From the States, Australia doesn’t just seem very far away, but, as my oldest daughter kept reminding me, it’s also upside down. Thanks to doing yoga, I’m quite comfortable hanging out upside down, but I thought it would be good to summarize the differences so far on this journey Down Under.
Exploring

Living Life Upside Down in Australia

Bruce Springsteen in Australia. Twice.
It was a coincidence that my long awaited and dreamed of trip to Australia coincided with Bruce’s first tour there in 10 years. But when I saw the dates, it was the first thing I actually put money down on. It was his last night in Melbourne, and my second to last night in Australia, and I thought it would be a good way to celebrate the end of my trip. It was!

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
Gwinganna isn’t like the rest of Australia. It is the best of Australia in many ways. Before I went up there, I was telling some of the people at my previous hotel where I was heading. One said it was the difference between “chalk and cheese.” The other said it had changed her life. I wondered how my life could be changed in just two days. Now I know.

Australia: First Impressions
Australia is so big and diverse that a first impression from landing in Brisbane is like a first impression of America from landing in Atlanta. But first impressions are also inevitable and often right. They contain the seeds that grow into more lasting impressions. I’ve only been here 24 hours, so you are going to get my first impression!

How to Plan an Adventure in 10 Easy Steps
Because of my work life and family life I don’t have as much time to go on adventures as I’d like, so when I do go, I want to get the most out of it. Ten years ago I took the whole family to Japan. I planned it and organized it myself, and it was…AWESOME! This year I’m going to Australia (I’m actually there right now!). And in the spirit of adventure, I thought I’d share my process of planning an adventure to help you plan your own!

Why Australia?
It all started in 1979 with an Australian movie my dad said reminded him of me. THAT piqued my interest and started a life-long admiration for the land down under. I’ve felt a strange familiarity with Australia, from the movies, books, music, and the people, and I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time, but never had the chance. Well, I’m about to get my chance…

Why I Love the Lehigh Valley
People still look at me funny when I say Rodale is headquartered in the Lehigh Valley. Sometimes I’ll say Emmaus, sometimes Allentown or Bethlehem. But unless they are longtime organic gardeners or farmers, in which case Emmaus (the birthplace of the organic movement in America) and Maxatawny (home of the Rodale Institute) are considered Mecca, most people are not familiar with our little valley.

What We Learn From Racing
by guest blogger Maya Rodale. Once upon a time, I ran a race. It was the 800-meter dash during my sixth grade field day. What happened in this race has taken on Great Significance of Epic Proportions. What happened? I came in second. What followed were years of second place races, metaphorically speaking, in which I did pretty well without putting in a huge ton of effort. B+ grades instead of A’s, basically. Enjoying opportunities that arrived, but not always seeking and seizing them. In other words, I became content looking at the back of people’s heads.
Scratch
Raised on America’s first organic farm, Scratch author Maria Rodale learned how to make everyday favorites from, yes, scratch — the way you remember them; the way they turn out best.
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Organic Manifesto
Drawing on findings from leading health researchers as well as conversations with both chemical and organic farmers from coast to coast, Maria Rodale irrefutably outlines the unacceptably high cost of chemical farming on our health and our environment.
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