"There’s a dumpling on my plate the size of a miniature football. In fact, it’s the shape of a football - which is why it’s called a cepelinas (zeppelin), after the famous airships. The pale, doughy exterior is made of potato, and it’s wrapped around a meat filling. On top is a sauce involving sour cream and pork crackling. It may not be the lightest meal I’ve ever ordered, but it would clearly be an unforgivable international snub not to try it."

Exploring the beautiful streets within the capital of Lithuania.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"Stop me if you've heard this one - 683 punters walk into a Hobart bar to watch a comedy gig, and call it a comedy festival. In 2002 it seemed pretty funny, according to Hobart Comedy Festival producer Craig Wellington. 'We put on a stage show over summer, and called it "The Hobart Comedy Festival (The World’s Smallest Cultural Event)" as a joke.' But it turned out to not be a passing gag..."

"Finally I reach Fortitude Valley and mount the stairs to music venue The Troubadour. It’s a long, slightly shabby space with a mellow doorman and a laidback clientele, fitting neatly with the interior’s antlers, gilt-framed prints, mirrors and softly glowing orange lampshades. I sink into a comfy chair, sip a beer, and smile...'"

"Co-owner Russell Crowe was tickled by the idea and donated a pile of props and costumes from his films. He also bent the ear of a few of his co-stars, and they put in too. However, as I step past old farming implements and through the inner door of the barn, it’s not a Hollywood prop that immediately catches my eye. On the left is a red and green motorcycle, gleaming attractively under the bright lights..."

Exploring the Museum of Interesting Things in Nymboida, New South Wales.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"Sometimes in life you receive a little revelation, a chance discovery that makes you look at an everyday item in a completely different light. With me, it was wine. Or more precisely, the practice of letting a bottle of wine 'breathe' by opening it for some time before you intend to drink it. I’d always thought this was pretentious twaddle, until one day I unintentionally left a bottle of red opened for an hour or so..."

"It's the beauty of Budapest - both natural and constructed - that makes it stand apart. Straddling a gentle curve in the Danube, the city is flanked by the Buda Hills on the west bank and the beginnings of the Great Plain to the east. Architecturally it is a gem, with enough baroque, neoclassical, eclectic and art nouveau elements to satisfy anyone."

A full-colour guide to this Central European nation, with details of including attractions, accommodation, dining, nightlife, history and culture.

This book can be purchased online from Amazon.com.

Not available for republication.

Once again I've been on the other side of the laptop and camera, being interviewed for Melbourne's Leader group of local newspapers by freelance journalist Saeed Saeed, about my Melbourne Historical iPhone app.

• Read the full article here
• Find out more about the app here
  

... and you can see me talking about the app (and 19th century urinals) below:

"Beyond the revelry, Fremantle has always attracted writers. From big-name bestsellers like Tim Winton to Miles Franklin Award winners such as Xavier Herbert, there’s apparently something about the narrow streets and salt air that sparks creativity. 'It has its own culture, its own feel,' says Silvey. 'It feels a little bit spiritual, and it's a really vibrant, caring community. Artists tend to cluster around these sort of places.'"

"Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad. But what happens when the gods move beyond wrath and manipulation, and simply become tired, worn out, and in need of a cup of tea and a good lie-down? They hire temps, of course, a group of actors who can fill in on Mount Olympus until they feel like returning to their heavenly abode. That’s the plot, in any case, of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Thespis."

"Guide Dakota Goodhouse speaks in Mandan, the language of the tribe which once inhabited the village, thanking us for spending time in this place. Then he switches to his native Sioux tongue. He explains that the Sioux message was much the same as the Mandan, except he'd also expressed thanks for spending time with him 'in the home of the enemy'. But he says it with a smile and a twinkle of the eye."

Covering the Native American cultural highlights of North Dakota, USA.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

My writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines and websites around the world. I'm also an author for Lonely Planet Publications' travel books.

I'm available to write on any subject, and also undertake business writing jobs such as proofreading, editing and copywriting.

Learn more about my published work and writing services.

articles by subject:
Travel
Arts
Life
Science & Technology
Pets
 

• Aerohaveno, Tim's travel blog
• Aerohaveno Nights, a guide to Australian accommodation
• Travelroads.com

postal:
Tim Richards
507/225 Elizabeth St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

email:
tim@iwriter.com.au

phone:
0411-242327
(international +61-411-242327)

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