Kings Canyon Photography Competition.wmv

Oh Alice, my dear Alice, you have my heart....

Hi Oprah,
I'm writing this to you from the heart of Australia in the lovely Alice Springs. I had to travel to Alice Springs for work this week and I practically jumped at the opportunity. I've been to this lovely outback town (or city depending on definitions) quite a few times and each time I visit I think I grow more and more enamoured.
I know I recently told you about Alice Springs from the perspective of the book that I was reading at the time. I felt that one of the main characters summed up the place pretty well. However this time, I would like to let you know in my own words.
I arrived at lunch time in the hot midday sun on a Tuesday. There was a slight breeze as I followed the yellow lines on the tarmac from my Qantas flight to the airport terminal. Unfortunately for me, I was then whisked away to our office on the other side of town. It's the bonus of my job and also the downfall as all I wanted to do was to go straight to the Todd Mall to see what was happening, as at the Todd Mall, there is always something happening...
You see, it's a pedestrian street that is littered with Aboriginal Art galleries, outback clothing stores, a few pubs with tourists and locals meandering the street alike.
When you one day visit Alice Springs, don't be drawn into simply visiting one or even two art galleries thinking that they are all the same. Trust me, they are not. The art galleries look after different regions and communities surrounding Alice Springs. As the town is pretty much in the desert, the immediate region around the town covers a lot of land. Therefore when you go into Mbantua Gallery, you will find artworks primarily from the Utopia. Whereas at Gallery Gondwana, you will find art primarily from the Central and Western Deserts. You can take your time in these galleries and if you ask the staff, they will take you on a small guided tour and explain the differences between the paintings and the stories they tell. You will always find at least one painting that you think is yours and you need to buy it and take it home straight away. I do this every time, but unfortunately I can never afford the one I want. One day Oprah....one day...
Each morning I have been getting up early and going for a jog along the Todd River. My friend and I run the same way each morning but we have always had something new happen to us. On Wednesday we saw wallabies and lorikeets’ plus we were almost giddy with the clean fresh air. As we both live in Sydney, I can describe the feeling of pumping pollution free air through our lungs as almost light headedness. We almost felt invincible as we jogged along describing "how great is this!" in between breaths. This morning's run was probably the best one as a storm is heading our way. The colours seem more brilliant as there are dark brooding skies against flaming red horizons, white river gums and presently the green river bed (there has been a fair bit of rain recently over the winter, so it's greener out here than normal). We stopped quite a few times to simply absorb the view. I must admit we had that little smug feeling that all our colleagues were sleeping, getting up and going to breakfast, whereas we were lucky (or smart) enough to experience this beauty.
Another part of the town that I love is you can dine and drink in the bars and pubs and experience it with the people who live there. You gain access to the locals and the ability to glean a small insight into what it is actually like to line in Alice Springs.
And finally, it is here that you wander the streets and you share them with a strong Aboriginal population. As I have been working in Australia Tourism for many years, the feedback I usually have from travellers from overseas is that they have no or little interaction with Aboriginal people. Well in Alice Springs, you have the chance to be among them and have access to extremely authentic tours where you can meet the people, ask questions and gain understanding of their culture.
Oprah, I really must implore that you visit the lovely outback town as I know, that it will steal your heart just as much as it has stolen mine.

Why the backpackers have the right idea when it comes to Australia...most of the time

Hi Oprah,
My goodness! Your name has been thrown about the media today! Everyone it going crazy with the announcement of tickets! I didn't get tickets, but hey, that's life. I'm sure you've see a HUGE spike of Australian visitors to your site today as I was having problems even loading the page with the amount of traffic slowing it down. Woah!!


Anyway, I am totally distracted from what I am going to tell you about today. So last Thursday I attended a conference for work and it was centred about issues facing the Backpacking segment of the Tourism Industry. It was pretty interesting stuff and I enjoyed seeing some great tourism operators talk about their tours, hostels and about some pretty amazing places they operate in. I also got to listen to Tony Wheeler who is the founder of the Lonely Planet talk about some of his travels and my oh my, that man has travelled! If I could swap lives with anyone, it would be him.


Firstly though, I should take you over what a 'backpacker' is...(little disclaimer here - totally my opinion, not a definition from a dictionary), they are travellers who travels extensively throughout their chosen destination over a longer period of time. They generally stay in budget accommodation and spend their money on experiences. Particularly here in Australia and in the UK, take a year break between Study and beginning your career is the norm with many young people going through this 'right of passage'. Pretty much their mantra is, "how can I stay away from home for as long as I can and spend as little as I can".


So why, you may ask (and ask away, you're more than welcome to ask me anytime...) do I think Backpackers have the right idea?
Well Oprah, I love how they can be more adventurous and daring in where they travel to. One thing that they do spend money on is experiences. If they think it is truly worth their hard hoarded cash then they are willing to part with it.


So, where do they travel? Most backpackers do the "Backpacker Highway" travelling up the east coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns BUT the more adventurous backpackers go inland in search for the outback. As you see the outback is what draws most of them to Australia in the first place. The big blue never ending skies, beautiful rugged scenery, outback characters and the unknown adventures that it brings.
They buy run down old cars and decide to drive from Adelaide to Darwin, or Alice Springs to Cairns. These routes takes you along never ending roads and tiny outback towns. One of these tiny towns they often end up is in Tennant Creek. Tennant Creek is the halfway stop between Alice Springs and Darwin. I often have people asking me whether you can drive from Darwin to Alice Springs in a day and the short answer to that is "No."
It takes a good 8 hours of solid driving to get to Tennant Creek from Alice Springs and this is desert country. But once you reach there you find a welcoming community that is quite proud of their gold mining history and strong aboriginal culture. Most people stop to have a look at the Devils Marbles (also known as Karlu Karlu) which is spectacular rock formations. (I've included a photo below, as this explains it better than I  can!)

But, what these backpackers find out when they arrive, is that there is more to Tennent Creek than the Devils marbles (Karlu Karlu).
That the drive itself is quite beautiful where the road side scenery is broken up by patches of unexpected but very colourful wild flower displays along with numerous bird species and lizards. Along there road there is a turn off for the option to visit the Arlpwe Art Gallery. The gallery is located in Ali Curung, an Aboriginal Community 350kms north of Alice Springs and although the well signed posted turn off to the community seems to steam out of nowhere. It's only an easy 15 minute drive off the Stuart Highway and you’re there. The diversion was well worth the time as the gallery showcases some fantastic local artworks including paintings, pottery and artefact's, all of which are professionally arranged and labelled with the artist’s story and background. 
These travellers who have plenty of time, also get to experience the Battery Hill Mining Centre, Nyinkka Nyunyu Cultural Centre, Lake Mary Ann and of course Karlu Karlu (the Devils Marbles) and Kunjarra (the Pebbles). For those a little more adventurous, they head out to Kelly's Ranch were they can learn how to ride a horse and for those with a little more experienced, can do a Bush Tucker Trail ride. Fun AND educational!

Now I know that most Australians themselves haven't travelled to such places and that these backpackers get a more in-depth into Australia than most people who call this place home.
So, I'm sure you can see Oprah why I think they have the best idea when it comes to travel. To immerse yourself into a destination is the only way one can truly learn and appreciate the people and culture they have sought to visit.

So Oprah, I don't expect you to grab a backpack and an old Holden Station Wagon on your travels, but i hope you think about the philosophy behind the 'backpacker' and seek out these outback communities that make Australia such a special place.

A day at the races

Hi Oprah,
So yesterday was Melbourne Cup day. This is a day where the entire nation stops for 3.5 minutes to watch a horse race. Betts are laid and champagne is drunk. Men dress up in their best suits and women in their best frocks, heels and hats. It's a fun day where the most important decisions are around where to have lunch and what horse to bet on.
Now I'm not sure how popular attending the races in the US, but here in Australia it's quite popular to head out to Randwick Racecourse for the day throughout the Spring Carnival season.
However, these race days aren't restricted to the cities in Australia, but many rural areas also hold their own race meets. These country races end up being quite a large affair with whole communities coming together to enjoy a beer and a punt.
You must understand that some communities throughout Australia are pretty remote. There are some tiny country towns with a few hundred people living in them and are surrounded by farming & cattle stations. So a race day is a good way to get everyone into town and socialise. My town where I grew up was like this and people would travel quite far to attend race days.
Some of these small towns now have race days that are quite popular where people travel from around Australia to attend. Famous ones include the Birdsville Races (Queensland), Brunette Downs (Northern Territory) and one that is becoming more and more famous, though not really a small town but our northern most city is the Darwin Cup.
It's held every July, when the weather is warm and there is no chance of rain (it's the Dry Season). So what makes it so appealing that all the southerners, who are in the depths of winter, escape up to Darwin for a week of frivolity.
One thing that has become more apparent is that the Fashions on the Field competition is getting quite serious in Darwin with some of the most amazing creations that I think, challenge Melbourne in the fashion stakes. It's become quite competitive that even one of my friends who lives in Sydney travels to Darwin each year to enter Fashions.

If you don't believe me, have a look at Darwin Cup Fashions 2010

There are some seriously talented people living in Darwin who are milliners & dress makers which are causing the competition to get so hot!
Even though the Darwin Cup isn't on while your visiting, be sure to ask your organisers to check what Country Races are on and see if you can spend a day at one. But make sure you pack a hat or fascinator as there is a dress code. If you can't make a country race meet, then attend one at Randwick Race Course. I KNOW you will have a good time!