A year ago today I flew out of Western Australia, destined for Oxford University, with five days in South Africa and five weeks in Kenya on-route. Not quite eighteen at the time, it felt as though my perfectly planned ‘journey’ was finally falling into place. And take me on a journey it did, just not in the way I had intended. The past twelve months have produced some unbelievable highs (in particular the whole Kenyan experience), as well as some devastating and highly unpleasant lows. It therefore seems fitting to pen my very first post today, as it too is the start of another chapter in my life. I certainly did not imagine that I would start my own blog, but one of the main things I have learnt in the past year is that often the unplanned reaps far more joyous results than something set in rigid constraints, with expectations to be met. It also became very clear that in order to really appreciate life and be happy, not just content, one has to pursue their passions and engage with them, not just dream from afar. It is also possible for such passions to change and one must learn to accept that, rather than clinging on to the past. We all know that one clingy person who grates on our nerves. Annoying, right? Remember that person when you have a stranglehold on a dream/person/notion, and you really should just let go. Yes, it hurts. A lot. But that is just one part of the rollercoaster that is life.

So where is all this leading? Heading off to Oxford last year I felt so confident that studying Geography was exactly what I wanted. I felt that it would meet the desire I had to immerse myself in issues around global warming, environmental sustainability and our interactions with one other and with the landscapes around us. After one term, you could say circumstances changed, and I returned ‘home’ to Australia. You see, I still feel very strongly about those topics. That hasn’t gone away. But there was another passion that simply proved to be stronger. Food. We all have to eat it. Many of us enjoy it (and I hope you do!) In my case rather that me consuming it, it began to consume me. It was an itch I couldn’t scratch, always there, constantly niggling away at the back of my mind.

This blog is thus a culmination of my two great loves – food and environmental sustainability/culture/human interactions/the developing world. Ok, perhaps that is more than two, but they appear in my mind as one big pulsing green blob and a choc-chip biscuit.

The result? Taste Without Waste is born.

I am sensing that things may become a little long winded if I continue for much longer. I suffer from serious bouts of word vomit at times, though I promise to rein it in as much as possible!