tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86204336393940310832024-03-21T14:06:03.164-07:00Homepage Travel Tip IntroWDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-23065030940885076202020-02-28T19:06:00.003-08:002020-10-14T22:08:33.222-07:00The perfect island getaway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbWDr6yt5qXl_uXgcRiatuRQeNSIRvoiwX88e8yMJ9iwgp9V27Ka4AYDet9cA-NgV3Mqt31fQpOy1SMwOq8iEcgINHitZBTk3Gy1I0rsLleLX0ymKpTvfti9UwiqjeibLEULRtJmlUZ4/s1600/FreeSpirit+1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbWDr6yt5qXl_uXgcRiatuRQeNSIRvoiwX88e8yMJ9iwgp9V27Ka4AYDet9cA-NgV3Mqt31fQpOy1SMwOq8iEcgINHitZBTk3Gy1I0rsLleLX0ymKpTvfti9UwiqjeibLEULRtJmlUZ4/s320/FreeSpirit+1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #474747; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;">A few weeks back I stayed at the delightful Free Spirit Pods on Bruny Island, Tasmania's delightful get-away-from-it-all destination.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;">The pods are set in native bush land with shore walks and lots of wildlife.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;">Now the folk behind Free Spirit Pods have created three different tour packages that start and end in Hobart and include transport and accommodation.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;">The trio of two- and three-night packages are available through to December 1, 2020. </span></span></div>
WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-45618044137562566182013-10-19T21:46:00.001-07:002019-04-13T01:13:18.250-07:00Norfolk: One of Britain's best-kept secrets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Norfolk is quintessentially English, full of quaint country pubs and waterside
towpaths but remains a well-kept secret – although not to the British royal
family<b>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN">The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
and the newest royal, Prince George, are setting up their country home at </span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anmer Hall on the Queen's private Sandringham Estate. </span></strong><strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
10-bedroom Georgian mansion, one of the Queen's favourites from her 150-property
collection, will act as a rural retreat from the couple's primary London
residence, Kensington Palace. The house has a</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
swimming pool and tennis court and is close to idyllic Holkham Beach.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw55YkM_s5_K9xDuWVy5VKgiprNa7vzVwTQaq2ZZIhBnkzx8jyQ1KybAg4884hHC9OvXQkgy7Zt1S_8Vd89zHY34f7dVj6xNJHqbSiYtMvbPaGVxAb49j0TEj707pRXq2FnnJVlEAoKac/s1600/Norwich+Medieval+buildings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw55YkM_s5_K9xDuWVy5VKgiprNa7vzVwTQaq2ZZIhBnkzx8jyQ1KybAg4884hHC9OvXQkgy7Zt1S_8Vd89zHY34f7dVj6xNJHqbSiYtMvbPaGVxAb49j0TEj707pRXq2FnnJVlEAoKac/s320/Norwich+Medieval+buildings.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-69885962525039953732012-08-11T22:33:00.002-07:002012-08-11T22:55:34.772-07:00Gourmet Heaven: Lyon, France<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are likely
to eat and drink well just about anywhere in France, but Lyon offers something
special. T</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">he city has long been a magnet for lovers of fine food and wine – and is known as
the country's culinary capital.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With almost 2
million people in the city and surrounds, </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lyon forms the
largest<span class="apple-converted-space"> urban area in</span> France
outside Paris and is encircled by vineyards, with Beaujolais to the north and
the Cotes du Rhone to the south. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpP62EIOmtNwHjn4EmqrBmiYRc_648u1vxmR99Tbi5IvfwEKr722CGjXr4lHHsNwU784Lm0MhsAXL5HP1KXg-N4clOy60MM8m39k0CJeuWf0cxjnPwf_tafX0ka7TUIBVRy_6_TI8ZgI/s1600/lyon-france.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpP62EIOmtNwHjn4EmqrBmiYRc_648u1vxmR99Tbi5IvfwEKr722CGjXr4lHHsNwU784Lm0MhsAXL5HP1KXg-N4clOy60MM8m39k0CJeuWf0cxjnPwf_tafX0ka7TUIBVRy_6_TI8ZgI/s320/lyon-france.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-53578783090335152922012-02-12T19:58:00.000-08:002012-02-12T20:12:00.398-08:00London Olympics: 10 Top Tips<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">London will host the Olympic Games from July 27 to August 12 this year – with the Paralympics to follow – and it is never too early to start planning for the sporting trip of a lifetime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">The United Kingdom capital will become the first city to host the modern Olympics three times, following on from 1908 and 1948. After some intense refurbishments to public building and monuments, road upgrades and improvements to public transport, the city is ready to welcome the world to one of the greatest sporting shows on earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9jJw_LQndjMIJksN3yH2dzkQg5tdx6tFm02YxS54OTBlg-bXiJMtu-iaejeTpnmIo3QZRWdYAc8UDkCY_JtyLJJ_uHdDpuGstEkBXFVKPxJ18D0JrBhLv-H9hhxOC9TjOnVNu2hP4ao/s1600/London+Olympics+Stadium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9jJw_LQndjMIJksN3yH2dzkQg5tdx6tFm02YxS54OTBlg-bXiJMtu-iaejeTpnmIo3QZRWdYAc8UDkCY_JtyLJJ_uHdDpuGstEkBXFVKPxJ18D0JrBhLv-H9hhxOC9TjOnVNu2hP4ao/s320/London+Olympics+Stadium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">These are my top 10 tips to ensure your Olympic visit goes swimmingly: <o:p></o:p></span></div>WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-22787989840471385102011-10-02T19:28:00.000-07:002011-10-14T23:48:49.234-07:00Six great city breaks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7Llrf9X3cK5QvsDBChYsH4HU5T47mjjmU6_Wlg8oDfFo2ZYfhGwAFgeQqGRlsj45ypnc2XBbhdk9YauK8YJK_Wo5zHI2ZGbe1FgOCPUJThk0YcbOfpZqbNGcBcbrN5uaVYJFq7rcyu4/s1600/Hadleys+Exterior+by+night.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7Llrf9X3cK5QvsDBChYsH4HU5T47mjjmU6_Wlg8oDfFo2ZYfhGwAFgeQqGRlsj45ypnc2XBbhdk9YauK8YJK_Wo5zHI2ZGbe1FgOCPUJThk0YcbOfpZqbNGcBcbrN5uaVYJFq7rcyu4/s320/Hadleys+Exterior+by+night.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659087758379578914" /></a><br />There are plenty of options if you are looking for a gourmet weekend away in one of Australia’s cities. Here are six of my favourite getaways: <br /><br /><strong>Hadleys Grand Mercure - Hobart </strong><br />The Tasmanian capital has undergone a metamorphosis over the past decade with an explosion of stylish restaurants, wine bars, delicatessens, patisseries and coffee shops – but visitors are also impressed by the many historic buildings and its rich colonial heritage. One of them is the Hadleys Hotel Grand Mercure. Located in the heart of Hobart city centre, this is Tasmania’s oldest continuously operating boutique hotel and was constructed by convict labour in 1834. This National Trust-listed heritage building has just 71 refurbished and restored rooms, and an on-site restaurant. You can’t be closer to the action as you are surrounded by historic pubs and are just a five-minute walk to the waterfront and lively Salamanca Place. Hobart’s many gourmet attractions are all close by with several boutique wineries within a short drive. The hotel staff are wonderfully helpful and there is a delightful vibe from staying in a place with so much history. <br /><em>Hadleys Hotel Grand Mercure, 34 Murray Street, Hobart. (03) 6237 2999. www.grandmercurehadleyshotel.com.au. </em><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2110408113085028";<br />/* Ad 1 */<br />google_ad_slot = "4843715310";<br />google_ad_width = 728;<br />google_ad_height = 90;<br />//--><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"<br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script>WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-24700401315339008832010-08-08T21:22:00.000-07:002010-08-19T23:52:17.787-07:00Coonawarra - Worth The Trip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2yaoSVXf1-Nt7Wkqz5fg2HesL0bEzO7p2scaDNH1SzbRFuEG6tHN6CXBKkD1bWUXWMaN-xVcixjgjTviyEvhCvGtnSCRAj6_jiUxZQnsydsenb-ED8Ot-b0ycp31t0yaiWzwW_DSjAc/s1600/Coonawarra+generic+images+002.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2yaoSVXf1-Nt7Wkqz5fg2HesL0bEzO7p2scaDNH1SzbRFuEG6tHN6CXBKkD1bWUXWMaN-xVcixjgjTviyEvhCvGtnSCRAj6_jiUxZQnsydsenb-ED8Ot-b0ycp31t0yaiWzwW_DSjAc/s320/Coonawarra+generic+images+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503261701000999570" /></a><br /><br />It's one of Australia’s most isolated, but also most rewarding, wine regions. Coonawarra is midway between Melbourne and Adelaide – roughly a five-hour drive from either – or 45 minutes from Mount Gambier’s pocket-sized airport.<br /> <br />Coonawarra is a place of pilgrimage for wine lovers from around the world – drawn by the magnificent cabernets and shirazes produced locally as a result of the region’s unique terra rossa land which has red-brown topsoil sitting on a white limestone base. <br /><br />A thin cigar-shaped strip of red soil that runs from the hamlet of Penola in the south along the Riddoch Highway to tiny Coonawarra township in the north this small area produces some of Australia’s very best reds (and some pretty good chardonnays and rieslings) and the winemakers, grape growers and marketers are all immensely proud of their little strip of red dirt – flat as it is.WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-78262021141110571662010-05-04T20:23:00.001-07:002010-05-04T20:30:02.032-07:00Lord Howe IslandIt is a sub-tropical island that is a World Heritage site and has been described as the most beautiful in the Pacific. It lies 600 kilometres east of the Australian mainland and is an increasingly popular destination for Sydneysiders looking to get away from it all.<br />Welcome to Lord Howe Island and its satellites, the remnants of an ancient volcano whose shape protects a coral reef and lagoon that attract an amazing range of marine life.<br />Lord Howe is home to several million Kentia palms, petrels, shearwaters, terns and a wide range of bird life and has just 350 permanent residents. With visitors limited to 400 at any one time, peace and quiet is assured. <br />There is no mobile phone signal, no fast-food outlets, no high-rise buildings and no power cables. Instead, the clear, clean sea lures visitors to swim, surf, snorkel, dive, fish or paddle, year-round.WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-63758808437199942572009-12-09T16:47:00.000-08:002010-01-06T04:00:41.640-08:00Best of the Best 2009Amazingly, it's already 2010, so here are my personal awards for outstanding <span style="font-family:arial;">contributions</span> to food, wine and travel over <span style="font-family:arial;">the</span> past 12 months:<br /><strong>Winery of the year:</strong> Stella Bella in Margaret River produces a range of excellent wines at sensible price points – and never makes a dud. The 2007 Chardonnay, 2007 Shiraz and 2007 Sangiovese Cabernet blend are all outstanding.<br /><strong>Best innovation:</strong> Kinkawooka Shellfish from Boston Bay in South Australia launched Australia’s first French-style petit bouchot mussels, small intensely flavoured mussels like those from Brittany. They are sold ready to cook at leading seafood merchants during the season.<br /><strong>Best newcomer: </strong>Everybody’s talking about Provenance Restaurant and Luxury Suites in Beechworth, the dining and accommodation offering from chef Michael Ryan, formerly of Myrtleford’s two-hat Range restaurant. The restaurant is superb. Phone (03) 5728 1786. <a href="http://www.theprovenance.com.au/">http://www.theprovenance.com.au/</a>.<br /><strong>City stars:</strong> Cumulus Inc in Melbourne remains the benchmark for casual dining with smart, intelligent food, while Marque, in Sydney’s Surry Hills, consistently serves up degustation menus that both challenge and delight.WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8620433639394031083.post-28809275880384824962009-06-13T22:45:00.001-07:002009-06-13T23:04:20.293-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq3ADyGcLux9TjXWmQuQC8rKsOtVOX0BBSc8MoCvf8WvAOHG0fdyhJOJfFOqwn7_dXWzf8aSJAxyUas7A52OthgIWJtSoEo8c2ZsV7NmwYX7v6K0o4PvFmY1dmkXQ1BNrdZTyv2FgfkQ/s1600-h/87e001l.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjq3ADyGcLux9TjXWmQuQC8rKsOtVOX0BBSc8MoCvf8WvAOHG0fdyhJOJfFOqwn7_dXWzf8aSJAxyUas7A52OthgIWJtSoEo8c2ZsV7NmwYX7v6K0o4PvFmY1dmkXQ1BNrdZTyv2FgfkQ/s320/87e001l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347055425995973906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">Abu Dhabi</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">IT’S the fashionable new stopover en route to Europe; buzzing with ultra-luxe hotels and resorts. It’s the venue for international food and wine festivals like Gourmet Abu Dhabi and top international sporting events like the Formula One Grand Prix.</span></span>WDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437107551368066901noreply@blogger.com0