• On Friday 6 March 2020 I had the honour of attending the wedding of my nephew Andrew and his amazing fiancé Danelle.

    Andrew and Danelle had been engaged for sometime to ensure they were right for each other and for almost 2 years at one point they lived with me while saving for their future home.

    I remember holding Andrew when he was a baby, picking him up for after school care when he was 8, him and his mother Kara living with me for a short while when he was in primary school, and taking Andrew on a world trip when he graduated from high school. How had he become this outstanding man who could find a woman like Danelle? (more…)

  • Established: 1937
    Population
    : 4,900,000 (estimate 2019)
    Religion:  78.8% Catholics 
    Language: Irish, English
    Capital: Dublin
    Order of Visit: Sixth
    First Visit
    : 20 February 2000
    Last Visit: 26 February 2000
    Duration: 7 Days
    Must Do: St Mary’s Cathedral (Limerick), King John’s Castle (Limerick), Watch Waterford Crystal Vases being created, Trinity College (Dublin), Visit Guinness Brewery (Dublin), Enjoy the Irish green countryside, visit an Irish pub and sit by a fire.
    Cities: Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny
    Republic of Ireland Journal Entries

    Southern Ireland was created as Irish Free State in 1922, when Ireland was partitioned between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Southern Ireland eventually become the Republic of Ireland in 1937 on leaving the Dominion of Britain but didn’t use the Republic title 1949. (more…)

  • Established: 1921
    Population
    : 1,885,400
    Religion: 48% Protestants, 45% Catholics 
    Language: English
    Capital: Belfast
    Order of Visit: Fifth
    First Visit
    : 15 February 2000
    Last Visit: 20 February 2000
    Duration: 6 Days
    Must Do: Exploring Belfast murals of the Troubles, Irish pubs, Experience the Giant’s Causeway, The green countryside
    Cities: Belfast, Giant’s Causeway, Derry
    Northern Ireland Journal Entries

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  • Friday 25 January 2020

    Each year since the Australian Open moved to Melbourne Park (formerly Flinders Park) in 1988 I’ve attended the local Australian Tennis Grand Slam missing only 2000, 2010, and 2013 when overseas, so 30 times out of 33 Australian Opens.

    I managed back in 2018 to attend the Men’s Final watching the great Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic. But most years it’s a ground pass to watch some matches. This year it was a Margaret Court Arena ticket given to me as a gift by my brother Reagan which made this our second Grand Slam in a row after we both went to the US Open late last year.

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  • When visited: January 2020
    Time of day: Late Afternoon to early evening

    Rating: 4.5 / 5

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