Destination: Australia & Pacific

Jan Morris Reveals her Favorite Cities

She fields this question in the Guardian: What is her favorite of them all?

Dear God, what a question! To my mind cities are distillations of human life itself, in all its nuances, with all its contradictions and anomalies, changing from one year to another, changing with the weather, changing with history, changing with the state of the world, changing above all in one’s own personal responses. How can I have a favourite? Sometimes I prefer one city, sometimes another. Inconstancy governs my responses to cities—fidelity in personal matters, promiscuity in civic affairs.

Morris does have a ready answer, though, when asked about her least favorite city: Indianapolis. (Via @ben_coop)


World Travel Watch: Monster Crocs in Australia, Bridge Collapses in Costa Rica and More

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

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Travel Photography and ‘Writing With Light’

On the problem with "trophy travel photos" -- and what to aim for instead

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World Travel Watch: Monster Shark Off Australia, Deadly Driving Games in Bulgaria and More

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

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‘Are Australian Horror Films Scaring Tourists Away From Australia?’

Boo!

One of the films in question is Wolf Creek, which made our list of 13 great holiday horror travel movies.


The Critics: ‘Couples Retreat’

Poster via IGN

A few months back I said that “Couples Retreat”—you know, the one where four couples unwittingly book into an all-inclusive marriage counseling resort?—had “some comic potential.” Well, the flick opened this weekend, and I have to report that while said potential was there, it never blossoms into vacation comedy gold. There are a few decent jokes scattered throughout—everyone likes a good jab at Sandals, right?—and the scenery is lovely (the movie was shot in Bora Bora) but the story drags aimlessly between the occasional laughs.

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Travel Warning Issued for Samoa, Tonga

The British Foreign Office is advising travelers to stay away from Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga as the islands struggle with the fall-out from Tuesday’s tsunami. Milder warnings have also been issued for Sumatra, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.


Photo You Must See: Big-Wave Surfing at Cow Bombie

Photo You Must See: Big-Wave Surfing at Cow Bombie REUTERS/Ho New
REUTERS/Ho New

Surfer Mark Visser drops into a 36-foot wave at Cow Bombie, near the Western Australian town of Gracetown. The surf spot is located roughly 175 miles south of Perth.


Photo You Must See: Dust Storm at the Opera House

Photo You Must See: Dust Storm at the Opera House REUTERS/Tim Winborne
REUTERS/Tim Winborne

A dust storm obscures the Sydney Opera House at sunrise this morning.


Flags of the World—Made From Food

These ads for the Sydney International Food Festival are stunning. Right now, this one is my favorite:

(Via Coudal)


David Sedaris on Australia: ‘It’s Canada in a Thong’

That line is one of the comedic high points in a rather moving story about Australia, kookaburras and family by David Sedaris in the latest New Yorker.


Moon-Gazing Around the Globe

Full moon over London Photos by cybea via Flickr (Creative Commons)

From Puebla to Paris, 12 photos by moonstruck world travelers

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Travel Song of the Day: ‘Southern Cross’ by Crosby, Stills & Nash


Climbing Ban Could be Coming to Uluru

Climbing Ban Could be Coming to Uluru Photo by nosha via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by nosha via Flickr (Creative Commons)

An Australian government proposal is in the works to ban tourists from climbing Uluru, the distinctive red rock monolith that is considered sacred ground by local indigenous groups. Those same groups have been pushing for the move for years, but the proposal is—predictably—controversial in other quarters: “Big Brother is coming to Uluru to slam the gate closed on an Australian tourism icon,” said one conservative politician quoted in the Independent.

Invoking Orwell here seems a tad dramatic. I’m more inclined to agree with local elder Vince Forrester. “You can’t go climb on top of the Vatican, you can’t go climb on top of the Buddhist temples and so on and so forth,” he said. “Obviously you have to respect our religious attachment to the land too, so we’re saying please do not climb Uluru.”


Australia’s Prime Minister: ‘Hotter Than Obama’

Australia’s Prime Minister: ‘Hotter Than Obama’ Publicity still via IGN
Publicity still via IGN

That was the verdict from Bruno, comedian Sasha Baron Cohen’s gay Austrian alter ego, during a visit to Sydney for his movie‘s Australian premiere. Said the ostensible fashion TV reporter after meeting Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: “That guy is like, uber-cute. I thought Obama was like the hottest guy in the world until I met Kevin.”

Ooh. Them’s fighting words, Bruno. President Obama, care to respond?