Destinations

G’Day  All,

I just returned from a fantastic trip to the Land Down Under.  My trip included the wonderful city of Sydney,  charming and interesting Canberra (capital of Australia), Melbourne and quaint and delightful towns of Victoria and the magnificent seaside town of Byron Bay, New South Wales.  This write up is the wonderful highlights of my experiences:

Sydney:
Old Sydney Rocks Holiday Inn –Location is perfect!  Right in the heart of the rocks.  Wonderful value for money.  Great for Families and travelers on a moderate budget.  I highly recommend this property.  Service too was excellent!

Bonza Bike – This is a wonderful way to see Sydney for a few hours.  This is a guided bike tour seeing many of the highlights of Sydney.  A most unique experience.  Wonderful for families.

Hunter Valley:This near a 2 -hour drive North of Sydney.  It is well worth a one- day excursion or preferably an overnight.  The Hunter Valley is a wonderful wine area full of boutique and large wineries producing some very well known wines.  Also the Hunter has a great microbrewery for beer and is known for Ginger Beer. Other things to do in the Hunter Valley: Hot Air Ballooning, Wine Tour by a private horse drawn Carriage, a must see is the Hunter Valley Gardens.Two outstanding accommodations in Hunter Valley I recommend are:

Tower Estate– 5 star deluxe accommodation.  Small elegant Inn with a collection of furnishing and antiques that adorned the rooms.  This property provides the utmost in Service, Food and Wine. Great for couples and honeymooners.  Breakfast is included with the room rate.

Peppers Convent-  So charming. It is a step back in time. Located in the middle of the vineyards and next door to Roberts French 5-star Restaurant. This lovely small Hotel is a step back in time.  Sit in its Parlour for pre-dinner drinks and enjoy the ambience and warmth of the Parlour.  Breakfast in their lovely plantation style dining room is such a treat.  The breakfast is so hearty; and so delicious!

Canberra:The Capital of Australia and indeed a most unique place to visit and experience.  If one has the time I highly recommend the drive from Sydney to Canberra.  It can be done in a day but an overnight enroute would be better.  Fantastic place for families and children.  Must see’s:  The Parliament House, The War Memorial and the Embassies. Canberra is a great place to rent a bicycle, visit wineries and do some Hot Air Ballooning.

Beechworth, Victoria:Driving from Canberra to Beechworth, Victoria.  Here again an absolute must if one has the time.  I found this to be one of the biggest highlights.  It is about a 2-½ hr. drive without any stops from Canberra.  This town is well known for its famous bakery, Beechworth Bakery.  It is a step back in time, like something from a Western movie set.  The wines, produce and cheeses that come from this part of Victoria are popular. This region also is very popular for Horse back riding. The movie, the man from the Snowy River was filmed near here in Victoria’s high country. There are also ski resorts nearby.  One of the very well known award winning wineries near Beechworth is Brown Bros. located in Ilwara near the Ilwara Cheese factory and Bread Baking Company.  Brown Bros. has an outstanding restaurant on site.  I highly recommend Wardens for fine dining in Beechworth.  This restaurant has an outstanding Italian Chef form Piedmont, Italy. Beechworth offers some wonderful and charming Bed and Breakfast Inns with some of the very best in Australian Hospitality.

Yarra Valley:This is an ever so popular wine region area outside of Melbourne about 45 minutes or less.  Domaine Chandon has their wonderful champagne cellars here. Not only is the Yarra, known for its wonderful wines and wineries but also Hot Air Ballooning and Horse Back Riding are so popular.

Chateau Yering Historic House– 5 star luxury boutique hotel with an award winning restaurant and chef.  This is a beautifully restored Victorian House.  Chateau Yering is a member of Chateau and Relais.  Once here your guests will never want to leave!

Melbourne:  This vibrant stylish city reminds me of San Francisco with all of its many Trams.  Melbourne is a sprawled out sophisticated city known for its Food, Fashion and Theater. There is not enough time to experience every restaurant and its wide variety of Ethnic Foods.  The Hotel accommodations offer so a wide range of choice for every budget.

I stayed at the very new Hilton on South Wharf, facing the Yarra River. Hilton South Wharf is a must stay hotel located in a very excellent part of Melbourne and within walking to many places and very close to Melbourne Casino. The rooms are very large and done in beautiful woods and state of the art furnishings, the bathrooms are very large too and beautiful.  Many of the rooms have incredible views overlooking the Yarra River and the city skyline.  Their Executive Floor is a must to experience. They offer a delicious buffet type breakfast, afternoon tea service with homemade cakes and cookies, evening cocktails and a variety of snacks both hot and cold with cheese platters. Wine, Beer and Liquor is available throughout the day until 11:00 pm at night. One can also set out on the beautiful woodened terraced area to enjoy the view of Melbourne from the Executive Floor Lounge.  The Service at the Hilton is the very Best of the Best!From the moment you walk in its open and beautiful appointed Lobby you will feel at home.
Other places of interest and places to experience:

Bendigo:

The Great Ocean Road - this is a day trip along the spectacular coast line, be sure to include the Helicopter flight over the 12 Apostles. I did this and it was unbelievable!

Echidna Walkabout – this is all about Wildlife in the Wild and truly experiencing nature at its best.  Experience exceptional wildlife on this day tour out of Melbourne.  Better than a Zoo.

The Eureka Skydeck 88 – The most inspiring views of Melbourne.

Dalyesford Spa Country & The Lake Hotel – Known for its natural Mineral Springs and wonderful treatments offered to guests visiting this wonderful part of Melbourne.  This area has charming towns and accommodations such as The Lake House.

Lake House – Is wonderfully situated on the Lake Dalyesford in the heart of Victoria’s Spa Country and sets within wonderful manicured gardens.  Many of the rooms have a Lake view.  Lake House has one of Australia’s most popular restaurants. This property is known for its popular day Spa. Year after year this resort wins awards and is considered a real retreat.

Fairy Penguins and Phillip Island – Phillip Island is only 90 minutes away from Melbourne.  See the smallest penguins in the world.  Each day at Sunset this tiny little penguins emerge from the ocean and waddle ashore to their sand dune burrows.  The Fairy Penguin Parade is one of Australia’s most leading attractions.  The best tour of seeing the Fairy Penguin Parade is “UP CLOSE and PERSONAL” – premium viewing platform.

New South Wales – Byron Bay: I flew from Melbourne to Coolingatta Airport, Southern tip of Queensland near the Gold Coast.  It is about a 45-minute drive to Byron Bay.  Byron Bay is where the Sea meets the Rainforest and truly is a very lay back resort destination.  Byron Bay is noted for its artsy town and nearby little artsy communities that have wonderful craft markets every weekend. The locals take pride in their Organic Farmers Markets.  Of course too, Byron Bay was once known as a Hippie free spirit area but it is now a community that prides itself with the natural beauty that surrounds the area from farmlands to rolling hills, to the Ocean and beaches and of course one of its famous walks to the Byron Bay Lighthouse which is still man operated.

The Byron at Byron – Total Rustic Luxury amongst the Rainforest with the Ocean very near by.  The owners live on site and truly make each guest feel so special as though they are visiting their house.  The staff goes beyond providing the utmost in Service.  There are two room categories; the Everglades set amongst the rainforest and Ocean. The rooms are more like small condo’s, each with a kitchenette, ensuite, bedroom and lovely spacious bathrooms.  But what is so special too, is that there is an enclosed verandah outside adjoining each unit before actually going into the unit and there is another enclosed veranda off the en suite.  How perfect for those early mornings to set on the Verandah listening the wonderful sounds of the birds amongst the rainforest.  There are boardwalk pathways that meander from the rooms through the rainforest.  The walks are so beautiful and especially just to stop along the pathway along the boardwalk and rest on a bench overlooking one of the many Billabong marshes covered with waterlilies.

Spa – Yes, The Byron at Byron has an incredible Spa.  How about a relaxation massage with warm Macadamia nut oil being massaged into your skin.  Finished with sitting out on a private deck outside of the treatment room with a Jacuzzi and candles lit all around.  But then I must mention too the wonderful Cuisine.  Outstanding Chef.  Once a week the chef goes to the Farmers Market and buys Organic produce that he will be using for the meals to be prepared.  Guest are invited to accompany him to the Farmers Market.  The Byron at Byron is truly a total rediscover one’s self experience where all the Stress is let go and replaced with pampering your heart and soul.

I hope this has given you some new insights into Australia. It truly is the Land of Oz.

Somewhere over the Rainbow way up high; there is a new Airline in the sky taking you to the Magical Land of OZ and that is non other than VAustralia.
 
My recent experience on VAustralia’s Inaugural flight began with the very friendly check in staff at LAX to boarding my flight and being handed a glass of bubbly (this was given to all of the passengers) as we made a toast throughout the aircraft for the Inaugural flight.  As I sat back in my International Business class seat I soaked up the sleekness, freshness and crispness of this new 777-300 aircraft.  The quietness of the engines and vastness of the wing span so amazed me. In all of the cabins from Economy to Premium Economy to International Business Class, there is such spaciousness and openness.

My recent experience on my flight to Brisbane and return from Sydney has left me with so much excitement.  VAustralia is a definitely a new dimension in air travel.  The in-flight service is refreshing, fun and offers the friendliness, graciousness and hospitality that is so much of the Australian Culture from the in-flight staff.  They always have a smile and time for a chat; making each passenger feel so welcome and special.  The comfort of the seats and roominess in either International Business, Premium Economy or Economy Class is so impressive.  In the International Business class section the seats make into completely flat beds.  I loved the nice soft pajamas that were given out to wear and keep in the Business class section..  Both International Business and Premium Economy class have their own bar areas  You do not feel like you are traveling in a cattle car in any class of service.  Especially nice too is the mood lightening and the special effects of stars in ceiling after the evening meal service.  Also the recessed mood lighting on the sides of the cabins are so nice and soft.  I must mention, too, the great food.  Both dinner and breakfast were quite good and the food tasted so fresh.  There is also a great wine selection.  The fully touch tone monitors are state of the art and offers the latest in-flight entertainment.
 
VAustralia is definitely doing some very clever and witty implements onboard from the clever animated safety procedure cartoon that really draws ones attention to the coffee cups in both Premium Economy and International Business Class that rest on a saucer and when you pick up your cup the saucer reads; “I am your flying saucer”.  How fun to have a chuckle to see how Branson has made flying fun.  All I can say is that VAustralia is true value for money and puts the fun back into flying,

Getting to the Land of OZ can be fun when you fly VAustralia, A New Style in Air Travel.

 Want to get away for a quick fling in the new year? Think Oz. It’s summertime down under so be sure to pack a swimsuit.

Northern Californians can do the non-stop kangaroo hop from San Francisco on Qantas. Once there, the exchange rate is extremely favorable, and the Aussies love Americans. Visiting Sydney and Melbourne for a week can be charming, exciting, adventurous, and a gourmet treat.  All of the above comes with just a little planning.

One week will put you in the right frame of mind for a more extensive exploration at some future time. Australia is a huge country with two backs “… laid back and outback”. Start with the laid back in two bustling biggies, Sydney the physical city and Melbourne, the cultural city.

Four things in Sydney should not be missed. Bondi Beach is one of the world’s great beaches for swimming, surfing and people watching. The beach can attract 50,000 people on a Saturday or Sunday. On the rim of the beach is a collection of restaurants with everything from exquisite dining with spectacular views to fast food.

Sydney’s Opera House offers a varied menu of delights in multiple art forms. Its five theaters offer everything from opera, to concerts, to theater of the absurd, plus art exhibits. The building itself is a cultural and architectural masterpiece. Take the guided daytime tour to know what you want to come back to enjoy in the evening.

For a breathless morning, climb to the top of the Harbour Bridge and look out at the whole city as well as its several picturesque harbors. Climbing the bridge is the single biggest tourist attraction in Sydney.

A 15-minute Sydney Seaplanes flight for lunch at the Cottage Point Inn costs $350, which includes a lovely lunch in a charming setting. The real treat is the flight over the dramatic coastline of awesome cliffs and endless beaches. If you’re lucky, as I was, you can look down from your low-flying seaplane at breaching humpback whales. After a three-hour lunch, the seaplane returns to pick you up for the return flight.

Off to Melbourne, a non-stop celebration of fashion, shopping, food,sports and entertainment. There are several must-do attractions in this city. Start with a Hidden Secrets Lanes and Arcades walking tour. It’ll take you through back streets, alleys and pathways crammed with outdoor dining and shopping of every description. You’ll see stunning graffiti walls loaded with artistic non-offensive meanderings.

The truly overwhelming Melbourne sights are to be seen from the air. Go with Global Ballooning for a fantastic trip over the city. There’s no other city in the world where you can drift right over a city’s rooftops. The passenger baskets carry up to 10 persons, and in 25 years of service there hasn’t been a serious injury. It’s a $350 treat.

To see dwarf penguins au naturale, go out to the Phillip Island nature parks, a nonprofit area dedicated to nature conservation and ecotourism.
Watch the parade of penguins that come in each evening from Bass Strait off the Tasmin Sea. These are the world’s smallest penguins, each weighing about two pounds. They seem oblivious to being stars on parade as they march right past the spectators.

Not to be missed is the Queen Victoria Market. It’s Melbourne’s shopping center, and there’s nothing quite like it anywhere in the world. It’s the largest covered open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than 1,000 stalls offering everything from clothing to hardware to artifacts.

But the real treat is at the food stalls, displaying seafood, meats,fruits, vegetables, deli gourmet items, baked goods and some other foods that are hard to describe. Take the Foodies Dream Tour, and enjoy a sampling introduction to the foods Australians eat.

You’ll come home to California with going back to Oz firmly implanted in your mind. You’ll want to explore its other charming cities and its wild
outback. Australia’s catch phrase ought to be, a one-week taste will make you want to come back for more.

Ed Arnow’s “On the Go” column about travel and leisure appears monthly.
He can be reached at BrentwoodBuzz@aol.com.