But that would be a lie.

In fact, quite the opposite: our time in Australia is not coming to an end. But it is still time to move on. Let me explain.

Life at Kingbilli Country Estates has been like living in a fairy tale. With a gorgeous property, native and friendly animals (and even those not so friendly), living at Kingbilli has welcomed us to Australia, shown us how life in the rural countryside can be idyllic and charming, and lured us into a community full of supportive and generous folks. When I am on the property, a constant soundtrack of birdsong accompanies me, and I swear I hear little flutes in the background playing a charming chorus to match the surrealistically perfect surrounds.

In fact, it is our life at Kingbilli that has in part led us to our next decision: to stay in Australia for longer than intended. We are excited to (temporarily) set up shop here with an aim to use it as a base camp and explore this part of the world over a period of time as long as the next few years. Seeing places like New Zealand, Indonesia, and Asia from Australia is considerably more feasible and economical than it is from Canada. Besides which, we love life here in our part of Australia, and are happy to continue to foster and build upon the fledgling friendships we have already established.

So we have found a house to rent nearby that fits the bill. There are fruit trees everywhere (three grapefruit trees, figs, plums, nectarines, lemons, and the larges mulberry tree you have ever seen), lots of space, the location is beautiful, and the price is right. There is a shed ready for chooks (which is Aussie for “chickens”), and space for a giant garden. We have already received loans of furniture and other required household items from our ever-expanding network of friends, since all we own is that which fits into our backpacks (which incidentally doesn’t include furniture, cutlery, or much of anything other than clothing and toiletries).

Although we will not be living in splendour, we also will not be paying exorbitantly (or at all) for our furniture and such. We refuse to buy crappy cheap new things from the big box stores of the world, only to see them (and all their packaging) occupy landfills somewhere down the line. We are all for recycling, either with belongings lent from empty-nesters who no longer need the clutter, or from Opportunity Shops (second-hand stores known as “Op

Shops” – it is socially acceptable to shop at Op Shops here), where the proceeds of our purchases go to charity. And when we are ready to move on, everything will be returned to the owners, donated, or given away to other needy people to keep the spirit of recycling alive. The old me – the one who used to live in a decked-out beach-side loft with all the fixings, would surely pale at the thought of how I live now. And I love it.

The house is in less-than-spectacular shape, but this tiny community of about a dozen houses which is over 80 years old is charming, and any work we put into the place comes off of our already low rent.

Why leave Kingbilli, you may ask? Well, as much as we love the place, there are a few drawbacks, including a restrictive internet connection, and working hours that (although are not onerous or overly demanding by any stretch) are cramping our style as travelers and Professional Hobos. Our first and foremost commitment is always to our caretaking arrangement, and as such between our Kingbilli duties and other obligations, we have been unable to get away to explore any of the surrounding areas for more than a day or so at a time. This has consequently meant exploring within only a small radius of where we live, even though there is so much more to see.

Again, I cannot stress enough that this is not a function of the Kingbilli work-trade arrangement, as in fact we believe that we struck the caretaking-jackpot, and it has been difficult to say goodbye. But after seven months here, it is simply time to move on. The Hobos in us are restless, if even for a small change of scenery.

Stay tuned for a future post on my definition of travel and an exploration of whether or not we are still travelers, given this new turn of events.

Related posts:

1. If you Aren’t on the Move, Are you Still a Traveler?
2. Our Creepy Kangaroo
3. Moving On….Our New Travel Plans

In the course of a conversation with an Australian, various foreign words and phrases are regularly interwoven through sentences. These words and phrases tickle my ears in that they either do not quite make sense in their placement, while others yet are simply incomprehensible to me. I usually chuck it up to my own less-than-spectacular sense of hearing in addition to a sometimes thick Australian accent, and I simply let conversational bygones be bygones. (Contrary to popular Australian beliefs, I do not have an accent. The entire population of Australia, rather, does).

But after hearing the term fair dinkum more than a few times, and then hearing Kelly try to incorporate it into his own vocabulary, I broke down and asked for the meaning. I got a few hums and haws, and was eventually given both the long and the short meaning of fair dinkum.

Short Meaning: If I am to understand correctly, fair dinkum is a statement of confirmation. It could be interchanged with “no, really!” or any other phrase that indicates that the speaker really means what they are saying. No legs are being pulled (as is a common pastime among Aussies), as fair dinkum implies that it is the real deal.

Long Meaning: After a long night of drinking at the pub (another common pastime here), a fight broke out. The fight escalated into an all-out brawl, which got ugly. One gentleman in particular, although incredibly drunk, found himself breaking up the fight and playing mediator. “Fair dinkum, fair dinkum” was his repeated mantra to the masses who were slowly coming around. What our hero was actually saying, however, was “fair drinking, fair drinking,” but between his drunken state and thick accent, it came out as fair dinkum. The phrase implied that everybody’s temper was heightened due to being drunk, but that all they were trying to do in the first place was have a few drinks and enjoy some camaraderie with others. “Fair drinking”, or fair dinkum, was what he encouraged everybody to get back to doing, and end this pointless fight that would lead to nothing but regret and pain the following day.

Although I could postulate on the relationship between the fair dinkum story and its contextual use today, this is the story as it was told to me and I would be spinning my own yarn by making assumptions. Suffice it to say that I am enjoying this knowledge and embrace of new words and phrases, as I continue to delve deeper down the Australian rabbit hole. Fair dinkum!

Related posts:

1. Australian Expressions of Pleasure
2. Convenience Takes on a Whole New Meaning Here
3. "She’ll Be Right, Mate": Words to Live By

This is what 40 degrees (Celsius) looks like in Australia.

Australia is hot and dry. You don’t need to visit here to know that. To foreigners, Australia conjures up visions of a vast red outback, miles upon miles from the nearest drop of water or scent of civilization. In some places – many places in fact – this vision is not far from the truth.

But in the southern state of Victoria, I had not expected this. Sure, people told me over and over again about 40 degree days, and even 50 degree days, but I tempered what I heard with a dose of Australian exaggeration and let it be. I had yet to experience any of this legendary heat, and had become somewhat skeptical about the whole thing. How hot could it really be? I mean, really.

But this is one area that locals have been pretty honest and accurate about. “If people say they love the heat when it is this hot, I know they’re lying,” said one Aussie friend of the 40 degree days that occupy up to 30 sporadic days of a Victorian summer. “It’s just too hot to enjoy,” he says, wiping the sweat from his brow and wishing the water shortage was not an issue so he could have multiple showers a day.

This is the same friend who is on call with the CFA: a rural fire brigade with stations in every town run entirely by volunteers. These brave individuals put their lives on the line to fight local fires. And they are an integral part of society: fire is a big deal in Australia.

Fire is such a big deal here, that it becomes a major focus of the weather forecasts. Not only is the weather anchorperson dancing in front of a green screen that shows high and low pressure systems, tropical cyclones ravaging northern Queensland, and temperatures that regularly exceed 40 degrees, but the screen is also adorned with little fire icons to show where fires are currently burning, and sections shaded in various hues of red and orange illustrating the fire risk in each region.

Fire restrictions begin in December as summer starts. You can only have a fire under certain circumstances, and oftentimes you require a permit to even light a fire. Out here, one gust of wind on a hot day and your little campfire or burning brush-pile could turn into another epic event destroying entire communities, many of which are mourned and solemnly remembered.

When the temperature and dryness increases, so too do the fire restrictions. Earlier this week, with a high of over 40 degrees, we saw a few Total Fire Ban days. Having a fire of any kind, anywhere, is strictly illegal. Even camping with a little portable gas-fired stove is prohibited, as is working with certain tools that may generate sparks. This explains the prevalence of flat hot plates as barbecues instead of the customary open grills we are used to in North America.

Volunteers with the CFA are on high-alert on Total Fire Ban days, remaining within a few minutes of the fire station and wearing pagers, waiting for “the call” they hope will never come, but which inevitably does at least a few times each year. Their employers are duty-bound to let them go at a moment’s notice, and if the fire is bad enough, a bus goes through the town rounding up all able-bodied people to help fight the fire and minimize the destruction.

So my prayers have finally been answered: I am in the lap of the legendary Australian heat. And although I would like to say I love it, the jury is still out. It is a novelty for me yet; give me a few more 40 degree days and I may be singing a different tune before too long.

I guess this is a lesson in being careful what I ask for!

Related posts:

1. The 100 Year Heat Wave
2. My Christmas Present to Australia: Pumpkin Pie
3. Victorian Bush Fire Diary: February 7th – DAY ONE

Enjoy!

WISE BREAD

The Cost of Full-Time Travel

“How much does it cost to travel full-time as a Professional Hobo?” I am asked this question regularly by readers. And while I maintain that the cost of full-time travel is dependant on oh-so-many factors that are unique to every individual, I have just finished my year-end accounting for 2008 and am willing to share my own finances with the world.

Book Review and Giveaway: Rich Brother Rich Sister

Robert Kiyosaki’s latest book is a slight departure from the words of financial prowess he typically shares with his readers. If you want to know more – and to win a free copy to check it out yourself, then click the link to read more!

Related posts:

1. Roundup: March 1st-15th
2. Roundup: April 1st-15th
3. Roundup: June 1st-15th

So when I watched a cooking show where some odd and interesting spices were introduced to good ol’ chili, I had to try it, with a skeptical Kelly lingering over my shoulder.

“Cocoa?! You’re going to put cocoa in chili?” he exclaimed in horror. After a quick and curt lesson in the savory properties of cocoa, Kelly stormed out of the kitchen and I finished my preparations.

When the chili was tried and tested in the company of good (and honest) friends, the results were favourable. Even Kelly, who wanted to dislike it right from the start, couldn’t come up with anything other than “mshsmmsmsmshshmmmm” as he devoured the bowl.

Success! Here’s the chili recipe, with an unlikely set of ingredients that may raise a few eyebrows, but which passed the critical taste test:

2 onions, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1lb ground beef

3 sausages (Italian is best)

2 tsp chili flakes

2 tsp coriander

2 tsp cumin

3 cardamom pods, crushed

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

1 green pepper (“capsicum” in Australia), cut into chunks

1 small zucchini, diced

mushrooms…um….lots, sliced

1 large can of diced or whole tomatoes

1 can red kidney beans

½ can water

¼ cup tomato paste

In a large pot, fry the onions, celery, and garlic until transparent. Add the beef and sausages and brown. Add all the spices and mix well. Add remainder of ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for a few hours if you can, until thick and delicious.

Related posts:

1. Recipes From The Road: 5 Layer Mexican Dip
2. Recipes From The Road: Red Thai Curry
3. Recipes From The Road: Ramen with a Twist

And since I do have the Best Travelogue in the world (ahem, there is no room for modesty in this cut-throat world of travel blogging), I am hoping that you, my dear and dedicated reader, might nominate me as such.

It is very simple: no need to register for anything, receive market updates, or sign up for yet another email address or newsletter. Just visit this page, enter your name and email address (which gets deleted from their system as soon as nominations close in February), and the full address of my blog (http://www.theprofessionalhobo.com – but you knew that already, right?) in the Best Travelogue category.

And…you are done! So….whaddya say?

I say “thank you” in advance!

Related posts:

1. Passports With Purpose 2009: Build a School in Cambodia, and Win Great Prizes!
2. Special Post: Reflections on the 2009 Victorian Bushfires – by a Year Nine class in WA
3. 2009 in Review: The Professional Hobo

And although roasted pumpkin is typically quite sweet, the idea of serving pumpkin for…dessert…is quite foreign to Aussies.

“I should serve this how? With what? As what part of the meal?” was the doubtful response of more than one Australian when I presented them with my North American contribution to their holiday meal. The idea of making pumpkin into a pie – a dessert no less – was practically unfathomable.

And when it came time to sample the fare, the variety of polite cringes they tried to hide while raising their first-ever fork full of pumpkin pie to their mouths was comical. Even more comical was the instantaneous look of surprise and delight upon tasting pumpkin pie for the first time, along with the much larger second helping they cut for themselves.

As a North American, we eat pumpkin almost solely as a dessert in the form of pumpkin pie. Although some squashes like butternut are served as savoury dishes, more often than not, if you think of “pumpkin” in Canada or the States, “pie” is the most logical word to follow. Pumpkin pie is typically served around Thanksgiving and Christmas season, although with the availability of canned pumpkin, it can be made any time of year for lack of fresh pumpkin being available.

Trying to find canned pumpkin in Australia is impossible. An Aussie friend of mine summed it up nicely when she said “why would you eat canned pumpkin? You’d never get an Australian to buy it.” This is, of course, because they didn’t know about the beautiful thing that is pumpkin pie. Until now.

So in my efforts to introduce Australia to pumpkin pie, I bought a lot of fresh pumpkin, boiled and pureed it up, and then proceeded to use the recipe below to create my Canadian gift to my Aussie friends. Depending on how watery the pumpkin puree is (mine was pretty watery) you may want to adjust the other liquid measurements in the recipe. I left out the 2tbsp of water entirely, and in some cases reduced the amount of evaporated milk. The mixture can be quite runny (the eggs will bind it all together), but I am accustomed to raw pumpkin pie filling having some girth. Trial and error is the best way.

EASIEST PIE CRUST IN THE WORLD

I hate pastries. I abhor working with shortening, rolling out dough, and fussing with pie crusts. When I bake pies at home in Canada, I pull the ultimate lazy-person-stunt and buy the frozen prepared kind. In Australia though, similar to canned pumpkin, they do not exist, so I was once again relegated to making it from scratch.

The good news is I found a recipe for pie crusts that does not require rolling, kneading, freezing, or the inclusion of shortening. Happy days! Try it out…you will not be disappointed. For savoury pie crusts, cut out the sugar and increase the salt to 1tsp.

190 grams of flour

1 tbsp (rounded) sugar

pinch salt

120 ml (about ½ a cup) vegetable oil

2 tbsp milk

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 Celsius).
• Place all ingredients into a 9 inch pie pan.
• Stir all together with a fork.
• Pat mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan.
• Poke holes in the bottom and sides with a fork.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown.

That’s it. Really! It is that easy. Hurrah for easy pie crusts.

PUMPKIN PIE

1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup evaporated milk

2 tbsp water

½ tsp vanilla

pastry shell (see above for crust recipe)

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 Celsius).
• Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour in a mixing bowl.
• Add eggs, mix well.
• Add evaporated milk, water, vanilla, and mix well.
• Pour into pastry shell.
• Bake at 400 (200 Celsius) for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 (180 Celsius) for 35 minutes.

A word to the wise: check on the pies often. Reducing the heat is essential to the pie’s success, and you will need to be vigilant to ensure that the crust or filling does not brown too much on the top. I ate more than a few pies myself this season by making the mistake of not keeping an eye on them and letting them brown too much to give away…at least that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Related posts:

1. Recipes From The Road: 5 Layer Mexican Dip
2. Recipes From The Road: Bread Pudding to Die For
3. Recipes From The Road: Red Thai Curry

Further to my pre-Christmas rant about not having a white Christmas, nor feeling much of the Christmas spirit at all, I felt it only fair to follow up my Scrooge-esque premonitions with a dose of what my Christmas reality looked like.

I like warm Christmases!

After sitting down to a 21-person Christmas lunch (you should have seen the size of that table!) at Vern & Wendy & Clarissa’s home (who you may remember from our Warrumbungle adventures, we ventured onto the veranda to digest and enjoy the scenery.

When Australia hits the height of the dry summer season, everything turns a shade of brown. It is not a dirty or decrepit brown; rather just various shades of brown and sepia seem to tone everything – the grass, the shrubbery, and even the trees. And as the warm weather is finally approaching, the sepia-coloured shades are being donned. Although one Australian I know claims that Aussie summers have not grown on her (to her they seem dull and lifeless), I believe it has a beauty all its own.

After digesting our lunch, we embarked on an Australian tradition: Christmas Cricket! Being the first game of cricket Kelly and I have ever played, you can imagine that we needed a little coaching. “Hold the bat more like a golf club, not a baseball bat, for heaven’s sake!” was a mantra heard more than once. But since this was an informal game, we simply enjoyed being at the small town centre oval and working off some Christmas calories.

The following day, we ventured to another friend’s home in Melbourne and enjoyed yet another day outside, basking in the scenery, the warm temperature (a beautiful dry 34 degrees), good company, and Christmas leftovers.

A white Christmas, by comparison, is quite different. The charm of a white snowy cold Christmas day is the ability to sit inside, warm and toasty by the fire, enjoying hot mulled apple cider and heart-warming foods and company. White Christmases are cozy.

But once Christmas day has passed, you are back in the world of being miserable in the dark dirty cold snow. Driving is dangerous and going outside is an ordeal requiring multiple layers of clothing and the general act of bracing for the brisk wind that, in some places in Canada, will freeze exposed skin within minutes.

Here in Australia, Christmas is part of a six-week summer holiday for school kids. The weather is beautiful and hot, and you get into the season spirit by sitting outside in the backyard, going for walks, and enjoying the congregation of family and friends (that for some people happens only a few times a year) in the beautiful outdoors.

Last year, Christmas in Hawaii, was considerably different, and we were hard-pressed to embrace the Christmas spirit at all, for our remote location and removal from anything and everything that could remind us that Santa might drop by.

But this year, despite our geographical distance from family and friends having a white Christmas in Canada, we embraced a new kind of Christmas: a brown one.

It is a kind of Christmas I could get used to.

Related posts:

1. Merry Christmas! And New Lyrics for an Old Carol
2. The Christmas Season in the Australian Countryside
3. My Christmas Present to Australia: Pumpkin Pie

And believe it or not, in there, I found some time to get a few more articles published too! Please enjoy these tidbits:

WISE BREAD

Goal Setting: Getting Out of Debt Once and For All

It is easy enough to say that you have a goal of being debt free in “x” months or years. You have crunched the numbers, and your plan is realistic and achievable. But why is it so hard to actually put into practice? Getting out of debt is the plight of many people, and the goal in and of itself is the downfall of many more. Here are a few tips to align your goals of debt reduction with the reality of making it happen.

ILOHO

How to Travel Proof Your Cell Phone

So you want to travel, and would like to be “connected” in so doing. Here are a few tips on how to harness your cell phone for optimal travel, and minimal wallet leakage.

TRANSITIONS ABROAD

Overseas Travel Insurance: Why You Need it and When You Do Not

Having been on the road for a few years now and experienced the inside of hospitals in more than a few countries, I have the dirt on travel insurance. For the voice of experience, read on.

Live and Work Overseas Freelancing on the Web: How to Create Jobs Abroad to Finance Your Travels

As somebody who is doing it, it is great to write about it now. I guess you could say I am an expert on this stuff now! Yikes. If I’m an expert…

VAGABOND STORY

I was recently contacted by the author of this site to contribute a story, and of course I had to say yes! Long time readers of my blog may recognize this story:

Muay Thai Boxing, and Why I’ll Never Drink Again

I’ll let you figure out what this story is all about!

Related posts:

1. Roundup: April 16th-30th
2. Roundup: December 1-15th
3. Roundup: December 1st-15th

But then I give my head a shake….I am but a mere Canadian, blessed enough to have the amorous (if not persistent) affection of none other than a Kangaroo…there are people – even Australians – who could only dream about this stuff, I’m sure.

Tenacious or not, amorous or not, Bracken is still a beautiful, gentle, affectionate kangaroo. So please enjoy this newly edited video of Bracken…instead of calling him our “creepy kangaroo”, he has been re-dubbed “The Affectionate Kangaroo” with some new and humourously affectionate twists.

Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Our Creepy Kangaroo
2. Playing With Poppy the Wombat
3. How Close to a Kangaroo do You Think You Can Get?