travelling allrite

You can do some pretty impressive Asian itineraries on low cost airlines these days, hopping between different countries in the region, with more destinations and airlines cropping up all the time.  In the absence of any holidays planned, and not much spare cash to plan them with, I have had a little fun imagining a low cost trip using a single LCC. Jetstar at Sydney Airport I picked Jetstar as we've been flying with them every year since 2005 (Alex from when he was in his Mum's tummy) and the experiences have been pretty good. They have a large range of destinations, but to try to visit them all in a few weeks as a family with a young kid would be pretty exhausting and not much of a holiday, so I didn't try. Here's what I came up with. 1. Sydney to Cairns Cairns feels like the kind of colonial tropical outpost that would be perfect for beginning an adventure to Asia and a great family destination. Alex would love the old train ride up to Kuranda and the Skyra...

Read a travel book or watch a travel show and it's usually more about people than places. The Lonely Planet is anything but lonely with listings of bustling markets, bars, entertainment venues and hostel dorms. Tours, treks, cruises and holidays with extended family and friends. Travel connecting people with others. I was attempting to watch Lost in Translation again the other day. It's about Americans feeling lost and alienated in an unfairly stereotyped Japan. The viewer is supposed, I guess, to feel sympathy for Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson's characters at their inability to connect with their environment and lives. Not me. I have some precious memories of interactions with locals, but I have realised what sticks in my mind are the quiet, isolated places of serenity and solitude. The empty city, the ghost town, the hiss of wind across the plains unspoiled by the voice of others. A meditative temple, beautiful landscapes unsullied by the chatter of huma...