Balloon over Canberra

It’s hard to imagine dozens of hot-air balloons taking off each year from the grounds of Westminster or Capitol Hill,  floating above the hallowed halls of the nation’s political power.  But, while Australia’s politics is a hybrid of both the UK and US political systems,  Canberra is definitely not a hybrid of Washington and London.  Instead, the nation’s capital is its own distinct place, one that is accessible, fun, and definitely open to playing with balloons.   The Canberra Balloon Spectacular is the annual event that brings together over two-dozen balloonists from around the world, departing over nine days each March from the lawns of Old Parliament House.  Visitors and locals are invited to hop in the basket for incredible views, and tick off a bucket list experience soaring in the skies.  Which is exactly what I intended to, showing up for a 6:15am flight as the sun approached the horizon.

Ballooning already features on The Great Australian Bucket List, with a chapter about ballooning over the Murray River in the Barossa region of South Australia.  For those who have never hopped in a basket, it’s a far gentler adventure than one would expect.  Ballooning gives one the sensation of quietly floating, free from the noise of engines or the speed of other forms of flight. Hovering over lakes and rivers, you won’t so much ripple the water below.  Pilots are at the mercy of wind and thermal currents, able to navigate altitude if not direction.  This is why conditions are so crucial for a successful flight, and why early mornings are favoured before the heat of the sun plays havoc with air currents.  Seeing the sunrise in a wicker basket hundreds of metres in the sky is also instantly memorable.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a perfectly blue-sky morning when I met my fellow flyers and pilot in the lobby of the Questacon Science Museum at 5:45am.   In fact, it was misty and overcast.  Still, the winds were calm enough for a greenlight, which is more than I can say for my half dozen other attempts at ballooning around the world.  Pilots release a helium balloon and carefully monitor what it does as it rises into the atmosphere, a low-tech but effective means of reading the conditions.  My flight is with Balloon Aloft, and we drive to a field to unpack the balloon and basket and get ready for the flight.  Passengers assist by holding the balloon envelope while the pilot blasts heated air inside.  These gas-powered blasts sound like mini-jet engines, powerful enough to fill the envelope in about 15 minutes. The gas blasts keep the balloon flying, and warm passengers in the basket.   There’s a lot of anticipation as the envelopes fill up, pulling the 8-person basket upright.  Once critical mass is achieved, there’s little time to dawdle.  We scamper into the partitioned sections of the basket, and away we go.

The early morning chill dissipates with each blast from the burners, as slowly we rise to see a stunning view over the capital and surrounding valleys.   Surrounded by other balloons gives me a sense of scale and distance, the colours of the envelopes brightening up the skies for balloonists, as well as onlookers and early morning commuters below.  The distinct road ring that surrounds Parliament Hill showcases the careful planning that went into the capital, while Parliament Hill itself looks somewhat bunkerish and fortified from above.   We drift with the current towards the artificial Lake Burley Griffin that flows in the centre of the city (named after the American architect who won the award to design Canberra).  After a 45 minute flight, the pilot signals the perfect spot to land adjacent to the National Rock Garden.  We’re instructed to brace for the landing, which can be smooth or bouncy, depending on conditions, and the skills of the pilot.  This morning, our Balloon Aloft pilot is on form.   He keeps the balloon upright long enough for support teams on the ground to hold it down long enough for us to climb out, and the balloon quickly deflates.   We all assist in the folding of the envelope, and are shuttled back to the lawns of Old Parliament Hill for a buffet champagne breakfast awaits.  By mid-morning, the balloons have landed, the pilots and passengers are trading stories, and a few more bucket lists have been ticked.

The Canberra Balloon Spectacular is part of the city’s annual Enlighten Festival.  You can also book your scenic flight and find out more info with Balloon Aloft Canberra.

We Won Tickets on the Ghan!

 

When Katie Horn received a surprise email from us that she’d won our Grand Launch Prize, she knew exactly what she’d do with it.  Gift it to her parents for a bucket list experience aboard the Ghan. Her parents Andrew and Anthea report back from their holiday of a lifetime.

Andrew and I wish to thank you, The Great Australian Bucket List competition and Great Southern Rail for making the holiday of a lifetime a reality for us.  We recently enjoyed the experience of a train trip on the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide.

Our accommodation in Darwin was provided by the Oaks group of hotels, and the room provided a stunning night time vista. We had time to do a tour in the afternoon and take in the sights of this beautiful city.

 

Firstly we wish to mention the outstanding service provided by the staff on the Ghan, they could not do enough to make our trip more memorable, they were warm, friendly and we felt we got to know them through the conversations we had with them over the 3 days and 2 nights of our journey.  There were 283 guests on board, 39 carriages, 802 metres of train and all were provided with first class hospitality which made our holiday relaxing and enjoyable.  At times the train travelled around long sweeping curves and it was exciting to see the carriages in front and behind as we moved through rolling countryside.

I must also compliment the clever chefs on board for the variety on the menus, we were able to sample buffalo, emu, crocodile and kangaroo dishes.  The meals provided were sumptuous, they were an adequate size and were beautifully presented.  It was a pleasure to be shown to a different table each night in the Queen Adelaide dining car to enjoy a superb dinner with great conversation and lovely wines. The deserts were absolutely amazing and enjoyed by all.

Katherine Gorge

We found the variety of excursions to have something for everyone and we chose two cruises up the Katherine Gorge which was lots of fun with the local indigenous rangers providing us with colourful stories.  We were lucky enough to see a crocodile on the water’s edge before he slid into the murky depths, to be followed by a pungent fishy odour which denoted his presence.  As it was a very warm day we appreciated the thoughtfulness of the staff to provide us with cold water and fruit on our cruise.

We also enjoyed a tour of Alice Springs, the Memorial Hill and monuments to past wars, the Old Telegraph Station where the ranger was so passionate and knowledgeable about the facility and the early pioneers who had lived and worked on the station.  The highlight for us was a visit to the School of the Air where we were able to watch first hand a lesson between the teacher and students on outlying stations.  What a privilege to visit such an iconic educational facility.

BBQ Dinner at Alice Springs

Perhaps the highlight on last evening was a bonfire at Manguri station.  It was noted that staff had prepared for our arrival as lanterns had been placed all along the railway line to assist guests to disembark and find their way to the bonfire in the distance.  Staff had set up a table with nightcaps and chocolates and we were treated to a warm night, under the stars enjoying the company of other guests. The area around the bonfire was well set up with tables and chairs which added to the comfort and ambience of the evening.  We climbed back on board and continued on our journey southwards and arrival in Adelaide the next day.

We wish to thank everyone responsible for making the trip available to us.  We highly recommend a trip on the Ghan, if you are thinking of taking one, just do it, and you will make wonderful memories to take with you. We met folk from all walks of life, from all over Australia, England and the States.

Click here to tick The Ghan off your own Great Australian Bucket List.  Special thanks to Great Southern Rail, Oaks Hotels, Affirm Press, and everyone who entered.  Sign up to automatically be entered into future Great Australian Bucket List contests, including the next exciting one, courtesy Skydive Australia.

 

 

Swim with Rays and Sharks

Surrounded by rays and sharks

There’s some pretty slick experiences on The Great Australian Bucket List, and some quirky additions too. I researched activities and destinations online, in libraries, with the help of tourism organizations and local advice, and sometimes, I just followed my nose. We were driving up the Central Coast of New South Wales to Port Stephens when I saw a sign along the highway that read something like the title of this post: Swim with Rays and Sharks. Now I’ve dived with rays and sharks, and I love this big creatures, so when I Googled Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters and discovered this was an activity I could do with my kids, without heading out to sea, my bucket list antennae started pinging.

The smooth ray hug!

Sharks and stingrays get a bad wrap.  Although horses and kangaroos kill far more people than sharks each year, the ocean’s apex predator gets ravaged in the press, and… then there’s the Steve Irwin thing.  The reality is that most animals are harmless if you leave them alone and don’t give them a reason to attack. Although that doesn’t stop rays and especially sharks being slaughtered, according to one report, around 100 million sharks are killed each year, which is having a devastating impact on the marine eco-system. Husband and wife team Ryan and Lia Pereira are working hard to change our perception of these creatures.   They took over a hands-on shark and ray aquarium in Port Stephens and have turned it into Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, devoted to busting harmful myths, and educating visitors about marine conservation.  With over 200 animals, we couldn’t wait to slip on a wetsuit and get into a series of pools with curious Southern Eagle Rays rays, friendly Port Jackson sharks, cuddly Blue Spotted Mask Rays, massive Smooth Rays and 3-metre long Tawny Nurse Sharks.  The kids were freaked out at first, some of these creatures were bigger than them after all, but after a while my daughter warmed up to the cuddles of a huge curious smooth ray, yes the same species that resulted in the tragic death of Steve Irwin.   The indoor facility itself is a little rough around the edges, with the feel of a two young kids doing their best to make a difference despite the operating costs. Given the challenges of operating a tourist attraction with the central draw being creatures that inspire fear and awe, it looks like it would make a great setting for a movie or TV show.

The kids are not convinced, yet.
Feeding a 3 metre-long nurse shark: Tick that one off the bucket list!

There are three main pools, including a little pool for the smaller kids to stand and also feed the rays, a larger pool where you can get a birds eye photo of yourself surrounded by swirling rays, and a large pool adjacent with the Nurse Sharks. There’s also touching pools and various displays to educate visitors about the different creatures. Wet suits are provided by the facility, and the utmost care is taken to ensure the animals are healthy and looked after.

Ryan and Lia’s devotion and passion for their animals is inspiring, and the lessons they impart on visitors of all ages is vital.    In the words of David Attenborough:  ““No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”

Learn more about Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

Directions to Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters: When leaving from Newcastle follow the signs to Nelson Bay, at Salt Ash you will precede through 2 Roundabouts. About 5 minutes later you will find a Caltex on your left, directly after it turn left onto Marsh Rd. Follow Marsh Rd for about 4 minutes then at 686 turn right into Irukandji. All in it’s about a two and half hour drive from Sydney.

Welcome to The Great Australian Bucket List

Western Australia, 2005


Hello, G’Day!

After so many miles, misadventures and meat pies, I’m delighted to be launching The Great Australian Bucket List at last. If you’re reading this blog post, you might be wondering what on Earth this is all about, so I thought it best to use this opportunity to explain:

  • it is a beautiful and inspiring book (yes, an actual book printed on actual paper) about my personal journey to discover and tick off the most unique experiences Down Under.
  • it is a website to support that book with the kind of information books used to be good for but that websites do so much better, such as updated practical information, videos, interactive features and galleries.
  • it is not a travel agency.
  • it is not a dating site.
  • it is not trying to sell you anything, other than a more enjoyable existence, and perhaps, a laugh or two.

It all began way back in 2005, when I set off around the world on a backpacking adventure funded by a $20,000 insurance settlement, the result of a broken kneecap and the decision of an unlicensed driver to not pay attention to big red signs that say STOP.  I learned many amazing things on this journey, and you can watch me talk about some of them here:

You see, you can’t do that in print. But you know what you can do in a book?
Tell stories. Inspire. Capture imaginations. And that’s what I started to do, writing long-form essays about my crazy trip to five continents. These were condensed into shorter essays for a local newspaper in Vancouver (where I live) and apparently, lots of people liked it. This led to stories being published in newspapers all over the world, and assignments to keep travelling. I never set out to become a travel writer, but I was rather pleased that I did.

The biggest misconception is that travel writing is a living, when in fact, it is a lifestyle. Low pay, long hours, crazy deadlines, crazier editors feeling the squeeze, constant change, relationship difficulties, sleep deprivation…all worth it, of course, but not quite the dream job everyone thinks it is. They were making TV shows about weird professions, and I thought travel writing is one of them, so I pitched an idea, and 7 months later found myself in front of the camera filming a 40 part series in 36 countries that was broadcast by National Geographic and Travel Channel in over 100 countries and 21 languages.

Using the wonders of digital technology, you can see what Word Travels was all about here. And yes, I am about to violate a cow.

This is when I first started thinking about bucket lists, because mine was flowing over. Tick one item off, another six more popped up. When the show wrapped, I decided to focus on my adopted home of Canada, and spent 3 years travelling everywhere to discover The Great Canadian Bucket List. The resulting book smashed it like an avocado in a hipster cafe. So I wrote another, The Great Global Bucket List, which didn’t do too badly either. And then I was approached to bring my fevered curiosity to Australia (along with my young kids, just plain fevered). And here we are.

I first visited Australia on my first big journey in 2005. I spent a month visiting relatives in Sydney, chasing romance in Western Australia, drinking with friends in Melbourne, and dodging roadkill along the east coast of Tasmania. There was so much to see and do, and too little time and money to see or do it. I have revisited the country several times since, to dive the Barrier Reef, to tick off my first 10K at the Melbourne Marathon. Even if you live in a country, very few people get the opportunity to fully explore it, to take on the Big Lap. Australia has a bounty of nature and history, culture and adventure, sport and food. I focused on the experiences you simply cannot do anywhere else in the world, the unique, the one-of-a-kind, and while I’m proud of how much we managed to do, I’m fully aware there’s still so much I didn’t get to. That’s OK. Travel is a intensely personal, life is not a race, and nobody should be judging your interests and accomplishments. There’s still time. Until one day, there isn’t. In the meantime, I hope readers and visitors recognize the purpose of The Great Australian Bucket List: it’s simply a platform to inspire, inform and entertain travellers about Australia, and a celebration of the very best experiences Down Under.

On that note, take a look around. Every month I’ll be updating the Bucket List with new stories, and if you have some of your own and don’t mind sharing them, send them along so I can post them here too. This is, after all, a national bucket list, one that is eager to enlighten everyone from kids to grey nomads. Thanks for joining me on yet another ride-of-a-lifetime.

Three Ideas for your Brisbane Bucket List

We’re going to kick things off in Brisbane, because it’s where I’m kicking off my speaking tour, and I also really liked the city (much more than say Milan, but not as much as say, Rio de Janeiro.  Neither of which have anything to do with Australia.  What else belongs on this list? 

Yum. No seriously. YUM.

  1. Eat Street

I’ve visited many food markets around the world, but nothing as eclectic, fun and community-focused as Eat Street Northshore. A town comprised of 180 shipping containers offers a global smorgasbord of great restaurants, with alleys leading to themed sections and different stages for excellent live entertainment. Open only on weekends, there’s the French container, the Peruvian container, the Hungarian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai and Turkish container. Pick up fairy floss in Kombi alley, and toast the passing cruise ships from the brick-façade Laneway. All meals are priced less than $15, resulting in a fun and affordable night out for the whole family.

Bridge over untroubled water

  1. Story Bridge Climb and Abseil

There are several bridge climbs in Australia, but Brisbane’s storied landmark is the only one that lets you abseil your way down. The three-hour tour operates at dawn, dusk and twilight, and lets you scale to the top of the Story Bridge for 360-degree views of the twinkling city, the Glass House Mountains and south to the Scenic Rim. Suitably impressed, you’ll head over to the southern pylon for a thirty metre-abseil down into Captain Burke Park.   The adventure is tailored for the “bucket list enthusiasts” and who am I to argue?

Cue Bill Withers: Lovely Day

  1. South Bank

Every Australian city has a communal gathering centre, but Brisbane’s South Bank is truly the best of the bunch.   Its 17 hectares of parkland has outstanding playgrounds, pools, gardens, an Aquativity interactive waterpark, markets, theatres and dozens of events, including the largest free food and wine festival in the country. There’s also GOMA (the city’s world-class art gallery) the Queensland Maritime Museum, the Wheel of Brisbane, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and Segway tours. So much to do and see, and a pleasant stroll from downtown’s Oaks Charlotte Towers, crossing the Victoria Bridge or taking the city’s free CityHopper.