The Australian Travel Blog

Anzac Day elsewhere

Sally — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:58:00 GMT

Well, it could have been worse. An AAA crisis: an Aussie, in Auckland, on Anzac Day. This happened to me once; a few years ago. So, I decided to throw in my lot with the Kiwis and drag myself up in time for the city's dawn commemorations. Boy, oh boy...(read more)

Terribly British it is NOT: the incomparable British Museum

Sally — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:15:00 GMT

Hands up those of you who’ve been to London but have never visited the British Museum…do I see an unseemly number of hands??? Don’t worry: I’ve found just the site for you. Here it is . And next time you’re in the UK, you can set things to rights by following...(read more)

Fabulous Firenze – buy-buy guys!

Sally — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:02:00 GMT

Sorry boys; you’re going to hate this post. Really, you are. It’s Girls Only, till paragraph – well, perhaps paragraph four. And in case you’re tempted, the first few are all about shopping…for clothes and so-called fine toiletries. So, ’bye-’bye guys...(read more)

Top of the pops in Kuala Lumpur

Sally — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:55:00 GMT

Make the most of Malaysia’s capital: get out and see the sights. Shopping can wait; shopping can happen almost anywhere. KL can’t. The attractions below aren’t in any special order, and they’re not the only ones the city has to offer. They’re the ones...(read more)

St Petersburg: garlic in the galleries

Sally — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:27:00 GMT

The most garlic-smelling person I have ever encountered anywhere was a Russian in St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum (pictured). It’s a while ago now, but the whiff of a garlic-eater still transports me instantly to those magnificent rooms. So, you could...(read more)

Talking Tasmania #1: Richmond’s rich, rich heritage

Sally — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:40:00 GMT

I totally love Tassie, and – oh well, if I’m backed into a corner and forced to pick a favourite place, it might have to be Richmond. Might , I say. It’s a ridiculously hard choice to make, because our island state is very beautiful indeed. But I’ll stick...(read more)

Going, going, gone west in Auckland - just for fun!

Sally — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:06:00 GMT

One day, by accident, I found myself going west. I was in Auckland with a rental car on my hands and time to spare. I’d been at the city’s excellent zoo, and I found myself by an on-ramp to a motorway, so up it I went. The motorway (the North-western...(read more)

Tokyo #2: Finding Fuji

Sally — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:01:00 GMT

On a grey day in Tokyo, it’s hard to believe that if the clouds rolled away you would (from some vantage points anyway) be able to see one of mankind’s most celebrated sights. Yes, Fujiy-san is surprisingly close to the city, and if you’re pinched for...(read more)

Tokyo #1: Make a date with culture

Sally — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:02:00 GMT

It would be a shame (some say crime) to visit Japan and not experience one of the country’s innumerable festivals. Tokyo is as good a place as any, and you’ll find something happening there literally every month of the year. So, get out your diaries and...(read more)

The spirit of Australia

Sally — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:38:00 GMT

Hi guys. What can you say at a time like this? Like everyone else in the country, I’m thinking of those terrible happenings in Victoria and Queensland, and remembering happy times in both states. And, like everyone else, I’m wishing there was something...(read more)

The Clare Valley: let's call it a quantum leap

Sally — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:35:00 GMT

Can anyone tell me what a quantum leap actually is? No, I mean, really tell me, not loosely tell me. Please? Because I suspect I'm about to make one: from South-East Asia's Macau and Tokyo to South Australia's ever-lovely, ever-tranquil Clare Valley....(read more)

Move over, Vegas – Macau’s the place

Sally — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:54:00 GMT

More dollars are gambled in Macau these days than in Las Vegas. Did you know that? Nor did I, though it’s been the case for some time. And that’s not all: Macau also looks likely to overtake Hong Kong, as a tourist destination. Now that really is a surprise...(read more)

January 26: get ready for the double-banger!

Sally — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:39:00 GMT

If you’re still recovering from the last one, you’ll be alarmed to hear that another New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, i.e. the Chinese one, on …yes, Australia Day, January 26! It makes the date a doubly good one for a party, but in case you’re already...(read more)

Angkor, 'wat' a sight!

Sally — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:35:00 GMT

It’s amazing to think that not so long ago Cambodia was one of the most war-torn, desperate places on the planet. These days, it’s a fantastic destination, even for the not-so-adventurous. And number one on the Cambodian to-do list is the simply amazing...(read more)

Boiled eggs in Bali

Sally — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 08:00:00 GMT

The Bali beaches are undoubtedly tempting, but have you considered the pleasures of a volcanically boiled egg on a mountaintop? You can add this odd experience to your holiday by taking a trip to Gunung Batur. Still active and offering splendid views...(read more)