One for the Road: Vroom By the Sea

by Kelly Amabile on

Australian travel writer Peter Moore, author of memorable titles such as No Shitting in the Toilet and The Full Montezuma has a new book out that was just released downunder: Following on the success of Vroom with a View, comes Vroom by the Sea: the sunny parts of Italy on a bright orange Vespa.

Tough gig, huh? Ride around coastal Italy on a sporty bike, whose color is described as “the same shade of Donatella Versace”, and write stories about travels through Sardinia, Sicily and the Amalfi Coast. All this while your wife is back at home, pregnant with your first child. Very lucky man indeed. It’s “another laugh-out-loud whilst grinding your teeth with jealousy travel memoir.”

If you’re in OZ this week, you can meet Moore and grab the book — Tonight he’ll be at Gleebooks in Sydney, tomorrow at the Malt Cafe in Beaumaris (Melbourne) and on Thursday, he’ll be at the famous Espy in St. Kilda in support of fellow travel writer Brian Thacker’s band, which will be playing that evening. He’ll also be making an appearance in Brisbane in December.

Journey Girl and Melburnalia: Theatrics on Flinders Lane

by Kelly Amabile on

Ahhh, the stories I have to share about my recent two-month stay in Melbourne. It’s such a fantastic place. But until I get my arse in gear and bring those tales your way, let me at least suggest one spot you should check out if you’re headed to the Victorian capital in the near future:

fortyfivedownstairs is an art space located on fabulous Flinders Lane in Melbourne’s central business district. The venue features a constant lineup of cool exhibits and theatrical performances. Two of their upcoming productions are travel related, so I felt obliged to let ya know about them straight away:

Beginning October 24, the theater will showcase a one-woman Australian musical called The Journey Girl. Emma Caldwell plays Annie, “an adventurous young Aussie woman attempting to conquer the world with nothing more than a backpack and a map.” Next up is Melburnalia, which debuts on November 1. The play weaves together five short works (by local writers) into a single journey through the diverse suburbs of the city.

I’d sooooo love to see both these theatrical explorations, and after living in Melbourne for awhile, the second one sounds especially interesting. If you live there, or will be traveling through town, be sure to check out the lineup at fortyfivedownstairs, and tell us what you think.

Only in OZ: A Winter White Out

by Kelly Amabile on

Want to cool off this summer? Head to OZ, my friends! Blizzard-like conditions in the mountains of Victoria and New South Wales have dumped size-able accumulations of snow over the south-eastern Australian region. Reports are predicting that this year will be one of the best ski seasons in OZ since 2000.

The total snow depth at places like Falls Creek resort in Victoria is up to 22 inches. At Thredbo in NSW, the resort will be celebrating more than it’s 50th anniversary if the snow keeps falling like this. Mt. Buller is another cool spot to check out if you’ll be downunder between now and October, when the warm weather returns. But for now, southern hemisphere sports enthusiasts can enjoy their winter wonderland.

Get all the latest ski and snow reports here.

Only in OZ: Irwin’s Whale Watching Boat

by Kelly Amabile on

Visitors to Queensland, Australia will soon be able to sign up for whale watching trips aboard a new boat named in honor of Steve Irwin. The Australia Zoo’s latest venture will depart from Mooloolaba Wharf on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast beginning July 1st.

Steve’s Whale One vessel was named by Irwin’s kids, Bob and Bindi, as a tribute to their dad. The 130-seat boat will offer 360-degree views from large observation decks around the ship, educational talks by on-board biologists and an underwater hydrophone so passengers can hear whale songs.

At yesterday’s dedication, Terri Irwin revealed that it was Steve’s dream “…to be a full-on warrior for whales, to tackle the Japanese harpoons head on.” These educational excursions realize his vision and serve as the latest “weapon” in whale conservation.

Only in OZ: Beer Can Boat Journey

by Kelly Amabile on

Three intrepid Aussies who like their grog decided to do something special with their growing mound of discarded beer cans.

“We were just sitting around in our shed drinking beer and wondering what we could do with all the cans,” Brad Gillam told reporters on the banks of the Brisbane River today.

Following in the footsteps of the annual Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta, the three Queensland pals decided to make their own “tinnie” and embark on a three-day sailing trip. The trio collected cans for over two years, aided by donations from fellow beer guzzling folks. Their vessel was constructed from 8000 empty cans, as well as silicon and plywood.

Their initial idea was an ambitious recycling project, but the death of Mr. Gillam’s 10-week-old daughter in January from SIDS made the journey an opportunity to spread the word and raise money for the fight against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Skipper Gillam and his shipmates hope they will be able to donate up to $200,000 to the Sids and Kids Queensland charity.