Lessons from Australia

Every trip brings lessons, some trivial, some profound.

In the weeks and months to come I'll be writing about Australia in depth in the pages of The Miami Herald; those stories will also appear online.

Meanwhile, a post-trip vocabulary lesson:


Swag: A giant waterproof coccoon covering a foam pad, two sleeping bags and a sleep sack. One sleeps in it under the open stars. In winter, it's best to bring a wooly beanie along.

Wooly beanie: A knit cap. Some are so colorful, inventive and bizaare that Alice Springs devotes and entire festival to displaying them.

Good on you: Atta-boy.

Brain fag: That state of mental malfunction that follows too much wine in the Barossa, too many beers and 24 hours of flying time.

G'day, mates!