I haven’t been snowboarding in a while, because I’m Australian and the snow here is pretty expensive and not that great. Of course, things get more tempting when a) there’s a big powder dump and b) I have a new Phantom 4 drone which needs to be flown. This video showcases some of the awesome scenery you can see and ski in the Australian Snowy Mountains, in and around Jindabyne and Thredbo resort. Enjoy.
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Christmas is different things to different people. As travellers, we’re fortunate enough to experience the magic of the holiday season in different cultures and places, although for some of us we’re ditching the travels and returning home for Christmas. I had a walk back through time to think about all of the weird, wonderful and lonely places I’ve spent Christmas Day over the years.
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It’s often a surprise to many that not only is it possible to ski in Australia, but the skiing can be very good. And that at least for those on the Eastern seaboard, winter is looked upon with some fondness not only for the relief it brings from the summer heat but also for the expensive adventures that lay in wait in the Snowy Mountains. The Australian snowfields have always held some magic for me- the cold, dry chimney-smoke winter air of the mountains and the anticipation of white-knuckle adventure.
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I don’t care what you’ve heard of Dubai. The fancy attractions, the hotels, the impressive buildings, it’s all well and good. But if you want to see the real Dubai, you want to see the area around Dubai creek. The city was founded here, not really so long ago, in the early 19th century. Until the 1960s the city remained a small fishing village, centred around the Creek, an oasis in an unhospitable desert. And then they struck oil. What happened next is one of the most stunning transformations of a city in modern history. Now a giant metropolis and air hub, Dubai is a convenient stopover on the way from Australia or Asia to Europe. But it’s also worth stopping for a look, despite its huge size, oppressive heat, and obscene displays of wealth and unsustainability, if only you plan your days there well. Here’s what to do.
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We cruised out of Whitter late afternoon with the water a deep blue sheet of glass. My sister had managed to get me a balcony cabin upgrade and what a cabin it was. I was in cloud nine as the attendants brought me a cheese platter and a bucket of beer bottles, also courtesy of my wonderful sister. I ate and drank watching the mountains, glaciers and the ice as the sun went down.
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We arrived at the farm early one morning to find hundreds of dogs in kennels going quite beserk at the prospect of going sledding with strangers. Wow, what an exhilirating way to travel the white tundra! The dogs would race like crazy along the flat or downhill, and you had to work hard to keep the sled under control. Respite would come as the dogs headed uphill, huffing and puffing and not stopping until they had reached the top. Alex rode the sled in front of ours and our dogs followed his- usually.
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