Uluru: Ceri

In June 2019 I chose to take a break from our Victorian winter and travelled to Uluru for 4 days.

The Jetstar direct flight between Melbourne and Ayers Rock, departing at 0945 and taking just 3 hours a convenient and perfectly acceptable airline choice, especially as the Viva Holidays  economy holiday ‘wholesale package airfare’  included, meals and 20kg check in luggage, providing a seamless start to my winter break.

AAT Kings have an enormous presence in the centre, with all flights into Uluru being met by AAT Kings large comfortable coaches for transfer to the Uluru Resort – a purpose built complex of accommodation, restaurants and shops catering to every visitor to the centre.

The transfer takes approx., 10-15 minutes depending on your accommodation, I chose to stay at Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel and this is the first accommodation complex as you reach the resort.

I primarily chose this property as having just undergone a refurbishment and the complimentary upgrade to an Uluru view room allowing for clear ‘distant’ views lived up to expectations. The room was spacious and the soft refurbishment evident.

The 1st floor accommodation affording the views, is set in several blocks within the resort and can only be accessed via steps therefore not the correct choice for all clients. These rooms also faced the main access road into the resort which was surprisingly busy not only with coaches but the grey nomad camping brigade – June & July being a peak time to visit!

The Emu Walk apartments is a reasonably priced apartment  complex and perfect for families on a budget, located alongside Desert Gardens. Lost Camel again predominantly apartment style another well priced option here. Outback Pioneer is a more budget style of accommodation and located the furthest from the airport – this property does have a lively bar popular with all visitors and backpackers alike.

Sails in the desert has always been considered the most deluxe accommodation option at the resort – the actual guest rooms were not obviously more superior than Voyages (in fact were smaller) but lift access is available here. The public areas have a definite more deluxe feel and the restaurant outlets offering the most superior menu and wine list catering to the most discerning of guests. 

The better restaurants in all the resort hotels  get booked out – it is advisable to pre-book especially for Sails to avoid disappointment.

Sightseeing

To visit Uluru itself a National Park entry permit must be purchased , at a cost of $25.00 for a consecutive 3 days use – this is an easy online procedure https://parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru

I chose an AAT Kings  Uluru Sacred Sites & Sunset Tour for our first night. We were collected from our accommodation at 1445hrs and taken to the Uluru Kata Tjuta visitor centre for an initial introduction to this historical land. Here the Tjukurpa Tunnel takes the visitor back to the beginning of time with historical documentaries and explanation of the Anangu Law. A visit here ensures a full understanding and respect for the area and the importance and significance to its custodians.

There is also a shop selling original Aboriginal Art pieces and wood carvings – well worth a visit. Following this we were taken by coach and the stories of the various faces of Uluru were fully explained.

A short walk to a picturesque waterhole completed the visit, before being taken to a viewing point away from Uluru where we experienced a stunning sunset over the magnificent rock – together with champagne and canapes a highlight end to the informative evening.

The following morning we participated in another AAT Kings  Sunrise at Kata Tjuta Tour – formally known as the '“Olgas.” Collected at 0610hrs we were taken by coach to the foot hills of the expansive rock formation and to a viewing platform at the western dune where a box breakfast was served while watching the sunrise over Kata Tjuta and also Uluru in the distance. Warm clothing essential as a very cold 4C when we started this tour.

Following sunrise we were then taken to the Valley of the Winds walking trail  - a fabulous 3 hour guided walk – stunning clear sunshine this was a highlight of my trip to the centre.

Our free day we elected to return to Uluru, and hired bicycles to cycle around the base of the rock – a flat easy 9.5 kilometres – I especially enjoyed no tour time restraints.

As last year was the final time visitors were being allowed to climb Uluru, it was especially busy with queues of visitors lining up to conquer this. However after visiting the Tjukurpa Tunnel experience we elected not to participate in the climb in respect for Anangu Law, it also looked quite steep and difficult!

Our final tour again operated by AAT Kings was the ‘Night at the Field of Light’ - a spectacular art installation closely located to Uluru which visitors walk through once night falls .

Prior to the walk – sunset is enjoyed with pre-dinner drinks and canapes giving the opportunity to talk to others and compare ‘Red Centre’ holiday experiences. A delicious 3 course gourmet dinner is then served under a star filled sky on shared tables of 10 accompanied by an interesting talk by an astronomer.

Having visited Uluru in a fairly mainstream way with AAT Kings and certainly appreciate  this AAT product is perfect for many clients, I especially liked the option for using a more boutique operation and SEIT Outback Tours answers this. Most tours are operated by Mercedes Benz 4 wheel drive 11 seater vehicles ensuring a  maximum group of 10 passengers in the group. The pros and cons of various options we can definitely discuss with you and arrange something to suit your specific needs.

Uluru complex itself is a credit to the ownership employing predominately first nation personnel throughout. The Kulata Academy Café is highly recommended for light meals and bakery products. The café operated  by students from Ayers Rock Resort's National Indigenous Training Academy, a terrific concept for their step into hospitality.

All in all a terrific highlight of our Uluru visit.

Japan: Monica

Where am I - Japan (on this trip I was privileged enough to visit Tokyo, Kamakura & Kyoto.)

Such an enormously varied and diverse country; you could visit every year and see and experience something entirely new!

Highlight – Hard to choose between Kyoto (city stay) and Kamakura (beach and hiking trails). In Kamakura loved the hike on the Daibutsu Trail through forest (approx. 2 hours) and Komachi Dori street - the street leading from Kamakura Station, 360 metre long stretch of food, souvenirs, designer clothes, galleries and cafes.

Also, just on the outskirts from Kyoto a must is a visit to Arashiyama. First take train on subway to Kyoto Station and then hop onto the JR Line to Arashyama. About 20 min. Visit the bamboo groves and Tenryuji temple (Zen temple with gorgeous gardens and ponds. Really old weeping cherry blossoms which would look amazing during blossom season.) Just as beautiful is autumn to see the Maple trees. Note: Visit here first thing in the morning to avoid crowds.

Recommendation (fav meal / drink) - Important for coffee lovers, the Arashiyama branch of Kyoto’s artisanal % Arabica chain occupies a superb position overlooking the Hozu-gawa River, just upstream from the Togetsu-kyo Bridge. The coffee is some of the best in the city and the location is great. There’s only a tiny outside sitting area, but that hardly matters when you can just carry your cup to the riverside and enjoy it while watching the boats float by. In case you’re wondering, the name is pronounced ‘Percent Arabica’. There are two other Arabica branches in Kyoto – % Arabica Higashiyama (pass this one on the Kyoto and Lanterns Tour) and % Arabica Fujii Daimaru.

Another food favourite is the Japanese Pancake referred to as Okonomiyaki. Which we sampled at every opportunity!

Lost in translation moment – Every moment provides an iconic “Lost in Translation” opportunity.

Insider tip – In order to try and spot a Geisha or Maiko (trainee Geisha) in Kyoto head to the Gion Kobu district between 5:30 -6pm where they are jumping into waiting vehicles to be taken to nightly engagements.

If looking for a grocery store or food market just head to a train station where they are located under them.

Fun fact - Size wise, fits into the state of California , bursting at the seams with 130 million people.

Chicago: Michelle

Greeted by friendly staff as we checked in to Air New Zealand's newly refurbished lounge prior to our flight we were treated to a range of delicious food and drinks. Coffee promptly delivered after ordering with the ipad self-service system. Sleek design which is open and spacious yet offering enough privacy to unwind before flight.

This design theme continues as we stepped on board our 777-300 wide body aircraft to Auckland. Operating 3 cabins - business, premium economy and economy. Business class set out with the inverted seat pattern to offer every seat an aisle access and fully lie flat seats. I was struck mostly by how much bigger the seats in premium economy were. Leather seats set out in a spacious 2-3-2 configuration provide much more width (19.3 inch) and pitch (41 inch) than I had envisioned.

Transferring through Auckland Airport to our next flight was a breeze and we were soon stepping on board the new Dreamliner to Chicago, Air NZ’s newest direct route. This flight operates 3 times a week with seats available in business, premium economy and economy. Economy also has the added benefit of Air New Zealand's SkyCouch which is well worth the upgrade, especially if you are travelling with kids!

15 hours later we landed in the Windy City (which isn’t windy at all) of Chicago. Our hotel of choice was The Viceroy, located in the upscale neighbourhood known as the Gold Coast. With its stately homes and high rise apartment buildings it proved as a great base to further explore this enigmatic city. The Viceroy Chicago is housed in a 120 year old, art deco building with a rooftop pool & bar offering city skyline and lake Michigan views. Boutique style accommodation provide spacious, well appointed, retro chic décor giving us everything you would expect from a 5 star accommodation.

After a quick nespresso (offered in room amenity) we were ready to hit the town (surprisingly I know after such a long flight!!) We headed to Chicago’s most famous steak house, Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse, known for their larger than life steaks and old school hospitality (all male waiters.) After dinner we continued on to yet another famous location, this time known for its music - Kingston Mines, the largest and oldest operating Blues club in Chicago.

After a refreshing sleep and hearty breakfast at the Pancake House located steps from the hotel, our first day in Chicago started with enjoying the panoramic views of the city from Sky Deck Chicago. Buzzing up the 103 floors in less than 60 seconds you definitely feel on top of the world. If you’re game you can step out onto the “Ledge”, a glassed in platform hanging out over the city skyline of Chicago. A great way to gain a birds eye view of the city and structure a plan on best how to fit everything in!

A stop at the Chicago Theatre we were guided through a building steeped in history on the daily tour operating at midday from the lobby. Next, time for lunch at Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta on the Chicago Loop for Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza. Invented in Chicago this pizza is more like a pie by Australian standards with toppings piling up inches in the deep pan.

Our afternoon was spent on Segways exploring the city with Absolutely Chicago Segway Tours. As a complete Segway novice it didn’t take long to gain confidence with the instruction and pre tour Segway practice with our friendly guide. We then scooted out to explore Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain before buzzing back though Michigan Avenue famous for its outdoor art installations, statues and monuments on our 2 hour tour.

After a much deserved break from too much fun we ventured back to our hotel to get ready for our visit to yet another icon The Green Mill. Heaving with people even on a Thursday night we found ourselves a booth and a couple of drinks to sit back and enjoy the tunes from the 30’s and 40’s jazz era while watching couples of all capabilities dance the night away in what used to be the club of choice for the infamous Al Capone.

To commence our second day we started with a visit to the historic hotel – Palmer House. Built by Potter Palmer for his wife Bertha back in 1871, only to burn down 13 days later and be rebuilt again as the most luxurious hotel of its time. Operating the first ever elevators not only does the hotel boast it’s proud history of architectural feats but also the long stream of past presidents, performers and authors (Oscar Wilde stayed here). A timeless hotel with the walls adorned with original paintings from Monet (Bertha and he were friends) it definitely has the wow factor to impress as you enter the lobby with the most amazing ceiling fresco. Rooms (all 1641 of them) are well appointed and offer a glimpse into the past while giving the guest all the modern conveniences they are accustomed to.

To continue on with the art them of the day we walked to the nearby Art Institute of Chicago, passing past the Historic Route 66 Sign for a quick phot opportunity. Across the road we entered and were greeted by our guide for our tour of one of the oldest and largest art museums in the USA. Soaking up all the information our guide was divulging upon us we visited the institutes American art wing, modern & contemporary wing & impressionist wing. A full day could easily be spent here and highly recommend the Public Tour. Alternatively you can do a self-guided tour with headsets available to give you the insight into the numerous masterpieces curated by the gallery.

Moving on from the Art Institute we spent the afternoon on our free Chicago Greeter Tour of Millennium Park. By registering at least 10 days prior (they are busy), Greeter visits as they are known are operated by enthusiastic volunteers and totally customisable on what part of Chicago you most want to see. With our Tour of Millennium Park our Greeter first met us in the Chicago Cultural Centre to show us it’s two beautiful stained glass domes before stepping across the road the Millennium Park. The park hosts free music events in the summer of an evening along with open air cinemas. Filled with all sorts of gatherings it is a lively town square with a difference. The most notable of attractions here is the Cloud Gate structure affectionately called “The Bean” by locals. The sculpture reflects the skyline of Chicago in its mirrored appearance while visitors try to get the best selfie picture.

Another night, another show to attend. This city really doesn’t sleep with all the clubs, bars, music venues, theatre performances (Broadway shows have their pre performances here) there is so much to see and do! We went to a late night improv show (starting at 11pm) at the Second City. Having never attended an improv show before I was totally in hysterics during the 60 minutes of witty humour and highly recommend.

Day three was focusing primarily on Chicago’s architecture. A quick trip up to another observation tower, this time 360 Chicago and Tilt. Instead of standing on a glass platform at height over Chicago to get your kicks you can tilt outward from the John Hancock building, 1000ft over Magnificent Mile!

Chicago is a city of firsts and you soon learn how it’s history has shaped how most of our cities operate today. With its uplifting architecture you soon realize why it is regarded as “the most beautiful city in the world” as it is absolutely astounding! To experience the history and appreciate all these man made beauties we set out on the Chicago Foundation’s Architectural River Cruise. Named in the top 10 tours of the USA this was a definite highlight to my time in Chicago. The 75 minute cruise along the Chicago River educates you on the history of Chicago and how it was rebuilt after the Chicago fires. Our expert guide informed us on the varied architectural wonders as we wound our way down the river. Noting that the first high rise was designed by a native Chicagoan after the fires with its steel frame, buildings from here on could only go up as you gaze in wonderment at so many unique and beautiful buildings.

To finish off our day we geared up our tastebuds to discover a local foodie paradise in Chicago’s West Loop on the Chicago Food Planet’s – Gateway to the West Loop Food Tour. With its chequered history this neighbourhood is now well known as the hottest place in cuisine and also the home of Facebook, Google and where Harpo Studios (Opera) used to be based. Offering a great insight into the neighbourhood (used to be a rough meatpacking district) our guide introduced us to some of the best restaurants and food I have experienced. Catering for palates the West Loop is definitely the place to go for foodies. If you don’t do the Food Tour I really recommend venturing here as it houses the best restaurants in Chicago.

Restaurants recommended are;

Bonci Pizza - Rome-based Italian import selling scissor-cut slices featuring distinctive toppings, sold by weight.

161 N Sangamon St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Kuma's Corner - Owners Mike and Rick combined three of their favorite things: burgers, beer and metal. Their ethos is simple: Support Your Community. Eat Beef. Band Your Head.

852 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Nonna's & Formento's - Owner John Ross and Executive Chef Todd Stein bring a sense of warmth, family and unforgettable food that is reminiscent of Sunday family dinners at Ross' grandma's house.

925 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Cemitas Puebla- Family owned restaurant specializing in traditional Poblano foods, using recipes that can be traced back to Tony Anteliz’s family in Puebla, Mexico

817 W Fulton Market

While in town your stay wouldn’t be complete without seeing either a hockey or basketball game. We watched the Chicago Bulls play at the United Centre for a great sporting experience filled with entertainment and what you would expect from a sporting arena.

For our last day in Chicago we were treated to a unique gospel experience at the House of Blues. The Gospel brunch included local talent performing both traditional and contemporary songs. Before and during the show there is the endless buffet of food and complimentary mimosas! Don’t miss the signature chicken and waffles which are more delicious than you would expect. Dance it all off as you wave your napkins in the air throughout the highly energetic and engaging performance.

Overall the time spent in Chicago was a whirlwind and you could easily spend 4-5 days here whether it be connecting through to another destination or as a stay in its own right. The easy accessibility with the direct flight on Air New Zealand will increase numbers to this fabulous city as word gets out on how truly special it is.

Fiji: Ceri

HILTON FIJI BEACH RESORT – Denarau

Large resort spreading along the coastline of Denarau Island – perfect for one or two night pre or post Mamanuca or Yasawa Island visit as closet location to Port Denarau and only 20 mins from the airport.

Caters to families (includes on site kids club catering to children 3- 12 years) , couples and small groups of friends. Plenty of facilities and  a variety of entertainment,  sports and activities offered on a daily basis

Bbq provided and full kitchen – the resort can provide meat packs on request.  

First floor accommodation has the better views, though must be noted that it is all stair access, no lift. Large balcony full sea view with day bed and loungers – suggest requesting rooms 2000 and above – newly refurbished – spacious rooms with bath that can be screened off or left open into the room

Adult only restaurant ‘Koro’ opens out to an to adults only pool. The spa is also located in this complex.

CASTAWAY ISLAND

This resort has not changed significantly in the many years it has been here, which is part of its appeal. Totally Barefoot luxury – VERY high level of service – all staff used our individual names straight after arrival.

The whole ethos is to disconnect from everything electronic and re-connect with your family

The resort Bures, all looking like a traditional Fiji Village, are  all the same size taking a maximum of two adults in a king size bed screened off from two coaches that can accommodate two children. Small bathroom separate shower and toilet – basic décor but adequate. There are hammocks outside each bure which was a nice tropical touch!

Should be noted that as part of their efforts to disconnect, there are no WIFI, phones or TV’s in the Bure’s.

The resort does offer a tranquil adult pool and also a child friendly pool next to the kids club. The Kids Club itself is also unique as modelled on a Fijian village with no technology but lessons in replanting of the coral and environmental sustainability a big focus, open 0900hrs until 2200hrs .

The resort offers 4 restaurant choices with ‘1808’ winning the Egon Ronay award in 2018. Sunset Bar a very pleasant area for the relaxing and olbligatory sundowner, also has a Pizza Oven , if you elect not to move from here. No room service offered though a Pizza Box can be taken back to guests rooms if required.

A courtesy Bure, with a large bathroom located  close to the Kids club is offered to accommodate early arrival and late departure of guests.

Spa Bure offering massage, manicure and pedicure.

North Beach has the softer sand and snorkelling water activities straight off the beach – South Beach has  a small beach with steps into the water for snorkelling.

TROPICA Island Resort

Located on Malolo Island – (adjacent to Six Senses Resort) – Tropica is an adults only resort  with private pool villa accommodation. Fijian conical shell and refreshing iced ginger tea welcome as guests arrive. Together with foot massage for each guest – nice touch.

Should be noted that the beach is not great and reef shoes are essential.

Cute swinging seat on each balcony where couples can watch the sunset with a sundowner. Décor a little basic but perfectly adequate and terrific if the island is not pitching itself too high

Main resort restaurant and pool area at the centre of the resort,  clean white and more modern minimalist in style.

MALOLO Island resort

An ideal affordable family friendly island. Visually on arrival not as attractive as others as the local village is to the right of the arrival pier. Definitely an Island that grows on you I feel as the main building where the restaurant and public areas are located , which is set back from the beach, are housed in an impressive large white colonial looking building.

Bures are large and very well equipped – clean white and mostly beach front – high ceilings with ceiling fans in both the bedroom and living area. The family Bure is a terrific size with two separate bedrooms with king beds and 3 couches that convert to single beds sleeping up to a maximum of 7 guests.

The island offers watersports, a kids club and a weekly Managers cocktail party on a Saturday night where the children are encouraged to preform the traditional Fijian dance taught at the Kids Club.

Beach predominantly coral not soft sand – reef shoes necessary – good snorkelling off the rocks at the left of the resort.

Again WIFI not encouraged and only available near the beach bar. Stepping away from technology the ethos and one of the main focuses for a stay here.

LIKULIKU

Absolutely loved this resort - everything from the welcome on arrival in a little separate bar area attached to the pier to the tastefully decorated restaurant,  where  a wonderful choice of buffet and A La carte breakfast was served. Visually they have achieved perfection with spectacular entry to the resort across a bridge astride the lagoon where they are replanting coral.

Bures are private, with rich timber furnishings, a large king size bed and each comes with a private plunge pool and day bed located just steps from the water. The Overwater Bungalows also spacious with an indoor bath that has clear sea views – snorkelling available from each Bungalow via private steps from the terrace. Each has a glass floor panel for watching the water from the privacy of your room - no Bungalow overlooks any other.

Guests at Likuliku could walk to Malolo resort at low tide – Likuliku does not permit the opposite!

Smaller resort than I had previously thought though very pleasantly surprised. Adult only, high standard, that would suit Honeymooners and couples that appreciate a high level of service.

SIX SENSES FIJI

When it comes to ‘wow’ factor this property has it all – the arrival via the resort private Motor Yacht at a modern private Marina sets the tone for the property.

Located on a sweeping stretch of sandy beach undoubtably the best island beach in Fiji.

The resort is built to replicate a traditional Fijian Village with thatched roofs, though all with solar panels which makes the resort completely sustainable, and follows the sustainable tourism focus that Six Senses pride themselves on worldwide .

Without doubt the most stunning Villa accommodation with contempory Fijian décor. Each Villa is assigned a Butler who explains the touch point electronic control of all elements in the room and bathroom. Large bathroom, gorgeous fixtures and fitting, heated underfloor tiles and Japanese style heated toilet. Outdoor bathroom with large bath and shower – simply stunning.

Central resort area with spacious bar and restaurant overlooking the resort pool and beach – open kitchen with locally grown produce used predominantly in the resort. Kombucha produced at the resort is served at breakfast daily (I liked that!)

Six Senses Spa is outstanding and of a world class standard with an extensive spa menu to choose from. Individual Spa Huts offer single of couple treatment rooms.

I would point out that the Kids Club, outdoor Gym and chicken coop are all located quite a distance from the main resort building and I wonder how many parents would be happy to leave their children here, seemed a strange choice.

The resort shop and fine dining restaurant (closed when we were there) is also quite a distance from the accommodation and again seems a strange choice of location. 

The staff at Six Senses did not seem very cohesive  either – the western management team were terrific but this did not seem to filter to the waiting staff – I felt it all seemed a little too new or something.

There is still also a lot of construction of more residences which is ongoing for a while and can be a little off putting in terms of noise.

Maldives: Hugh

COMO Cocoa Island

We arrived by speedboat (45mins from Male airport) in the dead of night. The temperature was pleasantly muggy but in the dark it was very hard to get a sense of where we were. After a very brief and pleasantly informal check in, bleary eyed we weren’t capable of taking much in! We were escorted from the pier to a long wooden walkway stretching out in to the bay. Arranged along this were a string of overwater bungalows - the only type of accommodation at this uniquely small property - all of varying size and a few shaped like the local Dhoni boat. It took a bit of concentration, whilst gawping at our surrounds, not to fall in to the water! First impressions on entering my room were definitely wow. It was enormous, with a bathroom (indoor and out) on the left and a huge double height living area at the end of the entryway. From here a set of glass doors opened out on an oversized deck, replete with the obligatory sunlounger and steps down in to the water. Upstairs was a mezzanine bedroom with a very welcoming super king size bed as well as another small powder room.

One of the reasons we love Como properties so much is their understated approach to health and wellbeing. Breakfast is a combination of buffet and a la carte, all served in an airy and open pavilion which they also use as the main space for lunch and dinner. No limp and overcooked bain-marie here! The selection of buffet pastries is baked freshly on site, the juices are freshly squeezed and the a la carte options cooked to order are simply divine. The fruits, strangely enough, are imported from Australia. You can check out some of their COMO Shambhala Cuisine recipes here and perhaps try your hand at recreating something at home:

http://www.comoshambhala.com/cuisine/special-recipes

Our first day was a little overcast; December should traditionally be a safe bet for weather (peak season runs from November to April) but these days you never can tell! Fortunately, this didn’t hinder our first activity which was a turtle snorkelling trip by boat. The two girls who led our group were fantastically enthusiastic about island life and their incredible job. After getting familiar with the difference between Green Sea Turtles (larger & rarer in these parts) and Hawksbill Turtles (bearing a very distinctive curved beak) we headed out about 30mins from the resort to a drop off point and promptly dived off in to the deep. Sadly, both turtles are categorised as ‘threatened’, and in the Hawksbills case, critically endangered. So, it was a real privilege to see them gently going about their lives in this pristine environment. You’re not allowed to chase them or hover above if you can help it, but they seemed quite happy to go about their business and didn’t appear in the least bit shy.

We had planned on a sandbank picnic lunch which did sound pretty fabulous but unfortunately this was relocated inside due to the inclement weather. Luckily the weather soon cleared up for us to partake in a hotel inspection; being such a tiny island this was a much less involved task than normal! We were shown around the beautiful spa centre (which features a very impressive hydrotherapy pool – a picture required to do it justice!)

As well as a visit to some of the other room types. From the lead in Dhoni Suite which is a more intimate (and single level) version of the ones that were comfortably ensconced in, the Loft Villas. Through to the two-bedroom Como Villas, one of which you will find located at one end of the boardwalk (for sunrise) and at the other end (for sunset.)

This property has an extraordinarily high repeat client business (while we were there a guest was in residence on their 40-somethingth visit!!) and from touring the island you can see why. There are only 33 overwater suites and villas and a charming, barefoot lux vibe. This is the kind of place where the staff know your name but are never intrusive. And from the first few hours with your toes in the sand you already feel a million miles away from home.

That afternoon we had a gentle hatha yoga session with the sounds of the sea gently lapping somewhere behind the palm trees. Bliss. Followed by their signature ginger tea and a short stroll out along the sandbank to check out the amazing contrasting blues surrounding you on the atoll. Perhaps the best thing that we did though was to snorkel just off the deck of our own room. Around 100ms from the steps was the most incredible drop off point where the atoll meets the sea. Surrounded here by hundreds of infinitely coloured and interesting fish (and the odd shark) it was like bobbing around in a real life aquarium!

In the evening we enjoyed a candlelit seafood feast on the beach.

After breakfast we headed out by boat to a nearby floating platform where we hopped on the efficient Maldivian seaplane service for our 50min flight south to Maalifushi. I didn’t realise there was a time zone difference in the Maldives, so we set off at the same time as our arrival. Maximising our time spent on the beach!

From the air you can clearly get a sense of the remoteness that comes with a stay this far out in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is made up of 26 ring shaped atolls, harbouring more than 1,000 coral islands.

COMO Maalifushi

Maalifushi is currently the only resort located on the unspoilt Thaa Atoll, which is one of the most southerly. Well regarded for its diving and the opportunities to surf (season from April to October) its also just a great place to get away from it all!

First impressions; it’s a very different proposition to Cocoa! For a start it’s very much larger. With an island footprint that eclipses that of its more established northerly neighbour and around double the room capacity. They gift you with a bicycle on arrival that you use to get around (though you also have the use of a buggy which is only ever a summons away if you don’t fancy peddling.) My jaw dropped when I was shown to my room; a Water Villa. It was gigantic with a free-flowing living area, bedroom and bathroom all configured around an inviting sundeck (replete with private pool.) As well as unimaginably inviting views of the azure water and various islands scattered beyond. It really does have to be seen to be believed.

After some time to enjoy our rooms we had a briefing at the dive centre and I almost burst with excitement when I realised that Whale Shark diving is an opportunity here. Which we of course promptly signed up for. Rather unusually they do the dives at night when the sharks are drawn up to the surface by fishing lights in order to feed. It’s by no means a guaranteed sighting, I believe in general it happens once or so a week. But just in case, the dive team set aside your gear and equip you with an old school Nokia phone which you are to keep on you at all times in case of a call out (between 1900hrs and 2300hrs.) Suffice to say the phone never left my side! For lunch we dined at their informal Thila Bar. And in the evening we were hosted for yet another delicious seafood BBQ dinner, in the main restaurant Madi, which was of course perfection.

The following morning the indulgence continued with a sixty-minute COMO Shambhala Massage. I was only sad that I spent most of the time with my face down as the environment of the treatment room was beyond amazing and the water views were somewhat wasted on me! My masseuse was a lovely lady from Indonesia (by way of the COMO Parrot Cay property) with a deft touch that sorted out any remaining stress.

Following this we were led out by boat to a nearby island (which belongs to the resort) where they had set up just for us an elaborate picnic lunch. Picnic being an understatement.

Once we were sufficiently satiated with lunch and massages, we had a resort inspection to check out anything we hadn’t yet experienced. The highlight of which was definitely for us the chance to check out the Como Villa which was an extraordinarily beautiful two-bedroom space of gargantuan (4392sq ft) proportions.

The rest of the day was largely ours at leisure. Then dinner this evening took place at Tai, the specialist Japanese restaurant.

The next morning the sun was shining yet again (after that first day of slightly inclement conditions the weather had been very kind) so we headed out by boat around the island for another turtle dive. The conditions were a little on the choppy side and the snorkel itself was in deeper water but the things we got to see made it so worthwhile; from turtles to sharks, rays, giant clams and even a reclusive moray eel.

In the evening, as the sun was setting, we headed out yet again on the water - this time amongst the luxurious surrounds of the 68ft house yacht “Cameron.” We were out to spot Spinner dolphins but we were completely unprepared for the unbridled glory of seeing hundreds of them surrounding the yacht as we cruised along, waking up from a day of rest and leaping out of the water. Nobody knows for certain why they do it but it makes for a most impressive site!

Broome: Monica

Where are we?  Broome (BRT Office getaway September 2018)

Hotel: Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, 3 night stay.

Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa is the only resort overlooking Broome's iconic Cable Beach. 22Kms of white  sandy  beach. The hotel offers a meet and greet transfer service and on arrival to the hotel (approx. 15 min drive) we were greeted with a glass of bubbles as we checked in. Nice, let the weekend begin!

The resort offers a diverse choice of accommodation from studios, bungalows, villas and suites all located amongst  acres of landscaped gardens. Our twin share rooms were very spacious. The resort caters well to couples /adults ( adults only pool, Chahoya Spa, poolside bar) and also for families with a family Pool, water playground, mini golf and tennis courts. There is an assortment of restaurants with the daily buffet breakfast served from the Sunset bar and Grill overlooking Cable Beach. The views and food were definitely a morning highlight!. Camel Safaris along the beach at the front of the resort was a daily occurrence both for sunrise and sunset. Was good to see that these camels were quite clearly very well looked after.   

To Do: Arriving late Friday afternoon it was nice to relax with a swim at the adult pool, followed by sunset drinks on the beach and finally dinner at the well-known local Matsu’s Brewery and Restaurant. Sitting on the outdoor Verandah sipping a Mango Chili Ginger Beer whilst digging in to an array of super fresh meals rounded off the day perfectly!       

Arrival was perfectly timed for the Saturday morning Courthouse Market to pick up a few souvenirs (Pearl Necklace!) followed by a quick walk around the town of Broome (found the Oldest Outdoor Cinema in Australia)  before the heat of the day started to kick in. Back to the pool to lounge away the afternoon before our specialty dining experience at the hotels fabulous Japanese restaurant, Zensai.      

After a leisurely breakfast Sunday we had a private tour around the area provided by the hotels own staff and vehicle. Visiting Gantheaume Point  (stunning red rock cliff face at the southern end of Cable Beach), Town Beach and The Japanese Cemetery . It was a really good way to see the area in the time frame we had.

Back to the Pool and beach of course to escape the heat (36) and enjoy some relaxation and a few cheeky cocktails before we head back tomorrow.

Highlight:  Nightly Sunset Drinks on Cable Beach (BYO to be right on the sand) or could visit the Hotel Sunset Bar and Grill (TIP- get a seat early!).

Fav Meal: A very special Saturday night degustation dinner at the Zensai Japanese restaurant. Seating only 30 people the food was so fresh and authentic and the service impeccable. My mouth still waters when I think of that Black Sesame ice cream. 

Fun facts: Gantheume Point , approx. 6kms from the resort and can be walked to along the beach has at low tide dinosaur footprints 120 million years old and a natural phenomenon known as  Staircase to the Moon (reflection on the water from the moon resembles a staircase) occurs a couple of times each month. Unfortunately we missed the staircase but it is always good to save something for a return visit.

Next Time: Scenic flight over Horizontal Falls

Thailand: Hugh

COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

I spent my birthday here at the always fab Como Met Bangkok (coincidentally my second visit to the same hotel in the space of a year!) Great location for access by rail to all the city has to offer - yet offering a perfect respite from the hustle and bustle. Decor follows the modern / clean lined approach which reflects the COMO groups approach to everything. The fresh and healthy breakfasts here are a real highlight (as was dinner at Nahm; just recently awarded a Michelin star for the second year running.) And you cannot visit without experiencing the Shambhala Spa, their signature treatment is amazing!!

We then flew south, for a stay at the sister property; COMO Point Yamu, Phuket.

Everything about this resort is just glorious. Easily accessed from the airport (20-30mins), the property sits on a promontory overlooking the Andaman Sea and the dramatic limestones of Phang Nga Bay. We were lucky enough to be ensconced in our own personal Bay Pool Suites; massively oversized accommodation with a personal plunge pool and a divine outlook over the Bay. The gigantic main pool area was the perfect location to take in sunsets. And the dining options - La Sirena and Nahmyaa - offer the finest, most moreish cuisine along the same lines of the Como Met.

We didn’t leave the resort (other than to spend a day on their private Como Beach Club island) but if you are inclined to venture out, Phuket Town is only 40mins away by car and Patong a similar distance.

Our final destination is part of the exclusive ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the World’ group; Pimalai Resort & Spa. Krabi.

A more traditional Thai style property, with the most gracious management and attentive staff. There aren’t many places in the world that can boast such a sublime setting. The hotel and villas are spread out over the tropical hillside offering complete privacy. And being the only property in the region the beach is virtually your own. They offer buggies to get around as it really is a massive (and hilly) complex. Though good to get in a bit of excercise after all the feasting. The spa centre here was magical; immersed in the jungle and offering a heady dose of relaxation even before the massage and treatments had begun. Bliss!

We flew with Thai Airways, the best full-service airline for Thailand.

They offer direct flights of course in and out of Bangkok. And convenient connections through to Phuket and from Krabi. Fortunately we got to experience both economy and business. The food for both was a real highlight as were the friendly, discreet staff. Since we travelled they now operate a brand new Airbus A350 aircraft with a completely new fitout.

Britain: Hugh

This year I was fortunate enough to return "home" - my first visit back during the months of summer since I emigrated to Australia (a long time ago!) 

The emphasis for this trip was predominantly to catch up with friends and family. Though we also squeezed in a two week self-drive exploration of previously unexplored parts of both England & Wales. 

Some of the highlights from our first few days in the South were the fabulous Bombay Sapphire Distillery, just outside the picturesque village of Whitchurch - on the River Test. The self guided tour here is highly recommended (pre-booking essential) and at the end you'll be rewarded with a custom created cocktail! 

And a quick stop at Stonehenge - which is always an otherworldly experience. 

From here we stayed in the Welsh village of Laugharne (home to the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas), the seaside town Tenby (so pretty that I took a couple of hundred photos here alone!!) and of course my home town of Abergavenny. 

Definite highlights in this region were the pilgrimage site of St Davids - home to our patron saint (St David) and a pretty unique Cathedral. As an added bonus, the drive here along the ragged coast was spectacular.

The friendly town of Pembroke, with it's magnificent castle. And the little chapel of Saint Govan's - tucked deep in to the cliff side of a sometimes inaccessible Ministry of Defence piece of land. Well worth the trouble to reach it! 

I achieved a life long dream (nerd alert) of finally visiting Chatsworth House, Derbyshire (home to some pretty amazing characters - and of course some equally amazing gardens.) It didn't disappoint. And neither did the surrounding countryside which was amongst some of the loveliest that we encountered on our whole trip. Luckily our time here coincided with a great exhibition "House Style", featuring five centuries of fashion and adornment at Chatsworth. 

We were staying in nearby Youlegreave. And of course (being a notorious glutton) made time to stop in at Bakewell, just down the road, for some famous Bakewell pudding. 

Continuing our journey north we spent some time in the incomparable Lake District. The walks were incredible - and the pub lunches after a just reward! If you encounter a rainy day here and walking is not such an option I could definitely recommend the charming art deco cinema in Bowness Windermere. It's been in operation for over 90 years!! 

The home (and garden) of Beatrix Potter at Hill Top was a lovely pit stop on the way to Yorkshire. As was Holker Hall - another property belonging to the Devonshire family (of Chatsworth fame.) We stopped there for a lovely lunch in the sunshine, and then an independent ramble around the Hall and gardens. 

Our base in Yorkshire was the village of Grassington. And I wouldn't stay anywhere else. From here you are easily able to access walks in all directions across the Yorkshire Dales. We took a leisurely stroll from here to Burnsall, a quintessential taste of this part of the country. And it's a good position to access the larger town of Skipton (30mins away) for a change of pace if you've had enough of village life. Again, my nerd factor is in evidence - I got to visit the Haworth Parsonage (home to the Bronte sisters.) Google took us on a rather circuitous (but interesting route) through some nail biting back streets (how these are supposed to accommodate more than one car is beyond me!) Especially at 60 miles per hour. The Parsonage was exceptional and would be a must see for fans and non fans alike - if only for the sneak peek in to Victorian life. 

We dropped our car off in Leeds and took the train back in to London. Based in the hip suburb of Stoke Newington (Hackney) offered a different aspect of the city from my previous time here. Loved visiting the local L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele (an offshoot of the Italian pizzeria of "Eat Pray Love" fame) as well as the usual city sights (National Gallery, Hyde Park etc etc) 

Until next time! 

Lord Howe Island

I've had Lord Howe on my wish list to visit for many years, and my recent stay more than lived up to expectations.

UNESCO listed Lord Howe, located in the Pacific 600 kms east of Sydney, represents the most pristine of Australian Island's with just 320 residents who all work together as conservationists to maintain the unique flora and fauna and the most southern of our Coral Reefs unusual to be found in such a temperate climate, which ranges from 22-26 most days during summer.

Just 11kms long and 2kms at the widest point the island only accommodates a maximum of 400 guests at any one time, mostly in 70's motel style self catering accommodation clean and comfortable, but very little choice if something more contemporary is required.

The island board of governors insists that the accommodation is discreetly hidden behind foliage dense and subtropical, the Kentia Palm is prolific and a major export for the island, along with stunning Banyan Trees and fragrant Frangipani it reminded me a lot of Hawaii.

Old  Settlement is the central point of the island with most of the accommodation within easy access of the General Store located here where provisions have been available since 1927 - quite sure nothing has changed here since it opened, an icon.

There is also an island co-op manned by locals from 11am until 5pm daily selling locally produced goods, the icecream is highly recommended .

Generally food provisions are pricey as the majority of goods are brought in by ship fortnightly and variety very limited getting close to the arrival of the ship.

The Anchorage restaurant is open daily for breakfast through to dinner, and also doubles as the island bakery where delicious cakes and breads freshly baked are a highlight and must visit for my daily coffee and muffin - yum!

The only other cafe is located within the museum complex, a must visit for a very comprehensive detailed history of the island .

Dinner on the island is offered by the various accommodation not on a daily basis and I soon worked out Sunday was Hamburgers, Monday Fish and chip night at Milky Way, Tuesday Beachcomber served an a la carte dinner, and this was my favourite a high standard with good choices. Dinner generally is around $28- $38 for a main course

What is unique to Lord Howe is that your accommodation offers transport to the various dinner venues at 630pm, and the venue returns you to your accommodation following dinner. This in reality meant we were always home by 9pm. Lord Howe is not for anyone looking for any kind of nightlife, as no street lights, bars or anything other than the Anchorage Restaurant open past 9pm!!

The island is stunningly beautiful, especially the green and blue waters of the Lagoon, with the backdrop of Mount Gower, dramatic when the weather changed following a 3 month drought. The locals were thrilled but this stopped our ability to participate in several of the scenic walks as the tracks were muddy and slippery.

Transport for tourists is on foot or bicycle- easily hired at a cost of $55.00 for a week and a fun way to get around though our accommodation was at the top of a significant hill - push bike was right!! 

Settlement Beach and Neds beach were fabulous for snorkelling with Turtle viewing at high tide a highlight at Settlement beach.

I participated in a  snorkelling /Turtle / wildlife tour operated by Islander Cruises in a glass bottom boat, good value at $60.00 p person for 3 hours. Peter the owner operator was very informative on every aspect of Lord Howe, fishing, sealife, birdlife and politics and fiercely proud of his island. A nice touch was the serving of tea or coffee with his wife's chocolate cake - appreciated after 30 minutes snorkelling and served in a pleasant picnic spot at North Beach.

I would thoroughly recommend my choice of accommodation at Earls Anchorage; the complex of 6 large 1 and 2 bedroom villas with spacious living area, large well equipped galley kitchen, spacious separate bedroom with king bed and equally spacious bathroom with shower and the added bonus of a washing machine. Pleasant private outdoor deck and bbq ensured everything necessary for a relaxing comfortable holiday. The villa unit was serviced daily with Twinings Tea and plunger coffee replaced as necessary.

A highlight for me was the discovery of Stevens Reserve accessed from our accommodation enabling a pleasant natural bushland walk taking approx 12 minutes to the lagoon and Old Settlement village - once found this was a daily highlight for me.

Another bonus of staying at Earls Anchorage is the ability to charge back from the Anchorage restaurant.

During my stay I also visited Capella Boutique Hotel, located in a cleared farm area of the island, adjoining  the island 9 hole golf course. The views from the restaurant and small infinity pool towards Mount Gower are stunning. Mark, the very laid back manager of the Hotel showed me through the public areas which has a fabulous bare foot luxury feel to it and comes highly recommended.

The location near the airport and approx. 15 minute bike ride from old settlement village easy access by the push bikes provided by the hotel for active clients.

Capella does not open its restaurant to anyone other than guests. 

Arajillo is the other luxury Hotel on the island, and arguably in a better location at Settlement Beach, walking distance to the village. The accommodation is very well appointed however I was surprised at the block of accommodation which detracted from the overall luxury feel of the property. Hidden amongst the dense vegetation too, therefore no views. 

Arajillo boasts a fine dining restaurant with a 4 course dinner at $95.00 per person. They will take a waitlist for dinner reservations confirmed only if their residents chose not to eat in; known as the best restaurant on the island yet unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to dine here.

Another unique aspect of Lord Howe is the virtually non existent levels of crime! Not any of the properties have door locks - took a little while for me to become comfortable  with this before  leaving valuables in our villa. There is a police station and the major felony is fining those tourists who don't wear bicycle helmets!

Lord Howe is a perfect destination for more active clients who can appreciate the many walking opportunities. Comprehensive maps are available with all walks graded from 1-5 Mount Gower being 5 and only available as an escorted guided walk with an official guide. Families with young children can also enjoy the laid back holiday experience with safe calm waters and little or no WIFI allowing a complete step away from busy lifestyles.

Many of the guests return year after year. I spoke with an elderly gentleman who was enjoying his 22nd visit!! 

Be prepared for delays in travelling here, as the tiny airstrip and small Qantas prop jet aircraft servicing the island is very much weather determined. Often flights can leave Sydney but unable to land on the island and turn around mid flight with an unplanned overnight in Sydney quite common, and extra nights on the island also quite usual to accommodate this.

Currently Qantas cover the costs for one nights delay, more than this is at clients own expense therefore good travel insurance is a must for this destination.

Routeburn Track: Hugh

32kms doesn't sound like an overly intimidating challenge but the reality of tackling this Great Walk turned out much harder than it had appeared on paper! Though of course it was worth every blister, stumble, scramble and brush with almost catastrophe.  It was harder but also incomparably more enjoyable than anything we had anticipated.

It started off with a scenic (everything in NZ, particularly the Fjordland region, is scenic) transfer overland from Queenstown, via Paradise (an actual place!!) to the Routeburn Shelter.

Day 1 from the Shelter to the Routeburn Falls Hut - was relatively easygoing. You begin a steady climb through a wooded valley, before descending to the valley floor and a vast expanse of grassland. From here it was an uphill climb over rocky terrain to the Hut. They have a lodge up here for the more discerning traveller. We were 'roughing' it in the Hut bunkhouse. Which was clean, comfortable (byo sleeping bags but mattresses are provided) and fully equipped (large communal kitchen area and spotless facilities.) Bookings are required in the summer months, and each evening a ranger addresses that days walkers with an update on weather etc. This took place around 8pm, and pretty soon after we were in bed. Exhausted and gearing up for an early start (to beat the forecast storm.) Note; though our dehydrated meals were light and easy to pack we did look with envy on those (no doubt wiser and more experienced) who had thought to bring along cheese, nibbles and drinks!

Day 2 from the Routeburn Falls Hut to Lake Mackenzie - this is where we had our brush with 'catastrophe' (only a slight exaggeration I promise!) The storm was forecast to hit around midday so we were up and out before anyone else has stirred to try and beat it to the pass. The first couple of hours we were treated to some exceptional scenery. So different from the day before, the grassland and forests gave way to a truly wild environment as you navigate the route through the top of the mountains. Unfortunately the storm decided to join us, just as we were making our way along the most precarious bit of narrow mountainside. We took shelter in an abandoned hut (after getting a thorough drenching - we were woefully poorly outfitted for the occasion!!) Fortunately as wild and as quickly as the thunder and lighting had arrived did it also leave. In a break in the weather we had the chance to crawl up to Conical "Hill" (don't let the name fool you!!) This was quite a tricky side-trip. But so worth it for the jaw-dropping view above the clouds.

We then scurried down the side of the mountain and took more shelter, as the storm made a return appearance, in the ancient wooded and otherworldly moss covered terrain that sits above the lake - our destination. It's very hard to explain without using the word magical just what this part of the walk was like. We tried to take photos of the hanging moss and lush green trees but gave up after a while as nothing could do it justice. When we eventually stumbled out of here we went straight to bed (to warm up and dry off.) After a few hours sleep, we dragged our exhausted selves outside to be greeted by sunshine and the stunning lake aspect (hidden to us on arrival.) There were about 20-30 other walkers who had joined us by this stage. All with clothes strewn over grass and bush to try and dry them off. We all gathered around the lake to bask in the afternoon sun and later in the dining hall for another early dinner.

Day 3 from Lake Mackenzie to the Divide - bliss. This day was almost all on relatively level ground which was a welcome relief after the previous two days. It was another full day of walking, though yet more diverse landscapes unlike any we had yet encountered. By late afternoon we popped out in to the Divide where we were met by our friendly driver for the long journey back to Queenstown. Where we were booked in to a nice hotel for the evening - a well deserved and still happily reminisced about treat after a solid few days of "tramping" across the New Zealand wilderness. 

Cocos Keeling Islands: Sian

I think that this beautiful island paradise is quite possibly Australia's best kept travel secret. There are no locks on the houses, and  car keys are left in the ignition... It's the kind of place where you can go to completely escape the hustle and bustle of regular city life. 

West Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

With only 150 residents on West Island, it is a very small and extremely friendly Island. Everyone will come up and say hello, and before you know it you feel like you're part of their community. The locals couldn't be more accommodating, and they definitely run on 'island time'. There's only 1 supermarket, 1 pub; the Cocos Club, 1 café called Maxi's which thankfully has great coffee but closes at 1pm (what was I saying about island time?), and 1 restaurant, so you're not going to find any cosmopolitan or trendy dining options... but I think that is all part of its charm. With plenty of houses to rent you can easily self-cater for most of your stay if you prefer. It's the perfect beach escape if you want something a little bit different.

View of our transport from Prison Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

The temperature is set to a perfect 27 - 30 degrees all year round, and there's no rainy season, so any time of the year is a good time to visit. Cocos has a windy season from July to September making it extremely popular with kite surfers and wind surfers for the reliable weather conditions at this time. There's also fabulous diving and snorkelling opportunities on the many reefs throughout the year. And if you want the crystal clear glass-like water then December and January is the best time to go.

Turquoise water near Direction Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

Direction Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

The highlight for me was visiting Direction Island or D.I as it's affectionately called by the locals. This is where the water is the brightest turquoise I've ever seen. We travelled over to the island with Geoff on his glass bottom boat, seeing turtles and reef sharks en-route. There's nothing better than dropping the anchor and jumping off the side of the boat to go snorkelling in this environment. A real highlight! You can explore many beaches on the various island's and barely see anyone else, giving you that wonderful feeling of complete isolation - like you're special to be the only ones there.

We also did a fab motorised Canoe tour with Kylie and Ash from Cocos Island's Adventure Tours. The early 6am start was instantly softened by a lovely champagne breakfast. The tour took us to the Southern Islands which felt like a scene out of Survivor. More swimming, snorkelling and canoeing resulted in a great morning and one I would highly recommend.  

South Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

The Old Jetty, West Island. Photo: Sian Pritchard

Cocos Keeling Islands have an interesting history. From first settlement in 1826, through decades of rule by the Clunies-Ross dynasty, most island inhabitants had little contact with the outside world. The people of the Cocos Keeling Islands voted to become part of Australia in 1984.

We bumped into Johnny Clunies-Ross at the Cocos Club who is the 6th generation of his family and now the only family member to still live in Cocos. He was incredibly funny, sharp and a real joy to have a chat with. His love of the island was really evident which he put down to the tight knit community that live there; people are constantly lending each other a hand which is really humbling. Old fashioned community values! The Clunies-Ross family homestead located on Home Island has been purchased by a lovely Perth couple who are restoring the house and now provide accommodation on-site. I would love to stay there to chat to Avril for hours... such an amazing woman with many wonderful stories to tell, not to mention the atmospheric historical surrounds.

Getting there:

Virgin Australia fly twice weekly (Saturday & Tuesday) from Perth, with the flight also continuing to Christmas Island (a stay on Christmas Island is also recommended). Due to the flight times, overnight is required in Perth in both directions when travelling from Melbourne.

Where we stayed:

Cocos Homestead; a lovely 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house that caters to a maximum of 6 guests. Perfect for families or groups of friend's.

Sunset at Trannies Beach. Photo: Sian Pritchard

Marlborough, NZ: Ceri

I travelled Qantas economy from Melbourne and Wellington and was as always very impressed with the Qantas service and their pleasant, friendly crew.

Great selection of inflight entertainment and a lovely full lunch served with three options. Very unusual in economy! Business class old style of seat and only first few rows of cabin so arguably not worth the additional cost on this short 3 hour flight.

The sector between Wellington and Blenheim was operated by Air New Zealand on a 20 seater prop jet - not for the faint hearted but amazing views of the stunning Marlborough Sounds on this 35 minute flight. A comfortable quick option between North and South Island. 

Blenheim is a quiet town whose claim to fame is its location in the heart of the Marlborough wine region. Several motels on the fringe of the city square.

Our hotel - the D’Urville, named after the French explorer who came here after Captain Cook. Terrific central location housed in the original Bank Trust Building (atmospheric.) With just 11 bedrooms hidden behind enormous original bank vault steel doors which have been refurbished with antique beds, furnishings and a smattering of quaint artwork complete the look. No lift but luggage readily taken to the room by pleasant helpful front office staff.

Minimal public areas but pleasant indoor / outdoor bar restaurant area and fine dining restaurant. Excellent menu delicious food and wines. We did find the restaurant service a little slow though. Complimentary port a nice touch for a nightcap!

Breakfast was of the continental variety; buffet of fresh fruit, cereals, cheese, cold meats, juice and toast. Adequate and good value at $15 per person.

Marlborough Food and Wine festival held at the extensive grounds of Bancroft winery and this event now in its 30th year of operation.

8000 people through the gates and the whole event ran so smoothly. Wonderful wines showcased by the best of the regions Winery's average pricing $3.00 per tasting and $5.00 per glass. Premier Winery's ie cloudy Bay charging more.

Cooking demonstrations from world famous chefs throughout the day and marvellous displays of the fresh local produce and cuisine typical of the area. Highly recommend this day showcasing the best of the region in a fun safe and orderly manner. I especially liked the people walking around with tanks of water on their backs filling up empty glasses to keep the crowd hydrated!! Good touch

Full day winery tour operated by Na Clachan Wine Tours. Chris our driver guide provided a terrific full day tour where we visited 8 of the mostly lesser known Marlborough Wineries, with a highlight being Rockferry an organic wine producer where grapes are handpicked. Unusual in this area where machine harvesting is the norm for the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety.

The wines were superior to many and the restaurant offered a varied menu with high quality well priced choices. Another highlight was Framingham; delicious wines and this winery offers a free forwarding to Australia service for a purchase of 12-15 bottles. The wine forwarding is offered generally at a cost of NZD80. With the purchase of 15 bottles of your choice from any of the wineries here. Our included lunch was at Alan Scott winery, my least favourite wine tasting but a great restaurant in a pleasant indoor/ outdoor restaurant setting. Our tour companions numbered 6 in the morning increasing to 10 for the afternoon tastings filling the 10 seater mini bus. Like minded group enjoying the tastings and discussions on the various wines. Highly recommended.

Gateway to the stunning Marlborough Sound area and point of entry for anyone taking the regular ferry from Wellington on the North Island. Relaxed holiday feel here with plenty of good eating outlets and typical motel style of accommodation.

The ferry is used by Hikers keen to walk the Queen Charlotte Track and enables portions of the track to be covered in just one day for anyone not wishing to walk the complete 4 day Trek.

Bay of many Coves was the resort I visited, located approx. 40 minutes from Picton Marina, and in my opinion very worthy of its small luxury hotels affiliation. Comfortable one, two or 3 bedroom units immaculately furnished in tones in keeping with the environment and all offering stunning views across the Marlborough Sounds.

The resort does not have a no child policy but my general feeling I would not recommend this to those clients travelling with children as the pier access and no beach would be too limiting. The resort has a small restaurant on the pier for day visitors and a private dining room again with stunning views for hotel guests only. I enjoyed a delicious lunch here with a marvellous wine list and boutique New Zealand beers offered to compliment the menu.

A 3 night stay here would be perfect for the more active client, enabling a combination of day walks on the Queen Charlotte Track and high quality accommodation, and cuisine to relax in at night Complimentary kayaks included too as an alternative active sightseeing option while staying at the resort.

Berlin & Abu Dhabi: Madison

I was fortunate enough to gain a spot on an educational trip to Berlin & Abu Dhabi in December; courtesy of helloworld, Etihad Airways, Air Berlin and Visit Berlin.

When arriving at the Etihad Airways check-in desk at Melbourne airport, I received some exciting news about an upgrade from Economy to Business class whilst travelling to Berlin. Which meant of course that I was able to make use of my waiting time at the Etihad Airways/Air New Zealand Business Class lounge. This was the start of a week full of getting spoilt rotten (and I hadn't even left Melbourne yet!)   

The features of Etihad's Business class on the Boeing 777 is out of this world!  Even with a late evening departure, passengers are able to indulge in a delicious 3 course meal after take-off. You can also enjoy direct aisle access with every seat transforming into a comfortable flat bed for a goodnights' sleep.  Pyjamas were provided for the flight with a duvet, pillow and even an in-seat massage function.

From Abu Dhabi we travelled on-board Air Berlin's A330, where we were once again lucky enough to secure an upgrade to Business. With a total of just 20 seats in the cabin, it had a very intimate feel and came with similar characteristics to Etihad's Business offering.

We were met on arrival at Tegel airport by our chauffeur who whisked us straight on to the Hotel Amano Grand Central.  A newly opened 4 Star property located a short two minute walk from Berlin's main train station - Hauptbahnhof.  The hotel has a very modern, architecturally designed feel and a number of convenient (and delicious) restaurants on offer.

Berlin comes alive at night during the Christmas period - and so we visited many of the Christmas Markets, which feature both gift and food stalls. 

The atmosphere at the markets were very festive, with all Christmas lighting, decorations and carols - it really got you into the spirit of the season! 

On our first full day in the city we visited the Berlin Wall – a devastating reminder that the East and West of Berlin was quite literally divided between 1961 and 1989. Also not to be missed is the interesting Story of Berlin Museum, the Brandenburg Gate - an 18th century triumphal arch in Berlin and one of the best known landmarks in Germany, the Reichstag building, and the East Side Gallery - which was probably one of my favourite spots. This is where artists express their sense of freedom in the form of graffiti on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall.

Transport in Berlin is extremely easy. We travelled extensively around the city using the Berlin Welcome Card – a travel card, but not your average MyKi Card like we use in Melbourne!  It is a pre-paid travel card which you can purchase for nominated days and enables free travel with all public transport services and includes discounts at over 190 speciality restaurants and shops around Berlin – great value and highly recommended!

My highlight of Berlin was the "Gastro Rallye Night Tour" an exquisite food tour of different Berlin culinary hot spots with a course taken at three restaurants.  We walked to each restaurant between courses; which helped somewhat to work off the food and wine consumed! 

Next stop - Abu Dhabi!  The flight back was very crowded and long.  We arrived in Abu Dhabi to extreme heat, the very opposite of Berlin which was very cold!  Abu Dhabi airport is huge and still under construction as they are building another Terminal.  If staying in Abu Dhabi prepare for very long wait times to get through customs!

Finally we got through and we were met for transfer to our gorgeous hotel, the Dusit Thani. A 5 star luxury hotel located in Abu Dhabi's new business district, near the Eastern Mangroves and the Corniche.

The hotel has a very Thai theme to its decor and presents a very fresh and innovative design. My room was spacious and had spectacular views.

When in Abu Dhabi you can’t miss the Sheikh Zayed Mosque - a grand palace of worship. You’ll also most likely visit the Corniche (a pristine waterfront stretch featuring its own beach, many hotels, restaurants and cafes), Yas Island (a man-made island which can be reached by air, sea or road.  It is home to Yas Island Marina GP Circuit, Ferrari World (an amusement park) and Yas Mall (one of the largest shopping malls in the world).
Another attraction that really can't be missed is the Desert Safari Experience (a 4x4 Jeep drive in the desert sand dunes, a camel ride and wearing native costumes) and Sea Wings (a scenic flight over the city of Abu Dhabi).  These 2 were the highlight of my time here!

While at Yas Island we inspected the Crowne Plaza, which is a family friendly 4 star resort located next door to Yas Links Golf Course and features spacious rooms with many interconnecting which are great for families, many restaurants and bars, pools and a great kids club. 

Back to work again; we visited the Etihad Airways Innovation Centre - and WOW was this spectacular!  This state of the art facility is home to a walk-through reconstruction of the new A380 and B787 aircraft cabins, which also includes a real life model of the much talked about 'Residence by Etihad' (a luxury living space in the air with its own living room, ensuite bathroom and separate bedroom.  Passengers are able to also take advantage of being privately served by their own butler and in flight chef), First Apartments and First Suites (a spacious living area with a shared bathroom and 5 star dining in flight chef).  I relished that moment as this was probably the only time I would ever get to experience these facilities!

For our last night in Abu Dhabi we were fortunate enough to inspect and dine at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers which was a lovely and memorable way to end our journey.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent there and although this is seen as a stopover destination, I found that there is so much to see and do, that a quick trip is just simply not enough!

Bangkok & Phuket: Sian

This was actually my first time in Bangkok. I'd previously by-passed the bustling capital to head straight for the southern beaches, so it was great to finally visit. The trip was capped off with a stay at the stunning Banyan Tree Phuket to rekindle my love of Thai Resorts.

I love arriving in a new destination at night when it's dark, because you have the excitement of waking up the following day to see a new place for the very first time. My very early jetlagged wake-up time of 4am therefore didn't bother me, as I pulled back the curtains in my suite to watch an amazing sunrise over the river. A pretty nice intro to this buzzy city. My room was up so high that I could even watch the birds flying past my window.

It was a fairly brief stop in Bangkok but we managed to fit in some sightseeing of the main highlights; the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. The Grand Palace would be one of the most visited sights in Bangkok and the day we were there certainly was no exception, the place was packed!! We managed to meander through the crowds and learn about the history of Thailand whilst appreciating the unique architecture. Next stop was Wat Pho; the oldest temple in Bangkok to see the giant reclining Buddha. We drove through China Town which reminded me of the streets of Hanoi. I'd love to go back and walk around explore the area on foot.

WHERE I STAYED: Banyan Tree Bangkok

A gorgeous 5 star city hotel. I stayed in the Serenity Club Suite room category which have all recently been renovated. The rooms were extremely spacious and contemporary, with a heavenly bath which was the perfect place to relax after a day of sightseeing! The highlight for me was alfresco dining at Vertigo, on the rooftop of Banyan Tree 61 floors above the bustling streets of Bangkok. The view was amazing. You know you're up high when most of the buildings are below you.

WHERE I STAYED: Banyan Tree Phuket

A gorgeous all-villa 5 star resort in the Laguna area of Phuket, far from the hustle and bustle of Patong Beach. This is the resort you want to go to for some luxury, pampering and relaxation. Our 2 bedroom private pool villa could comfortably accommodate a large family or two groups of friend's. The resort provides really cute, vintage bicycles to hotel guests which are used to get around the large resort grounds - the perfect way to arrive at breakfast in the morning, or make your way to the beach. Oh the beach... my favourite place - Banyan Tree guests have access to a pristine stretch of beach which was so peaceful and quiet, it was the perfect place to relax and truly escape. 

We also did an inspection of the more family-friendly sister property Angsana Resort. This resort is fab for families and younger couples with loads of activities available and a very cool beach bar 'Xana' which has a great vibe throughout the day.

WHO I FLEW: Royal Brunei Airlines

We flew on the Dreamliner and I was really impressed with the on-board comfort. Very generous legroom in economy and top service! I also love the window design - there's no shutters, but instead a button to dim the windows to block out light so you can still see out the window, whilst reducing the glare on the screen at the same time. Genious! The one draw-back of no alcohol being served on-board was easily avoided by taking our own supply on-board (and yes we did feel a bit desperate pulling out the bottle of alcohol to pour ourselves haha). You just have to make sure you purchase it duty free AFTER you've gone through the security check-point otherwise it will be taken off you.

Business class was equally impressive with fully lie-flat beds, although the lack of premium alcohol on-board did taint the experience somewhat. Being served a welcome drink of fruit juice didn't quite have the same effect as a nice glass of French Champagne! For value and comfort I'd still give Royal Brunei Business a 10/10.

Princess Cruise Japan: Hugh

As a pair of twenty somethings, we’re probably not the target age range to be considering a cruising holiday. But when given the opportunity we jumped at it. And I’m so very glad we did.

We arrived at the port (Yokohama) by train from Tokyo central just in time to grab a quick bite to eat (sushi, of course) on the waterfront and admire the ship before boarding. It was a hot, humid day and unfortunately we didn’t get much of an opportunity to explore Yokohama (a city of 3.7 million people, once the largest suburb in the world until it was incorporated in to Tokyo) before we had to join the throngs and complete embarkation.

This was done in the recently completed Yokohama port terminal. An impressive architectural building, with vast swaths of grass across its sinewy roofscape. There was a fair amount of waiting around whilst the hundreds of people passed through security and had their passports and paperwork checked. We were able to hand over our luggage at this stage so at least we didn’t have to lug that around as well. Tip – make sure you have all your baggage labels printed off and don’t leave your passports etc in your main bag as you will need all of this to get on the ship!

At the gangplank we had our security photo taken and were handed our access cards (which act as your room key / shipboard account / and allow you to pass on and off the boat when in port with ease.) Then it was on to our room where our bags were waiting and we were greeted by our room steward, the lovely Nazario.

Then it was time to wander and get acquainted. The Sun Princess carries 1,998 passengers and 924 crew – so its size is impressive, yet not overwhelming. Our first stop was the three storey atrium which acts as the heart of the vessel. A sake ceremony was in full swing when we arrived so we had at least three cups from the sake barrel before making our way to the upper deck to wave goodbye to the band playing us out below. Passing beneath Yokohama Bridge was a highlight that evening as we relaxed in the roof top spa.

Over the next 9 days we really came to appreciate the size of the boat as it allowed us to have plenty of time together or apart relaxing with a book in a quiet spot under the sun. We shared our table at dinner with a great mix of people (an American husband and wife, an American father and daughter and an Australian mother and daughter.) It was really lovely to come together at the end of the day over a couple of bottles of wine and some delicious (and never-ending!) food to chat about what we had been up too. But since the size offers you so much space and so many eating / drinking etc options we rarely ran in to anyone during the day, which would be nice if you had had sufficient time with your dining companions the night before :)

We had an interior cabin which was spacious and clean with plenty of room for luggage and clothes to hang in the wardrobe. With a big bathroom and generous shower. I never felt claustrophobic and wasn’t aware of any noise other than the general workings of the ship, which was very unobtrusive. It was actually quite nice on a few occasions to come back to our room for an afternoon nap (the cruising lifestyle clearly suited us!!)

I can definitely see the advantage of a balcony cabin when cruising interesting coastline or of course for the obligatory pre dinner drink. But I would not discount the option of an interior cabin if you want to keep the costs low or you think you might be spending most of your time outside of the cabin anyway.

The itinerary for our Japan cruise was one which Princess are currently trialing. We were able to visit some interesting ports with a focus on Hokkaido and a brief foray in to Russia. We traveled in the height of the Japanese summer so in Tokyo it was stifling and humid. As we moved up the coast the temperature dropped to the mid-twenties (and in Russia the weather became quite overcast and cool.) Hakkodate was the standout port town for me. Though our day in Sapporo was a close runner up. We did a few of the shore tours organised by Princess. On the whole we felt these offered great value for money. And were so efficiently organised that you never had to worry about racing back to the ship or missing any of the key sights in what can be quite a tricky country to navigate by yourself. In Sapporo we took the ship operated transfer in to town which also offered some fantastic commentary from a delightful host as we drove for 30mins in to the city. I think this tour, as an example, cost $20 each. And gave us a really interesting insight to the city that we would not have got if we had taken the train there by ourselves. Not to say you always need to go with the organised agenda. In a lot of cases we just walked off the ship and went for a wander around. There was always an enthusiastic group to welcome us and hand out local maps and tips for what to do. As well as some awesome traditional bands which seemed to be out in full force wherever we went!

In the evenings we usually had the main dining option (where we sat with our new found friends and wait staff who were only too happy to cater for your every whim and hold any bottles of unfinished wine for the next night.) Here you will be fed three or four courses that would suit every taste including some really interesting local dishes. We spent the two formal nights here in the main dining room as well, which was a super fun evening and a lovely excuse to get dressed up (every other night, a relaxed dress code applies but on these two nights people really went all out. Very impressive.)

On the odd night when we felt like dining alone, we could go to the pizza restaurant or the buffet. All free, of course!! After dinner we either hit the rooftop pools / spas. Or took in a show (mostly gaudy Broadway type numbers though one night they had a really good magician which was pretty cool.) Another really nice feature of Princess is their “Movies under the Stars”, where they show current new release films with all the extras (a rug to keep cosy and free flowing popcorn.)

Naturally, they have a fully equipped gym with all the latest equipment. A spa (which sadly, I didn’t get to try out) and many many other activities to keep yourself entertained.

A benefit of a larger cruise ship for any itinerary that spends a couple of days at sea in any given period of time is the endless array of things to do. And it never felt overcrowded. Staff knew our names after the first few days and would greet us with a smile and a cheery hello. Getting on and off the ship was a simple process involving no queues, a flash of your key card and a quick scan of any bags through security. The only instance in fact where we had to wait was the one day we used the tender service to get ashore. This was in Russia and the only reason this was less than straight forward was the Russian authorities taking forever to process all the necessary passports and visas. No real way to get around this I’m sure and not a big inconvenience. We were always kept abreast of what was happening and they were most effusive with their apologies.

When disembarking there are various options to choose from. You can leave you bag for collection the night before. And then when you disembark it will be waiting for you at the pier. We chose to take our bags off with us. This meant we were first to leave, and so long as you can manage your own cases up the gangplank I think this was definitely the way to go. No hustling over bags etc at the busy port terminal. We just stepped right off.

After this trip I can safely say we’re definitely a converted pair of avid cruisers. Would we do it again, we’re already booked for our next one and can’t recommended it enough!! If you’re keen on a completely stress free getaway. Visiting some amazing places. And all the while in incredible comfort, with food and and drinks and things to do everywhere you turn! Then you should definitely give it a whirl.

Abu Dhabi: Ceri

Whilst here I stayed at the Fairmont Hotel; excellent location for a stay in Abu Dhabi, 20 minutes from the airport and the Grand Mosque clearly visible from the hotels private beach.

Huge comfortable rooms, separate glassed door to the bath and shower with deep deep bath!

Wifi is charged at DRM75.00 for 24 hour access, complimentary to Fairmont loyalty club members. 

Spacious contemporary styled foyer, 4 permanent food and beverage outlets and the summer tent still in place on the beach, erected for use during Ramadan and open for dinner only.

Without question the highlight of a visit to Abu Dhabi is the Grand Mosque.

Stunning White Marble structure which stays remarkably cool in the scorching sunshine.

Grand Mosque

To visit the Mosque it is mandatory for woman to have their bodies covered completely with hair also completely contained by a scarf or the black clothing provided by the Mosque to use on entry if western clothes considered unsuitable. Friday is the Holy day and the mosque is closed to visitors. 

The Palace Hotel

Iconic hotel, which I was fortunate enough to be able to visit during my stay.

Huge impressive foyer and public areas - all the gold in the decor is actually gold leaf, and is constantly being refurbished to keep the hotel in its original splendour.

Quirky speciality of afternoon tea here is that the cakes and coffee is sprinkled with 18c gold flakes. 

The hotel is one kilometre between the west and east wing, where the 384 bedrooms are located. The impressive circular balcony accommodation above the public rooms are all suites, reminiscent of a splendid theatre. 

Spacious outdoor pool area, large private beach, private Marina where guests often arrive in their private yachts.

Ireland: Ceri

I started my journey through Ireland as part of a RailTour Ireland small group tour, in Dublin.

I’m on a 4 day Great Southern and Western Coast Tour, this includes 3 nights B&B
accomm in Killarney.

Guides were easily identified at the Dublin station with their bright yellow jackets, and check-in was easy. We were given a travel pack including rail ticket, accommodation voucher, plus a good map of Ireland and escorted through the ticket barrier. Assistance was given with luggage which was loaded into a luggage car.

The company has a reserved air conditioned quiet carriage - comfy seats and a comfortable journey 3 hours 15 minutes. We had 3 guides on board with us; however these were to accompany some passengers on the various day tours Cliffs of Moher passengers disembarked at Limerick.

I was escorted to the restaurant car where a decent choice of breakfast options was offered. These were at a cost of eur12.00 for a full Irish breakfast to approx. eur6.00 for a pot of tea or plunger coffee with toast.

The restaurant cart constantly moved up and down the train offering sandwiches Danish pastries and hot and cold drinks, including beer and wine. Priced at around eur5.00 for a sandwich and eur2.15 for coffee. RailTours Ireland include a eur4.00 credit voucher with the travel documents.

Peter, our guide, a retired gentleman, proved to be terrific with excellent local knowledge and enough history to make it interesting.

After disembarking the train at Cork, the group boarded a large spacious RailTours Ireland coach and travelled firstly to Blarney approx 8 miles away for a 3 hour visit here, to include Blarney Castle and the Blarney Woollen Mills.

I loved Blarney Castle the grounds were beautiful, I took myself off for long walks that easily filled the 3 hour stop here.Yummy lunch at the Blarney woollen mills.

The mandatory for most is of course to kiss the Blarney Stone. This is not for the fainthearted as access via 150 stone winding steps, to the parapet of the castle. Here you will be encouraged to lie on your back and hold handles located in the castle wall behind you. You pull yourself back, head down to meet the famous stone.

Be prepared to queue for an average 20 minutes for this attraction.

Photos are available at the little store for a living memory of the achievement - eur20.00 for two photos, one in preparation and one in action.

Cork is a small and rather hilly city. Easily visited just in a day; good vibe to it but not an especially pretty city.

The Apple European head office is here, a huge complex and one of the major employers in Cork. Also the German industrial Crane firm originally employing the most numbers.

Our guide explained that many companies have an Irish base as company tax is only 12% in Southern Ireland. 

Our next visit was to Cobh (pronounced Cove, and also known for many years as Queenstown) This was around a 30 minute drive from Cork, loved it!! Hilly, quaint port and home to a wonderful Heritage Centre. Heaps of information to be found here on the history of its maritime life, including the coffin ships to Australia and Ellis Island when prisoners were transported. Ships used in the 1950’s whenmigration was huge plus the Titanic and Lusitania disasters all recorded in this amazing museum a must see for anyone visiting Ireland.

We also visited the Cobh grave yard where many of the bodies retrieved from the ship wrecks are buried.

The Cobh Cathedral was a stop too, quite beautiful modelled on Notre Dame but after revisiting Koln cathedral last year, not anything compares really.

The group then travelled by train again from Cobh to Killarney with a change of train at Macroom, our luggage was transported by the coach where on arrival we were once more picked up again at Killarney station and transferred to our various accommodations.

Killarney was buzzing with tourists during my visit. A small town offering heaps of bars and restaurants, and with Irish Music flooding from many, a real Irish experience. The town is really pretty with the River winding through Killarney National Park including Muckross House and grounds a must for a leisure day in Killarney. The nearby Killarney Lakes too can be accessed by Bikes readily available for hire, or the famous Killarney Horse and cart for those less active clients.

A Bed and Breakfast stay was a new travel experience for me, and though perhaps my first impression of having to carry my luggage upstairs, and staying in Carmel’s home was mildly uncomfortable, my 3 night stay here was a really pleasant surprise.

The accommodation and bathroom were spotlessly clean, towels were changed daily and the room serviced daily again a pleasant surprise.

Carmel’s breakfast buffet was better than many hotels I’ve stayed in!!

On the tour guides recommendation I went to the Irish pub Danny Man for live music, but it didn’t start until 9.30 and i had finished eating by 8.30. Wasn’t fun sitting on my own so went and bought an Irish Cream ice cream yum!! And came back for an early night.

Day 2

Ring of Kerry day tour 10am until 1730 hrs Collected at 10 today, by RailTours local operator Davos Tours.

The driver was excellent with a full knowledge of the road making the drive comfortable, but the bus was a smaller 20 seater and fully booked, it felt very cramped after a long day on board. The air conditioning was either too cold or too warm so not too good really.

The tour commenced with collection of the Dublin day trippers at Killarney station at 1015. Our first stop at the Red Fox Inn adjacent to the Kerry Bog Village, this was an extra eur5.00 to visit but a good representation of an early settlement worth the extra cost. The Irish coffee at the Red Fox was a welcome drink at an extra cost too, eur3.00 from memory.

The village of Puck, was next on our drive where they celebrate an annual festival where a goat is strung up 82 feet in the air crowned before being sacrificed - pagan ritual (yuck)

Next stop was a demonstration of a sheep farmer with his 2 border collies herding his sheep, very personable farmer highly educational and entertaining a worthwhile additional eur5.00 for the 30 minute show.

This is only offered in July and August (apparently a visit to a waterfall near Killarney is included at other times, no additional costs.)

Would definitely advise our clients to take a seat on the right hand side of the bus; as the bus travels anti clockwise with the coast on the right.

Following lunch we had a 10 minute photo stop Peter pointing out things of interest, then back on the road for a further long drive via Waterville - Charlie Chaplin monument here, as his summer holiday home located in Waterville.

Continuing along the coast before heading inland with a stop at the very scenic village of Sneem, scenic bridge over the river here, and famous homemade icecream , 15 minute stop here.

Continuing inland the scenery was dramatic with beautiful glacial valleys leading to the Killarney Lake system - spectacular scenery on this part of the trip. Final stop was at Ladies View in Killarney National Park stunning views down to the valley floor and the lake system.

Continued to Killarney to arrive for the 1715hrs train connection back to Dublin for those leaving the tour today. Farewell to Peter our guide at this time.

Dinner for me tonight was in the Stonechat restaurant good ambience and pleasant dinner.

Day 3

Dingle Peninsular 10am until 1730

The tour today is operated solely by RailTours local ground operator Davos Tours.

Tim our driver / guide was brilliant, amusing, knowledgeable and concerned for everyone’s comfort.

The tour today followed the coast and operated in a clockwise direction, clients need the left side of the bus today, and Dingle Peninsula far surpasses Kerry in terms of beaches and coastal vistas.

This area is 100% Irish speaking and summer schools operate during the summer months, highly in demand. Here students must only converse in Irish if they speak English at any time they are off the course, and returned to their home.

The first stop for coffee was at the surf beach of Innis- not exciting in my book as i again realise Australian beaches surpass anything one sees generally overseas. 

The peninsula itself is wild and stormy with several holiday spots along the coast.

Loved the harbour town of Dingle cute pubs, tourist shopping and a strong Tourist feel ( maybe due to the summer holidays here)  I would recommend clients stay here in preference to Tralee.

Recent Dingle distillery producing their own Dingle Gin and Dingle Vodka, and consequently late back to the bus as I went in search of the Gin and found it in the supermarket, where everyone was speaking Irish i felt i was truly O/S Not too much history on this trip today, Tim explained the ancient Lists known as fairy rings originally built to hide in, surrounded by water and were joined underground. They now appear as circular mounds either of trees or just grass and we became quite proficient at recognising these amongst the fields, by the end of the tour.

The driver advised the famous Irishman Tom Crean, who joined Shackleton on his voyage to Antarctica originates from here, and his pub South Pole Inn was pointed out during our drive.

Too early for dinner, I went exploring Killarney, and enjoyed the riverwalk in the national park.

Highlight dinner at Bricin where i experienced Irish boxty - a potato pancake stuffed with meat or vegetable and served with salad.

Especially like this restaurant as recognised i was eating alone and brought me a beautiful local photography book to flip through while i waited.

Day 4

Killarney to Galway via Limmerick, Bunratty Castle, Doolan, Cliffs of Moher, and The Burren.

Early start today. We were collected from our accommodation at 0700 hrs and transferred by 20 seater bus to Limmerick, to meet the Dublin day trippers for the tour.

Drive was around 90 minutes and we arrived in ample time for the 0950 arrival of the train.

We continued now in a RailtTours Ireland yellow full size coach, considerably more comfortable than the Davos vehicles, with Norman our tour guide, equally as experienced as Peter and a valued part of the day’s proceedings.

As we left Limerick we were given a mini city tour, and to learn that this city has the largest unemployment, explained the dour feel of the place. Limerick’s claim to fame is this was the setting for the book Angela’s Ashes as the author came from here.

Bunratty Castle about a 30 minute drive from Limerick was our first stop.

The castle has been refurbished and the main hall is now used for medieval banquets.

Most of the furnishings in the castle are not original these have been brought in mainly from Germany. The last family to reside in the castle, left in the early 18C as too cold damp and draftey they built and lived in Bunratty House located in the grounds and now part of the Folk Park here where many original cottages have been placed to create an authentic early village museum.

We spent a very pleasant 90 minutes here.

The drive across country to the west coast was a pleasant 90 minutes passing through many quaint colourful villages en route to our highlight visit to the Cliffs of Moher.

Our lunch stop was at Doolan which I had great expectations of, but in reality comprises of one street, with a few shops cafes and a pub. A youth hostel and several B&Bs in people’s homes, are the accommodation choices, though thereis a large holiday trailer park adjacent toa disappointing beach.

However it is the starting point for viewing the amazing Cliffs of Moher, the 8km walk of the cliffs can commence here, and a guided walking tour operates at 10am daily during summer.

Our group travelled to the visitors centre located midway between Ennistmoon and Doolan, which is a must to visit after viewing the cliffs with many hands on attractions, and a great alternative for anyone afraid of heights, or has difficulty in walking.

Our arrival was in a fierce storm, but after walking one side of the cliffs in the rain, the sky cleared and we were able to view and photograph the cliffs in clear sunlight from both sides. A must on an itinerary though I can see how often you would not be able to see the cliffs at all.

From here the Arran Isles are clearly visible - accessible by ferry from Doolan or a 7 minute flight (small aircraft) as an alternative.

Following the Cliff visit we continued along the coast passing through the unique Limestone Burren region which stretches for several miles Burren meaning Rocky Place Certainly a unique landscape and as we were fortunate to have a geologist as one of our group, she made the visit incredibly interesting for me.

The drive then continued along the Galway coast - considered beautiful, but again a little disappointing in terms of beaches/ holiday resorts in my book.

Our arrival into Galway was at 1745 and we had until 1900 when we had to be at the station for our train to Dublin.

I walked through the city park, and through to the pedestrian shopping precinct. Very cute feel to Galway and especially lively as the Galway Cup had just finished and busloads of well dressed, well 'oiled!!!! young folk poured into town for the after party - reminded me so much of home around Melbourne Cup, on a smaller scale. 

The return train did not offer a separate luggage car, therefore we had to handle our luggage ourselves and place in the area at the back of the carriage. RailTours had again a reserved car and reserved seating just for our group.

We arrived back into Dublin at 2150hrs where it was pouring with rain.

Westbury Hotel Dublin

Tucked in a quiet street off the Grafton Street shopping precinct brilliant location, 10 minute walk to Trinity College, Saint Stephens Green parklands and shopping centre.

Templebar nightlife to the right of Dora Street also many pubs and restaurants in the streets to the left of Dora near the Westbury Hotel.

Comfortable 'gentleman's   club' feel to the hotel, dark furnishings, black marble bathrooms. Spacious room’s flat screen TV choice of paid selections or regular TV

Free Wifi and a Nespresso machine (which i failed to get working!!!) in every room.

Dublin sightseeing enjoyed via the Hop on Hop off sightseeing bus 48 hour ticket purchased prior to arrival, great value terrific overview of Dublin taking 90 minutes for the complete circle. Narrated commentary by the amusing entertaining bus driver, far better than the headphones offered on many such tours.

Not to be missed the Guinness storehouse, home of the famous Ale Eur18.00 entry, less cost if booked on line, and allows front of line entry.

Jamiesons Whisky distillery, and Trinity College to view the famous Book of Kells, and the original university Library, also a must see.

Brunei: Ceri

I was escorting the Australian Welsh Male Choir group on this occasion. Tom our tour guide was excellent; very knowledgeable in everything about Brunei and answered all questions posed to him thoughtfully and very thoroughly. We all now have a greater understanding of this small country of just 80,000 inhabitants.

The immigration formalities for arrival into Brunei require extensive form filling, and this together with the mandatory arrival visa for Australian passport holders at BND5.00 for a stay of up to 72 hours and BND20.00 for a stay of up to 90 days made the arrival process slow.

The new international airport recently opened is very impressive and reflects this wealthy Royal State. On passing through immigration if passengers are bringing and alcohol into Brunei a further form has to be completed to declare the amount and type of liquor in your possession. No alcohol is served anywhere in Brunei, but visitors are permitted to drink their own supply in the privacy of their hotel room

The accommodation at the Centrepoint Hotel located in Gadong only 15 minutes from the airport, was an excellent choice.

The hotel offers a gym and large pool though no sun loungers around the pool to encourage and endorse the need for modest dressing and behaviour in Brunei.

Only 3 Brunei hotels actually offer a swimming pool.

Centrally located next to a good shopping centre and surrounded by a huge selection of well-priced local restaurants and Western fast food outlets if preferred.

An average local Malaysian meal around Bnd7.00 to Bnd10.00 with fresh fruit juices at Bnd2.00 Bottled water in Brunei a bargain at around bnd1.00

Gadong has an interesting Fresh Fish, meat and fruit and vegetable market.

At night from around 4pm the local hawker market offers freshly cooked local delicacies, delicious satays, noodle and rice dishes, all priced at around $1.00 or $2.00 and frequented by many locals who call past and pick up dinner after work.

This is just a 10 minute walk from the Centrepoint hotel, and for me a terrific introduction to Brunei family life.

Empire Palace Hotel

This is the only 5 * resort style of hotel in Brunei located approx. 40minutes from town. A little isolated but offering numerous pools, restaurants, and an 18 hole golf course; the only hotel to recommend for the discerning traveller.

Large comfortable hotel rooms, with hugely palatial marble bathrooms housed in a series of accommodation blocks, with a shuttle bus operating from the main lobby.

Sightseeing

Our sightseeing included a Brunei city tour which visits to the Royal Regalia museum which highlighted the history and high esteem that is held for the Brunei King by subjects of Brunei

A sightseeing highlight for me was definitely the watervillage. This was a 5 minute transfer by high speed boat from Bander foreshore. Brunei has the largest complex of persons living in these stilted overwater houses than anywhere else in Asia. The village stretches for several kilometres and has schools, restaurants a fire station and an ambulance service. We were fortunate enough to enjoy afternoon tea in a private home and fully appreciate how the homes accommodate the families in this unique housing.

Another highlight was a river cruise where within the mangroves on either side of the river we were able to see several of the proboscis monkey’s native to Borneo and the jungle here in Brunei.

A more adventurous sightseeing option, and recommended for an environmental experience, is overnight in a jungle lodge. We stayed at Freme Lodge which has a basic backpacker feel, helpful staff, clean and excellent food, but shared bathrooms and the majority of the accommodation bunk rooms.

Without question the best of these lodges is Uulu Uulu accessed via longtail speed boat. This is where the National Park registration is necessary before being able to enter the park for the recommended 1000 step uphill walk, leading to the canopy tree walk for amazing views over the Jungle.

We were fortunate enough to see snakes, monkeys and numerous birds during our walk as having stayed overnight, we were first of the groups tackling the 1000 steps before the day tours from Bander arrived. This is quite arduous and I’m not sure that enough emphasis is made on how hard the climb can be in the heat of Brunei.

Another highlight was a river walk for a swim under a small waterfall, a welcome relief after the hot climb. Here flesh eating fish (similar to those found in Thailand that nibble at ones feet advertised as a natural pedicure) are in their natural habitat and nibble at any flesh exposed - certainly a unique experience for me, and created much laughter amongst our small group.

I was very pleasantly surprised by my week in Brunei and a destination that can certainly be recommended for those clients who enjoy experiencing a different culture, where nightlife is not a priority as there really isn't any in this strict Muslim alcohol free destination.