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Saturday, June 6, 2009

On the road again... Melbourne, Singapore, Dubai, Venice, and Mallorca

Melbourne, Singapore, Dubai, Venice... we've been doing some intensive globe-trekking these last weeks. It's this kind of constant travel that causes us to wince when people say they envy our lifestyle - while it might be fine if you're on holidays, it can be hell when you're on a gruelling work schedule. First it was Melbourne to Singapore for a couple of nights for meetings about future projects and camera-/tech-shopping (for Terry), then Dubai to catch up with friends, review Pierre Gagnaire's Reflets for Gulf Life (Gulf Air's in-flight magazine), check our mail and run some errands. From there it was Venice as guests of the UAE Pavilion (it was their first year here) for the preview days of the Biennale and to work on some food-driven travel stories. And tomorrow it's off to Mallorca for a month where Terry has a huge photo commission and I'm updating a book, and work begins from the moment the plane touches down. But who's going to listen to a travel writer complain, right? I'll update you in more detail as soon as I can.

13 comments:

Grace @ Sandier Pastures said...

Sounds exciting though I know it's a lot of work!

I'm curious about the UAE pavillon in Venice.

Dr Sandy O'Sullivan said...

Love it... I'm so glad that you're doing some food writing!!!! I challenge you to include vegetarian stuff (even if by accident)... okay, not a challenge, a request! I have mixed feelings about the Biennale (who doesn't, right?) so I am looking forward to hearing yours and Terry's thoughts.

Sherri said...

Sounds fun! I love Mallorca. But I do recommend finding a place to stay before you go. We didn't and ended up sleeping in our car. Good times!

jessiev said...

good luck with all of that. it is never truly a vacation when you have to pay attn and think about what you're going to write and share. ack! at least, you'll eat well! safe travels.

Tina L. Hook said...

Oh to be a travel writer. *Sigh* Sounds wonderful and exhausting in the way only a truly inspired life can be.

Amanda said...

Hello! I just found your blog through Folie à Deux... And, please, wince away because I'm still envious!

Tammie Dooley said...

Lara, Yea, you're right -- we don't really want to hear it. At the same time, we empathize. We also enjoy living the grueling professional travel writing life through you. So please don't stop torturing us.

Erica said...

Melbourne, Singapore, Dubai, Venice and Mallorca. What a diverse set of destinations! Looking forward to hear more from you.


Like Dr Sandy, I hope you can include some vegetarian stuff when/if you do more food writing. By the way, that reminds me of something I read over at Terry's blog. A while back he wrote that he hates the term 'foodie', which I found a bit difficult to understand. What's your view on that? Do you dislike the term as well?

Unknown said...

This post is very useful for those people who are used to for travel world wide and who are always to ready for go abroad, specially for those people who want to go European countries like UK. You blog is not a blog it is a informational guide for us. we appreciate your work. Keep it up

Prêt à Voyager said...

just reading this exhausted me, laura!

anne

tourism said...

wonderfull

Lara Dunston said...

Hi all - thanks for your comments. Apologies for taking so long to acknowledge but we've been on the road with little time for blogging.

Hi Grace - I will do a post on the Biennale as soon as I have a chance and fill you in.

Hello Sandy - we too have mixed feelings about the Biennale, so will be interesting to see whether they're in tune! I'm going to pass on the veg food challenge to Terry!

Hi Jessie - no, this isn't a vacation, I'm afraid. Still work - and a lot of it - but, hey, that's what we get paid to do.

Hello Tina - I'm feeling more exhausted than inspired at the moment... but, it has its moments, both fantastic and frightful.

Hi Amanda - thank you! I will!

Hey there Tammie - okay, I promise!

Hello Erica - I do agree with Terry on his views on the idea of "foodies" and it's interesting that you raised that as we had a couple of revealing conversations with chefs recently on the subject, and the added expectations and demands that now come from "foodies" who are consumed by cooking shows and food blogs and now think they know more than chefs. I'm going to let Terry (more of an expert than I am on the subject) write about that.

Hi Harry - thanks so much for the words of encouragement. Much appreciated.

Hello there Anne - you think you're exhausted! Ugh.

Thanks there, Tourism!

Erica said...

Lara, What a coincidence that you just talked about that subject.

I like to think there are different types of foodies. I don't doubt that some (or even the majority?) think they know more than chefs and have higher expectations. But there are also those who look forward to *learning* from and talking to chefs rather than assuming they know everything.

To me, a foodie can be a carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, or even a raw foodist, and it doesn't matter whether he eats at expensive restaurants in NYC or buys $3 meals from street vendors in Bangkok. It's his interest in food that matters. But everyone probably has their own definition.