The Magic of Skye Part Two The Isle of Skye on Scotland’s west coast offers a delectable assortment for the outdoor enthusiast. I recommend deviating from the popular routes and uncovering a few of Skye's lesser-known gems in the more remote regions. Thanks to isolation and no travel during the Coronavirus pandemic, I've finally found the time … [Read more...]
Sharing a few tales
Keeping me busy With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing us to stay at home, slow down and live differently to what we’re used to, it's apparent we're turning to activities that we never seemed to have found time for in our pre-coronavirus ‘busy’ lives. I’m now ‘finding’ myself sitting down to actually read a book from the stockpile on my bedside … [Read more...]
The Granite Belt Region: Where optimism and the scent of rain is in the air
“I haven’t had to mow the lawn in two years,” says Warren Thomas. Now if you’re a lawn lover, not having any grass to mow for that long could be depressing. But not for Warren, husband to the owner of local Ballandean business Washpool Skin Wellness Rather than dwelling on not having to drag the mower from the shed in over 24 months, Warren, a … [Read more...]
Top End magic
As the capital of the Northern Territory, Darwin is renowned for fun and adventure, but an interesting mixture of history and the slightly obscure is found in the Top End - when you know where to look. Darwin’s unique charm and character is a by-product not only of its geographical location - history and a couple of natural events played a role. … [Read more...]
Darwin lights up for tropical summer
Darwin is in perpetual summer mode. It's a place where winter attire is a rare requirement. But a noticeable change occurs when November 1 rolls around and the wet season rains appear heralding the start of ‘tropical summer.’ Dramatic thunderstorms bring a welcome respite from the heat and at dusk sunset lovers observe radiant golden colours as the … [Read more...]
The very special Tiwi Islands
Passing the island’s southern coastline from the open deck of our SeaLink ferry, I see nothing beyond the thicket of trees hugging the white sandy shore. Once inside Shoal Bay, the multi-coloured corrugated rooves of houses peek through the trees indicating the first sign of civilisation – Wurrumiyanga - Bathurst’s main settlement. The tropical … [Read more...]
Seattle and its love of literature
Seattle is a city worth visiting for many reasons. Here's my article in this month's edition of Stopover, Icelandair's inflight Magazine about the lesser-known aspect of Seattle - that it's a UNESCO-designated literary city. Icelandair Stopover Destination Seattle … [Read more...]
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
This incredible haven within Lamington National Park is brimming with plenty of bushwalking experiences and gorgeous (sometimes tame) wildlife. Read about my review on what you can do at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat … [Read more...]
Walking below the canopy of ancient giants
Walking through a rainforest reminiscent of the forests that covered the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana A strange noise breaks the gentle silence of the rainforest. Initially, my thoughts were it sounds like the cries of a baby, but then as it repeats, my brain likens it to that of a cat’s meow - but somewhat strangulated. “That’s a green … [Read more...]
Bangkok’s little beauties
In a city of almost ten million where the streets hum with a constant flow of people moving to and from their destination, imagine finding a little slice of serenity in the centre of it all. Would you think it possible? Recently I travelled to Bangkok with a group of writers and bloggers from Brisbane. We flew with Air Asia - the low-cost … [Read more...]