Tim Richards - I, Writer

I, Writer
Tim Richards
Freelance Writer

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Americas

	Station Break: Union Station, LA Traveller, 16 August 2026 "Los Angeles’ main rail terminal is famously known as ‘the last of the great railway stations’, having been built at the end of the era when trains dominated long-distance travel in the US. It’s a marvellous statement of confidence, built on a grand scale with a distinctive blend of architectural styles including Art Deco, Streamline Moderne and Mission Revival. The last of these heavily borrows from California’s Spanish heritage, lending a unique local resonance..." Describing the history and facilities of this major railway station in Los Angeles, USA.
	Not your usual LA tour: where hip-hop, history and Hollywood collide Explore, 2 September 2025 "'This is not a Hollywood tour, it's a hood tour,' says Mooney. 'We are the gang capital of the USA, but right now there's a peace treaty between the gangs.' With that dramatic introduction, our guide pulls out from our Hollywood Boulevard meeting point and drives the van toward South Los Angeles, the hub of LA's African-American community and the inspiration for a lot of hip-hop music and movies. With beat-heavy music thumping through the sound system, we're heading for the hood..." Exploring the cinematic highlights and troubled past of South Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	America’s notoriously car-mad, clogged city can now be explored by train Traveller, 19 July 2025 "Los Angeles famously became a car-mad city with a reputation for poor public transport. But since 1990, largely unnoticed by overseas visitors, the city’s rail network has been rebuilt. Focused on the marvellous Union Station, served by Amtrak’s long-distance trains, LA County has crafted the Metro Rail network, comprising six rail services. Interestingly, it’s a hybrid network: two lines are underground railways while the other four are light-rail lines running vehicles that are basically trams..." Using its shiny modern Metro system to visit the attractions of Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Grand plan Traveller, 12 April 2025 "It’s early – very early – as I stumble off Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train into predawn darkness at Flagstaff, Arizona. Ahead of me is the attractive mock-Tudor form of the local railway station, and next to that is a minibus waiting to convey me to the town of Williams, and the Grand Canyon Railway. Following this route feels like an immersion in American railway history. Before cars and planes were commonplace, this was how people visited the otherwise remote Grand Canyon..." Heading via rail to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. [Read the full article here]
	The 2024 underrated & overrated list (seven items) Traveller, 14 December 2024 "You probably know the excitement, even if you don’t realise what has provoked it. It’s the feeling of discovery, the realisation that this place you’re visiting is giving you so much more than you expected. What you’re experiencing is an underrated attraction, an underrated hotel, an underrated meal, an underrated destination. There are few things better in the travel world than realising you’re getting the best of a place few other people know about..." Contributing seven items to this annual list of overrated and underrated travel experiences. [Read the Transport section of the list here] (my items are about LA's public transport and New Zealand's trains) [Read the Destinations section of the list here] (my item is St Gallen, Switzerland) [Read the Flying section of the list here] (my item is about Wi-fi on planes)
	Fantastic beasts Traveller, 7 December 2024 "On the walk to my hotel I pass a busy waterfront promenade lined with restaurants and bars, reinforcing my impression of Catalina as a souped-up version of Western Australia’s Rottnest Island. Like Rottnest, Catalina combines a compact tourist settlement with a nature reserve; though where Rotto is largely flat, Catalina is very hilly. I’ll be traveling up those hills shortly, aboard the Bison Expedition run by the Catalina Island Company..." Seeking wild animals aboard a tour of Santa Catalina Island, USA. [Read the full article here]
	The Intrepid List (sections on the Glacier Express and California Zephyr trains) 29 October 2024 "'My focus is scenery, which I can enjoy from the train’s lounge car; its curved roof is partly inset with windows, maximising the view. Once we depart Denver on the following day, this becomes a vista worth paying close attention to. Gone is the flat farming country of Iowa and Nebraska, which we passed through after Chicago. Ahead of us in Colorado is the high terrain of the Rocky Mountains. Around 10am we pass through the Moffat Tunnel, situated 2,816 metres above sea level and a whopping ten kilometres long..." Describing two impressive rail journeys: one in Switzerland, and the other across the USA. [Find the book here]
	Flight Path: Fiji Airways Traveller, 13 October 2024 "For supper I choose the roasted tomato and basil soup, the grilled paneer kebab, and a tropical fruit bowl, which are all excellent. The drinks menu offers five wines diplomatically sourced from the airline’s key destinations (Australia, NZ, USA), along with various spirits and beers, but I stick to tomato juice. For breakfast we complete a card, selecting from such delights as a pina colada parfait and Indian spiced savoury waffles. I choose the chia seed pudding and cheese omelette, which are both tasty..." Reviewing a Business class flight from Nadi, Fiji, to Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Just the ticket: The best new rail journeys around the world Traveller, 7 September 2024 "Europe’s renewed affair with long-distance train routes continues apace, and this time the destinations being linked are popular big cities: Paris and Berlin. It was in December last year that the French and German capitals were connected, with great acclaim, by sleeper train for the first time in nine years. The next step will be the start of direct high-speed daytime services between the two cities..." Describing ten upcoming developments in rail travel across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. [Read the full article here]
	Prince Rupert chapter Lonely Planet: Offbeat North America (ed. 1), May 2024 A guide to the attractions of the port city in British Columbia, Canada, covering attractions, art, food, entertainment, history and culture. This book can be purchased online from Amazon.com.
	Venturing into the imaginary town of Twin Peaks The Post, 7 April 2024 "The words of Special Agent Dale Cooper pass through my mind as we head out of Seattle on a tour devoted to the legendary television series Twin Peaks. At the wheel of the vehicle is tour guide David Israel, echoing Cooper in the outfit of an FBI agent. To our surprised delight he’s accompanied by James Grixoni, a young actor who appeared in the third season of the show and who sometimes leads these tours. My wife Narrelle and I are in the back seat, looking forward to visiting the locations of the quirky drama..." Exploring filming locations associated with Twin Peaks in the hills east of Seattle, USA. [Read the full article here]
	The ride stuff Traveller, 10 March 2024 "'We all did justice to the good things, and as we washed them down with bumpers of sparkling Krug whilst we sped along at the rate of thirty miles an hour, agreed it was the fastest living we had ever experienced. Then to bed in luxurious couches, where we slept the sleep of the just.' In June 1869, the New York Times correspondent 'WS' was living it high on the rails as he rode westward from Nebraska to California on the first trans-American railway. However, long-distance rail travel across America is not always so pleasing over 150 years later..." Detailing the pluses and minuses of travelling via Amtrak trains across the USA. [Read the full article here]
	As bad as the Titanic: The cruise ship disaster the world forgot Traveller, 24 November 2023 "It was a night to remember – but strangely, no one seems to remember it. On May 29, 1914, the ocean liner Empress of Ireland was steaming along the St Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, when unexpected thick fog descended and it collided with a Norwegian coal ship. It was a disaster reminiscent of the collision of the RMS Titanic with an iceberg just two years earlier, but with a major difference: while the Titanic took over two hours to sink, the Empress of Ireland went under in just 14 minutes. With more than 1000 fatalities, it was a huge disaster – but hardly anyone has heard of it today..." Learning about a strangely forgotten disaster at a maritime museum in Quebec, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Return Serves (one item) Traveller, 29 October 2023 "I always assumed I wouldn’t like LA… but then I went there. Now I’m a great fan of the City of Angels, and particularly of its revitalised Downtown. One of the most walkable neighbourhoods in this sprawling city, DTLA is a repository of wonderful architecture from the early 20th century, much of which has been repurposed in recent years. A prime example is The Last Bookstore, which occupies a magnificent former banking chamber in the Spring Arts Tower, a 1914 structure which was a cornerstone of the historic Spring Street Financial District. The interior is a delight..." One item in a multi-writer article about places we always return to; in this case, a location in Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	How to see the dazzling skyline of Chicago - from train and water Explore, 26 October 2023 "I had my doubts about viewing buildings from this angle, but they're immediately dispelled as we set sail. Right ahead of us is the magnificent Wrigley Building, opened in the 1920s as a gleaming example of Chicago's architectural ambitions. And it's not the only soaring structure I can see from my seat, on this clear sunny day. 'What do you need when you're a hustle-bustle boom town?' asks guide Marc, referring to Chicago in the 19th century. 'Tall buildings, of course! So before long, the city became an architectural playground...'" Using two very different means of transport to explore the architectural heritage of Chicago, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Toronto: Chilling in The Annex Traveller, 20 August 2023 "What do you do when you’re revisiting a city and have already seen all the big sights? I like to pick a neighbourhood that’s popular with locals rather than tourists, and hang out there. Which is why I’m sitting outside First & Last Coffee, in the Toronto suburb known as The Annex. The district’s curious name came about in the 19th century when the Canadian city annexed land to the north. Nowadays, located near the University of Toronto campus, it’s a lively residential district dotted with cafes, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues..." Exploring a lively neighbourhood in inner-city Toronto, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Empire games Traveller, 16 July 2023 "My epic rail trek across seven US states began illustriously at Seattle’s marvellous King Street Station. Resembling an opera house with gleaming white interiors, this 1906 edifice was a hugely confident statement in the railways and the wealth and prestige they brought to the Pacific Northwest. Running north then east, the Empire Builder must forge its way through the coastal Cascade Mountains before tackling a bigger challenge, the Rocky Mountains..." Riding Amtrak's Empire Builder train all the way from Seattle to Chicago, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Secret history of Chicago’s speakeasies Escape, 25 May 2023 "'This is going to be a crash course in Prohibition,” says our guide, Jonathan. “And a lot of what I do is dispel what Hollywood has put in your head.' Sounds good to me, and we’re in the right place for it. The members of the Original Chicago Prohibition Tour meet up at Butch McGuire’s, an old-school saloon that’s jumping on a Saturday. It’s an atmospheric place, dark and wood-lined, with raucous groups of friends having a good time. Shortly we’ll be boarding a bus to visit three other drinking holes, all of which operated as a speakeasy, or illegal bar, during Prohibition..." Visiting bars with a past on a fun bus tour in Chicago, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Taking a fall Traveller, 7 May 2023 "As I step into the Niagara Parks Power Station, I draw my breath in wonder. This former hydro-electric facility is a vast space with a lofty roof, beneath which sit numerous huge blue turbines. Nearby are the mighty falls. From the terrace in front of the Table Rock Centre there’s a marvellous view over the jade-green water, as it drops away over the horseshoe-shaped ledge to the depths below. It does not disappoint up close, as I take in the gushing torrent and the enormous cloud of spray..." Exploring diverse attractions in the Ontario Peninsula region of Canada. [Read the full article here]
	One of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods has overcome a bad reputation Traveller, 4 May 2023 "'We’re going to see a whole different side of San Diego. It had a bad rap for a long time, but now Barrio Logan is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.' Tour guide Stefan Calvaruso talks a good game, but he does have reason. For many years the Mexican-American neighbourhood of Barrio Logan was perceived as being on the wrong side of the tracks; sliced by a freeway and hemmed in by polluting industries, it was a district that most San Diegans knew about but never visited..." Enjoying food and art on a walking tour of a Mexican-American district of San Diego, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Minneapolis’ most memorable (and messy) meals Stuff, 12 March 2023 "If a Hollywood filmmaker wanted to find the Minneapolis bar that most suited the cliché of a warm, friendly, busy local with loads of character, they couldn’t go wrong choosing Matt’s. Timber-panelled walls are lined with vinyl-covered booths beneath retro lampshades, gleaming in the light of beer ads made of vivid neon tubes. I take a booth with my friend Doug Mack, a local writer, and we both order the same thing: a Juicy Lucy. This burger is distinguished by one thing – the cheese in the centre of the beef patty, which becomes molten when cooked..." Dining out at three distinctive restaurants in Minneapolis, USA. [Read the full article here]
	George Floyd: Moving memorial to the man whose murder sparked Black Lives Matter Traveller, 17 February 2023 "'Are you a tourist or a visitor?' It's a fair ask. Standing near the memorial site in Minneapolis where George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in 2020, sparking the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests, I'm unsure how to pay the proper respect to my surroundings. I'm wondering if it would be OK to take a photo, when a man in a yellow shirt asks me that leading question..." Joining a thoughtful 'pilgrimage tour' through this site of great tragedy in Minneapolis, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Brand-new US attractions, only one flight away from New Zealand Stuff, 8 February 2023 "In October 2021 a marvellous new live show started treading the boards at the intimate Club Fugazi in the city’s popular North Beach district: Dear San Francisco. Intended as a love letter to the City by the Bay, this show combines circus skills with theatre, music and song, with scenes illustrating aspects of the city’s history from the gold rush days to the tech revolution. A highlight is the sequence involving the Chinese yo-yo, an hourglass-shaped object that’s tossed into the air and caught on a cord attached to two handles..." Outlining a series of new attractions in seven cities across the USA. [Read the full article here]
	Four Ways to Enjoy Chicago's Iconic Pizza Escape, 6 January 2023 "'This is going to be less of a pizza tour, more of a pizza support group,' says Jon, our guide on the Downtown Pizza Walk. We laugh, and only partly in jest. Of the five of us joining the tour today, two are running in the Chicago Marathon a couple of days later. I guess they need the carbs, but what about the cheese? No matter. Pizza has a long and honoured history, says Jon. 'It’s a universal form of food on this planet, every country has a form of pizza...'" Sampling four types of pizza on a tasty walking tour in Chicago, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Time Works Its Charms Escape, 6 November 2022 "As we step into the main market hall, our guide points out the slight slope of the floor towards the street. 'At the end of the day they just washed everything into the streets,' he says. 'The blood, the eyeballs…' We chuckle at his theatrical tone, but that’s Bell’s thing. A former actor, he segued to tour guiding, in which his skills are useful. Leaning into its history, Bell takes us past highlights of the market hall – meats, cheeses, maple syrup, butter tarts – to give us a taste of a Toronto classic: peameal bacon..." Joining an entertaining tour of food and history in Toronto, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Cruise from Rimouski, Quebec to Remote Villages On Board a Supply Vessel Traveller, 28 October 2022 "The scenery we're all enjoying surpasses words, as we admire the ever more rugged coast and tiny fishing villages on our way east. The Bella Desgagnés is very much a working vessel. Though it contains comfortable cabins and a pleasant restaurant for we round-trip passengers, it also functions as public transport for locals. Beyond Kegaska the highway system ceases and towns are only accessible by water or air, so the ship is a lifeline..." Exploring the Gulf of St Lawrence by sea in Quebec, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Discovering the Hidden Murals of Montreal Traveller, 16 September 2022 "There are times when it's better to be loitering in an alleyway behind a popular music venue than standing at its entrance, and one of those times is now. That's because it's the middle of the day when no gig is scheduled, and there's a fabulous piece of art to see at the rear of Montreal's Club Soda. As we peer at the brickwork, it seems to be covered with random splotches of colour. But our guide, Thomas, patiently points out the form of a musician playing a cello. Who knew? Now he's opened my eyes, I can see other musicians among the colours..." Viewing vivid artworks in the streets of Montreal, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Montreal Biodome: Former Olympic Velodrome Now Houses Penguins and Puffins Traveller, 5 August 2022 "Everyone needs a puffin in their lives, I realise, as I peer through the glass of an exhibit at the Montreal Biodome. There's something inherently comical about Atlantic puffins' spherical heads and curvy orange beaks, as if they're an unlikely children's toy which came alive and was released into the wild. Next door to them is a more familiar bird: the penguin. These bird species normally live thousands of kilometres apart, but I'm able to see them together because they share the Subpolar Regions section of the Biodome..." Visiting an intriguing collection of environments in Montreal, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Airline Review: Air Canada Premium Economy Traveller, 26 July 2022 "The selection of onboard entertainment is good, with recent release films such as Licorice Pizza and Belfast, and TV shows ranging from the science fiction series Station Eleven to the costume drama The Gilded Age (I watch the recent Matrix movie sequel and regret it, but it passes the time). Audio entertainment covers diverse musical genres, along with audiobooks and podcasts..." Reviewing this class of service aboard a flight from Sydney, Australia, to Vancouver, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	A Dream of Trains **The New Daily, 3 June 2020** "Locked down in my apartment in Melbourne’s CBD, I dreamt of trains. For the past decade I’ve increasingly written about rail travel, drawn more and more into a love of trains. It doesn’t matter what trains they are – luxury 'rail cruises' are impressive, but so to me is a berth in a weathered old-school sleeper car or a seat on any intercity train..." Discussing the delights of rail travel, with examples - including train journeys in North America. [Read the full article here]
	The Best Travel Experiences for 2020 (including a section on rail travel by me) Traveller, 2 January 2020 "This continent is often overlooked by fans of train travel, but since 2017 Belmond has been running the luxurious Andean Explorer sleeper train through Peru, from Cusco at the foot of the Andes via Puno on Lake Titicaca, to Arequipa. Add to this the company's Hiram Bingham train, which takes passengers from Cusco up to Machu Picchu in stylish art-deco comfort..." Detailing my tips about rail travel, including rail experiences in Peru and Canada. [Read the full article here]
	My Window Seat Through Canada’s Amazing Wilderness Escape, 15 August 2019 "Given that we’re starting in the Canadian Rockies, it doesn’t take long for remarkable scenery to appear. A couple of hours in we pass Mount Robson, the highest peak in the range. An announcement tells us there’s only twelve days in the year when you can see the whole mountain – and we can see it today. It seems a good omen. We’re soon running between two great mountain ranges – the Rockies to our right, the Cariboos to our left..." Catching a train along a scenic route from Jasper to Prince Rupert, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	A Quirky Town Where You Should Expect the Unexpected **Traveller, 19 March 2019** "When you visit Alaska you expect to see ice, and I'm seeing plenty of it just outside Juneau. The Mendenhall Glacier is a huge, impressive sight, a vast frozen object wedged between hills. At its base there are bright blue surfaces, from where icebergs have calved into the lake below. Though it's summer, the breeze is chilly as I sit on a bench marvelling at nature's handiwork. To the right of the glacier the Nugget Falls gush down from the mountains, and I can see tiny dots that are hikers admiring them up close..." Investigating the diverse attractions of Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, USA. [Read the full article here]
	The Ride of Your Life: Chile Glacier Cruise **Traveller, 10 March 2019** "We're sitting in a small excursion craft off the coast of southern Chile, wrapped in orange lifejackets, when – without warning – our pilot rams the boat into a small iceberg. It's a surprise, but not as unexpected as what happens next. A crew member pulls out an ice-pick, bashes away at the berg, and extracts a large chunk of ice. Within moments we passengers are milling around on deck, clinking glasses as we toast each other – with 12-year-old whisky containing 50,000-year-old ice..." Recalling an impressive cruise, as one item in a set of memorable journeys. [Read the full article here]
	Balboa Park: Museums, Gardens and Architectural Gems **Traveller, 18 February 2019** "This broad pedestrian promenade is lined by graceful buildings with sand-coloured facades, featuring intricate swirls and flourishes and pillars entwined in floral carvings. Add the palm trees and ornamental ponds, and it feels as if I'm somewhere in southern Europe. That's no accident. San Diego was part of the Spanish Empire, and then Mexico, until it joined the US in 1850 within the new state of California..." Wandering through a graceful park of heritage buildings in San Diego, USA. [Read the full article here]
	A Glimpse of North America's Fishing Industry **Traveller, 5 December 2018** "Standing on the dock of the North Pacific Cannery, on an arm of Canada's Skeena River, all I can see is tranquillity. The still silver waters are a mirror, reflecting the trees and snow-capped mountains of this remote part of British Columbia. What's boggling my imagination is the contrast between the serene vista and its reality a century before. In those days a thriving salmon fishing industry centred on the facility, and it would have been a busy, smelly, messy place at odds with the beautiful surrounds..." Visiting a museum within a former cannery outside Prince Rupert, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Ten Australian Cafes Around the World **Traveller, 18 October 2018** "Space is at a premium in Midtown Manhattan, so this café is squeezed into a compact Lexington Avenue shopfront. It's busy but cheerful, the menu featuring simple brekkie dishes along with inventive salads and sandwiches. They include the Charcoal Chook with mashed peas, bacon and chipotle mayo; and the Holy Shishito, made from lavain batard bread with shishito pepper scrambled eggs..." Detailing Aussie-style cafes in locations around the globe, including the USA and Canada. [Read the full article here]
	The Cheap Way to See Alaska’s Inside Passage **Escape, 25 September 2018** "The doors swing open, and we stroll along a broad ramp into the rear of the vessel, past parked cars and upstairs into the passenger areas. The lads head farther up, but I’m due at the Purser’s Office to collect my cabin key. We have a two-day voyage to Juneau ahead, and I fancy my own space. This is not an Alaskan cruise aboard a massive floating hotel. Instead, the Alaska Marine Highway System is used by locals..." Cruising via local ferry along the scenic Inside Passage of Alaska, USA. [Read the full article here]
	The Dry Past – Vancouver Under Prohibition roundtheworldflights.com, 24 July 2018 "'You might have seen a blind pig here,' says Lenard, leader of the Forbidden Tour which probes Vancouver’s less respectable past. We’re standing at the top of Market Alley, an unsavoury back street strung with electrical cables. What he’s taking about isn’t an animal, but a nickname for the illegal drinking dens which flourished here a century ago. The Prohibition era in 1920s USA is well known, but Vancouver got there first – the Canadian city banned alcoholic drinks between 1917 and 1921..." Joining a tour detailing a colourful historical era of Vancouver, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Alaska to Canada by Rail **Traveller, 29 May 2018** "It's an extraordinary engineering achievement. From sea level the railway climbs almost 900 metres over a 30-kilometre route, twisting and turning as it negotiates slopes, bridges and tunnels. The WP&YR closed in 1982, defeated by a new road and a mining slump, but reopened six years later for tourism. Nowadays it draws its riders from the cruise ship passengers who swarm the docks where Soapy met his end; along with hikers walking the popular Chilkoot Trail..." Catching a narrow-gauge train through the mountains from Alaska, USA to Yukon, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	The Surprising Stories Behind Vancouver's Murals **Traveller, 29 May 2018** "The dire wolf leaps at me, its snarling mouth revealing terrifying long fangs. Its shiny blue coat is offset by flying shards of red, yellow and white, and its eyes glow an otherworldly yellow. It's a piece of street art, but a fiendishly dynamic one; part of a set of wolves that were painted by artist Ben Tour for the first Vancouver Mural Festival in 2016. Lurking behind bins, they stand ready to surprise the passer-by..." Exploring the murals created by a street art festival in Vancouver, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	YVR Forever - Vancouver Airport Highlights roundtheworldflights.com, 17 April 2018 "Even I have noticed the interior of Vancouver International Airport. There’s something about its blue-green decor, dotted with timber carvings, that relaxes the incoming passenger on the long march to Customs. And I’m not the only passenger who likes the place. In 2017, YVR was named the Best Airport in North America in the Skytrax World Airport Awards. So what’s so good about this airport, and why does it make an attractive alternative entry point to North America?" Detailing the highlights of Vancouver International Airport, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Yukon, Canada: The Gold Rush Town that Time Nearly Forgot **Escape, 18 March 2018** "Yukon! Just the name of Canada’s remote north-western territory sparks excitement, with visions of wilderness and far frontiers. Yukon is still all that, even in the 21st century. Travellers regularly fly into Whitehorse, the territory capital, to hire an RV and head north to Dawson City and its relics of the 19th century Klondike gold rush. Before heading out, however, it’s worth taking time to explore the ‘big city’ (population 25,000)..." Detailing the highlights of the capital city of Yukon, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	I Travelled the World Without (Much) Cash *The Age & Sydney Morning Herald*, 31 January 2018 "It was at Vancouver's Museum of Anthropology that I finally had to stump up some cash. Since arriving in the Canadian city two days before, I'd been paying for everything via my phone using Apple Pay. It had been such a successful strategy that I still had the C$100 I'd arrived with in cash. Now, however, I needed to hire a locker before I enjoyed the institution's spectacular collection of First Nations totem poles. To do that, I had to break a note and put a Canadian quarter into the slot..." Trying to pay for everything using contactless payment methods in Hong Kong, Canada, the USA & the UK. [Read the full article here]
	LA's Enthralling Museum of Confusion **Traveller, 30 December 2017** "Having paid my entry fee, I'm soon in a warm and stuffy interior packed with displays. But what, precisely, does this museum exhibit? An audiovisual introduction traces the role of the museum back to Noah's Ark and the displays of relics in medieval churches. There's also a suggested link to the 17th-century wunderkammers. This concept of 'wonder rooms' is, I think, a key to understanding the MJT. For what I find as I walk through its cramped chambers is a collection of disconnected but intriguing exhibits..." Deciphering the curious collection of a mysterious museum in Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Bushwick: Is This New York City's New Coolest Neighbourhood? **Traveller, 29 December 2017** "'The East Village moved across the river to Williamsburg first,' Loren Beri says. 'And when Bob Dylan's spirit went across the river, it eventually trickled all the way here to Bushwick.' If that's the case, I'd like to think that Dylan's spirit is hovering about us now, as we sip coffee at Wyckoff Starr, a cafe in this up-and-coming Brooklyn neighbourhood east of Williamsburg..." Exploring the attractions of the Bushwick district of New York City, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Stanley Park Tour Reveals its Secrets **Escape, 30 November 2017** "Will Woods likes to set a grand stage for his Secrets of Stanley Park walking tour. 'Cast your mind back 32 million years,' he says. 'We'd be floating in a giant lake.' At the end of a promontory and surrounded by water, 400ha Stanley Park is popular with residents and visitors. Not that tourists penetrate to the heart of its greenery, being more likely to skirt its edges by bus. This is where Woods comes in, venturing into the trees and the park’s lesser-known history..." Learning the secrets of this vast park on a new walking tour in Vancouver, Canada. [Read the full article here]
	Airline Review: Air Canada Premium Economy Traveller, 4 November 2017 "In Premium Economy you're looking for more width and legroom than the passengers down the back are enjoying, and this seat has a good amount of both. The seat is reasonably firm but its angle of recline is generous, allowing me to snatch a few hours of sleep on this night-time flight (though there's still a subtle tussle between myself and the neighbouring passenger for our shared armrest)..." Reviewing the Premium Economy experience on a flight from Vancouver to Brisbane. [Read the full article here]
	After Being Upgraded, I Can Never Travel Economy Again **Executive Style, 3 October 2017** "It feels like I don't sleep much at all, but when I wake I'm surprised to see that I've actually managed five hours. If there's a moment I decide that business is worth the extra money, it's now. Having a decent chunk of sleep on a flight that lands at 6.30am means I can actually get the most out of the day once I've left the airport. It also makes me less likely to succumb to jet lag after crashing at my hotel at a random hour. From a business point of view, that's ideal..." Experiencing the benefits of Business Class aboard a Qantas flight to Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	How to Build a DIY Rail and Cruise Tour of Canada and Alaska **www.lonelyplanet.com, 14 September 2017** "A luxury rail journey combined with a coastal cruise is the hottest way to see western Canada and southeast Alaska. Each summer, thousands take a gourmet train journey through the Rocky Mountains, then admire the Inside Passage by sea. If you’re an independent traveler, however, it’s possible to bypass the expense and crowds by piecing together your own rail tour and cruise..." Piecing together a train and ferry journey to western Canada and the coast of Alaska, USA. [Read the full article here]
	A Walking Tour with the Emperor of the United States **Traveller, 17 August 2017** "It's not every day you draw a royal as a tour guide. And what a splendid personage is this Emperor Norton I (channelled by Joseph Amster). Clad in a fine military uniform with gold epaulettes, a scarlet cummerbund and a hat festooned in colourful plumes, Norton stands out even in San Francisco, a city no stranger to strangeness. Which is fitting, as the real-life Norton was the king of the city's eccentrics in the 19th century..." Joining a tour delving into the eccentric past of San Francisco, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Using Uber Overseas: Why it’s Better than Taxis **Escape, 14 July 2017** "My favourite Uber driver in California was the musician who drove to make money between gigs. His band toured a lot — even overseas, like Queen before they were world-famous. He was 'big in Japan'. Another Uber driver who picked me up from a comedy venue on LA’s Sunset Strip was a showman who led a passionate discussion of superheroes. He also chanted 'Five stars!' to encourage me to grant him that rating on the ride-sharing service’s app..." Relating my experiences of using the ride-sharing service in California, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Wild at Art **The Sunday Telegraph, 11 June 2017** "In an empty old office on Los Angeles' Spring Street, a saxophone is playing while a man in a red shirt belts out a love poem. He's succeeded by a sinuous barefoot dancer who writhes around the room, inviting onlookers to join her as she passes beneath framed photographs of dancers. Though this mishmash of artforms seems a bit wild there's a lot of goodwill in the room, and onlookers are happily caught up in the energy on this warm weeknight..." Enjoying the Downtown Art Walk, a monthly cultural event in Los Angeles, USA.
	How to Score the Best Economy Class Seat on a Plane **Escape, 6 June 2017** "Squeezed in tight, with a battle for the armrest and a seatback in your face. We’ve all been there – it’s a battle for space when you fly long-distance in Economy Class. It doesn’t matter how great the plane’s entertainment system is, or how tolerable the airline food, if you can barely move with discomfort. But take heart, because I’m going to reveal my formula for securing the best Economy Seat on any plane..." Revealing how I choose the optimum airline seat in Economy Class, with reference to an LA-Fiji flight. [Read the full article here]
	Review: The Redbury Hollywood **Traveller, 20 May 2017** "The hotel seems to have soaked up some of the louche glamour of Hollywood's golden age. Its public spaces are decked out with heavy drapes, low lounges, and giant photographs of actress femme fatales. The dominant colour is a deep wine red, accentuating the air of forbidden luxury – as if one had stumbled into the private hideaway of a reclusive starlet..." Reviewing a vibrant hotel located on Hollywood & Vine, in Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Welcome to Twin Peaks **www.lonelyplanet.com, 25 April 2017** "This may be the Golden Age of Television, but such gilded eras must start somewhere – and that somewhere might be Twin Peaks. Co-created by David Lynch, this cult-classic drama series of the 1990s blended crime, mystery, philosophy and humor in a fictional Washington town populated by quirky characters. With a new season airing this year, here’s how to visit key filming locations..." Visiting the real-life locations of the classic TV series in the hills east of Seattle, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Review: Hotel InterContinental Century City **Traveller, 31 March 2017** "Some of the glamour of neighbouring Beverly Hills has rubbed off on the InterContinental. The lobby is a big modern space with a glass roof running its length, letting natural light illuminate comfy sofas and a piano. As a hotel dominated by suites with balconies, it offers great views of the sprawling metropolis, bookended by the high-rise buildings of the Downtown in one direction and Santa Monica in the other; and from some rooms you can see the famous Hollywood sign..." Reviewing an upmarket hotel in Los Angeles, USA. [Read the full article here]
	Airline Review: Alaska Airlines Economy Traveller, 11 March 2017 "The seats on this 737 are squeezed for width, particularly noticeable on this morning flight as the economy section is completely full. However, I'm pleasantly surprised by the relatively generous leg room, which avoids having my knees pressed into the seat ahead. Miraculously, the passenger in front of me doesn't recline his seat, which helps maintain the space..." Reviewing the economy experience on a flight from Seattle to Los Angeles. [Read the full article here]
	Santa Barbara - History and Illusion roundtheworldflights.com, 24 November 2016 "I’m standing outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and I’m impressed. With its lofty tower and a Spanish inscription carved above its archway, I assume it must be a relic from the 19th century. I later find out it was built in 1929. That’s one of the interesting things about this Californian city; you can never tell how old anything really is. It some ways though, it makes sense that Santa Barbara resembles a Hollywood set..." Exploring the attractive Spanish-style architecture of Santa Barbara, USA.
	Ocean Rail: Riding the Pacific Surfliner **Traveller (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald**), 12 November 2016 "The year 1915 was a big one for San Diego. To celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, California's southernmost city threw a two-year-long party: the Panama-California Exposition. To welcome visitors to this event, a new train station, the Santa Fe Depot, was built in the pseudo-Spanish Mission Revival style. I'm at that station to catch Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner train, which runs north through Los Angeles and Santa Barbara before terminating at San Luis Obispo..." Heading north along the Pacific coast by rail, through Southern California, USA. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Unknown Nevada lonelyplanet.com, November 2016 "If all you know about Nevada is the razzmatazz of Las Vegas, you’re in for a surprise. The Silver State is packed with unexpected experiences. Step into its vast wilderness and you’ll find lonely deserts, eerie ghost towns and spectacular night skies. Who knows? You might even spot a UFO as you travel Nevada’s wide-open roads in search of these lesser-known lures..." Investigating attractions across the wide open expanses of Nevada, USA. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	Top 10: Comedy Clubs Around the World Traveller, 7 October 2016 "Co-founded in 1972 by Mitzi Shore, this club on LA's infamous Sunset Strip has hosted an array of comedians who became stars, including David Letterman, Roseanne Barr, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. It's still a great place to spot both established and upcoming comics. The entry fee gets you a long bill of performers, each doing a snappy set, so there's plenty of bang for your buck..." Listing great comedy venues in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Singapore. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Comic-Con: The World's Biggest Pop Culture Convention Traveller, 16 September 2016 "It's the male Wonder Woman that finally conveys to me the true meaning of the San Diego Comic-Con International. I've spent the morning strolling vast distances between panels, before queuing to get into each one. Now I'm squeezing my way past the hordes shuffling through the cavernous Exhibit Hall, where traders sell every item imaginable. Then I see him – an Asian-American guy dressed as Wonder Woman..." Experiencing the queues and costumes of this massive pop culture event in San Diego, USA. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	San Luis Obispo: the Perfect Pitstop **www.lonelyplanet.com, 1 September 2016** "There’s nothing like an American road trip, and the coast road between Los Angeles and San Francisco offers one of the best. Hitting the wide open road between these two cities, you’ll encounter ocean views, historic sites, wineries and pretty towns. These attractions merge neatly in San Luis Obispo on California’s Central Coast, making it the perfect place to take a break..." Exploring attractions in and around San Luis Obispo, USA. Not available for republication. Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Airline Review: Qantas Premium Economy Traveller, 26 August 2016 "The Premium Economy section is located on the upper deck of this big aircraft between Business and a small outpost of Economy. Qantas' version of Premium Economy has distinctly wider seating than Economy, and more generous legroom. Tray tables and video screens are concealed beneath armrests, leaving plenty of width for a larger-than-average person like me..." Reviewing the premium economy experience on a flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	The Science of LA www.lonelyplanet.com, 24 August 2016 "You might think that Los Angeles is all about entertainment, with major drawcards such as Hollywood and Disneyland. But there’s another side to the city, in which science and technology are celebrated. From prehistoric fossils to space travel, LA is home to excellent museums which explore human ingenuity and the world around us. Here are four of the best..." Investigating insitutions dedicated to science and technology in Los Angeles, USA. Not available for republication. Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Artist's Haunt Paints a Picture Traveller (The Sun-Herald), 26 June 2016 "I like using local laundromats when I travel. There's something soothing about taking time out of the sightseeing routine, and you inevitably get to meet locals. In this case, I meet up with an unforgettable local, though one who's been dead for 70 years: Emily Carr. The Emily Carr House, a museum devoted to an apparently well-loved local artist of whom I've never heard, is located a block away from where I'm sitting. So after the tumble dryer's done its work, I head there to learn more..." Visiting the former home of a great artist in the James Bay district of Victoria, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Ten Attractions Keeping Portland Weird Traveller, 21 June 2016 "If you watch the sketch comedy TV series Portlandia, you might assume the city of Portland is the epicentre of all that is hipster, eccentric, and downright odd on the west coast of the USA. You wouldn't be entirely wrong. In recent decades, this formerly gritty industrial city on the Columbia and Williamette Rivers has reinvented itself as a creative, diverse place with lively arts and food scenes, and with unusually good public transport. It's easy to get around, and it's also quirky..." Listing ten unconventional attractions of Portland, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	The New LAX roundtheworldflights.com, 25 May 2016 "It’s fair to say that LAX has a poor reputation among travellers. For years its long queues, dingy terminal buildings and minimal facilities were an ordeal for those using the Californian airport as their gateway to the USA. It’s while waiting for a flight out of LAX that you notice vast improvements in the passenger experience, courtesy of an $8.5 billion dollar modernisation program which has been underway over the past few years..." Outlining improvements to the passenger experience at Los Angeles International Airport, USA.
	Sleepers to Seattle Traveller (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald), 21 May 2016 "'The last of the great train stations.' When it opened in May 1939, no-one could foresee that Los Angeles' Union Station would soon receive this accolade. Train travel had helped knit the vast territory of the United States together, after all, and every major city wanted a rail terminal that proclaimed its significance and prosperity. Even now that aircraft have taken most of the market for long-distance travel, LA's main station remains a magnificent piece of architecture..." Taking a sleeper train from Los Angeles to Seattle, via San Francisco and Portland. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Manhattan and More BNE, May-June 2016 "New York, New York! As the old song says, it’s a hell of a town. But there’s more to explore in the Big Apple than the well-worn tourist trails to the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park and the elevated walkway known as the High Line. At street level Manhattan and in the city’s other boroughs there are boutique tours, quirky sights and great places to eat and drink. After you’ve given your regards to Broadway, here are some other places to check out..." Revealing lesser-known New York City attractions for this Brisbane Airport magazine. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Is This Portland's Best Street for Eating? Good Food 13 April 2016 "'I'm not vegetarian,' says Eric, owner of MF Tasty. 'But I wanted the mushroom cemita to be so good that I'd want to eat it.' His outlet is, like so many in Portland, a kitchen on wheels. Food cart MF Tasty serves just two types of cemita, a Mexican snack involving a sesame seed bun: one filled with achiote-glazed pork, the other with Korean barbecue marinated mushrooms. I shouldn't be eating before I join a food tour, but it's hard to resist the highly diverse output of Portland's food cart scene..." Taking a walking tour of a popular eat street in Portland, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Visiting LA? Ten Reasons to Go Downtown roundtheworldflights.com, 22 March 2016 "Believe it or not, Los Angeles has a Downtown. Though it was the hub of the city before 20th century urban sprawl stretched LA in every direction, many travellers never set foot there. It’s fair to say that Downtown has a reputation. Many assume it’s a dump, and a dangerous dump at that. But that’s increasingly a faded memory of the crime-ridden bad old days. Nowadays the district is a lively place with a great architectural heritage..." Exploring the highlights of Downtown Los Angeles, USA.
	In the Footsteps of Agent Cooper **The Age, 13 February 2016** "'I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.' Special Agent Dale Cooper, the quirky FBI agent of cult TV series Twin Peaks, uttered these words within the fictional town's mysterious Owl Cave. I'm feeling much the same about the road from Seattle to Snoqualmie, a tiny locale in the leafy hills east of the city. It was here that Twin Peaks was shot, granting the surrounding forests a sinister, whispering screen presence..." Visiting the filming locations of the TV program Twin Peaks, in Snoqualmie, USA. [Read the full article here]
	West Coast USA by Rail Get Up & Go, Summer 2016 "In my view, a good breakfast is the foundation of a long-distance rail journey. So it’s lucky that Philippe the Original is a short walk from Los Angeles’ Union Station, on the edge of Chinatown. You couldn’t ask for a more genuine slice of Americana before heading on a train journey up the USA’s west coast. I eat a sprawling omelette studded with spinach and onion, on a bed of hash browns; then I walk to the most beautiful railway station I’ve ever seen..." Taking the train all the way north from Los Angeles to Seattle, USA. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Quirky LA – Experiencing the Unexpected in Los Angeles **www.lonelyplanet.com, 22 January 2016** "It’s easy to sum up Los Angeles in three words: Disneyland, Hollywood, beaches. But the City of Angels is much more diverse – and stranger – than those sights would suggest. Scattered across its neighbourhoods are many quirky and intriguing attractions that will add depth to your knowledge of the city: historical, artistic and even culinary. Here are six to chew on..." Revealing six unusual attractions of Los Angeles, USA. Not available for republication. Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Lights! Camera! Los Angeles **www.lonelyplanet.com, 13 January 2016** "Hooray for Hollywood! America’s movie industry is synonymous with this neighbourhood of Los Angeles, and the area is dotted with film-related attractions: from actors’ handprints outside the Chinese Theatre, to stars honoring movie greats along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If you’re really interested in the art of film-making however, you should join a tour operated by one of the big movie studios..." Investigating four tours of major movie studios in Los Angeles, USA. Not available for republication. Images available. [Read the full article here]
	The 60 Best Travel Finds of 2015 (five items by me) The Sun-Herald, 27 December 2015 "Forget Hollywood, so long Disneyland – Los Angeles' latest cultural attraction is dedicated to the visual arts. The Broad is situated within a spectacular new building opposite the Walt Disney Concert Hall, with natural light helping to illuminate the vast collection of postwar and contemporary works, including pieces by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Koons and Kruger. It's a fascinating journey through decades of stimulating art, and best of all it's free..." I detail five of 60 interesting attractions, in Los Angeles, Munich, Singapore and Melbourne. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Walking to the Beat The Age, 12 December 2015 "'It's the bridge that counts,' recites Ryan Russo, reading from Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels. 'The coming-into-San Francisco on that Oakland Bay Bridge, over waters which are faintly ruffled by oceangoing Orient ships, over waters that are like taking you to some other shore.' The 'flower power' hippies of the '60s, the strip club scene, the gay people looking for a place to be themselves — each added another layer of counter-culture to San Francisco, on the foundation laid by the Beat Generation..." Joining a walking tour of the Beat poets' neighbourhood in San Francisco, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	What Coffee is Really Like in the Home of Starbucks Traveller, 3 December 2015 "'It's a love-hate thing,' says Val, our guide on the Seattle Coffee Crawl walking tour. 'Plenty of people in Seattle drink Starbucks, and plenty wouldn't be seen dead there. But I do remind visitors that they brought coffee culture to this country.' If I'm going to explore Seattle's coffee scene without sneering, I'm off to a bad start. As our group stands on the edge of the city's iconic Pike Place Market, I can see a long line of people waiting to enter the Starbucks opposite..." Learning about the coffee scene of Seattle, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	History in the Walls of Santa Barbara The Sunday Age, 22 November 2015 "There may be no better way of resetting one's body clock than by taking a sunset cruise from Santa Barbara. With the sun lowering as we glide out into the Pacific, I hope this activity will remind my brain it's now on US west coast time. Even if it doesn't, it's a great way to relax in the Californian city west of Los Angeles. Ahead of the Sunset Kidd, the water stretches to the Channel Islands; behind, the city spreads beneath the Santa Ynez Mountains..." Enjoying the natural and historic attractions of Santa Barbara, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	A Slice of Australia in Los Angeles Good Food 29 October 2015 "When Samantha Bryan came to the US to design women's shoes for a major shoe company based in Colorado, it felt an awkward fit. When the association came to an end, however, business salvation arose from an unlikely source: the Australian meat pie. 'I thought "That's got to be a way of making money in LA, there's so many Aussies here",' she says in her pie shop, Bronzed Aussie, in the city's edgy but gradually gentrifying Downtown district..." Investigating Australian-owned restaurants and cafes in Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Freaks and Geeks on LA Vice Beat The Sunday Age, 18 October 2015 "'Sin and redemption – you can't have one without the other.' As our bus slides out of LA's newly cool Warehouse District towards the city's rapidly gentrifying Downtown, Esotouric's tour guide Richard Schave is keen to take us back in time to a grittier era. To him, 20th-century Main Street and its surrounds was the epitome of eccentricity, diversity, and 'fortune tellers who predicted doom for a dime, or great success for 50 cents...'" Learning about Los Angeles' shady past on a true crime tour of its Downtown district. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Afterlife of the Hollywood Stars **The Sun-Herald, 19 July 2015** "'People are drawn to stars who die young,' says Karie Bible, guide on the Cemetery of the Stars Tour. 'They never grow old, or lose their looks, or make bad movies.' Her point is illustrated by the crypt we're standing next to: that of Rodolfo Guglielmi Valentino, 1895-1926. Better known as Rudolf Valentino, he was the first great Hollywood star of the silent movie era. For years after he died, a mysterious woman in black visited his crypt here at the Hollywood Forever cemetery, placing a single red rose..." Touring a cemetery of the stars in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	The Queen of Museums **The Sun-Herald, 19 April 2015** "At the fair, visitors crossed from the Trylon to the Perisphere on the world's longest escalator, then walked around its 60-metre wide interior to view a city of the future. That sounds like fun. But I'll take what I can get, which in this case is the Unisphere, a relic of a later World's Fair in 1964. Referencing the Perisphere, it's a huge globe of the world, with the continents floating on a sphere of curved steel beams representing longitude and latitude..." Exploring the history surrounding a museum in the borough of Queens, New York City, USA. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Aussie Cafes Take Manhattan The Sunday Age, 5 April 2015 "'Several times a day, someone comes in and asks "What's the charcoal chook?"' says Leon Unglik, ex-Melburnian owner of Little Collins, a cafe on Lexington Avenue. There are many challenges facing an Australian cafe owner who decides to set up shop in New York, and language is one of them. Aside from the Charcoal Chook sandwich, the Little Collins menu includes items such as The Convict (Vegemite toast) and The Big Dill (a sandwich of salmon, scrambled egg, dill and chives)..." Visiting five Australian-owned cafes in New York City, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	One Day Three Ways: Santa Barbara, USA Traveller (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald), 28 March 2015 "Breakfast at Scarlett Begonia, a café within a beautiful garden courtyard. Its shrimp & grits involves sautéed prawns, poached eggs, paprika sausage and roasted capsicum. Then join the Segway Mission Tour from the wharf to the historic Santa Barbara Mission. Enjoy lunch at stylish Bouchon, with dishes such as a shallot-glazed rack of lamb, before taking advantage of Santa Barbara Zoo's exclusive Backstage Pass..." Detailing the attractions of the Californian coastal city, from inexpensive to luxurious. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Future-Proofing **The Sun-Herald, 15 March 2015** "Behind me, traffic rushes along Sunset Boulevard, lined on each side by nondescript shopfronts in this gritty, semi-gentrified neighbourhood. In front of me is a display window containing a life-sized mannequin of a caveman meeting a tinny-looking sci-fi robot, to the backdrop of mountains and a strange shimmering effect. Welcome to the Time Travel Mart, LA's own supply store for a very specific clientele: time travellers..." Visiting an unusual shop in the Echo Park neighbourhood of Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Converts' Guide: Long-Distance Train Travel **The Sun-Herald, 15 March 2015** "There are many types of long-distance trains, from regularly scheduled services to those that resemble luxury cruise liners. What they have in common is ever-changing scenery. A train is a unique mode of transport, akin to a small town on wheels; always in contact with the world outside, but also slightly separate. It's difficult to get bored as the entire planet passes by your window: people, farms, forests, dramatic landscapes, and the normally hidden backyards of vibrant cities..." Promoting the benefits of long-distance rail travel, in one of a set of travel essays; including American and Canadian trains. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	The Rhythm of LA **From the Bridge, Autumn 2015** "Hooray for Hollywood! The film industry has made LA the dream factory of the world, spinning off iconic local attractions, from the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Venice Beach, to nearby Disneyland. But beyond theme park rides and tours of celebrity homes, there are vibrant and quirky neighbourhoods waiting to be discovered. If you take a peek behind the silver-screen glitz you’ll find some real gems..." Detailing several lesser-known attractions of Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only).
	Review: Fairmont Miramar Hotel **The Sun-Herald, 8 March 2015** "As the hotel is slightly removed from both the beach and the shopping streets (though it's an easy walk to each), the property has the detached feel of a resort. A long front drive leads to a vast Moreton Bay fig tree in front of the lobby entrance – legend says it was planted here in 1879 from a cutting provided by an Australian sailor who couldn't otherwise pay his bar tab..." Reviewing an upmarket hotel near the beach in Santa Monica, USA. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Flight Test: British Airways **Traveller (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald), 24 January 2015** "My wife Narrelle opts for the most tongue-twisting dish I've ever seen on an airline menu: chicken malagueta with biro biro rice, roast peppers, okra caruru and chimichurri sauce. We joke about the airline making up some of the words, but Narrelle reports that it's a tasty dish, moist and tender. She still doesn't like okra (to which I reply 'Don't watch her show then'), but is positive about the orange chocolate mousse for dessert..." Reviewing the premium economy experience on a flight from London to New York. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Bar-hopping Through NYC's Literary History The Sunday Age, 14 December 2014 "'I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman in me,' recites tour guide Eric Chase, quoting Dylan Thomas. The Welsh poet was notorious in the 1950s for hitting New York on reading tours whenever his cash was running low, then boozing it up in Greenwich Village bars by night. One of his favourite haunts was the White Horse Tavern, where we're sitting at the start of the Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl. Opened in 1880, it was a hub of literary greatness for many years..." Discovering literary heritage and beer on an entertaining tour in New York, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Morbid Fascination **The Age, 6 December 2014** "The core of the museum is its second-floor gallery, where the current exhibition The Art of Mourning features decorative arts related to death. It's here that I find the death mask of L'Inconnue de la Seine, the unidentified woman pulled from the river in the 1880s. In an effort to establish her identity, the body was put on public display in the Paris mortuary, and became a sensation because of its beatific smile..." Examining the intriguing exhibits within the Morbid Anatomy Museum in New York, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	The Origins of Halloween and the Best Places to Celebrate **Fairfax Traveller, 31 October 2014** "When I was growing up in country Western Australia, we hardly gave a thought to Halloween. The closest we came to its pumpkins and pageantry was via American television series. As Halloween has become more popular here over the years, Australians have drawn heavily on those American traditions. So it can come as a surprise to discover that Halloween's roots stretch across the Atlantic to Ireland..." Examining the origins of Halloween, and its celebration in the USA and Ireland. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	Best Literary Walking Tours Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2015, October 2014 "There’s no better way to pay tribute to your favourite author or characters than to follow in their footsteps via these entertaining tours..." Listing ten distinctive literary walking tours in locales across the world, including the UK, USA, Sweden, Ireland, France, Romania, China and Australia. This book can be purchased online from Amazon.com. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	Another Side to LA BNE, October-November 2014 "Many travellers think they have Los Angeles figured out. It’s Disneyland on one side and the Pacific coast on the other, Hollywood up top, and lots of freeways in between. Right? It’s true that the combined appeal of Mickey Mouse, beaches and the silver screen isn’t going to fade any time soon. However, in the heart of LA where tourists rarely go, there are attractions around the revived Downtown area which provide new insights into the City of Angels..." Revealing lesser-known Los Angeles attractions for the Brisbane Airport magazine.
	Las Vegas Museums: Blasts from Sin City's past **The Sun-Herald, 31 August 2014** "Standing within Las Vegas' Mob Museum, this patchwork of discoloured brown bricks is dotted with holes surrounded by patches of red. I assume it's a replica of the wall at which Chicago's infamous St Valentine's Day Massacre occurred, in which seven gangsters were cut down by persons unknown. Then I read the notation: 'This is the wall against which Bugs Moran's men were shot on February 14, 1929.' This is the actual wall..." Investigating several intriguing museums in Las Vegas, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	First Time Québec City **www.lonelyplanet.com, 18 August 2014** "The heart of Québec City lies within its walls. The 18th century fortifications on Cap Diamant encircle the Old Town, and it’s understandable that visitors should focus on this district. With its beautiful assortment of historic buildings and narrow, winding streets, there’s a distinctly European feel to this French-speaking North American city (with a touch of fairy tale thrown in for good measure). But there’s more to Québec City than its venerable centre perched high above the St Lawrence River..." Introducing the districts and attractions of Québec City, Canada. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	Fifty Things We Love About Travel Right Now (Five items authored by me) **The Age & Sydney Morning Herald**, 28 June 2014 "It's always been easy to figure out how to use public transport in a foreign city - as long as it ran on rails. Train and tram routes were easy to decipher, but local buses remained an impenetrable mystery. As more and more cities around the world make their transport data available to Google Maps, however, that puzzle has largely been solved. Tap in a query about getting from A to B, and the app will tell you which buses to catch and where to transfer. It opens up a whole new way of getting around in the company of locals..." Five items of fifty, covering Los Angeles, Seoul, Ballarat, and useful travel technology. My items available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	A Fine Desert Bromance The Sunday Age, 22 June 2014 "The concealed hole by the main door has us puzzled. Was it really created in order to unleash a shotgun blast on bandits wanting the householder’s gold? Or was it just a theatrical gimmick to amuse guests? At Scotty’s Castle, a stately home deep within Death Valley, little is truly as it seems. For a start, it's a mansion rather than a castle. Secondly, it didn't belong to Scotty, although this mercurial con man did hang around the place in the interwar years..." Taking a tour of a desert mansion with a bromance at its heart, in Death Valley, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Secret Las Vegas: Where the Locals Go to Party **Fairfax Traveller, 18 June 2014** "I’ve been invited to a party further south on The Strip, which will prove to be an insanely over-the-top event at an enormous pool within a lavishly decorated casino, including go-go dancers writhing around poles. Well, that’s Vegas. Or is it? The west end of Fremont Street does share the dazzle of The Strip, housing some of the city’s oldest casinos beneath a zipline and a canopy of night-time illuminations. A short walk away, however, Fremont East is where the locals come to drink..." Seeking out small Vegas bars away from the bright lights of The Strip. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]
	It's Rooted: Aussie Terms that Foreigners Just Won't Get **Fairfax Traveller, 21 May 2014** "Australian travellers love heading offshore; and with our dollar still defying gravity, we're not about to stop. The only problem? Sometimes the locals, and other travellers from beyond this wide brown land, have trouble following what we're saying. So here's a guide to problematic Aussie-isms when you're going OS. In fact, let's start with 'OS'..." Identifying ten Aussie slang words and terms which don't travel well overseas (with particular reference to the USA, Canada and the UK). Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Encounters with Ancients **The Age & Sydney Morning Herald, 26 April 2014** "Whether you take your inspiration from spirit guides or the 1990 movie Dances with Wolves, Native American traditions are among the most fascinating ingredients in the United States' melting pot. For millennia before that pot existed, these indigenous people lived and thrived across the breadth of what is now known as America. Their ancient cultures live on today. Here are 10 ways to encounter them..." Encountering Native American culture and history across the USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Postcard: Starr of the Show **The Sun-Herald, 20 April 2014** "He's so very pink. The drummer is often the least flashy member of a band, but you couldn't say that about Ringo Starr on the cover of the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. There he is, sandwiched between John and Paul in the most lurid pink uniform you could ever imagine. And the suit really is that colour, I discover, as I gaze in wonder into its case at Los Angeles' Grammy Museum..." Learning about a famous drummer at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Plenty to Savour in Heritage District The Sunday Age, 13 April 2014 "Sitting inside the former Strathcona railway station, I'm wrestling with the question that has plagued travellers since the dawn of time: Is it too early for a beer? Starting life as a separate city in the late 19th century, Strathcona had a promising beginning but was eventually absorbed by its northern rival. An overlooked district, until a heritage movement in the 1970s saw it reborn as Old Strathcona, a lively nightlife district of theatres and bars..." Investigating the vibrant district of Strathcona in Edmonton, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Ghost Town Issimo Magazine, 9 April 2014 "We’re standing in a dimly-lit street in front of the 1908 Strathcona High School, listening to a macabre story about a labourer entombed in the building’s foundations. Then it happens. As our guide Nadine Bailey relates strange occurrences attributed to the victim’s restless ghost, the silhouette of a man appears in a window high above and leans out on the ledge, as if listening. Seconds later, when I glance up again, he’s gone..." Discovering the horror-related attractions of Edmonton, Canada.
	Raising the Bar **The Sun-Herald, 6 April 2014** "Guitarist Christian Aubin suddenly appears onstage. He's a confident, energetic presence, and we lean forward for his first number. It's Cat Stevens' Wild World. Sung in English. Quelle surprise. With Cat disposed of, however, Aubin belts out a Quebecois favourite, then alternates between French and English-language songs for the rest of the evening. This is good fun, and one of the great Quebec City experiences..." Visiting a popular chanson bar in Quebec City, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Leaving Las Vegas **www.lonelyplanet.com, 28 February 2014** "There comes a time when the party has to stop. When your gambling fund is extinguished, the endless neon signage looks garish, and the theme-park facades seem tacky. Then it’s time for a traveller to do what a traveller’s gotta do – get out of town and explore Nevada. Rural Nevada is a fascinating patchwork of desert landscapes, mysterious government installations and small towns with loads of Western character..." Outlining a three-day driving holiday in rural Nevada, also taking in Death Valley. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	Halifax Explodes The Sunday Age, 23 February 2014 "Five years after the Titanic sinking, Halifax was struck by another massive disaster, which the world has largely forgotten. On the morning of December 6, 1917, at the narrowest point of Halifax's harbour, a Norwegian supply ship struck an explosives-packed French munitions ship on its way to war-torn Europe, setting it on fire. The resulting explosion was the largest man-made detonation in history before the atomic bomb..." Investigating the dramatic maritime history of Halifax, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Yesterday's Stars The Sunday Age, 2 February 2014 "Above me are glittering chandeliers, heavy red curtains, painted columns, delicately curved iron lace and moulded plasterwork. It looks like one of Europe's over-the-top baroque palaces. But it's an old cinema, in downtown Los Angeles. "It's like it was modelled on the Palace of Versailles," I murmur, craning my head to take it all in. Later, I find out it was. The Los Angeles Theatre was completed in 1931, hosting the premiere of Charlie Chaplin's latest flick, City Lights..." Strolling past the beautiful facades of early cinemas on Broadway, Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	LA Confidential Issimo Magazine, 22 December 2013 "I’ve only just arrived in Culver City, a suburb wedged between Downtown and the Pacific coast, and I can already see it’s utterly unlike the LA stereotype. Ever since the city lost its railways and tramways in the postwar era, trading them for freeways and suburban sprawl, the car has been king. But in 2012 Culver City was reached by the Expo Line, a light rail route. As a result, a whole new district is available for visitors to explore by rail and on foot..." Profiling the attractions of the Culver City neighbourhood of Los Angeles, USA.
	How to Survive North America's Coffee **Fairfax Traveller, 27 November 2013** "They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What should have stayed in the US resort city after my recent visit there was this terrible truth: I regularly drank coffee at Starbucks. However, as Aussie travellers will know, sometimes in North America a Starbucks outlet is the best place you can find at short notice. I was desperate for a long black, not a big weak watery Americano. So I decided to see if I could create one..." Examining the world of coffee in the USA and Canada, with advice from baristas. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Saucy Adventure **The Sunday Age, 3 November 2013** "It's not often that serendipity has changed the course of history. There was the dropping apple that inspired Newton's theory of gravity, the accidentally mouldy dish that led Fleming to discover penicillin, and the happy accident that led to the 1908 creation of the French Dipped Sandwich in a Los Angeles diner. 'Philippe Mathieu was making a roast beef sandwich for a policeman and accidentally dropped the roll into a roasting pan,' explains Mark Massengill..." Investigating the origin of the French Dipped Sandwich at rival outlets in Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Drumming to a Common Beat The Age, 26 October 2013 "By the time I arrive it's a big, noisy gathering. In the centre of the beats, by the statue, is a melange of vigorous drummers. A central cluster is playing in time with each other, while a few individuals further out bang on smaller hand-held drums or, in the case of one middle-aged woman, an empty coffee can. But there's more to Tam Tam than the drumming. The event spreads out in layers of activity, a huge hive intelligence moving lazily in time to the beat..." Soaking up the vibe of Tam Tam drums and Piknic electronic music in Montreal, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Viva La Revelation The Age, 14 September 2013 "On October 9, 1932, in front of a crowd of celebrities, artists and reporters, América Tropical was unveiled. As expected, it featured the ruins of an Aztec temple, set prominently against a lush jungle background. But in the centre of the composition was the crucified body of an indigenous Mexican, head lolling lifelessly to one side. Above the body perched an American eagle, its wings spread triumphantly..." Visiting the once controversial América Tropical mural in Los Angeles, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Illuminating Signs of the Times The Age, 27 July 2013 "Suddenly, there's the red-orange 1958 sign from the Stardust, towering above us in its retro-futuristic font, its thousands of lightbulb sockets now mostly empty. For decades, this sign was an icon of Vegas, its lettering contained within a neon 'cloud' simulating stars and planets. Conceived in a time of boundless prosperity, the Stardust was the epitome of space-age optimism in a city from which above-ground nuclear test explosions could be sighted in the 1950s..." Exploring the spectacular contents of the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Mouthwatering Montréal: A Food-lover’s Neighbourhood Guide **www.lonelyplanet.com, 17 June 2013** "What is it that makes Montréal such a fascinating city for travellers? At first glance, it doesn’t have the iconic attractions that sum up a city – to love this city, you need to explore its diverse neighbourhoods. The Downtown area is filled with upmarket shopping malls and modern glass and steel buildings. Not far away, on the St Lawrence River, you’ll find the strikingly different Old Montréal district. With its narrow streets, old low-rise buildings and flowerboxes on windowsills, this could be anywhere in Europe..." Surveying the vibrant food districts of Montréal, Canada. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	A World Full of Cheap Thrills **The Age & Sydney Morning Herald**, 16 March 2013 "To be an Australian traveller is to be obsessed by currency exchange rates, and certain cities have a reputation among Aussies for their crippling expense. But with the Aussie dollar's dramatic rise, things must have changed. To test this theory, I visited Lonely Planet's Melbourne HQ to thumb through guidebooks used by travellers ten years ago, comparing prices while factoring in inflation. What I found should put a smile on every Australian traveller's face..." Exploring the effect of the Australian dollar's rise on attractions in London, New York, Tokyo and Reykjavik. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Cirque du Wheels **The Sun-Herald, 17 February 2013** "On my left are lofty mountains, covered with greenery and occasionally interrupted by villages. On the right is the vast blue-grey St Lawrence Seaway, its distant opposite shore barely visible through the morning mist. Directly opposite me, across a table, is Pierre, an avionics engineer from Montreal. Pierre and I get on like a maison en feu (that'd be a house on fire), politely offering each other dibs on the last muffin while chatting about the difficulty of taking photos through the carriage windows..." Taking a luxury train journey into the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	World's Most Expensive Cities Not So Bad **Fairfax Traveller, 7 February 2013** "They were bitter, strong, smooth… and extremely expensive at £18.50 each. In 2008, with the Australian dollar buying 48 pence, that worked out to $38.50 per cocktail. Ouch. I consoled myself that I was doing much better than I would have five years earlier when the dollar had been buying only 35p; at that rate, each Vesper would have cost $52.85. At the other extreme is the exchange rate of today, currently hovering around 66p. Assuming the cocktail cost the same in pounds, that Vesper would now go for $28..." Examining how the Australian dollar's rise has made travel cheaper than ten years ago in London, New York, Tokyo and Reykjavik. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Dining on the Edge **The Sunday Age, 20 January 2013** "I'm standing inside Jef Poissonnerie, talking to owner Jean-Francois (Jeff) Mondou. His poissonnerie, or fish shop, is a slick modern space with stools made from tree trunks, and long glass cases of seafood on ice. It's a symbol of the resurgence of St Roch, located on the flat area beneath the ever-popular Old Quebec, with its historic narrow streets and 18th-century walls. St Roch, by comparison, was, until recently, the dodgy part of town..." Tasting the foodie delights of the district of St Roch in Quebec City, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	A Theatrical Journey into Canada’s Charlevoix **BBC Travel, 19 November 2012** "The Charlevoix Railway carried passengers until 1959. Fifty years later, Gauthier wanted to give something back to the region that had kick-started his success, and upgraded the line to make it viable for a luxury train, hoping to encourage travellers to visit the Charlevoix from Québec City. Two versions of the Le Massif train leave each morning from a suitably dramatic locale, the spectacular Montmorency Falls..." Catching the Le Massif gourmet train into the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada. Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	Oddest Food Museums Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2013, October 2012 List of distinctive food museums in locales across the world (including three in the USA, two in Germany, two in Japan, one in Hungary, one in Belgium, and one in South Korea). This book can be purchased online from Amazon.com.
	Canadian Cool The Sunday Age, 13 May 2012 "I wish I had a Canadian dollar for every time someone has told me that Toronto reminds them of Melbourne. Looking out the window I can see a long straight street full of scuffed two-storey shopfronts with enticing displays, and trams trundling down the middle every few minutes. It doesn’t take much imagination for 'West Queen West' to remind me of Brunswick Street, Fitzroy..." Exploring the cool shops and cafes of Queen Street West, Toronto, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	World's Most Liveable City or City of Sin? Fairfax Traveller, 21 February 2012 "As we walk, Jessica talks about 'Gassy Jack' (John Deighton), the unofficial founder of the township which became the nucleus of Vancouver. Jack opened a saloon here in 1867, to serve nearby loggers and sawmill workers. In typically flamboyant fashion, he persuaded the sawmill workers to build his bar for free, in exchange for as much whisky as they could down in a single sitting..." Discovering the sins and shames of the past in Vancouver, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	The Cat's Meow The Sunday Age, 11 December 2011 "Leaning across the railings, I can see a long, low wooden structure shaped like a miniature house, with a pitched roof and a timber deck. It’s all charmingly amateur in appearance, a pleasing contrast to the austere and ornate parliamentary buildings. I discover later that it’s no coincidence that the cats set up home here; until the 1950s the Parliament kept a group of cats in residence to combat rodents within the buildings..." Visiting an unconventional cat sanctuary in Ottawa, Canada.
	A Moving Experience Medical Observer, 23 September 2011 "As we approach the Rocky Mountains the landscape grows ever more impressive, high and craggy with snow-capped peaks, until we stop for 90 minutes at Jasper. The mountain town is an attractive blend of both natural and human-made attractions, as all the notable civic buildings around the station have been built in a harmonious style involving stone, timber frames and steep pitched roofs..." Taking an epic train journey between Vancouver and Toronto, Canada.
	Fangtastic! The World’s Best Vampire-spotting Locations www.lonelyplanet.com, 9 August 2011 Revealing several ways of encountering vampires in places around the globe (including locations in Romania, the UK, France, the USA, Costa Rica and Indonesia). Not available for republication. [Read the full article here]
	What Lies Beneath The Sunday Age, 22 May 2011 "When the architects of Montreal’s underground shopping mall beneath Place Ville-Marie drew up their plans in 1962, they had little idea what they’d started. As newer malls and office buildings were constructed, they were all linked together. Thus the Underground City was born. RÉSO, a play on the French word for network, réseau, is now the largest underground complex in the world..." Exploring the maze of subterranean passages beneath Montreal, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available.
	Montreal - with a Twist NineMSN Travel, May 2011 "'What’s funny about the cabaret now is that more straight people than gay people come to see our shows. We have boys, girls, groups doing their bachelor parties and birthdays, straight couples coming to see the drag queens, it’s so amaaazing!' It’s easy to be swept up in the enthusiasm of Mado Lamotte, drag queen extraordinaire, as she sits in front of her dressing room mirror in a leopard-print dressing gown and prepares for an evening on stage..." Uncovering the coolest and quirkiest attractions of Montreal, Canada.
	24 Hours in Bismarck The Age, 19 March 2011 "Take in some country air at Papa's Pumpkin Patch. Dotted around this site in autumn are bright orange pumpkins and attractions with a farm motif - but you can't beat the trebuchet for sheer crazy fun. This miniature catapult launches pumpkins high into the air at a target a few hundred metres away...'" Exploring the attractions of Bismarck, North Dakota, USA in a day. Available for republication (print only). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	Best Vampire Spotting Locales & Top Ten Historical Re-enactments Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2011, November 2010 Two lists of distinctive travel experiences in locales across the world (including five in the USA, one in Costa Rica, and one in Peru). This book can be purchased online from Amazon.com. Not available for republication.
	Curiouser and Curiouser The Sunday Age, 3 October 2010 "'In like Flynn!' It's an expression that beautifully sums up Errol Flynn's attitude to life. Not only did the Tasmanian-born actor become one of Hollywood's leading men in a series of action movies in the 1930s, but he also lived the rollicking life of a bad boy star.Then he ended up dead on a slab in Vancouver. I know this because I’m standing in the former autopsy room..." Detailing seven odd but fascinating attractions in Vancouver, Canada. Available for republication (print only). Images available.
	New Slant on Native American Way of Life Escape, 11 April 2010 (News Ltd's Sunday travel section) "Guide Dakota Goodhouse speaks in Mandan, the language of the tribe which once inhabited the village, thanking us for spending time in this place. Then he switches to his native Sioux tongue. He explains that the Sioux message was much the same as the Mandan, except he'd also expressed thanks for spending time with him 'in the home of the enemy'. But he says it with a smile and a twinkle of the eye." Covering the Native American cultural highlights of North Dakota, USA. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available. [Read the full article here]
	At Peaks of Perfection The Daily Telegraph, 1 April 2010 "Everything about Montana is big... and up the top of its “big” list are the glaciers and peaks of Glacier National Park, a spectacular spread of craggy mountains, glacial lakes and huge chunks of ancient ice. 'It’s incredible to first timers,' says our driver and tour guide Jana Grindheim. 'People don’t know about Glacier, it’s not as famous as Yellowstone. But it’s like nothing they’ve ever seen, and they’re just amazed at the mountains.'" Touring the magnificent Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. This article also appeared in: The Courier-Mail (3 April 2010) The Herald Sun (16 April 2010) Available for republication (print and Web). Images available.
	Driving with Dinosaurs The Sunday Age, 7 March 2010 "Michele Fromdahl works with a tyrannosaurus rex. She’s cool with that, but some of her visitors aren’t. The gigantic model of the fearsome prehistoric creature is the first thing you see as you step through the door of the Fort Peck Interpretive Centre, lunging towards you with its jaws open for the kill." Traversing the dinosaur trail across Montana, USA. Available for republication (print only). Images available.
	The Full Montana The Sunday Age, 10 January 2010 "'We've got some live ones on this flight. What are you, British?' When it comes to the sprawling American state of Montana, the fun starts on the flight in. There’s not much space in our snug 50-seater from Denver to Missoula, so the sassy blonde flight attendant is a disciplinarian by necessity. However, the request for tea has thrown her routine into a loop.But you don’t visit Montana for the tea... " Describing ten essential attractions of Montana, USA, including glaciers and beer. Available for republication (print only). Images available.
	American Pie The Age, 1 January 2010 "To visit America for the first time is to encounter the strangely familiar. Like every Australian, I’ve spent a lifetime immersed in the television and film output of the USA, absorbing the nuances of its culture. I even understand why it’s upsetting to have been cast as Benedict Arnold in the school play (thanks, Brady Bunch). Which is why it’s mildly disconcerting to find that America is, in fact, much as it appears on screen." A letter from Bismarck, North Dakota, discussing the USA's food culture. Available for republication (print only). Images available.
	Bohemian Rhapsody Medical Observer, 6 March 2009 "La Chascona is charming and colourful, reflecting a man with an extraordinarily creative and active mind. That he also liked to stroll around the house dressed as a sea captain, or even a nun, is neither here nor there - great men must be allowed their little foibles. I suggest to Gonzalo that Neruda could be regarded as eccentrico, and he replies 'Si... or maybe loco.' But he says it with a smile." Outlining the attractions of Santiago, Chile, with its bohemian Barrio Bellavista quarter. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available.
	Ice(berg) With Your Drink, Sir? The Senior Traveller, November 2008 "Salud, dinero y amor! This is no idle toast. Without warning, the pilot sails up to a small iceberg, rams into its flank, and extracts a large chunk with the aid of an ice-pick. A few minutes later we’re milling around, clinking glasses as we toast each other - with 12 year old Scotch containing 50,000 year old ice. Sure, it’s a gimmick - but what a gimmick." A cruise through the glaciers of Patagonia, in Chile's south. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available.
	Chilled Out The Australian, 23 September 2006 "Sometimes, when you’re travelling, there's a moment so grand and inspiring that you want to crack a joke or laugh, just to bring it down to size and try to fit it inside your head. This is one of those moments. The air is freezing cold, a light rain has started spattering our hats, and in the distance is a massive dirty blue glacier stretching back into the snow-capped mountains." A cruise through glacier territory in the Magallanes region of Chile. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available.
	Eccentric Orbit* The Age, 9 September 2006 "It may be pushing midnight on a Tuesday, but it's all happening at the Barrio. Barrio Bellavista does a good line in perky black-clad waitresses, along with energetically mad beggars, folk who loom over your outside table or harangue you with a smile as you try to use a public phone. It's all part of the local colour, and we take a tolerant view of their unscripted interventions." The eclectic highlights of Barrio Bellavista, Santiago's bohemian nightlife district. Available for republication (print only). Images available. * My title
	Ice Blue Frontier Medical Observer, 17 February 2006 "If you saw this glacier in a movie, you'd assume it was a special effect. Filling our field of vision is a cathedral of ice, ranging from pure white through blue shades to almost indigo depths. Great vertical cracks resemble caves, promontories look like spires. Gigantic cracks hint from where the next giant chunk of ice will fall, as the glacier makes its way down from the heights." Account of a cruise through the glaciers in Chile's far south. Available for republication (print and Web). Images available.
	From Tattoos to Tanks Sydney Morning Herald, 1 October 2005 "One of the strangest is the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota. The statistics are staggering: the museum houses 4,752 cans of Spam from all over the world. As visitors enter, they walk directly beneath a towering wall of Spam constructed from 3,390 cans. And the museum houses a letter from President Eisenhower, about the role the product played during World War II." Ranges through the world's oddest museums, exhibiting everything from sulphur to Spam. Available for republication (print only). [Read the full article here]

Travel: Americas

I'm a member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers. This page contains examples of my travel writing, organised by location. Each entry includes a sample paragraph, and indications of available rights.

I also have a selection of high-quality digital images available, depicting a variety of international locations.

If you'd like to republish one of these pieces, or would like a new piece written about the same location, please get in touch via the contacts below:

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All articles in this archive are available for republication (fee to be negotiated). Articles can be rewritten to meet your style or length requirements. Please contact me by email with your query.

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