Tag: Australia
Those rocks in Lake Thetis aren’t really rocks
WHY I WENT?
Some weeks before I was about to leave for Australia, a colleague of mine lent me a book and said, “Arnab, as someone visiting Australia, I believe you’ll find this book very interesting.”
I had no idea who Bill Bryson was before reading Down Under.
But I am so glad I read it before Australia because the author’s wit is infectious and the book definitely made my trip richer. It was in this book that I read about stromatolites and I went to Lake Thetis to see them.
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
Exactly for the same reason I went. To see how the modern versions of Earth’s first living organisms look like.
Continue reading Those rocks in Lake Thetis aren’t really rocks
Take an Australian Aboriginal culture tour on Rottnest Island
Perth (TAN): Rottnest Island off the Western Australia coast has more to offer to visitors than just quokka selfies.
Visitors to the island can also experience traditional Aboriginal culture as part of new cultural tours made available on the island.
A company called Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours and Experiences offers visitors a walking tour to learn about Rottnest’s past and its spiritual significance to Noongar people. Continue reading Take an Australian Aboriginal culture tour on Rottnest Island
Whale shark season is here at the Ningaloo reef in Australia
Perth (TAN): Whale sharks have started arriving this year at the Ningaloo Reef on Australia’s mid-north coast.
An increasing number of tourists have been coming to the World Heritage-listed reef over the past few years to experience its corals and wildlife. The primary attraction in this season is to swim with the whale sharks. Over 32,000 people swam with the world’s biggest fish in 2018, say reports.
The Ningaloo reef, which is 300km long, is the largest coral reef in the world situated close to a landmass. Continue reading Whale shark season is here at the Ningaloo reef in Australia
Community rallies to restore defunct rail bridge in Australia
Melbourne (TAN): The longest timber rail bridge in Victoria, Australia, is on the brink of collapse and a group of people are campaigning to restore the century-old structure. Trains have not travelled across the Snowy River rail bridge, near Orbost in far Gippsland, since 1987, and the bridge is in a shambles.
But Save the Snowy Rail Bridge Committee believes restoring the bridge and expanding the local rail trail, four-and-a-half hours east of Melbourne, would also save Orbost, which has suffered from drought and the demise of the local timber industry. The group wants the restored bridge to be used as a walk and cycleway as part of the East Gippsland Rail Trail.
Orbost is a historic tourist town in the shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 375 kilometres east of Melbourne and 235 kilometres south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. Continue reading Community rallies to restore defunct rail bridge in Australia
Free room service ends for Carnival Cruise Line guests
Miami (TAN): We all pretty much know there’s no free lunch, but no free room service? Now, that’s heartbreaking! Carnival Cruise Line has recently announced it will end complimentary room service on its ships, from mid-January this year.
The company’s senior cruise director and brand ambassador John Heald revealed on his Facebook page that they would shift to a fleetwide a la carte stateroom service menu, while keeping prices nominal at USD2 to USD5 per item.
Guests will be charged for lunch, dinner and late-night menus. However, there will be one exception — the continental breakfast, which will be the only room service that will ‘continue to be offered free of charge’. Continue reading Free room service ends for Carnival Cruise Line guests
Queensland to get more Qantas flights
Cairns (TAN): Qantas has announced an increase in seating capacity and frequency across the company’s Queensland routes, from March 31, this year.
The addition will enable Australia’s flagship airline to offer over 2,600 extra seats every week compared with the same period last year.
The airline will continue the deployment of Airbus A330s on select flights from Cairns to Melbourne and Sydney.
SilkAir increases Singapore-Cairns flight frequency
Singapore (TAN): Singapore Airlines’ regional wing SilkAir has announced the increase of flight frequency to the Australian city of Cairns, from June 2, 2019.
The number of SilkAir flights from Singapore to Cairns will go up from five to seven, with one flight on each day of the week. The new flights will be offered on Sundays and Tuesdays.
SilkAir will use Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to fly to Cairns.
Talking about the raised frequency, Foo Chai Woo, chief executive, SilkAir, said, “we are proud to announce a daily service to Cairns, providing greater accessibility and connectivity for our customers.”
Continue reading SilkAir increases Singapore-Cairns flight frequency
Etihad Airways to introduce Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona
December 22 (TravelAndy): Etihad Airways will introduce the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its scheduled services from Abu Dhabi to Barcelona, effective from Feb 22, 2019, replacing the Airbus A330-200 currently operating the recently launched route.
The deployment of the larger 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona has been timed to coincide with the Mobile World Conference taking place in the city from 25-28 February, during which Etihad Airways will provide daily flights. The airline will increase frequency to a permanent daily operation from 31 March.
The service will feature Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy cabins, configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats – a capacity increase of six seats in Business and 31 in Economy in each direction, and an increase in belly-hold cargo capacity of four tonnes.
Continue reading Etihad Airways to introduce Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Barcelona
US tour operators name Italy as 2019 ‘hot’ destination
December 19 (NITN): The tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) have named Italy the most popular or “hot” destination for travellers in 2019, a recent survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) revealed.
The top 10 “hot” destinations for the coming year also include Iceland, which ranked second, followed by Japan, Vietnam, Australia, France, Spain, Colombia, Cambodia and Portugal.
USTOA members also identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2019: Iceland ranked first, Cambodia ranked second, followed by Croatia, Colombia, Vietnam, Portugal, Bhutan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.
Continue reading US tour operators name Italy as 2019 ‘hot’ destination
Perth Airport introduces sleeping pods for passengers
December 13 (TravelAndy): Perth Airport has introduced sleeping pods at its T1 zone, making it the first airport in Australia with this facility.
The airport has installed eight pods in collaboration with Smarte Carte and Finnish company GoSleep.
According to Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown, the pods would be perfect for passengers who either arrived early or had some time between connecting flights, as they connected their flights in different ways, many with a short stopover. Continue reading Perth Airport introduces sleeping pods for passengers
Albany alight to honour Anzac sacrifice
September 28 (TravelAndy): Albany will become a beacon for honouring the service and sacrifice of the Anzacs when Field of Light: Avenue of Honour opens in Albany in the first week of October.
Adorning the Avenue of Honour on Mount Clarence, thousands of visitors are expected to wander through the display of more than 16,000 lights, crafted by world-renowned artist Bruce Munro.
The shining glass spheres represent the colours of Australia and New Zealand’s national flowers. Field of Light: Avenue of Honour will coincide with the conclusion of the Anzac Centenary commemorations, exhibiting from October 4, 2018 to Anzac Day 2019. Continue reading Albany alight to honour Anzac sacrifice
Wildflower splendour in Western Australia
September 26 (TravelAndy): Western Australia is home to an array of natural attractions that drive visitors from near and far to see nature at its best.
The state is currently experiencing one of its biggest wildflower seasons on record, with an abundance of blooms on show from north to south. Between now and November, visitors can check-out more than 8,000 species of wildflowers throughout Western Australia’s southwest.
Hot spots include the Cape to Cape Track, Fitzgerald River National Park, Stirling Range National Park and Porongurup National Park. Continue reading Wildflower splendour in Western Australia