Susan Kurosawa & me

Susan Kurosawa spent three decades as an editor of the Australian’s travel section. And now she joins us, in our pages.

All of which has caused me to reflect. . .

The first time I met Susan Kurosawa, I was disconcerted. Ruffled.

Susan is the doyen of travel writing in Australia — which, according to my dictionary, is “the most respected or prominent person in a particular field”. Precisely.

The best known, and best, Australian travel writer, she has spent three decades as an editor of the Australian’s travel section. Australian travellers listened to her. The travel industry listened to her. When Susan wrote, everyone took notice. She was simply Susan Kurosawa.

When I met her, in 2011, she also had the reputation of being slightly disarming. I’d heard she didn’t suffer fools. I’d heard she could see through fakes. I’d heard all sorts of daunting things about this experienced and confident woman.

And then I met her.

Susan Kurosawa is one of the best people I have ever met. Kind, talented, funny, real.

I have come to know that Susan is not scary (perhaps unless she chooses to be).

That first time I met Susan was in Kenya. While I’m more used to travelling alone,

I was invited to Kenya with three other writers.

“Susan Kurosawa is coming,” whispered my invitee.

But in the Maasai Mara, we shared meals and wildlife-viewing vehicles and I thoroughly enjoyed Susan’s company. We got on (as I think she’d agree) and I felt I’d joined an elite club.

On our next trip together, in Sri Lanka, Susan took me shopping.

Or, rather, she allowed me to sit in on her planning session with fellow writer Christine McCabe. The retail day was to be executed with military preciision, and I was allowed to tag along as the bag carrier.

After a night in a bungalow, up in the tea-growing highlands, our bags were put out on the veranda together. Casey, my faithful suitcase, and Susan’s nameless carry-on, in an awkward and slightly guilty silence.

The last time I was with Susan was in Rome. Our final breakfast was on the rooftop of the Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora hotel, overlooking the Vatican City and the city’s stone pines in mellow morning.

We have shared city and savannah, retail and remote — and now we are sharing a page.

I never would have thought it.

about SUSAN

The winner of many local and international journalism awards, including Pacific Asia Travel Association journalist of the year, Susan originally studied clinical psychology and communications.

She has also held roles at the Japan Times, South China Morning Post and the Sydney Morning Herald.

And she is the author of seven books, including a best-selling novel Coronation Talkies set in 1930s India.

Her book Coasting is a classic sea-change story. Susan and husband Graeme Blundell (the Australian actor, director, producer, writer, playwright, lyricist and biographer) bought a 1920s fishing shack at Hardys Bay on the NSW Central Coast and transformed it into Peacock Cottage (named for a resident bird, Alfredo).

In the course of a year, Susan and Graeme went native. Susan became foster mother to the local bird population and threatened to take up painting and pottery. Graeme bought a ute.

And the book, which resulted from this year and is published by Hatchett Australia, features black and white illustrations, snippets of local history, recipes using seafood and produce, and information on local plants and animals.