With much hullabaloo, after two years a cruise ship has returned to Sydney Harbour as the industry gears up to relive its glory days after the Covid shutdown. P&O cruises’ flagship, the Pacific Explorer, was given a mighty maritime welcome. The line says bookings for Australian cruises are approaching the pre-pandemic levels, and they expect a nearly normal season for next summer. Mor... read more>

They rather predictably state every journey begins with the first step but in truth any kind of slightly planned trip starts well before you lace up your boots.  For me it’s always conceived with a map, a trustworthy cartographic companion which contains more useful information than a thousand travel writers’ blogs. In fact, a map I might chance upon, or idly pick up, can often decide whe... read more>

This author travelled at their own expense…it may be the most important words at the end of any travel story which seeks to seduce our wanderlust. Beware the travel pages of many newspapers, magazines, websites which may make the world seem sunnier and more spectacular than it really is. Their tight lens closes in on the delights of food, luxury, exotic experiences and very up-market ... read more>

By nature, I tend to avoid anywhere which attracts over-hyped superlatives such as:  the ‘biggest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere’ even ‘the best Italian in Carlton’ or worst ‘the best-kept secret in Bondi’. But prejudices usually do you a disservice, as I’ve just discovered after hiking a four-day traverse of Fiordland in the South Island of New Zealand often called the ‘finest... read more>

When I departed Perth en route to JFK International Airport in New York, I thought our Australian culture would be somewhat similar to the American’s. I couldn’t have been more wrong. While we speak the same and seem the same at a glance, our two countries couldn’t be more different. Here are a few things I learned travelling through the USA that could help you if you are heading... read more>