I have climbed the Eiffel Tower
To absorb the views of Paris.
Perched high amongst the canopy
Of a warm temperate Borneo rainforest.
I have trekked over rocky ground
Beside thundering waterfalls of Yosemite National Park.
Traversed the sacred landscape
Of Uluru-Kata Tjuta in the heart of the Red Centre.
I have encountered the movement and behaviour of
South Africa’s iconic safari species.
Witnessed pristine wilderness of misty fjords,
Towering snow peaks and blue carving glaciers.
I have watched the sunrise
From a hot air balloon over Cappadocia.
Helicoptered over the striking landscape
Of the Mitchell Falls etched into layered sandstone.
I have camped under a glittering starscape
At Kalumburu in the Kimberley.
Been privileged to see Aboriginal rock art
Dating back tens of thousands of years.
I have been spellbound
By the grandeur and power of Michelangelo’s David.
Pondered for hours
The fresco ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
I have visited Monet’s house and garden
Vibrant and colourful as his paintings.
Wandered through Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm
Inspiration for her children’s books.
I have been mesmerised
By the Whirling Dervishes in Istanbul.
Captivated with the rhythmic percussive footwork
Of the Spanish Flamenco dancers.
I have observed the tragedy of war.
Shrapnel-strafed buildings in Sarajevo.
Stolen, wasted lives of one and a half million at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Row upon row of white crosses
At one of the D-Day beaches.
Wept at Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Memorial
For the endurance, courage and sacrifice of men and women
In a failed campaign.
Lest We Forget.