Why Detroit is worth visiting

Diego Rivera mural wall

When I tell people I have been to Detroit, they are usually surprised. When I tell them I liked it and would recommend it to other travellers, they are usually even more surprised. For starters it’s in “Flyover Country” and is not somewhere foreigners would generally go. Secondly it’s a city known for industrial grit [...]

City kayaking tours around the world

Bridge over Derwent River in Hobart

Some cities demand to be admired from the water. I know – I live in one of them. As lovely as Sydney is, it is never lovelier than when you are out on the harbour. There are other cities too where the water is a huge feature. Copenhagen and Seattle are famous for their beautiful [...]

Relaxed vibes in Mendocino

Mendocino main street

Whatever route you take, the drive into Mendocino ends by hugging the coast on California’s scenic Highway 1. On one side of the road you have green hillsides with the occasional farmhouse or inn tucked away and on the other, the ocean. Mendocino sits on the ocean side of the highway so the maritime feel [...]

Gallery: Fern Canyon in Russian Gulch State Park near Mendocino

Fern Canyon (1 of 25)

One of the loveliest things about Mendocino is the natural beauty. It’s an artsy little town on a spectacular and relatively undeveloped stretch of coast. It’s about five hours’ drive from San Francisco if you take the short way, up Highway 101 and then cutting through the Anderson Valley. You could also take scenic Highway [...]

Our anniversary stay at MacCallum House

Bed in Josephine's Garden room at MacCallum House

I rarely stay in nice hotels when I travel for pleasure. I like a bit of luxury as much as the next person but I usually prefer to spend my money on other things. When I’m exploring a new place, I don’t tend to spend a lot of time at the hotel so I typically [...]

Win a stay in MacCallum House in Mendocino

MacCallum House

I have hosted accommodation prizes for Passports with Purpose for the past two years running. In 2009 I hosted two Caribbean resort prizes – Coconut Bay in St Lucia and Tranquility Bay in Belize – and in 2010 I worked with the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle. They were all fantastic sponsors and the prizes sounded [...]

Last stop San Francisco: Where old streetcars go to retire

Melbourne tram in San Francisco

View the interactive photo gallery The green-and-gold tram trundled down the road, a small Australian flag hanging out the driver’s window. I stared in amazement, my morning coffee momentarily forgotten. As it rumbled past, I could see the words “Melbourne, Victoria, Australia” emblazoned on the side. But I was half a world away, at an [...]

Gallery: San Francisco F line streetcars

Read the article to learn more about San Francisco’s historic F-line streetcars. This is day 27 of NaBloPoMo – National Blog Posting Month. I am publishing 30 posts in 30 days for the month of November. Previous NaBloPoMo posts: November 1 | David Austin roses at Carriageworks, Sydney November 2 | Books in Krakow, Poland November 3 | Rhyolite, [...]

A photo walk through Golden Canyon in Death Valley

Golden Canyon in Death Valley

We did several hikes in Death Valley, but my favourite by far was Golden Canyon. We started at the Zabriskie Point look-out with stunning views over the canyon and down towards the Badwater salt flats. There were three options – we could hang out at the lookout and then take the bus to the other end [...]

China Date Ranch in Death Valley

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I didn’t like dates when I was a kid. The flavour was okay but the texture bothered me; the way the dry skin lifted and separated from the date flesh reminded me of cockroach wings. I would happily eat my mother’s famous date and sago pudding but I would never eat whole dates. I now [...]

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