I’ve always liked Dannii Minogue. She has her critics but I think Dannii is a pretty smart cookie. Whether it’s trying her hand at acting, singing, presenting or fashion design she has drive, ambition and enthusiasm. So when, a few weeks ago, the lovely girls at Women In Focus invited me to a Business Chicks breakfast in Sydney where the petite star was guest of honour, I was thrilled to go. The weeks leading up to Dannii’s appearance had clearly been turbulent for her what with her split from partner Kris Smith and those...

So in July I have decided to do something a little crazy… For some bonkers reason I have signed up to take part in a scary and physically enduring challenge – the 2.4km ‘SHARKFEST’ swim from infamous prison island Alcatraz to San Francisco Bay. I’m not going to lie – I am TERRIFIED of sharks, I’m intimidated by the distance and I’m horrified by the way people wince when I tell them what I am planning. Recently I have confided in several friends about my shark-related anxiety. “It will be...

Standing in the shallows I tentatively held out a fish, watching in awe as a dolphin gently took it, swallowing it whole. In my very own Flipper moment I was up close to a wild Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin, marveling at the way the curve of his open mouth gave the illusion of an endearing toothy grin. Continuing our road trip Clare and I had travelled to Tin Can Bay booking in to no-frills but cheap accommodation at the Sleepy Lagoon Motel, a slightly disheveled place with an eclectic range of clientele who would not seem out...

Seeing my best mate Clare walk through arrivals at Sydney airport I immediately pounced on her and dissolved into tears. Bless her, despite never having been a big fan of all that touchy feely stuff, she hugged me back warmly. With just two weeks to cram in as much as we could, our Australia adventures were about to begin… We hit the ground running and after a couple of days making the most of Sydney we jumped on a flight to the Gold Coast airport to begin an epic road trip up the East Coast of Australia. After picking up...

I often get emails asking me for advice about how to write a book and get published. In response I have compiled the below guide to help you get going… How do I get started? With non-fiction ideas you need to write a very clear synopsis and chapter outline detailing what will be in each chapter of the book. With fiction it is the norm to write the whole thing before you submit it to editors. You should also include a proposal summarizing a clear plot or outline of what your book is about. Detail who you think your audience...

Finding myself at a loose end in the lead up to Christmas I decided to go on a last minute trip to Fraser Island in Queensland a place everyone seems to rave about. Driving for two hours from Bundaberg I arrived in Rainbow Beach and met up with the Sunrovers tour a three day 4×4 experience taking holiday-makers on a whistle-stop tour of the island’s hot spots. I was met by our guide Troy, a laidback, messy-haired Aussie dude and quickly introduced to the other guests – an eclectic mix of characters and nationalities. Our...

After a month blighted by homesickness it was with some relief that the melancholy began to lift and I was able to get back to feeling happy again. A week before Christmas I jumped on a plane to Brisbane and headed up the East coast to visit family in Noosa and Bundaberg. Back in the UK taking long trips in my car was always a guilty pleasure. I love the undisturbed thinking time and the freedom of flying along the open road. So after three months getting myself around on foot and via public transport it was brilliant to borrow...

When I booked my ticket to Australia back in June I didn’t envisage regretting it for one moment. Bypassing the English winter was a no-brainer and to be honest I was desperate to exorcise the procrastination I felt was engulfing me in London. Sitting on the plane with a whole new world ahead of me I felt energized and empowered. I arrived in Australia on such a high. A fully paid up member of the ‘Yes’ club, for the first month I found myself agreeing to go out with whoever, whenever, breezing from beach to bar, from...