The Rose in the Lily Pond

When I was a journalist, I reported on a community effort that saved a Minke whale stranded in West Auckland, New Zealand. We are about as anti-whaling as we are pro-rugby One of the amazing things about travel is that it challenges perspectives. Often at home we are shrouded by our country’s culture, traditions and values and it can be hard to think outside the square and see beyond that. Travelling exposes us to different ideas and viewpoints, it often broadens our horizons and challenges our values, making us think about things on a deeper level. In Norway, whaling is a thing, and to a New Zealander, that is shocking. How can such an advanced country that gets things so right in so many ways still kill such an awe inspiring creature? The sale of the meat is easy to come by with Norwegian restaurants selling it as well as fish markets. Our friends in Norway asked us if we would like to try it. Norway - so beautiful and gained a number one spot in the World Happiness Re...

I experienced the worst type of culture shock in Singapore, our first destination in Asia. Body image shock. It was day three in our four day stop over and I was wearing a loose fitting, flowing dress.  We were traveling by the ever efficient MRT otherwise known as the subway or the metro in other countries and a woman offers me her seat. I see the “reserved” sign on it and a wave of confusion washes over me. Wearing said dress in Little India, Singapore. She gives me a warm hearted smile and gestures for me to sit down. Instead of  questioning why, I say thank you. At first I think it’s a gesture of hospitality - she took a guess that we were visiting this modern and massive city- and she was playing the kind host, but then I see the “reserved seat” sign. I’m not elderly, I’m not disabled, I don’t have a small child to cart around, oh god, she thinks I’m pregnant! The lady next to me goes bright red and starts giggling - she takes it upon herself to voice her stif...