TRAVEL BLOG
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Open Skies for Australia
Australia and US
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Airfares to London and L.A
When booking international flights from Australia it is not uncommon to see the ridiculous situation of flights to London being cheaper than flights to Los Angeles.
This currently stands because only two airlines, Qantas and United, are allowed to operate direct flights between the US and Australia.
This is set to change with the Open Skies Accord that was agreed between Australia and the US. V Australia will commence flights between the two nations in December, which has already prompted fare reductions from Qantas.
Australia and Europe
The next frontier is for an open skies agreement between Australia and the EU. Talks have already begun for an Open-sky pact with the EU.
There are currently no European airlines operating flights to Australia. No Continental European I should say. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic still fly to Sydney. The obvious cultural ties keeping British long haul services active. Austrian Airlines was the last Continental European airline to fly to Australia, ceasing operations in 2007.
Further reading on the Flight of the European airlines.
I recently saw a reminder of European airline presence in Australia with a JAT Yugoslav model aeroplane, like you used to see in travel agents, at a second hand shop.
JAT Yugoslav. Seen at tarlo & graham, 60 Chapel St Windsor, Vic
An open skies agreement may not bring back the European airlines to Australian skies anyway. The big Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are better suited to operating between the two lands, and the European airlines only need to fly to an Asian hub and partner with an alliance airline from there.
An open skies agreement between Australia and the EU would benefit Qantas, who plan to operate Jetstar services to Athens and Rome.
Labels: airlines, australia, europe, usa
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Sunday, April 27, 2008
Dutch Orange Day in New Holland
April 30 in the Netherlands is known as Queen's Day (Koninginnedag in Dutch). The day is a public holiday to celebrate the Queens birthday. It's actually the birthday of the last queen (Juliana), but it is said that the current Queen (Beatrix) kept it in honour of her mother, and also because her birthday is in January, too chilly to be celebrating outdoors.
Queen's Day is the biggest party of the year in the Netherlands, and on the day the streets resemble a huge market (vrijmarkt, or freemarket) as anyone can sell anything in the streets. Further info at Queen's Day: The World's Biggest Street Party.
Today I stumbled upon Dutch Orange Day, a little celebration the local Dutch community put on to celebrate Queen's Day in Melbourne.
Clogmaker - Queen's Day in Melbourne
Dutch Poffertjes - Queen's Day in Melbourne
Seeing the Dutch celebrating in Melbourne got me thinking what might have been. Not many people outside of Australia know that this continent was once known as New Holland (in fact probably not many Australians know that either).
New Holland Map - 1659 (from National Library of Australia)
When New York was still New Amsterdam (in 1644) the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman christened the continent Nova Hollandia. It wasn't until 1824 that New Holland officially became Australia.
The first recorded European sighting of the Great Southern Land was by the Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog, who landed at what is now known as Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island, on 26 October 1616.
Probably the most famous contact the Dutch had with Western Australia was when the Batavia struck a reef off the coast. It is a classic story of mutiny and survival, which can be read in detail at the Batavia Story.
British ships also sighted the coast but as the Western Australian coast is a vast waterless expanse it was never colonised.
Queen's Day is the biggest party of the year in the Netherlands, and on the day the streets resemble a huge market (vrijmarkt, or freemarket) as anyone can sell anything in the streets. Further info at Queen's Day: The World's Biggest Street Party.
Today I stumbled upon Dutch Orange Day, a little celebration the local Dutch community put on to celebrate Queen's Day in Melbourne.
Clogmaker - Queen's Day in Melbourne
Dutch Poffertjes - Queen's Day in Melbourne
Seeing the Dutch celebrating in Melbourne got me thinking what might have been. Not many people outside of Australia know that this continent was once known as New Holland (in fact probably not many Australians know that either).
New Holland Map - 1659 (from National Library of Australia)
When New York was still New Amsterdam (in 1644) the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman christened the continent Nova Hollandia. It wasn't until 1824 that New Holland officially became Australia.
The first recorded European sighting of the Great Southern Land was by the Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog, who landed at what is now known as Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island, on 26 October 1616.
Probably the most famous contact the Dutch had with Western Australia was when the Batavia struck a reef off the coast. It is a classic story of mutiny and survival, which can be read in detail at the Batavia Story.
British ships also sighted the coast but as the Western Australian coast is a vast waterless expanse it was never colonised.
Labels: australia, holiday, melbourne, netherlands
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, April 25, 2008
Anzac Day
Location: Melbourne - Australia Date: 25 April 2008
April 25 in Australia and New Zealand is Anzac Day. The day commemorates Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey on April 25 1915 during World War I.
Anzac Day - Melbourne
The day is a public holiday and it has since come to represent a memorial day for all war veterans.
Shrine of Remembrance - Anzac Day
City of Melbourne Liberators
HQ3 Aust. Div
RAAF Lancaster Squardrons
22 RSU RAAF
Air Command South East Asia
Ceylon Ex Servicemen
Tunnel Rats Vietnam
Catalina Flying Boat Units
The Rats of Tobruk Memorial
April 25 in Australia and New Zealand is Anzac Day. The day commemorates Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey on April 25 1915 during World War I.
Anzac Day - Melbourne
The day is a public holiday and it has since come to represent a memorial day for all war veterans.
Shrine of Remembrance - Anzac Day
City of Melbourne Liberators
HQ3 Aust. Div
RAAF Lancaster Squardrons
22 RSU RAAF
Air Command South East Asia
Ceylon Ex Servicemen
Tunnel Rats Vietnam
Catalina Flying Boat Units
The Rats of Tobruk Memorial
Labels: anzac day, australia, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria on Swanston Street in Melbourne and its Domed Reading Room.
Behind the library is an apartment block and the headquarters of BHP-Billiton, world's largest mining company.
Saint George and the Dragon at the Library Forecourt
The Domed La Trobe Reading Room
La Trobe Reading Room Desks
La Trobe Reading Room Dome
The library was renovated between 1999 and 2003. Before then the skylights were covered up as the roof was leaking. Without the Australian sun pouring in through the skylights the library had a more Gothic Northern European feel to it. Or maybe that's just my memory of it when studying the in my school years.
La Trobe Reading Book Shelves
La Trobe Reading Room Study Desks
Redmond Barry Reading Room
Behind the library is an apartment block and the headquarters of BHP-Billiton, world's largest mining company.
Saint George and the Dragon at the Library Forecourt
The Domed La Trobe Reading Room
La Trobe Reading Room Desks
La Trobe Reading Room Dome
The library was renovated between 1999 and 2003. Before then the skylights were covered up as the roof was leaking. Without the Australian sun pouring in through the skylights the library had a more Gothic Northern European feel to it. Or maybe that's just my memory of it when studying the in my school years.
La Trobe Reading Book Shelves
La Trobe Reading Room Study Desks
Redmond Barry Reading Room
Labels: australia, books, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Monday, April 21, 2008
Medieval Melbourne
On display at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne is The Medieval Imagination - Illuminated manuscripts from Cambridge, Australia and New Zealand.There are over 90 manuscripts are on display, dating from the 8th to the 16th centuries.
It's an amazing collection of work, and to top it off, it is free. I have found myself wandering into the library whenever I am in the city to have another look.
It's worth a visit to the State Library just to see the Domed Reading Room. It was opened in 1913 and it was the largest of its type in the world on completion. The reading room was built to hold over a million books and up to 500 readers.
The exhibition is on from 28 March to 15 June 2008.
The Medieval Imagination at State Library of Victoria
Labels: australia, books, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Sunday, April 13, 2008
Manhattan in Melbourne
Location: Melbourne - Australia Date: 13 April 2008
A large film set was on location in Collins St Melbourne today. While filming on location in the city on the weekend is nothing unusual, the shoot was for a film set in New York. The plaza in front of the AXA building was transformed into Lafayette St New York.
Lafayette St Film Shoot
The shoot involved subway passengers emerging from a smoking Lafayette St subway station. There were so many little details attended to, from a US and New York flag hanging in the plaza to US mail boxes as well as renamed street signs.
US Flag at AXA Australia
Collins Street becomes Lafayette St
A large film set was on location in Collins St Melbourne today. While filming on location in the city on the weekend is nothing unusual, the shoot was for a film set in New York. The plaza in front of the AXA building was transformed into Lafayette St New York.
Lafayette St Film Shoot
The shoot involved subway passengers emerging from a smoking Lafayette St subway station. There were so many little details attended to, from a US and New York flag hanging in the plaza to US mail boxes as well as renamed street signs.
US Flag at AXA Australia
Collins Street becomes Lafayette St
Labels: australia, film shoot, melbourne, new york
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Tiger Airways Flight Review - Singapore to Melbourne
Flight: Tiger Airways TR 702 Date: 27 Feb 2008
Flight: Tiger Airways TT 7567 Date: 28 Feb 2008
Tiger Airways is a low cost airline based in Singapore, with its primary hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Tiger Airways began operations in 2004 and has since set up Tiger Airways Australia in Melbourne and plan to launch Incheon Tiger Airways based in Seoul in 2009.
Tiger Airways at Singapore Airport
Tiger Airways fly from Singapore to Melbourne via Darwin. The flight is with Tiger Airways and Tiger Airways Australia on separate aircraft. Unlike other low cost airlines Tiger facilitate the booking of these separate flight segments in the one booking.
Go to Flight Combo on the Tiger Airways website and you can book two segments in one go. It is important to note that this is two separate flights so your bags are not checked through to the final destination.
Another good feature of the Tiger Airways booking procedure is that you can pick your seat when you book your flight. Oh how I loath the mad scramble for a seat that occurs on low cost airline flights with unallocated seats.
Singapore to Darwin
The entire Tiger Airways fleet consists of Airbus A320 aircraft, thus Tiger only fly within a five-hour radius around Singapore. The flight time from Singapore to Darwin is approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
As Tiger Airways is a bare minimum no frills airline the onus is on you to keep yourself entertained. There is no TV entertainment and no complimentary meal and drink service.
Tiger Airways Uniform
Darwin Airport
In Darwin you must claim your bags and clear Australian customs. Then you must check in again for the Tiger Airways Australia flight from Darwin to Melbourne. Darwin Airport is small enough to make this a simple transfer and there is about 2 hours between the Singapore arrival and the Melbourne departure.
With a population of just over 110,000 people Darwin is a small capital city, even by Australian standards. When you look at a map though of Australia and Southeast Asia Darwin is well situated to be a major hub of air traffic between Australia and Asia. Jetstar have floated this idea recently with a plan to make Darwin a springboard into Asia, and I will revisit this idea in another post.
Time to spare at a laptop bench - Darwin Airport
Darwin to Melbourne
The second leg of this flight is with Tiger Airways Australia. Flight time from Darwin to Melbourne is just over 4 hours, leaving Darwin at 2.20am and arriving at Melbourne Tullamarine at 8am. I always forget what a big and empty continent Australia is. Asia seems so far away and exotic to us Aussies. Exotic certainly, but Darwin is much closer to many Asian cities than most other Australian capitals.
Like the flight from Singapore this is a no frills service. Drinks and snacks are available to purchase. Here is a price sample (in Australian Dollars):
Muffins $3
Pot Noodles $4
Coke(250ml) $2.5
Coffee $3
Beer (VB/Hahn) $6
At the moment Tiger Airways Australia only operate in and out of their Melbourne base. They are scouting around for new Australian hubs which should be known sometime in 2008.
Tiger Airways - Proudly Calling Melbourne Home
Flight: Tiger Airways TT 7567 Date: 28 Feb 2008
Tiger Airways is a low cost airline based in Singapore, with its primary hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Tiger Airways began operations in 2004 and has since set up Tiger Airways Australia in Melbourne and plan to launch Incheon Tiger Airways based in Seoul in 2009.
Tiger Airways at Singapore Airport
Tiger Airways fly from Singapore to Melbourne via Darwin. The flight is with Tiger Airways and Tiger Airways Australia on separate aircraft. Unlike other low cost airlines Tiger facilitate the booking of these separate flight segments in the one booking.
Go to Flight Combo on the Tiger Airways website and you can book two segments in one go. It is important to note that this is two separate flights so your bags are not checked through to the final destination.
Another good feature of the Tiger Airways booking procedure is that you can pick your seat when you book your flight. Oh how I loath the mad scramble for a seat that occurs on low cost airline flights with unallocated seats.
Singapore to Darwin
The entire Tiger Airways fleet consists of Airbus A320 aircraft, thus Tiger only fly within a five-hour radius around Singapore. The flight time from Singapore to Darwin is approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
As Tiger Airways is a bare minimum no frills airline the onus is on you to keep yourself entertained. There is no TV entertainment and no complimentary meal and drink service.
Tiger Airways Uniform
Darwin Airport
In Darwin you must claim your bags and clear Australian customs. Then you must check in again for the Tiger Airways Australia flight from Darwin to Melbourne. Darwin Airport is small enough to make this a simple transfer and there is about 2 hours between the Singapore arrival and the Melbourne departure.
With a population of just over 110,000 people Darwin is a small capital city, even by Australian standards. When you look at a map though of Australia and Southeast Asia Darwin is well situated to be a major hub of air traffic between Australia and Asia. Jetstar have floated this idea recently with a plan to make Darwin a springboard into Asia, and I will revisit this idea in another post.
Time to spare at a laptop bench - Darwin Airport
Darwin to Melbourne
The second leg of this flight is with Tiger Airways Australia. Flight time from Darwin to Melbourne is just over 4 hours, leaving Darwin at 2.20am and arriving at Melbourne Tullamarine at 8am. I always forget what a big and empty continent Australia is. Asia seems so far away and exotic to us Aussies. Exotic certainly, but Darwin is much closer to many Asian cities than most other Australian capitals.
Like the flight from Singapore this is a no frills service. Drinks and snacks are available to purchase. Here is a price sample (in Australian Dollars):
Muffins $3
Pot Noodles $4
Coke(250ml) $2.5
Coffee $3
Beer (VB/Hahn) $6
At the moment Tiger Airways Australia only operate in and out of their Melbourne base. They are scouting around for new Australian hubs which should be known sometime in 2008.
Tiger Airways - Proudly Calling Melbourne Home
Labels: airlines, australia, darwin, flight review, melbourne, singapore, tiger airways
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Monday, March 31, 2008
V Australia announces SYD-LAX as launch route
Good news for Australian travellers (and American travelers) looking for flights between the US and Australia.
Australia's newest international Airline, V Australia, has announced daily direct Sydney-Los Angeles flights as its inaugural trans-Pacific route when it takes to the skies from 15 December 2008.
Fares are on sale now from $999 AUD return, inclusive of taxes and charges of approximately $415 AUD.
The airline has also announced that Northwest Airlines will offer codeshare flights across the United States and Canada.
V Australia, part of the Virgin Group, will be the first Australian airline (subject to regulatory approval) to offer an alternative to Qantas on the trans-Pacific route, which is possible now after the Open Skies Accord between Australia and the US that was agreed to last month.
Australia's newest international Airline, V Australia, has announced daily direct Sydney-Los Angeles flights as its inaugural trans-Pacific route when it takes to the skies from 15 December 2008.
Fares are on sale now from $999 AUD return, inclusive of taxes and charges of approximately $415 AUD.
The airline has also announced that Northwest Airlines will offer codeshare flights across the United States and Canada.
V Australia, part of the Virgin Group, will be the first Australian airline (subject to regulatory approval) to offer an alternative to Qantas on the trans-Pacific route, which is possible now after the Open Skies Accord between Australia and the US that was agreed to last month.
Labels: airlines, australia, usa, v australia
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 25, 2008
Banksy in Melbourne
Work of British graffiti artist Banksy, "the little diver". Found at the back of the Nicholas Building on the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
Banksy - Melbourne
Banksy - Melbourne
Labels: art, australia, banksy, melbourne
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Everybody Loves Roger
The Australian Open is on in Melbourne and for $20 AUD you can get an evening outside courts pass, which gets you into all courts except the largest two.
Bryan Bros - Margaret Court Arena
Not only do you see tournament games, but you can watch players practicing on side courts. I found one small court with more people surrounding it than at some of the games in progress. It could only mean one thing - that Federer was there. The world's number one tennis player is such a popular figure that he could have practiced on one of the show courts and filled it.
Roger Federer Practicing
Bryan Bros - Margaret Court Arena
Not only do you see tournament games, but you can watch players practicing on side courts. I found one small court with more people surrounding it than at some of the games in progress. It could only mean one thing - that Federer was there. The world's number one tennis player is such a popular figure that he could have practiced on one of the show courts and filled it.
Roger Federer Practicing
Labels: australia, melbourne, sport
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, January 11, 2008
The Fourth Busiest Air Route in the World
This billboard in Melbourne is promoting 167 flights a week to Sydney with Virgin Blue. If you think that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. According to OAG the Sydney to Melbourne air route is the fourth busiest in the world. In 2007 there were 851 flights per week between the two biggest cities in Australia.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
For the record, here is the top 10.
Top 10 Busiest Routes Worldwide by Weekly Number of Flights
Barcelona (BCN) <> Madrid (MAD)
Sao Paulo Congonhas (CGH) <> Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (SDU)
Jeju (CJU) <> Seoul (GMP)
Melbourne (MEL) <> Sydney (SYD)
Cape Town (CPT) <> Johannesburg (JNB)
Mumbai (BOM) <> Delhi (DEL)
Sapporo Chitose (CTS) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
Jakarta Soekamo (CGK) <> Hatta Surabaya (SUB)
Honolulu (HNL) <> Kahului (OGG)
Fukuoka (FUK) <> Tokyo Haneda (HND)
It will be interesting to to see the changes in list for 2008. A high speed train line has just been built between Barcelona and Madrid, so they may drop from the top spot eventually. Also watch the rise of the Mumbai and Delhi route.
Labels: airlines, australia, melbourne, sydney
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, December 28, 2007
The Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is an institution on the Australian sporting calendar. The first Boxing Day test was in 1950, and it has been played every year since 1980.
Boxing Day Test
Australia v India - MCG
Boxing Day Test
Australia v India - MCG
Labels: australia, cricket, india, melbourne
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
Fly from London to Australia with Low Cost Airlines
The New Kangaroo Route - London to Sydney with Low Cost Airlines
Low cost airlines have now covered just about every short haul route possible and are now looking at inter-continental long haul flights. It will soon be possible to fly from the UK to Australia one stop, just like the traditional scheduled airlines.
Of course you don't have to fly to Australia in one stop. There are so many low cost carriers along the way that it is possible to break to trip up into multi stops like you would on a round the world ticket.
Flying like this though won't necessarily mean that your flight will be cheaper. And because most low cost airlines aren't in the booking systems of travel agents or online booking engines you have to do all the flight segment research yourself. For someone like me though that is half the fun.
If you are trying to fly straight through it's advisable to leave enough time between connecting flights. If one flight is late and you miss the next you will not just be able to get on the next flight like on a scheduled service. If you are trying to go straight through then one or two stops would be the most managable. Anything over that and you are better off enjoying the city you have flown to.
Here is a list of some route options to fly from London to Australia I have put together using only low cost airlines. Some stop over cities arrive in one city and depart from another city close by (eg Sharjah - Dubai and Hong Kong - Macau). Overland options (eg fly into Mumbai, out of Chennai) aren't included as there are so many possibilities.
One Stop
These options for Macau are planned for 2008:
These options for Kuala Lumpur are planned for 2008:
Two Stops
Three Stops
Four Stops
I have only covered the kangaroo Route for the list, but it is possible to fly around the world using low cost airlines. If you have you flown from the UK to Australia or around the world on low cost airlines, or have made up some other possible itineraries, leave a comment.
Low cost airlines have now covered just about every short haul route possible and are now looking at inter-continental long haul flights. It will soon be possible to fly from the UK to Australia one stop, just like the traditional scheduled airlines.
Of course you don't have to fly to Australia in one stop. There are so many low cost carriers along the way that it is possible to break to trip up into multi stops like you would on a round the world ticket.
Flying like this though won't necessarily mean that your flight will be cheaper. And because most low cost airlines aren't in the booking systems of travel agents or online booking engines you have to do all the flight segment research yourself. For someone like me though that is half the fun.
If you are trying to fly straight through it's advisable to leave enough time between connecting flights. If one flight is late and you miss the next you will not just be able to get on the next flight like on a scheduled service. If you are trying to go straight through then one or two stops would be the most managable. Anything over that and you are better off enjoying the city you have flown to.
Here is a list of some route options to fly from London to Australia I have put together using only low cost airlines. Some stop over cities arrive in one city and depart from another city close by (eg Sharjah - Dubai and Hong Kong - Macau). Overland options (eg fly into Mumbai, out of Chennai) aren't included as there are so many possibilities.
One Stop
London (LGW) (Ferry to Macau) Macau (MFM) | to to | Hong Kong (HKG) Sydney (SYD) | Oasis Hong Kong (no longer operatiing) Viva Macau |
These options for Macau are planned for 2008:
Macau (MFM) | to | Melbourne (AVV) | Viva Macau |
These options for Kuala Lumpur are planned for 2008:
London (STN) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Melbourne (AVV) | AirAsia X AirAsia X |
Two Stops
London (STN) Dusseldorf (DUS) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to | Dusseldorf Weeze (NRN) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | Ryanair Jetstar |
London (STN) Dusseldorf (DUS) Phuket (HKT) | to to to | Dusseldorf (DUS) Phuket (HKT) Sydney (SYD) | Jetstar |
London (STN) Munich (MUC) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to | Munich (MUC) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | Jetstar |
Three Stops
London Luton (LTN) Larnaca (LCA) Dubai (DXB) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to to to | Larnaca (LCA) Dubai (DXB) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Sydney (SYD) | Thomsonfly Jazeera Airways Air-India Express Jetstar |
Four Stops
London (LTN) Istanbul (SAW) Dubai (DXB) Kochi (COK) Singapore (SIN) | to to to to to | Istanbul (SAW) Sharjah (SAH) Kochi (COK) Singapore (SIN) Perth (PER) | easyJet Air Arabia Jazeera Airways Tiger Airways Tiger Airways |
London Stansted (STN) Larnaca (LCA) Kuwait (KWI) Mumbai (BOM) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | to to to to to | Larnaca (LCA) Kuwait (KWI) Mumbai (BOM) Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Gold Coast (OOL) | Thomsonfly Jazeera Airways Jazeera Airways Air India Express AirAsia |
London (LGW) Prague (PRG) Dubai (DXB) Mumbai (BOM) Bangkok (BKK) | to to to to to | Prague (PRG) Dubai (DXB) Mumbai (BOM) Bangkok (BKK) Melbourne (MEL) | easyJet Smartwings Jazeera Airways Air India Express Jetstar |
I have only covered the kangaroo Route for the list, but it is possible to fly around the world using low cost airlines. If you have you flown from the UK to Australia or around the world on low cost airlines, or have made up some other possible itineraries, leave a comment.
Labels: airlines, australia, kangaroo route, london, low cost airlines, round the world, uk
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Air Spray on flights to Australia
Aircraft entering Australia are sprayed with pesticide as part of quarantine arrangements.
Air Spray
Air Spray
Labels: air spray, airlines, australia
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Saturday, September 01, 2007
The Amazing Human Body Exhibition
I visited The Amazing Human Body Exhibition this week. Using the word amazing in a show is usually reserved for circus acts that aren't that amazing, but this was really amazing.
The show is a display of real human bodies that have undergone plastination. Basically water is replaced with plastic at death, with willing donors of course, preserving the body forever.
The Amazing Human Body Exhibition is on at Melbourne Docklands from 30 June to 1 October 2007. I have seen similar show advertised around the world ( a similar exhibition featured in the latest Bond movie Casino Royale), so highly recommended if this circus comes to your town.
amazinghumanbody.com.au
The show is a display of real human bodies that have undergone plastination. Basically water is replaced with plastic at death, with willing donors of course, preserving the body forever.
The Amazing Human Body Exhibition is on at Melbourne Docklands from 30 June to 1 October 2007. I have seen similar show advertised around the world ( a similar exhibition featured in the latest Bond movie Casino Royale), so highly recommended if this circus comes to your town.
amazinghumanbody.com.au
Labels: australia, melbourne, the amazing human body
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Friday, August 31, 2007
Sea Shepherd
Visiting Melbourne this week is the Sea Shepherd, the ship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
seashepherd.org
seashepherd.org
Labels: australia, melbourne, sea shepherd
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Saturday, July 28, 2007
"I'm from Batman" - What might have been.
Melbourne in Australia was named after the British Prime Minister of the day, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who resided in the village of Melbourne in Derbyshire.
Sometimes I wonder though what might have been if Melbourne was named after one of the first European exploroers to land on the Yarra river, John Batman.
Us Melburnians could have been be saying that "I'm from Batman". We might have been known as "Batmaniacs".
As it stands I'm happy with the name Melbourne, and I'm grateful that we were founded in his time. Melbourne just as easily could have been called Peel or Disraeli. "I'm from Peel" or "I'm from Disraeli" just doesn't roll off the tongue as eloquently as Melbourne.
John Batman - Melbourne
Sometimes I wonder though what might have been if Melbourne was named after one of the first European exploroers to land on the Yarra river, John Batman.
Us Melburnians could have been be saying that "I'm from Batman". We might have been known as "Batmaniacs".
As it stands I'm happy with the name Melbourne, and I'm grateful that we were founded in his time. Melbourne just as easily could have been called Peel or Disraeli. "I'm from Peel" or "I'm from Disraeli" just doesn't roll off the tongue as eloquently as Melbourne.
John Batman - Melbourne
Labels: australia, batman, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Good to be Home
Melbourne in winter - something I haven't done since 2001. If you tell a Queenslander you are spending the winter in Melbourne they will take pity on you. After spending a few winters in Northern Europe and North East USA though, I will never complain about Melbourne winters again.
Flinders St Station and Melbourne Skyline
Flinders St Station and Melbourne Skyline
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, March 16, 2007
Did Scotland beat Australia?
Had a world cup fright this morning. All the newspapers were showing pictures of jubilant Scotsmen after dismissing an Aussie. This gave the impression that Scotland produced the boilover of the century. The papers are in Malayalam so I had no idea what actually happened.
As it turns out the papers went to press before the end of the match. Australia won comfortably, of course.
As it turns out the papers went to press before the end of the match. Australia won comfortably, of course.
Labels: australia, malayalam, scotland, world cup
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Thursday, March 01, 2007
Do you know Ricky Ponting?
India is a land of an uncountable amount of Gods. Ricky Ponting (Australian cricket captain) apparently is one of them.
I have had a stream of Indian men approach me to talk cricket. I don't know if it is always like this or if it is because the Cricket World Cup starts this month.
Cricket World Cup Advertisement
Before I came to India I had planned to read up on who's who in the Indian cricket team, which I forgot to do. I need not have bothered as everyone wants to talk to me about the Australian team. So the days on the couch watching cricket in the summer just gone has paid off.
You are usually asked where you are from, and when you say Australia, the gushing praise of Ricky Ponting commences. Here are some Ricky Ponting moments so far.
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. He came to our town and I have a picture of me and Ricky Ponting. It is my favourite picture and I have put it up in my room.
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. Do you like Ricky Ponting?
(me) Yes, of course. He is magnificent.
Do you know Ricky Ponting?
(me) No, sorry.
Ohh... (conversation abruptly ends)
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. I am so happy when Ricky Ponting makes 100 runs. I bet every game that he makes 100 runs.
Indians Watching Cricket
Azad Maidan
I have had a stream of Indian men approach me to talk cricket. I don't know if it is always like this or if it is because the Cricket World Cup starts this month.
Cricket World Cup Advertisement
Before I came to India I had planned to read up on who's who in the Indian cricket team, which I forgot to do. I need not have bothered as everyone wants to talk to me about the Australian team. So the days on the couch watching cricket in the summer just gone has paid off.
You are usually asked where you are from, and when you say Australia, the gushing praise of Ricky Ponting commences. Here are some Ricky Ponting moments so far.
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. He came to our town and I have a picture of me and Ricky Ponting. It is my favourite picture and I have put it up in my room.
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. Do you like Ricky Ponting?
(me) Yes, of course. He is magnificent.
Do you know Ricky Ponting?
(me) No, sorry.
Ohh... (conversation abruptly ends)
- Ricky Ponting is my favourite player. I am so happy when Ricky Ponting makes 100 runs. I bet every game that he makes 100 runs.
Indians Watching Cricket
Azad Maidan
Labels: australia, cricket, india, ricky ponting, world cup
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Munich: Australia vs Brazil
Guten Tag everyone
München
I went to Munich knowing I wouldn't see the Australia v Brazil game live, but I wanted to be there in support anyway. Apparently there were over 50,000 Aussies in Munich, with the numbers made up from those that made the trip from Australia and a large contingency of UK based Aussies. It was impossible to tell though who had the biggest support base as both Australia and Brazil have the green and gold as their colours, so the streets of Munich was mostly a sea of yellow.
Being more nomadic than tribal, I don't own any items that align me to a nation. Today was the one day I wanted to wear an Aussie shirt. Of all the shops I searched in Munich, none of them had any Australian gear. You could pick up shirts from Togo or Tunisia but the only green and gold was truckloads of Brazil T-shirts.
The Brazil T-shirt must be the third most popular shirt in the world, coming in behind the Che Guevara and Ramones T-shirt. People who wear these shirts usually have no revolutionary or leftist tendencies, or have listened to a Ramones album, and so too most people wearing the Brazil shirt weren't speaking any Portuguese. I'm all for adopting a team if your country isn't in the finals, but how obvious to choose Brazil!
Business Opportunity of the Week
Most of the Aussies, sensibly, came more prepared than I did. The most popular item of the day was the troop of inflatable kangaroos. They brought joy and merriment to non Australians everywhere they hopped. And why wouldn't they? I would have bought one if they were on sale. I reckon I could have sold a thousand that day. Imagine how good it would have looked on worldwide television to see a stadium full of blow up kangaroos when (if) Australia scores a goal.
(skippy waits for Munich's famous Glockenspiel show)
So, here is a business proposition for you. If you can deliver to me 1000 inflatable kangaroos to Stuttgart by thursday in time for the Australia v Croatia game, help me sell them and we can go halvies in the profits. I'm sure I've seen them at $2 shops and you could sell them here easily for €15.
While we have our comical zoo of animals that make us popular around the world, Brazil's appeal most probably lies in its parades of scantily clad carnival girls.
Tschüs
James
München
I went to Munich knowing I wouldn't see the Australia v Brazil game live, but I wanted to be there in support anyway. Apparently there were over 50,000 Aussies in Munich, with the numbers made up from those that made the trip from Australia and a large contingency of UK based Aussies. It was impossible to tell though who had the biggest support base as both Australia and Brazil have the green and gold as their colours, so the streets of Munich was mostly a sea of yellow.
Being more nomadic than tribal, I don't own any items that align me to a nation. Today was the one day I wanted to wear an Aussie shirt. Of all the shops I searched in Munich, none of them had any Australian gear. You could pick up shirts from Togo or Tunisia but the only green and gold was truckloads of Brazil T-shirts.
The Brazil T-shirt must be the third most popular shirt in the world, coming in behind the Che Guevara and Ramones T-shirt. People who wear these shirts usually have no revolutionary or leftist tendencies, or have listened to a Ramones album, and so too most people wearing the Brazil shirt weren't speaking any Portuguese. I'm all for adopting a team if your country isn't in the finals, but how obvious to choose Brazil!
Business Opportunity of the Week
Most of the Aussies, sensibly, came more prepared than I did. The most popular item of the day was the troop of inflatable kangaroos. They brought joy and merriment to non Australians everywhere they hopped. And why wouldn't they? I would have bought one if they were on sale. I reckon I could have sold a thousand that day. Imagine how good it would have looked on worldwide television to see a stadium full of blow up kangaroos when (if) Australia scores a goal.
(skippy waits for Munich's famous Glockenspiel show)
So, here is a business proposition for you. If you can deliver to me 1000 inflatable kangaroos to Stuttgart by thursday in time for the Australia v Croatia game, help me sell them and we can go halvies in the profits. I'm sure I've seen them at $2 shops and you could sell them here easily for €15.
While we have our comical zoo of animals that make us popular around the world, Brazil's appeal most probably lies in its parades of scantily clad carnival girls.
Tschüs
James
Labels: australia, brazil, germany, kangaroo, munich, world cup
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Friday, March 17, 2006
W-11 Karachi to Melbourne Tram
The W-11 is the name of the bus route in Karachi, Pakistan, where the buses are ornately decorated by the bus owners.
As part of Festival Melbourne2006, which is running during the Commonwealth Games, a team of Karachi vehicle decorators have transformed a regular Melbourne tram into a W-11 Karachi style mini-bus. The W-11 is running along the city circle route in the CBD of Melbourne. The tram ride is free.
The tram is decked out in flowers and layers of cut out vibrant vinyl patterns and covered in flashing LCD lighting. Then there is the music. Loud popular music from Pakistan complement this amazing project to complete the W-11 experience.
W-11 Karachi to Melbourne
As part of Festival Melbourne2006, which is running during the Commonwealth Games, a team of Karachi vehicle decorators have transformed a regular Melbourne tram into a W-11 Karachi style mini-bus. The W-11 is running along the city circle route in the CBD of Melbourne. The tram ride is free.
The tram is decked out in flowers and layers of cut out vibrant vinyl patterns and covered in flashing LCD lighting. Then there is the music. Loud popular music from Pakistan complement this amazing project to complete the W-11 experience.
W-11 Karachi to Melbourne
Labels: australia, melbourne, sport, tram
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Saturday, January 28, 2006
Kangaroo Karnival
In the spirit of Cow Parade, now comes Kangaroo Karnival, an urban art project in aid of the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.
Kangaroo Karnival in Melbourne
Kangaroo Karnival in Melbourne
Labels: australia, cow parade, kangaroo karnival, melbourne
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Spiegeltent - Melbourne
Spiegeltent - Melbourne
Labels: australia, melbourne, spiegeltent
Posted by James Clark - editor of itravelnet.com
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