Shhhh … A 5 star secret on the barrier reef!
The Qualia Secret…
It’s touted as Australia’s ultimate luxury resort, attracting high profile celebrities and stars, the elite of the business world and of course the wealthy, all seeking seclusion and privacy.
But here’s a sneaky way to enjoy the extravagance of Qualia, the $1500.00 a night (approx) premier accommodation on Hamilton Island, in the middle of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and perhaps hob-nob with world-famous socialites WITHOUT checking in.
Umm…but there IS a catch.
La Vie Parisienne (Paris Life)
La Vie Parisienne (Paris Life) By Janelle Mc Culloch
Dramatic, lust-filled romances! Disastrous french villa renovations! Life-changing career moves!
In the same vein as other travel memoirs (think “Eat, Pray, Love” or “Under a Tuscan Sun”) La Vie Parisienne is a tale of a woman traveling to France in search of well….something soul-soothing.
In this case, for Aussie girl, Janelle McCulloch, there were no high-level temptations, flirtations or decorations, but like meeting a entertaining friend everyday for coffee, I looked forward to reading on whenever I had time.
Janelle describes her escape to Paris, as an opportunity to “look for love and the perfect lingerie.”
TITS … Will Travel!!
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| Cradle Mt |
The Mother of all Travel
The Truth About Boracay
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| BEFORE |
One of the first things you face when you get off the “Banca” (a wooden, double-armed outrigger boat) onto the tiny port built on the beach at BORACAY is an old, off-white, rusted-through sign, imploring visitors to be “honest and trust-worthy”.
Countdown to France!
A few dilemmas. Not huge problems just topics of travel conundrums. Can you change into pj pants for the sleep-leg flight? Is it etiquette for my husband to be wearing long-legged boxers in a public cabin even if it is late? He will still probably have to walk to the toilet at some stage. Maybe if they are designer?
Also a 32 kg limit for business class means you can pack that extra pair of undies…but for the last flight from Nice to Rome it’s a 20kg limit. Will it mean I shop less to save the luggage calories or do I bury my head in sand over paying extra weight?
I’m sure more problems will pop up to be solved..
HO CHI MINH THEN HOME
The highlight of the entire trip for me…The Cu chi tunnels..the labyrinth designed by the vietcong to fight, initially the french, then later in the vietnam war, the americans. The tunnels were tiny, so small that the united states had to recruit the smallest soldiers to fit and then fight in them..those GI’s became known as the tunnel rats, trying to ferret out the enemy. The design of the tunnels and bunkers with air pockets and kitchens and meeting rooms and arms assembly bunkers all completely underground, was astonishing. The ingenuity of the boobie traps to maim and kill was inspirational, horrible, but fascinating.
The city of Saigon, which is what the locals still call Ho Chi Minh, is ridiculously fabulous. I loved it. While there was so much more traffic than Hanoi, there were at least a few road rules and for the most part people stayed on the right side of the road. It’s clean and cosmopolitian and yet still developing and simple at the same time. The markets have fixed price tags, but after buying the same things in other vietnamese cities, the haggle still reigns supreme. I would definitely return and explore more of Saigon. Mum celebrated her 66th birthday there and we did so in style with lunch at the Inter Continental Saigon. Anne was able to withdraw a few more dollars and buy a few more things she didn’t really need or particularly like that much, but sure had fun doing it. Greeting me at the airport, my beautiful daughter just returned from 5 weeks camp and her 2 younger sisters. Not to mention a gorgeous husband..happy to be home..
Cambodia
From Hoi An we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia. I was expecting it to be a poorer version of Hanoi, but was pleasantly suprised. There is lots of foreign investment starting to take place and the resorts look like some of the best I’ve seen anywhere. There is lots of poverty and I thought the shopping was pretty average. The market items are all same same and Loretta, Mum and Anne have bought up big. I’m sure all those $3 handbags, table runners and wooden elephants are going to be real handy. Today we went on a boat to Tonle Sap Lake…but the river life along the way was eye boggling. Floating homes made of bamboo, straw and whatever else is handy line the canals, where whole villages with hundreds of people live. Even dogs and cats live on board. Some are tiny. There are even floating basketball courts and small schools and when the dry season approaches the entire village is towed further out into the lake to keep afloat. Yound kids draped in pythons motor up beside our boats to entertain the tourists..sticking the snake’s heads in the mouth and waving at us. We had to pay $1 for the pleasure of taking their photo or to make them go away. This afternoon we visited an orphanage where a Brisbane woman is heavily involved. The children were so cute but so poor. Some were dumped as babies or some are still with their mums whio work as prostitues…It was so incredible. Loretta could do an Angelina and adopt a couple. Now at the
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Halong Bay is beautiful. We spent a night on board a junk cruising the bay which is dotted with over a 1000 rock formations …some as big as tiny islands, some as small as jetties…it is a piece of beauty in such a populated country where there is so much poverty and pollution. The junk was recently made but a reminder of ancient Vietnamese water travel. We spent time on the deck just relaxing after a whirlwind couple of days in Hanoi. Hoi An had a more villagey feel, there were less scooters and people, and hundreds of tailors. I got some clothes made which are brilliant and so cheap. The food is great and the locals are so friendly but of course love to haggle. I really liked Hoi An compared to Hanoi and would go back there again.
HANOI
Crazy, mad traffic…
Plenty of hagglers but no hassling..
Really loud, lots of people, lots of noise, lots of smells, lots to look at and look out for.
Loretta is manic about putting on insect repellent…Mum has been mobbed by Vietnamese school students for wearing rice paddy hat…Anne is over temples…I spent the day by myself, exploring and shopping and spekaing bad french to locals, having one of the best pedicure foot massages ever and we still have a cycling tour and dinner to go.
Tres bien ..dong!
Karryn Wheelans 