I’m a journalist, travel writer, editor and copywriter based in Melbourne, Australia. I write pacy travel features, edit edifying websites and fashion flamboyant copy. My articles and photographs have appeared in publications worldwide, from inflight to interior design: I’ve visited every continent, and have lived in three. Want to work together? Drop me a line… 

Follow

 

Italy’s Amalfi Coast, 2025’s top travel trends & inflight skincare

Dream of days wandering Italy’s Amalfi Coast? Me to! In our first episode of The World Awaits podcast for 2025, we’re taking you there with Australian-Italian author Maria Pasquale.

Maria’s new book, Mangia: How to eat your way through Italy, explores the food histories and dishes across regional Italy, including Campania, which includes the Amalfi Coast, and is famed for its fragrant lemons and San Marzano tomatoes.

So let’s go explore some of the villages and beaches, Maria’s favourite eating experiences, and the best times to visit. maria-pasquale.com  

We also chat about the top travel trends for 2025 from coolcations (think; cold-weather holidays)  to radical sabbaticals exploreworldwide.com.au/travel-trends-2025, and we share some great tips from Etihad’s cabin crew about inflight skincare.

This episode is sponsored by Explore Worldwide, which offers small group adventures with local tour leaders. We dare you not to be tempted by these incredible tours.

Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don’t Just Travel, Explore.

You can follow my podcast, The World Awaits, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere you find good ear candy. I always love to know where you’re travelling next – drop me a line at hello [at] theworldawaits.au

Best airfares to Europe & the US, top Aussie towns & pre-travel checklist

Want to get the best airfare to Europe or the US? We’re going full #avgeek, as flight booking expert Mark Trim shares insider secrets on airlines to watch, alternative routes and the best time to buy. He also shares tips on booking in shoulder seasons, round-the-world tickets and the Asian gateways offering great lie-flat deals.

The co-founder of the Complex Travel Group, which specialises in round-the-world fares, adds that the ‘best’ airfare may be the most wallet-friendly, or it could also be the one stuffed with fabulous destinations for a memorable adventure, see complextravel.com.au

Also, Airbnb releases its list of the best tiny towns to visit in Australia, and there are some crackers in there! And finally, tick off your essential pre-travel checklist with smartraveller.gov.au, from vaccinations to passport checks.

Wildlife safari in South Africa & best holidays on a budget

Spot the Big Five on a South African wildlife safari…and then really start seeing what the Greater Kruger National Park has to offer.

This week on The World Awaits podcast, I interview Jacques Smit of Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, who takes us on a tour of the fence-free reserve within the Greater Kruger area.

Listen via our website at https://theworldawaits.au
Via Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-53-safari-in-sabi-sabi-best-budget-destinations/id1689931283?i=1000663977425
Via Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qCYPTcIWmHDYnJ9yvjZg0?si=5409c5290cdd45e0

Take a birding tour, a walking safari, visit local communities; then soak up the luxury trimmings – think spa, sundowners and stylish villas. Jacques shares some great travel tips on the best time to go on safari, how to combine it with other attractions in southern Africa and what to pack. Maybe, not a bright red puffer (like I did on my last wildlife spotting trip, to see pumas in Patagonia, in southern Chile. See sabisabi.com

Also, the countries that give the best bang for your buck, according to Expedia. The Philippines is on the list, which I agree is a beautiful, budget destination often overlooked. And health or travel – which would you spend to spend your retirement nest egg on? See expedia.com

Travel greats of G Adventures & Lonely Planet on The World Awaits podcast

This week on The World Awaits travel podcast, we bring you interviews with two of the biggest entrepreneurs in travel, @gadventures founder, the super-inspirational Bruce Poon Tip and then travel trailblazer Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet @lonelyplanet

To listen, find us on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-world-awaits-travel-tales-to-inspire-your-wanderlust/id1689931283
Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits
or listen via our website https://theworldawaits.au/home-2/episodes/

Social entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip talks about his decision to take his company into the luxury space after three decades – and what it means to you, the traveller. “The beautiful thing of travel [is] you have the opportunity to transform lives if you step out of your comfort zone,” says Bruce Poon Tip, gadventures.com

Anyone who’s ever used a Lonely Planet guidebook will have read the story about how Tony and Maureen Wheeler wrote and published their first guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, on their kitchen table in 1973, finally selling the Lonely Planet behemoth in 2011. Tony talks about counting countries, flying with carry-on only, his favourite country and the art of travel. He also shares what he’s reading now, tonywheeler.com.au

We also have a gorgeous giveaway from another travel entrepreneur, Tracy Morris of @theblondenomads whose @gypsealoop is an innovative gold or silver hair tie bangle.

To win, email us at hello@theworldawaits.au and tell us where you’d like to wear the bangle. Bonus entries if you like and follow on instagram at @theworldawaitspodcast and tag a friend!

Travel in Australia: busting myths on 3AW

What travel myths do we tell international visitors about travel in Australia? That Perth is the world’s most isolated capital. That Brisbane is just a big country town? That Melbourne has the best coffee?

This week, I jumped onto 3AW Melbourne radio to chat with afternoons host Tony Moclair about these myths, which fellow travel writer Ben Groundwater exposed in his article for the Sydney Morning Herald/The Age newspapers, titled Seven big myths we tell tourists about Australia, busted.

Click below to listen, and tell me what you think!

What other great myths are there about Australia? That everything – from sharks to emus – wants to kill you. That we’re all blonde, blue-eyed and beach loving. That every meal is a shrimp on the barbie… What’s your favourite?

To read Ben’s article, click here.

https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/seven-big-myths-we-tell-tourists-about-australia-busted-20240528-p5jh7u.html

 

Our new podcast has dropped: listen to Episode 1!

Welcome to the very first podcast for Travel Writers Radio, which I’m co-hosting with fellow travel journalist and editor Kirstie Bedford. This week, we take you to Rome, Tasmania and Champagne.
You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.
This episode, actress Alicia Gardiner talks about the filming locations you can visit in Tasmania where her newest series, Deadloch, was filmed. To see more, visit instagram.com/aliciagardiner__
Author Maria Pasquale tells us how to eat like a Roman (and the author of The Eternal City shares her tip for where to find Rome’s best gelato, see smithstreetbooks.com/catalogue/the-eternal-city/ 
And wine expert Tyson Stelzer talks about touring France’s Champagne region, and closer to home, shares a tip of one of his favourite, best-value wines. Connect with Tyson at champagne.guide and tysonstelzer.com
Connect with us on travelwritersradio.com
Global Salsa

Well, you’ve scrolled this far. What do you think? Drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google