A Trip News

THE plan was a simple one. In the middle of a weeklong trip to France last July, a trip prompted by an invitation to a friend’s wedding celebration, we would swing down to Provence for a sweet, romantic, three-day bicycle trip. I had been to Provence several times in my life, and I had intoxicating, if somewhat faded, memories of the region: the Roman ruins near Orange, the magnificent Palais des Papes inside the walls of Avignon , the olive groves and lavender and fields of sunflowers that (more…)

The economic downturn needn’t mean an end to travelling the world, but it is a great time to start travelling smarter. Travel+Leisure magazine’s Jane Parbury sought out the top tips, from the practical to the innovative, to help you save money on your next trip.
THE BIG PICTURE
1. Be flexible. If your dates are moveable, there are bargains to be had - even more so if your destination is also unfixed. Try sites such as lastminute.com.au , wotif.com or statravel.com.au (especially for flights). (more…)

AN EXPERT report is set to cast doubt on claims by debt-laden Sydney Airport that it can handle a more than doubling of passengers to 79 million a year over the next 20 years. Such doubt will bolster the case for speeding up plans for a second airport for the city.
The findings are also expected to highlight the need for the Macquarie Group-controlled Sydney Airport to inject more funding into infrastructure over the longer term at Kingsford Smith, which is frequently criticised as one of the (more…)

Jane Parkin endures some awkward moments at the gym.
Exhilarated by my swim, I stand, dripping, in front of a row of grey lockers. I am in Skorpion Palestra, a gym that I have joined during a holiday in Milan, Italy. Centrally located, it is almost on the doorstep of the Duomo, whose Gothic spires make their flighty ascent about 300metres away.
With its Armani-clad staff and shiny glass interiors, it is also the most chic.
So I am by the pool thinking I have escaped the workout room above, (more…)

Qantas and Woolworths have combined loyalty programs in a bid to secure more market share.
The plan means members of the airline’s frequent flyer program will receive one point for every dollar over $30 spent at Woolworths and some of its other chains.
The scheme was launched for staff on Monday and will start on June 22 for customers.
The deal was first announced in December 2008 and forms part of a broader restructure of the airlines’ loyalty program.
Qantas’ frequent flyer chief executive (more…)

The addition of Paris to the airline’s A380 routes is good news for Australians, writes Julietta Jameson.
Eighteen months and an economic downturn later, Singapore Airlines is continuing the expansion of its global A380 services out of Changi with the addition of Paris to its itinerary.
Australia which hosted the service’s inaugural route from Sydney to Singapore in October 2007 continues to benefit from the expansion. As of last Monday, passengers can not only fly from Sydney to London with (more…)

Hot stuff … groups can book a private pool to avoid the crowds at the Glacier Hot Pools.
After a hard day trekking glaciers, Guy Wilkinson enjoys a well-deserved soak.
I’ve just hiked a mammoth glacier. Freezing rain pelted us all day. Due to the conditions, our guide marched us up and down at breakneck speed.
Back at my hotel, I have the shivers, my clothes are soaking and my whole body aches like tetanus.
“You look like a dip in the hot pools might do you good,” quips the receptionist, (more…)

The United States embassy in Islamabad asked its nationals and officers in Pakistan not to visit the northwestern’s Peshawar city in the next 24 hours due to security concerns, a U.S. embassy notification said on Tuesday.
    The U.S. nationals were also asked to avoid visiting public places and that they should not inform anyone about their routes, according to private Geo TV channel.
    The U.S. embassy asked its nationals to take steps for their security. (more…)

New York might be the big apple but Maryborough, Queensland, will always be the big ale, locals reckon.
To prove it they’re out to their regain their title for staging the world’s biggest pub crawl.
They’ve already knocked back London, Halifax and Ottawa, but now Maryborough needs to down New York City to reclaim the title.
The original holder of the Guinness World Record in 2005, Maryborough had the honour taken away by a 2006 London pub crawl, before winning it back again with 2758 people. (more…)

UNESCO’s World Heritage list continues to grow and there’s no end in sight, writes Louise Southerden.
You’ve probably never heard of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs (in Nova Scotia, Canada), the Socotra Archipelago (in Yemen), Surtsey (a volcanic island south of Iceland) or the Temple of Preah Vihear (in Cambodia) but chances are you soon will because they are some of the recent additions to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In July last year, 27 new sites (19 cultural and eight natural), ranging from (more…)