After another wonderful stay in Cairns, the city that feels like my second home, it was time to head back to Sydney. For this flight I chose Qantas Airways for three key reasons: first, the chance to fly on a widebody Airbus A330-200; second, I grabbed a seat with points (or miles) that was quite…
Category: Australia
The Wonderful Food at the Historic Mount Kembla Village Hotel, Wollongong.
The Mount Kembla Village Hotel welcomes everyone with genuine warmth and country charm. With 16 beers on tap, a thoughtfully curated wine list, a wide range of spirits, and a menu crafted by a talented chef, there’s something for every taste. The wood fired pizzas are a local favourite, and the morning buzz of our…
The Malaya, Sydney, Malaysian food at its Best.
The Malaya in Sydney is an institution, renowned for its vibrant Malaysian and Singaporean flavours. Established in the 1960s, it continues to impress with signature dishes like chicken and pork satay’s, char kway teow, and beef rendang, and all served with warm, attentive service that keeps diners returning. This post may contain affiliate links, to…
Virgin Australian Lounge – Gold Coast.
I’m back at another Virgin Australia Lounge, and this one in the Gold Coast is excellent, like most of them really. While the food is plentiful, the lounge offers sweeping views of the tarmac, making it a relaxing and great aviation viewing spot before my flight. This post may contain affiliate links, to read more…
Tha Food at Tha Fish, Cairns.
Tha Fish in Cairns is a standout waterfront seafood restaurant at the Marina. Known for its fresh, locally sourced seafood prepared with creative flavours, it’s perfect for tropical dining. Oh and believe me, things do get creative here! This post may contain affiliate links, to read more click here. Tha Fish offer a $25 Lunch…
Visiting the Qantas Club in Cairns.
Another lounge visit, this time at the Qantas Club in Cairns. Normally, I’d fly Virgin Australia since I hold Gold Status, but with no lounge there, I used points to fly Qantas. Conveniently, my Qantas credit card included a lounge pass, perfect timing! I genuinely share my loyalty between both airlines. This post may contain…
Classic Vietnamese at Phở Pasteur, Sydney.
Phở Pasteur is a beloved Vietnamese eatery famous for its cuisine, generous portions, and fast service, a go to spot for authentic, comforting Vietnamese dishes in the heart of the Sydney. It thoroughly takes me back to the times I have spent in Vietnam. This post may contain affiliate links, to read more click here….
A Visit to Spice Temple Melbourne – Ten Years Later… (With a Sneaky Cocktail at Marmont!)
While in Melbourne with my cousin Cath, visiting from Calgary, I suddenly exclaimed, “We have to go to Spice Temple!”. It has been almost ten years since my last visit, and I was genuinely excited to return to this unforgettable dining experience. A quick search reveals that on Fridays they offer a Yum Cha menu,…
Virgin Australia Melbourne to Sydney Business Class
After visiting the Virgin Australia Lounge, I took a relatively short flight of just 58 minutes (versus the usual slotted 1 hour and 30 minutes) back to Sydney. Virgin Australia pulls out all the stops on this quick high traffic route. The corridor between Melbourne and Sydney is one of the busiest air routes in…
Afternoon Delights at the Calypso Club, Cairns.
Calypso Club in Cairns is a lively rum bar and seafood kitchen nestled on the ground floor of Crystalbrook Riley overlooking the Esplanade. Inspired by coastal nostalgia, it features tropical cocktails, and a wonderful sustainable seafood menu. Expect bright interiors, beachfront vibes and relaxed seaside charm. Full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links which help…
Simo’s Kitchen – Balmain, Sydney.
Simo’s Kitchen in Balmain, Sydney, is a cosy, welcoming spot known for its delicious Mediterranean inspired dishes, fresh flavours, and relaxed neighbourhood vibe. It is perfect for a casual meal with friends or family. For full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links which help sustain this blog, support my travels, and offer valuable content. If…
Dining at the Harmony Specialty Restaurant on the Majestic Princess.
While on the beautiful Majestic Princess, I, with my group of friends, decided to dine at one of the specialty restaurant called Harmony. We actually also dined at the Crown Grill, but I have reviewed that before, you can read that here. With an additional cover charge of AU$63 to dine at Harmony, I believe…
Let’s be Frank about the wonderful food at Frank, Hobart, Tasmania.
Located opposite Franklin Wharf in Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, Frank provides a unique dining experience with its South American inspired cuisine made from premium Australian ingredients. It’s open ambiance and top notch service enhance the culinary journey we embarked on. I’m here with a group of friends from Sydney, enjoying a five day cruise with Hobart…
Grand Princess – Adelaide to Melbourne Short Cruise
Short cruises are a great way to experience life at sea. Now, I would prefer a longer one (with many sea days), but this is all I can get away for. I am with my dear friend Jessie for this cruise from Adelaide to Melbourne with a call at Kangaroo Island. Jessie and I used…
Mabu Mabu – Big Esso, Federation Square, Melbourne.
Some international cuisines may be a primary or at least a secondary attraction to a destination – France, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia – don’t you think of the wonderful food you will have if you were to travel to these places? While it is estimated only 26% of people who have never visited associate Australia…
Madame Wu’s – Brisbane.
Madame Wu’s is a fabulous contemporary Asian fusion restaurant at the Eagle St Pier along Brisbane’s waterfront. The al fresco dining area has fantastic views of Story Bridge, the food great value as well as delicious! Brisbane has really grown up since I was last there. It’s looking great and has a fantastic restaurant scene….
Hellenika at the Calile Hotel – Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
Hellenika is located at the Calile Hotel in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. The ‘Valley’ as it is colloquially known, has come a long way in recent years. Hellenika is in the James Street precinct full of lovely restaurants, hotels and shops. This is the place to be seen! While in Brisbane catching up with friends…
Virgin Australia Lounge – Sydney Domestic Airport.
The Virgin Australia Lounge at Sydney Domestic Airport, Terminal 2 was, in my opinion, a great way to spend an hour or so before a flight. Flying business class from Sydney to Brisbane afforded me a few hours in the Virgin Australia Lounge. It was Boxing Day, so everyone seemed in a festive mood, couples…
Plane Spotters Package at the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel.
I had an early flight from Sydney to Singapore and onto Kathmandu. As I live around 75 minutes from the airport (and not wanting to rely on Sydney’s public transport…) I decided to have a pre-departure night near the airport. I checked out many hotels, and while this is a little on the higher cost…
Royal Oak Hotel, Balmain, Sydney.
I’ve recently spent a few weeks looking after a dear friend’s house and her gorgeous kitty Clover, in Balmain, right on Sydney Harbour. My new local go-to was just a few hundred metres away – the Royal Oak Hotel. Balmain is a quick 11 minute ferry ride from Circular Quay, under the harbour bridge, and…
Jetstar – Melbourne to Sydney for $20.
Time to head home from Melbourne on our $20 tickets! We only have carry-on baggage at a limit of 7kgs, so there wasn’t much shopping done, but we had a great time visiting Chloe, eating at Flower Drum Restaurant and our hotel stay at The Grand Chancellor Hotel was lovely! How does one get $20…
Matty Somewhere 