CLARK MOMENTS

Can't sign out of this year without giving it a firm two to the valley. So much for having my heart wrapped up in hope that the covid virus would grow weary and fizzle out. We're now further down the Greek alphabet, Omicron has gained momentum, Delta still lurks menacingly. Empathy galore is heaped on … Continue reading Australia 2021

A must read from Stuart McDonald http://www.travelfish.org Back when we started Travelfish, independent travel in Southeast Asia was all about the borders. Where could you cross? Where couldn’t you? This travel intelligence was one of the most valuable—and fastest devaluing—currencies in a travellers’ wallet. Was there still a $2 “handling fee” at Koh Kong? Was … Continue reading Planning to dust off your passport?

All strength to these beaut Aussie gems that made the cut in http://www.australiantraveller.com Have you ever wondered which Aussie towns are considered the best for tourism? Well, the results are in and it’s a very impressive lineup. It’s no secret that Australia is home to some of the most beautiful towns the world over. We … Continue reading Australia’s Best Towns 2021

Plenty of tightly crossed fingers paid off for festival goers when Mitchell Creek Rock N Blues Fest got the green light to go full steam ahead with its three jam packed days of Aussie music. Not an easy gig amid covid snap lockdowns and unpopular border closures, but festival director Jimmy Budgen together with his … Continue reading Australia: Mitchell Creek Rock N Blues Fest QLD

Art feeds the soul at stunning Currumbin Beach's very popular Swell Sculpture Festival this week. The annual Festival is back with a vengeance and without mincing words; you have to go. Every year, the lineup of sculptures from sculptors within Australia and indeed the world never disappoints. Stretching all the way along Currumbin Beach, visitors … Continue reading Currumbin Beach QLD Sculpture Festival

So, this is winter in Oz. Well, to be more precise, this is winter along the QLD coastal stretch from Hervey Bay to Elliott Heads and beyond. A bit perfect really in an imperfect country that's wracked by joyless covid lockdowns and a slow vaccine roll-out. Still, we've been able to travel freely, and on … Continue reading Australia: A Queensland Winter

Thank goodness for friends who know that a tiny taste of New York is just what you need, and then let you get a bit nostalgic because you had such a good time in the Big Apple once, made promises to return and never did, and now in these covid times, despair that you'll not … Continue reading New York comes to Brisbane

This blog is a biggie unlike Tasmania which is not. Barely twenty-two non stop hours is all it takes to drive around the entire island. Mind you, you'd miss a hell of a lot, since Tassie is packed to the rafters with so much good stuff. Over three weeks my husband and I schlepped our … Continue reading Australia: Tasmania

If you want effortless days where you can drag out the last of summer in a holiday haze of beach walks, swims, slow coffees and lingering lunches, consider the twin towns of Forster Tuncurry. Wedged between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Wallis, there are water views galore at every turn. A pedestrian friendly bridge joins … Continue reading Australia: Forster Tuncurry NSW

We're in Newy, having a beer at the Washy in Stocko. It doesn't take long to get some local lingo down pat in this easy going city that's garnered my vote as the most underrated place I've visited. Newcastle (pop'n 167,000) well and truly flies under the radar and I kick myself that on previous … Continue reading Australia: Newcastle NSW

Australia's oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley lived up to its excellent reputation when we visited for 4 enjoyable days. Autumn blue skies and crisp nights were perfect accompaniments to some fabulous reds and whites. Friends know it's reds that I'm partial to and I can often be relied upon to exit a winery with … Continue reading Australia: Hunter Valley NSW

Mudgee is simply wonderful. To say I was completely taken by surprise at what's on offer in this big country town is an understatement. Two hours from Scone, Mudgee is rightly proud of its historic buildings, its fine wine and its proximity to heritage listed small towns. For a while now, Mudgee has been a weekend country … Continue reading Australia: Mudgee NSW

Sunday. Early April. A chill is in the air. Autumn leaves are appearing, skies are blue, clouds are few. Night temp - a bearable 13C. Day temp - a healthier vitamin D friendly 26C. Weatherwise, it's a beautiful time to be travelling and taking in the sights of Scottish named Scone which anoints itself as … Continue reading Australia: Scone NSW

Over the next two weeks, hordes of Easter school holidaymakers will descend on coastal retreats. That's why after leaving Byron Bay, we pointed our camper trailer in a quieter, westerly direction. Casino was our first stop. This town of 11,000 is a buoyant service town with some fabulous architecture ranging from Victorian to art deco. … Continue reading Australia: Road to Tamworth NSW

Talk about a double whammy for Bluesfest owner Peter Noble. For the second year running, his well known music festival got a big fat red covid cancellation. Just hours ahead of opening day and a few hours after we'd set up camp here, the NSW government issued an unexpected, out of left field announcement that the … Continue reading Australia: Byron Bay Bluesfest NSW

Once in 50 years/once in a generation is how the Australian media referred to the floods that recently wreaked damage and death in NSW and QLD. Despite clear skies today, rivers are still swollen, homes uninhabitable and businesses closed. Sadly, some people scored the trifecta - bushfires a year ago, covid's restrictions and floods today. It … Continue reading Australia: Woolgoolga NSW

Last year it was bushfires, this year it's floods. NSW can't seem to take a trick. At the moment, heavy, prolonged and unrelenting sheets of rain have produced swollen rivers, road closures, evacuations and insurance claims expected to be in the tens of millions. A couple of days ago, we traded a saturated camper trailer … Continue reading Australia: The elements turn against us

Time to add my voice to the growing number of people who enjoy visiting this northern NSW coastal holiday gem. Just 350 people call Hat Head home, so if you crave peace and quiet, this is your place. The town butts up against a national park that offers great hiking, scenic beaches, a river and … Continue reading Australia: Hat Head NSW

Last month we became the proud owners of a wine cellar. While that sounds rather grand, the reality is that we took one narrow wall of a rather unkempt, nondescript storage area under the stairs and lined it with rows of wine racks. Empty racks that is, so for this camper trailer trip, we're headed … Continue reading Australia: Iluka/Yamba NSW

This slice of country camping just outside Rathdowney and across Dog Leg Gully is set on 60 acres where the waters of the Burnett Creek and Logan River meet. Years ago, Bigriggen was my camp of choice for our family. Here our kids rode their bikes, swam the rapids in tyre tubes, made mud pies, … Continue reading Australia: Bigriggen QLD

My passport passes away next month and given that international travel is off the agenda for this covid year, I'll let it lapse until things get sorted. In the meantime, I've rewritten my bucket list and tossed out my ambitious overseas destinations. A covid world sounds slightly dystopian, but if this is the reality, I … Continue reading Australia: Brisbane QLD

If you want to sample the simple life and get away from it all, head on over to Magnetic Island where time really does seem to stand still. Just 8 kms and 20 mins by ferry from Townsville, 'Maggie' slays it by delivering an utterly uncomplicated holiday. Smooth sailing on Sealink's ferry Content to fly … Continue reading Australia: Magnetic Island QLD

Ask a Queenslander to cite one thing they know about Kingaroy and most will respond with 'Joh'; Joh Bjelke Petersen that is, Queensland's longest serving and most controversial premier (1968-1987) who called this South Burnett town home. From crushing unions to outlawing protest marches to plunging the state into the infamous Fitzgerald Inquiry all the … Continue reading Australia: Kingaroy wineries QLD

Who knew that Monto with a population of 1100 and 300 kms south west of Yeppoon would be such an agreeable place to spend a few days. Certainly not us when we were determining how to avoid the school holiday crowds flocking to the coast. Heading inland seemed the obvious solution, so we arrived in Monto, … Continue reading Australia: Monto QLD

No longer the sleepy seaside town I remember from years ago, Yeppoon has transformed and emerged as a bouncy holiday destination. There's definitely been loads of thought by town planners to get the right combination happening. The beachside is refreshingly devoid of highrise; instead it's awash with lush landscaping, playgrounds, a long beach and a … Continue reading Australia: Yeppoon QLD

The call of the open road has been a strong one for a lot of us during this covid year and we're certainly doing our best to answer it. There's loads of fabulous places to visit in QLD, a state that spans 1.7 million square kms and on this trip we've see just a snippet. To … Continue reading Australia: Mackay QLD

Bowen, population 10,000, has a lot going for it. It's an attractive town with a harbour, a number of heritage listed buildings and wide streets. But it is Bowen's stunning beaches that get the accolades. The feature photo of Horseshoe Bay often makes an appearance on the list of Australia's Best Beaches. The council has … Continue reading Australia: Bowen QLD

This blog is a collection of photos I took when I travelled around the beautiful Atherton Tablelands. Cooler than the coast, there's diverse offerings on the menu here; more than enough to warrant a week's stay. First stop on our way here from Mission Beach was Paronella Park. This dream castle built by Spaniard Jose … Continue reading Australia: Atherton Tablelands QLD

It's been a few years since we were up this way, but Mission Beach in North Queensland certainly hasn't lost any of its laidback charm. The beach is long, lined with coconut and palm trees and begs to be walked. There's a smattering of cafes and boutique shops. And very few people. Idyllic? You bet. … Continue reading Australia: Mission Beach QLD

The tiny town of Ravenswood lies 89 kms east of Charters Towers and it's a little beauty. Heritage listed and captured in an early 1900s time warp, Ravenswood deserves an overnight stay. Mirroring Charters Towers, Ravenswood also has a good gold mining boom and bust story to tell. At its height, 5000 people lived here … Continue reading Australia: Ravenswood QLD

Talk about being caught by surprise at the 9,000 strong town of Charters Towers. Big dividends are certainly being delivered to visitors who venture to this once gold mining giant. Charters Towers' glory days are well and truly over, however, a number of grand structures from that era still stand proudly, preserved in their original … Continue reading Australia: Charters Towers QLD

The bush town of Clermont was well worth a two day stop over. We stayed at the Clermont Caravan Park, surrounded by fossickers who were trying their luck on the nearby gold fields. Each fossicker seems to have their own unique method; some dig deep, others look for glints on the surface in the early … Continue reading Australia: Clermont QLD

Queenslanders are certainly lucky when it comes to covid restrictions. We can travel freely around our state, which explains why there's quite a lot of us on the road. There's also a number of Victorians on QLD roads. They escaped before QLD closed its border and they tell us they're not returning any time soon. … Continue reading Australia: Emerald QLD

I'd never heard of Wowan until my husband told me we were pulling up stumps here for the night. 'Blink and you miss it' Wowan has a pub, a couple of shops and a few houses. On arrival, we parked ourselves up at the bar of the Commercial Hotel, threw back a couple of rums … Continue reading Australia: Wowan QLD

There's just one reason why we're here - the Cracow Hotel. The FB site Country Pub Camping got this one right - it's a fabulous pub. Owned by boxing guru Fred Brophy and stacked to the brim with memorabilia, this pub has atmosphere by the bucketload. Cracow is a ghost town, so the pub is … Continue reading Australia: Cracow QLD

Eidsvold is RM Williams country. The iconic Aussie bushman born in South Australia in 1908, but who called Eidsvold home is remembered and revered in this part of Australia. This is a man who left school early (just 13), swag in hand and rode into the bush to pursue his dream to become an accomplished … Continue reading Australia: Eidsvold QLD

Here in the Pumpkin Capital of Australia we're kicking back after pitching our camper trailer in the town's showgrounds. There's no pumpkin festival here this Covid year nor an annual district show, so resourceful townsfolk have opened up their showgrounds to campers for a nominal fee. The leisure rigs parked here are impressive and they're … Continue reading Australia: Goomeri QLD

I'm betting that few people reading this post have heard of Linville, a tiny town in the Brisbane Valley known for its deer (Queen Victoria's gift to QLD in 1869), dairy and timber. This is the first stop on our 1700kms camper trailer trip from Queensland's coastal south to the sultry north. During these unpredictable … Continue reading Australia: Linville QLD

With international travel well and truly off the agenda for Australians, at least until January 2021, quite possibly July 2023 if you listen to Graham Turner of Flight Centre, it looks like we'll be seeing more of Oz from here on in. We recently returned to Stanthorpe for a friend's birthday celebration and after, spent … Continue reading Australia: Southern Downs QLD

I like an ANZAC Day parade. I like clapping as our war heroes march past, chests laden with shiny medals. I like the feel of goose bumps when the Last Post is played by a lone bugler. I like the nationalistic pride that washes over me when 'Advance Australia Fair' resounds across a still and … Continue reading Australia: ANZAC Day 2020

Just one word is enough to sum up Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island - spectacular. This 120 km long island lies off the Queensland coast, boasts world heritage listing and throws up incredible nature at every turn. Owing to its WH listing, human numbers are deliberately kept low. For this trip, we raised … Continue reading Australia: Fraser Island QLD

Last year we threw caution to the wind and upgraded our tent to a camper trailer. We started married life with a two man tent, graduated to a two room tent to accommodate children and then downgraded to a three man Black Wolf tent when kids fled the coop. I relished the simplicity of camping, … Continue reading Australia: Neurum Creek QLD

Gotta love New Years' resolutions. Ours was to spend a good part of 2020 seeing this sprawling Great South Land in which we live. Horrific bush fires and the call for Australians to holiday at home and inject money into the economy struck a chord. Added to this, we have a camper trailer that was … Continue reading Australia: Rainbow Beach QLD

On the back of a Yarra Valley trip, it may look like I'm following a wine trail around Australia with this post coming from Stanthorpe, but I'm in this Queensland country town for a wedding. And what a fabulous wedding it was. I dub it the 'food and drink fest wedding' since the food, drinks … Continue reading Australia: Stanthorpe QLD

Glad I am to be in Victoria's excellent wine region, the Yarra Valley, an hour north east from Melbourne. Three nights here mid week without a weekend crowd means we can make a serious dent in the considerable army of cafes, wineries and distilleries on offer. Enjoying the food, wine and sunny outdoors at Meletos … Continue reading Australia: Yarra Valley VIC

Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, vast swathes of fire and drought ravaged areas of Australia would be battling torrential rains and floods? This is without question Australia - a continent of extreme contrasts. Over the last week, flooding rains have extinguished fires, filled up dams and given our farmers … Continue reading Australia: Melbourne VIC

I've dubbed 2020 as the year of travelling in my own country. We've had an explosive start to our summer with continuing drought, intense temperatures and horrific bushfires, and lost so much: animals, homes, towns, jobs, schools, agriculture and human lives. The country's taken a smashing and still, the fires burn. Snippets of healing are … Continue reading Australia: Noosa QLD

This city was our last port of call on our December Christmas Market trip, thrown into the itinerary as a departure point for Singapore and then home to Australia. Hence, I allocated just two days and now I'm kicking myself. This German economic powerhouse oft called 'Bankfurt' plays host to banking and telecommunications giants, is … Continue reading Frankfurt: Christmas markets

Beautiful Strasbourg in France was our town of choice for Christmas Day and it lived up to all of our expectations. Strasbourg's charming Old Town dominated by Notre Dame Cathedral was sheer enchantment. We couldn't have chosen a better place to celebrate Christmas. Three nights here gave us time to eat, drink and be merry, … Continue reading Strasbourg: Christmas markets

The next part of our trip was a late addition and out of whack with the rest of the itinerary thanks to my daughter who was travelling with us and at last minute, wanted to visit Neuschwanstein Castle (pictured above). The castle is geographically closer to Munich, but with so much to see in this … Continue reading Fussen: Christmas markets

Touristy it is, but medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber (on the Tauber River) is worth bottling and taking home. Just one hour by train from Nuremburg, it was the perfect Christmas village to while away a couple of days during the Christmas market month of December. Despite a steady stream of day trippers, we never … Continue reading Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Christmas markets

After running ourselves ragged in Vienna, we took the train to Nurnberg, a city I was particularly enthusiastic to see for its famed Christmas markets and Nazi war history. There's a lot to like about Nurnberg. It fairly crackles with the hum of people, the bright lights of a medieval old town and the taste … Continue reading Nurnberg: Christmas markets

The hills are alive with the sound of music here in Salzburg Austria. It's been a long time since I was 16 going on 17 but this town that's steeped in the Von Trapps, Mozart, good coffee, apple strudel and chocolate is one I wish I'd visited much earlier. Two hours by Flix bus from … Continue reading Salzburg and Vienna: Christmas markets

I really like warm weather. In fact at this time of the year, I'm found mostly on a beach beneath a clear blue sky sweating away in temps of 30 plus. I don't ski or toboggan or do any of those winter sports. A northern hemisphere winter has never on my bucket list. But it … Continue reading Munich: Christmas markets

Two years ago I flew into the Thai capital to toast my retirement and had myself such a fine time that I've returned; this time to celebrate my big 4-0 wedding anniversary. My husband jokes he'd get less for murder, but I know he's quietly pleased we're not letting this decade anniversary slip by without … Continue reading Bangkok: One quick week

Croatia on the stunning Adriatic Sea was the final destination in our three month Balkans trip and we found it extremely easy to lap up everything Dubrovnik, Korcula Island, Split, Vis Island, Zadar and Zagreb offered in sun drenched July. UNESCO listed Dubrovnik, the very popular Game of Thrones and cruise ship town was our … Continue reading Croatia

Sarajevo, 555 year old capital city of Bosnia Herzegovina really is superb. It's a city that's got the lot - history, sights, friendly and open people who enjoy a chat. We bussed into Sarajevo from Mostar (an easy two and a half hours) taking in the stunning scenery along the way. BiH is certainly blessed … Continue reading Bosnia: Sarajevo

Well and truly tourist friendly, Bosnia Herzogovina (BiH) with its beautiful landscapes, interesting sites and difficult history was a compelling destination to spend 10 days. Mostar was our first stop in BiH and we arrived here by bus from Croatia where we'd spent a fantastic time in Dubrovnik and on Korcula Island. I will blog … Continue reading Bosnia: Mostar

If you love train travel, then you must arrive in Montenegro from Serbia on the rather famous Belgrade to Bar train. This is the train line that Tito commissioned in 1976. His trademark blue carriages were used to conduct meetings with officials from the Yugoslavian countries as well as heads of state from foreign countries. … Continue reading Montenegro: Belgrade to Bar train and Kotor

This is what I knew about Serbia before I visited, just a loose collection of history facts really: Ottomans ruled, then the Austro Hungarians. In 1914, a Serb killed the Austrian Archduke and the world went crazy for four long destructive years. Later, Tito integrated Serbia into Yugoslavia and then there was Milosevic and wars … Continue reading Serbia: Novi Sad and Belgrade

So glad we chose Timisoara to be our last port of call in Romania, this town that's designated European Capital of Culture for 2021. It’s certainly impressive with some very beautiful European style buildings cloistered around three distinct squares. We stayed two nights to soak up the rather grand sights of this northern Romanian town … Continue reading Romania: Timisoara

We had a fabulous time in vibrant Sibiu which was a comfortable train trip from Sighisoara. From the train station in the middle of town, it was a short walk to our apartment where we met Florina, aged 26 who owns the apartment we rented. She's done an excellent job renovating it to include a … Continue reading Romania: Sibiu

The wonderful Transilvania area is home to this drop dead gorgeous town, a three hour train ride from Brasov. Sighisoara is a walled fortress town dating from the 12th century. Skilled artisans from Germany were encouraged to relocate here and hence the town's fine reputation for craftsmanship was established. It goes without saying that Sighisoara … Continue reading Romania: Sighisoara

Brasov in Transilvania is pure medieval magic and it's the first of the Transilvanian towns that we're visiting. Settled by the Saxons in the 12th century (explains the German flavour), it boasts well maintained former merchant houses transformed into cafes, restaurants, guest houses, hotels and shops. The three hour train ride from Bucharest rendered these … Continue reading Romania: Brasov

Bucharest was completely different to what I expected, in the best way possible. After zipping through border control on our comfortable Flix bus from Sofia Bulgaria, we arrived in the Romanian capital, a city I knew nothing about in a country I knew of only dark stuff. Think Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorial communist reign and Bram … Continue reading Romania: Bucharest

Sofia, Bulgaria's capital was clothed in a haze of rain clouds when we landed and with temps of 18 degrees, it was a little chillier than we expected for the start of the European summer. For those flying in from Australia, Emirates offer a reasonable 25 hour flight through Dubai. I'd booked an apartment in … Continue reading Bulgaria: Sofia

I confess to knowing little about Albania before my arrival other than it was home to thousands of solid concrete bunkers built by a communist leader convinced his country would be attacked. Hoxha (pronounced Hodger), who kept his people in the firm bosom of isolation departed this world in 1985, and since the nineties, Albania … Continue reading Balkans: Albania

I feel slightly torn writing this blog; torn because this country of two million people is simply fantastic and if promoted in this light, tourists may descend in droves. But on the other hand, boosting tourist numbers may be the way to turn around North Macedonia's economy where the average salary is just $A13000. It … Continue reading Balkans: North Macedonia

Finally, I'm flying high with Qatar Airways enroute to the fabulous Balkans. My Lonely Planet guide, my Blue Bible, has had quite the workout and while I'm OK with the itinerary I've prepared, I know there's nothing like impulse and travellers' talk to get me off track. The Balkans (formerly Yugoslavia) is a magnet that … Continue reading Someone’s going to the Balkans

It's been a while since I've blogged - too much lazy time under an Oz sun! But, here I am in Bali, enticed from my GC cocoon by an invitation to a wedding in Nusa Dua and the chance to spend some extra time in Canngu, Tabanan and Kuta. The wedding of our close friends … Continue reading Bali: Everyone’s happy place

It's January here at the Gold Coast; it's summer, it's hot and it's high time I blogged about my own backyard. The Gold Coast is a stunning coastline of surf beaches, just south of Brisbane Queensland stretching for 57 kilometres and a place where I like to spend my summers. So, for the next couple … Continue reading Australia: Gold Coast QLD

Thriving, bustling Budapest, Hungary's capital was a fabulous city in which to end our quick three week European holiday. We arrived by train from Bratislava after a comfortable journey of just two and a half hours. Over 5 days, we touched the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's here for the tourist taking. … Continue reading Hungary: Budapest

Bratislava is often overlooked by tourists who gravitate to Prague, Budapest and nearby Vienna which is only one hour away. A shame because this city on the Danube River has a whole lot to offer. It's smaller than the big three, the people are warm and welcoming, there's a vibrant cafe/bar scene and a bunch … Continue reading Slovakia: Bratislava

This pretty little town in Southern Bohemia has 13,000 people, is nestled on the Vitava River and is a bit of cuteness overload. While it leans slightly to the touristy side, it is well worth a comfortable stopover for a couple of nights. The weather is particularly warm, the flowers are blooming, the UNESCO listed … Continue reading Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov

Far from the madding crowd is definitely what you won't experience in Prague. The Czech Republic's capital city heaves and churns with tourists and with good reason. In a nutshell, it is truly splendid with beautifully decorated and coloured medieval, Renaissance and 19th century buildings on show everywhere. This is a city where you can … Continue reading Czech Republic: Prague

Last year when we were kicking back in Bangkok at a street food market – you know the scene – rows of long tables, people from all corners of the globe shoulder to shoulder, laughing, chatting, chugging down ice cold Tiger beer and steaming hot chilli noodles – I struck up a conversation with a … Continue reading Germany: Dresden

I’m smashing out this blog in double quick time in Germany’s lively capital where there’s no rest for the wicked. Five nights went some way to doing justice to a city that’s hell bent on giving tourists value for their euro. But, I needed longer, much longer to absorb the breadth and depth of the … Continue reading Germany: Berlin

It's very easy to say a big 'Kalimera' to this slice of Greek island paradise tucked firmly and squarely 400 kms south of Athens. Stretching 260 kms east to west and 60 kms north to south, Crete is big and packed to the brim with all the good oil. Looking for a destination to finish … Continue reading Greece: Crete

Lithuania is the Baltic's southernmost country and we headed towards its capital city Vilnius from Riga on this Ecolines bus. For 4 hours we were comfortable, perched up top enjoying views of green fields. An agricultural country, nearly half of Lithuania's land is given to growing potatoes, barley, wheat and rye. In Vilnius, we were … Continue reading Lithuania: Vilnius

Riga is one vibrant city. Its old town is an overload of medieval gothic delight; easy to see why it's a firm favourite of those who've travelled here. Cobbled streets carry mostly pedestrians who take their time admiring the architecture, gazing in shops, drinking coffee in the many cafes, ducking into a museum or two … Continue reading Latvia: Riga

Tartu lies 185 kms south of Tallinn and this town of 93,00 people is an easy town to like. Parks, a river with cycle and walking tracks, an attractive old town and energetic young students pretty much sums up Tartu. Our two days here sped by. Tartu is the intellectual hub of Estonia honoured with … Continue reading Estonia: Tartu

The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been on our travel radar for a while now, and with Tallinn a short 5 hours Ecolines coach from Saint Petersburg, we didn't hesitate in booking seats. Dubbed by Lonely Planet as the best value destination for 2018, Tallinn is UNESCO listed as Europe's best preserved … Continue reading Estonia: Tallinn

What a city! Once the Imperial city of Peter the Great, this UNESCO listed city of 5 million people reeks of magnificent buildings, riches, long canals, beautiful churches and great little cafes. We arrived here from Moscow on the very fast train. This comfortable train travelling at a speed of 150 kms/hr took 5 hours. … Continue reading Russia: Saint Petersburg

It's a rare week when Russia doesn't feature in our western news. We've been served up platters of mostly negative, dark diatribes. There's been Crimea, MH 17, Sergei Skripal's poisoning and before; the Communist doctrine, Cold War, space race, 1980 Olympics boycott, Kursk submarine and Chechen crisis. Add to this a youthful couple of years … Continue reading Russia: Moscow

North of Armenia lies the very likeable Georgia and for a country with only 3.8 million people, it certainly packs a punch. An Austrian couple who joined us for dinner at a taverna in Sicily's Petralia Soprana last year had sung Georgia's praises to us, guaranteeing that we would enjoy our travels here and we … Continue reading Georgia: Tbilisi and Batumi

Armenia is a green country and its majestic, grassy mountains with snow still on the summits captivated us from the start. This landlocked country hemmed in by Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the worrying de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the east is well and truly worth a visit. We arrived in Armenia after a … Continue reading Armenia: Meghri and Yerevan

My husband and I have just spent a month in Iran and we've billed it as one of the most interesting countries we've visited. For too long now, our media has stereotyped Iran in a dark way, discouraging tourists by deliberately and consistently playing the fear card. I refused to buy into it. What I … Continue reading Thinking of travelling to Iran? Just do it!

The Caspian Sea area was a late addition to our itinerary, spur of the moment really and from Dorud we easily found a bus to Tehran and then another onto Ramsar. It was a long day of bus travel but worth it. The mountainous road from Karjat to Ramsar is incredibly scenic, but I have … Continue reading Iran: Caspian Sea to Tabriz

From Shiraz, we headed north west to Shushtar. Regular bus services ply the route to Ahvaz, then it’s a taxi ride to Shushtar. Ahvaz is dusty and industrial; petro chemical plants dominate the desert landscape. This area was heavily bombed by Iraq during the war 37 years ago when Iraq was determined to covet Iran’s … Continue reading Iran: Shushtar and beyond to Dorud

Wherever we travel in Iran, we are constantly asked by Iranians, ' You like Iran?' Iranians are justifiably proud of their country, their rich culture and history. We feel lucky to be part of it in the smallest way and in the most superficial way, really; as tourists. We're into the start of the third … Continue reading Iran: Shiraz

There's a well trodden tourist track around Iran, and Yazd the city in the desert, is definitely on it. Located about four hours by comfortable bus from Isfahan, it's a must see. Five thousand year old Yazd has a population of 1.1 million, but it's the UNESCO listed Old City that warrants the attention. We … Continue reading Iran: Yazd

We departed Kashan enroute to Isfahan with Hossien, a taxi driver who throughout the day, morphed into a really interesting guide. He's a family man; his wife doesn't work outside the house and together they have two children, a son aged 8 and a daughter 3. He laughed when I asked if his 3 year … Continue reading Iran: Isfahan

Kashan lies 3 hours by bus south of Tehran and after the hustle and bustle of a capital city, this was a town in which we could take a breath. Buses leave Tehran via Qom regularly and there's no need to book, except if you're travelling on Iran's Holy Day which is Friday. On Friday, … Continue reading Iran: Kashan

We arrived in Tehran, Iran’s teeming capital city of 8 million people on an Air Asia flight from Kuala Lumpur with our visas from the Iranian Embassy in Canberra firmly in hand. At $A165, these visas give you a solid month’s stay. Proof of travel insurance is needed but if you arrive without it, you … Continue reading Iran: Tehran

Nothing compares to that high you experience when you arrive in a place unlike anywhere you've been before. It’s the unfamiliar, the completely different; it’s an adrenaline rush of the very best kind and I hope it keeps kicking in for a long time yet. This year my travel stars have well and truly aligned … Continue reading Beyond excited

From the hills of northern Thailand, we headed south to Krabi on the Andaman Sea. We flew Bangkok Air, an airline we'd liked on a previous trip to Koh Samui. It's still good value and the crew; lovely. Krabi is nice and easy. It's not party central, held in check as it is by the … Continue reading Thailand: Krabi

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men ...love Steinbeck ... went astray when we arrived at the bus station in Chiang Mai determined to catch the next available bus to Chiang Rai. But ... no buses for 4 hours. You're kidding! However, in the blink of an eye, a young girl behind another … Continue reading Thailand: Chiang Rai

Have to say, I really like this northern Thai city that's found at the base of the Himalayan ranges. The terrain is flat and the walking is good. It's also quite pretty with its many elaborate temples and grassy canals that come with fountains. And...it's very green. We arrived here on the night train from … Continue reading Thailand: Chiang Mai

From River Kwai we hired a driver for the three hour journey to UNESCO listed Ayutthaya. We were keen to see the sights of this once grand capital city of Thailand which was established in 1350 and then attacked and left in ruins by the Burmese in 1767. In 1700, interestingly, Ayutthaya laid claim to … Continue reading Thailand: Ayutthaya