Author Archives: dgm

I’ve just been reading Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain, which to my shame I have to admit I’d never read in full before. Which is a pity, for while it is a work of fiction, it … Continue reading →

Some years ago I became quietly obsessed with the question as to whether an Anglo Saxon notable ever made it to India. The jury’s still out as whether Sighelm managed the journey, but everything I’ve read since has convinced me … Continue reading →

Today’s Bangkok Post reports that a Thai cinema chain has declined to screen Mockingjay – the latest in the Hunger Games series. Hunger Games was incredibly popular in Thailand, and the three finger Hunger Games salute was used by anti … Continue reading →

Amanda, J’s niece, has a daughter who’s just turned three. Old enough to appreciate that she’s had a birthday so we sent her a card (we also have a glove puppet for her but we were totally disorganised, so we … Continue reading →

Way back in June, we rode the Sunlander from Brisbane to Cairns, knowing that it was the last year we could make such a trip, as the sleeper service was being withdrawn in December. Turns out that Queensland Rail are … Continue reading →

We’ve been having a little panic over the appearance of a Russian battle group in the Coral Sea – this isn’t the first time we’ve had one – Cooktown town council panicked in the 1880’s about the need to defend … Continue reading →

 Yesterday, I went to Brisbane for a work thing – it wasn’t all work – I managed to snap this rather fine bit of 1890’s architecture in Edward Street just down from QUT in the old core of the city … Continue reading →

I’ve written before about the Portuguese and Spanish voyages of exploration in East Asia, including the possibility of a group of Portuguese sailors being the first Europeans to land in Australia. These early european sailors had in part been driven … Continue reading →

Before I go to sleep in the evening I like to read for twenty or thirty minutes with a hot drink – probably a sign of growing old. I usually read stuff I find entertaining and relaxing rather than serious … Continue reading →

Beechworth, in Victoria, is an old gold town, and quite historical. Hidden in plain sight is a little bit of world war one history. If you go to the public loos from the main street you walk down the side … Continue reading →