I arrived in Broome early afternoon after a really good Qantas flight from Perth. I’d met a colleague in Perth who was on the same flight. He had a rental car booked for Broome, so offered to give me as lift to where I was staying, and then meet up to explore Broome.

Vince is a celebrity butcher and excellent cook, and he happened to be sitting next to a Broome-based foodie on the plane, who told him which restaurants to visit and which ones to avoid.

I hadn’t been to Broome for several years, and the first thing that I noticed was that he town had got bigger, and there had been a marked improvement in its street-scapes, with a lot of work done to make the streets and the town centre more attractive.

I checked in to Beaches of Broome Backpackers. I was only staying one night, and thought I should experience a backpackers as I hadn’t stayed in one before.

Beaches is very modern, tropical, and very clean. My room was basic, but neat and spotless, and, best of all, comfortable. Beaches is located at Cable Beach, and area that has really been well developed since I was here last.

Vince arrived to pick me up and we headed of to have lunch at the Wharf Restaurant, which is located at Broome’s port. The Wharf is best known for its seafood, so we decided to try some local specialities: Barramundi Wings and Chilli Mud Crab. The wings were deep fries and accompanied by a sweet Asian sauce. They were crispy, meaty, flavoursome and simply delicious. Next course was the Chilli Mud Crab, which was served with rice, delicious crusty bread, a huge bowl of water for washing hands in, and a range of utensils for breaking, crunching crab shell and retrieving the delicious flesh from within.

With this particular dish you need to get messy as it’s a hands in job, as fingers are the best utensils for retrieving every morsel of delicious crab. The chilli was not overpowering, and the sauce was thick and unctuous.

After our meal we explored Broome township and ended up at Gantheaume Point to watch the sunset disappear behind the Indian Ocean. The vibrant reds of the soil and rock contrasted admirably with the deep aqua colour of the water, and it was a sensational way to end the day.

I have visited Broome many times, and I believe it is getting better with each visit, Where once it was a rough and ready outback town, it now has a casual sophistication that does not at all detract from the unique corrugated iron buildings which determine the town centre.

Broome has always been good, and now it is getting superb.

Ukrainian speleologists (cave explorers) have been to an extreme depth underground to confirm the world’s deepest cave.

The Krubera Cave, which is also known as the Voronja Cave, and colloquially known as Crow’s Cave is located in the Arabika Massif in the Western Caucasus Mountains in the country of Georgia.

For the geologically-minded, the Arabika Massif is one of the largest high mountain limestone karst massifs, and it is this limestone characteristic which gives rise to large cave systems.

The Ukrainian expedition has been investigates the cave for many years, and has encountered many problems trying to reach the known bottom of the cave.  As with mountaineering, the group has had to set up various camps at ever lower depths, to allow them to descend in as safe a manner as possible.  The similarity with mountaineering doesn’t stop there either as some of the cavers need to ferry equipment and supplies from the base camp (which is at the top of the climb, rather than the bottom for mountaineering) to the various camps below.     

Problems encountered in caving include darkness, tight passageways, underground water, which can occur in the form of streams, pools, rivers and waterfalls, deep shafts of unknown depths, hypothermia, infections (from things like bat guano which is common in caves), suffocation, rock falls and a particularly nasty psychological condition called The Rapture which is a very extreme reaction to darkness and depth.

In 2007, the group reached a depth of -2,191 metres (-7,188 feet), and the most remarkable aspect is that this depth is underwater.  It took the expedition over one month of exploration underground to reach that level, and it was finally attained during a 46 m dive by Gennadiiy Samokhin, which is a truly amazing feat.

Originally posted 2011-05-30 11:10:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Here I am at Perth Airport in Western Australia waiting to catch a flight to Broome in the Kimberleys.

I got here early because my wife dropped me off on her way to work, and I’m sitting by a window overlooking the concourse just watching all the activity as planes arrive, are readied for flight and finally depart. It’s a hive of activity, and for a person who is a bit of a plane nut, totally fascinating.

Ok, I may be a bore because I am interested in watching planes, but I am still amazed at how far humankind has come to develop the technology which puts great hunks of metal, some of which weigh hundred of tonnes, into the air to carry passengers thousands of kilometres at great speed, at a height which exceeds the Earth’s tallest mountain, and to do it relatively safely and even (occasionally) comfortably.

I added the `occasionally’ in brackets because the very thing that has made air travel more affordable for people, cheap air fares, has seen many airlines reduce their passenger comfort standards in order to make air travel a viable form of transport for most people.

In fact, airlines have probably traded passenger comfort for efficiency, particularly as the glamour that was once associated with flying was eroded long ago once flying became common and, in many cases, a necessity.

On this lovely, sunny morning, the airport is actually a good place to be.

The sun glistens off aircraft metal fuselages, I witnessed a magnificent sunrise as good old sol edged up from the Darling Ranges in the near distance. I can sit here with a hot drink enjoying the view, and also enjoying the people watching, which I also do when I come to airports.

There are thousands of people here, each with a different agenda, and most for a particular reason for travelling today. Many are travelling for work, others will be travelling for pleasure, some will be travelling for pressing personal reasons, others for reasons I couldn’t even guess.

A decent sized airport is very like a small city. All things considered, it does take much organisation to run an airport. Merely dealing with the mass handling of luggage is a major undertaking. All these people going to different parts of the world who expect their luggage to disappear along a conveyor belt and miraculously turn up on time, on the same plane as them, in some far flung destination. That sort of efficiency entails some seriously clever management, especially as luggage can change planes at distant airports, sight unseen by its owner, and still usually turn up in the right place at the correct time.

Today the airport is not only enjoyable, but it’s inspired me to consider just how complicated my simply trip to Broome is, and to think of the incredible structure that is in place just to ensure that I have the beginning to a good holiday.

It’s probably the least known of the Himalayan states but the tiny Indian state of Sikkim shares its borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet and it is nestled below the mighty slopes of Mt. Khangchendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world.

The mountain has great religious significance for the Sikkimese, as it is said to be the home of Dzonga, the Mountain God. Most Sikkimese follow the Hindu religion, although Buddhism is also widely practised as well.

By Indian standards Sikkim is not only tiny, it is also sparsely populated. It has an area of just 7,096 square kilometres (2,740 sq mi) and a population of 607,000. Given its small area and tiny population, astonishingly, there are eleven languages spoken in the state, of which Nepali is the most widely spoken. One of the official languages is English, and it is the language most often taught in schools and used by government departments.

Sikkim is an extraordinarily steep country. In fact, it has the world’s steepest rise in altitude over the shortest distance, starting from a low point of just 300 metres and rising to 8534 metres at the peak of Mt. Khangchendzonga.

Given its proximity to China’s Autonomous Region of Tibet it should come as no surprise to learn that Sikkim was once part of the famed Silk Road, which does in part explain its diverse cultures. Even today it has the only Indian open land border with China, mainly because there are political tensions between the two countries.

The state capital is Gangtok, which is a very hilly city, and it is also situated in an earthquake zone. In addition, erosion leads to landslides, which does cause some problems for the city. The city is unique in that is also has a commuter cable car which connects the lower suburbs to those further up the hill.

You can get some wonderful views of the mountains from Gangtok, which are often ruined by the regular occurrence of fog.

Public transport is interesting as the city is almost bereft of buses, with taxis being the most popular way for commuters to travel around. One reason for the dearth of buses is because many of the streets are very steep and they are very curvy, making it difficult for buses to negotiate them.

When visiting Sikkim you do need a variety of clothing because the state has a very changeable climate ranging from sub-tropical in the south to almost arctic in the north, the area also experiences five seasons: summer, autumn, winter, spring and monsoon, which occurs between June and September when Sikkim gets most of its rainfall.

I’m impressed with Brisbane, I truly am.

I found it to be an attractive high rise metropolis which seems to use its river very well.

Brisbane is the capital of the Australian state of Queensland, and until recent years it had a reputation for being nothing more than a large country town. It was certainly an unsophisticated place when I first visited over 40 years ago, but since then it has been invigorated and undergone immense change in order to change it into the lovely city that it is today.

The Brisbane River, upon which the city is built, is a wide, winding river of water, than is now being fully utilised with a River Cat ferry service. I recently used the ferry to get me from Tenerife, which is east of the city, to North Quay, near the city centre.

I caught the ferry just after 6pm, and it was quite dark. As it was a pleasan evening I opted to sit outside in the front of the ferry so that I could get my bearings and also to enjoy the view.

Brisbane people must be very courteous because they politely queue up in a line to embark for their trip. This is much more orderly than in Sydney, which also has an excellent ferry system, but where people push and shove to fight their way on and off the ferries.

The river cat seems to move at a rapid pace as it cuts through the water, but the river does twist somewhat, so the trip, although fast, does take some time. It was a cear night when I did the trip, and the cat zigzagged across the river in order to reach the next wharf.

The most impressive aspect of the trip were the sensational views. As each time the ferry turned, a new view, or a new perspective of the view was had. There was one stage where the brightly-lit Storey Bridge dominated the river with the city immediately behind it, and it was utterly superb.

As we continued towards the bridge, varying our angle as we got nearer, the city’s panorama began to extend far to the left, many buildings glittering in front of a dark sky, which did resemble fairy lights extending into the distance.

Such is the shape of the river, that it turns and leaves the CBD. You do pass by it, but then you aim for a less built up part of the city, and when you round the next corner, the city reveals itself again, with the terrific Southbank development opening up on your left, a vision that is dominated by a large ferris wheel that is lit up.

To the right the city appears again, along a peninsular, and I soon alighted to further explore the city.

I had attended a function earlier in the afternoon and caught a taxi to the site of the function which was about 4kms away from where I was staying , and the taxi took about 15 minutes to get me there through thick traffic.

The return ferry trip took about 40 minutes, but the rime difference didn’t matter as it was a much more pleasurable and enjoyable trip and one that is certainly worth doing if ever you visit Brisbane.

At over 400 hectares in area Kings Park, which overlooks the city of Perth, capital of Western Australia is not only a local treasure, but is Perth’s most visited attraction.

Sitting atop Mt Eliza, Kings Park offers visitors magnificent views of both the city and much of the Perth metropolitan area, making it one of the most scenic viewing spots you could get in any city of the world.

Although the park has plenty of verdant lawns and many paved pathways to help you explore, it also contains a large proportion of natural bushland, many recreation areas which are ideal for picnics and get togethers and children’s playgrounds. One of the its best features is a unique botanical park that is filled with native plants and stunning West Australian wildflowers, and from which you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Swan and Canning Rivers. There are also restaurants, cafes and gift shops in which to browse. Kings Park is also the location of Western Australia’s premiere war memorial and the eternal flame, which is guarded by a whispering wall.

Best of all, the park is conveniently located just a few minutes from the centre of Perth’s central business district.

Given that Perth enjoys an average of 8 hours of sunshine 365 days per year, you can pretty much guarantee that when you visit Kings Park the weather will be almost perfect.

For more of a look at Kings Park, check out my Kings Park Perth\'s Botanic Playground.

Originally posted 2011-10-02 20:33:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Think Italy and the mind naturally wanders to consider the great city of Rome, one of the world’s most historic cities. Then again, there is Florence, a truly beautiful and artistic city that is a joy to behold. Or Venice, a romantic town built upon small islands that one simply must visit.

Italy has many faces, and it is in the north where mountains dominate the landscape, that you can do one of the prettiest drives in all of Europe.

The Great Dolomite Road, is a spectacularly scenic route which runs between Bolzano, in the west, and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The Strada delle Dolomiti as it is called in Italian, and the Dolomitenstrasse, in German is a 140km (86 miles) journey with a plethora of stunning views. The road curves around some of the highest peaks in the Dolomites, including the 3,343m (10,968ft) tall Marmolada, as it winds its way through a scattering of mountain villages and ski resorts before dropping out of a high pass into Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The town of Bolzano is located 154 kms (92 miles) north of Verona. By heading north from Trentino into the Alto Adige region, you’ll find yourself in a place that doesn’t resemble Italy at all. In fact, the town is closer to Innsbruck in Austria than it is to Verona.

During its long history, this pretty town at the confluence of the Talvera and Isarco rivers has been ruled by the bishops of Trentino, the counts of Tirol, and the Hapsburgs, to name but a few. The town has only been part of Italy since the end of World War I. As you explore the narrow streets and broad piazzas and stroll through the parks that line the town’s two rivers, you get the sense that, with its gabled, Tirolean-style houses and preference for Germanic dialect, the city is still more Teutonic than Italian.

The road can be treacherous so if you are mad you can drive yourself, or if you are crazier you can ride one of the local buses. Whichever method you choose, you are in for a heart-stopping drive. Once past the Marmolada you approach the tower of Sassolungo. Then directly ahead the stunning ‘Stella’ mountain group looms above and to the left. The road continues to wind its way ever upwards until you finally reach the summit at the Passo Pordoi.

From here you descend to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy’s best known mountain resort and location of the 1956 Winter Olympics. Even without its 145km (90 miles) of ski runs and 50 cable cars and chairlifts that make the slopes easily accessible, Cortina would be one of Europe’s most appealing Alpine towns.

The surrounding Dolomite peaks are simply stunning as eighteen of them rise more than 3,000m (10,000 ft.). It is an expensive place to visit, but worth the effort and certainly a most attractive place to finish your journey along the inspiring Great Dolomite Road.

An abiding interest in popular movies has created a trend for which fans of Hollywood movies visit the locations in which particular movies were filmed and one new craze is for fanatics of best-seller-novels-turned-to-Hollywood-movies takes the simple structure of visiting popular locations to a whole new level.

Not only will fans of popular filmed novels have the chance to see and explore the location where the movie was shot but they will also have the opportunity to re-live the film’s plot and to feel the spirit of their heroes through carefully planned itineraries.

One example is The Hunger Games Fan Tours which is found in Brevard, North Carolina. Cashing in on the popularity of the books and now the films, they have created a trend they call “fandemonium”.

Simply put, it describes how movie enthusiasts have become “super fans”, the type of people who want to go beyond merely visiting the locations where the movies were filmed, and to really re-create the characters’ experiences. To leap right into the mood, zip-lining through the Pisgah National Forest is one of the activities that can jump start their Hunger Games adventure.

In order to facilitate an increase in movie-related travel, the North Carolina State Tourism Division has made arrangements for activities to be done in the exact movie locations and settings starting from Charlotte to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Furthermore, keen fans can even take classes in archery, to better let them experience “hunting”. Several other The Hunger Games’ themed survival classes can also be taken as part of the tour, these activities include fire making, camouflage, and building shelter to name a few.

As reflected in the success of both the books and the film, the popularity of the tour has significantly risen with online information about the tour getting a large number of hits.

Another tour aimed at Hollywood aficionados that is doing well is “The Help” Fan. This particular tour has brought thousands of visitors to Greenwood, Mississippi, the small town where the movie was filmed. The irony is that although the fans are drawn to Greenwood in order to see the big houses and neighbourhoods that were featured in the film, it is not the town where the original book was set. The actual setting for the book is Jackson, Mississippi, circa 1963. However, Jackson’s physical setting does not look the same as it did then, but Greenwood does.

However, these tours are popular because of the interest in the Hollywood film, which is all about smoke and mirrors and creating illusions. And it is these illusions that are popular, not the reality of the situations the movies depict.

I have to say that I am impressed with the Brisbane public transport system.

Brisbane is the capital of the Australian state of Queensland. It is built on the banks of the winding Brisbane River, and it is a very attractive city to visit. I have experienced its peak hour traffic on previous visits, which is as you would expect in a reasonably sized city, very busy and, at times, painfully slow.

On my last visit, I decided to forgo a car and travel everywhere by public transport, and found it to be a relatively easy and inexpensive way to get around. My views are those of an infrequent visitor, so I do understand that those who live in the city may have some issues with the public transport facilities, but from my meagre experience the system seemed to work very well.

My journey actually started on the Gold Coast, where I boarded the Brisbane train from Robina station. This experience was a good exercise in efficiency as I boarded the bus for the station almost outside the hotel in which I was staying and although it followed a convoluted route, it is a local bus after all, it dropped me right at the station where I had just a short wait for the train to Brisbane.

This is where I first heard of the Brisbane train services implementing the quiet carriage concept. This means that the second and second last carriages on each train are deemed to be quiet carriages where mobile phones and load talking are shunned, and passengers are asked to keep quiet to respect the peace of other travellers.

I’m not certain that Queenslanders are particularly noisy travellers,but the carriages in which I travelled, I tried normal and quiet carriages, didn’t seem to have much variation in the number of decibels of noise experienced in each carriage.

I’m not aware of this system of quiet carriages operating anywhere else in the world, and I am unsure as why boisterous behaviour should be perceived to be any worse in Brisbane than anywhere else in the world, but if the authorities want to nominate a couple of carriages top be havens from noise, it can’t seem to do much harm.

Many of the Brisbane suburban carriages also have WiFi, and the fleet seems to be well maintained.

Travelling on Brisbane’s trains was a pleasure, and I’d like to rave on them a lot more – but I can’t shout their praises too much from the comfort of this seat in one of the quiet carriages.

York St, Albany

First things first.  Here in Western Australia we locals pronounce the name of the town as Al-ban-ee (sort of like Al Bundy), not Awl-ban-ee as is commonly thought by other Australians.

Albany is situated on the south coast of WA, on King George Sound, and has two harbours Oyster Harbour and Princess Royal Harbour, and it is a very attractive town.

The Indigenous Mireng people have occupied this area for over 18,000 years, and the area that became known as Albany was first visited by Dutch sailors in 1627, but it wasn’t settled by Europeans until the British arrived in 1827. Whaling became the main industry and was carried out sporadically until 1978 when whaling finally ceased.  Today, Whaleworld, at Frenchman Bay, on the site of the old whaling station is one of Albany’s premier tourist attractions, and a great place to learn about whales and the industry they spurned. The Albany Historical Society has an excellent website which explores Albany’s colourful history.

Albany is part of the region known as the Great Southern, 416 kilometres south from Perth.  It’s an easy four-hour drive, of there are regular flights by Skywest and daily coach services operated by TransWA.  There are many historical buildings in Albany, particularly close to the waterfront, and the town now boasts some of WA’s best restaurants. This regard for good produce is reflected in the weekly Albany Farmer’s Market, winner to the Vogue Best Farmers Market in Australia, and the Albany Boatshed Markets which are renowned for the quality and variety of foodstuffs on offer.

Also of interest is a full-size replica of the sailing ship Amity, which brought the first settlers to Western Australia, and the ANZAC Peace Park which marks the departure point for the 30,000 men who left Australia in 1914 to fight at the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in World War I.

Within an easy drive of Albany are natural attractions such as Two People’s Bay, Porongurup National Park, The Valley of the Giants and its famous Tree Top Walk, The Stirling Ranges, and along the cliffs that form part of the Torndirrup national Park just out of the Albany township you can visit the Blowholes, The Gap and the Natural Bridge.

Accommodation is plentiful in Albany as it is one of WA’s most popular holiday destinations.    

One of the most popular activities in Albany is whale watching, which occurs during the Southern winter between June and October, when Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales leave the Antarctic waters to mate and calve off Albany.  Whale watching is quite easy from land, but for that up close and personal experience, the best way to view the whales is from a boat.

Albany is a great destination for those who wish to discover a different aspect of Western Australia, as it does not afford an outback experience that is typically expected in WA.  Be warned, the next piece of land south of Albany is Antarctica, so the weather can be variable, and you can experience a cold snap at any time.  Always be prepared with warm and waterproof clothing and enjoy your visit to this fantastic destination.

Originally posted 2011-05-12 19:25:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter