Arrivals & Departures Weekly Travel News & Views 24 September 2024

WEEKEND START

Busman’s holiday: “A vacation during which a person engages in activity that is the same as or similar to their usual employment.”

I’ll get to my “busperson’s holiday” (now preferred) in a moment, but this column has to begin last weekend, in Fremantle, with our Jackets Of The World exhibition. Many more than 2000 readers joined us at Old Customs House, the home of Artsource, on Saturday and Sunday. They wandered around 55 jackets on to which I have hand-sewn fabrics, textiles and embroideries from various countries.

Penny Thomas and Megan French (who styled the exhibition) recorded a special episode of The Pod Well Travelled there, with guests’ questions.

Mogens Johansen steered a big group through the art of taking better phone camera pictures in exhibitions and museums.

Leyanne Baillie, Olga de Moeller and Christine Sutherland chatted with many of the readers who came.

Steve Richter had composed music, which he played with a performed story based on the Africa jackets.

It was busy all weekend.

Thanks to everyone who joined us.

BRING OUT THE BEST

Reader Andre Sequeira, who joined us, kindly wrote: “What a special day indeed. I felt so blessed and enjoyed every minute. You all truly bring out the best in each other. Megan, you excelled yourself with opening the event and with the story of denim.”

PAINT YOUR OWN

Schools are now on holiday, starting back (according to the Department of Education) on Monday, October 7. And on Friday, October 4 at Girrawheen Hub, 11 Patrick Court (behind Girrawheen Library), Green Girrawheen Sustainability Workshops has a free denim jacket painting workshop for children aged 10 and older. Bring your own jacket (or jeans). The three-hour workshop is free, but bookings are essential at eventbrite.com.au.

DRIVE WITH HARVEY

Last Monday and Tuesday I put together our two weekend editions — Saturday and Sunday's print editions of Travel. In Sunday we had a brilliant story by Ben Harvey. You can join him, driving around England, and especially the Lake District (pictured at the top of the page) for a good laugh here.

WELCOMING VISITORS

And now we come to that “busman’s holiday”.

I took two days leave on Wednesday and Thursday to join WA landscape and wildflower specialist Grady Brand in leading two coach days for the triennial conference of the Australian Association of Lyceum Clubs in Perth. The AALC is part of the International Association of Lyceum Clubs, which is represented in 17 countries and has 49 clubs. These are clubs for women interested in arts, science, social concerns and in the pursuit of lifelong learning. Australia’s oldest women’s club, the Karrakatta Club, joined the Lyceum movement (which began in the UK) in 1920 as a way of bringing together educated women around the world. Its aims were to provide intellectual stimulus and international understanding.

We love that notion.

We love “community service”.

We love representing and explaining our unique State to visitors.

VALUE IN REVISITING

It is only three weeks since our wildflower coach days for readers, and it was so interesting to see how the season has progressed. It brings home something that was much discussed over the weekend — that revisiting is interesting. Places change. We change.

The moment changes, and the experience changes. Don’t just tick somewhere off and consider it “done”.

BIG (value) DAY OUT

As with our A Nice Day Out coach day series, for the Lyceum days I worked with Australian Pinnacle Tours.

They have lots of coach tours, and their Margaret River, Busselton Jetty and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse full-day tour ($245) also stops at a Margaret River brewery for a lunch with local produce and complimentary beer tastings and at Mammoth Cave, then returns to Perth the same day. australianpinnacletours.com.au

NOT HOT LIST

Intrepid Travel publishes an annual Not Hot List, and Greenland’s on the new one. An Intrepid spokesperson says: “This recognition highlights Greenland’s dedication to responsible tourism and its allure as an off-the-beaten-path destination for intrepid travellers. To coincide with the announcement of the Not Hot List, Intrepid Travel is launching a new 10-day Greenland Expedition, designed in collaboration with local tourism stakeholders. It starts in Nuuk and visits Ilulissat, Qeqertarsuaq and Qasigiannguit, and is Intrepid’s first-ever land-based tour in Greenland, with four scheduled departures in 2025.” intrepidtravel.com

FLASHING BY

How fast is a year? Very, very fast, in my book. Colleague Paul Barry reminds me just over 12 months ago I was running out of a hotel in Marrakech when a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco. I was there with Intrepid Travel, which has a network of 150 local and well-connected tour leaders, a knowledgeable and well-organised operations team behind them, and skilled leadership. One of the reminders from those days in Morocco was to be with people who are based where you are and have a strong local network — to be in safe hands.

DESERT NEAR DUBAI

Forty-five minutes drive from Downtown Dubai, Desert Pool Villas at Bab Al Shams is a new desert retreat.

It is taking reservations from October 1. There are eight private villas (one and two bedrooms), with private pool, outdoor fireplace, and personal concierge, and guests can book desert experiences based on Arabian history. babalshams.com

TESTED FOR YOU

I mentioned recently that I always carry two inflatable pillows — one to sit on, with just a small amount of air in it, and one to put behind my back. I find sitting on the pillow stops spinal compression in an economy seat — in any seat, come to that. It has prompted a lot of interest. The Denali Basecamp pillows that I like have become hard to find so (on our readers’ behalf), I ordered and have been testing a Mountain Designs “standard pillow” and it is just as good. It was $19.99 as a member price from Anaconda. Just like the Denali, it is strong, has some internal foam and a corner “twisty” valve that is easy to use and lasts. It has TPU coating and heat-welded seam construction. anacondastores.com