Category: travelogues

book – In Tasmania

On By Rick McIn books, product endorsements, traveloguesLeave a comment

The best book I have read in years: In Tasmania by Nicholas Shakespeare.

I knew Shakespeare as the biographer of the most celebrated travel writer of all time, Bruce Chatwin.

Shakespeare fell in love with Tasmania after a holiday hiking the Overland Track. He promptly moved there from England.

By chance discovery of family correspondence, Shakespeare learned he was related to the “founding father” of Tasmania, a con-man named Kemp.

His book — a fascinating, personal history of the island from Kemp’s penal-colony Van Diemen’s Land origins to modern day — has many parallels with the work of Chatwin. It’s eerie at times.

My conclusion: Shakespeare is an even better writer than Chatwin. This is a fantastic book.

In Tasmania

In Tasmania

This is the last post on the Australia travelogue.

Virgin Blue airlines sucks !

On By Rick McIn product complaints, travel, travelogues6 Comments

When I first heard I would be flying around Australia on the discount airline Virgin Blue, I was enthusiastic.

Richard Branson has his signature on the door of every plane. The company has committed to turning all profits over to improving the environment.

And AirlineQuality.com gave Virgin Blue 4 stars out of 5.

Virgin Blue still sucks.

My problem was extortion pricing on over-weight baggage. Their system simply gouges passengers who carry sports equipment. And the extortion is so embarrassingly bad customer service that many times you can talk baggage agents out of charging you. Over 6 flights I paid between A$130 and A$0 dollars for my over-weight bags. There is no consistency in who is ripped off.

The last straw was on my domestic flight connecting to an international flight on another carrier. Always in the past for me the domestic carrier allowed overweight bags up to the international limit. But one employee of Virgin Blue decided NOT to extend this courtesy to me.

I will boycott Virgin Blue in future and urge others to try the other discount airline, JetStar (Quantas).

airline-wing.jpg

Next travelogue on this trip >> book – In Tasmania

South Coast Track, Tasmania

On By Rick McIn hiking, miscellaneous, photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

My final few days in Australia I spent on the southern beaches. On a clear day (on a flat planet) I could have seen both New Zealand and Antarctica from my campsite.

I was on the easy part of a fantastic difficult, muddy trek called the South Coast Track.

Rick-South-Coast-Track.jpg

trip report and photos

Next travelogue on this trip >> San Francisco … XLNT !

photos – Hobart, Tasmania

On By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I spent more time by far in Hobart than anywhere else in Australia.

It is a hidden gem.

If you are looking for retirement property, add Hobart to your “possibles” list. Almost every house has an ocean view. And most have a mountain view, as well.

Over 40 random photos from the Hobart region are posted on flickr.

Hobart.jpg

Hobart settlement was started in 1803 as a penal colony. There are still a few shady characters lurking.

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more Hobart photos

Next travelogue on this trip >> South Coast Track, Tasmania

Australia killed 2433 tourists in 7 years

On By Rick McIn bad news, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

Of the many places I have traveled, seems Australia is one of the most deadly.

But I was told those 2m long black-as-death Tiger snakes I kept stepping over on the Overland Track hadn’t actually killed a hiker since 1966.

Statistics have revealed the hidden toll Australia’s harsh environment takes on tourists with drowning the third most common cause of death.

Lifesavers said many tourists failed to see rips and wildlife experts said even a koala could “carve up” an inquisitive foreigner who invaded its space.

Between 2003 and 2005, 28 tourists drowned while 65 were killed in car crashes and another 276 died of natural causes.

Heat stroke claimed the lives of three tourists, seven died scuba diving or snorkeling, two died hiking, one died parachuting and another died after being bitten by an animal.

CDNN :: How Australia Killed 2433 Tourists in 7 Years

(via Two-Heel Drive)

Next travelogue on this trip >> photos – Hobart, Tasmania

hiking the Overland Track, Tamania

On By Rick McIn hiking, photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

Tasmania has the best hiking in Australia. And in February it has the most temperate climate Down Under.

I headed straight for the Overland Track, named one of the top 10 treks in the world by the incontrovertible on-line authority — besthike.com !

The Overland was even better than expected.

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another smug summit money shot

With perfect weather I was able to scramble 3 side peaks including Cradle Mountain.

Check my trip report and annotated photos.

A Park Ranger told an incredible tale. He had arranged private transport to the hospital for a man who walked out of the trackless Tasmanian wilderness after 47 days. The adventurer had attempted to climb unsupported in series all the major peaks in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (13,800 km²).

The bloke had lost one third of his body weight, finally quitting after failing to summit the second most difficult mountain.

Next travelogue on this trip >> Australia killed 2433 tourists in 7 years

happy (belated) Australia Day

On By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

Finally starting to catch up posting my Aussie photos.

For Australia Day I was in Adelaide, South Australia. That morning I wandered Glenelg Beach and observed the Aussie festivities.

My hosts in Adelaide were terrific. I even got a day to go hiking in SA. The effects of the long Australian drought were evident. (In empathy with dry Australia I stayed dehydrated for most of my weeks Down Under!)

Australia-Day.jpg

more Adelaide photos on Flickr

One question, though. Why are all dogs in Adelaide small and white?

Next travelogue on this trip >> hiking the Overland Track, Tamania

Perth, Australia

On By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I had a terrific time in Perth and Western Australia in WINTER – July 2003. (travelogue and photos)

This time I had just a fleeting few SUMMER days.

Perth is a lovely city and WA an amazing State, both absolutely booming economically right now. Housing prices have gone through the roof.

Perth.jpg

more photos from Perth on Flickr

Perth, Australia – wikipedia

Next travelogue on this trip >> happy (belated) Australia Day

Brisbane, Australia

On By Rick McIn travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I saw little of the city on my first visit to Brisbane. (Busy with 8hrs of gymnastics each day.)

But what I saw, I liked. The weather was perfect, even in the supposedly tropically hot summer.

I continue to be surprised how cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic are the Aussie cities. The wide range of different ethnic restaurants is a treat.

The population of Brisbane city is estimated at 971,757 (as of June 2005). Greater Brisbane has an estimated urban population of 1.81 million. …

Brisbane is claimed to have Australia’s highest rate of capital city population growth. The urban population reportedly grew by 11.5% between 1999 and 2004.

The last Australian Census in 2001 showed that 1.7% of Brisbane’s population are of indigenous origins, while 21.0% were born overseas. Approximately 13.5% of households speak a language other than English, with the most common being Chinese, Vietnamese and Italian. The median age across the city is 32 years old.

Brisbane – Wikipedia

I stayed right down town.

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more Brisbane photos

Next travelogue on this trip >> Perth, Australia