What was important to you in 2011? Mine is YOU!

OK, so it's the last day of 2011.  I have no idea where the frick 2011 went mind you, but its gone and it its place remain memories, friends, and passport stamps.

Since I began writing this I have starting reading some other blogs a bit more, to see what works, what I like, etc, and a lot seem to do stuff like, "my top 10 blogs", or "look what I got in 2011", which is a bit tiring.  But, it is nice to reflect on things that have past to get a sense of satisfaction to reassure ourselves that time past was not time lost.

So, this morning I was sitting in my villa in Koh Samui (my coffee was brought to me without asking exactly how I like it, thanks to my amazing house staff), I was trying to think of the places I had been this year.  It wasn't a bad list, but not overly impressive either!  I managed to get to Bali, Indonesia, for a family friends' wedding and stayed at the beautiful Karma Kandara (website here). Then later in the year I, obviously, came to Asia and have visited Cambodia and now Thailand.  So, three countries in one year, which has been pretty standard for me over the last few years. In fairness though, usually that has been for work.  As I ran study tours and worked for Curtin University I was often in Malaysia (often going through Brunei), China and Vietnam.

When I thought about it though, this years travels seems that much more awesome.  Probably because I wasn't working! But because of that, the ability to focus on the travel, I met some really awesome people. Seriously, this year I have meet some of the coolest cats I know or reconnected with people who I had lost contact with and, for me, that is one of the beauties of travelling.

Then I got thinking more, still on the same topic, and thought about all the travelling I had done within Australia, and I was blown away with what relationships I had managed to make and maintain.

To give you a run down of the year:

I brought in the 2011 year in Tasmania at the Falls Festival with one of my best mates Benjie, his partner Narisha, and his friends Jimmy, Peter and Fleur, and Kajsa  We spent four days listening to bands, and sneaking about with contraband alcohol, before touring Tassie for a day or two. (We had also gone to the Taste of Tasmana food show in Hobart just after Christmas where I had managed to catch up with fellow Perthian/JCLA'er/GV alum Tristan, and my JCLA buddy/down right LEGEND Aimee).

Jimmy,Kajsa and I.  Fall Festival, Tasmania, Australia 

Benji and Narisha

This lead to numerous trips to Melbourne as I started a new job in April for not for profit company called Teach for Australia (website) and required me flying to Melbourne every six weeks or so.  The TFA guys were, hands down, some of the coolest people I have ever worked for! Not only that, the vision of the company (an Australia where every child has access to quality eduction) is a very humble, noble, and achievable one.

The travel to Melbourne for work saw me being able to catch up with my cousin Tim (and finally see his house in the hills - amazing) and Uncle Dave. Go out with the TFA crew for the Melbourne comedy festival (I got belly ache from laughing so hard), catching up with Mattie and Liam (and getting our party on before dropping me - bastards!! ;) ), being in Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final (offing Collingwood!), Brendan and the new TJ, also dead set legends, catching up with good friend and fashion blogger Carly (Lady Smaggle, blog here) and some how, yet again, turning lunch into an 11 hour adventure of coffee, ales, tapa's and ciders.... Then going back to Naked for Satan an hour after we left because everything was just far too good), catching up with one of dad's best mates Steve... the list goes on...

The TFA crew, Melbourne, Australia

Half way through the year was Bali and Gili T, as I said, which saw me meeting Katie and so many friends of the Kotovski clan (if you know the Kotovski's, you are in the clan.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're not.  Just... no).  The wedding and the venue truly made the wedding trip a moment where friendship could be made over a few days and you could have some awesome times.  For example, I spent over a million on tequila on the wedding night... ONE MILLION... rupiah.. :)  It was just awesome meeting Asheesh, Ravi's mates, Claire et al.

This is the after Moet glow.... Katie and I, Bali, Indonesia

After my TFA contract expired, I took a few weeks off.  I hung around to see some champions of champions graduate from the John Curtin Leadership Academy before heading to Asia.

JCLA grads!!!!

Since hitting Asia, I have met some awesome people from Europe, Johanna and Rose specifically from Siem Reap, Manu and Rachel from Koh Rong who I will be seeing again shortly,  and in Thailand I am now in a villa with 8 other awesome peeps, all relationships I hope will endure.

Johanna and I in Siem Reap

Ludo and I rocking it out

My partner in crime, Tash and I, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Rachel and I, Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia.

I have to be honest, I am seriously downright shocked as to how many hits this page is getting.   Russian reverse span bots aside, I love that it helps me remain connected to everyone I have met while travelling, and also my friends am family back home.  I, of course, love you comments and messages on FB.

Koh Samui, Thailand

So, my 2011 was incredible because I managed to meet a bunch of wicked people and remain connected via the wonders of technology!!

But, what made 2011 big for you?  Let me know!!

Until next time, and 2012!!

Daniel

Follow me on Twitter @TheDanFactor

The beginning - Breakfast!

Hello world! 
Tomorrow I embark on one of the biggest adventures of my life and I sit here wondering how I will share my experiences with my friends and loved ones!  I have packed up shop in Perth - leaving many of my valuables in the hands of trusted friends and some of my remaining affairs with my flat mate Robina, and flown to Canberra before I head off overseas for... I'm not sure how long.


So, I was chatting to a new friend of mine, Jason, whose mother is a chef.  Before I left Perth we spent a bit of time together as he was going through a not very nice break up and I had some spare room where I let him stay for the week prior to leaving.  During this time, we got into the habit of not only drinking the last of my wine (there was a lot to get through, and we didn't succeed), but we made an effort to go to a different style of restaurant every night.  Italian, Greek, Australian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Lebanese, French... and as I was spending this week with amazing food and brilliant company I realised what I miss most about traveling - the people and the food!  Gosh I always miss the food!!!


I love the simple clean tastes of chilli and lemon grass in authentic Vietnamese, The delicious fresh taste of fish in Japan, the unique blend of chinese, indian, and malay foods that bring the unique malaysia cuisine to life, and don't even get me started on Europe... tapas, cheese, breads, cured meats.. pastas... wow!!


So I thought, it is very easy to send a little blog with photographs an descriptions, but I really wanted some of my friends and loved ones to experience another element of my travels - the food.  


This is what this blog is about.  While I travel, I am going to try to find recipes of local cuisine and post photo's, videos, and recipes so that if anyone is interested they can make these meals at home and try them for yourself.  You will be able to buy, cook, smell, serve and share different places of the world with your friends and family!


I will try as hard as possible to find recipes as authentic as possible but if I cannot do this I will search the internet with recipes/ingredients I think will be similar. So no hating!!


Remember - buy the freshest ingredients, learn about the food, play with it, smell it, and share it! And Never, ever, ever, eat alone!!


Anyway, to begin with, I want to share with you my favourite meal of today, the day before the start of my trip.  It was a simple breakfast that I love to enjoy when in Canberra from a local bread and cheese house called "Silo Bakery".  I had the privilege of dining with two old Perth friends, Amanda and Tristan and delighted in recommending a dish that Tristan loved and changed his opinion of the restaurant!  I'm not sure why but I think of Europe or Melbourne every time I see Silo's.  Its a really small quaint restaurant in the suburb of Kingston in the ACT full by 7:15 am, with a line of people wanting to get in.  Clientele range from public servants, to professionals, to cyclists enjoying a post ride coffee, all there to experience the high quality produce and coffee.  The restaurant does takeaway as well as dining in, with an array of beautiful sandwiches and tarts, a cheese room to select a cut away portion of delicious cheeses and breads, while also offering their own jams and chutneys.  Not the cheapest, but definitely worth it (I bought a jar of the chilli jam for $20).

The breakfast I always love to order is their chilli eggs.  I love, love LOVE that shit! A simple meal comprised of two slices of sour dough bread - toasted, two softly poached eggs, a good dollop of thick chilli jam and some roasted tomatoes.


Scouring the net, I wanted to find a recipe I thought would taste as similar to this as possible.  I felt the jam definitely had an Asian taste to it, a hint of lemon grass perhaps, and it reminded my of the chilli paste Sambal from some Malaysian dishes I have eaten, but maybe not as spicy.  So a sambal recipe my well serve as a good substitute to this jam.  I found a Thai Chilli Jam, which doesn't have any lemon grass in it, but you could easily add it.  The Jam was quite thick in consistency, nearly a pizza paste consistency, and worked well with the poached eggs.


So, for Chilli eggs:
Two slices of Toasted Sour Dough Bread (get from a reputable bakery - many supermarkets serve Sour dough flavoured bread in place of Sour Dough).  
"To qualify as a sourdough, the bread must contain a portion of wild yeast starter.  Otherwise it's just traditional, commercially leavened bread.  Long-period, cold fermentation is really tangental to the definition, as it's a technique used with both sourdough and commercially leavened breads, the purpose of which is to give bacterial and enzymatic activity time to work, in order to improve flavour depth and complexity (and in the case of sourdough, to enhance sourness)." - Definition sourced here 

Two Poached Eggs
The trick to good poached eggs seems to be the use of vinegar and salt in the water.  If you are unsure of how to properly poach eggs, try this recipe.

One good scoop of Chilli Jam (this will need to be made in advance)
A recipe I found for a chilli jam is here, feel free to alternate and adjust, potentially adding lemon grass or other flavours to your liking.

Optional: roasted tomato


Place the two poached eggs onto the two slices of toasted sour dough bread. drizzle of of the chilli jam oil over the eggs and place the Chilli Jam and optional tomatos on the side.


This is how mine was served from Silo's Bakery. My apologies for the image quality, its from my iPhone3.

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