Australia is a known ‘hot’ spot for immersing yourself in the natural world. Uniquely, every state on the continent boasts numerous undeveloped, and developed springs and waterholes, and many are directly accessible via major cities — making it THE quintessential destination for a road trip. To top it off: most are also surrounded by indigenous areas/experiences and national parks. 2023 ushers in a huge number of NEW luxury, and immersive natural experiences and lodging options for travelers that make now a great time to pen a story (and book a trip). MELBOURNE, VICTORIA Just a few hours from Melbourne, visitors Read more
Melbourne
Just weeks after Hurricane Ian lashed the Gulf Coast of Florida, Tropical Storm Nicole is battering the Atlantic Coast. Heavy winds and massive waves pounded the coast north of Fort Lauderdale today, forcing evacuations and temporarily shutting down Walt Disney World in Orlando. WESH News in Florida said Disney parks closed Wednesday at 5 p.m. and will remain closed until at least noon today (Thursday, Nov. 10). CNN said Universal Orlando Resort also closed Wednesday afternoon. Orlando International Airport was closed as of late Wednesday afternoon, as was Melbourne International. CNN said Palm Beach International Airport and Daytona Beach International Read more
A new list of the world’s most liveable cities puts three Canadian places in the top ten. Calgary came tied with Zurich for third spot, while Vancouver was fifth and Toronto eighth. No other country had three cities in the top ten, although Switzerland did have two. No Canadian cities made the top ten in 2021, so this is pretty cool. The Global Liveability Index is an annual ranking from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that rates 172 cities around the world on over 30 factors, from healthcare, infrastructure, education and crime rates to access to cultural and sports pursuits Read more
Australia is open again for business, and Air Canada is an ideal way to get there. Australia has long been a top destination for Canadians dreaming of fantastic scenery, sunny skies, indigenous travel experiences, and amazing culture. The borders were pretty much closed for two years, but international visitors began to be welcomed again in late February. Air Canada has daily flights from Vancouver to Sydney on posh, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. They’ll add direct flights from YVR to Brisbane starting July 1. (Air Canada also will resume flights from Vancouver to Auckland, New Zealand in November of this year.) Vic Read more
By Ted McIntyre Twenty million years ago, give a day or two, the lower lying areas just south of modern-day Melbourne, Australia, were submerged beneath a few hundred feet of seawater. When the ocean eventually receded, it left a roughly 210-square-kilometre corridor covered in a sandy loam—as deep as 80 metres in spots. This geological event is clear proof that long before the evolution of mankind commenced, the Good Lord was already considering the evolution of golf, for there may not be a more perfect recipe of soil and terrain for course design than this unique Sandbelt region of Read more
