The great Aussie road trip, perhaps dependant entirely on the patience of your co-passengers, can be a somewhat arduous task. Try as you will, there may not always be magnificent vistas or points of interest around every bend. Not to be overburdened however, I determined that this trip would be a good time to invest in my general knowledge. A sort of self-improvement Friday, if you will. Here's what I have learned:

 The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military honour bestowed upon any member of the armed forces, for significant bravery or valour. These self-sacrificing souls are honoured by having toilet blocks named after them. 

A superior in-flight snack preparation centre can be fashioned from an opened out magazine. Fruit can be cored and cut into appropriately sized pieces for passing from the flight deck to the rear of the cabin. On completion, the station then doubles as knife sheath and waste disposal unit by slamming it shut.

There is much to be learned about the native fauna while gazing out a vehicle window. Some of them get very flat. 

The soap emerging from the dispensers in any roadside stop you care to mention smells dreadful. This is not something about which you can complain because the alternative, no soap in such a facility, does not bear contemplation.

 The in-built cup holder in the car is the perfect size for holding an apple. While it is an exceptional receptacle for maintaining the fruit unbruised, it is exceptionally difficult to remove once ensconced. The only available options for fruit extraction are skewering it with a sharp implement, or leaving it for several days until it's wizened enough to get a grip on. Option one should not be attempted while operating a vehicle.

If you are fortunate enough to be getting away for a winter break I hope you are enjoying it!

 We're taking a break for school holidays, but we'll be back in the kitchen on Monday 13 July. In the meantime, don't get your dinner from a roadside stop, or put your snacks in a cup holder.