Well Hello, fancy meeting you here! Thanks for popping in. . .
. . . just before you take a ramble around this little blogsite, let me tell you a little bit about myself.
I'm Kerry Tolson - Kez - a plan-nothing, have no idea where I'm going travel-obsessive married to a comfort-zone-hugger workaholic. I spend my days dreaming of far off lands and devising ways to encourage my travel-reluctant, happier with a spanner in his hand greaser hubby to travel to them with me. Then I write about it. . . and him.
And, here he is. Please let me introduce you to Mal. . . . . . well as I said, he’s happier with a tool in his hand, and his head somewhere under something mechanically, even when we're surrounded by the most glorious scenery. But he's not always hiding under a bonnet, sometimes he's playing electronic yahtzee, fishing, or looking for cheese, or - and this is why I adore him so much - he's got his head buried in a book.
Which is just as well, because my other obsession in life is books. Reading, collecting (although some might call it hoarding. . . possibly borderline bibliomania as I have been known to purchase multiple copies of the same book) and writing books . . . well, at least one book.
In 2015, I became a published author with my first book - Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu: a family's journey of discovery through the spirit of Nepal . It's a humorous travel narrative of a family finding each other, losing inhibitions and pondering the baffling questions of - life, death and is there enlightenment in an electronic Yahtzee game?
Chuffed that someone, somewhere wanted to read something I'd written, and delighted that my family are still talking to me (after putting them out there), I'm back tapping away on the next book ~ this time set on the "Island of the gods" beautiful Bali.
When I'm not free-falling and fumbling about in some wonderful country, where I'm trying to keep as calm as the locals as we ride the sardine cans that masquerade as busses, or running away from the crazed-eyed bovines we've stumbled upon as we wander along quaint lanes in some idyllic off-the-beaten-track village, or becoming infused in the aromas, flavours and smoke haze while learning to cook the local cuisine, I'm home on the Far North Coast of NSW, juggling the responsibilities of small business ownership with keyboard dancing - writing and blogging (badly) - and wandering around under-the-tourist-radar historical villages nestled in the remnants of the Big Scrub rainforest hunting out vibrant street art.
And in my miniscule spare time moments (normally found at 2am in the morning) when I'm not traveling, writing, reading, wandering, hunting graffart or pulling my hair out over bills and staff, or attempting (dismally) to conjure up the exotic culinary delights I've "learned" to cook during my travels, or when I'm not in my writing procrastination moments where I'm finessing my skills at the all important good-housekeeping task of ~ ironing underwear ~ I'm stalking dead people! Well not quite stalking, but still, ferreting about in great grandma's closet, checking out the lacy fabric and patchwork undergarments of the family genes (and there's sure to be a ribbon or two that'll lead to inspiring stories just waiting to be told.)
So I hope you'll enjoy your journey around this site. Take a flick through the pages of the book - Buddhas, Bombs and the Babu - delve into the ramblings of the blog - Tuk-tuks, chicken bouquets and bicycle bells, or if you're after some travel inspiration, please pop into the pages under the Travel button, there's sure to be a destination you'll want to stamp into your passport. (but please excuse me on some of the pages - I'm still "unpacking" the memories of some of the destinations. I hope to have them all wrinkled out and sorted neatly for you to read soon . . . or maybe not, it might just come as a jumbled pile of delightful ramblings) .
Wishing you many happy travels filled with moments that'll take away the breath and give endless memories to breathe spirit into the soul. Thank you so much for dropping in.