aviation | GlobalSalsa: travel writer Belinda Jackson

Rescued from the jungle: aviation stories from Papua New Guinea

There’s always a burst of sunshine when Paradise magazine arrives in the post. I have written for the magazine for many years – there was a little hiatus during COVID, but it was one of the few magazines that bounced back with a print edition, which goes into seatbacks on its flights around Asia Pacific four times a year. Paradise is, actually, PNG’s most widely read magazine.

Dr Bablis and the Tin Goose

In this edition of Air Nuigini’s inflight magazine, I interviewed curator Dr Gregory Bablis about finding, retrieving and restoring WWI and WWII aircraft from PNG’s jungles. With care and dedication, the aircraft are now displayed in their forever home, the new Aviation Heritage Centre in the capital, Port Moresby.

Take a look at this photo of Dr Bablis, standing beside the shell of this Ford Trimotor, dubbed the Tin Goose. Just this one aircraft has a story that spans continents, from luxury flights across Europe to flying along PNG’s Kokoda Track in wartime.

The Aviation Heritage Centre’s other great drawcard is a Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber nicknamed the Hell’n Pelican II. It crashed in the jungles of Madang Province in PNG, and lay undisturbed for three decades before it was retrieved and sent to Australia to be restored by the Royal Australian Defence Force.

Initially built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California, it entered service on the Pacific Front during WWII.

Also, popular PNG chef Julz Henao teamed up with TSI actor Aaron Fa’Aoso for a celebration of the food, language and culture that ties PNG with Australia in the miniseries Kin & Kai, supported by the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea.

Two things that never fail to surprise me about PNG’s relationship with Australia:

1. PNG was an Australian colony – imagine! We were always the colonised, not the coloniser. We were the underdog. Not in this show.

2. Only 4 kilometres of sea separate Australia and PNG at their closest point, in the Torres Strait. Incredible.

That second point is why the Australian High Commission in PNG commissioned a new miniseries called Kin & Kai, using a PNG chef and an Australian actor from the Torres Strait.

Together, PNG celebrity chef Julz Henao and Aaron Fa’Aoso, a Torres Strait Islander actor, filmed Kin and Kai. The miniseries was produced by Aaron’s production company, Lonestar Entertainment Company, for the Australian High Commission’s Yumi Stap Wantaim (We Stand Together) campaign, which celebrates the cultural bonds that tie PNG and Australia after 50 years of PNG’s independence, which the country celebrated in 2025.

Through the five episodes of Kin and Kai, the two men find they have a lot in common, including cooking in earth ovens – mumus here in this part of PNG, amai or kupmari in the Torres Strait, even further afield, hangi in New Zealand and lovo in Fiji.

“Because Aaron is from Thursday Island, it was an easy match,” says Julz. “TI and PNG share lots of similarities and culture, and even some words in the local dialect. And geographically, it’s just across the water. There’s a lot of trade going back and forth, the people look the same, so I think, holistically, it’s just worked.”

Click here to read the current edition of Paradise magazine.

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To watch the miniseries, visit yumistapwantaim.com/kin-and-kai/

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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.

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.

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

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/

Navigating the unknown – travel during the Middle East crisis & Australia’s best runway rooms

Travel has taken a huge hit with the Middle East crisis now entering its fifth week, and it can be challenging to keep up with what you should and shouldn’t do with travel plans during these significant and devastating world events.

This week on The World Awaits, my co-host Kirstie and I are sharing our Hot Take on the travel situation, bringing you the good and the bad news to help you navigate this uncertain time when it comes to travel plans – with some positive solutions.

Our tip is for all the the aviation geeks out there. We’re sharing the best runway rooms at Australasian airports; so if the sight of a plane taking off gets your blood pumping, this is the list for you. I’ve personally tried and tested a few, in fact, we recorded last week’s podcast in a suite on the eighth floor of the Novotel Melbourne Airport!

If you like the look of this super convenient hotel, jump on our giveaway to win a night at the Novotel Melbourne Airport – just enter via our instagram or facebook post – simply follow The World Awaits and the hotel, like and tag a friend for an extra entry.

And if you can’t get enough #avgeek, listen in for Belle’s tarmac tour of Melbourne Airport; the airport does occasionally offer similar tours, see melbourneairport.com.au/community/airport-tours

Download the SAILY app in your app store and use our code ‘theworldawaits’ at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase; see saily.com

Listen to The World Awaits on all major platforms, including

APPLE PODCASTS https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-140-hot-take-navigating-the-unknown-travel-during/id1689931283?i=1000758697943

SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vZaYF3Dbrzb2uWzkm5A4L

and via our website https://theworldawaits.au

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.

Airline review: FlyDubai to the Silk Road city of Almaty, Kazakhstan

It might seem weird posting a flight review in the midst of a global lockdown, but irrepressible travellers are already looking and booking deals around the world for travel late in 2020 and throughout 2021.

If it’s not on your radar, FlyDubai operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800s out of Dubai Airport’s Terminal 2. It’s currently still on the ground, but when in the skies, its destination list includes some intriguing cities including Prague, Naples and Dubrovnik in Europe, Tbilisi in Georgia and its new route from Dubai to Finland’s fun little capital, Helsinki. It also services the ancient cities along the Silk Road including the Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat and Almaty in Kazakhstan, which is where I was headed on this journey.

The UAE is already opening back up, with sister airline Emirates flying from its Dubai base to Sydney and Melbourne, sprinkling hygiene kits around its cabins, which includes masks, gloves, wipes and hand santiser. Like Emirates, FlyDubai is owned by the Dubai government, and the two often codeshare.

Click here to read my review, published in the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers. The print edition is currently in slumber, dreaming of its next destination.

Travelling with a clear, green conscience

There’s been a lot of talk in the tourism sphere about how to travel with a clean environmental conscious – from flight shaming to exploitation. Should we all just stay home?

Recently, I chatted with Brett Tollman, head of the Treadright Foundation, about how to limit your environmental footprint.

“We all have a footprint when we travel,” he says. “The important thing is how to make it the lightest, most beneficial footprint you can.”

Read our interview, with his five great tips on staying green while travelling, for the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers.

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Two things that never fail to surprise me about PNG’s relationship with Australia:

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