Byron Bay is one of the most visited regional towns in Australia, receiving over 1.5 million visitors annually. It became famous for its surfer and hippy culture in the 60’s, but they long ago got priced out when cashed-up Sydney-siders and Hollywood stars moved in. It still retains an alternative vibe though, with eco-friendly shops […]
Hotel Review: Novotel Brisbane Airport
Hotel Name: Novotel Brisbane Airport Address: 6-8 The Circuit, Brisbane Airport, QLD, Australia. I stayed at the Novotel Brisbane Airport. I was hosted by a tourism agency and I was in Brisbane en route. Normally I would stay for a day or two if I’m visiting an interesting city, but I didn’t have time on […]
Castlemaine – the gold-rush era city in the goldfields region of Victoria
Visitors to Melbourne marvel at the remains of “Marvellous Melbourne” – the Victorian-era architecture that is a legacy of the great Victorian gold rush. The gold was is in the regions surrounding Melbourne, and Ballarat and Bendigo became the two biggest regional cities as a result of the gold rush. Before Ballarat and Bendigo became […]
Notes on Melbourne: Things I noticed on my annual visit – 2018 Edition
Every year I return to my home city of Melbourne to see my family and attend to general business and personal duties. I still by default call Melbourne home, even if I haven’t lived here since 2010. I returned last year after an unintended two year absence, and like last year the city continues to […]
Flight Review: Jetstar – Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City
Flight: Jetstar JQ 63 From: Melbourne (MEL) To: Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) I flew with Jetstar from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City. As I am based in Saigon and Melbourne is my Australian home city I was happy to see this service when it began in May, 2017. Previously the only direct service […]
Flight Review: AirAsiaX – Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne
Flight: AirAsia X D7 212 From: Kuala Lumpur (KUL) To: Melbourne (MEL) I flew with AirAsia X from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. When I’m flying back to Melbourne from Southeast Asia I usually compare flights on Skyscanner from different starting points. I was flying from Saigon initially but I also looked at other hub cities, […]
Singapore Airlines flight review: Sydney to Saigon with a free stopover in Singapore
Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ 252 From: Sydney (SYD) To: Singapore (SIN) Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ 186 From: Singapore (SIN) To: Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) When booking flights that include a transfer of planes at an airport (a layover), it’s worth checking to see if you can turn it into a stopover (where you leave […]
Flight Review: ANA – Tokyo Haneda to Sydney
Flight: All Nippon Airways NH 879 From: Tokyo Haneda (HND) To: Sydney (SYD) I flew with ANA from Tokyo to Sydney. My flight was arranged by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau who provided the flight for my trip. This was the return leg of my flight from Sydney to Tokyo. Like my SYD-HND flight, […]
Flight Review: ANA – Sydney to Tokyo Haneda
Flight: All Nippon Airways NH 880 From: Sydney (SYD) To: Tokyo Haneda (HND) I flew with ANA from Sydney to Haneda Tokyo. My flight was arranged by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau who provided the flight for my trip. This was my first time flying with ANA so I was looking forward to trying […]
Flight Review: Singapore Airlines – Saigon to Sydney via Singapore
Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ 177 From: Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) To: Singapore (SIN) Flight: Singapore Airlines SQ 221 From: Singapore (SIN) To: Sydney (SYD) I flew with Singapore Airlines from Saigon to Sydney (via Singapore, of course). I compared flights with Skyscanner and Singapore Airlines had the best price range and times for my […]
