Teen Sailor Jessica Watson crosses the equator

Australian teen sailor Jessica Watson has crossed the equator on her round-the-world solo voyage.

The 16-year-old from Queensland's Sunshine Coast has been at sea for more than a month.

She crossed the equator early this morning, north of Fiji in the northern Pacific Ocean.

Her mother, Julie Watson, says Jessica is slightly ahead of schedule to complete her voyage by June.

"We are just so pleased - Jessica has reached her first, big milestone," Mrs Watson said. read more on abc news

Plan to ban bed-hopping blokes backfires!!!

Our motto at Adventurous Women is that men are an 'optional extra', even though we love them dearly, we don't always wish to be in their company....let's face it, men and women ARE DIFFERENT and have DIFFERENT NEEDS.

However I do think this lady has possibly gone to far by asking for an exemption. Love to know your thoughts so please read on and make comment.


ABC News Online - "Plan to ban bed-hopping blokes backfires"

Hidden Nepal with Adventurous Women

Hi there everyone! As I'm sitting here typing this blog, I am reflecting on our recent adventure to Nepal. I feel myself smiling as I recall some experiences and the wonderful friendships that were made, whilst on tour.

We were a party of 9, varying in ages & backgrounds and based in three different states of Australia, which no doubt added to the excitement of our adventure! It's a wonderful thing to see women stretch and grow (including myself) and I personally feel that Nepal is one of those magical places where we do learn so much more about ourselves. Just a few things we've learnt along the way:

You can do anything you put your mind to
We volunteered in a school with very little financial support, which certainly showed. The children were all clean and in uniform, BUT the school itself was of very low standard, unpainted buildings, disgusting ablutions - so bad that the stench seeped into some of the classrooms, leaking roofs, minimal school supplies, lack of teaching resources, just to name a few. We learnt here that we could contribute in so many ways, not only financially. Some of us had never painted, but we were quick to learn, others taught in classrooms, even though they had never taught a day in their life, others showed students how to grow things from seed and played games with the children. A couple of us were invited into the homes of some of the students and that was certainly an eye opener! Our experience at this school was very rewarding and we hope to return and offer further support in the future.

Inner Strength
Our trekking experience was tough, I admit...but when 8 of us reached the top of Poon Hill, 3200m above sea level, at sunrise and saw the might Annapurna range light up, we were elated. The impressive view and the power of these mountains was certainly worth the tough trek and again we learnt more about ourselves....we had to dig deep at times, encourge others, and find that inner strength to keep going!

Let the child out to play
Bathing the elephants in Chitwan National Park was a playful experience, which I would recommend you do if ever you have the opportunity! We had so much fun holding the elephant gently by the ears and sliding up on his trunk, rolling around and stroking him in the river, being tossed off his back into the water and showered as he cheekly flicked a trunk full of water over his shoulder!! Check out the video of us frolicking with the elephants on You Tube

Some of our other experiences included Rickshaw rides, boating on Lake Fewa, traffic jams on the mountains, walking amongst the moving mass of people in Kathmandu, massages at Seeing Hands by blind massage therapists, women's refuge, Tibeten refugee camp, singing on the bus, breaking down on the side of the road, sleeping under the stars, spotting rhino's, deer and other wildlife in Chitwan......and much more!

There are no more overseas trips scheduled for the remainder of the year, although there is still plenty of activity happening in most states of Australia, so check out our 'Adventure Club' for what's on in your state! If your into Yoga and looking for a bit of relaxation, check out Sunshine Yoga's 8 day retreat at Lord Howe Island starting on 6th December.

Next year begins with a bang — we have a Yoga Retreat in Tasmania scheduled for early January, Egypt at the end of Feb/Mar, Bali Bootcamps start up again in March, Hiking in Spain, April, Highlights of South America 8th May, Kokoda & India in the second half of the year.......and I'm sure there will be lots more!

Your Guide To The World

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Adventurous Women Thailand Trip

DAY 9 - 24/06/09

It was only a 30 minute ferry ride across to Koh Samui and then a truck ride to our accommodation to Lipa Lovely Resort, which was indeed lovely. Located on the quiter side of the island overlooking the beach....just gorgeous and only 4k from the shopping district of Nathon. So the afternoon was spent shopping, dinner in town overlooking the beach watching the sunset. The next day was going to be the adventurous one!

DAY 10 - 25/06/09

OMG - what can one say - A couple of the girls decided to take in more relaxation and shopping, while four of us took off for the Jungle Canopy Adventure, which was FANTASTIC...what a rush. Although a couple of us were feeling very nervous about this experience we still went ahead with it and were certainly rewarded - I do believe the platforms we were standing on were more scary than flying through the air on the cable over the jungle canopy!!!! The fun didn't stop there for a couple of our adventurers...Danae & Deirdre decided to kick on to the golf course where they had a Zorb experience (Rolling down a ramp and around the grounds in a huge enclosed ball with water). Tracey and I had a BALL just watching them - it was so funny - Danae's hair got stuck to the velcro and lucky Deirdre wore a T Shirt, cause her bathers would have ended up coming off I rekon...I took video footage of it which I will post later.

DAY 11 - 26/06/09

Homeward bound - some very happy ladies who have thoroughly enjoyed their experience!!

Thailand Adventurous Women Trip

DAY 4 - 19/6/09

We awoke to mist settling on the mountains and the quiet of the river, just gorgeous! After breakfast was done, we watching the elephants being bathed in the river before two of the girls set off for an Elephant ride, some of us visited the nearby Mon Village and went onto the Buddah Cave which was very interesting and one of the girls decided another massage was in order.




On checking out of the Jungle Rafts, we longtailed it back to the Pier and then mini bus onto the Tiger Temple which was to be another highlight of the trip. Rules have changed a little since I had been there last as far as clothing, but we were prepared as we were traveling with our suitcases. Our Tiger experience started with sitting with some of the tigers, before being able to walk down to the Canyon with them, along with a volunteer carer and one of the monks. We then were able to go into the Canyon and have photos taken with them - that is a good experience, but the best was yet to come. Once we had finished at the Canyon we walked back to some of the open area where the monks, a couple of volunteers and some cub tigers were playing. They encouraged us to all come and sit with them, pat them and even kiss them on the nose - OMG that would have to be the highlight for many of our girls...they thought it was out of this world and so did I!! How lucky were we to have had this experience and I do believe it was purely by chance, as our timing for walking back before the crowd had given us this opportunity. Apart from tigers, there were plenty of buffalo, cows, deer, goats, boars and other wildlife just wandering around.

After the Tigers it was onto the Railway Station in Bangkok to catch our overnight train to Chumpon. Again - another great experience. We were all pretty exhausted from our big day and looked forward to being rocked to sleep by the train......eeek except when they braked suddenly (A LOT), it sounded like they were hitting cows!!!!

DAY 5 - 20/6/09

Early Morning - half asleep we arrived into Chumpon Railway Station at 5.00am after an early morning wake up call of 3.30am, so all feeling a little sleepy as we arrived into Chumpon at a guest house where we were able to have breakfast and freshen up before our 1.5 hour ferry ride across to Koh Tao which departed at 7.00am.

We arrived in Koh Tao at 9.00am after a pretty good ferry ride (few girls popped the old sea sick tabs for good measure). Koh Tao is a sleepy little island, with a beautiful tropical feel and the sand is almost as good as home!! From the Pier, it was a short truck ride to our hotel - Koh Tao Resort, which was just beautiful - all of us were totally wrapped. After settling in, it was off to explore the main town, back for a massage and swim and then a wonderful beach side dinner.

DAY 6 - 21/6/09

This morning the tide was really low as we waded out to the longboat for our snorkeling trip around the island. We went to four bays which were all AMAZING. I would have to say that it was on a par with our snorkeling experience in the Red Sea. We saw so much marine life and the visibility was awesome. We came across heaps of different fish, big and small, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, bright purple clams, all types of different coral and more! The colors were so vivid. On our return we didn't so much cause we were all really tired and pretty scorched - eeew.


DAY 7 - 22/6/09

Koh Phanang - Cookies Salad Resort.

We arrived in Koh Phanang (home of the full moon party), and it seems extremely quite. Took a truck to the Cookies Salad Resort where we are staying, then freshened up before heading back into town for a little lunch and shopping. After that it was back out to the resort for a swim and a bit of relaxation time.

DAY 8 - 23/6/09

This morning after breakfast a couple of the girls took off for a walk, whilst the rest of us went down to the beach cabana for some body treatments....aaah heaven! I had the works, massage, foot scrub, pedi and mani - so good and so cheap. Then the rain set in for the first time on our trip, so it's back to the open air bar/restaurant at the resort for a bit of blogging time. Tomorrow we set off for Koh Samui which is our last leg.

Thailand - Adventurous Women Trip

DAY 1 - 16/6/09

We are all very excited as we meet at Perth International Airport, some of us for the first time, so introductions take place and then it's off to check in! All goes relatively smoothly except Thai Airways religiously runs late (ahhh but not TOO late, so can't really complain). Very smooth flight into Bangkok which was great as there were a couple of girls amongst the group who were not good flyers - they coped well.

DAY 2 - 17/6/09

First day in Bangkok and as we left our hotel heading for the Grand Palace we observed a young thai lady squatting bare bottomed in the park just outside the palace - not a care in the world it would seem - we were the only ones who were surprised - she certainly wasn't!! We proceeded to the Grand Palace first which was fantastic and then onto Wat Pho where we had a traditional Thai Massage (brutal....but at the same time invigorating). After that we took a long tail on the river and through the back canals of Bangkok which was really interesting and next it was Tuk Tuk ride back to the hotel (which some of the girls had never experienced before, so it was a REAL TREAT!!!), then into MBK to get the shopping fix out of the way! We split up after that and everyone went their own way as we had a pretty huge day and were feeling tuckered out. Danae and I decided that we needed to go down Koh San Road and check that out - so glad we did, cause we found a great little restaurant down one of the alley's where we had our dinner "Hippee Bar De bar", I had a yellow curry which was just awesome.

DAY 3 - 18/6/09

What a fantastic day - we started out adventure at 7.00am where we were picked up by our mini bus and headed out to a pier where we jumped on board a longtail boat and headed for the floating market. That was an awesome sight where the locals sell produce on longtails in the canals...the girls loved it. From there we traveled on mini bus for two hours to catch the train to Nam Tok. En route to the station we needed refreshments and a toilet stop - haha - its was there we encountered our first squat toilets (a first for some of our crew). Once at the train station we saw the Bridge over River Kwai from our carriage and then onto Hellfire Pass which we also witnessed from the train....Cliffs on one side and river on the other...what an amazing site. Once in at Nam Tok we headed for Hell Fire Pass and the museum, which was to be a very emotional and moving experience for us. To see how the Prisoners of War were treated and the conditions they worked under was really disturbing. We trekked through areas where they were building the railway and saw bits and pieces of railway and memorials of those lives lost. Whilst the scenery was so beautiful, the whole experience was quite haunting. From Nam Tok we drove to another Pier, where we boarded another Longtail, this time bound for Jungle Rafts Resort (which is a floating hotel out in the jungle....magnificent - words cannot describe!!) We saw water buffalo bathing in the river and basking in the sun and heaps of wildlife including kingfisher birds, lizards AND HEAPS OF DOGS... As we arrived at Jungle Rafts Resort we were ushered to our bungalow style rooms, each with balcony, hammock and mosquito nets - every one loved it! This place is really quite amazing as it has no electricity, so food is brought down from the Mon village, showers are cold and refreshing and the only form of light is kerosene lanterns - certainly had an ambiance about it.

A Little Jog in The Wilderness - by Nicki Rehn

I was the only witness to my unforgettable experience, my thoughts and pain and joy the only companions for days on end; and silence, my closest friend. So, it is hard to convey a real and true picture of my journey. It took me 20 days to run 963 km from Perth to Albany along the Bibbulmun Track. I was able to do it alone and unsupported by carrying a 30lb pack, sending food drops ahead, sleeping in the track shelters, and doing without luxuries such as clean clothes, real food and a hair brush. And as it turns out, complete exhaustion is a sufficient substitute for a pillow and mattress. I ran (which was more like an ultra-marathon shuffle) between 50 and 60 km each day, moving slowly with the heavy pack, across the difficult terrain and in unseasonal scorching heat. It would take every morsel of daylight to complete my distance, as well as the first hour by headlamp. I actually wasn’t chasing a speed record, but was hoping to find space … not just wide open physical space that characterizes the Australia outdoors, but the mental and emotional space that comes from lengthy solitude, continuous days of motion, and time defined only by the sun rising and setting. (more…)

You Really Can Change Your Life!

This is an email I received from a girl who had read my article in Grazia Magazine - Doesn't matter what age we are....we are all responsible for creating our own destiny.

> > Hi
> >
> > I read Sue Hile's article in Grazia magazine on the weekend. I just
> > wanted to write and say how great I thought Sue Hile is and also this
> > company.
> >
> > I am 28 and I was with my partner for 10 years, from the tender age of
> > 18!!!
> > Three months ago I left my marriage because of a lack of feeling
> > fulfilled, a desire to understand who I am, an unwavering urge to
> > travel (that didn't match that of my partner) and a need to be
> > independent (having never lived or been alone in my life).
> >
> > The last three months have been tough but also a relief, I am very
> > proud of myself. At the moment I am planning my first ever holiday
> > by myself - a 3 month 'round the world' trip from Africa to Europe, to
> > New York then Japan!!! Instead of thinking of it as an escape from my
> > life (which I did when I originally left my marriage), I now see it as
> > a way to kick start my future, whatever that might be.
> >
> > Anyway, I don't know how I can help your company, or be involved in
> > any way but I felt an instant connection when I read the article and
> > then subsequently visited the website. So I've never written to
> > anyone in this way before but I guess now is the perfect time to do
> > things outside the normal.
> >
> > So overall I just wanted to say best of luck with your business.


Thanks.....Jen

Hurghada - Red Sea

We travelled across the desert for approximately 5 hours to get to the resort town of Hurghada on the coast of the Red Sea. Whilst being very touristy, I felt that it was necessary for us to visit the second most popular holiday destination in Egypt to explore the red sea. Everyone was delighted with our stay here. Some of us taking a snorkelling trip just off shore which was amazing and others heading out on a Jeep Safari, which was also a highlight.

Hurghada is a little more expensive for eating and shopping - as you would expect for a resort, but we were all glad to have the opportunity just to see a different side of Egypt.

Luxor

Luxor is not a place I would recommend staying for too long - my opinion and others of the group. The sleeze factor is more present here!

In saying that, the sights of Luxor are not to be missed and next time I would go and see the sights and return to the boat of an evening, instead of a hotel in the city itself.

Luxor Temple would have to be one of my favourite sites and we saw it at dusk, so the light on the columns was just beautiful. Next Karnak Temple - just a bigger version of Luxor Temple. Next Necropolis of Thebes, the Coliseum of Memnon, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Valley of the Kings.

Valley of the Kings - we visited 3 tombs, all of which were equally as interesting as the next.

Cruising on the Nile

This was certainly one of the highlights of our trip. Everyone loved cruising the Nile and the sightseeing along the way. We had a 5 star boat called the "Royal Ruby" which was beautifully appointed. First night on board we had a Galabea Party where we all dressed in costume and danced the night away - great night - I think we ended up being the entertainment. The next night's entertainment was an Egyptian male dancer who was fantastic and a belly dancer. Staff were excellent, view from the upper deck was fantastic and food was good.

Some of the sights we saw along the way were Kom Ombo, Edfu, Temple of Isis, High Dam, St Simeons Monastry, Temple of Nobles and more.

Shisha in Egypt

When in Egypt - you just have to try the popular pass time of smoking the hookah pipe, otherwise known as Shisha.

Abu Simbel

Wake up call - 2:50AM to join to convoy of vehicles heading across the desert to the famous Abu Simbel. At the front of the convoy there is a police escort and checkpoints throughout the journey, keeping an eye on who is travelling and whether or not they have a permit.

The journey to Abu Simbel is 280k along a road boardered by desert only. Very funny (and frightening at times) as each bus competes for its place in the convoy. Every couple of minutes we would be passing someone and then that very same bus would be passing us again. They are very competitive drivers - suppose it passes the time! I decided that it was best not to look, so took the chance to grab a bit of catch up sleep, until I needed to go to the toilet that is - no toilets enroute, so the bus had to stop whilst I found a rock to hide behind. The girls had a good laugh at my expense - I've never had a very strong bladder!

Abu Simbel is something that should not be missed. We rounded the corner and there it was in all its glory..... The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple. The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high), although one has been damaged since ancient times. Alongside his temple is a small temple Ramesses had built, which he then dedicated to his favourite wife, Nefertari.

On return to Aswan later that afternoon we decided that it was high time to kick back on the sundeck next to the pool overlooking the nile with a bottle of champagne.....so that's just what we did.

Aswan

The overnight train to Aswan was fantastic and we even managed to get a bit of shut eye! On arriving in Aswan we were met by another local guide who was also called Mohammad (very popular name in Egypt lol). This Mohammad was to become THE NUMBER 1 MOHAMMAD, for he was the perfect gentleman and made every one of us feel special in some way. Nothing was too much trouble for him, he was always available when needed and was a very kind & genuine person. He will be our friend for life! When taking my next group to Egypt I will be calling on Mohammad for sure!!!

Aswan - beautiful, mediterranean feel and our hotel was perched right on the Nile. We spent our first afternoon familiarising ourselves with the local souq, then boarding a felucca for a sunset sail on the Nile exploring Kitchener & Elephantine Islands, whilst stopping at a Nubian Village enroute. The Nubian Village was an eye opener....after enjoying a cup of Hibiscus Tea with a local family, we proceeded to give out some of the textiles, buttons & scraps we had bought along for poor families struggling to make a living. Boy what a mistake, we were mobbed!!! On returning to our felucca we set sail as the sun was disappearing beyond the desert whilst singing along with our Nubian Captain "she'll be coming around the mountain" - madness - Just another challenge in the day of an Adventurous Woman!

Cairo - Aswan

Big day today - We were met by our guide who took us to the Egyptian Museum for a couple of hours. On reflection I think you need a lot longer than that, as there is just so much to see. We managed to see all the major's, including Tutankhamen's finery & the mummy room which was kind of eery, but well worth the visit. Then it was off for a cheap takeaway lunch - yummy felafel burger and onto the Papyrus Factory to witness the making of the papyrus paper. Next on our itinerary we were to visit "rubbish city" - one of the poorest communities in Cairo, but according to our guide, the government officials had advised that it was too dangerous to go there. We opted for a drive through the "City of the Dead" instead, which I'm sure was equally as poor. Here families live amongst the Tombs and it is a sight that would not be seen to often by the average tourist.

Next stop - The famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, which had recently been bombed only 2 weeks prior, needless to say there was plenty of security around the place! This place is awesome - shoppers paradise. We had a great time shopping for bargains and some of us tried the Sheesha too! Once we'd finished shopping (for now!!!), we boarded our overnight sleeper train for Aswan.

Pyramids,Sphynx & Camels

Great day - started at 9.00am where we were met by our guide who took us out to the Pyramids. They are so close by the city, its amazing. We had a great time at the pyramids, where a few of us decided to have a camel ride. My mum hopped on one and started talking friendly to him and he turned around, hissed and bared his teeth at her. After that she decided she wasn't so adventurous after all and gave the Camel ride a miss. One of the other ladies in our group Marianne actually fell off the camel close to the ground whilst trying to hop on, but had another go and ended up joining the rest of us in our Camel ride. I found the camel ride to be very relaxing and wouldn't mind doing it again. In the end there was six of us who had camel rides. After that it was off to see the Sphynx - also a great site. Took some great pics and then moved onto the Perfume factory and brought up big. Couldn't resist the essences- some of them can only be brought from Egypt so that's what we did.......then it was off to lunch at a local restaurant then off to the rug factory. Will have to check in tomorrow as the smoke is getting waaay to thick in this pokey internet cafe - everyone smokes in Egypt. ciao for now.

Our First Day In Egypt

Well what can I say......after our 14 hour flight to Cairo we were all a little delirious, most of us having had very little sleep! We were all running on adrenilin and emotions. On our arrival we went straight to the "bank" where we paid our US$15 and received our visa stamps, changed some money, went through immigration and were met by our Kumuka Representative Mohammed. Everything went as smooth as silk through at the Airport which was great and on arrival at the Pyramisa Hotel we were pleasantly suprised. None of the buildings look to flash from the outside in Cairo, but when we stepped inside the Pyramisa we were suitably impressed. This five star hotel was great! A few of us went for a stroll around the local streets near the hotel then we hopped in a taxi (boy that was exciting!!!!!! whoa) and went downtown for a shopping experience followed by some local cuisine at the Felfela takeaway. Kebabs - awesome and cheap. The place was full of locals - good sign. On our way back we had a driver who had no idea where he was taking us...he had to ask several locals and all the while Cathy one of our girls was telling him the directions, but he just wouldn't listen. Pyramids tomorrow.

10 Adventurous Women about to Embark on Egypt!

Well it's almost here.....only 4 more days until 10 Adventurous Women take off for our next adventure...and it's destination "Egypt"....I must say the excitement is building and we have a great group of women on board.

We should be easy to pick out at the Perth International Airport, as each girl will be sporting her new bright orange Adventurous Women T Shirt with the slogan "Life is an Adventure - Are you living Yours" on it - look out here we come!!!

Speaking of Egypt - today by chance, I met a lovely Egyptian couple at a quaint little coffee & gift shop they own in Hillarys. (Dunesliving) They have just returned from their home country and were happy to share their travels & tips with me. As I was in a mad rush, I said that I will return on Friday and have a chat whilst practicing my Arabic language skills with them. I spotted a Sheesha in their shop and made comment that I would be trying this for sure whilst in Egypt, so Rania said she'll bring some tobacco in for me on Friday whooooooo - hope I don't choke!

I'll be blogging whilst away to keep everyone up to date with our adventures, so please tune in for the latest.

I Took A Marriage Mini Break

There aren't many women who at one time or another haven't daydreamed of running away from it all. Maybe it's in the middle of wiping the kitchen bench clean of crumbs for the umpteenth time that day! Perhaps it's when they find themselves practising their labour breathing exercises just to cope with the traffic on the way home from work, knowing they'll be late to the childcare centre again. Or maybe, like me, it's the day they wake up yearning for the time when they were not just a wife, not just a mum, but simply Sue - a person with hopes, dreams and desires just like anyone else.

That's where I was this time last year. At 43, I'd been married to Brad for 16 years, had two teenage boys and work full-time as a ward clerk at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth where we lived. It was a good job but one I'd held for 10 years. I was finding the stresses increasingly hard to leave behind at the end of the day.

I loved Brad wholeheartedly, but along the way trying to combine being wife, mum and employee, I'd lost me, the woman I was and, for all our sakes, I needed to find her again.

So when my long-service leave came up and I suddenly had three months to play with, I knew it was now or never to have the "ultimate" me time. I decided to get away on my own travelling through South East Asia for three months. I hoped immersing myself in a different environment and throwing away alarm clocks, homework schedules, shopping lists and all the other paraphernalia that comes with being a woman - whether working outside the home or not - would feed my soul and find the clarity I craved for the next stage of my life.

Not everyone found my decision easy to cope with. Brad definitely found it confronting at first and I had to explain it was nothing to do with him, nothing to do with us, but everything to do with me. I wasn't looking for anyone or anything else by going away on my own and I had no doubt I was going to come back to him and our boys.

Others asked if I had marriage problems and basically skirted around the issue - I didn't and I knew that. They could think what they wanted. We compromised by agreeing for Brad to join me on the last leg of my trip, where we would then trek through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp. The boys, Jordan 15 and Dylan 14, just thought I was cool. I think they hoped it was going to be three months of Dad and the lads without Mum around to nag! As my flight to Bangkok drew near I felt nervous, but once I'd kissed my three boys goodbye and dried the tears, I cracked open the champagne and settled back to enjoy the first stage of Operation Rediscovering Sue!

The next few months were beyond words. The trekking in Northern Thailand, sleeping in bamboo huts in hill villages, zipping around on a motorbike, walking alongside a tiger with a Buddhist monk and a yoga and meditation course were highlights. I unwound, met people from all over the world and rediscovered who I was and what I wanted.

When Brad flew into Bangkok the night before our 17th wedding anniversary, we ran into each others' arms. the weeks that followed, trekking through beautiful landscapes, were just like a second honeymoon. Absence most definitely made our hearts grow fonder.

I'd kept in touch with the boys via Skype along the way but it was nothing like holding them in my arms again for a huge hug when we got back to Perth. Taking a sabbatical from my marriage and from motherhood changed so many things for me. I've found peace and contentment, renewed energy to embrace life, not just tolerate it. I came home, left my job and set up a travel company for women and within a few short months, Adventurous Women has become a booming business. The boys see me as a person, not just as mum any more and I hope this whole journey will provide a strong template for their own future relationships. In a marriage you're two people, not one, but it is easy to stagnate because of the demands of life and lose the essence of who you are - however much you love your family.

The past year has taught me it's possible to do whatever you want if you want it badly enough - and feeding your soul is just as important as feeding your family.

Story told by Sue Hile to Ruth Devine, Editor at Grazia Magazine on January 12, 2009

Aviation Pioneer Nancy Bird Dies

Famed Australian aviation pioneer Nancy Bird Walton has died aged 93, just months after fulfilling her dream to see the launch of the Qantas super jumbo named in her honour.

The National Living Treasure, as named by the National Trust of Australia in 1997, died from natural causes at her Mosman home on Sydney's north shore about 2pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.

Taught to fly by Charles Kingsford-Smith at age 17, Ms Walton became Australia's first commercially licensed female pilot two years later.

One of the first people to enrol in Kingsford Smith's Mascot flying school, the 150cm-tall Ms Walton needed to sit on two cushions to be able to reach the pedals and see out of the cockpit.

But despite her lack of height and disapproval from her tutor, the NSW-born woman went on to become one the country's most inspirational aviators.

"Smithy didn't quite approve of women flying," Ms Walton once said.

With support from her family, Ms Walton purchased her own Gypsy Moth aircraft and flew around NSW, promoting aviation and taking passengers into the skies. READ MORE