Tweet Years ago, a trip to the Hunter Valley meant a couple of hours drive north of Sydney, some wine tastings in a few vineyards, lunch, then another 2 hours drive back home with one, two or three cases of Shiraz in your car. These days, there is more to the Hunter Valley than just
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Tweet Editor’s note:  Our guest poster is traveling the world on an indefinite sabbatical and fulfilling a dream.  He graciously agreed to share some of his jaunts with us.  ”He” adds a fresh look at the world, from the eyes of someone discovering nooks and crannies of the globe, with a camera and a journal.
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It is amazing how certain songs, smells, sounds, and places can transport you to a place you may or may not have been in before. One such place is the Strand Arcade, Sydney. I imagine myself getting ready to go shopping in the newest city mall. Choosing to dress in my Sunday best – hat included, I catch a tram into town to see what all the hype is about and to see for myself the electric lights – one of the first malls in Sydney to be lit by electricity – in this much-talked about modern, four-storey shoppers’ paradise. The year – 1892.

As I watched the amazing Sydney Harbour fireworks display to welcome in the new millennium, I thought to myself – that has got to be the most beautiful harbour in the world. I have not seen every harbour in the world, but how can you top this? Every time I drive across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and view the famous Sydney Opera house surrounded by that sparkling blue water, I think…..I am so jealous – what a beautiful city to live in! Then it dawns on me – I do live here!