Innehållsförteckning för TAK2407 från Take 5

The enormous humpback whale jumped out of the water. . . and onto me! Jason Breen, 55, Newport Beach, NSW. The weather map predicted a strong southerly buster, so I grabbed my phone and messaged the group chat with my friends. Looking good for tomorrow, so heading to Mona Vale mid-morning, I wrote. My friends Dan and Tommy said they’d join me. I’d lived on Sydney’s northern beaches all my life and had been doing water sports since I was six. Having sold my landscaping business, I was now semi-retired with a side hustle selling equipment for foil sports. Foils is a type of windsurfing. You get e-foils that are electric and can go on lakes, or wing or wave foils where you use a board and a wing you…

Latest tips, news and medical advice When it comes to maintaining good health, the importance of vitamins can’t be overstated. While our body produces some vitamins naturally, the majority of them come from the food we eat. That’s why we need to make sure we’re eating a variety of foods and following a balanced diet. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMINS? Vitamins play a pivotal role in our overall health and wellbeing. “They are vital for the proper functioning of our body’s metabolic processes, supporting the immune system, and promoting cell and tissue growth,” explains Australian clinical nutritionist, researcher, food scientist and founder of Renovatio. Dr Vincent Candrawinata. “Without an adequate intake of vitamins, the human body cannot perform its normal biochemical functions effectively.” There are a variety of vitamins,…

From pristine white sand and crystal-clear waters to spa treatments and daily activities, it’s fair to say an island resort provides the ultimate backdrop for a romantic getaway. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve sought out five lovely island accommodation offerings to enjoy with your significant other. INTERCONTINENTAL FIJI, FIJI As you slip into island time here, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is whether to leave your room (and with accommodation options offering beach, lagoon or pool views, we won’t blame you if you don’t!). If you choose to venture out, luxury wellness treatments include a relaxation lounge and complimentary access to the Wai Zone, with hydrotherapy and personalised massages in a beachside cabana. The perfect day doing nothing can be ended by ordering from the…

It was lots of hard yakka, but I did it to inspire others Nikayla Wood, 26, Rerewhakaaitu, NZ. Ilooked at the telly, mesmerised. A person in a wheelchair was gliding through the air with a parachute. I was a bit of a thrillseeker myself, but I wasn’t sure if adventures were ever going to be possible for me. “I would love to do this and more,” I said to my caregiver Deena. “Let’s find out,” she said matter-of-factly. At nine months old, I’d been diagnosed with athetoid cerebral palsy which affects all my fine motor skills, making my movements jerky and hard to control. I could say some words, but I couldn’t speak in clear sentences, eat by myself, or walk. It meant that I relied on a wheelchair, as…

I had my husband’s baby three years after he died Sian Goodsell, 35, Penrith, NSW. What do you think of Matilda for a girl?” I asked my fiancé, Jason, 30. “It’s perfect, we could call her Tilly for short,” he smiled. The sun was setting on a beautiful summer’s day as we drove through Western Australia’s rural back roads. We weren’t even expecting! But Jayce had just proposed at Bunbury beach, halfway through our year-long lap of Australia, and now we had our future to look forward to, including choosing baby names. There was just one thing – Jayce had been feeling unusually tired and suffering with constipation, so six days after the proposal, we went to hospital and he had tests. “You have colorectal cancer,” the doctor told Jayce…

I kissed goodbye to my 20s in a unique way… Alexandra Duffin, 30, Melbourne, Vic. Sitting with my family one evening, the topic of conversation turned to my birthday. “Have you decided how you want to celebrate yet?” my mum asked. Being one of the last of my friends to turn 30, I wanted to do something outside of the box. “I want to do something a bit different,” I told them. It was 2023, and, with my 30th birthday fast approaching, according to society, so was the end of my youth. Though that was a bit extreme, there were some parts of my 20s I was happy to say goodbye to. I’d sadly lost both of my grandparents, who I’d lived with and grown up around, and multiple family…

CRUISE CATASTROPHE It was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime. Couple Kara and Joe Youssef had made the huge decision to embark on a three-year long cruise which would depart from Istanbul, Turkey and spend 1095 days at sea, visiting 382 different ports all over the world. Making this happen hadn’t been an easy feat for the pair. The Life at Sea Cruise, operated by Miray Cruises, wouldn’t come cheap. In order to afford the ticket price of $90,000 for an inside cabin, Kara and Joe withdrew their life savings, sold their two apartments and most of their belongings. But while they were en route to Istanbul to set sail, they got a devastating phone call. It was the cruise company saying that the voyage had been cancelled…

Nervous Nelly I saw my neighbour walking his new dog, Nelly, down the street and asked him how she was settling in with his family. “We love her,” my neighbour said. “But she’s a complete fruit loop. We can mow the lawn, start the boat motor, even use a nail gun, and she doesn’t flinch. But if a fly buzzes past she runs and hides like it’s an air raid!” Matt Singleton, Port Lincoln, SA. Not so smiley Seeing my grandson off on his first day of kindergarten reminded me of my first day 44 years ago. We were told to turn up in our uniforms all neat and tidy ready to have our very first school photos taken. I was so excited, I practised smiling in the mirror for…

There’s no rule book that says you have to stay in the same career for your entire working life. If there’s a job you’ve been wanting to try your hand at, there’s no time like the present! So, what does it take to change careers later in life? We asked the experts… KNOW YOUR SKILLS Roxanne Calder, founder of recruitment agency EST10, explains a selfassessment is a good way to determine your wants, needs, skills, experience and qualifications when choosing a new career. This will also help you decide if you need to upskill. “More importantly, consider your ‘why’,” Roxanne advises. “You might be perfectly skilled for one job but desire the challenge of a new industry, learning a different skill set, or you are seeking a job that is…

When honey starts to crystallise, you can make it liquid again by running the container under hot water. Sally Sharma, Tamworth, NSW. If you grate your onions before adding them to cooking, it will release more flavour than chopping them. Deb Wells, Mooroolbark, Vic. If you need to ripen bananas to make banana bread, bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Alex da Silva, Cranbourne, Vic. When you burn a new candle for the first time, make sure it burns for long enough (about one hour for every inch diameter), or it will only ever burn down in the middle. Marla Popovic, Indooroopilly, Qld. You can easily get the core out of alettuce by banging the core on ahard surface, then it will just lift out. Ingrid Ross,…

My garage guests brought joy during dark times Leisa Embury Collins, 52, Belgrave, Vic. Going into my garage, I found paint cans strewn all across the floor. It looked like someone had chucked them off the shelf. Not again! I thought. There were possums living in the tree outside and they would sneak into the garage through a gap between the roof and the top of the wall. Getting the step ladder, I climbed to the top of the shelves and peeked in. Curled up against the back wall was a brushtail possum. He looked as sad as a wet weekend. My heart melted. It was March 2020, and COVID lockdowns had just hit, so I texted a couple of photos to the family. Get that poor possum a box…