Let's have a Ferris Buellers Day off! A fabulous suggestion and a throwback to the time the Old Duck and I decided to take a day off work and go and get some things done from my list. Must have been 9 years ago or so - we were both still at Mercer and we can proudly say we are possibly the only two people in Melbourne who actually got to ride the Melbourne Star (the Ferris wheel of death, not called that because anyone died, but because the poor thing sits there rusting away - one of the less successful tourist attractions the city has ever produced). 

An unexpected tick. 12 months ago I don't think I'd even heard of Yungblud. And if I had, it certainly didn't register. But all of a sudden, his name just kept popping up in my feed and a slightly weird obsession blossomed. The fact that he was in Australia at the same time I was, and wouldn't you know it, playing in Melbourne, fueled that obsession and all of a sudden I hit pay and voila, I was going along to see Yungblud. I needed to see for myself what all the fuss was about.

All those years in Melbourne and I never got around to visiting this place. So with the temperature climbing up above 40 degrees and a couple of hours spare, off I went. The Immigration Museum is basically a look at our history and culture with stories of many of the people who shape who and what Australia is today. 

The 2026 list is taking shape! Big dreams, questionable judgment, and the optimism of someone who still believes in adventures. Time to say yes to new experiences. Except skydiving. Or bungee jumping. Or anything involving a waiver.  Time to do something wild - like going to bed without checking the weather for tomorrow. Pure chaos. Time to learn a new skill or just learn about something new.

It was while reminiscing and looking back 10 years to when I was turning 50 that the 60 before 60 list was born (again). Hitting these milestone birthdays must stir something within my loins (not much stirring there these days). And before long, the 60 before 60 list started to take shape.

Thanks to the cruise that I did in 2024, this one was relatively easy - although it did take that last push in December 2025 to get the last few over the line. 

Having recently visited Buda Castle, couldn't let this little trip go by without visiting Prague Castle now could we?

I tried absinth long ago but had heard the absinth bars in Prague are worth visiting and absinth is sold everywhere. Absinth, without the 'e' is how it's spelt for absinthes produced in Central and Eastern Europe aka  Bohemian style absinthes. So, when in Czech, we'll spell it the Czech way.

I don't mind a cold beer on a hot day and although I was visiting Prague in December on what was definitely not a hot day, I thought I'd try a Pilsner Urquell at the Original Beer Experience to see what it was all about. Pilsener Urquell, or Plzeňský prazdroj in Czech, is a lager brewed at Asahi Breweries' Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzeň (German name: Pilsen), Czech Republic. It was the world's first pale lager and has therefore been much copied, with the name pils, pilsner or pilsener being used for this type of lager all around the world.

When I thought of "Goulash," I thought of Hungarian Goulash (Gulyas), however, we did find it was very popular in Prague also. Made of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika (lots of paprika) and other spices, it's one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country. Its origins can be traced back as far as the 10th century to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds. Earlier versions of goulash did not include paprika, as it was not introduced to Europe until the 16th century.

No visit to Prague's old town square is complete without including the Astronomical Clock. So much so, that I thought it was deserving of its own "tick". Note to self, it probably isn't, but I was desperate to get to 60 and sex with 5 men, or even 1 for that matter was looking highly unlikely.

Prague at last. Been a long time on the list and it was finally time to visit.  Added bonus, it would be Christmas market time in the famous Old Town Square. Slight hiccup on arrival where our apartment was not located next to the Square and was in fact over the bridge (and up 4 flights of stair that nearly killed us each time we went up).