I HAVE introduced my dad to something new today. He is no stranger to camping, having slept on the ground from one end of Australia to the other, but tonight is the first time he’s engaged in the very civilised activity of glamping. Instead of pitching our own tent, and then curling up in aContinue reading “Glamping at the Prom …”
Author Archives: Sarah N
And now for Rotto …
I’VE been to Rottnest Island a few times now – we used to hang out there during my uni days when a group would make the journey across Gage Roads to the patch of land sitting just off the West Australian coast – and the pace of those previous visits was always very relaxed. WeContinue reading “And now for Rotto …”
Kiwi pedal power …
GRETCHEN Bunny has a simple rule for people who want to use her bicycles to explore Martinborough, and that’s no Lycra allowed. “Lycra is discouraged, and wedges are firmly encouraged,” Bunny says with a laugh, referring to her footwear as we cycle around her home patch on New Zealand’s North Island. “Riding a bike inContinue reading “Kiwi pedal power …”
Free-o …
WELCOME to Perth, home of the big blue sky. I spent my first full day in Fremantle enjoying the sunshine and warm weather, strolling the streets remembering what I love about this place. Freo was one of Australias first settlements, so the streets stretching back from the busy port are still clogged with colonial-style architectureContinue reading “Free-o …”
In the vines …
→ Peppers Parehua offers wine-loving travellers a play to stay right in the vines … PEPPERS Parehua sits in the heart of a Martinborough vineyard with the cottage-style suites perfectly positioned so guests can explore the delights of the pretty New Zealand settlement – including dozens of wineries, restaurants, and cafes – on foot orContinue reading “In the vines …”
Motoring around London …
TRAFFIC in London often grinds to a standstill and, as a result, the English capital isn’t considered the best city to explore on four wheels – until now that is. A couple of years ago three mates, Mini Cooper enthusiasts, established a boutique tour company that takes visitors around London’s busy streets in little carsContinue reading “Motoring around London …”
Geneva’s festival …
GOOD luck, rather than good management, has put me in Geneva on the weekend of the Swiss city’s biggest celebration. The Escalade is three days of non-stop festivities that commemorate and celebrate the night in 1602 when the residents of Geneva’s walled city repelled an attack by the Duke of Savoy. The Duke wanted toContinue reading “Geneva’s festival …”
Pleasantest sensation …
FREYA Stark, the British explorer who was one of the first women to do this travel-writing thing, once said “to awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world”. There’s a good chance Ms Stark was in some exotic Middle Eastern location when she made the now-famous statementContinue reading “Pleasantest sensation …”
Table with a view …
THIS is the table I occupied at breakfast this morning. I took a magazine to read while I enjoyed my bacon and eggs, but I didn’t even get to the first page as the view was far more interesting than anything inside my glossy travel publication. The sun doesn’t rise here until a little afterContinue reading “Table with a view …”
Mmm, macarons …
I JUST had my first real French macaron, and it was delightful. The outside was defiantly hard and broke with a firm crackle, the interior was a deep shade of rose and enticingly gooey, there was a light gel in the middle that exploded in my mouth with a burst of pink, and the flavourContinue reading “Mmm, macarons …”
Lofty French Alps’s stay …
→ While travellers are welcome at Club Med Valmorel during any season winter really is something special … ANOTHER travel first for me today. A few months ago I was the first passenger to sit in the fifth row of the brand new Qantas 737-800 called Tamworth and now I’m the first guest to occupyContinue reading “Lofty French Alps’s stay …”
So close, but yet …
I WAS 12km from Venice today. It was 12km straight up, so there was no chance I could pop in for a limonata at one of the cafes in St Mark’s Square, with my Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Geneva passing right over the top of the enchanting Italian city. I was flying toContinue reading “So close, but yet …”
Sacred Singapore …
I TURNED my back on the bright lights of the big city today and headed to a quiet spot on Singapore’s northern edge to remember an important episode in Australian history. With a car and a driver at my disposal for a few hours I decided it was a good time to visit the KranjiContinue reading “Sacred Singapore …”
Black and white …
THE black and white house is just as much a Singapore icon as Orchard Road, salt-and-pepper crab, Raffles, Sentosa Island, Changi Airport, Merlion and afternoon thunderstorms. “The black and white houses of Singapore occupy a fascinating position in the architectural record of South East Asia,” Julian Davison wrote in his book Black & White: TheContinue reading “Black and white …”
Glorious Kampong Glam …
TAKING a deep breath of the cool Shangri-La Singapore air, I headed out into the Equatorial heat to explore two more of this island nation’s colourful neighbourhoods this morning. Today I ventured into Little India and Kampong Glam, the two districts that are home to a couple more of the ethnic groups that came toContinue reading “Glorious Kampong Glam …”
What GFC …
WHEN it comes to the financial side of life, things are pretty good in Singapore. While the rest of the world is feeling like it’s just gone 10 rounds with Ali, and only now thinking about stepping back from a state of being alarmed to alert, Singapore in basking in the golden glow that comesContinue reading “What GFC …”
Now that’s luxury …
HOW do you tell the difference between a good luxury hotel and a great luxury hotel? Seems the difference is in the details. I checked into the Valley Wing at Shangri-La Singapore today, the most opulent accommodations in the luxury hotel and the place heads of state choose to stay when they’re visiting the islandContinue reading “Now that’s luxury …”
A rare thing …
I THOUGHT I would post a picture of something you don’t see very often in this part of the world, and that’s a fiery red sunset. Singapore’s position on the Equator means tropical afternoon thunderstorms blow in most days, covering the horizon is a fluffy layer of menacing clouds at the end of the day,Continue reading “A rare thing …”
Chinatown snaps …
Here are a few more photos taken during my afternoon in Chinatown. Visit the Visit Singapore website … posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Singapore fling …
IT’S Singapore in December, which means today was 35 degrees with 100 per cent humidity. The best thing I could have done was find a spot by the pool, park myself on a lounge under the sun, order lots of cold drinks, and submerge myself in the pond every time my core temperature startedContinue reading “Singapore fling …”
Bathroom with a view …
I HAVE a bathroom with a view. I’m staying at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, which sits on the south-western tip of the little island that snuggles against Singapore southern coast, and my room has a glorious view across the beaches and man-made lagoons to the busy shipping lanes that run between Indonesia and Malaysia. MyContinue reading “Bathroom with a view …”
Scotland, for Auld Lang Syne …
I THINK it’s very cool that Scotland’s favourite son is a poet. In a land with thousands of years of history, and a place that’s produced many patriots, warrior royals and folk heroes, the locals decided in 2009 that humble wordsmith Robert Burns was the greatest Scot of all time. Burns, the son of aContinue reading “Scotland, for Auld Lang Syne …”
Dipping a toe in a steaming pool …
YOU will need to adhere to a particular dress code if you want to enjoy the best view in Bath. No, you won’t need a jacket and tie or cocktail dress to get into this venue, with the apparel of a more practical style that requires guests to wear a different kind of suit. ToContinue reading “Dipping a toe in a steaming pool …”
Will and Kate’s UK …
THE English talk about Prince William and Catherine Middleton as if they were the next-door neighbours. While the young couple are known simply as Will and Kate, his grandmother is always referred to as “the Queen” and the Prince of Wales is only Charles when his subjects are being informal. People discuss details of theContinue reading “Will and Kate’s UK …”
One of the best …
→ When it comes to special places to stay in London there’s few better the The Dorchester … THE Dorchester is one of the world’s most famous hotels with this London icon, which opened beside Hyde Park in 1931 and underwent a two year-refurbished that wrapped in 1990, offering a feeling of “timeless glamour” toContinue reading “One of the best …”
Going the distance …
TODAY my journey was better than the destination. I was travelling from Edinburgh to London, with my destination an airport hotel at Heathrow conveniently placed for my early departure tomorrow morning, and it was the train ride south from Scotland that was the highlight. When I woke up in Edinburgh big flakes of snow wereContinue reading “Going the distance …”
Edinburgh …
ON my last day in Scotland, and with no plans to keep, I spent the afternoon wandering around Edinburgh between the rain storms that drifted across the city every hour or so. When the clouds cleared, and the rays of the weak winter sun were able to find the ground, I headed outside to exploreContinue reading “Edinburgh …”
Sunshine to storms …
I WAS fooled by a blue sky today. When I woke there wasn’t a cloud in the expanse of perfect blue that stretched from horizon to horizon so I grabbed my camera, piled on the warm clothes, and headed out to explore Edinburgh. I had a plan to walk from my hotel just below CaltonContinue reading “Sunshine to storms …”
Day tripping …
I DID a circuit from Edinburgh today that took me to the Trossachs, through some of the villages that Mary Queen of Scots frequented, and into the barrel room of a whisky distillery to sample a wee dram of the local drop. Scottish Blue Badge Guide Ken Hanley and I hit the road early, followingContinue reading “Day tripping …”
Really freezing …
THE next time I complain about a Melbourne winter’s day is “freezing” please remind me of this visit to Scotland. Since I arrived here last week the temperature has been stuck in the low single digits, with a couple of days where it has been literally freezing with the mercury sitting on zero. The firstContinue reading “Really freezing …”
Far Near Or Here 