Beyond the Black Stump

The author's unusual experiences in places as different as England and Thailand, Australia and Indonesia, prompted her to share them with those who may be interested in foreign places but who may not have had the opportunity to travel to some of these locations. Linda was brought up in Australia where the expressions, "Beyond the black stump" or "The other side of the black stump" were common. Wikipedia states that, "The Australian expression 'black stump' is the name for an imaginary point beyond which the country is considered remote or uncivilised, an abstract marker of the limits of established settlement." One school of thought regarding the origin of 'black stump' is that blackened tree-stumps were used as markers when giving directions to travellers unfamiliar with the terrain. Whatever the origin, Beyond the Black Stump, when suggested by Linda's husband as the title of this book, seemed the perfect description for this collection of diverse stories.