Author: TravellinPenguin

Samuel Johnson

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks. I arrived home this past weekend after spending a fun week in Sydney with two of my closest friends. There are a few photos floating around on Instagram and I’ll pop a couple at the end.  

My computer completely bit the dust the day before I left. I run it into the ground really with all the software for editing photos and hammering emails to family and friends. It was time, so off it went to the Apple dealer to be destroyed and sent off to recycling. I was happy that Apple computers turned in after their use by dates do not go into landfill but are recycled into other goods. 

I read an interesting little book on the plane. A little hardcover of The Gentleman from Peru by André Acimen.  

A group of young people staying in Europe at a resort while the boat they are travelling in receives repairs. They notice an older gentleman who observes them daily. They invite him to join them and it turns out he has quite a relationship with one of them. It involves sunny days, young people enjoying themselves, a very pleasant European air. Then the mystery increases and some time travel emerges. . I read it in two sittings. I would have finished it but the two hour flight from Sydney wasn’t quite long enough. 

I mentioned earlier I had begun Yellowface awhile back by Rebecca Kuang. If you remember the protagonist wasn’t quite the writer compared to her friend who is a success with her writing. While at lunch the good writer chokes to death and the less successful writer steals the finished manuscript her friend was about to submit. Of course, it is a runaway hit and from then on the proverbial hits the fan. I picked it up again and finished it off. It is overall just an average read, I think. A bit predictable and I would have edited it more tightly if I had a chance. I got bored towards the end. There are quite a lot of repetitive thoughts occurring with our protagonist however I love the concept of the story but believe it’s been done before. 

The other book that has just entered my life might be more of a challenge. Adam, of the Fullers book group has just announced our book for February. Not only February but also March and April. The book of 900 + pages is one I’ve not heard of. It is called: 2666 by Chilean author Roberto Bolano. It’s a long book but is actually comprised of five shortish novels. Bolano was working on it when he died prematurely in2003 at the age of 50.  He was ill for awhile and was working on 2666 as a way to ensure his family’s financial security after his death. Initially, he wished for it to be published as five separate novels, but the decision was taken by his executors and publishers to consolidate the five books into one volume.

We will read parts 1, 2 and 3 for February. Then part 4 in March and part 5 in April. I have no idea what it is about and the cover is bizarre but I look forward to exploring new territory. I will get started on that soon.

I downloaded it on my Kindle scribe as I’m sure the book will be big and heavy with small print. My eyes don’t cope with small print anymore. I had a pleasant surprise a couple of days ago when I received an email that people who own a Kindle Scribe can now write and draw on the pages. They turn the writing into a note on the same page as the text and then move the text to accommodate the note. I love to scribble in margins. The email also stated that they are planning on increasing the size of the margins so there is more room to write. There is also a tab at the top of the page and if you click on it a page pops up with all the notes taken through the book. I think it will be great for book group as I can pop that page up and have all the notes in chronological order at a glance. You gotta love technology advances.

On that note I will move along here. Not much else exciting is happening this week. Maybe my trip to the dentist tomorrow but hopefully not too exciting. Our neighbour’s dog is coming over for the day as they have workmen at their home and they work so we are watching their labradoodle, Missy. She is quite active and I hope she wears my two terriers out completely. They will love it.

All the best for the rest of the week.

Sydney Harbour

I am about to begin my 15th girl’s week out as an annual event with a dear friend. We have so much fun visiting galleries, shopping, attending a play at the Opera house and having our nightly cocktail.

I arrived Friday as I wanted to visit another dear friend over the weekend. We had a lovely time and I spent time meeting her daughter and her grandson who helped me enormously with transport. It is always lovely to put a face to a name I hear a lot about.

Friday I was supposed to leave Hobart on Qantas at 11:35 but the plane was delayed until 3:30. Sydney was clouded in and I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to land but after circling around we did. It was pouring down and the Uber driver, a retired Romanian guy was lovely. He made sure I got right to the front door of the small hotel we are staying in. Traffic on Friday night black sale weekend, end of week traffic and in pouring rain is something else. Finally got into my hotel about 8 pm.

Met up with my friend Saturday and Sunday and as she is my photography friend. Guess what we talked about. Really lovely to see her.

Flying up I brought a Japanese novel with me. The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada. Very light weight book, I thought it would be a good airplane book. I was wrong. I found it tedious and boring and could not finish it. before we landed I wrote in the front. Passing this on to whoever finds it. In the back I wrote “Let me know where this book ends up. A photo would be great”. I included a bookish email address I have but rarely use. I then left it on a shelf in the women’s bathroom in the Sydney airport. It will be fun to see if I ever get an email.

Something funny happened today after I arrived back at the hotel on this very hot, humid day after seeing my friend. While waiting for the lift a woman and her adult daughter came in and stood beside me also waiting for the lift. I heard them complaining about the humidity and I turned and said “it’s pretty high isn’t it? Where are you from?” “Tasmania! ” they replied. Then the woman looked at me and said, ” I know you, you’re in the Fullers book store book club.” I was leaving the group I was in at the time and she was coming into it. I joined a different group they run. It was so funny as we both chatted about Fullers on the way to our rooms. Small world.

That about sums up a pretty full on weekend. I’ll need to get a different book to read on the way home next weekend.

Looking forward to more adventures during the coming week.

PS- I did get to spend quite a bot of time doing some street photography. Much more exciting than Hobart.

LIFE

I have been enjoying this warmer weather here in Tasmania and getting out to do a few things this week. Aside from the gym which was a bit lacking this week due to some medical issues. I had a growth removed from inside my bottom lip and I didn’t feel like doing much with a mouthful of stitches. I felt like a porcupine. But it is all healed and good now. Nothing to worry about.

BOOKISH EVENT

I did get to a Fullers book event. 

We enjoyed the big-brained, open-hearted conversation on Tuesday night, celebrating lawyer and writer Sam Elkin’s book ‘Detachable Penis’, a personal account of his transition, and becoming the inaugural lawyer of Victoria’s queer law service. Sam, Meg Tait of the Tasmanian Council of Social Services, and legendary LGBTQI+ rights advocate Rodney Croome AM discussed LGBTQIA+ advocacy, self-care, and both the importance and potential burden of ‘lived experience’ in trying to change minds and policy, and get funding for the LGBTQIA+ community. (from Fullers fb page).

It was so interesting and lovely to see these young people doing so much good for the trans community. 

This event was the last one I will be attending for the year. The events will resume in the new year.

READING NOW

As every other book I read/share in 2025 is going to be by an Australian writer from my shelf, I began Helen Garner’s The Children;s Bach. I really like Helen Garner’s writing though most of what I have read of hers is more current. Her award winning books are earlier and I’ve yet to read a couple of those. She is coming out with a new one end of this month. I read an article about it. It is based on her grandson’s footy life. Not sure if I’ll be interested in that enough to read but will wait for the reviews. I have plenty of Australian authors on my shelves to read yet.

Good Reads says:

“It follows Dexter and Athena Fox, a husband and wife who live with their two sons in the inner suburbs of early-1980s Melbourne. Dexter is gregarious, opinionated, and old fashioned. Athena is a dutiful wife and mother, stoic yet underestimated. Though their son’s disability strains the family at times, they appear to lead otherwise happy lives.

But when a friend from Dexter’s past resurfaces, she and her cast of beguiling companions reveal another world to Dexter and Athena: a bohemian underground, unbound by routine and driven by desire, where choice seems to exist independent of consequence. And as Athena delves deeper into this other kind of life, the tenuous bonds that hold the Fox family together begin to fray.”

I am enjoying 1980s Melbourne. I haven’t read anything based in Melbourne lately so think I will enjoy following the daily life of these characters.

EXHIBITION

Two friends of mine and I went to an exhibition called Cactusmania. It was a beautiful display of cactus/succulents that were put forward for judging. There were so many unusual types of plants. I have a small succulent garden (no spikes) and most of them are producing interesting blooms at the moment. I’ll put a couple of the more interesting plants we saw.

We then visited a book shop and market north of Hobart and had a great lunch with tomato and cheese (very gooey cheese) toasted sandwiches and milkshakes. A very relaxing and enjoyable day out. 

TRAVEL

I am going to Sydney later in the week to visit two of my dearest friends. One is flying in for a week and the other lives there. I may not get a post out next weekend but I will be posting phone photos on Instagram if you wish to see any. It is such a beautiful city. I will have a bit of quiet time so might get some street photography up on Instagram too.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend and will do something enjoyable in the coming week. Whether very small or a big event, just enjoy it.

Question of the week…Have you discovered anything new this week?