central Road between Western Australia and the Northern Territory, on the WA side of the border.

RED: How did you get the photo?

JILL: My son and his family were taking a few months to trip around the Eastern side of Australia and we went with them from Kalgoorlie to Alice Springs. When I took this shot, we were waiting on the side of the road for them, I think we had left camp a bit before them, or they had had to stop for a child toilet stop. When I saw them come over the hill I immediately saw a cover shot with that typical Aussie outback RED road. So I took a number of shots of them coming towards me. In 2013, the editor of Go Camping sent an email out looking for a cover shot. I immediately sent this image and it got the nod for the cover shot.

RED: What’s your advice for bloggers who want to make the jump to being published in travel magazines?

JILL: Research the magazines you are wanting to write for. Look at the types of articles they are publishing. Write a good pitch to the editor with some sample photos. Tell the editor your background and why you think their readers would like your story. Make sure you do good research and have accurate information in your article. Finding a destination a little different to write about definitely helps. I once had a fishing article published in a fishing magazine – and I am not even a fisherman! But it was about fishing in the Pilbara, so it was something different to what they normally publish. I also started writing it from an amusing non-fisherperson’s point of view. My husband, who is the fisherman, filled in all the blanks for me ie the fishing details.

RED: Yeah, the different angle thing worked for me too – with Australian Scenic Public Toilets! Where are the best sunsets?

JILL: I definitely think that Australia has the best sunsets, particularly over the Indian Ocean (which is not far from where I live near the coast – so I am lucky) or out in the outback where there is no light or pollution from built up areas. Sometimes sunsets are spectacular, sometimes not. You just have to be ready with your camera to capture it. One of the best things about camping is the sunrises and sunsets. Although we had some really spectacular sunsets in South Africa when we had a trip there.

RED: Where’s your all time favourite Aussie camping spot?

JILL: My favourite? There have been so many!

RED: Actually, I hate to be asked for Aussie favourite ANYTHING! There are usually too many options to pick from!

JILL: Skull Springs east of Nullagine would have to be up there on the list, and Camel Soak east of Perenjori when the wildflowers are out. Purnululu and any of the gorges along the Gibb River Road are amazing, but it would take us about 5 days for us to get there! On our recent trip to South Australia we really loved Arckaringa Station near the Painted Desert.

RED: I’m so ashamed! As an honorary South Australian, I’ve never been to the Painted Desert! What rig do you use for outback travel? Who do you usually travel with? Where is your next trip??

JILL: We have a Prado 4WD, and tow a camper trailer, however we occasionally still take our tents. I travel with my husband and our youngest son. Sometimes our eldest son and his family come along too. We did a lot of travel in 2013. In 2014 we’ve been back to Karajini as we hadn’t been there for about 10 years! That was pre-digital, and I needed to get some digital pics! One thing about travel writing is that we try to go to places we haven’t been before so we have seen a lot of Western Australia since I started. The rest of Australia is going to take more time.

RED: I’ve found the same thing with travel blogging! Where’s your favourite overseas destination?

JILL: To be honest we haven’t done of lot of overseas travel in the last 10 years, preferring to see more of Australia as there is so much to see right here and we haven’t seen it all yet. Some of that may unfortunately be to do with terrorist threats. We were in London just after the underground bombings, and it was unnerving. Perhaps that is why I like outback Australia so much! We had an amazing trip to South Africa, staying at Thornybush game reserve adjacent to Krugar National Park. And we also had a wonderful trip to France, and were shown around by our French friend for two weeks. I would really love to go to Antartica. We went back to Singapore last year – the Gardens by the Bay were spectacular.

RED: Yes, I keep telling people we’ll go back overseas once we’ve ‘finished’ Australia – but that won’t happen anytime soon! What’s the best thing about travelling in Australia?

JILL: I love outback Australia and the wide open spaces and the opportunity to camp in the bush. The scenery is spectacular.

RED: And the worst?

JILL: The heat, wind and the flies. We really struck them last September (2013) crossing the Nullarbor, and coming down the Oodnadatta Track. We had to wait till dark to cook our dinner and you wouldn’t want to open your mouth too much! The distance we have to travel, and the fuel costs, to get anywhere, particularly from WA really eats into your holidays. I also hate having to pass road trains, which is why my husband always drives.

RED: I hear you! You’re a great advocate for your home state, Western Australia. What are your 5 TOP WA must-see attractions?

JILL:

1. Purnululu (Bungle Bungles);

2. Fitzgerald River National Park (during wilflower season);

3. The gorges of the Gibb River Road,

4. Karajini

5. Ningaloo Reef;

6. the south west corner of WA! Sorry that is 6!

RED: 6 is fine! Which is the REDdest?

JILL: Of these Karajini would be the reddest – and Sturt Desert Peas.

RED: My favourite flowers! Your new interest – Spanish Flamenco Dancing – looks like fun! Have you ever been tempted to dance somewhere really bizarre?

JILL: Echo Cave at Elachbutting Rock in the north eastern WA wheatbelt. It is a curved undercut cave in the rock face. If you stamp at one end it echoes around to the other end.

RED: Thank you so much, Jill! Do you have any final RED words of wisdom for our readers?

JILL: If you buy a red car, be careful because they really do go fast!

RED: Haha, words to live by!!

All photos are by Jill – but you knew that, right?!

Check out my other RED Alert Interviews!

• Red Alert #12 Jill: Life Images by Jill (blog link)

• Red Alert #11: Anne – InspiRED by Pretraveller
• RED Alert #10:Andrew – Rouge et Noir at the HighRise
• RED Alert #9: Kath – Blue turns to RED in Geneva
• RED Alert #8: Iris – A Double Half of RED
• RED Alert #7: LadyFi – RED Glory in Sweden
• RED Alert #6: Terri – Terri rocks RED Rocks
• RED Alert #5: Christopher – ‘I must be off’ in the RED Zone
• RED Alert #4: Diane – Adventure Before Dementia goes WEST
• RED Alert #3: Riet – Red and REDDER in the Netherlands
• RED Alert #2: Annabel – Get In the HotSpot sees RED
• RED Alert #1: Jim – Holes in my Soles goes to Africa

The post RED Alert #12 – RED is for LIFE! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

RED: Pilchard and I could live on the road in Australia for a year for that – our last big road trip cost about $67 per day for travel and accommodation (ie fuel and campsites). And that was one of our more expensive trips! It does help to have your own camper, caravan or even tent!!

1. Uluru
2. Kata Tjuta
3. Perry Sandhills (via Wentworth, NSW)
4. Simpson’s Gap (via Alice Springs, NT)
5. Chamber’s Pillar (via Alice Springs, NT)

RED: An ‘organic’ trip schedule means we usually have the luxury of being able to spend extra time if we find a place with more than we bargained for. I’m sure you’ve read my TOP 7 Aussie Road TripHazards – what’s the worst thing for you?

ANNE: Many routes are long, tedious and boring! On our return journey we went via the Hay Plains which I found very uninspiring.

RED: For starters, there isn’t much RED!!

The post RED Alert #11 – InspiRED by Pretraveller! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I first ‘met’ my RED Alert guest KATH through her blog Gone Chocco, now sadly inactive BUT required and compelling reading for anyone with more than a passing interest in the wonderful world of chocolate. Of course this led me to her non-food-related blog, Blurb from the Burbs, which with a enviably cunning and deft sleight of hand was reborn as Goofing off in Geneva when she, husband Love Chunks and daughter Sapphire moved to … well, yes, I’m sure you get the picture.

Of course I ‘followed’ her halfway across the world to see what happened. And when Kath commented that I’d made her cry on a blog post about South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula (I hope due to homesickness, rather than poor photo quality) she became one of my muses. Not that I deliberately try to make her cry.

But I DO sometimes think of Kath when I’m choosing photos …

RED:  Kath, welcome to RED Alert. What’s your favourite colour?

KATH:  BLUE!

RED:  Thank you! That concludes today’s interview!!! Only kidding … I guess we can take a break from RED if you want, so I selected this Yorke Peninsula loo photo especially for you …

RED:  Although I’m sure you’ll agree the touch of RED sets it off superbly! As do the roses in your pic of Sapphire’s FAB BLUE fingernails!  Do you find it disturbing that she MAY be moving away from RED?

KATH:  She’s always been a green and blue girl and her bedroom (which is very tastefully done) is testament to this. Perhaps red clashes with her blue eyes…? Plus, what teenager wants to wear a colour that her MOTHER favours?

RED:  Hahaha … and yet your favourite colour is … what was that again?? Maybe BLUE is the new RED! Or maybe combining them is the fashion statement of the twenty-teens?? Why ISN’T RED your favourite colour?

KATH:  RED always seemed too bright and commanding and, being so white, it always highlighted any time I blushed or felt hot or had a new pimple forming on my fluorescent face….

RED:  So it’s logical that you’d choose Easter Eggs as a fashion accessory! Would you recommend them?

KATH:  Yes, but only in cool climes. As someone who once ‘forgot’ that she had a bag of mini eggs in her pocket, it only ends in tears and a poo-brown coloured crotch that’s impossible to explain.

RED:  Hahaha, I bet LOTS of other people found an explanation! What made you choose Cadbury Creme Eggs as your alternative eyes?

KATH:  They’re rarer than chicken lips over here and were bought during Sapphire’s and my weekend jaunt to Edinburgh back in February.

RED:  (Note to readers: make a KILLING in Europe with black-market Cadbury Creme Eggs) Is it any coincidence there’s a Nestle poster in the background?

KATH:  None whatsoever. Sapphire found an advert from my birth month and year (November 1968) (RED: Surely not!) featuring Swiss-made Nestle, bought it on e-Bay and had it framed.

RED:  If you can narrow it down, what are your 3 favourite RED chocolates??

KATH:  Kit Kat – who doesn’t want to eat one of those when they clap eyes on the wrapper?  Foil-wrapped cherry liqueurs. Possibly an embarrassing relic from the 1970s, but I love ‘em.

RED:  Me too!

KATH:  Lindt Lindor in all its sizes, forms and boxes. Melt in the mouth heaven.

RED:  And what’s the best RED thing to eat or drink in the cold?

KATH:  Vin Chaud (hot, spiced red wine). The perfect drink after skiing, especially if seated in an outdoor cafe with your puffy jacket and pants still on.

RED:  Now that you’ve got us all salivating, did you buy Love Chunk’s FINE RED jacket??
KATH:  I did indeed – it’s a good colour to stand out in on a white ski field and I bought it second-hand for only 25 francs, a saving of 375 francs!

RED:  Bargain! Do you wear a lot of RED?

KATH:  I never used to, but since Love Chunks brought me back a bright red Casio watch (RED : I’m SO jealous!) during his work trip to the US last year, it’s become an excuse to move from striped everything or black. I now have two pairs of red shoes, several red t-shirts, a spotted red handbag, a red jacket and several scarves.

RED:  Before you know it, you’ll be breaking out into RED all over! Does he appreciate your RED fashion sense?
KATH:  Bless him; he wouldn’t notice if my face was on fire most of the time! I’ve had my hair coloured, make up on, new top and he’ll just say, ‘why have you got lipstick on, I can’t kiss you now.’

RED:  For how long did Love Chunks hold that teapot pose?

KATH:  Not very long – he detests having his picture taken.

RED:  For how long could YOU hold it?
KATH:  I’d be able to do it for ages but usually wind up face first in the snow or shut my eyes at the exact second he presses the button.

RED:  Hahaha! Maybe that’s a better alternative to photographic ‘Red-Eye’?! Is RED a factor in your relationship??
KATH:  Yes. We selected the previous house and current apartment’s RED accessories together, he bought me a RED running watch and makes me laugh until I’m RED in the face.

RED:  What else makes your face RED without fail?
KATH:  Laughing loudly. Being embarrassed – we natural blondies have a hard time disguising blushes!And running. Even several hours later after cooling down and showering, I glow.

RED:  Glowing is SO Australian! Is Australia the REDdest country you’ve been to?
KATH:  Nothing beats the dirt of Central Australia or seeing The Rock at sunset.

RED:  Where are your favourite REDs downunder?
KATH:  Port Douglas (Queensland) – RED sunset and often RED , sunburned skin; Adelaide (South Australia) – the RED brick of Beehive corner, RED roses in Eastern suburbs (where we used to live), the red stripe in the Crows’ uniforms, big red wines; Melbourne (Victoria) – the big ‘RED comb’ on the City Link tunnel (because we lived very near it in Flemington); and Victor Harbor (South Australia) – the REDish pink flowers in my parents’ garden!

RED:  That’s a GREAT cross-section! Just goes to show you can find RED everywhere … Have you visited many European countries since moving to Geneva?
KATH:  England, Scotland, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Austria and Germany!

RED:  In terms of distance, I guess that’s like saying you’ve visited all the states in Australia! Which was the best?
KATH:  Seeing my two most favourite people in the world see (and love) London for the first time and other times since.

RED:  And the worst?
KATH:  Marseille, France. Ugly, dodgy and very unwelcoming. A frightening place to take my parents to.

RED:  Remind me not to go there … who is praying in Spain?
KATH:  My goodly self. We were in the 11th Century Moorish gardens in Ronda, in the underground tunnels carved out of the cliff rock overlooking the river. The beam of sunlight beckoned me over and I couldn’t help but sing a ‘La la laaaaaa’ as Sapphire quickly snapped the moment with her iphone.

RED:  Silly me. I was thinking it was something serious. But speaking of serious, what made you start blogging?
KATH:  In 2005 I was at home recovering from a complete mental and physical breakdown after working far too hard, for too long for people who didn’t care what was happening to me. A friend started one up and I realised that it might be a good thing for me, too. The first entries are appallingly bad – as are a lot after that – but somehow I got into the groove of it and felt that I might have something to say that could entertain or inform or just make people feel better about themselves and their own stupidities and failings.

RED:  Well, take it from me you’ve succeeded. What keeps you blogging??
KATH:  A good question… It’s a way of keeping friends and family up to date without the need to sit down every week and write a ‘Dear All…..’ email. I’ve also made some really good friends (some I’ve met in person, others I haven’t) whose feedback and opinions mean a great deal to me. Plus, my brain and fingers get itchy and an idea strikes at the strangest of times and tells me that it needs to be blogged about. I think too that when you become a regular blogger your writer’s ‘eye’ becomes sharper, noticing conversations or trends or events that should not be forgotten. All that and the need to look like I’m busy when really I’m on Cute Overload, D-Listed and better blogs than mine!

RED:  Who inspires you to blog?
KATH:  EVERY BLOG that I follow. Which reminds me, I need to update my ‘Links I like to lurk at’ column on the right hand side of my blog.

RED:  I’ll be checking that right after I hit ‘publish’! What are your 3 blogging pet hates?
KATH:  People who, despite you visiting their blog and regularly commenting, never repay the favour.  Articles that are advertising. Keep it separate, people! And too many films, GIFs and dooflanger widgets that take ages to download and usually crash.

RED:  (Note to self: DON’T do these things ANY MORE!). Along with many other readers of your blog, I love hearing about your dog Milly’s adventures in Geneva. How would you describe her colour?
KATH:  Technically she’s a white and tan Jack Russell/Corgi mix (we call her a ‘Jorgi’) but in the sunshine she’s orange, so I often refer to her as my little orange.

RED:  That’s RED enough for me!! How did she get her name?
KATH:  She was at the dog shelter at six months old, handed in because the old lady had died and her husband clearly wasn’t fond of her. They had apparently called her ‘Caro’ (presumably due to her caramel colouring), which we hated. Driving back home with new ‘little orange’ in the back of the station wagon, tail wagging eagerly but making no sound, Love Chunks said, “I think she’s a Milly.”

RED:  How does Milly react to RED?
KATH:  It’s all around her. Her bed is red, her blanket is red, the rug in the lounge room that she likes to sun herself on is red, her bath time towels are red. I guess it means ‘home.’

RED:  HHHMMMmmm… Are you SURE you don’t want to re-think that favourite colour? Do you have any final RED words of wisdom for our readers?
KATH:  Hopefully one day, a RED carpet will be laid out for all of us!

RED:  It’s what I live for! And I hope my readers follow the RED carpet right over to your blog Goofing off in Geneva!!

Read MORE RED Alert Interviews (take it as read that they’ve all got an exclamation mark after the title …):

• #9 Kath (Blog):  Goofing off in Geneva
• #8 Iris:  A Double Half of RED
• #7 LadyFi: RED Glory in Sweden
• #6 Terri: Terri Rocks RED ROCKS
• #5 Christopher:  I Must be Off in the RED Zone
• #4 Diane: Adventure Before Dementia goes WEST
• #3 Riet: Red and REDDER in the Netherlands
• #2 Annabel: Get in the Hot Spot sees RED
• #1 Jim: Holes in my Soles goes to Africa!

The post RED Alert #9: RED turns to BLUE in Geneva! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Be honest. If YOU saw a blog called Double-half or One Ten without Ham you’d just HAVE to check it out, right?

I first saw Iris’ blog name in the sidebar of one of the blogs I followed so, unable to resist, I took the link. And that’s how I ‘met’ Iris! Although she’s on the other side of the world in Germany, she’s a BIG fan of Australia so we virtually visit each other via our blogs quite frequently!

The photos on her blog are full of RED – so my brilliant analytical mind immediately deduced that this could be one of her favourite colours! Which, as I’m sure you’ll agree, makes her the obvious choice for RED Alert Guest #8!

RED : Welcome, and thank you for agreeing to be my next RED Alert guest! You’ve travelled to Australia twice in the 1990’s. What are your favourite memories?

IRIS: I´m so thankful my parents made it possible for me to travel your beautiful place for 6 and later another 7 months. Whenever I feel bad I think of the clear-blue sky at night, the Southern Cross. Western Australia is my fave.

RED : You’ve probably seen more of OZ than many Aussies! What are your 3 TOP places to visit?

IRIS: Perth, Broome, Carnarvon. Seems like I’m a bit stuck in WA! Loved the Outback, the driving, the stars at night. But I have sweet and funny memories of the rest, too! A retiree who obviously thought “Oh! Guys from WA – and they won´t fit in the deep-garage!!!!” He gestured like crazy, we knew we had about 2-3cm left. Still makes me laugh. Mean, I am, huh?

RED : And your least favourite Australian place?

IRIS: I guess that was Hervey Bay – the (free) showers were awfully cold. I didn´t give Adelaide or Melbourne much of a chance, either, sadly (time-problem).

RED : That’s what ‘next time’ is for, right?  What is your favourite colour?

IRIS: It is indeed RED . And green!

RED : Good answer! How do I get one of those cool RED keyboards?

IRIS: Go to Saturn! No really! http://www.saturn.de/!! Aren´t keyboards like that available in your place? I can send you one!

RED : Haha! I wonder will we ever get to go to Saturn for real in our lifetime … That’s a cute card! What do the words mean?

IRIS: The card says “There are days full of happiness. Think back to them when things arent just good right now”. And in RED – “everything will be ok”.

RED : It’s nice to be reminded of happiness. What makes you happy?

IRIS: Health, love and good weather! Family!

RED : Is this card at work or home?

IRIS: At home. At work I have the last birthday card, it shows a beach and my boss wished me “fun at work”!

RED : He must have a great sense of humour!! What does the colour RED mean to you?

IRIS:  RED is a symbol for love. RED is powerful, fast. It can be warm as well as funky.

RED : That table is SO COOL! But what’s on it?

IRIS: My purse – with pics of my partner Ingo… and Elmo, last one

RED , like the purse (am I childish? Aww, well!)

RED : Being childish is not a bad thing, is it? If so, then I’m in BIIIIIG trouble! Is Ingo happy to be next to a photo of Elmo?

IRIS: About 18 years ago (oh, help!) Elmo somehow ended up being a mascot for us – he was always with us, also throughout Australia, so, yes, I think Ingo is happy with it We were the only adults without kids in “Elmo in Grouchland” in Kalgoorlie…

RED : I know that feeling! That’s a cool RED box with the frog (top photo). What is it?

IRIS: It means “Culture in the tent” and it’s an “emergency-suitcase” for an event I never went to so far, cause I missed it the one time I was interested! My friend put it in the advent-calendar she makes me since my Dad´s passing.

RED : What is in your emergency suitcase?

IRIS: In our real emergency suitcase is the stuff packed by the producer, oh, how lame this answer is! We never had to open it!  It can be hot. Or cold. Rainy with mozzies (Autan). There is rhythm, that´s what the egg is for.

RED : Did you ever need an emergency suitcase in Australia?

IRIS: It may be a wonder: No! We gathered firewood with bare hands in 1995… Yes. That IS stupid, dang stupid.

RED: Sadly, I’ve seen a lot worse from my fellow Australians … What was the worst problem you had in Australia?

IRIS: Insects! Ewww. And I needed to go to the hospital in Wyndham, but the doc fixed me in a sec (back-problems) and did´t want any money, either! And he gave us tips where to go next.

RED : That’s just what us Aussies are like!! Well … some of us, anyway! When are you coming back to Australia?

IRIS: That is hard to answer! I´d love to hop in a plane right now, but being realistic… it can be a while. But one day I will be back!

RED : Bring on retirement, huh?! This is just one corner of your condo and it’s full of RED ! What are all these things?

IRIS: I love IKEA, at times. I need to put real pics in that photo-thingy! The pink suitcase is for my Niece, the “stuff” goes in there in time. The “stones” are for my parents. The first says, “when time ends, eternity begins”, the other “You left our lives, but you stay in our hearts”. I miss them so much! My Dad died 11 years ago, my Mum just recently. Cancer.

RED : I’m sorry to hear that. They are beautiful thoughts for your parents. The knife guy (below photo) is deadly – what would you MOST like him to destroy?

IRIS: Cancer.

RED: Most people I know have been affected by cancer in some way, so you will have a lot of support for that wish. There’s a lot of RED in your condo – Why?

IRIS: 13 years of weekend-relationship may be the cause. Our apartments since living together have been colorful! Another wall is orange, there is a green wall and a green “chamber”. Colors make us happy.

RED : The knife guy is surrounded by interesting things! Tell us about them!

IRIS: Our kitchen is too small, so this “knife-guy” lives here. With RED . And green. And a frog ;-). And with the Australian flag OH!!!! No relation between those two!! Sigh! Sometimes you see things different through a lens, right? And yes, I love frogs…

RED : What is your most precious RED thing?

IRIS:  A heart Ingo gave me http://www.drachenfels-design.de/) I wear it on a “necklace” of leather!

RED : I’m jealous!  I want one!! What is the meaning of your blog’s name?

IRIS: Originally it was “Double half” only – having everything twice due to a weekends-only relationship (with Partner Ingo), and feeling like a half from Mon-Fri. Then when we moved in together in my place I had to give up on my occasional favourite Pizza in my hometown. I don´t know the name so called it “Ten without Ham” because it´s been my favourite since I was 12 or 14 (I bet they changed the menu-card), it used to be #10 and I don´t like the ham on it. The guys know me and even my Mum ordered a “Zehn ohne Schinken” to surprise me. The Pizza guy, Nico, said, “ah, for Braunschweig!” So “One Ten without Ham”!

RED : What is the best thing about blogging?

IRIS: Keeping the memories, reflect on your life more – and making new friends! And when your Spouse says, “nah, it wasn´t like that!”, you may have prove you´re right (or he is! Aw, well…)

RED : Who are your favourite bloggers?

IRIS: Well, yours is one of them

RED : HHHMMMmmm… Good answer!!!

IRIS: In general I like to come back to Australia via blogs at least, so these are great, too (just a few!):

• Perth Daily Photo
• Perth and Other Places
• RodneyOlsen.net

And although I don’t have kids, I also love family blogs, especially these:

• Living Like the Kings
• Finally Mom
• Eleven Yellow Dandelions

RED : I look forward to reading them! Do you have a favourite quote?

IRIS: Despite not liking sweets I love the quote used in Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolate – you never know what you get.” I´m glad for not knowing, life would be awful at times!

RED : Do you have any RED words of wisdom for my readers?

IRIS: I do! Visit the beautiful RED places in Australia! And don´t wear white clothes doing so

RED :  Hahaha!  Couldn’t have put it better myself!  Thank you Iris!  If YOU have some RED photos and would like to be my next victim guest on RED Alert, let me know!  I’m sure you won’t regret it … no, REALLY!

Want MORE?  Read ALL the RED Alert Guests:

• #8 Iris  – Double-half or One Ten Without Ham (blog)
• #7 ladyfi – Red Glory in Sweden
• #6 Terri – Terri ROCKS Red Rocks!
• #5 Chris – I Must Be Off in the RED Zone!
• #4 Diane – Adventure Before Dementia Goes WEST!
• #3 Riet – Red and Redder in the Netherlands!
• #2 Annabel – Get in the Hot Spot sees RED!
• #1 Jim – Holes in My Soles goes to Africa!

The post RED Alert #8: A Double-half of RED! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

As a wannabe photographer, I’m continually on the prowl for excellent photographers to copy learn from. Every so often, I discover a new site with shots to make me gasp with envy amazement. And when those shots are RED?

ladyfi: The story behind the shots is one that is a thousand-years-old. It’s an old pagan ritual where people burn old wood – partly to kick out winter and welcome in the spring and the longer, warmer days; and partly, to keep away the evil spirits.

ladyfi: He spends a lot of time swimming and he adds interest to the photos. Well, I think he’s photogenic!

• Claudia (Comfort Spiral at http://comfortspiral.blogspot.se/) is always inspiring in her thoughts.
• Brian (waystationone at http://www.waystationone.com/) is a fabulous poet.
• Christine (Christine Create at http://christinecreate.com/) has the most gorgeous photos; and Hilary (The Smitten Image at http://thesmittenimage.blogspot.se/) is funny, wise and a great photographer too!

RED: I look forward to catching up with them!! For how long have you been a photographer?

Next, every photo has a story to tell – what story do you want to tell? And how do you tell that story in an interesting way? It might be through words, or via an interesting feature in the shot, or an unusual or creative framing.

The post RED Alert #7 – Red Glory in Sweden! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Terri climbs Red Rock Canyon!

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Red Rock formation, Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

They’re not ALL red!!

Layers of red rock at Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Road to Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Terri’s Rock-climbing tips!

RED:  It’s been a pleasure!  Girlfriend, you ROCK!  Or should I say RED ROCK!!

• Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas
• RED Alert #1: Jim @ Holes in My Soles
• RED Alert #2: Annabel @Get In the Hotspot
• RED Alert #3: Riet @ Riet’s Photoblog
• RED Alert #4: Diane @ Adventure Before Dementia
• RED Alert #5: Christopher @ I Must Be Off

The post RED Alert #6 – Terri ROCKS Red Rocks! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Red Man, Vancouver, Canada

Turkish Bazaar Ceiling

Christopher’s RED flower pic – Rio de Janeiro

Red’s Red Flower pic – Cairns Botanic Gardens

Indian Chandelier

Red Bus, Banff National Park, Canada

Tiled Roof, Croatia

RED: I’m on it … Have you added ‘Croatian roof-climber’ to your repertoire of blogger, photographer, writer, teacher and traveller?

DSC01526

CA not jumping in NZ!

Christopher: Wait. Are you referring to this shot of me?

• I Must Be Off! – Christopher Allen’s Blog
• Red Toy Soldier – Christopher Allen’s prize-winning short story
• I Must Be Off! RED MAN post
• An Aotearoa Affair
• Previous RED Alert Interviews

The post RED Alert #5: ‘I Must Be Off! in the RED zone! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

WARNING: My REDAlert #4 guest has photos that’ll make you turn GREEN! Don’t believe me? Well … read on and see if I’m right!!

Pindan Country, Gantheaume Point, Kimberleys, Western Australia

Diane’s mates at Gantheaume Point, Kimberleys, Western Australia

RED Rocks at Gantheaume Point, Kimberleys, Western Australia

Super Pit, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Lookout, Coolgardie, Western Australia

Salt Pan with water at Lake LeFroy, Western Australia

RED Road, Western Australia

Lake Eyre from the Air! South Australia

Lake Eyre surrounding countryside, South Australia

Cowarie Station, South Australia

Brisbane Sunset

• Jim in RED Alert #1;
• Annabel in RED Alert #2; and
• Riet in RED Alert #3!

The post RED Alert #4 – Adventure Before Dementia goes WEST! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The post RED Alert #3 – Red and REDDER in the Netherlands! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.