Kuranda -The Rainforest Village
Kuranda, also known as the health resort of far North Queensland, is a village in the rainforest behind Cairns, on the way up to the Atherton Tablelands. It has long been home to the Tjapukai aboriginal people. But since the completion of the rail link to Cairns in 1891 and the hippy invasion of the 1960s it is a thriving market and holiday town, while still retaining a strong sense of aboriginal culture. The Journey or the Destination? A trip to Kuranda is as much about the journey as the destination. It is possible to take the Scenic Kuranda Railway or the Skyrail both to and from Kuranda. A popular…
Paris à Pied – Part 3
You can’t walk around Paris without noticing the monuments, but how is the best way to make sure you definitely don’t miss anything? This is part three of a three part series, guiding you on a walk around Paris. If you wish to start with Part one, please click here. If you wish to then read Part two, please click here. Starting by the Eiffel Tower, cross the Seine over the Pont d’Iena and walk towards the Palais de Chaillot, originally an exhibition centre and now a Naval Museum. Walk past the fountains and climb the stairs. Once at the top, you are at a magnificent spot for taking photos of…
How to sail around the world on a luxury yacht
The yachting industry can seem, to an outsider, like a well-kept secret, but I’m going to let you in on it. Do you fancy the idea of sailing around the world on a luxury yacht? Want to know how to get paid to do it? Read on. What do you do onboard a yacht? The key things to understand are that yachts require maintenance and service standards are extremely high. Interior crew maintain the interior guest areas laundry and crew mess. Crew from the deck and engineering departments maintain the exterior and engine room, whilst also supervising guest use of toys (such as jetskis, waterskiing and scuba diving). Pros and…
The Aussie Way
I have been in Australia a few months now. What have I noticed that’s different from other places? The Land Downunder is unique in several ways. Here are some I have noticed. The colourful Australian use of English Jokes about speaking ‘straylian aside, English is the official language of Australia, but not as we know it. It is not only the Aussie accent that confuses non Aussies, but the use of different words. The news reports that someone was ‘bashed’. The cheddar cheese in the supermarket is defined as either being ‘mild’ or ‘tasty’. Then there are phrases like “I was flat out like a lizard drinking” which once you’ve…
Making Friends on the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven Natural wonders of the world and the only one visible from space. There is a lot of hype about it and visitors have seriously high expectations. We went out and made some bubbles. I’m not sure if it was our fault for being overexcited, but our first dive, was not all we had hoped it would be. The site was not uninteresting but it was a bit sparse. It was made worse because we spent a long time waiting around underwater before the dive itself began. That’s right, our dive suffered an attack of the muppets. Once our dive guide had…
Paris a Pied – Part 2
Paris, what’s not to love? It is possibly Europe’s most elegant city and best seen on foot. This is part two of a three part series, guiding you around Paris. If you wish to start with Part one, please click here. From the Ile de Cite to the Eiffel Tower, along the Rive Gauche Starting at the Ile de Cite, cross the Seine using Rue de la Cite or Boulevard du Palais, to the South bank of the Seine. After 5pm the Quais Saint Bernard here comes alive with gatherings of people dancing salsa which is magical. Walk West along the river, keeping the river on your right and you…
Life in an Old Queenslander
Queenslanders, as well as being the notoriously laid back inhabitants of Queensland, are buildings built using a type of architecture developed in the 1840s and they are unique to Queensland. They are magnificent and elegant old buildings and I am lucky enough to live in one at the moment. Let me show you around. Queenslanders are mostly residential buildings of timber construction. The two main factors influencing their development were the often overwhelmingly hot and humid sub-tropical Queensland climate and the ready availability of certain building materials. A classic characteristic of Queenslanders is that the building is raised off the ground, partly for ventilation and partly to protect the timber…
Paris à Pied
Paris is a great city to discover on foot. ‘Paris a Pied’ is my guide to walking around Paris. I have written this feature in three parts, as you could not cover all of this in one day, if you also wanted to enjoy the attractions as you go. However, if you are short of time and just wanted to explore, you could walk part one, followed by part two and then part three. Just don’t forget your comfy shoes! From the Marais District to Notre Dame This walk starts in the Marais district of Paris, as it is where I like to stay when I visit. It is a…
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns, the ‘gateway to the Great Barrier Reef’, is a great place. In winter it is about 28 degrees centigrade most days, which is great (my kind of winter!) By day, the sounds of birds and geckos fill your ears and as dusk settles over the Esplanade bats hurry about the darkening sky. Cairns City The town itself is pretty much a two-storey place, especially in the centre. It is an easy town to walk around and laid out simply. It is difficult to get lost. A few historical buildings have survived the cyclones and can be seen around town. There is a museum too, proudly explaining Cairns’ history. Cairns…
Dive Gear – What should you really buy?
Just completed your Open Water course? Fallen completely in love with scuba diving? Fantastic! You’re probably now trying to decide if you buy your own dive equipment. If you are faced with an enthusiastic dive instructor giving you the hard sell, here is what you should keep in mind. Firstly, try not to be annoyed by them. Dive instructors are paid notoriously low wages for working long hours with people who are often demanding! A lot of dive centres insist they meet certain sales quotas. Do you need to buy your own dive equipment? Ask yourself the following questions: 1. How often will you dive and use the equipment? Nevermind…
