Matty Somewhere

Lunch for One at Customs House Hotel, Hobart.

During a mid week getaway to Hobart to visit cousins, I dined at the Customs House Hotel. Though I opted to stay elsewhere due to a better deal I found online, the hotel’s intriguing history compelled me to explore it. With a rich past and undoubtedly fascinating stories to tell, it offered a glimpse into…

Chitwan National Park and Nana Jungle Resort, Nepal. Taking Tourism Sustainability Seriously.

While Nepal is renowned for its towering Himalayan peaks, it’s worth noting the remarkable biodiversity in the south, particularly in Chitwan National Park. This diverse ecosystem is home to rare and endangered species, including Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceroses, Asiatic elephants, crocodiles, ghariels, and a stunning variety of birdlife, making it a natural treasure worth exploring….

Dinner at the Esplanade Hotel, Dunedin, New Zealand, and the story of ‘Mum’, a legendary Sea Lion.

I recently flew ‘over the ditch’ from Sydney to Dunedin, New Zealand, to visit a dear friend. It’s Friday night, a little cold outside and we are not looking to head too far. I’ve got a craving for pizza, so my friend, Colleen, mentions the great pizzas they do at Esplanade, St Clair. I learn…

Madrid Secret Food Tour

Wow! Madrid, you really were a surprise! A beautiful city on a grand and epic scale that can easily challenge the heavyweights of tourist cities in Europe such as Paris, London, and Rome. Before I headed off to Segovia, I joined a food tour of Madrid and it’s an amazing afternoon! Full disclosure, this post…

The Grand McExtreme Three Cheeses, Top Fries and Gazpacho at McDonalds, Spain.

One of my most popular posts recently was when I tried the Maharaja Mac at McDonalds India, so here I bring you a Macca’s burger from Spain – The Grand McExtreme Three Cheeses – Sounds delightful, right? But it doesn’t stop there! What about some McDonalds fries with cheese and bacon, chicken wings and a…

Segovia, Spain. A Roman Aqueduct and it’s Most Famous Dishes.

Segovia, located around 100 kilometres northwest of Madrid in Spain, is home to one of the best preserved Roman Aqueducts in the world! Segovia and the aqueduct have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. It’s an easy day trip from Madrid, or do what I did and come for a night. Segovia is amazing and…

Food Tour of the Marais in Paris, France

In France, French onion soup is simply called onion soup. Butter is quite possibly considered a food group, and cheeses, some meats and wine have an ‘appellation’….A patisserie sells pastries, eclairs and macarons and a boulangerie sells bread, baguettes and pains. A viennoiserie sells a mixture of the two… kind of like sweeter breads, what…

Classic Bouillabaisse and Tartare de Thon Rouge at Bistro Pernod, Marseille, France.

It’s been weeks since I’ve posted, I have been on the road again, well, actually on planes, trains and a cruise (which I will post about later) and one of the cruise ports of call was Marseille in France. I am with my dear friend of many years Brett, an Australian who is now a…

Farmers Market at Le Sherpa, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Farmers Market at Le Sherpa in Kathmandu is open every Saturday morning. Its a buzzing place with locals and ex-pats milling around, catching up for a coffee, and buying fresh from the farm vegetables and artisan products not readily available in the supermarkets of Nepal. While local markets often connect people to the locality,…

Fijian Fare at Nadina Restaurant, Nadi, Fiji.

Nadina Restaurant is located in Port Denarau, Nadi, Fiji. The menu is traditional Fijian and something I was very excited to try! Typical Fijian fare is a mixture of fish and seafood, root vegetables such as taro, and sometimes has Indian influences. Let me say, everything we tried did not disappoint! Full disclosure, this post…

The Crown Grill on the Grand Princess

One of the speciality restaurants on the Grand Princess (and many Princess ships) is the Crown Grill. As the cruise line’s premium steakhouse, prime grade steaks and chops and the finest seafood feature on the menu. The restaurant has a cover charge however, we ate gratis thanks to an inclusion with our fare on our…

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….

The 30,000 Meals they Serve Everyday at Sikh Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib – New Delhi.

One of the first places our guide in New Delhi took us to was Sikh Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib. It is one of the largest Sikh Gurudwara’s, a place of worship for those of the Sikh faith, in the world. Here they serve 30,000 meals a day (up to 50,000 on a Sunday) to anyone…

The Maharaja Mac at McDonalds India.

I had been living in Nepal for some months and there is no McDonalds there. Boohoo. Poor me. I had this craving for a Big Mac, or a Cheeseburger, or a sausage McMuffin (red meat anyone?) and the fries, oh I was missing Macca’s fries. When I flew to India for a few days I…

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…

Wait Just a Mo:Mo… What is a Nepali Mo:Mo?

One of the most common Nepali food staples is the Mo:Mo and while I was in Nepal I ate a lot of these. Served as a snack, a main dish or even a dessert, there are a wide varieties of fillings, the most common being vegetable, chicken or buffalo. Steamed or fried, they can be…

Indigo Airlines – Kathmandu to New Delhi – Airbus a320.

My friends Jen and Harry, and I, decided to head from Kathmandu to New Delhi for a few days. Airlines such as Air India, Vistara and Nepal Airlines all operate the route but the best fare was on little known (to me) Indigo Airlines. We were certainly impressed with this airline! Introduction I was quite…

Nourish by Avata – Vegetarian Restaurant – Kathmandu, Nepal.

Full disclosure here – I am a carnivore. While I have tried many times to go vegetarian, or even pescatarian but I have found some restaurants to be very lacking in their herbivore offerings. And what is the point of only having one choice of a vegetarian meal? Of course countries like India and Nepal…