Polo - Red

Taking on a new aftershave, I decided on Polo Red by Ralph Lauren as the spicy overtones really had a bit of bite - this turned out to be a great daily aftershave.

Checking the notes, I began to find out where the bite comes from, this was a far more complex fragrance than I expected. This eau de toilette from perfumer Olivier Gillotin opens with red grapefruit with notes of cranberry and Italian lemon. Red sage, red saffron and lavender form the base tapering off with red wood, hot amber and coffee beans - I'm happy I decided to pick up the new fragrance, it really is red hot.

The joy of banca diving

The outrigger style banca boat is common throughout the Philippines; I love diving from these boats with their outriggers lashed together with fishing line keeping the narrow hull stable. Landing on Apo Island after the first dive, we took our lunch on the banca before heading over to wander the beach and look around the village.

Diving in Anilao, the surface interval saw us come ashore after landing on the back beach to walk around to the main beach on the island, the scenic locations surrounding the dive sites make for a great day out.

Cruising around Pandan Island, the beautiful clear waters of this remote island provide great sloping dive environments. The banca would drop us off at the site and we would swim back to the shore following the bottom topography.

A larger style banca at Sogod Bay, Leyte carries us across the bay to the walls, this larger style banca is pretty stable and very powerful. The locals take an old diesel engine from a truck that has been scraped and bolt it in the hull transmission and all, they connect the drive to the propeller shaft and they have propulsion.

This small banca doesn't offer a whole lot of shade protecting us from the beautiful Filipino summer days, we were crammed under the shade before getting back in the water.

Bancas are built for their environment; the small propeller and shaft is mounted almost perpendicular to the keel, the small rudder makes steering difficult, these boats can navigate extremely shallow water, an essential trait in these high tidal areas.

2010 Leeuwin Estate shiraz

A winter's evening and Friday night, a good enough reason to stop off on the way from work, this was the first time at this bottle shop to purchase a bottle of wine; I immediately regretted turning off the road and walking into this place - this wasn't a great establishment to be purchasing top level wines.

The art series shiraz displays notes of cherry with mulberry layers on the foretaste with smooth oak notes holding the central palete together and dark chocolate providing complexity in the aftertaste. The tasting notes state violets, toasted brûlée with hints of mocha add elegance and sophistication - all in all, I thought this was a pretty good wine and I will purchasing more in the future.

Dames & knights - a thowback to a bygone era

What was Tony Abbott thinking? Abbott never consulted cabinet, yet he reintroduced monarchical titles that had been retracted since the Whitlam era. Had Abbott consulted cabinet, the answer would have been a resounding - NO.

Yet Abbott decided to push forward with knights and dames anyway. Now that Tony Abbott has been deposed as the third Prime Minister in five years through an internal vote. Will republican Malcolm Turnbull immediately repeal knighthoods? I can't see such a title remaining long in Turnbull's Prime Ministership. There is no need for such titles in the modern Australian society - what Gough Whitlam did was brush aside outdated ideals. Liberal Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser and John Howard refused to reintroduce knighthoods; not only that, Tony Abbott not only reintroduces such an award, he then goes and knights Price Phillip for services to Australia - you have to be joking. When Joe Hockey informed us the age of entitlement was over, who would have guessed it would be replaced by the age of titlement.

A Parisian ending

Who in their right mind goes to Paris to break up? I do apparently. This was the sad end to the defining relationship in my life, how did it come to this? Well, I don't know exactly, I can only reflect on the events leading up to Paris.

Back track three months to Morcone Beach, Elba, Italy. We had been apart, I felt like I was now in exile, I had been bundled off from Zurich, never to return. My departure from Zurich bahnoff had been one of resignation, it looked like the end for us.

Yet after a month or so into my exile, a change of heart; she jumped in her dark green Mitsubishi Colt and driven south from Zurich to Elba. The reunion though wasn't as I had expected, I was understandably defensive and somewhat aloof.

So here we were, sitting on the rockface surrounding Morcone Beach, tears streaming down her swollen eyes shaded by sun glasses; her words rang out "I can't marry you." While I pointed out that before she can reject a marriage proposal, it is universally accepted that first, I actually have to propose. While that principle was largely ignored by her, I fully understood the ramifications.

So we entered into this pact, I would return to Zurich with her and we would not discuss this moment ever again, we would go about our relationship as if each day was the last. We would enjoy each moment for what it was; the Swiss are wonderfully pragmatic and less wonderfully so, dogmatic.

That was however if she didn't have a change of heart, our relationship officially had an end date, if she wanted, she could just say so and our relationship could move to the next level. I had a ticket departing from Charles de Gaul and when I left, that would be it.

I kept my end of the bargain, there was no relationship hassles, no awkward questions, no stress. I went about our business as if nothing had happened, I was sad but I wasn't going to express that emotion in front of her.

So here we were at Paris Orly, her departure was a day before mine, we had silently caught a bus together to the airport. I walked her to the departure gate and that is when the verbal assault erupted, "How could I be so unfeeling as to show no emotion?" and "Why didn't I discuss this relationship with her?"

I was in disbelief, I did what she asked, her anger had now boiled over and then more disbelief, she was waiting for me to discuss with her our relationship, she didn't want this relationship to end after all.

I should have picked up before that, she pointed out that when we first arrived in Paris and stood on a bridge viewing the Eiffel Tower, she started to cry. Well yeah, I noticed her crying but I quickly dismissed it out of hand, she is difficult to understand, we were already in Paris by this stage and she had given no indication before that.

So in scenes reminiscent in my mind of the ending of Casablanca, she headed towards the boarding lounge and I was left to round up the usual suspects. We had however put on quite a show, this wasn't our first airport scene and I had the feeling this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

So ok, there was no fog, no guns drawn and I didn't view the whole scene in black & white - I still think this scene was noteworthy. We were back on, that's all that mattered.

The day after, I headed off to Charles de Gaulle airport, I had to be back in Perth for the wedding of my brother and his soon to be wonderful wife on the banks of the Swan River at midday, there was plenty happening for me to take my mind off this unusual encounter.

Delayed again

Singapore Airlines has done it again, we have gone past our departure time, no announcements - nothing. The Singapore Airlines staff are all huddled up the end of the departure lounge joking and laughing - what about some customer service and tell us what is going on?

We look out of the glass of the departure lounge and we can see the aircraft parked at the loading area. We can see doors open and activity going on, we know the aircraft isn't delayed - it is there in front of us.

I have connecting flights and pick-ups arranged; the connections are tight, delays mean I miss connections and I will have to cancel pick-ups from the destination airport. I have to be at work tomorrow; this affects my employment too, they don't seem to understand that. As passengers, we understand that delays take place from time to time; how about treating your customers with respect and let them know what is going on.

This is becoming typical arrogant Singapore Airlines behaviour; people are wandering up to the counter to find out what is going on, we are 30 minutes past our departure time, not boarding time and we still don't know what is going on. This is not a budget airline, this is a full service airline, this is what you pay for yet you are treated as a budget airline customer.

Dive Bali

While not universally known for its diving, Bali has plenty to offer the travelling diver. While the majority of divers are in Bali on stop overs for more exciting locations throughout the Indonesian archipelago, a number of sites offer some interesting areas of diversity.

Heading up to Tulamben is well worth the drive for the fabulous Liberty wreck, likewise, just nearby is Tulamben Wall. Not far from Tulumben is Amed, a great place to stay with plenty of dive opportunities, small guest houses and accommodation and great restaurants. For me, my favourite choice of dive sits is Menjangan Island on Bali's north west coast, less frequently dived due to its long trip from Kuta, this excellent site is mostly overlooked by the crowds.

A boat trip allows divers to access the waters around Nusa Penida, this area is known for drift diving due to its ripping currents, Mola Mola are sighted in this area during distinctive seasons and well worth a look. I don't care much for diving around Nusa Dua, this shallow water region is located close to the five star resorts of Bali and is outrageously expensive for a mediocre dive in warm water - best to avoid.