travelling allrite

There comes a time late in the day when, nearing dusk, the land and sky are suffused with hues of red and gold and the clouds are sharply defined by shadowed edges. This is the traveller's time, when the yearning to explore manifests and journeys should begin. On the journey itself it is the time that the weariness of the long road is forgotten and the scenery is seen again with fresh eyes and a renewed heart. And when you are in those unknown lands it is the time that they are the most exotic, when the scents and flavours are strongest, when the stories emerge from the shadows to add new dimensions to the Universe you walk in. It is the traveller's time.

I've been trying to think of my travel highlights for 2013. It's a difficult task as there are so many to choose from. This has been a massive year for travel, with three overseas trips for me and a few domestic travels scattered in between. March A 25 day journey through Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan . There were so many highlights, orangutans outside of languid colonial Kuching, amazing Taiwan, early cherry blossoms and onsens in Japan, but what sticks in my mind is the simple ryokan at the quiet but beautifully isolated town of Gujo Hachiman. April My first ever black tie event as I was invited to the Qantas-Emirates Gala Dinner . It's so saddening to hear of Qantas' recent woes. June In June we said goodbye to that unloved icon, the Sydney Monorail and a premature farewell to the service of the Boeing 737-400 at Qantas with return flights to Canberra  on a tumultuous day in the capital. July I flew by myself to Japan to re