Arrivals & Departures Weekly Travel News & Views 29 April 2025

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

Last Wednesday it was the 250th anniversary of English painter J.M.W. Turner’s birth and there are events and exhibitions to celebrate this. Turner House in Twickenham, London, has Turner’s Kingdom: Beauty, Birds and Beasts, Tate Britain has the exhibition Turner and Constable, and The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool has Turner: Always Contemporary. Of all his paintings, it is The Fighting Temeraire which lingers in my mind. The ship Temeraire had its finest moment in 1805 in the Battle of Trafalgar, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Spain. Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory was being smashed by the French vessel Redoubtable and HMS Temeraire appeared from the cannon smoke, set about the Redoubtable with its guns and was showered with cannon balls, which slashed and shattered the ship. But the painting is of Temeraire being towed by a steam-powered tug, to be scrapped. The tug is the focus of the painting — Turner explaining to the viewer how times change, embracing the future, as the Royal Navy was increasingly buying the new technology of steam boats.

AFRICA THROUGH ART

Art exhibitions in regional WA have two nice benefits. First, they let us see the world through the artist’s eyes. Second, they prompt us to visit or revisit nearby towns. And Graven Image Gallery in York has a solo exhibition by artist Paula Wiegmink from May 10 called Echoes Of Africa: An Artist’s Journey. Paula grew up in Africa and had frequent encounters with wildlife. It inspired not only her art, but was a driving force behind her African wildlife conservation and animal rights activism. Her painting The Tears Of The Rhino has focused widespread attention on the plight of the rhino. But I really like her painting of an African wild dog.

GATSBY SITES

That great American novel The Great Gatsby was first published a century ago, in April 1925. It draws travellers to Long Island’s Gold Coast Mansions, which are open for tours (discoverlongisland.com). F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character Jay Gatsby is synonymous with glitz, glamour and parties; he completely embodies an era. But Gatsby is also caught up in criminal schemes, as a bootlegger and a stalker. As much as he embodies the American Dream, in truth he also represents its limitations — for his end is both violent and pointless.

Those not planning to travel to Long Island might revisit Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 film version of the book, and its Australian locations. Gatsby’s “Long Island Mansion” was shot at St Patrick’s College, Manly (which was also the location of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s wedding). Waverley Cemetery, with its Victorian and Edwardian monuments, was used for Gatsby’s funeral. White Bay Power Station in Rozelle was transformed into the working-class area Valley of Ashes. (It was also used for The Matrix Reloaded.) Daisy’s red brick Georgian mansion was built at Fox Studios in Moore Park — one of 42 sets created for the film.

NUNAVUT REVISITED

I’ve really enjoyed the new Netflix series North Of North, mostly shot on Baffin Island in Nunavut, in Arctic Canada. There’s a story on that and Inuit throat singing here. It was on the end of our Canada Guide (By Locals) which you can find online at thewest.com.au/travel — as we turn to our friends there for guidance, as they holiday in their own country, rather than the antagonistic US.

MA & MUFC

Malaysia Airlines has a new Manchester United soccer club livery. The paint job was revealed during the MATTA Fair 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, with MUFC legends Dimitar Berbatov, Nemanja Vidic and Luis Nani there for the occasion. Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, group managing director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), says: “We unite the passion of sport, the spirit of innovation and the pride of our nation. Our partnership with Manchester United embodies shared values of excellence and global ambition.”

The airline has also introduced a lie-flat business class seat for its narrow-body aircraft.

ETA PHONE ISSUES

We have been reporting that it is better to apply for the ETA UK electronic visa which is now needed by Australian passport holders on iPhones. And that is also borne out by readers Robert and Luisa Heaton.

Robert says: “I read with interest your article re difficulties with the ETA app.

“I had exactly the same experience with several attempts to use the app with my Google Pixel 8a.

“Fortunately one of our travel group had an Apple iPhone and it worked perfectly on the first go. All I had to do was put in my phone number in the application for the ETA and it completed the whole process.

“We also did my wife’s application on an iPhone. She has a Samsung.

“So clearly more than one phone type are not capable of handling ETA.

“Thank you for all the great articles you and your team write. Over many years we have gone on several trips to Europe using tips on places to visit from your fab travel pages. Soon we are off to the UK for a magnificent trip. Many thanks to you and the Travel team, all your articles have been invaluable in helping us put together a great holiday.“

Apply for the ETA UK through the app, or gov.uk

eSIM ANSWERS

Readers also ask about eSIMs — the digital SIM built into most current phones, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card. To simplify it, the circuitry of a SIM card is soldered directly on the phone’s board, and is remotely reprogrammable through software. So, you can sign up to a service provider and activate that built-in eSIM. One option for doing this is with Airalo, which on April 22 (coincidentally, World Earth Day) celebrated having 20 million users of its fully digital technology. A spokesperson for Airalo says: “The outdated, traditional SIM card industry relies on a plastic-heavy, high-emission supply chain, producing billions of single-use SIMs each year — equivalent to 20,000 tons of plastic.

“An eSIM emits 46 per cent less CO2 throughout its product life cycle than a single SIM card.”

I use Airalo for the eSIM in my spare, backup phone. For this, I subscribe to its Discover+ plan, which gives me 20GB of data, 200 SMS messages and 200 minutes of talk, and is valid for 365 days, for $143. It works in 137 countries. There are lots of other packages, for example, for 15 days for 42 countries in Europe for $15.50. airalo.com

RAIL STRIKES

The strikes by staff on Belgium railways are causing concern for some readers. There was a strike on Monday (April 21) and there will be another next Monday (April 28). The unions have to give eight days notice of action, and the alternative service Belgium Trains will only be available 24 hours before the strike at belgiantrain.be and through the SNCB-NMBS app.

For those who might be affected, the transfer company Transfeero is another option (transfeero.com).

MOGENS ON LEAVE

Mogens Johansen has been on holiday in Queensland. He says: “We spent Easter at Noosa Heads. Crazy busy! Half of Queensland must have been there. We stopped in at Montville for a koala hug and I went for a nice little hike up Mt Ngungun in the Glasshouse Mountains on the way.” We’re looking forward to having him back at work next week.

TAG-ALONG SPOTS

There are still spots on a tag-along tour to the Goldfields in May, which is part of the National Trust Australian Heritage Festival. It is to the eastern and north-eastern Goldfields and includes a range of speakers presenting on Goldfields topics at the Tower Motor Hotel on May 19. For example, Wendy Carter will talk about some early Goldfields prospectors, the Sons of Gwalia mine and the Australasian Mining History Association. Kim Epton will speak about early explorers and prospectors who opened up the eastern Goldfields. Wendy and Kim will join other experts and the guests on the tag-along tour. The tour, from Broomehill Village and along the Holland Track to the eastern Goldfields, will visit Coolgardie, Kambalda, the Dundas Goldfield along with the Great Western Woodlands. Details from Wayne Monks on 0499 113 193 or monks@westnet.com.au