As the rain clouds cleared and the sun broke through, I stepped out to begin my day at Hay.  The event was ‘How green is my money?’ a talk and discussion between myself, Alistair Sawday and Elaine Brook.  In connection with the Gaia Partnership, this is a regular session at the Hay Festival and so attracts a good audience.  As we sat in the Green Room waiting to go along, I thought I would be a bit disappointed if there were not at least 20 people.  Andy Friars joined us and told us that 371 were booked in at the last tally, so we had moved to a bigger stage!

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Do you speak Welsh?  The answer for me is yes, I do and just one week ago I took my first Welsh language exam.  The first step towards believing I really could communicate in this beautiful Gallic language.  But the question asked by many people in Wales this week, as there were talks that the Welsh Assembly want to enforce all businesses in Wales to conduct their business bilingually, is Why? or Pam? (more…)

Should women travel alone?

There were many occasions when I was travelling from Wales to Brisbane and back that I faced some dangerous and hazardous situations. Looking back, I sometimes wonder how I survived unscathed (physically at least). Being a woman alone was enough to put the fear into many of my friends and family, on my behalf, that I wouldn’t even make it to France without being mugged, raped or worse. So was I wise to head out into the world unknown, alone, as a ‘vulnerable’ young woman?

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