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Nov

Belinda Jackson wins Travel Writer of the Year 2025-26

I am so pleased to announce that I’m the Australian Society of Travel Writers’ new Travel Writer of the Year!

The awards were announced at a gala celebration hosted by the City of Greater Bendigo, and I couldn’t be more proud. It is the second time I’ve won this prestigious award, the last time was two years ago.

The three stories in my portfolio were drawn from Saudi Arabia, Oman and southern Spain, places I love equally, and were published in the Traveller section of the The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and in Luxury Escapes‘ glossy Dream magazine.

Traveller: AlUla, Saudi Arabia with The Royal Commission for AlUla Read the story here
Traveller: Southern Spain train odyssey with InnTravel Read the story here
Luxury Escapes: Heaven Scent in Oman, with Emirates, Anantara Hotels & Resorts and Shangri-La Group

The very generous prize is two business class tickets on Virgin Australia‘s domestic and short-haul international network – I reckon they’ll be easy to use!

Thank you to the Australian Society of Travel Writers, to the editors including Paul Chai, Craig Platt, Anthony Dennis, Jane Reddy and Trudi Jenkins, and to the tourism companies that continue to help travel journalists and writers produce detailed, quality (fact-checked) features, and to the public relations professionals who support and back us, even as budgets tighten and soundbites shorten. Huge thanks to Barking Owl Communications, Julia Spence PR, Lara McCabe at Burson, Nick Flynn, Zoe Shurgold and of course the sponsors, Virgin Australia

And a shout out to the team at Niyama Private Islands Maldives where I’m currently working on my next story (yep, it’s as tough as it sounds), who baked me the most beautiful cake when they heard the news.

Nov

Winner: ASTW Travel Writer of the Year!

I am so very, very, very pleased to tell you that I have been named Travel Writer of the Year 2023 by the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW)!

The ASTW made the announcement at its awards ceremony in Sydney this weekend, a glittering occasion (not least because I decided to emulate a human mirrorball for the evening). It was one of three awards I received:

Best accommodation story; for my review of The Benev spa hotel in Beechworth, in Victoria’s High Country
The Jack Butters Award for outstanding contribution to the ASTW; and, of course,
Travel Writer of the Year 2023.

The Travel Writer of the Year entry requires submission of three features; I took a turn off the beaten path to include my solo travel in Saudi Arabia for Traveller.com.au, another women-only travel in Islamic countries, for the Sydney Morning Herald/The Age and a third story on journeying through the Malaysian state of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, for Gourmet Traveller magazine.

The Jack Butters Award is named after the first president of the ASTW, and recognises outstanding service to the ASTW. It’s a tricky one to talk about without sounding boastful – I organise the Victorian events for the ASTW, and in the past have managed its social media, encourage networking and connection within the industry and generally get my hands mucky on the job. I am very proud of this award, as it requires nomination from fellow members. So, thank you to those who thought of me at this time.

I send thanks to my editors, particularly Craig Platt for going out on a limb and running my women-in-Saudi piece on traveller.com.au, and for Anthony Dennis for seeing the need for a cover story on women-only travel in Islamic countries in the Sydney Morning Herald. Neither can be described mainstream topics. And sending thanks to Sarah Maguire, editor of the Explore section of Aust Community Media/Canberra Times/ Newcastle Herald, for indulging my love of raw linen and bush fragrances of The Benev in Beechworth.

I’m equally thankful for the sponsors who make such travel, especially Experience AlUla in Saudi Arabia, North East Tourism here in Victoria, Tourism Malaysia and the countless people who have helped and guided me on my years of travels in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Thanks also to the sponsors for each award – Virgin Australia who sponsors the Travel Writer of the Year award, and the lovely Victorian company Lancemore Hotels, who sponsored of the accommodation award, and finally, the ASTW itself and in particular, its board and awards committee. Without the ASTW, I would not have the friendships, the connections, the support and encouragement of the many, many talented people in its ranks.

And to end, here are the links for each piece:

Solo woman’s travel in Saudi Arabia – https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/visiting-saudia-arabia-as-a-woman-i-went-to-the-notoriously-sexist-country-as-a-solo-female-tourist-20220705-h24v9q.html

Women-only travel in Islamic countries – https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/travel-guide-for-women-travellers-in-the-middle-east-tips-and-advice-20220624-h24nad.html

Lore of the jungle: adventuring in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo – https://www.magzter.com/de/stories/travel/Gourmet-Traveller/LORE-OF-THE-JUNGLE

Slow road to a blissful state: The Benev, Beechworth, Australia – https://www.exploretravel.com.au/story/8124768/slow-road-to-a-blissful-state/

Sep

Airline review: Madrid to Cairo with Egyptair

Recently, I completed an epic trek from Cusco, near Macchu Pichu in Peru, to Cairo, Egypt.

Let me tell you, it took some serious, late-night internet hunting! I could have travelled via Sao Paulo, (Brazil) then across to Casablanca (Morocco) and on to Egypt, or from Sao Paulo via a 12-hour layover in Addas Ababa (Ethiopia) and on to Cairo. In the end, the best connections were flying from Lima (Peru) up to Madrid (with three hours cooling my heels in a secondary airport in Ecuador) with LATAM and from Madrid on to Cairo with Egyptair.

This is my review of the Egyptair flight – I’ve flown many times domestically and internationally with the national carrier – on the Madrid-Cairo route, a direct flight of 4 hours 40 minutes.

I’m going to paste my favourite para here, about the food on board:

Chicken or the beef? The beef arrives cubed in a sauce with spiral pasta, and is surprisingly comforting. It’s accompanied by a dried, tired salad, crackers, chocolate cake, a wholemeal dinner role, butter and a triangle of La vache qui rit (The Laughing Cow, incidentally, is the nickname of Egypt’s deposed military dictator, Hosny Mubarak).

Because you needed to know that last fact : )

Published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age‘s Traveller section, you can read my full review of Egyptair’s service here.

Aug

Vale rock brain Glenn A Baker, and his musical roadtrip through southern USA

Take a musical roadtrip through southern USA with Glenn A Baker, rock historian, eminent music journalist and travel writer.

This week, I’m remembering Glenn A Baker, a friend who was not only a rock historian and eminent music journalist, but an avid traveller who’d visited more than 150 countries, documenting his travels in books and the Australian media.

Tune into to my interview with Glenn about taking a musical roadtrip through southern USA

Click TO LISTEN

An accomplished radio presenter who was instrumental in the creation of radio stations JJ, he also presented Qantas’ inflight music entertainment for three decades. Glenn was also named the BBC’s Rock Brain of the Universe three times in the 1980s, a clear demonstration of his encyclopedic knowledge of music.

I can’t find any photos of us roaring through southern Ireland in a minibus (I was still in my no-photo stage of life) but I remember vividly going to a pub with Glenn one night to watch some trad Irish music. We had a table, watching the fiddles, and a bloke comes up to us and says, in his Australian accent, “Glenn A. Baker, didn’t think this was your scene!” He was just some punter who recognised Glenn, in a bar at a crossroads in Co Clare, so far was Glenn’s fame.

On that same roadtrip, I’d watch him leap from the a moving minibus as we were driving through a village one Sunday afternoon, a local band thrashing it in front of the pub – he was always on the look-out for new sound and talent.

Glenn was also my guest on the travel podcast The World Awaits. For our interview, I asked him to create an itinerary for a musical roadtrip through the USA, a task that he immediately said required at least two episodes to cover. We never did record the second, before he passed away earlier this week.

So I’m resharing his chat about travelling in southern USA, which reflects his deep passion for music, musical history and for the US. You can take a listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via our website.

My chat with Priscilla Presley

“Memphis is the centre of it all,” said Glenn, “and the aura – the spectre – of Elvis hangs over Memphis.”

Remember that Elvis cut his first record at Sun Studios, and Glenn talks about visiting Gracelands and seeing Elvis’ plane, the Lisa Marie. He even chatted with Priscilla about living in Gracelands – naturally, as an obsessive record collector, Glenn wanted to know what Elvis’ record collection was like. Priscilla also shared with him how Elvis listened to music, and how he chose new songs – jump onto the podcast to hear what she told him.

Key sites on a musical roadtrip in southern USA

Glenn’s suggested itinerary for a musical roadtrip of southern USA includes the key music cities of Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Add to that the three possible graves of Robert Johnson, the first great blues recording artist, famous for his song Crossroads, recorded in San Antonio, Texas in 1936. Famously, in the song Johnson sells his soul to the devil in exchange for fame. (If you’d like to read more about this story of fame bought, click here

Then, you could slip in Montgomery, Alabama, the birthplace of country singer Hank Williams, and the famous Tallahatchie Bridge from Bobbie Gentry’s song “Ode to Billie Joe,” is located near Greenwood and Money, Mississippi. He’d pass through Ferriday, Louisiana, where Gerry Lee Lewis was born, and went on to become “a very, very wild man,” and Vicksburg, Mississippi, home of blues songwriter and musician Willie Dixon.

For us, the iconic music journalist designed a custom soundtrack and playlist/mixtape alongside a guided itinerary of southern blues, soul, and R&B landmarks, which I’m sharing The World Awaits website.

Glenn’s mixtape for a musical roadtrip through southern USA includes:

When a Man Loves a Woman, Percy Sledge
Wild Horses, Rolling Stones
The American Trilogy, Elvis
Proud Mary, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Knock on Wood, Eddie Floyd
Crossroads, Robert Johnson
(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
Green Onions Booker T & the MGs
Rainbow Connection, Jim Henderson
Last Man Standing (album), Jerry Lee Lewis

BB King's Blues Club, one stop on Glenn A Baker's musical roadtrip.

FAQS: Best places to visit on a musical roadtrip in southern USA

Who is Australia’s rock music expert?

Glenn A. Baker was Australia’s premier rock historian, as well as a journalist and travel writer. He was the Australian editor of Billboard magazine for more than 20 years and wrote 17 books. He also managed bands including Ol’ 55 and was a keen spotter of new talent. He won the BBC’s Rock Brain of the Universe three times in the 1980s. Throughout his life, he collected around 80,000 vinyl records and CDs.

What are the best places to visit in southern USA for music?

Rock historian Glenn A Baker suggested the key music cities of Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, on a musical roadtrip of southern USA. He also includes Montgomery, Alabama, which is the birthplace of country singer Hank Williams, and the famous Tallahatchie Bridge from Bobbie Gentry’s song “Ode to Billie Joe,” which is located near Greenwood and Money, Mississippi.

Jul

Would you pay to jump the queues at the airport? | ABC Melbourne Radio

Would you pay to jump the queues at the airport?

That was the question I tusselled with on ABC Melbourne Radio recently with host Charlie Pickering, the new host of the drive-time slot.

Our conversation came out of the news that Sydney Airport has launched its new Fast Track lanes – are they worth the money, or just another airport fundraiser? I have to say, they sound like the queue for those of us who can’t get out of Sydney fast enough. But Melbourne jokes aside…

Take a listen…

I admit that I am notorious for running hard to the wire with flights – so would a $20 fast-track make me arrive even later? Happy to learn that Charlie is in fact in the same boat, a serial last-minute kinda guy. Wait, I’m not saying I hold the plane up; I get there on time, but not for me hours spent hanging around airports, shelling out money on overpriced food that could better be spent at my destination.

We’ve dubbed the Fast Track ‘Business Lite’, for people who don’t want to queue, but can’t afford business class. So they get to feel a little bit elite, at just $20.

However, the real question is: isn’t this fast track at the wrong end of the journey? The queue-jump is available when you’re starting your journey; surely they’d be more useful at the other end, when you’re arriving home shattered after a 14-hour flight from the Middle East? Or imagine you’ve just jumped off a Project Sunrise flight, Qantas’ non-stop London to Sydney flights that have just seen the first planes roll into Melbourne from Toulouse just this week? Those flights are 22 hours long – please somebody, let me jump the queue so I’m not wrangling with the Smart Gates, running the gambit of the duty-free ladies flogging (not very) cheap gin and synthetic perfumes. Cannot. Get. Out. Of. There. Fast. Enough. $20? As the ad goes, shut up and take my money!

I spoke with Melbourne Airport before the interview; they have no intention of introducing Fast Track lanes from international departures, and to be fair, it’s extremely rare that I’ve been caught up in anything more than a 10-minute wait here. And you’re still at the mercy of the person in front of you as they cautiously unthread their belt, unlace their shoes, pull their laptop out, realise they’ve got a half-bottle of water which they’d like to drink…

Similarly at the other end, the great leveller, for everyone from the cheapest budget flight seats to First class, is customs. And in Melbourne, that can be horrific. Because I am – always – the woman who buys the elk sausage. The bag of spices. The biltong. The weird Japanese frozen strawberries… all have to be checked and declared.

Jump on to listen to me and Charlie on 774 MELBOURNE talking Smart Gates, queue jumping, children’s vomit and why customs queues are the great levellers between first and economy-class travel.

Who can use the Fast Track service in Sydney?
All passengers can buy and use the Fast Track service at Sydney Airport’s T1 departures, but it does not include priority security or border processing for departures or transfers.

What other countries have fast-track services?
Plenty of countries have fast track lanes in their airports, including the United Kingdom and Singapore. They are open to frequent flyers and other premium program members. However, many countries include fast-track lanes for free for families with young children, including the Scandinavian countries and most other European countries.

Does Melbourne Airport have Fast Track departures?
No, Melbourne Airport does not have a pay-as-you-go Fast Track lane in its international departures.

Jul

Flight review: Melbourne-Jakarta-Tokyo with Garuda Indonesia | Sydney Morning Herald

If you’ve ever tried to find a last-minute ticket to Japan from Australia in sakura (cherry blossom) season, read on. You’ll know direct flights sell out hotter than a plate of piping takoyaki balls, and when you do find a seat, you need to sell a body part to get your backside on that seat for the 10 1/2-hour flight.

Faced with this dilemma recently, and needing to buy two tickets, I took a circuitous route with Garuda Indonesia, the country’s flag carrier. Yes, the flight was longer. Yes, it had a three-hour layover in Jakarta (lovely airport) and back via Denpasar (for all the Bintang singlets, yogawear and seriously overpriced food – however the TUMI shop had some great bargains, if you’re browsing). But for this review for the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, I took away a few very interesting lessons…

Did you know that you can fly Australia-Tokyo, and break your stay in Indonesia, at no charge, for up to a month’s stay? That’s a two-destination holiday, Tokyo and Bali, for the price of one! And if you’ve been watching the travel stats, you’ll know that Japan has recently taken over Indonesia (specifically, Bali) as the most popular international holiday destination for Australians.

I need to point out that Garuda has won Skytrax‘ award for best cabin crew multiple times, which sort of surprised me, but then in the flight, I found the service to absolutely live up to the award, on and off the plane. At one point, my travel companion left a small toiletries bag in her seat when we arrived in Jakarta. We reported it to customer service, who told us to take a seat, and in about 20 minutes, they’d run back to the flight, found the bag and returned it to us with a flourish and lots of smiles.

Also, they made a point of telling me that if you book a ticket with multiple guests on it, you automatically get seated together on the flight. I mean, people, this should not be so shocking, but having been split from my (then) five-year-old child on an international flight, and frequently flying with the (now much larger) child, it is a constant stress for many parents, who are thus forced to pay for seat allocations on top of their air fares. So, hats off to Garuda for maintaining what should be (and used to be) a basic service for passengers.

And final takeaway, the beef rendang served in flight is delicious – in economy. If you are an omnivore, you can’t go wrong with this meal choice.

For the basics: I flew Melbourne (MEL) to Jakarta (CGK) on Flight GA717.

The MEL-CGK flight runs four times weekly on an Airbus A330-300. Don’t expect glamour: it’s teal and chocolate. Need I say more? Ok, I will – the usb chargers are stupefyingly slow (as is the case on many airlines) and the sound didn’t work on the flight of one of my legs (I just plugged into the vacant seat beside me).

I flew Economy, and I’m a window-seat girl, sitting in seat 28A. The flight time is 7 hours 35 minutes from Melbourne to Jakarta, and about the same again on to Tokyo. And yay, I got three seats to myself so I slept all the way from Jakarta to Tokyo, arriving at 6am as fresh as an economy-class flight can ever leave you. It doesn’t beat a direct flight, but sometimes, needs must.

Flight review of Garuda Indonesia by Belinda Jackson

To read the full review, click here.

Disclaimer: my flight was not hosted by Garuda, but was paid for by Cruise Traveller. I paid for my daughter’s seat.

Jul

Is the EuroSummer dead? The coolcation cruises you need right now | Financial Review

Forty degrees in Paris? It’s fair to say the world is not right – in fact, The European Environment Agency says Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average rate, due to proximity to the Arctic’s melting perimeter. So how are those EuroSummer cruises shaping up now?

I recently did a deep-dive on cruising trends for the Financial Review newspaper and whether the Med cruise still has its lure, in light of the crazy, crazy temps we’re seeing across Europe. And what I found was new destinations, shoulder-season cruises and even winter cruising, as we try to avoid the heat, the crowds and the unashamed price gouging that are the signatures of the EuroSummer.

“Peak season remains as popular as ever, and for good reason, there’s an incredible energy to Europe in summer that many travellers love,” commented one cruise liner.

“However, what we’re increasingly seeing is that experienced travellers, or those who have already done Europe in the peak season, are discovering the shoulder months of April, May, September and October. The weather is still beautiful, the itineraries are the same, but there is a little more breathing room, fewer crowds at the iconic sites, more flexibility, and often you can find better value. It’s less about one being better than the other, and more about knowing there’s a wonderful alternative that suits different travel styles.”

You can read the story here: https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/travel/why-you-should-give-summer-cruises-the-cold-shoulder-20260520-p5zz33

Jun

Six years on the Trans Canada Trail with filmmaker Dianne Whelan | The World Awaits

At 50, filmmaker Dianne Whelan set out to walk and kayak the longest trail in the world, the 24,000km-long Trans Canada Trail.

Divorced, her dog had died, with doomsday in the headlines, she says she needed to make sense of the world.

Her film, 500 days in the Wild, opened recently in Australia and documents her extraordinary six-year journey. She talked to me about the project recently on The World Awaits podcast. The stats are extraordinary: she talks about paddling 8000km of water trails and walking, biking and even snowshowing 16,000km across land on a journey that has defined an entire decade of her life.

Throughout the journey, Dianne carried all her filming equipment to document the journey. I am fascinated about the logistics: how she kept everything charged, downloaded and protected – she spent months at a time in the high Arctic, at the mercy of wild water, snow, wild animals and all the elements.

She tells of not seeing anyone for months at a time, of escaping bears (all while carrying a cup of coffee) and paddling for months across the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior. In her six-year odyssey, she also found peace, awareness, acceptance and even love.

If you can, see the film – it also has a great soundtrack, opening with First Aid Kit, with Australia’s own Xavier Rudd and classic Joni Mitchell in the mix.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Watch the trailer for Dianne’s film: garage.com.au/500-days-in-the-wild/

Links:

https://www.theworldawaits.au/podcast/episode/7bc831f2/ep-147-six-years-on-the-trans-canada-trail-with-filmmaker-dianne-whelan-worst-airline-experiences-australias-best-town

Jun

Giveaway! Win a night’s stay at MOXY Sydney Airport hotel with The World Awaits podcast

Win a night’s stay for two at the chic Moxy Sydney Airport hotel with 14 nights’ valet parking, through this giveaway with my travel podcast, The World Awaits.

You and your fave friend win:
• A night’s stay at MOXY Sydney Airport
• Buffet breakfast at MOXY Kitchen for 2
• up to 14 nights’ free valet parking
• return airport shuttle transfers

To enter:
⭐️ Follow @theworldawaitspodcast
⭐️ Follow @moxysydneyairport
⭐️ Like the competition post https://www.instagram.com/p/DYmIAF_ReQ8/
⭐️ Tag a friend you’d like to take

Thanks to MOXY Sydney Airport hotel for this fantastic giveaway!

The World Awaits x MOXY Sydney

*****

T&Cs: Competition closes Thursday 18th June 2026 and will be announced on the podcast on 25 June 2026. Airport shuttle bookings must be made in advance via: https://moxysydneyairport.247activities.com/ Valet parking for up to 14 consecutive nights from check-in date. Additional parking beyond 14 nights available for $10 per night (vehicle restrictions apply)

Flight review: Melbourne-Jakarta-Tokyo with Garuda Indonesia | Sydney Morning Herald

Jun

Self-drive safari v luxury game experience: South African safari two ways | Sydney Morning Herald

“Why don’t more Australians do a self-drive safari?” Australian crime novelist @tonyparkauthor had asked me months ago. He lives on the fringes of Kruger where he writes African thrillers, and he threw down the gauntlet.

So I went to find out: luxury or budget self-drive, each has its merits that the other simply cannot replicate.

Today, my cover story for the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers shares my discoveries (and that time my heart absolutely stopped) .

You can see my incredible, solo encounter with a pride on Sabie River here on my instagram.

Safari for starters – in the first part of this ‘safari two ways’ story, I was self driving and staying in rest camps in Kruger National Park, with also a stay in an extremely affordable little lodge in Manyeleti Game Reserve, adjacent to the park.

The wildlife was – hand on my heart – absolutely extraordinary. From lions to painted dogs, giraffes aplenty and sweet baby cheetahs. In fact, it was tween season! The absolute highlight has been seeing a white rhino, endangered to the edge of extinction.

The second part of my trip saw days spent blissfully off-grid with excellent, skilled safari guides and trackers in Sabi Sabi, in South Africa’s Greater Kruger. For an unbeatable morning commute, the drive home at the end of the day and my best ever airport transfer (includes zebras) 🦓 There are worse places to hide from the world – currently, I took refuge in Bush Lodge, in Sabi Sabi Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger, South Africa.

My home is the Mandleve villa, a sweet retreat from the madness of the human world. The animal world, however, is just a step outside – the baboons take free advantage of my pool, and play your cards right, and you get a free nyala visit with every booking.

I’ve fallen into the rhythm of safari – early mornings, day naps, sundowners – adding way too many meal stops with sunrise cuppas to high tea wedged in between.

I also talked about it all on our podcast, The World Awaits – take a listen for more!

Sydney Morning Herald’s Traveller cover story https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/budget-or-luxury-two-ways-to-do-a-safari-put-to-the-test-20260528-p601oe.html

The World Awaits travel podcast https://www.theworldawaits.au/podcast/episode/7be34fdf/ep-143-south-african-safari-by-e-bike-car-in-luxury-fuel-saving-tips-the-death-of-the-working-holiday

My encounter with the Pride of Sabie River, Kruger National Park https://www.instagram.com/global_salsa/reel/DZVw-gHJMNi/

May

Flight review: would you pay $900 to fly Perth to Melbourne? Canberra Times

In times of hardship and war, do airlines price gouge? That was the question top of mind as I flew from Perth to Melbourne, a 3.5- hour flight across Australia.

Grab the one-way fare on a really good day, and you’ll pay just shy of A$300. Some days, when it’s busy and in peak holiday seasons, you might have to pony up over $450.

But $900?

That was the price I paid, two days after Israel bombed Iran and started its war of choice in the Middle East.

To backtrack a moment, let me set the scene: I’m in Kruger National Park, in South Africa, when I’m notified that my flight from Johannesberg to Perth has been cancelled; the airline, South African Airways, has automatically rebooked me on the next flight, 24 hours later.

The problem arises as that international flight is bookended by two domestic flights, from tiny Skukuza airport to Jo’berg with Airlink, and then in Australia, from Perth home to Melbourne with Virgin Australia.

Unusually for me, the flights are all booked on separate tickets, owing to a business arrangement over who pays what for this work trip to Kruger, where I’m on a self-drive safari and also a stay in top-of-the-range Sabi Sabi Game Reserve (I know, please don’t cry for me).

So when one card slips, the whole house falls.

It takes a 10-minute phone call with a smiley consultant and an $80 change fee to move the Airlink flight – easy peasy.

The Virgin flight, however, is another story. The change fee of $99 I can wear. The $462 fare difference – for the same seat down the back near the toilet – is more than the original fare. Is it fair to call it extortionate? I’m going there. It’s extortionate.

Even more annoying, I thought I could perhaps blow some of my enormous pile of unused points upgrading to Premium Economy, or even slipping into the lounge, but no, my original fare of $300-ish (bought as part of a return ticket) makes me ineligible. It’s cash only, thanks. So I decline to give Virgin yet more cash.

In all, that flight touches $900. But, to add ignominy into the equation, when we do board the flight, it’s hot. Like, hot enough that the man sitting beside me, has bare arms, and sticks to me. That kind of hot.

The air-con has broken, the captain tells us, as we taxi back to the gate to sit for 30 minutes, until the engineers tell us to disembark and wait it out in the terminal. In the end, the flight takes off nearly six hours late. That means, instead of a mid-afternoon departure to arrive in Melbourne around 10pm, we take off at 10.30pm, crossing time zones to touch down at Tullamarine at 4.30am.

Gruesome, indeed.

My travel insurer has paid out the out-of-pocket expenses, less the $250 excess.

I know airlines are businesses, but at what point are they simply making hay while the sun shines, at the expense of the travelling public, who simply have little other options to get home (save a three-day train trip or 36-hour non-stop drive across the country)?

Read my flight review, published by ACM Media’s Explore Travel section, here.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9241171/would-you-pay-900-for-a-perth-to-melbourne-economy-flight-form-hell/

May

Haunted hotels, gold toothbrushes; the best and worst hotels: ABC Radio Adelaide

Gold toothbrushes? Someone else’s hair on the soap? What makes or breaks you for the best and worst hotels you’ve ever stayed in?

World's best and worst hotels you've stayed in?

Sam the Bellman, at the Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada.

While I was doing the prep for a chat with Jo Laverty on ABC Radio Adelaide this week, I realised that one of my deal breakers for worst hotel is if it’s haunted. If I’m staying in a hotel room on my own, I want to know that I’m the only person – living or dead – in the space. That old line from Hotel California, that ‘you can check out any time, but you can never leave,’ never sat quite right with me.

Some people love a good haunted hotel – and there are plenty of spooky stays around the world. Me? I’m not convinced they’re a good thing.

I don’t need the lights going on and off. My suitcase being moved. The unexplained knocks at the door at all hours of the night.

I’ve stayed at a few hotels in my time, and a surprising number have ghoulish backstories; the long-passed child who still cries in the night a century later, the dedicated doorman who still keeps to his post, years after he’s gone, the woman scorned, who waits, eternally, for lost love in her mansion.

But back to the gold toothbrushes – gold-plated, if you’re going to be pedantic.

The bathrooms, with their gold-plated toiletries, at Atlantis The Royal, in Dubai

It’s been my joy to review Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, one of the few (self-described) seven-star hotels in the world. (Even though I did turn up to the hotel, with its 90 pools and famed pool clubs, without my swimmers, which were left hanging in a shower cubicle in an Omani oasis. The swimsuit shopping was an experience in itself).

I’ve written about the Atlantis’ The Royal’s fabulous tea, its outrageous number and calibre of restaurants – with more Michelin stars than you could poke a stick at – and yes, it does actually have gold-plated toothbrushes, and razors, and combs, which I’ve since seen flogged on eBay.

On the flip-side, because bad news always sells, the biggest turnoff for a hotel is undoubtedly someone else’s hair. And we’re not talking about a stray strand left lovingly across your pillow after a night of passion. We’re talking short.

Curly.

And left on the soap.

And judging by the reaction of the radio host, Jo, and listeners calling or texting in, there are plenty of offenders. It also makes a very good case for liquid soap in hotel rooms, preferably from a refillable container, to make it even more eco-friendly.

If you’re curious about the seriously haunted hotel in Canada that I described in the radio interview, and want to know where it is, it’s the outrageously spooky Fairmont Banff Springs, which knows all about its ghostly guests, and even celebrates them. I swear, every time I think of walking through that hotel’s corridors, the hair on the back of my neck rises.

What are the best and worst hotels you’ve stayed in, and why were they so good or bad?

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