These are stories of journeys made and people met. They took place in Melanesia, that vast crescent of tropical islands that curves across Australia's north.

The SARS item is a short piece made during the epidemic in Beijing. It is a conversation that took place between the author and a long time friend then living in the cty where she worked as foreigh editor for Beijing Review, a weekly, English language news magazine.

Yvonne has since returned to her home in Launceston, Tasmania, where she lives the same sort of overly busy life she had before leaving for China.