Virtuoso Life Mag > Features > The Unrivaled Reef

Divers find Nemo and much more on saltwater safaris to the Great Barrier Reef.

Like a maelstrom of florecent confetti, bright tropical fish of all shapes and colors whirl through equally vivid corals. Triggers, banners, butterflies, and angels all mill together in an underwater rush hour, their blues, violets, and yellows flashing in the reef’s shallow water.

Described as the largest living thing on the planet and stretching almost 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) from Bundaberg to New Guinea, the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef is certainly the world’s largest coral reef. When seen from space, it forms a surreal aura along the vast Queensland coastline, imbuing Australia’s Sunshine State with an almost magical luster.

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In Pursuit of (more) Adventure

Rod is about to undertake multiple small ship voyages as part of his ongoing "in pursuit of adventure" theme. He is excited to announce that Cruise Passenger Magazine will again publish the annual Adventure and Cruise Guide - this time in a much-expanded format thanks to the overwhelming response to the first issue.

This year Rod will get aboard Orion in PNG, True North in the Kimberley and both Spirit of the Pacific and Reef Endeavour in Fiji. Later on, he will go 'Across the Top' with Coral Princess.

You can keep up-to-date with the scene at the Expedition and Adventure Cruising news blog.

Prom king - Short Breaks - Travel - theage.com.au

Forget pitching a tent or fumbling with fuel stoves, here's a soft option, writes Philip Game.

In slow motion, a wedge-tailed eagle sails low over the car, the magnificent feathered head looming frighteningly large through the rain-slicked windscreen. We haven't even reached the entrance to Wilsons Promontory National Park, but this encounter, added to the sight of a moribund wombat parked astride the double lines, brings us back to earth after an enjoyable detour via one of South Gippsland's many boutique wineries.

Journeys - July 2008

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Bringing the world to your readers The award-winning Global Travel Writers team bring you their latest offerings for July 2008 Coming Up: More adventure cruising: PNG, Kimberley, South Pacific. More luxury lodges and resorts. European spas. Think outside the square. GTWers have decades of experience covering such diverse subjects as music, culture, cuisine, lifestyle, technology, aviation, sport and tourism business. [see themes]
= J O U R N E Y S = India : Queensland : Golf Thailand : Luxury Lodges : Scotland Sheriden Rhodes checks into a private resort in far north Queensland so exclusive most Australians have never heard of it. At dusk and in the fading light, Woodwark Bay in the Whitsunday Island group, is simply mesmerising. [more]	Guess What? You can now advertise on the GTW site. Yes, we are carefully selecting commercial partners wishing to communicate with the global reach of the GTW network. Contact your preferred GTW member for details. The GTW Team: Glenn A Baker Graham Simmons Karen Halabi Philip Game Roderick Eime Sally Hammond Sheriden Rhodes Thomas E King Tricia Welsh GTW Trivia: Which GTW member boasts he once raced with Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham and tries to forget he appeared on TV's 'Perfect Match' - four times? [answer] EMAIL Note: Previous issues of Journeys are archived here
Philip Game pushes along to Pushkar's camel fair. Around November each year, a dusty throng of camels and their owners, pious Hindu pilgrims, holy men in their hundreds and spectators from far and wide converge on the sleepy town of Pushkar on the edge of India's Rajasthani desert. [more]
Graham Simmons notes: with rising oil prices, Brisbane's new transport network has arrived at the right time. “Welcome Bridge” is pedestrian- and cycle-friendly. Just opened in June 2008, the King George Square Cycle Centre encourages cycle commuting. [more]
Roderick Eime revisits the rarefied air of the elite luxury lodges. Travelling through Australia and New Zealand, he encounters the absolute pinnacle of aspiration travel, food and wine. Close your eyes and join him in the fantasy. [more]
Thomas E. King finds Shangri-La in the mountains reaches of northern Thailand. Pai is not yet on the radar for many travellers though new boutique resorts and unique attractions are certain to put this delightful destination on the must-visit list. [more]
Thomas E King reveals the most surprising places to play the great game. Asia is dotted with many amazing golf courses. Tee off in an extinct volcano, alongside Moghul monuments or just beyond the stone wall of a centuries-old Spanish-built fort. [more]
Sally Hammond says this clickety-clack tour of the Scottish highlands delivers kilts and castles, lochs and lairds. The Royal Scotsman is a luxury opportunity not to be missed. Side trips take in distilleries, cream teas and highland dance practices, then back to black tie dinners on board. [more]
Can't find what you're looking for? Editors' Block? We have access to hundreds of seasoned writers, covering every possible corner of the Earth. Try us! We'll find you that story.
For more stories see: Global Travel Writers When we're not travelling or working to your deadlines, you'll find us here: Facebook : MySpace : Blogger

Journeys - June 2008

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Bringing the world to your readers The award-winning Global Travel Writers team bring you their latest offerings for June 2008 Coming Up: Scuba Diving in PNG, Thai Treasures, Chronometers, Queensland Luxury Think outside the square. GTWers have decades of experience covering such diverse subjects as music, culture, cuisine, lifestyle, technology, aviation, sport and tourism business. [see themes]
= J O U R N E Y S = Russia : Wyoming : Cook Islands England : Mystery Islands : Kids' Stuff Philip Game notices all across Eastern Europe, crowded high-rise housing contrasts with unspoilt forests, fields and villages, the more so in the largest single country on earth; the Russian Federation. Little wonder Russians share the pan-European aspiration for a house in the country. [more]	Going Green Everyone's talking green travel, carbon footprints and offsetting emissions. What does it all mean? How do you tell real green from 'greenwash'? Let the GTW team offer your readers a range of truly sustainable travel options. Help them make informed and intelligent decisions next time they travel. It a wonderful planet - and it's all we have. The GTW Team: Glenn A Baker Graham Simmons John Borthwick Karen Halabi Philip Game Roderick Eime Sally Hammond Sheriden Rhodes Thomas E King Tricia Welsh GTW Trivia: Which former diplomat is one of the founding members? [answer] EMAIL
John Borthwick finds, in Wyoming, the ghosts wear cowboy boots. At night you might hear one creaking down the wooden halls of the old Irma Hotel in Cody. You leap from your room, hoping to glimpse a spectral gunslinger, but there’s no one there. [more]
Graham Simmons visits three islands scattered across the globe and finds these remote lands linked by a mysterious commonality. Discover the intriguing connection between India, Polynesia and Estonia. Can you guess? [more]
Roderick Eime, father of two active kids, racks his brain for things to keep them amused. From theme parks to scuba diving to go-kart racing and even snakes and lizards, holidaying with children can be a both a challenge and a reward. [more]
Sally Hammond says Gravetye Manor (it isn't even pronounced as you would expect – it's Grave Tie) is deliciously off the map, a flowery hidden estate. But of course, when a place has been around for 500 years you do expect people to have learnt your location. [more]
Thomas E King says words can not properly describe and photographs can not adequately capture the breathtaking beauty of Aitutaki. Located less than an hour’s flight - 215 km north of Rarotonga - Aitutaki is the second most visited isle in the seductive Cook Islands. [more]
For more stories see: Global Travel Writers When we're not travelling or working to your deadlines, you'll find us here: Facebook : MySpace : Blogger : Subscribe to RSS Feed:

Journeys - May 2008

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Bringing the world to your readers The award-winning Global Travel Writers team bring you their latest offerings for May 2008 Coming Up: Rod sets off for a PNG revisit with a difference. Sheriden will soon be writing about travel with children. Think outside the square. GTWers have decades of experience covering such diverse subjects as music, culture, cuisine, lifestyle, technology, aviation, sport and tourism business. [see themes]
<> Australia : Scuba Diving : Solomon Islands Syria : Singapore : Frontiers Thomas E King visits Queensland’s striking Sunshine Coast. Lazily arcing north from the tongue twisting towns of Caloundra and Mooloolaba to end at Noosa, the holiday playground north of Brisbane offers sandy beaches, mighty dunes, tranquil waterways and smart comforts. [more]	Australian Regional Food Guide Last month saw the relaunch of the Australian Regional Food Guide website. With new features including Google maps, weather forecasts, and hundreds of listings, the site is set to become the most important regional websites in Australia. GTW member, Sally Hammond and husband Gordon, have applied their skills to produce two editions of the Australian Regional Food Guide and now the website. The GTW Team: Glenn A Baker Graham Simmons John Borthwick Karen Halabi Philip Game Roderick Eime Sally Hammond Sheriden Rhodes Thomas E King Tricia Welsh GTW Trivia: Which GTW member can you address as "Doctor"? [answer] EMAIL
Roderick Eime finds the exhilarating sport of scuba diving is no longer the perilous affair it was in the early days of Jacques Cousteau or Lloyd Bridges. Modern equipment, training and safety regulations make scuba diving fun and exciting for all ages. [more]
Graham Simmons meets the Chieftain of Kundu Hite (Skull Island), in the Solomon Islands. The neighboring islands were once home to fearsome head-hunting warriors who rowed their tomoko (war canoes) as far as Guadalcanal. [more]
Sheriden Rhodes finds Ballarat’s transformation from 19th century goldrush town to bustling cosmopolitan city has given it an urbane, laid-back feel. Grab a seat at one of the lively sidewalk cafes, admire the city's artwork or enjoy a cool climate wine to see the change for yourself. [more]
Glenn A Baker says that from Damascus all imaginations, if not necessarily all roads, lead eastward to the mammoth Crusader citadel of Crac des Chevaliers, the Castle of the Knights. To appreciate Syria, all that's needed is a willingness to be astonished at every turn. [more]
Sally Hammond sees little silver-eyes at Tiong Bahru. In Singapore they’re called Malaysian honeybirds and are highly prized for their beautiful singing voices. Watch how tenderly the Chinese men, some of them positively ancient, fuss and croon over them. [more]
Karen Halabi reckons Australia is a Noah’s Ark, a time capsule, set adrift 60 million eons ago when it separated from the original super-continent Gwondana. Our kangaroos, koalas, wombats, bilbies, quolls, bandicoots, sugar gliders and ring-tailed possums are unique to this land. [more]
Philip Game anticipates the adrenaline rush from walking or driving across a foreign frontier. Often two cultures come face-to-face, perhaps clashing, perhaps blending, perhaps mingling like oil and water, as the communities either side draw life and purpose from each other. [more]
For more stories see: Global Travel Writers When we're not travelling or working to your deadlines, you'll find us here: Facebook : MySpace : Blogger : Subscribe to RSS Feed:

No laughing, it's Chinglish - News - Travel - smh.com.au

No laughing, it's Chinglish - News - Travel - smh.com.au: "Linguistic cleansing is ridding Beijing of its unintentionally hilarious English translations, writes Karen Halabi.


Chinese authorities are close to completing a linguistic cleansing that began last year when Beijing launched a campaign to rid the city of bad English and stop the world laughing. The official site of the Chinese Olympic Committee and China Youth Daily both report work is progressing well to ensure Beijing's signs are grammatically correct in time for the Olympics."