“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ” – Mark Twain
The impetus to start this blog came from the demise of a travel website on which I have been writing reviews for a few years. Much of what I wrote on that site will be converted into blog style and included here, as well as new content.
In addition to the obvious travel focus of this blog you will detect that I have a strong interest in history, trivia and the totally inconsequential and that I like to combine this into entries where appropriate.
Off course you can read entries in any order you like, if at all. That said, I have linked entries for each location/category into a loop in the order I think they are best read. For more details on these loops and to start reading one click HERE or on the ‘Travel Loops’ tab above.
I like the information I publish to be accurate so if you find any factual errors please let me know and I will adjust as appropriate. All thoughts, opinions and views expressed in this blog are my own.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Rambling as:
– (of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential
– (of a person) travelling from place to place; wandering
I will leave it for the reader to determine which I had in mind when I chose the title of this blog !
Hopefully you will find my entries informative and good reading. I look forward to your feedback.
About Me (the non-rambling version)
Male
Born in Northern Ireland in the 1960s
Migrated to Papua New Guinea in the late 1980s
Moved to Australia in the early 1990s where, with the exception of 3 years when I lived in Fiji, I have lived and worked since.
Prone to rambling!
About Me (the rambling version)
See my About Me page.
The Rambling Wombat 
Hi Rambler, I love your train picture. I am linking this post to an interview I am doing of Sarah (Toonsarah.) She wanted to give you a shout-out. 🙂
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Thank you Marsha. What are you interviewing Sarah for? Is is something that you will be publishing … if so do send me a link.
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I have a series on writing and photo challenges. I also interview people who participate in them regularly. Here is a link to the post. https://tchistorygal.net/2021/04/23/why-world-travel-blogger-sarah-wilkie-loves-photo-challenges/
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Thank you Marsha…. great interview and Sarah is such a great subject.
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I agree! Thanks! Nice to meet you! 🙂
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These trains are a few of many on display in a wonderful museum at Port Adelaide, a small town (really suburb) of Adelaide in South Australia. These trains plied the trans-Australia Route from Sydney to Perth. https://ramblingwombat.wordpress.com/2017/12/24/national-railway-museum-train-leaving-all-aboard/
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Hello from Germany!
Your list of countries you visited is very impressive! I like you writings and deep. observations. I am happy, that I discovered your blog. Gives me many good reads in the future!
Best regards!
Ulrike
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Ah, So great to see you here. I think I have written very little since we became friends on FB .. I normally mention there when I have a new post for those not ‘following’ the blog. I have about 1400 entries here so that will keep you busy lol – of course they may not all interest you but I hope you enjoy anything you read and I love to get feedback so please feel free to let me know what you think, if you have time. I am trying to get back in frame of mind to research and write again but finding it hard. Hopefully soon 🙂
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Your blog looks and sounds very interesting – I’m just starting to read your posts! Am glad to have met in the blogosphere and thanks for visiting and following my blog too. I’ve just signed up to follow yours as well, best wishes, Rosemary (Le Chic En Rose)
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Thank you Rosemary – I hope you enjoy. A lot of the 2017 stuff was originally written on a now defunct travel site where I was limited in photos etc I could use. I am looking forward to delving into your site as well .. initial impressions are very positive. Albert
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Thanks Albert 🙂
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It’s so nice to meet another person with wanderlust, Albert. I’m Cathy, by the way! 🙂
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Thank you for looking in Cathy. I have suffered from wanderlust for a long time now .. it seems to be incurable .. not that I have really tried very hard to alleviate the affliction! I trust you enjoy some of my ramblings over time 🙂
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I certainly understand the incurable aspect of wanderlust. Some people think I’m a travel addict, which may be so! Happy travels, Albert, and nice to meet you. 🙂
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I am happy I found you . I was a member of VT from the beginning and unfortunately lost most of my information I posted. Like many Others travel is my passion . Love your posts.
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Glad you did too…. you site looks good will have a deeper look soon.
Thank you for the compliment.
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Stumbled on your blog when researching Flam for my next trip and I love love love it. So much great information/observations. Can’t wait to read about Norway and Latvia. Thanks so much
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Thank you so much Lou. Enjoy your trip to Flam. Any other questions just ask and I will do my best to answer.
In terms of Latvia (or more specifically Riga) you might want to start here – https://ramblingwombat.wordpress.com/2017/04/08/riga-a-turbulent-past-left-behind/
Norway – writing about that is way down my list, sadly I can’t write about everywhere I visit. I have just returned from my second trip to North Korea (DPRK) and will be writing about that next – my entries on my first trip (2014) were well received.
Once again thank you for your lovely and welcome feedback.
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Hello, thanks for following my blog, great to hear that you enjoyed reading about Darwin. We have friends up that way and love visiting it when we can. The Northern Territory is certainly a unique place. I look forward to discovering your blogs too.
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I see that you’re bombing along now. It’s good to see that you’ve got a new home for all those super tips you gave to VT. At least you’re in control of what happens to them now. Well done
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Thanks Malcolm but sadly no site it immune to disappearing. Thankfully in VT I had full copies of everything pretty much from day one so lost nothing. That said it is very laborious reformatting everything, especially the photos, for here.
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Love the steam trains! My father has a thing for trains. I think it might run in the family…. 🙂
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Certainly my preferred way to travel, though i say that sitting waiting fror a delayed flight lol.
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Sounds like an interesting life. I started reading the long version but am sometimes found wanting for staying power. 🙂 🙂
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🙂
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Thanks for letting me know about your blog, Albert. I see what you mean as we certainly visit the same/similar places, but our emphasis is different. I enjoyed your visit to North Korea. How was it that you came to go there?
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Yes, good that we can each have a different emphasis and still both enjoy where we visit. I have had an interest in N Korea for many years and decided it was time to go and have a look. An amazing experience which I highly recommend though perhaps not right now. I plan to return at some point. I am glad you enjoyed reading about it.
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I prefer this new theme Albert. Much better on the eye I reckon
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Thanks Malcolm, I think so too. So many options available….
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Your pages are really coming along now Albert. It looks as though you’re enjoying the experience. Great stuff!
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Thank you Malc. Yes I am but getting the urge to write something new soon… so much I can write !
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Good luck with this exciting new venture! Adam (in London, UK)
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Adam, Great to see you here and thank you for the good wishes.
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Great blog Albert
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Thank you Richard… lots more coming. Hope you enjoy it.
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Albert, I’m glad to see you have started transplanting your great North Korean posts. I enjoy reading them again.
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Great start with outstanding photos here.
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Thank you Holger… lots to come 🙂
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Looking forward to reading these rambles Albert. I’ve no doubt they’ll be as interesting as ever
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