When Number 3, my brother's third daughter, comes for a short visit and it's Spring and the sky is clear, it's a good reason to take Flossy out for a drive ... with the roof down. A country drive. A drive to Bents Basin. A short drive, less than an hour from home, in the fresh air, sunshine and Spring-ness. 

How did we come to be at Burragorang Lookout? In the slightly chilly air? Sipping warming cups of tea? And picnicking? Something like this ...

Rain is predicted. Heavy rain ... and strong winds. A rather large storm cell, in fact, and we are booked into the city for the night to tour the sights of Vivid Sydney 2016. A night in town. A dinner out. And Vivid. Perfect ... except for the rain.

Caravan or motorhome? This has been the debate happening in our house for quite some time now. To tow or not to tow, has been the question.

Easter is one of those times of the year for friendship and sharing. This year, MLP and I went home for Easter. Our real home. The Gold Coast. Stayed with friends. Shared food and wine and all things Easter. Home … ahhhh.

Middle Head is a looong way from our current abode in Sydney's far west. It's in the harbour, almost directly opposite The Heads, North Head and South Head. The ones that form the harbour's mouth. The ones that Cook sailed passed and that Governor Phillip rowed a long boat through to found this nation and this magnificent city. Well, his lackies rowed; I'm sure he did not one single iota of rowing. 

2016 began for me at Lake Tyers, Victoria. A quiet spot close to, but out of, the hustle and bustle of Lakes Entrance in school holidays' mode. Why Lake Tyers? I desperately needed to be with the ocean again, smell the salt air, crunch sand between my toes. And there was the pull of friendship and family.

A shed, a simple shed creates a life about family and friendship and fulfilment. Add in a dog, a faithful, ageing beauty who is constant, loving, loved and life is complete. Happy and complete.

One of the joys of travel is people watching. Becoming mesmerised by the everyday faces of the people … going about their everyday lives, doing everyday things … in ways so different from my own. I'm intrigued by the eyes, the smiles, the lines of life. The portraits created. 

God is everywhere and in every thing. Such is the way of daily life in Ubud, Bali. Dharma and adharma are in constant struggle to gain supremacy. Good against evil. Man's intervention brings about equilibrium … temporarily … and, hence, the rituals, prayers and offerings to the Gods continue everyday, everywhere. Through man, the beauty, peace and balance are maintained.

My sister, the older and wiser one, didn't have to ask more than once. And so the journey began … to Bali, Ubud to be specific … to retreat, to Casa Luna Honeymoon Guesthouses to be specific … and yoga, TriYoga with Dagmar Hirsch to be specific … for a week … and then relax and shop for a few more days. 

The beauty and the beasts tour of Australia's Top End continues, as promised. Are you ready for the magnificence of Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Litchfield National Park. Sunscreen and hat? It's hot, even though it's still winter.

Kakadu National Park, home of many aboriginal clan groups. Home of outstanding beauty and terrifying beasts. 

"Darwin," MLP says. "Why don't we go to Darwin … and Kakadu … and Litchfield? What do you think?" He'd been away for work for a very long time and this was to celebrate his return. I'd been thinking somewhere closer, like the Southern Highlands, but the idea of warmth, maybe even heat, and the opportunity to swim made the decision easy. So, within a week, we are there. Darwin. The Top End. The Northern Territory. Crocodile country.

Cattai National Park, in Sydney's west, New South Wales. In the words of Darryl Kerrigan of The Castle … How's the serenity? So much serenity.

I stumbled upon Sydney's Vivid a number of years ago, when, by chance, MLP and I were in the city for a weekend and there, outside our hotel room, was Vivid in all its amazingness. Vivid is now seven years old, growing, expanding and even more amazing. 

The most bizarre aspect of antique-ing on Bourke Street is that my first port of call is Mitchell Road Antiques. I can't find a "Mitchell Road" anywhere in the vicinity but, there it is, Mitchell Road Antiques on Bourke Road. 

Yes, that's not an error, "road" it is and then, at the traffic lights, it becomes "street". I'm sure there's some history behind all this Bourke-road-street-Mitchell Road madness, but I haven't yet discovered what it is.

If you can fill me in, I'd be very appreciative.

So, my journey on Bourke Street/Road begins.

I'm one of the lucky ones who, in their youth, did The Grand Tour … Australian style … in a VW Kombi van purchased in the street outside Australia House, London. Nine months travelling, nomading, across Europe into Morocco, East Berlin ... via Checkpoint Charlie, Portugal, Denmark ... No set journey. No set plan. Just wandering, soaking up art, culture, food, wine … oh, yes, lots of wine.

I'm not a city kind of girl. I'm more the smaller beachside town kind ...  with good coffee and a little bit of quirkiness. Cities, major cities, confront and consume. Their busyness and their noise overwhelm me. Their art, culture and architecture redeem them and tempt me. A day in town with a visitor is enjoyable ... and enough. 

The SMS from Number 2 says she's coming to Sydney for the weekend to visit Number 3 and what about a day out with them on Saturday. My nieces. My brother's daughters. Two of his three. 

A later SMS says the weather prediction is for sunshine and the walk from Coogee to Bondi is the plan. Yes!